Revelation 12- The Woman and the Dragon
Jan Roberson
In Revelation 12, John sees two great and wondrous signs. These signs are bizarre to us, yet they would have been familiar to John’s communities. Several similar storylines were circulating in Jewish and Gentile cultures in that day. The church communities would have recognized the story of Israel giving birth to the Messiah and ancient serpent’s opposition to God’s people. This is the Good News, a pictorial of the gospel in vivid images.
Before this section in Revelation 11, two slain witnesses come alive and go up into heaven in the presence of their enemies. Then, the 7th trumpet sounds, and the loud voices of 24 elders are heard praising God “the One who is and was, because you have taken your great power and have begun to reign.” God’s temple in heaven is opened, and the ark of His covenant is seen with flashes of lightning and peals of thunder, an earthquake and hailstorm.
After this, John saw “a great and wondrous sign in heaven” (vs.1): a pregnant woman clothed with the sun, the moon under her feet and a crown of 12 stars on her head. The word ‘sign’ denotes a wonder with potent meaning or a symbol that points beyond itself. The ‘sign’ is a woman dazzling like her Lord, radiant with light. She bears a crown of twelve stars which identifies her with the elect of Israel. This refers us to Gen. 37:9; Joseph’s dream of the sun, moon and eleven stars bowing down to him. The 12 stars relate to the 12 tribes of Israel.
The woman is said to (variously) represent the people of God, the church, Mary, Eve, the nation of Israel, or the 12 tribes of Israel. Most believe that she represents the faithful people of God; the faithful Jews looking for the Messiah and then the community of the people following Jesus. (The number 12 is often used as a symbol for the people of God:12 tribes, 12 disciples). From this community of covenant people, the Messiah comes.
She is pregnant and in the throes of labor pains. This again points to the faithful remanent community from which the Lord Jesus Christ was “birthed”.
John then saw another sign in heaven. This time he saw “an enormous red dragon with 7 heads and 10 horns and 7 crowns on his heads.” (vs. 3) This dragon was poised to devour the child that was being born by the woman. The dragon is terrifying, powerfully vicious, full of fierce anger and murderous intent. His heads, horns and crowns denote intelligence, power and authority respectively. This is ancient serpent of Genesis who has been the enemy of God’s faithful since the beginning.
The dragon was ready and waiting for the birth of the child of the woman so he could devour and destroy her seed (Gen. 3:15). (This may also be an allusion to Herod’s murderous attempt to destroy the Christ at birth-Mt.2:13-18). The woman gave birth to a male child, “who will rule with an iron scepter” (Ps. 2:9, Micah 5:2-5, Rev. 19:12).
Her son was protected by God, snatched up and enthroned with God. God prepared a place in the wilderness for the woman, and He would take care of her for 1260 days. This period corresponds to Rev. 11:2 when the two witnesses testify to the truth. 1260 days, 42 months, 3.5 years, time, times and time and a half all are various versions of half of 7, the number of completeness. It denotes a short period of time in the sense that it is limited and divinely appointed. The number itself alludes to Daniel (Dan. 7:25; 9:27; 12:7,11). (See article on the 70 Weeks of Daniel)
Two times in this passage (vs. 6,14) there are mentions of the wilderness or desert where the woman might find refuge from the dragon. The wilderness is often a symbol of God’s provision and protection as it was in the Exodus. But it also can be a place of trial and testing as in Exodus and in Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness. In both instances, God provided for His people and protected them with His Presence. There were trials of faith, and some failed along the way, but God was continually with His people. This is a comfort to the faithful of God that whatever happens to His people in persecution, they can be comforted by His Sovereign care and presence. There will be trials, but His Presence will be with them.
The next scene in this chapter takes us to a war going on in heaven between Michael and his angels and the dragon and his angels. An interesting statement in vs. 8 is quite telling about this dragon: “…the dragon and his angels fought back. But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven.” There are many and varied interpretations about when this might have happened and what Satan’s position might have been in heaven (Job 1:6-2:10), but for this section, the most important thing is that Satan was not strong enough. He was defeated and hurled down to the earth.
He was in heaven accusing the faithful before God and now has been hurled down to earth. Satan’s expulsion seems to coincide with the enthronement of Christ, but it could also be at the birth of Christ. The exact time seems less important in this text than the clear point of defeat of the dragon through the Child. The angels that fall with him are his demons.
Satan is a powerful enemy and the great accuser of God’s people, but he has been conquered, and his time is short. He has been overpowered by Christ’s death, resurrection and ascension to the throne of God. “Now is the time for judgment on this world, now the prince of this world will be driven out. But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself.” (John 12:31-32)
The dragon is here named as the ancient serpent (Gen. 3:1-7), the devil (Mt. 25:41), and Satan (lit. the accuser: Mt. 4:10, Job 1:6-12). His function is to lead the whole world astray. From the beginning, he has tried to pull God’s people into the chaos of separation from God and rebellion against His plans.
n John’s gospel, we learn that “the devil was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” (John 8:44).
In vs. 10-12, there is a beautiful hymn from a loud voice in heaven. “Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of God and the authority of His Christ.” Christ is reigning, the accuser has been thrown down. The heavens rejoice, but the earth will be filled with woe because the devil has come down. The defeated “devil is filled with fury, because he knows his time is short.” (Rev.12:12).
The way to stand against the fury of the devil is by being clothed with the blood of the Lamb and to testify that it is by His blood and His work on the cross that we are saved. The community of the Lamb will proclaim Him even if it means they lose their lives.
Christ’s work on the cross has put an end to the power to accuse God’s people. The believer’s testimony of Christ’s finished work overcomes the accusations of the devil. It is the blood of the Lamb that dealt the actual death blow to the dragon and enabled the saints to triumph.
Now that the dragon is on earth (vs.13-17), he goes after the woman with a great vengeance and spews out a torrent of water against her. Again, she is taken to be cared for in a place prepared for her in the wilderness. In both instances of the wilderness (vs.6, 14), God prepares a place, and He takes care of her away from the dragon. She is carried away on eagles wings reminiscent of Exodus 19:4, “You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt and how I carried you on eagles’ wings.” Also, the 3.5 years is again mentioned, indicating that the time is fixed and it is short.
Often a flood or torrent of waters can be used to describe persecution. “The cords of death entangled me; the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me” (Ps.18:4 David singing of his deliverance from his enemies). This torrent of water could describe a time of overwhelming persecution or false teaching as it comes from the mouth of the dragon.
The dragon is foiled again as the earth absorbs the river of water from the dragon’s mouth. The failed dragon will continue the contend with God’s people on earth. Enraged, he now leaves to war against the rest of her offspring, which are “those who obey God’s commandment and hold to the testimony of Jesus.” (Rev. 12:17) The dragon failed to destroy the Messiah and the Messianic community of believers. He is now turning his attention to all the faithful in Christ, to the present (John’s communities) and to the future Church.
This scene in Revelation 12 of apocalyptic images of bizarre and symbolic creatures would have been a comfort and encouragement to the church of John’s time. The victory of the Savior and Lamb is assured; the enemy is defeated. Christians can overcome the devil’s attacks by the blood of Christ and the truth of His Word. Satan and his demons are destined for destruction, and the church is destined for ultimate triumph.
Christ appeared to destroy the works of the devil. Satan is cast from heaven; his evil on earth is truly a defeated power. Victory has already been won, despite appearances on earth.
“…Now the presence of the crucified Savior in God’s presence provides the required satisfaction of God’s justice with reference to our sins. Therefore, Satan’s accusations are no longer valid, and he is cast out. What strong consolation this provides for God’s faltering peoples!” Followers of the Lamb have victory over the dragon by the blood of the Lamb which defeated Satan. “The blood of the martyrs, rather than signaling the triumph of Satan, shows instead that they have gained the victory over the dragon by their acceptance of Jesus’ Cross and their obedient suffering.” (Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Revelation, Alan Johnson, pg. 517)
So now, we who follow the Lamb can overcome the accuser-devil-dragon by the blood of the Lamb and holding fast to the good news of Jesus Christ. The enemy may be strong and fierce, but he is defeated and Christ rules on high.
The apostle Paul prays that the Church of Christ will know the power and authority of Christ who rules and reigns with the Father in Heaven over all things. He is the glorious Head, and we are His body, filled with His power.
“I pray… that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and His incomparably great power for us who believe.
That power is like the working of His mighty strength, which He exerted in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.
And God placed all things under His feet and appointed Him to be head over everything for the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills everything in every way.” (Ephesians 1:18-23)
Resources:
Online: Bible Hub, Bible Project
Commentaries online: Matthew Henry, IVP New Testament Commentary
IVP Bible background Commentary NT
Expositor’s Bible Commentary
Time in Between-Possein
Reading Revelation Responsibly- Gorman
Reading Revelation in Context-Blackwell, Goodrich, Maston