REVELATION 12
Next a great sign was seen in heaven: A woman dressed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head. 2 And she is pregnant, and crying out due to her labour pains; she is in agony as she gives birth. 3 Then a similar sign was seen in heaven. Look! A huge fiery-red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and on its heads were seven royal crowns. 4 Now his tail drags a third of the stars of heaven and threw them into the earth. Then the dragon stood in front of the woman who was soon to give birth so that when she does so the child would be devoured. 5 So she gave birth to a son, a male, who is going to shepherd all the people groups with an iron sceptre. Then her child was snatched up to God and to his throne, 6 but the woman fled into the desert where there had been a place prepared by God so that they would take care of her for 1260 days.
7 Then there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon. Now the dragon and his angels took them on 8 but weren’t strong enough, and there was no longer a place found for them in heaven. 9 So the huge dragon was kicked out – that ancient snake, the one called the devil and Satan, the one who leads the whole world astray – was thrown down into the earth, and his angels with him were also kicked out. 10 Then I heard a loud voice in heaven saying, “Now the salvation, the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ are here, because the accuser of our brothers – the one accusing them before God day and night – has been thrown out! 11 And they defeated him because of the blood of the Lamb, and also because of the word of the testimony about him; and they didn’t love their life’s breath, even as far as death. 12 Therefore celebrate, you heavens, and those living in them! But woe to the earth and the sea because the devil went down to you having intense rage, aware that he has only been given a short time.” 13 So when the dragon realized he had been thrown into the earth, he persecuted the woman who had given birth to the boy. 14 Then the woman was given two wings of a great eagle so that she would fly into the desert into her own place, where she is now being taken care of for a time, times, and half a time away from the face of the snake. 15 Then the snake spurted water out of his mouth after the woman so as to wash her away, 16 but the earth rescued the woman when the earth opened her mouth and swallowed the river that the dragon had spurted out of his mouth. 17 This made the dragon furious at the woman and he went off to make war with the remnant of her offspring – the ones keeping the commands of God and holding to the testimony about Jesus.
18 Then I was made to stand on the sand of the seashore.
v1-9) There are a few interesting proposals on what this all means. I lean towards one promoted by Scott Clarke. Go here to a video on his YouTube channel where both signs are explained. Note that it's getting a bit late for this to be an exactly mid-trib event, so just keep that in mind if you watch it.
v1) A woman. Three main proposed identities for this woman: the church (but the church is always presented as the virgin bride, so no); Jesus' mother Mary (but she doesn't do any of the post-birth things described, so no); or the nation of Israel. The last fits the situation, and it's easy to see how her persecution has been, is being, and will be fulfilled (the sign I believe is yet future - a tribulation event).
v5) a son, a male, who is going to shepherd all the people groups with an iron sceptre. The association with an iron sceptre brings to mind Psalm 2:9, which is certainly messianic. Hence this baby is Jesus.
v6) 1260 days. This is 42 x 30-day months (about 3.5 years). It's also equivalent to 'a time, times and half a time' (v14). This appears to be the time of specific protection for the Jews during the last half (approx 3 and a half years) of the Tribulation period.
v9) So the huge dragon was kicked out – that ancient snake, the one called the devil and Satan, the one who leads the whole world astray. Just in case you weren't sure who this character was who's been popping up all through the Bible, this verse links them all together for you. Right from Gen 3 (the snake), through Job 1-2 (the accuser), to this great dragon in Revelation, we're talking this fallen angel we called Satan (sometimes 'Lucifer').
v11) And they defeated him because of the blood of the Lamb, and also because of the word of the testimony about him. Jesus victory on the cross, and the declaration of it (and the rest of the gospel) is powerful in ways that we can't comprehend!
v14) a time, times, and half a time. See v6.
v17) the remnant of her offspring. The scholars I trust generally believe these are the Tribulation saints (distinct from the church, which will be taken at the pre-Tribulation rapture). He can't really get at Israel so he goes for the Christians.
v18) Most modern translations say it is the dragon who stood on the seashore. I won't argue with that as I need to understand the textual issues better, but I suspect it is referring to the Apostle John who is writing this Revelation down.
v1) A woman. Three main proposed identities for this woman: the church (but the church is always presented as the virgin bride, so no); Jesus' mother Mary (but she doesn't do any of the post-birth things described, so no); or the nation of Israel. The last fits the situation, and it's easy to see how her persecution has been, is being, and will be fulfilled (the sign I believe is yet future - a tribulation event).
v5) a son, a male, who is going to shepherd all the people groups with an iron sceptre. The association with an iron sceptre brings to mind Psalm 2:9, which is certainly messianic. Hence this baby is Jesus.
v6) 1260 days. This is 42 x 30-day months (about 3.5 years). It's also equivalent to 'a time, times and half a time' (v14). This appears to be the time of specific protection for the Jews during the last half (approx 3 and a half years) of the Tribulation period.
v9) So the huge dragon was kicked out – that ancient snake, the one called the devil and Satan, the one who leads the whole world astray. Just in case you weren't sure who this character was who's been popping up all through the Bible, this verse links them all together for you. Right from Gen 3 (the snake), through Job 1-2 (the accuser), to this great dragon in Revelation, we're talking this fallen angel we called Satan (sometimes 'Lucifer').
v11) And they defeated him because of the blood of the Lamb, and also because of the word of the testimony about him. Jesus victory on the cross, and the declaration of it (and the rest of the gospel) is powerful in ways that we can't comprehend!
v14) a time, times, and half a time. See v6.
v17) the remnant of her offspring. The scholars I trust generally believe these are the Tribulation saints (distinct from the church, which will be taken at the pre-Tribulation rapture). He can't really get at Israel so he goes for the Christians.
v18) Most modern translations say it is the dragon who stood on the seashore. I won't argue with that as I need to understand the textual issues better, but I suspect it is referring to the Apostle John who is writing this Revelation down.