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NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Rev_12:1-6
1A 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; 2and she was with child; and she cried out, being in labor and in pain to give birth. 3Then another sign appeared in heaven: and behold, a great red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads were seven diadems. 4And 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. 5And 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 to His throne. 6Then the woman fled into the wilderness where she had a place prepared by God, so that there she would be nourished for one thousand two hundred and sixty days.
Rev_12:1 "A great sign appeared in heaven" This may be the beginning of "the seven signs" of the Revelation. This is a special theological term (sçmeion) used often in John's Gospel (cf. Joh_2:11; Joh_2:23; Joh_3:2; Joh_4:54; Joh_6:2; Joh_6:14; Joh_6:30; Joh_7:31; Joh_9:16; Joh_10:41; Joh_11:47; Joh_12:18; Joh_12:37; Joh_20:30). It now appears seven times between Rev_12:1; Rev_19:20—three times of signs in heaven (cf. Rev_12:1; Rev_12:3; Rev_15:1) and four times of signs on the earth (cf. Rev_13:13-14; Rev_16:14; Rev_19:20).
▣ "in heaven" This probably means "in the sky" and not in heaven itself. The term heaven(s) in the OT can refer to the atmosphere above the earth (cf. Gen_1:1; Gen_1:8-9; Gen_1:17; Gen_1:20; Psa_104:2-3) or the place where God dwells (cf. Psa_11:4; Psa_103:19; Isa_66:1; 2 Corinthians 12). This ambiguity is what caused the rabbis to speculate on the number of heavens—three or seven.
See hyperlink at Rev_4:1.
▣ "a woman clothed with" This woman is beautifully described, in antithesis to the great whore of Rev_17:4 who symbolizes anti-God world empires such as Babylon, Rome, and the end-time anti-Christ world system. There have been two theories about the source of John's imagery:
1. Genesis 3, where there is a woman, a serpent and a man-child
2. other strong allusions to "birthing" in the OT (cf. Isa_26:17-18 in the Septuagint and Isa_66:7-13)
Israel is described as a woman giving birth (cf. Mic_4:10), therefore, this woman represents the true people of God (cf. Rev_12:1-6), but in Rev_12:13-17 she will be the NT people of God fleeing from the wrath of the dragon. For other theories see Alan Johnson's Revelation, pp. 117-119.
In Answers to Questions F. F. Bruce said, "The woman I should think of as the messianic community or 'Israel of God' especially as manifested locally in the Palestinian church, the mother-church par excellence; . . . The 'remnant of her seed' will be Christians in other parts of the world, the target of attack in Rev_13:7" (p. 140).
In New Bible Commentary George R. Beasley-Murray said, "Religious people of the ancient world would have seen in the travailing woman a goddess crowned with the twelve stars of the zodiac; a Jew would have understood her as Mother Zion (see Isa_26:16; Isa_27:1; Isa_49:14-25; Isa_54:1-8; Isa_66:7-9), but for John she represented the 'Mother' of the Messianic community, the believing people of God of old and new covenants" (p. 1441).
▣ "twelve stars" Here again our presuppositions drive the interpretation.
1. if it is OT then it refers to the twelve Jewish tribes
2. if it is intertestamental apocalyptic literature it refers to the signs of the zodiac
3. if it is NT then it refers to the twelve Apostles
Twelve is the regular biblical symbolic number of organization. See Special Topic: the Number Twelve at Rev_7:4.
However, the meaning of chapter 12 is not conditioned on a proper identification of John's symbolism, but the central truth of the context. This principle must be maintained. We must not
1. push the details
2. choose some things literally and some things symbolically
3. force our interpretations into our historical setting
Rev_12:2 Birth pains were used as a symbol for
1. expected, but sudden events
2. the pain or problems associated with an expected event
3. the beginning of something new with great potential
The Jews believed that the coming of the "new age" would involve persecution and problems (cf. Isa_13:8; Isa_21:3; Isa_26:17; Isa_66:7-13; Mat_24:8; Mar_13:8; 1Th_5:3). John uses this concept to describe the conflict between Satan and his followers and God and His followers (cf. Isa_66:7-24).
World events are going to get worse and worse, but God is in control of history (this is the view of premillennialism and amillennialsim, while postmillennialism is much more optimistic about world history). His followers are protected amidst persecution and victorious amidst temporary defeat, even physical death (cf. Joh_16:20-21). The question is, "How will God protect His followers?" His seal on their foreheads protects them from "the wrath of God," but not from the persecutions of unbelievers (tribulation). God is for them, with them, and loves them, but many will still die!
Rev_12:3 "a great red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads were seven diadems" This is a description of evil and great power (cf. Rev_13:1 and Rev_17:3). The horns and heads symbolize perfect power (cf. Daniel 7) and the diadems represent the evil one's attempted usurpation of Christ's royal place.
The term "dragon" may go back to the OT
1. the serpent of Genesis 3
2. the two evil monsters of chaos
a. Rahab (cf. Psa_89:10; Isa_51:9-10; Job_26:12-13)
b. Leviathan (cf. Psa_74:13-14; Psa_104:26; Job_3:8; Job_7:12; Job_41:1; Isa_27:1; Amo_9:3)
There are numerous titles for the evil one found in the NT
1. "Satan," used 33 times
2. the "Devil," used 32 times
3. the "Tempter," (cf. Mat_4:3; 1Th_3:5)
4. the "evil one," (cf. Mat_6:13; Mat_13:19; 1Jn_5:18)
5. the "Enemy," (cf. Mat_13:39)
6. the "Prince of Demons," (cf. Mat_9:34; Mat_12:24)
7. "the Ruler of this world," (cf. Joh_12:31; Joh_14:30; Joh_16:11)
8. "the Prince of the Power of the air," (cf. Eph_2:2)
9. "The god of this world," (cf. 2Co_4:4)
10. "Belial," (cf. 2Co_6:15)
11. "Beelzebul," (cf. Mar_3:22; Luk_11:15; Luk_11:18-19)
12. "the Dragon," (cf. Rev_12:3-4; Rev_12:7; Rev_12:9; Rev_20:2)
13. "the Serpent," (cf. Rev_12:9; Rev_12:15; Rev_20:2)
14. "the Accuser," (cf. Rev_12:10; Rev_12:15)
15. "the Adversary," (cf. 1Pe_5:8)
16. "a roaring lion," (cf. 1Pe_5:8)
hyperlink
Rev_12:4 "his tail swept away a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth" Because the term "the stars of heaven" is used quite often in the OT to refer to the saints of God (cf. Gen_15:5; Jer_33:22; Dan_12:3), some have assumed that this refers to saints, but the context could refer to angels (cf. Dan_8:10; 2Pe_2:4; Jud_1:6). Falling angels (i.e., falling stars) are a common motif in apocalyptic literature (i.e., I Enoch).
Satan is depicted with the angels in heaven before God in Job 1-2 and Zechariah 3. He was possibly a "covering cherub" (cf. Eze_28:12-18). This description, using metaphors from the Garden of Eden, does not fit the King of Tyre, but the king's pride and arrogance mimicked Satan's (I am becoming more and more uncomfortable with this approach because in Ezekiel 31 the king of Egypt is described as the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Ezekiel regularly uses Eden terms to describe kings). In the OT Satan is not an enemy of God, but of mankind (cf. Rev_12:10). Satan was not created evil but developed into an arch enemy of all things good and holy (cf. A. B. Davidson's An Old Testament Theology, pp. 300-306). Several times he is said to have been cast out of heaven (cf. Isa_14:12; Eze_28:16; Luk_10:18; Joh_12:31; and Rev_12:9; Rev_12:12). The problem is when. Is it:
1. during the OT period
a. before the creation of man
b. some time after Job but before Ezekiel 28
c. during the post-exilic period, but after Zechariah
2. during the NT period
a. after Jesus' temptation (cf. Matthew 4)
b. during the mission trip of the seventy (cf. Luk_10:18)
c. at an end-time moment of rebellion (cf. Rev_12:9). See Special Topic at Rev_12:7.
One wonders whether the third of the stars refers to angels who rebelled against God and chose to follow Satan. If so, this may be the only Scriptural basis for the demonic of the NT related to fallen angels (cf. Rev_12:9; Rev_12:12). The number, one-third, may be related to the limit of the destruction during the trumpet judgments (cf. Rev_8:7-12; Rev_9:15; Rev_9:18) and not a specific number. Or, it may represent Satan's defeat of part of the angels in battle. It is also possible it simply reflects the ancient myth of Babylon. See Contextual Insights, B. 1.
At this point it may be helpful to remember that although this issue is interesting, it probably was not the author's intent in this context to discuss (1) the origin of the demonic; (2) the fall of Satan; or (3) an angelic rebellion in heaven. In apocalyptic literature the central theme of the vision is crucial, but the literalness of the presentation, the details and the images are dramatic, symbolic, fictional. It is our curiosity and respect for the Bible that motivates our detailed, logical, doctrinal formulations. Be careful of pushing the details; apocalyptic literature is often true theology presented in an imaginative frame-work. It is true, but symbolically presented!
▣ "he might devour her child" This child refers to the promised Messiah (cf. Rev_12:5). Satan wants to thwart God's plans at every level, both the universal plan for redemption (unconditional covenants) and the individual plan of redemption (conditional covenants, cf. Mat_13:19; 2Co_4:4).
Rev_12:5 "she gave birth to a son, a male child" This may be an allusion to Isa_66:7-8. Notice how John moves from the incarnation of Jesus to the eschatological reign. All the things in between are dealt with in John's Gospel, but not in the Revelation.
▣ "who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron" This is an allusion to Psa_2:9 and is, therefore, Messianic. In Rev_19:15 this phrase is used of the Messiah, while in Rev_2:26-27 it is used of the saints. There is a fluidity between the Messiah (individual) and the believing community (corporate) here, as there is in the servant songs of Isaiah (i.e., national Israel, cf. Isa_42:1-9; Isa_42:19; Isa_49:1-7; Isa_50:4-11; Isa_52:13 to Isa_53:12). As the evil one now rules the nations, a new leader has come and will ond day completely reign.
▣ "and her child was caught up to God and to His throne" Some see this as the ascension of Christ, but we miss the point of this literary unit if we make it too strong an allusion to the historical life of Christ. John, in the book of Revelation, does not discuss Jesus' earthly life or death. He moves theologically from the incarnation to the exaltation. The focus of Revelation is the glorified, exalted Christ (cf. Rev_1:4-20). John's presentation of the gospel in Revelation focuses on repentance and giving glory to God. This is meant not to depreciate Jesus' central role (cf. Rev_5:9; Rev_5:12; Rev_7:14; Rev_12:11), but to focus on His role of bringing the eternal kingdom (cf. 1Co_15:25-28); the kingdom of both the Father and the Son!
Rev_12:6 "the woman fled into the wilderness" Many see here an allusion to the Exodus, which is found throughout this context. The time of wilderness wanderings was seen by the rabbis as a betrothal period between YHWH and Israel. During this time, He provided all of their needs and was intimately present with them.
▣ "a place prepared by God" Although the general context reflects the Wilderness Wandering Period, this phrase carries other historical allusions.
1. Elijah by the brook Cherith (cf. 1Ki_17:1-7)
2. Elijah's flight into the Sinai peninsula (cf. 1Ki_19:1-14)
3. the seven thousand faithful (cf. 1Ki_19:18)
4. those who fled the destruction of Jerusalem in a.d. 70 (cf. Mat_24:15-20; Mar_13:12-18)
▣ "for one thousand two hundred and sixty days" Again, this seems to be an undetermined, but limited, period of persecution. This same period of time is referred to in several different ways which equal about three and one half years.
1. "time, times and a half time" (cf. Dan_7:25; Dan_12:7; Rev_12:14)
2. "2,300 evenings and mornings" (cf. Dan_8:14)
3. "forty-two months" (cf. Rev_11:2; Rev_13:5); "1,260 days" (cf. Rev_11:3; Rev_12:6); "1,290 days" (cf. Dan_12:11); and "1,335 days" (cf. Dan_12:12).
Seven is the perfect number in Hebrew numerology (cf. Gen_1:1 to Gen_2:3). One less than seven speaks of human imperfection and 666 (cf. Rev_13:17-18) is the ultimate imperfect human, the Antichrist (cf. 2 Thessalonians 2). In the same vein, three and one-half is symbolic of a limited, but indefinite, period of persecution. See hyperlink at Rev_11:2.