I will break this into sections to make it a bit simpler to explain.
1. A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars;
2. and she was with child; and she cried out, being in labor and in pain to give birth.
Revelation 12:1-2
The woman is Israel. Think back to the story of Joseph found in Genesis where he dreamed that the sun, moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to him. The sun and moon represented his father and mother, and the eleven stars represented his brothers (see Genesis 37:9-11).
The symbolism found in these first two verses represent Israel, the twelve tribes descended from Jacob. It was through Israel that the Messiah was to be brought into the world. Israel was in labor to bring forth the one who was to crush the serpent and reverse the curse of Genesis 3:13-19.
3. Then another sign appeared in heaven: and behold,
a great red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads were seven diadems. And his tail swept away a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she gave birth he might devour her child.
Revelation 12:3-4
The dragon is Satan, the serpent of Genesis chapter 3. The seven heads represent seven different kingdoms that he has used in history against Israel, in an effort to thwart the coming of the one who will destroy him. The ten horns represent the ten kings who will unite in the last days under the antichrist in Satan's final attempt to overthrow the rule of Christ (see Daniel 2:31-45, 7:7, 23-27). In this sign, the crowns are on the seven heads. Later in Revelation 13 we will see them on the ten horns at the time of the end.
The seven kingdoms can be identified as
1. Egypt
2.Assyria
3. Babylon
4.Medo-Persian
5. Greece
6. Rome
7. Ottoman Empire *
The first six of these ancient empires are more recognizable to most people. It is plain to see from Scripture the ways Satan used these kingdoms against Israel in his attempt to stop the coming of Jesus. The seventh, a united Islamic empire might be a lesser known kingdom, and one not talked about as much by Bible teachers, but it can be backed up by Scripture, something I will do as I progress with these posts.
I have written about this in previous posts on the end times as well.
The dragon swept a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. This could refer to the fallen angels who sinned (2 Peter 2:4, Jude 1:6) when Satan rebelled, or it might refer to the angels who are defeated along with Satan, and cast to the earth prior to the great tribulation. We will get to that in a few verses. It is interesting to note the similarity in Daniel 8:9-12, where the little horn (the Antichrist) magnifies himself to the host of heaven and causes some of the host and stars to fall to the earth.
5. And she gave birth to a son, a male child, who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron; and her child was caught up to God and His throne.
6. Then the woman fled into the wilderness where she had a place prepared by God, so that she would be nourished for one thousand two hundred and sixty days.
Revelation 12:5-6 NASB
This child is Israel's Messiah, Jesus. He is the fulfillment of the Davidic Covenant, the one who is to rule from Jerusalem forever. Psalm 2:7-9, speaking of Jesus, records this,
"I will surely tell of the decree of the LORD: He said to Me, ' You are My Son, today I have begotten You. Ask of Me and I will give you the nations as your inheritance, and the very ends of the earth as Your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron, You shall shatter them like earthenware.' "
Jesus was crucified, resurrected, and ascended up to God, where He now sits at the right hand His Father waiting for His time to reign (Psalm 110:1-7).
The passage now jumps to future for Israel. Jesus warned them that when they saw the "abomination that causes desolation" they were to flee to the mountains. This is the event that starts the great tribulation, a time of distress that is unequaled to anything the world has ever experienced (Matthew 24:15-21). This time period is to last 1,260 days or three and one half years.
7. And there was war in heaven, Michael and his angels waging war with the dragon. The dragon and his angels waged war,
8. and they were not strong enough, and there was no longer a place found for them in heaven.
9. And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who decieved the whole world; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.
It is a surprising fact to ponder that Satan now has access to heaven. But we do read of this in Job, where Satan comes and presents himself before the LORD and accuses Job of serving God for his own personal benefits (Job 1:6-12, 2:1-7).
The book of Daniel describes Michael the archangel as the one who stands guard over the sons of Israel. At some point he will arise, and the great tribulation will begin (Daniel 12:1-2). It seems that this occurs in conjunction with the casting out of Satan, along with his angels. Again, Daniel records that the Antichrist causes some of the host of heaven as well as some of the stars to be cast down to the earth (Daniel 8:9-12). I firmly believe that these events are all occuring at the same time: the casting out of Satan by the archangel Michael, and the revealing of the Antichrist. This is the beginning of the three and one half years time of great tribulation.
10. Then I heard a loud voice in heaven saying, "Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, he who accuses them before our God day and night.
11. And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony,and they did not love their life even when faced with death.
12. For this reason, rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them. Woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, knowing that he has only a short time."
Revelation 12:10-12 NASB
Things have changed in heaven now that Satan is cast out. He is no longer accusing the saints before God, like the example in Job. We are getting close to the second coming of Christ to put down evil and to reign over the earth. There is great rejoicing in heaven, yet it will be a time of great distress for those who are alive on the earth in those days. How do we overcome? By the blood of the Lamb, boldly proclaiming our testimony, and our absolute willingness to die for Jesus. In fact, that is how most will escape the tribulation (see Revelation 6:9-11, 7:9-17).
13. When the dragon saw that he was thrown down to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male child.
14. But the two wings of the great eagle were given to the woman, so that she could fly into the wilderness to her place, where she was nourished for a time, times, and half a time from the presence of the serpent.
15. And the serpent poured out water like a river out of his mouth after the woman, so that he might cause her to be swept away with the flood.
16. But the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and drank up the river which the dragon poured out of his mouth.
17. So the dragon was enraged with the woman, and went off to make war with the rest of her children, who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus.
Revelation 12:13-17 NASB
One more time Satan goes against Israel as he has in times past. Chapter 13 in Revelation describes a beast with seven heads and ten horns rising out of the sea as the dragon stands waiting. The crowns are now on the ten horns. This is the final empire that Satan will use in his attempt to thwart Christ's coming to destroy him. If he can eliminate Israel from being a nation then the covenant that God made with Abraham is broken, and if God breaks his covenant is he God?
Israel is invaded. Those who can will flee to the mountains. Zechariah states that two thirds of the nation will perish, while one third will be refined. They will call on the LORD and He will deliver them (Zechariah 13:8-9). Here we see the time period written as a time, times, and half a time. This again is referring to the same thing as before, three and one half years, of tribulation.
This will also be a time when those who follow Jesus will be persecuted well. The other children of the woman mentioned here are Christians. They are the ones who keep God's commandments and hold to the testimony of Jesus. They have been grafted into the New Covenant promise that was made with Israel (Romans 11:17).
This is not meant to be an in depth study of the end times events, but an overview, something to paint a picture of what is yet to come. As I continue to make these posts I will attempt to go into more details of these events.
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