Online Resource Library
Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadBob Utley You Can Understand the Bible - Revelation 12:13 - 12:17
(Show All Books | Show All Chapters)
This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Rev_12:13-17
13And when the dragon saw that he was thrown down to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male child. 14But 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 and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent. 15And the serpent poured water like a river out of his mouth after the woman, so that he might cause her to be swept away with the flood. 16But the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and drank up the river which the dragon poured out of his mouth. 17So 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.
Rev_12:13 "the woman" Possibly originally "the woman" referred to the OT believing community; now it refers to the NT people of God (cf. Rev_12:17; Rev_13:7). In Word Pictures in the New Testament, Vol. 6, A. T. Robertson calls her "the true Israel on earth" (p. 395).
Rev_12:14 "the two wings of the great eagle were given to the woman" These eagle wings are symbolic of God's protection and provision (cf. Exo_19:4; Deu_32:11; Psa_36:7; Psa_57:1; Psa_63:7; Psa_90:1; Psa_90:4; and Isa_40:31). This may be another allusion to the new exodus.
▣ "so that she could fly into the wilderness to her place" The wilderness is seen as a place of divine protection, alluding to the Wilderness Wandering Period of Israel's history (cf. Rev_12:6). This would be great encouragement to a hurting church.
▣ "a time and times and half a time" This is an allusion to Dan_7:25; Dan_12:7. For a full note on this phrase see Rev_11:2; Rev_12:6.
Rev_12:15 "the serpent poured water" There is no exact OT parallel to this. It may be a metaphor connected to God's wrath in Hos_5:10 or metaphors of times of pressure and sorrow like Psa_18:4; Psa_124:4-5. But because chapter 12 has drawn so much of its imagery from Ancient Near Eastern creation myths, it possibly refers to watery chaos, the primeval struggle of good versus evil, order versus chaos.
Nature fought for Barak and Deborah against the Canaanite city of Hazor and her military general, Sisera: (1) the rain stopped their chariots (cf. Jdg_5:4) and (2) even the stars (thought of as angelic powers) fought against Sisera (cf. Jdg_5:20).
Rev_12:17 ". . .and went off to make war with the rest of her offspring" The evil one tried to destroy the Messianic community by
1.destroying the Messiah
2. destroying the mother church
3. by destroying all Messianic followers.
The phrase "to make war" is metaphorical of spiritual, political, and economic oppositions. This is an allusion to Dan_7:21 (cf. Rev_11:7; Rev_13:7). This persecution is the very evidence of the church's victory through Christ (cf. Php_1:28).
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
This is a study guide commentary which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.
These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought provoking, not definitive.
1. Describe the content of the seventh trumpet.
2. Why is the vision of the Ark of the Covenant so encouraging to these first century Christians?
3. Who is the woman of Revelation 12?
4. When did this battle in heaven occur?
5. How are the devil's angels related to the demonic?
6. What does the phrase "a time, times and a half-time" mean in Daniel and Revelation?
7. How would this passage encourage first century, persecuted Christians?
CONTEXTUAL INSIGHTS TO Rev_13:1-18
A. Chapter 13 is a further development of the imagery of Rev_12:13-17.
B. The OT background of this chapter is Daniel 7. The four predicted Near Eastern empires of Daniel are combined in this one ultimate, universal, anti-God, end-time kingdom.
C. The emperor worship of the first century (esp. in Asia Minor) is one historical fulfillment of the worship of the beast, as will be the end-time man of sin (cf. 2 Thessalonians 2), and the little horn of Daniel 7 (cf. Rev. 13:8,11,20,25), which is out of the fourth kingdom, Rome.
D. The beast has been identified in two ways
1. As an ongoing, false teaching/teacher(s) (cf. 1Jn_2:18; 1Jn_2:22; 1Jn_4:3; 2Jn_1:7). It is both plural and singular, both present and future.
2. As an actual person, possibly foreshadowed in evil persons throughout history (Antiochus, Roman Emperors, Hitler, etc., but ultimately personified in an end-time figure, cf. 2Th_2:1-10).
E. See Special Topic below.
hyperlink