man-child
Definition
In Nee/Lee’s interpretation of Revelation 12, the “man-child” is not Jesus Christ Himself, but a group of overcomers in the end times. This man-child represents the church that:
- Overcomes through the blood of the Lamb and testimony (Revelation 12:11)
- Has no love for their soul-life (willingness to die)
- Is raptured/caught up before the Great Tribulation
- Prefigures Christ’s reign in glorification
The man-child is thus not an individual figure but a group that distinguishes itself through total victory and preparedness.
Nee/Lee
Nee is explicit that the man-child of Revelation 12:5 is not the Lord Jesus:
The man-child is a group of overcomers who will be caught up and raptured before the great tribulation.
These overcomers are characterized by two things:
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Victory through the blood and testimony—they trust completely in Christ’s redemption and testify to it:
And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. (Rev. 12:11)
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Rapture before the Great Tribulation—this proves they do not go through it:
Their rapture shows that they will be in heaven while the great tribulation takes place on earth.
The rapture of the man-child distinguishes itself from other church segments that experience tribulation. This demonstrates Nee’s distinction between:
- Overcomers (man-child)—fully prepared, raptured before tribulation
- Other believers—redeemed but still in growth, going through tribulation
This man-child leads to the complete bride in Revelation 21–22: from that rapture comes final preparation.