Revelation (12:6)

"And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, in which she is to be nourished for 1,260 days."

(Revelation 12:6)

This recalls to mind a number of Old Testament events. God kept Israel safe during their 400 years of Egyptian captivity as the people of Israel dwelt safely in Goshen while God’s judgment fell upon Egypt. During the Exodus, God protected Israel in the wilderness while providing them with manna. Just as God provided for Elijah, when he was feed by ravens while hiding in the wilderness (1 Kings 17:2-6), so now God provides for the woman, throughout the entire period of time between Christ’s first and second coming (the 1,260 days).

This, of course, means that the church is the new Israel, protected from Satan’s attacks and given everything she needs during her exile in the wilderness until at last she enters the promised land. Therefore, the church, like Israel, is in the midst of a great exodus from the city of man (John has already called it “Egypt”), wandering in the wilderness, protected by God who feeds us with bread from heaven and who gives us living water, until one day, he will bring us to the promised land, the heavenly city, the New Jerusalem.

(Dr. Kim Riddlebarger)