Revelation 12:1-6 (NKJV) Now a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a garland of twelve stars. 2 Then being with child, she cried out in labor and in pain to give birth.
3 And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great, fiery red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems on his heads. 4 His tail drew a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to give birth, to devour her Child as soon as it was born. 5 She bore a male Child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron. And her Child was caught up to God and His throne. 6 Then the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, that they should feed her there one thousand two hundred and sixty days.
How do we know when to interpret this as symbolic or literal? We always are to interpret the Bible in its plain, normal sense. Doing so here, we note that this is not normal everyday life. We simply do not see such things; thus, it is best to understand this as symbolic.
Keathley writes: “With chapter 12 we begin another parenthetical and explanatory portion of Revelation that discusses seven great personages of the Tribulation, particularly of the last half. These seven personages of 12:1-14:20 are: (a) the woman who represents the nation Israel (Rev 12:1-17); (b) the great red dragon, a picture of Satan (Rev 12:3-4); (c) the male child, the Lord Jesus (Rev 12:5); (d) Michael who represents the holy angels (Rev 12:7); (e) the remnant of the woman, regenerate Israel (Rev 12:17); (f) the beast out of the sea, the world dictator (Rev 13:1-10); and (g) the beast out of the earth, the false prophet and religious leader of the world (Rev 12:11-17).”
V1 “Now a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a garland of twelve stars.” John calls this a great sign, probably because of the type and maybe even shocking and startling. Since he uses the word “sign,” it is alerting us that the following is symbolic. By context, the woman is Israel, the wife of God (compare Jeremiah 3:8). This also is reminiscent of Joseph’s dream in Genesis 37:9, which is interpreted as Jacob, his wives, and the 12 sons (Genesis 37:10). Joseph’s dream is of Israel. The woman having a child reminds us of Genesis 3:15 (MSB) “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed. He will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”
V2 “Then being with child, she cried out in labor and in pain to give birth.” Childbirth is with pain (Genesis 3:16) as part of the curse. Israel as a nation went through many sorrows in Egypt and throughout history. Most of the suffering Israel experienced was given by God if they refused to obey Him (Deuteronomy 28).
V3 “And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great, fiery red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems on his heads.” The dragon is identified as satan (Verses 7-9). The 7 heads, 10 horns, and 7 crowns represent the devil’s kingdom, especially his kingdom during the Tribulation with his man—the antiChrist.
V4 “His tail drew a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to give birth, to devour her Child as soon as it was born.” The word “his” refers to satan, who, evidently, convinced 1/3 of the angels to follow him in his rebellion.
V5 “She bore a male Child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron. And her Child was caught up to God and His throne.” This “child” is Jesus Christ (Isaiah 9:6 and Luke 1:35), which we know from He is to rule all nations (Psalm 2:9-10), ascension (Acts 1:9), and His throne (Colossians 3:1).
V6 “Then the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, that they should feed her there one thousand two hundred and sixty days.” This place, most literal interpreters believe, is the area of Petra. Those who believe in Israel when they see or hear that the antiChrist has entered the Holy of Holies and sets up his image/idol, flee as God commanded (Mark 13:14-20).
We learn:
- God knows the future.
- God cares for Israel, the nation.
- Jesus is King of Kings.