In this chapter, we have an account of the contest between the church and antichrist, the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent. Here we see that early prophecy eminently fulfilled in which God said he would put enmity between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent, Genesis 3:15.
The woman is not the church, since the church did not bring forth Christ, but rather He brought forth the church. Her identification as the persecuted Jewish saints clearly proves that the church is not on earth during the Tribulation period. The “sun” depicts her as God’s chosen nation. The “birth” pains refer to the period before the birth of Christ when Israel was waiting for redemption by the Messiah (compare Rom. 8:22-23). The woman represents Israel, and her child is Christ; the Messiah (12:5; Isaiah 7:14; 9:6; 66:7.8; Micah 5:2; Romans 9:4-5).
The twelve stars represent the twelve tribes of Israel. When Israel gives birth to the male child, who will "rule all the nations with a rod of iron" and who was "caught up to God and to his throne" (Rev 12:5) we can be sure that the child in question is Jesus Christ. Jesus ascended to God's throne in Heaven (Acts 1:9-11); He will one day rule the nations of the earth with a rod of iron (Psalm 2:7-9), and Isaiah describes him as being the child born to us, the son that is given to us, the Prince of Peace and our Mighty God (Isaiah 9:6).
“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,”
This passage defines who the dragon is. The Devil is not just an evil force or influence as some might think. A specific being was cast out into the earth and the angels that fought with him were also cast out with him-a third of all the stars (angels). At this point, however, he will be entirely evicted and thrown down to earth. This results in rejoicing in heaven, but also a dire warning. Now that Satan is running out of time, and confined to the earth, his rage will be taken out on mankind, especially Israel.
John also sees the serpent attempt to wash the woman away with a flood of water from his mouth. This would symbolize an armed invasion. God, again, protects the woman with what Ezekiel says is a tremendous earthquake (Ezekiel 38:19–22). This enrages Satan, who commits to attacking the offspring of the woman.
1 A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head.
2 She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth.
3 Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on its heads.
4 Its tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth.
The dragon stood in front of the woman (Israel) who was about to give birth, so that it might devour her child the moment he was born (Jesus).
(Pharaoh’s attempt to kill all male Hebrews (Ex. Ex. 1:16, Ex. 1:22; Acts Acts 7:19); Haman’s attempt to wipe out the Jews (Est. Est. 3:6); Athaliah, Ahaziah’s mother, attempts to wipe out all the royal heirs of Judah (2Chr. 2Chr. 22:10); Herod’s slaughter of the babes in his attempt to murder Jesus (Mtt. Mat. 2:16). “The most direct attempt was, of course, in the crucifixion of Christ)
5 She gave birth to a son, a male child, who “will rule all the nations with an iron scepter.”And her child was snatched up to God and to his throne.
6 The woman fled into the wilderness to a place prepared for her by God, where she might be taken care of for 1,260 days.
(Parallel) Exodus 19:4-You have seen for yourselves what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles' wings and brought you to Myself.
7 Then war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back.
8 But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven.
9 The great dragon (Satan) was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.
10 Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say:
“Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Messiah.
For the accuser (Satan) of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down.
11 They (saints) triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.
12 Therefore rejoice, you heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you! He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short.”
(Now that Satan is running out of time, and confined to the earth, his rage will be taken out on mankind, especially Israel (Revelation 12:7–12).
13 When the dragon(Satan) saw that he had been hurled to the earth, he pursued the woman (Israel) who had given birth to the male child (Jesus).
14 The woman was given the two wings of a great eagle, so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the wilderness, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time, out of the serpent’s reach (3.5 years).
(Parallel) Exodus 19:4 - ‘You have seen for yourselves what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself.
15 Then from his mouth the serpent spewed water like a river, to overtake the woman and sweep her away with the torrent.
(A "river of water" or flood is very likely a symbol for the huge host of soldiers that were sent by the Antichrist after Israel.)
(Echoing other prophetic messages about an invasion by a northern army (Ezekiel 38), John also sees the serpent attempt to wash the woman away with a flood of water from his mouth)
(Parallel) Daniel 11:10 - But his sons will stir up strife and assemble a great army, which will advance forcefully, sweeping through like a flood, and will again carry the battle as far as his fortress.
16 But the earth helped the woman by opening its mouth and swallowing the river that the dragon had spewed out of his mouth.
(This time of testing in the wilderness, fed by God, will result in the full conversion of those who remain alive)
**Previously, God used the earth to literally swallow Korah and his household. “So they and all those with them went down alive into the pit; the earth closed over them, and they perished from among the assembly” (Num. Num. 16:33 cf. Num. Num. 26:10; Ex. Ex. 15:12). It seems likely that something similar will occur to those who pursue the woman.
17 Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to wage war against the rest of her offspring—those who keep God’s commands and hold fast their testimony about Jesus. (Saints)