Although some may think this chapter confusing, in reality it is not. If we stick closely to the Bible and search for our understanding from the Bible, it will be revealed to us.
We are still in a break between the sixth and seventh trumpet judgements. This chapter is not in sequence, it is like chapter 11, it gives come more background and identifies some of the main characters involved at this time.
Verse 1 & 2
“And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars:”
“And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.”
We will discover in verse 5 that she brings forth a man child who will rule all nations and will be caught up to God.
The first thing we need to do is identify who this woman is. When we achieve this the chapter is opened to our understanding.
There are 4 women referred to in the Book of Revelation
1. Jezebel - Rev 2:20
2. The Harlot - Rev chapters 17 & 18
3. This woman here
4. The Bride of Christ - chapters 19 & 21
Many people try and identify this woman as the church (the Bride of Christ), but the problem with this is that if she is to be the virgin bride of Christ, then she is in big trouble, because she is pregnant.
BUT, it has already been interpreted for us by Jacob, the father of the twelve sons which are the twelve tribes of Israel. Gen ch 37: 5-11. Here we have Joseph telling of his dreams. His bothers are not pleased, then he tells his father about his dream of sun, moon and stars. His father rebuked him for this. Jacob understood the dream, that the sun and moon were himself and his wife, and that the stars were his sons.
So the sun, moon and stars represent Israel.
How else do we know who the woman is. By verse 5.
“And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron:”
This is the description of Christ. We see this description being associated with Christ in Psalm 2:9, Rev 2:27, Rev 19:15.
So, who give birth to the Messiah? Not the church! It couldn’t exist until Christ had died, rose again and ascended.
Israel is also referred to as a woman in travail (or in labour pains) in various verses in the Old Testament.
Verse 3
“And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.”
We are told who this is in verse 9. The red dragon is Satan.
To find out more about Satan we need to read Isaiah 14:12-17 and Ezekiel 28:11-19.
Verse 4
“And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth; and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.”
Here we see that Satan drew 1/3 of the angels in Heaven with him when he rebelled.
Satan spend the rest of his time up until the birth of Jesus watching for the birth of the Messiah. If he could in some way stop the birth or destroy the child at birth then he would win.
You can look at the Old Testament and see the whole way through it, Satan trying to stop the plan of God. In Gen 3:15 it is announced that the seed of the woman will bring redemption. The flood had to happen because of the sin that Satan had succeeded in introducing into the earth. The Jewish children were killed by Pharaoh to try and wipe out the Jewish nation. Saul tried to kill David because Jesus was to come from the line of David. As time goes on the attacks of Satan become more specific and against individuals. Herod tried to wipe Jesus out by killing all the babies. Even up to recent history Satan has used people to try and wipe out the Jews.
Verse 5
“And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.”
Here we see clearly that the child talked about is Jesus Christ, and we would automatically assume that this is referring to the ascension.
Verse 6
“And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.”
We recognise this time description as 3 ½ years. The period of tribulation lasts for 7 years, but Jesus refers to the last half as “the Great Tribulation” (Matt 24:2).
It is interesting to see that we have the man child caught up to the throne and then the next verse we have the last half of the tribulation. Due to this some have the theory that the child refers to the church and the rapture of it, therefore giving the rapture in the middle of the 7 years.
Verse 7-11
“And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,”
“And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.”
“And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him”
“And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.”
“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.”
So there is going to be a war in Heaven. We can not imagine what this war will be like, no wars that we have suffered on earth have come near to it.
Remember in Rev 21:1 that it tells us that it is not only earth that will be renewed, but Heaven also.
So Michael and his angels fight against Satan and his angels. Michael is victorious.
Verse 12
“Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.”
Satan will take his anger and frustration out on the earth, he knows that his time is near an end.
Verse 13
“And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child.”
Satan attacked the Jews and takes his anger out specifically on the Jews.
Verse 14
“And to the woman were given two wings of great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.”
Here we have another expression for the 3 1/2 years - time, times and half a time with time equalling 1 year, times 2 years, and ½ time 6 months.
So the Jews will run to safety from Satan, they will flee to Edom, Moab and Ammon (Dan 11:41). These areas will escape the wrath of Satan and the anti-christ. These areas are today the country of Jordan. There they will be looked after and kept safe.
The term “eagles wings” is an Old Testament term used of the exodus from Egypt (Exodus 19:4). Also in Deuteronomy 32:11 as they go through the wilderness, and again on their return from Babylon (Isaiah 40:31)
Verse 15-16
“And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.”
“And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth.”
These are strange terms, what is the flood, it is unlikely that it is a literal flood, but more likely an army or similar to try and stop them.
Verse 17
“And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.”
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