Above image from
www.truthnet.org/Christianity/revelation/Revelation12/
Read http://nebula.wsimg.com/a1979ac638198b905a63be6ae8033588?AccessKeyId=D40106E1331C24ABD7C3&disposition=0&alloworigin=1 about the Revelation 12 heavenly sign.
We saw, in chapter 11, two witnesses who prophesied for 1260 days (3 ½ years) and were eventually killed in Jerusalem. Their connection with Jerusalem and a future temple emphasizes their probable Jewishness. One of their ministries seems to be to reach unbelieving Jews and preach the spiritual restoration of Israel prophesied elsewhere in Scripture (Jeremiah 31:34-37; Ezekiel 37; Romans 11:25-27). In this chapter, the scene shifts to a series of signs which depict a woman struggling against her adversary, the dragon. This too is a Jewish scene, but with aspects which range all the way back to man’s Fall in the Garden of Eden and the subsequent promise of a redeemer. The signs which John sees in heaven portray events which have happened and will happen on the earth to enable us to understand better the reasons for and the forces behind the events of history.
Remember, we are dealing with earth and Israel in this chapter. The Church is to be raptured before the Antichrist is revealed. Israel is on earth in her own land.
Chapter 12 describes one of the themes running throughout the entire Bible that the Messiah would come specifically through a seedline of Israel and that one of the reasons Satan is always at war with Israel is to extinguish that seedline. Chapter 12 is a summary of Israel's history and prophecy of her future. There is a story being told here, not just in chapter 12, but throughout the whole book, to show us the history of Satan's enmity towards God - but not just his enmity toward God, his hatred toward the nation of Israel and all of mankind throughout history.
(1) THEN I witnessed in heaven an event of great significance. I saw a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon beneath her feet, and a crown of twelve stars on her head.
- Significance:
- Significance is sēmeion, from the same root word translated signified in Revelation 1:1 in the KJV. It indicates that what John sees is symbolic or figurative of the reality being conveyed - a sign. This is not a real woman in the heavens standing literally on the moon!
- Woman:
- Who is this symbolic woman? Roman Catholic theologians may see in her the Virgin Mary as Queen of Heaven - it is common in Roman Catholic art to represent Mary as standing on a crescent moon with twelve stars around her head. But if this is the sign, we run into trouble in verse 17 where we read about “the rest of her children.” If the child to whom she gave birth is Jesus, who then are the others on whom Satan declares war? A more plausible view is that the woman represents Israel out of which the Messiah came forth. In several Old Testament passages, Israel (or Zion or Jerusalem) is often represented as a woman (Isaiah 54:1-6, Jeremiah 3:20, Ezekiel 16:8-14 and Hosea 2:19-20). The fact that she is called a sign shows that a literal woman is not intended. There are others who say that the woman is the Church. This woman cannot symbolize the Church, because she gives birth to the man child "who is to rule all nations with a rod of iron." (Revelation 12:5) The Church does not give birth to this future Ruler. But in this connection, it should be asked, Who is this man child that is to rule the nations with a rod of iron? The answer is, the Christ, the Son of God, who enters the world by miraculous conception and virgin birth, and who is to break the nations to pieces and rule over them with a rod of iron justice (Psalm 2). In view of this fact, we cannot accept the position that the woman is the Church, because the Church did not give birth to the man child. The correct interpretation, which is demanded by all the facts, is that this woman signifies Israel. It was the Hebrew race that produced the Christ, the man child. Isaiah sang, "For a child is born to us, a son is given to us." (Isaiah 9:6).
- The woman is best understood as representing Israel, but with elements which reflect the role of Mary and which stretch back all the way to Eve and the promise of a redeemer (Genesis 3:15).
- Four important women in Revelation:
- Jezebel of Thyatira typifies the apostate church, which is not taken in the Rapture, but contributes to The Great Harlot.
- The woman in Revelation 12 who struggles to give birth and then flees from the dragon to the wilderness.
- The woman of Revelation 17+ who is said to be a “great Harlot”.
- The bride (Revelation 19:7+; 21:2+, 9+; 22:17+).
- Sun:
- Whatever the sun represents, it protects the woman in some way. When we examine the Scriptural use of the sun, we find both the sun and the moon often appear together as a dual witnesses. When God created the sun and moon, He said they would be “signs to mark off the seasons, the days, and the years” (Genesis 1:14).
- The sun, moon and stars here are directly related to Joseph’s dream (Genesis 37:9). Sun = Joseph’s Father (Jacob), moon = Jacob’s mother (Rebecca), 12 stars = brothers & Joseph (the twelve tribes). The reference to ‘clothed with the sun’ and ‘the moon beneath her feet’ refer to many passages which declare that the promises made to Israel can be thwarted only if the sun and moon can be made to cease to exist (Psalm 89:35-37; Jeremiah 31:36). So, the reference is to the permanence of Israel.
- Genesis 37:9-11: Then Joseph had another dream and told his brothers about it. "Listen to this dream," he said. "The sun, moon, and eleven stars bowed low before me!" This time he told his father as well as his brothers, and his father rebuked him. "What do you mean?" his father asked. "Will your mother, your brothers, and I actually come and bow before you?" But while his brothers were jealous of Joseph, his father gave it some thought and wondered what it all meant.
- Psalm 89:35-37: I have sworn an oath to David, and in my holiness I cannot lie: His dynasty will go on forever; his throne is as secure as the sun, as eternal as the moon, my faithful witness in the sky!"
- Jeremiah 31:36-37: "I am as likely to reject my people Israel as I am to do away with the laws of nature! Just as the heavens cannot be measured and the foundation of the earth cannot be explored, so I will not consider casting them away forever for their sins. I, the LORD, have spoken!"
- Moon:
- She is clothed (sheltered) by the sun and standing (supported by) the moon. Her position is sure.
- Crown of twelve stars:
- Crown is stephanos.
(2) She was pregnant, and she cried out in the pain of labor as she awaited her delivery.
- Pregnant:
- Greek: en gastri echousa, in the womb having.
- Cried out in pain:
- Greek: krazei, present tense, the woman was in the midst of birth pangs at the time John saw her. Her pain is both symbolic and literal because it finds its fulfillment in the virgin birth of Christ by Mary. Yet there is more. Many of the themes from the beginning of creation (Genesis 1) are brought to consummation in Revelation. It is at the curse, God’s response to The Fall of mankind, where we see the first mention of both childbirth and labor pain (Genesis 3:13-16).
- The woman travails to give birth to the man-child (singular, male) who is caught up. This would seem a clear allusion to the promise of the seed of the woman (Genesis 3:15) and the man-child is obviously Christ.
- The travail of the woman is very clearly connected to the final 3 ½ years of this age. (Revelation 12:6,14) The travail and subsequent deliverance of the woman is also in direct association with the wrath of the ten horned beast who is not "revealed" until the final half of Daniel's 70th Week. This epic climactic final 3 ½ year period of this age is described in the apocalyptic prophecies of Daniel 7, Revelation 11, Revelation 13 and Revelation 17.
- Here we see the Eve/Mary aspect of the symbolism of the woman. Eve received the initial promise that a redeemer would come by the seed of a woman (by the way, does a woman produce seed?). This promise of a redeemer must be seen as a backdrop for all Biblical history which flows forward from this point. In all the subsequent births, deaths, covenants, kingdoms and promises, this central promise of the redeeming seed through woman is paramount in God’s plan.
(3) SUDDENLY, I witnessed in heaven another significant event. I saw a large red dragon with seven heads and ten horns, with seven crowns on his heads.
- Another significant event = "Another sign". “Sign,” as used here and in verse 3, is the Greek shmeion. It refers to something like a special event, an object or even a miracle that is seen and that stands as a sign or symbol designed to reveal some special meaning, truth or idea.
- Large red dragon:
- Red, pyrros, meaning fiery red, speaks of blood and destruction.
- The dragon (Greek drakón - huge serpent) is called “the ancient serpent called the Devil, or Satan” in Revelation 12:9. This is the first of thirteen occurrences in Revelation. It is the dragon who gives the beast his power, throne and great authority (Revelation 13:2+) and receives worship along with the beast (Revelation 13:4+). His words are those spoken by the False Prophet (Revelation 13:11+). Later, a demonic spirit comes forth from the mouth of the dragon to lead the kings of the earth to the Campaign of Armageddon (Revelation 16:13+). Although he works intensely during the period of the end (Revelation 12:12+), he is unable to prevail and is eventually cast into the bottomless pit (Revelation 20:2-3).
- Revelation 12:9: This great dragon -- the ancient serpent called the Devil, or Satan, the one deceiving the whole world -- was thrown down to the earth with all his angels.
- Revelation 13:1-4: And now in my vision I saw a beast rising up out of the sea. It had seven heads and ten horns, with ten crowns on its horns. And written on each head were names that blasphemed God. This beast looked like a leopard, but it had bear's feet and a lion's mouth! And the dragon gave him his own power and throne and great authority. I saw that one of the heads of the beast seemed wounded beyond recovery -- but the fatal wound was healed! All the world marveled at this miracle and followed the beast in awe. They worshiped the dragon for giving the beast such power, and they worshiped the beast. "Is there anyone as great as the beast?" they exclaimed. "Who is able to fight against him?"
- Revelation 13:11: Then I saw another beast come up out of the earth. He had two horns like those of a lamb, and he spoke with the voice of a dragon.
- Revelation 16:13: And I saw three evil spirits that looked like frogs leap from the mouth of the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet.
- Revelation 20:2-3: He seized the dragon -- that old serpent, the Devil, Satan -- and bound him in chains for a thousand years. The angel threw him into the bottomless pit, which he then shut and locked so Satan could not deceive the nations anymore until the thousand years were finished. Afterward he would be released again for a little while.
- Seven heads and ten horns:
- The meaning of the seven heads is given later in Revelation 13 and 17, where we will be told that the dragon’s seven heads represent seven kingdoms or empires. The last of the seven empires will be Antichrist’s kingdom and his power will come from Satan and his evil forces. The ten horns symbolize ten kings who will initially start to rule over this final empire. The Antichrist will murder three of them and leave seven kings to reign with him during the last 3 ½ years of the Tribulation (Daniel 7:23-25).
- Although Scripture gives no explicit indication of their arrangement, a study of related passages indicates that all ten horns are found on one head—the seventh, or last, head.
- Walvoord: "From the similar description given in 13:1 and the parallel references in Daniel 7:7-8, 2, it is clear that the revived Roman Empire is in view … The seven heads and ten horns refer to the original ten kingdoms of which three were subdued by the little horn of Daniel 7:8, who is to be identified with the world ruler of the great tribulation who reigns over the revived Roman Empire."
- Daniel 7:23-25: Then he said to me, "This fourth beast is the fourth world power that will rule the earth. It will be different from all the others. It will devour the whole world, trampling everything in its path. Its ten horns are ten kings that will rule that empire. Then another king will arise, different from the other ten, who will subdue three of them. He will defy the Most High and wear down the holy people of the Most High. He will try to change their sacred festivals and laws, and they will be placed under his control for a time, times, and half a time."
- Revelation 17:9-12,16: "And now understand this: The seven heads of the beast represent the seven hills of the city where this woman rules. They also represent seven kings. Five kings have already fallen, the sixth now reigns, and the seventh is yet to come, but his reign will be brief. The scarlet beast that was alive and then died is the eighth king. He is like the other seven, and he, too, will go to his doom. His ten horns are ten kings who have not yet risen to power; they will be appointed to their kingdoms for one brief moment to reign with the beast. ... The scarlet beast and his ten horns -- which represent ten kings who will reign with him -- all hate the prostitute. They will strip her naked, eat her flesh, and burn her remains with fire.
- Who are the seven kings/kingdoms?: Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia, Greece, Rome, Revived Roman Empire of Revelation.
- Seven crowns:
- Greek for "crowns" here is diadema not stephanos. Diadem crowns were used as a symbol of the highest ruling authority in a given area, such as a king.
- The seven crowns denote seven kings and seven historic kingdoms. The ten horns upon the seventh head also wear ten crowns (Revelation 13:1+). These are the kingdoms which were delivered to Satan and through which he has dominated earthly history. At the time of the end, he shares this authority with the Beast who also has these seven heads:
- Revelation 13:1: And now in my vision I saw a beast rising up out of the sea. It had seven heads and ten horns, with ten crowns on its horns. And written on each head were names that blasphemed God.
(4) His tail dragged down one-third of the stars, which he threw to the earth. He stood before the woman as she was about to give birth to her child, ready to devour the baby as soon as it was born.
- Chronologically, the clock is turned back in this picture. Evidently, in the blowing of the trumpet, the facts are not given in their actual sequence. It could be that John retracts his steps in order to put the Great Tribulation in its proper perspective. Actually, John reaches much farther back into history than to Jesus' birth. The dragon’s tail sweeping a third of the stars out of the sky and flinging them to the earth may be seen as a representation of the prehistoric fall of Lucifer and his angelic followers. In the same way as the Lamb was slain from the foundation of the world (Revelation 13:8), so the Word became flesh in eternity, before time was ever created.
- Dragged:
- The Greek verb for dragged is a historical present, to take us back in time before the world was created. Gaps in time are not uncommon in scripture. This is a jump back in time to when Satan and one-third of the angels in heaven rebelled against God. They attempted to defeat God and His holy angels; but they were stopped, and God gave them the planet earth as their new home. Now they can only visit heaven. Since then, Satan has been at war with God.
- 2 Peter 2:4: For God did not spare even the angels when they sinned; he threw them into hell, in gloomy caves and darkness until the judgment day.
- Jude 1:6: And I remind you of the angels who did not stay within the limits of authority God gave them but left the place where they belonged. God has kept them chained in prisons of darkness, waiting for the day of judgment.
- To the earth:
- Fallen angels (demons) were on the earth well before Jesus' birth:
- Genesis 6:2-4: the sons of God saw the beautiful women of the human race and took any they wanted as their wives. Then the LORD said, "My Spirit will not put up with humans for such a long time, for they are only mortal flesh. In the future, they will live no more than 120 years." In those days, and even afterward, giants lived on the earth, for whenever the sons of God had intercourse with human women, they gave birth to children who became the heroes mentioned in legends of old.
- Birth:
- As God had prophesied, there was established ongoing enmity between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent (Genesis 3:15). This is born out in the lengthy pattern throughout history of attempts to destroy the line leading from Adam - through Abraham - to bring forth the promised Lion from the tribe of Judah (Genesis 49:10).
- Genesis 3:15: From now on, you and the woman will be enemies, and your offspring and her offspring will be enemies. He will crush your head, and you will strike his heel."
- Genesis 49:10: The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from his descendants, until the coming of the one to whom it belongs, the one whom all nations will obey.
- Child:
- Isaiah 9:6: For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. And the government will rest on his shoulders. These will be his royal titles: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
- Matthew 2:13,16: After the wise men were gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. "Get up and flee to Egypt with the child and his mother," the angel said. "Stay there until I tell you to return, because Herod is going to try to kill the child." ... Herod was furious when he learned that the wise men had outwitted him. He sent soldiers to kill all the boys in and around Bethlehem who were two years old and under, because the wise men had told him the star first appeared to them about two years earlier.
- Romans 9:5: Their ancestors were great people of God, and Christ himself was a Jew as far as his human nature is concerned. And he is God, who rules over everything and is worthy of eternal praise! Amen.
- Devour:
- Historic evidence of Satan’s attempt to thwart the Messianic promise is abundant: Cain’s murder of Abel (Genesis 4:8); the pollution of the offspring of men by the “sons of God” with the “daughters of men” (Genesis 6:2-4); Pharaoh’s attempt to kill all male Hebrews (Exodus 1:16, 22; Acts 7:19); Haman’s attempt to wipe out the Jews (Esther 3:6); Athaliah, Ahaziah’s mother, attempts to wipe out all the royal heirs of Judah (2 Chronicles 22:10); Herod’s slaughter of the babes in his attempt to murder Jesus (Matthew 2:16); and, of course, the more modern attempts by the Roman church, Hitler, Stalin, Muslims, etc. The most direct attempt was, of course, in the crucifixion of Christ. The importance of the line leading to the Messiah is also seen in God’s supernatural intervention to allow Sarah to conceive in her old age (Hebrews 11:11).
- Ultimately, the seed of the serpent did in fact bruise the heel of the redeemer - at His crucifixion (John 8:44). Yet this “victory” of the serpent resulted ultimately in the bruising of his own head (Genesis 3:15). For the child overcame death and was ultimately caught up to God.
- What purpose could the dragon have in pursuing the woman beyond the victory of Messiah at the cross? The answer is found in understanding that God’s purposes include elements which go beyond the crucifixion, but include promises and themes which are intimately connected with the Second Coming when Christ returns to earth to establish His millennial reign.
- As soon as he was born:
- Although the serpent stood before the woman over an extended period of time, he made one last attempt when the child was first born. Through Herod, the serpent ordered the slaughter of all male children in Bethlehem and its districts who were two years old and under - Matthew 2:16: Herod was furious when he learned that the wise men had outwitted him. He sent soldiers to kill all the boys in and around Bethlehem who were two years old and under, because the wise men had told him the star first appeared to them about two years earlier.
(5) She gave birth to a boy who was to rule all nations with an iron rod. And the child was snatched away from the dragon and was caught up to God and to his throne.
- Gave birth:
- Micah 5:3: The people of Israel will be abandoned to their enemies until the time when the woman in labor gives birth to her son. Then at last his fellow countrymen will return from exile to their own land.
- Iron rod:
- Psalm 2:7-9: The king proclaims the LORD's decree: "The LORD said to me, 'You are my son. Today I have become your Father. Only ask, and I will give you the nations as your inheritance, the ends of the earth as your possession. You will break them with an iron rod and smash them like clay pots.'"
- Revelation 19:15: From his mouth came a sharp sword, and with it he struck down the nations. He ruled them with an iron rod, and he trod the winepress of the fierce wrath of almighty God.
- And:
- The little word "and" in verse 5, in the middle of the verse, represents 33 years of history, that's been skipped over! That is very significant, because chapter 12 gives no indication to us of time gaps existing between some of these events, or indeed that these events are necessarily in chronological order as they are recorded in the chapter.
- Caught up to God - Greek harpazo (raptured):
- 1 Corinthians 15:3-4: I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me -- that Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, as the Scriptures said.
- 2 Corinthians 12:2, 4: I was caught up into the third heaven fourteen years ago. ... But I do know that I was caught up into paradise and heard things so astounding that they cannot be told.
- 1 Thessalonians 4:17: Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and remain with him forever.
- Acts 8:39: When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away. The eunuch never saw him again but went on his way rejoicing.
- Acts 1:9: It was not long after he said this that he was taken up into the sky while they were watching, and he disappeared into a cloud.
- Taken up in Acts 1:9 is not harpazo; it is epērthē.
Oliver B. Greene The Revelation of Jesus Christ written in 1963: "Between verse 5 and verse 6 there is time element consisting of the Church age - the day of grace. It has already been more than 1900 years. We do not know just how many more years remain until the woman will flee into her place of protection, probably the rock fortress of Petra. We are living today in the age of grace. When this age comes to a close, the Rapture will take place, the Antichrist will begin his reign, and in the middle of the seven years of tribulation Israel will be forced to flee into the prepared place lest she be completely annihilated. "
(6) And the woman fled into the wilderness,
where God had
prepared a
place to give her care for 1,260 days.
- The Woman:
- The symbolism of the woman being the mother of Messiah (Mary) changes to the woman being converted Israel during the tribulation period.
- Fled ... wilderness:
- Matthew 24:15-16: "The time will come when you will see what Daniel the prophet spoke about: the sacrilegious object that causes desecration standing in the Holy Place" -- reader, pay attention! "Then those in Judea must flee to the hills.
- Where ... a place:
Shown above is the Siq (meaning “gorge”) - the main entrance to Petra. It has sides as high as 650 ft. In some points, the passage is no more than 10 feet wide and winds its way about 1 mile. There are many ways to get into Petra, but none of them are easy, and if the valleys are sealed, it is almost impossible for anyone to enter.
Above image from http://trackingbibleprophecy.com/revelation12B.php- This appears to speak of a specific location within the wilderness prepared beforehand by God. This is “her place” which the eagle takes her to (Revelation 12:14). Petra (Bozrah), the ruins of an ancient city of Edom carved out of rock and protected by high mountain walls and with a narrow access, has been a suggested location of the “place,” but this is pure speculation. The only stipulation possible is that it is a place of refuge for converted Israel during the last half of the seventieth week.
- Revelation 12:14: But she was given two wings like those of a great eagle. This allowed her to fly to a place prepared for her in the wilderness, where she would be cared for and protected from the dragon for a time, times, and half a time.
- Daniel informs us that the domain of the Antichrist will have the following exceptions, which the Antichrist is unable to overthrow - which include both Bozrah and Petra.
- Daniel 11:41: He will enter the glorious land of Israel, and many nations will fall, but Moab, Edom, and the best part of Ammon will escape.
- South of Bozrah, 20 some miles on the King's Highway, in a basin within Mount Seir, totally surrounded by mountains and cliffs, is Petra, the capital city of the Nabateans. The only way in and out of the city is through a narrow passageway that extends for about a mile and can only be negotiated by foot or by horseback. This makes the city easy to defend. Tombs and houses carved into the bed rock over a vast area at Petra would be suitable for temporarily housing many thousands of people. The name Bozrah means “sheepfold.” An ancient sheepfold had a narrow entrance so that the shepherd could count his sheep. Once inside the fold, the sheep had more room to move around. Petra is shaped like a giant sheepfold, with its narrow passage opening up to a spacious circle surrounded by cliffs. Mt. Hor is nearby, where Aaron died after Moses passed the high priestly garments of Aaron on to Eliezer (Numbers 20:23-29).
- Isaiah 63:1: Who is this who comes from Edom, from the city of Bozrah, with his clothing stained red? Who is this in royal robes, marching in the greatness of his strength?" It is I, the LORD, announcing your salvation! It is I, the LORD, who is mighty to save!"
- Micah 2:12 (KJV): I will surely assemble, O Jacob, all of thee; I will surely gather the remnant of Israel; I will put them together as the sheep of Bozrah, as the flock in the midst of their fold: they shall make great noise by reason of the multitude of men.
- 1,260 days
- This corresponds to the last half of The 70th Week of Daniel. This is the week during which the nations trample the holy city (Revelation 11:2+) and the beast has authority (Daniel 7:25+; Revelation 13:5+). A period Jesus referred to as consisting of “great tribulation” in the KJV.
- This day-count begins after the "abomination of desolation" which is the dividing point of "Daniel's 70th Week;" therefore, the Jewish remnant will stay in the wilderness for the last half of the Tribulation. Incidentally, this is the same length of time God provided for Elijah during the drought per Luke 4:25-26 and James 5:17-18.
- Matthew 24:15-21: "The time will come when you will see what Daniel the prophet spoke about: the sacrilegious object that causes desecration standing in the Holy Place" -- reader, pay attention! "Then those in Judea must flee to the hills. A person outside the house must not go inside to pack. A person in the field must not return even to get a coat. How terrible it will be for pregnant women and for mothers nursing their babies in those days. And pray that your flight will not be in winter or on the Sabbath. For that will be a time of greater horror than anything the world has ever seen or will ever see again.
- Daniel 12:7: “The man dressed in linen, who was standing above the river, raised both his hands toward heaven and took this solemn oath by the one who lives forever: "It will go on for a time, times, and half a time. When the shattering of the holy people has finally come to an end, all these things will have happened.”.
- One of the purposes of this period is to shatter “the power of the holy people” to turn them back to total dependence upon God. In the time of Jacob’s Trouble, God will both tear and heal in order to bring the Jews to recognize Jesus as Messiah and urgently seek His return on their behalf.
(7) THEN there was war in heaven. Michael and the angels under his command fought the dragon and his angels.
- War in heaven:
- Spiritual forces on both sides line up unseen behind their human counterparts. They'll battle to the death for control of Planet Earth. Will the usurper who has put it to the torch and sword, laying waste to the very thing he's fighting for, finally prevail? Or will the Kinsman Redeemer, whose shed blood has legally redeemed what Adam had lost so long ago, carry the day? We'll soon see, but first there's one last troublesome detail to handle. Ever since the beginning, Satan has been trying to wipe out every trace of God's people, for from them come forth the Redeemer.
- Michael:
- Michael's name is a composition of an interrogative pronoun, mi, “who,” and a preposition, ke, “as or like,” and the noun El, “God.” Mi-cha-el, means “who is like God?” It poses a rhetorical and negative question, one demanding a negative answer. Who is like God? No one! It is an answer to Satan’s desire, “I will ... be like the Most High” (Isaiah 14:14).
- Michael is “your spirit prince” who aided the heavenly messenger of Daniel against the prince of Persia and Greece (Daniel 10:13,21). Daniel is told that Michael is “the archangel who stands guard over your nation” (Daniel 12:1). He is uniquely associated with the protection of the Jewish people. It is during the time of Jacob’s trouble, when “a time of anguish greater than any since nations first came into existence” that “will arise” to protect Israel (Daniel 12:1-2+). Jude informs us that Michael is “one of the mightiest of the angels” and his connection with Israel is also reflected in the fact that he argued about the body of Moses with the devil (Jude 1:9).
(8) And the dragon lost the battle and was forced out of heaven.
- Forced out:
- Prior to this battle with Michael, the dragon had access to heaven as he does in our day. Satan no longer had access to heaven - a key signal of the beginning of the end.
(9) This great dragon -- the ancient serpent called the Devil, or Satan, the one deceiving the whole world -- was thrown down to the earth with all his angels.
- Though the events of this chapter deal in general with the end of the age, it is clear that they do not come chronologically after the seventh trumpet. Rather, the fall of Satan may be predated to the time of the seals in chapter 6, or even before the first seal. His fall begins the great tribulation.
- Ancient serpent:
- ho ophis ho archaios, the serpent, the ancient. This is a direct allusion to his role as the serpent in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:1-4), and especially God’s prophecy which set forth a number of truths concerning the serpent and the line leading to Messiah (Genesis 3:14-16) The reference to serpent of old indicates that the stand-off between the woman in labor and the serpent is an age-old situation which spans the time from Eve to the virgin Mary and beyond. Thus, the woman signifies not just Mary, nor just Israel, but the promise of a redeemer through the line of Israel stretching all the way back to the first woman, Eve.
- Devil:
- Diabolos, a compound word made up of dia (against) and ballō (to throw). This title emphasizes his role as the accuser.
- 1 Peter 5:8: Be careful! Watch out for attacks from the Devil, your great enemy. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for some victim to devour.
- Satan:
- The original Hebrew term satan is a noun from a verb meaning primarily "to obstruct, oppose" and is mentioned fourteen times in the book of Job.
- Revelation 2:12-13: "Write this letter to the angel of the church in Pergamum. This is the message from the one who has a sharp two-edged sword:" "I know that you live in the city where that great throne of Satan is located, and yet you have remained loyal to me. And you refused to deny me even when Antipas, my faithful witness, was martyred among you by Satan's followers.
- Deceiving:
- "The world around us is under the power and control of the evil one” (1 John 5:19). By the sorcery of Babylon, the nations were deceived (Revelation 18:23+). His first target of deception was Eve, but he has been at work deceiving nations all through history. He is a liar and the father of lies (John 8:44).
- His ultimate deceiving tool at the time of the end is the False Prophet who performs great signs to deceive those who dwell on the earth (Revelation 13:13-14+), those who receive the mark of the beast and worship his image (Revelation 19:20+). Satan empowers both the Beast and the False Prophet as two mighty deceivers.
- The False Prophet is the ultimate from among those Jesus warned of: “false messiahs and false prophets will rise up and perform great miraculous signs and wonders so as to deceive, if possible, even God's chosen ones” (Matthew 24:24).
- Thrown down:
- Isaiah 14:12-15: "How you are fallen from heaven, O shining star, son of the morning! You have been thrown down to the earth, you who destroyed the nations of the world. For you said to yourself, 'I will ascend to heaven and set my throne above God's stars. I will preside on the mountain of the gods far away in the north. I will climb to the highest heavens and be like the Most High.' But instead, you will be brought down to the place of the dead, down to its lowest depths.
- Ezekiel 28:12-15: "Son of man, weep for the king of Tyre. Give him this message from the Sovereign LORD: You were the perfection of wisdom and beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God. Your clothing was adorned with every precious stone -- red carnelian, chrysolite, white moonstone, beryl, onyx, jasper, sapphire, turquoise, and emerald -- all beautifully crafted for you and set in the finest gold. They were given to you on the day you were created. I ordained and anointed you as the mighty angelic guardian. You had access to the holy mountain of God and walked among the stones of fire." "You were blameless in all you did from the day you were created until the day evil was found in you. Your great wealth filled you with violence, and you sinned. So I banished you from the mountain of God. I expelled you, O mighty guardian, from your place among the stones of fire.
- Luke 10:18: "Yes," he told them, "I saw Satan falling from heaven as a flash of lightning!
- Did this happen then or is Jesus talking about this future event in Revelation 12?
- John 16:10-11; 12:31-33: Righteousness is available because I go to the Father, and you will see me no more. Judgment will come because the prince of this world has already been judged." ... The time of judgment for the world has come, when the prince of this world will be cast out. And when I am lifted up on the cross, I will draw everyone to myself." He said this to indicate how he was going to die.
- Romans 16:20: The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
(10) THEN I heard a loud voice shouting across the heavens, "It has happened at last -- the salvation and power and kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ! For the Accuser has been thrown down to earth -- the one who accused our brothers and sisters before our God day and night.
- Loud voice:
- Whose voice is this? You might assume at first that it is the voice of Jesus or of an angel, but note the phrase "our brothers and sisters" - "our" is plural and "brothers and sisters" implies relationship. This may be the voice of the martyred tribulation saints, for they also cried out with a loud voice (Revelation 6:10). Also, verse 12 below states they are those who were not afraid to die.
- Revelation 6:10: They called loudly to the Lord and said, "O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long will it be before you judge the people who belong to this world for what they have done to us? When will you avenge our blood against these people?"
- Has happened:
- In the cutting off of Satan’s access to heaven, the kingdom is now so near (Revelation 12:12+) as to be considered an accomplished fact. Our accuser is no longer able to accuse! The prosecuting attorney has been removed from office, no longer able to appear in the heavenly court.
- His Christ:
- An intentional allusion to Psalm 2:2: “The kings of the earth prepare for battle; the rulers plot together against the LORD and against his anointed one.”
- Accuser:
- Ho katēgōr, present tense participle, the one presently accusing. Prior to his casting out, Satan was continuously active bringing charges against the elect. The term is used of bringing a legal charge before a judge, as in court. He goes to and fro between this world and heaven as the accuser. Yet even in his missions of slander and accusation, he is strictly limited:
- Job 1:6-12: One day the angels came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan the Accuser came with them. "Where have you come from?" the LORD asked Satan. And Satan answered the LORD, "I have been going back and forth across the earth, watching everything that's going on." Then the LORD asked Satan, "Have you noticed my servant Job? He is the finest man in all the earth -- a man of complete integrity. He fears God and will have nothing to do with evil." Satan replied to the LORD, "Yes, Job fears God, but not without good reason! You have always protected him and his home and his property from harm. You have made him prosperous in everything he does. Look how rich he is! But take away everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face!" "All right, you may test him," the LORD said to Satan. "Do whatever you want with everything he possesses, but don't harm him physically." So Satan left the LORD's presence.
- Zechariah 3:1-2: Then the angel showed me Jeshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD. Satan was there at the angel's right hand, accusing Jeshua of many things. And the LORD said to Satan, "I, the LORD, reject your accusations, Satan. Yes, the LORD, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebukes you. This man is like a burning stick that has been snatched from a fire."
- Luke 22:31: "Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to have all of you, to sift you like wheat.
- Romans 8:33-34,37: Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? Will God? No! He is the one who has given us right standing with himself. Who then will condemn us? Will Christ Jesus? No, for he is the one who died for us and was raised to life for us and is sitting at the place of highest honor next to God, pleading for us. ... No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.
(11) And they have defeated him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of their testimony. And they were not afraid to die.
- They:
- Among these are the ones “who had been beheaded for their testimony about Jesus, for proclaiming the word of God ... who had not worshiped the beast or his statue, nor accepted his mark on their forehead or their hands” (Revelation 20:4). These are they “of whom the world was not worthy (KJV)” (Hebrews 11:38), which include the martyrs of the fifth seal (Revelation 6:9+) and many coming out of the Great Tribulation who were martyred for their faith (Revelation 7:14+; 15:2+).
- Defeated:
- The Greek word here is nikaó, which means to conquer, to carry off the victory (like Nike® shoes). The believer has victory over Satan our accuser, because of the work of Christ on the cross. Satan has no power, because Christ has paid for all of our sins.
- The voice in heaven proclaims the three keys to a victorious Christian life: the basis is the blood of Christ, the application of the principle is our confession and the way in which this becomes effective is in our willingness to give our life for the Lord. Without the death of Christ there would be no legal basis. Hebrews 9:22: “Without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sins.” Guilt is the bridgehead Satan uses in every human life. Christ’s payment delivers us from guilt and its consequences. Thus the roles are reversed. We are no longer fleeing; Satan loses his grip on our lives.
- The blood of the Lamb:
- If the Israelites had not applied the blood on their doorposts in Egypt, they would have been unprotected from the angel of death. The cleansing of our life is brought about by the application of the atonement. The hymn writer states: “There at the cross where my Savior died, there to my heart was the blood applied.”
- Satan is able to accuse believers continually because they and we continually sin (1 John 1:8: If we say we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and refusing to accept the truth.). Thankfully, the one-time sacrifice of the Lamb of God justifies believers eternally. Satan’s accusations toward believers are essentially made against the perfect righteousness of Christ. This is how they “defeated him because of the blood of the Lamb.” In our appeal to Christ for salvation, His work on the cross takes into account all our sin, both past, present and future. Our sin only affects our fellowship with Him, not our standing as a justified one (1 John 1:9). Once we come to faith, Satan now appeals to the Judge Who is also the Justifier (Romans 8:33).
- Ephesians 1:7: He is so rich in kindness that he purchased our freedom through the blood of his Son, and our sins are forgiven.
- Ephesians 2:13: But now you belong to Christ Jesus. Though you once were far away from God, now you have been brought near to him because of the blood of Christ.
- Hebrews 2:14: Because God's children are human beings -- made of flesh and blood -- Jesus also became flesh and blood by being born in human form. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the Devil, who had the power of death.
- Revelation 1:5: and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness to these things, the first to rise from the dead, and the commander of all the rulers of the world. All praise to him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by shedding his blood for us.
- Not afraid to die:
- They followed the instruction given to the church in Smyrna (2:10) of being faithful unto death as well as the example of the Savior who laid down His life for the sheep (John 10:11, 15). They would rather die than prove unfaithful to Christ. Rather than signaling the triumph of Satan, this shows instead that they have gained the victory over the Dragon by their acceptance of Jesus’ cross and their obedient suffering with Him. This is one of John’s chief themes throughout the book of Revelation (1:9; 6:9; 14:12; 20:4).
- The devil’s plan to exterminate the Jewish people by means of Haman, and so extinguish God’s revelation in this world, was stopped at the moment Queen Esther said in Esther 4:16: though it is against the law, I will go in to see the king. If I must die, I am willing to die.” Satan becomes powerless when we give ourselves over into death in Jesus Christ and when we are willing to give our life for Him in a physical sense. After all, that is what He did for us! It is the fear of death that makes us slaves of the devil. When that fear is conquered in Christ, the devil loses his power, both in our personal lives, as well as around us. There are more important things than our life. There is nothing wrong in loving life. There is, however, a point at which we have to choose between God and ourselves. That is the moment at which he who loses his life will find it.
- Philippians 1:21: For to me, living is for Christ, and dying is even better.
(12) Rejoice, O heavens! And you who live in the heavens, rejoice! But terror will come on the earth and the sea. For the Devil has come down to you in great anger, and HE KNOWS that he has little time."
- Little time:
- Little time is oligon kairon, denoting a limited opportunity. The intensity of his anger reflects his desire to make the most of the short period which remains before he is bound and cast into the bottomless pit. The second half of the tribulation, ends with the return of Christ and Satan’s binding:
- Revelation 20:1-3: Then I saw an angel come down from heaven with the key to the bottomless pit and a heavy chain in his hand. He seized the dragon -- that old serpent, the Devil, Satan -- and bound him in chains for a thousand years. The angel threw him into the bottomless pit, which he then shut and locked so Satan could not deceive the nations anymore until the thousand years were finished. Afterward he would be released again for a little while.
(13) And when the dragon realized that he had been thrown down to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the child.
- Once Satan is cast out of heaven, he will give his full attention to persecuting the woman who brought forth the male child (12:13). His intense hatred of Israel and the Jew will reach its climax during the great tribulation, as he tries to do everything in his power to destroy them. Satan knows that if he can destroy Israel, he can thwart God’s program, keeping it from coming to ultimate fruition. But the miraculous hand of God will be upon Israel in the midst of Satan’s plot to destroy them, providing a way for them to escape.
- This may be when the King of the North (which many believe is Russia or at least countries that lie in the southern portion of what used to be the Soviet Union) will move against Israel; this is one of the ways Satan tries to persecute the woman (Ezekiel 38-39). This occurs when Israel is in peace and safety living in unwalled villages and trusting in the treaty with the Roman prince. But, God destroys the King of the North while evidently still on the mountains of Israel, before she and her allies ever get to Jerusalem. This creates a vacuum in the power struggle of the world and the Roman prince now sees his chance for world dominion. This is where he makes his move as the beast under Satan’s direction. So he will then move into Palestine, break his treaty with Israel, commit the abomination of desolation and begin to persecute the woman, Israel. All of this is the beginning of the Great Tribulation.
- Matthew 23:37-39: "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones God's messengers! How often I have wanted to gather your children together as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings, but you wouldn't let me. And now look, your house is left to you, empty and desolate. For I tell you this, you will never see me again until you say, 'Bless the one who comes in the name of the Lord!'":
- Because Satan understands God’s word, he understands if there is no Israel, they cannot as a nation turn and accept Jesus Christ as Messiah. Satan, like in the past, attempts the final solution, to exterminate the Jewish race, and thereby prevent them from accepting Jesus Christ as Messiah.
(14) But she was given two wings like those of a great eagle. This allowed her to fly to a place prepared for her in the wilderness, where she would be cared for and protected from the dragon for a time, times, and half a time.
- This verse deliberately reminds the reader of:
- Exodus 19:4: 'You have seen what I did to the Egyptians. You know how I brought you to myself and carried you on eagle's wings.
- Deuteronomy 32:10-13: "He found them in a desert land, in an empty, howling wasteland. He surrounded them and watched over them; he guarded them as his most precious possession. Like an eagle that rouses her chicks and hovers over her young, so he spread his wings to take them in and carried them aloft on his pinions. The LORD alone guided them; they lived without any foreign gods. He made them ride over the highlands; he let them feast on the crops of the fields. He nourished them with honey from the cliffs, with olive oil from the hard rock.
- Cared for:
- Isaiah 33:16: These are the ones who will dwell on high. The rocks of the mountains will be their fortress of safety. Food will be supplied to them, and they will have water in abundance.
(15) THEN the dragon tried to drown the woman with a flood of water that flowed from its mouth.
- Flood of water:
- It is clear from passages such as Isaiah 8:7 that a river, when used symbolically, signifies an army that invades a country. Thus, when we see these facts, we are certain that the stream which the serpent is represented as casting out of his mouth is nothing else but an army that the devil will cause to be sent against the woman (Israel) to exterminate her.
- Isaiah 8:7: Therefore, the Lord will overwhelm them with a mighty flood from the Euphrates River -- the king of Assyria and all his mighty armies.
- Jeremiah 47:1-2: This is the LORD's message to the prophet Jeremiah concerning the Philistines of Gaza, before it was captured by the Egyptian army. This is what the LORD says: "A flood is coming from the north to overflow the land. It will destroy the land and everything in it -- cities and people alike. People will scream in terror, and everyone in the land will weep.
- The dragon’s pursuit of the woman may be a continuation of the Beast’s invasion of the glorious land. If so, the flight of the woman does not take place until after the abomination is set up (Matthew 24:15). Then, the invasion of the Antichrist continues in his pursuit of the woman.
(16) But the earth helped her by opening its mouth and swallowing the river that gushed out from the mouth of the dragon.
- Swallowing the river:
- This signifies the overthrow by a divine stroke of the forces that are sent against Israel at this crucial moment.
(17) THEN the dragon became angry at the woman, and he declared war against the rest of her children -- all who keep God's commandments and confess that they belong to Jesus.
- Rest of her children:
- Satan is now a three-time loser. He has failed to destroy the man child (12:1-6), he has lost the war in heaven (12:7-9), he has been unable to destroy the woman (12:13-16) and thus his wrath is directed toward the “rest of her children.”
- The rest of her children speaks of believing Jews who did not flee to the wilderness. This will include the 144,000 of Israel who were sealed for protection (Revelation 7:4-8+). They are described as “following the Lamb wherever he goes” which indicates they keep the commandments of God (Revelation 14:4). Besides the specially sealed 144,000, there will be many other Jews who come to faith by their ministry and that of the two witnesses.
- Zechariah 13:8-9 indicates that only one-third of Israel will survive the tribulation and enter the millennium. This will result in an “all saved” Israel:
- Romans 11:26: And so all Israel will be saved. Do you remember what the prophets said about this? "A Deliverer will come from Jerusalem, and he will turn Israel from all ungodliness.
- Zechariah 13:8-9: Two-thirds of the people in the land will be cut off and die, says the LORD. But a third will be left in the land. I will bring that group through the fire and make them pure, just as gold and silver are refined and purified by fire. They will call on my name, and I will answer them. I will say, 'These are my people,' and they will say, 'The LORD is our God.'"
- According to Wikipedia, in 1939, the core Jewish population was 17 million. Because of the Holocaust, the number was reduced to 11 million in 1945. Israel and the United States account for 82% of the Jewish population. The world's core Jewish population in early 2013 was estimated at 13.9 million, suggesting that about five million saved Jews will enter the millennium and about nine million Jews will perish in the Great Tribulation - more than in World War II!
- Any interesting aside: Jews make up only 0.2% of the world population, yet comprise 22% of Nobel laureates!
(18) THEN he stood waiting on the shore of the sea.
- He stood:
- Most manuscripts have estaqhn - I stood, which better connects with 13:1.
Revelation 13:1-5: And now in my vision I saw a beast rising up out of the sea. It had seven heads and ten horns, with ten crowns on its horns. And written on each head were names that blasphemed God. This beast looked like a leopard, but it had bear's feet and a lion's mouth! And the dragon gave him his own power and throne and great authority. I saw that one of the heads of the beast seemed wounded beyond recovery -- but the fatal wound was healed! All the world marveled at this miracle and followed the beast in awe. They worshiped the dragon for giving the beast such power, and they worshiped the beast. "Is there anyone as great as the beast?" they exclaimed. "Who is able to fight against him?" Then the beast was allowed to speak great blasphemies against God. And he was given authority to do what he wanted for forty-two months.
APPLICATION:
A.W. Tozer: "I'm not afraid of the devil, the devil can handle me that's for sure - he's got judo I never heard of - but he can't handle the One to whom I'm joined. He can't handle the One to whom I'm united, he can't handle the One whose nature dwells in me."
Ben Toh, West Loop Church (Chicago): "The dragon, aka Satan, is a
formidable foe. He is relentless in his vicious accusation that, "You
are a rotten sinner!" He always points to our sin that nobody else
knows about and says, "You can never change. Don't even bother to try."
When we listen to the dragon's accusation we are deceived and
destroyed. Basically we believe his murderous lies. Then we live as
defeated wimps before our formidable sins, or we become the dragon's
emmisaries who accuse others of the same. We smash others to the degree
that we have been smashed by the dragon. There is no human resolution
to the dragon's heartless and ruthless accusations. We can only
overcome the dragon by the blood of the Lamb - Revelation 12:11."
Our struggle is not against people but against the devil's power.
Therefore, don't hate those who oppose you; pray for them, be
compassionate, but also be unyielding and courageous. Fight a spiritual
warfare using spiritual weapons:
Ephesians 6:10-18: A final word: Be strong with the
Lord's mighty power. Put on all of God's armor so that you will be able
to stand firm against all strategies and tricks of the Devil. For
we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but
against the evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world,
against those mighty powers of darkness who rule this world,
and against wicked spirits in the heavenly realms. Use every
piece of God's armor to resist the enemy in the time of evil, so
that after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your
ground, putting on the sturdy belt of truth and the body
armor of God's righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace
that comes from the Good News, so that you will be fully prepared. In
every battle you will need faith as your shield to stop the
fiery arrows aimed at you by Satan. Put on salvation as your helmet,
and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray
at all times and on every occasion in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all
Christians everywhere.
NOTES:
- Unless otherwise noted, the scripture version used is the New Living Translation, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois.
- Disclaimer: Source material for this study has been gleaned from many different sources. If you want further study, I have attempted to acknowledge these sources at http://revelationofjesustojohn.blogspot.com/2014/03/book-of-revelation-references.html
- Index to all our studies are at http://oakview-bible-fellowship.blogspot.com/
