Revelation 12:1-18

Revelation chapter 12 is part of what will occur after the opening of the seventh (7) seal of the book in heaven by the little-lamb which is representing the Lord Jesus Christ (Revelation 8:1). The seventh seal includes the implementation of judgments under seven trumpets (Revelation 8:7 - 14:20) including seven bowls as part of the seventh trumpet blowing (Revelation 15:1 - 18:24). The seventh trumpet with its seven bowls occur during the time of the great pressure of the completing together of the age - and will be followed by the Lord Jesus Christ's return on earth as recorded in Revelation chapter 19.

Revelation chapters 12-14 contain prophecy regarding the past, the present, and the future providing additional details of events leading up to the return of the Lord Jesus Christ on earth (Revelation chapters 19 and 20).

Revelation 12:1-12 records what John saw regarding the events that take place in heaven (not on earth as Revelation 11:19(b)). These verses continue to reveal the full scope of redemption and salvation that is written in the stars and the constellations.

Revelation 12:1-6:

^12:1And a great sign was seen in the heaven - a woman having been clothed² (with) the sun, and the moon down-under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars, ^.2and having in (her) womb, and she shouts being in-the-pangs-of-birth and being tormented to bring-forth.

^.3And there was seen another sign in the heaven - and look!, a great fiery-red dragon having seven heads, and ten horns, and on his heads seven diadems, ^.4and his tail hauls the third of the stars of the heaven and he threw them into the earth.

And the dragon stood² before the woman, the (woman) being about to bring-forth, in order that whenever she may bring-forth he may devour her child. ^.5And she brought-forth a son, a male, who is about to shepherd all the nations in an iron rod, and her child was caught-away towards God and towards His throne. ^.6And the woman fled into the desert-place where she has there a place having been prepared² from God in order that there they may nourish her a thousand two-hundred sixty days.

A great sign (a large sign in magnitude, importance, etc, a great designated signal or standard of authentication) was seen in the heaven (it was presented to be perceived with the eyes and known by the one looking at it)...

a woman (the sign of Virgo which is the first constellation representing God's people who are part of fallen mankind from whom the savior of mankind would be born, the promised seed of the woman; refer to Genesis 3:15)
- having been clothed and continuing clothed with the sun (as the sun appeared to be in motion along its ecliptic when viewed from the earth being a vesture, wrap, or covering of the sun's light thrown or cast around the woman),
- and the moon's location is underneath her feet,
- and on (above, over) her head
  - there is a crown of twelve stars (a victory wreath or garland prize put on the head of the victor/winner of the contest or race; these 12 stars on her head indicate that she is the first of 12 signs - not because she is a queen),
- and having in her womb (she is pregnant),
- and she cries out
  - being in the pangs of birth (travailing, laboring giving birth to a child)
  - and being tormented to bring-forth (the woman was constantly caused torment like a touchstone that is being rubbed against by other things testing it and thereby causing marks, forced pains, tortures to her - tormenting her to produce the child; this torture began as soon as Adam and Eve were thrown out from the garden of Eden recorded in Genesis chapter 3).

And there was seen another sign in the heaven...

and look (behold, see, pay attention)!,
a great fiery-red dragon (a large snake/serpent with the color of fire and blood representing the devil/satan; the sign of Draco temporarily taking a high position but is thrown out from heaven and its head stepped on by Christ destroying it; refer to Genesis 3:15 and Revelation 20:2)
- having seven heads (figuratively referring to his having 7 positions or functions of being the chief or principal part from which to enforce his instruction and directive),
- and ten horns (each one of the 10 connoting a radiance of strength and power to overcome plus courage in the face of attack),
  - and on his heads seven diadems (7 bands or badges worn to display the position of dignity, royalty, and earthly dominion as kings or rulers),
- and his tail hauls (forcefully drags)
  - the third of the stars of the heaven (one third of the angels originally assigned to do the only true God's will; refer to Revelation 9:1 where the devil/satan is referred to as a star which previously fell from the heaven and remains in that fallen state)
  - and he threw (cast) them into the earth (this refers to a past event when the dragon assigned his angels to do his will focusing their attention towards the earth).

And the dragon stood and continues to stand (he was standing since the events recorded in Genesis chapter 3 onwards constantly ready to carry out his own actions) in the sight and presence of the woman, emphatically and specifically the woman who is on the point of bringing forth (producing a child)...

for the purpose and result that
- at whatever time she would bring forth
  - he (the dragon) would devour her child (eat it down, devour who was born, the promised seed of Genesis 3:15, the baby whom she gives birth to, as a lion eats its prey).

And the woman brought forth...

a son,
- emphatically - a male,
who (this son, a male; referring to Jesus the Christ)
is on the point of shepherding (taking care of and protecting, exercising the whole office of a shepherd which involves not only feeding the flock with food but also leading and guiding and guarding, etc)
- all the nations (every group of people without reference to their background; this word usually refers to people of the Gentile background, the ethnic groups other-than Israel/Judah)
  - within the sphere of action of an iron rod (a staff for training and a scepter of authority and office - this rod is made of iron - figuratively referring to the fact that it is strong and will not be damaged or bribed or twisted from performing its correct function),
and her child was caught-away (snatched and carried away suddenly)
- towards God
- and towards His throne (the Lord Jesus Christ is now seated at the right-hand side of God's throne; refer to Acts 1:9 and Revelation 3:21).

And the woman fled (in this context referring only to the members of God's people who are descendants of Israel/Jacob, Judeans/Israelites; this refers to a future event as indicated in verse 14 below - the woman put herself in flight away from the dragon and his followers) into the desolate place (wilderness) where she has in that area...

a place (location) having been prepared and continuing prepared (previously made ready and remaining ready)
- from/by God
- for the purpose and result that
  - there they may nourish her (people from other nations would sustain, feed her)
  - a thousand two-hundred sixty days (1,260 days = 42 months = 3 and a half years; refer to Revelation 11:2 and 3).

[Reference: Genesis 1:27, 2:7, 3:1, 4, 14 and 15, 5:2; Isaiah 27:1; Daniel 7:7 and 24; Matthew chapters 1 and 2, 4:8-10, 24:16, 25:32, 26:31; John 8:44, 10:1-18, 14:30; Acts 1:9; Romans 1:3 and 4; I Corinthians 15:21-28 and 45-47; Ephesians 2:2; Colossians 1:13; I Thessalonians 1:10; Hebrews 1:8, 8:1, 9:24, 12:2, 13:20; I Peter 2:25, 3:22, 5:4; Revelation 2:27, 3:21, 7:17, 11:2 and 3, 13:1, 17:3, 19:15, 20:2. The stars and the constellations. Chart.]

Verses 7-12:

^.7And there became a war in the heaven: Michael and his angels (went) to war with the dragon, and the dragon warred and his angels ^.8and he was not strong nor was their place yet found in the heaven, ^.9and the dragon, the great (dragon), the snake, the old (snake), was thrown - the (one) being called devil and satan, the (one) causing the whole inhabited-area to-wander - he was thrown into the earth, and his angels with him were thrown.

^.10And I heard a great sound in the heaven saying, "Now became the salvation and the ability and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ, because the accuser of our brothers was thrown, the (one) accusing them before our God day and night; ^.11and they were-victorious-over him because-of the blood of the little-lamb and because-of the word of their witness, and they did not love¹ their soul continuously-until death. ^.12Because-of this the heavens must be glad-minded and the (ones) tenting in them; woe - the earth and the sea - because the devil descended towards you having great rage having known² that he has little time."

A war came to pass within the heaven (it did not happen on earth). This battle occurred during the 40 days...

between the resurrection by God of Jesus Christ (refer to Matthew chapter 28, Acts 1:3-8, Romans 8:31-39, etc)
and the ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ into heaven when God placed him at His right-hand side being second-in-command to God Himself (refer to Acts 1:9-11, Ephesians 1:20-22, Hebrews 2:5-10, etc).

John writes some details of this war in the heaven:

Michael and his angels (Michael is the archangel, the first, highest, chief, or ruling angel)
- went for the purpose of having a war with (he came to cause a battle against) the dragon,
and the dragon warred and his angels (they fought back against Michael and his angels)
- and the dragon was not strong (he did not have the inherent strength, he did not prevail)
- nor was their place yet found in the heaven (the dragon and his angels did not still have a location for them to be present within the heaven - their ability to disrupt God's and the Lord Jesus Christ's realm in heaven is no longer available to them),
and the dragon,
- emphatically and specifically the great (large) dragon,
- the snake (the name "snake/serpent" is used to describe his activities, attitudes, etc, designating his distinguishing and distinctive constitution; snakes were known to be thoughtful, sensible, intellectual, and perceptive in their activities),
  - emphatically and specifically the old snake (the serpent that existed during the beginning or former time-period; the Greek word translated "old" emphasizes his former existence as a "snake" against mankind; refer to Genesis chapter 3),
was thrown (cast) -
- the one who is presently being called (in order to designate and describe the dragon's distinguishing and distinctive constitution, character, quality, workings, etc - the dragon is known-by or named-as)
  - devil (the word translated "devil" comes from the Greek word diabolos which translates into 2 words meaning: "through" and "throw/cast" – the devil throws/casts things through people, like stabbing a person from outside through the person and out the other side with an accusation, slander, etc)
  - and satan (this is the name that emphasizes the dragon's opposing and adversarial attributes being in total opposition to the only true God),
- the one who is presently causing the whole inhabited area to wander (he is making the entire dwelled-in parts of the world err, causing the inhabitants not to stay in their rightful place, leading them astray from their correct location in the walk/behavior category, like a planet is constantly moving around when viewed from the earth unlike the stars which retain their position relative-to each other) -
he was thrown into the earth,
and his angels with him were thrown into the earth.

In Revelation 12:10-12 John records what he saw regarding the future celebration of the descendants of Israel/Jacob who will be saved by God and by the Lord Jesus Christ having lived their lives on earth during the wrath. They will celebrate on behalf of their brothers who lived and died during the old covenant times prior to Acts chapter 2.

John writes:

And I heard a great sound (a large voice or uttered-tone, loudly) in the heaven saying...

"Now became (at this moment came to pass, occurred, happened)
- the salvation (the safety, the standing and state of being saved, made-safe to God from sins and their consequences, from destruction)
- and the ability (the able-power, capability)
- and the kingdom (the sovereignty, kingly or royal dominion and government and rule and territory and power, etc)
  - of (belonging to) our God
- and the authority (the authoritative-power, permitted-right)
  - of (belonging to) His Christ,
because the accuser of our brothers (the one directing a public judicial spoken matter down against the descendants of Israel/Jacob)
was thrown (cast out from heaven, as verses 7-9 above),
- emphatically and specifically the one accusing them (actively speaking publicly regarding/against them as in a court proceedings but in this case the defendant is not present)
  - in the sight and presence of our God
  - during the day and night;
and emphatically they (in Greek there is a definite word for “they” plus the verb meaning “they were victorious" giving emphasis – they themselves)
- were victorious over him (they conquered the dragon)
  - on account of the blood of the little-lamb (not their own blood - but the blood that was shed by Jesus making redemption and salvation available; refer to Revelation 1:5, 5:9, and 7:14)
  - and on account of the word of their witness (the spoken-account, containing individual words constituting they spoke, which was their attestation, the declaration of information or knowledge that they had and brought to light, they confirmed it to be authentic),
and they did not love¹ (the verb "love¹" comes from the Greek word agape which is God's kind of love - they did not misdirect their love towards/on)
- their soul (the life of their bodies which was soul/breath life, physical life, their natural living evidenced by their breathing when they were alive)
  - continuously until their death (for the whole duration of time up to the point of them dying, being killed).
On account of this the heavens must be glad-minded (have a cheerful mind, thoughts that are well)
- and the ones tenting in them (living in the areas above the earth as pitching or spreading their tent, tabernacle, temporarily dwelling in a covered sheltered place; at that future time when this celebration will occur those referenced as 'the ones tenting in the heavens' will include all the holy-people/Christians who will have received their spiritual bodies and will be with the Lord Jesus Christ);
woe (regret, misery, distress) -
- regarding the earth (land, ground) and the sea -
because the devil descended (came down) towards you
- having great rage (a large amount of intense passion or heated-outburst from his mind as a sudden flame from a burning fire)
- having known and still knowing (perceiving, seeing) that he has little time (a small specific season, opportune or precise period, occasion)."

Note: the Book of Job provides an example of how satan was able during a past time to be in God's presence accusing members of God's people. Job lived prior to the time when Jacob lived and gave birth to his 12 sons who later formed the 12 tribes of Israel. However, since the moment when the Lord Jesus Christ was seated at God's right-hand side on God's throne and the devil/satan was cast out from heaven - satan is no longer able to enter into God's presence to accuse any holy-person (Christian) today nor will he be able to do this against any member of God's people who will live during the wrath.

[Reference: Job 1:7, 2:2; Daniel 10:1-21, 12:1; Zechariah 3:1; Matthew 10:39, 16:25, 23:24, 25:41, 28:18-20; John 12:20-36, 16:11; Acts 1:3, 3:21, 5:3, 7:55 and 56, 26:18; Romans 16:20; I Corinthians 2:8, 7:5, 15:22-28; II Corinthians 2:11, 4:4, 5:17, 11:3 and 13-15, 12:7; Ephesians 1:22, 2:2, 4:27, 6:10-12; I Thessalonians 2:18; II Thessalonians 1:7, 2:9; I Timothy 5:15; II Timothy 2:26; Hebrews 2:5-10 and 14, 4:14, 9:24, and chapter 11; James 4:7; I Peter 5:8; I John 3:8; Jude 1:9; Revelation 1:2 and 9, 2:9, 10, 13 and 24, 3:9, 4:11, 5:10-12, 6:9 and 11, 7:4 and 14, 8:13, 11:15, 20:2, 4-6 and 11-15.]

The details written in Revelation 12:13 - 13:18 pertain to effects or events taking place on earth as a result-of and corresponding-to the previous events which took place in heaven (Revelation 12:1-12).

Verses 13-18:

^.13And when the dragon saw that he was thrown into the earth he persecuted the woman, the-one-who brought-forth the male. ^.14And there was given to the woman two wings of the eagle, the great (eagle), in order that she may fly into the desert-place into her place where she is nourished there a time and times and a half of time away-from (the) face of the snake. ^.15And the snake threw out-from his mouth behind the woman water as a river in order that he may make her river-carried. ^.16And the earth came-to-help the woman and the earth opened her mouth and swallowed the river which the dragon threw out-from his mouth.

^.17And the dragon was caused-wrath on the woman and he went-away to make war with the remaining-people of her seed, the (remaining-people) keeping the commandments of God and having the witness of Jesus - ^.18and he was caused-to-stand on the sand of the sea.

When the dragon perceived (knew) that he was cast into the earth (expelled from the heaven) he persecuted the woman (he pursued her as an enemy with hostility)...

emphatically and specifically the woman who gave birth to the male (in this context referring only to the members of God's people who are descendants of Israel/Jacob - Judeans/Israelites, as verses 6 and 10-12 above; refer also to Revelation 7:4).

And there was given to the woman 2 wings of the eagle, emphatically and specifically the great eagle (a large bird of prey such as an eagle, vulture), for the purpose and result that...

she would use these 2 wings by flying into the desolate place (wilderness)
- specifically into her place (the location that God prepared for her, as verse 6 above)
where she is nourished (sustained, fed) there
- a time and times and a half of time (for the duration covering specific seasons, opportune or precise periods, occasions; 1 + 2 + half - referring to the 3 and a half years, as verse 6 above)
away from the face (countenance or presence) of the snake.

And the snake threw out-from his mouth behind (backwards, after) the woman water as a river for the purpose and result that he would cause her to be carried away by the river (flooding the area to flush her out and drown her in the water).

And the earth came to help the woman (the land, ground ran to help her, advanced to aid and support her) and the earth opened her mouth and swallowed (drank down) the river which the dragon threw (cast) out from his mouth.

And the dragon was caused wrath on the woman (he was made to have a lasting angry vengeance, like the heat of a burning-fire, this was not a spur-of-the-moment thing on his part against the woman)...

and he went away to make war with (he came from where he was to cause a battle focusing his attention against)
- the remaining-people of her seed (the rest of the seed of the "woman" who represents all of God's people who are part of fallen mankind, as verse 1 above; the remaining people refer to those who are not descendants of Israel/Jacob but who are of the Gentile background, other nations, other ethnic groups),
- emphatically and specifically the remaining people (not including everybody but only those people on earth at that future time belonging to other nations who are)
  - keeping the commandments of God (as keeping an eye on them, having them in safekeeping, and therefore not neglecting or violating but watching-over, taking-care-of, maintaining, and being observant of the things that are enjoined or commanded by God)
  - and having the witness of/from Jesus (the attestation pertaining-to and proceeding-from him, the declaration which is borne bringing to light or confirming as authentic information, knowledge regarding and issuing-from Jesus) -

...and the dragon was caused to stand on the sand of the sea (the seashore [some texts put this phrase as the beginning of Revelation 13:1]).

The continuation of the actions which the dragon carries out - during the final 3 and a half years via his various methods - is provided in Revelation chapter 13.

[Reference: Genesis 3:15; Daniel 7:25, 9:25-27; Matthew 24:15-21, 25:32; Acts 3:25; Romans 4:16-18, 9:7 and 8; Galatians 3:14; Hebrews 2:16; Revelation 1:2 and 9, 7:4, 9 and 14-17, 8:13. The stars and the constellations. Chart. Note: verbs with a superscript 2 (²) immediately following them indicate the "perfect" tense - details are provided in the "Relevant Notes" link of this study.]

Revelation Chapter 13