Revelation 12:13-17 (NKJV) Now when the dragon saw that he had been cast to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male Child. 14 But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent. 15 So the serpent spewed water out of his mouth like a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away by the flood. 16 But the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed up the flood which the dragon had spewed out of his mouth. 17 And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
V13 “Now when the dragon saw that he had been cast to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male Child.” After being completely defeated by Michael and the holy angels, God kicked him permanently out of heaven. To seek revenge, he turned to destroy Israel. He has never been successful nor ever will be.
V14 “But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent.” The proof is that God helped Israel. The two wings signify speed. The wilderness is the Petra area. God provided the food, shelter, and protection there. I believe that Isaiah 63:1-6 refers to the Lord Jesus coming to Petra to defeat the enemies of Israel sent by the antiChrist. After that quick defeat, the Lord Jesus goes to the Mount of Olives and destroys antiChrist and his massive army (Zechariah 14:1-15).
V15 “So the serpent spewed water out of his mouth like a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away by the flood.” The water is understood as the flood of evil people, antisemites, to kill and destroy Israel.
Revelation 12:13 (Walvoord Prophecy Commentary) “The flood is the total effort of Satan to exterminate Israel, and the resistance of Earth is the natural difficulty in executing such a massive program. The terrain of the Middle East provides countless places of refuge for a fleeing people. Though the exact meaning of these two verses cannot be determined with certainty, the implication is that Satan strives with all his power to persecute and exterminate the people of Israel. By divine intervention, both natural and supernatural means are used to thwart the enemy’s program and carry a remnant of Israel safely through their time of great tribulation.”
V16 “But the Earth helped the woman, and the Earth opened its mouth and swallowed up the flood which the dragon had spewed out of his mouth.” Natural means refers to physical places and means as weather, terrain, wild animals, etc. It is a picture of defeat. The dragon (satan) was not successful and did not destroy Israel.
V17 “And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” This made the devil even angrier. So, now after being defeated in the heavenly war and the war against Israel, he begins to kill every person who is a Christ follower. These are Jews who believe in Messiah Jesus, keep the law of Christ (Galatians 6:2).
Keathley writes: “The godly remnant are believers in the Lord Jesus, those who during the Tribulation will turn to Christ.”
Keathley again: “This verse serves to emphasize that the dragon will become totally frustrated and enraged over his inability to wipe out the woman, but he will become particularly angry with the believing remnant who will turn to Jesus Christ, believe the Word, and stand ready to die for their faith in the Savior.”
Revelation 12:17 (Walvoord Prophecy Commentary) “Taken as a whole, chapter 12 is a fitting introduction to the important revelations given in chapter 13. Here are the principal actors of the great tribulation with the historic background that provides so much essential information. Israel, Satan, Christ, the archangel, and the godly remnant figure largely in the closing scenes of the age. Next, the two principal human actors are introduced: the beast out of the sea and the beast out of the earth, the human instruments that Satan will use to direct his program during the great tribulation.”
We learn:
- God cannot be defeated.
- When God defends, He wins.
- satan is evil and seeks to kill, steal, and destroy (John 10:10).