The Woman of Revelation 12:
“A great and wondrous sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head. She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth.” (Revelation 12:1–2)
Scriptural Indications of the Woman’s Symbolism:
The woman is clothed with the sun,[1] Jesus Christ.[2] The moon is under her feet, Old Testament law and ritual:
“The church, under the emblem of a woman, the mother of believers, was seen by the apostle in vision, in heaven. She was clothed with the sun, justified, sanctified, and shining by union with Christ, the Sun of Righteousness. The moon was under her feet; she was superior to the reflected and feebler light of the revelation made by Moses.” (The Concise Matthew Henry Commentary)
She has on her head a crown[3] of twelve stars. The number twelve is used in scripture to illustrate both Israel[4] of old, and the New Testament Church.[5] Stars are symbolic of both people,[6] and angels.[7] This woman represents the heavenly church, because she is illustrated with heavenly symbols (verse 1). The word heaven is used twice in the text: Once to describe where the woman is, and another time to describe where Satan is (verses 1 & 3). And Satan, who is standing in front of her, has yet to be hurled down to earth (verses 4 and 9).
Revelation 12 Continued:
“The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that he might devour her child the moment it was born. She gave birth to a son, a male child, who will rule all the nations with an iron scepter …” (Revelation 12: 4–5)
The term:
“… iron scepter,”
in Revelation 12:5 is also found in a parallel verse in the book of Revelation:
“To him who overcomes and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations—’He will rule them with an iron scepter.’” (Revelation 2:26–27)
These two parallel verses indicate that the male child in Revelation 12, who,
“… will rule all the nations with an iron scepter,” (Revelation 2:26–27)
is an illustration of overcoming Christians. Nevertheless, some claim that this male child is limited in scope to Jesus Christ, because elsewhere in scripture it is written that Jesus will rule the nations,
“… with an iron scepter.”[8]
Jesus Christ will rule the nations just as the bible claims, yet so will the overcoming Christians who Christ promised to,
“… give authority over the nations.” (Revelation 2:26)
The Male Child of Revelation 12:
On the subject of the male child in Revelation Chapter 12, The New John Gill Exposition of the Entire Bible reads:
“Not Christ, literally and personally considered, or Christ in his human nature, as made of a woman, and born of a virgin, which was a fact that had been years ago; but Christ mystically, or Christ in his members, who are called by his name, because he is formed in them, and they are the seed of the woman, the church.”
Seeing that the worldwide Christian Church is illustrated as a woman in scripture, it makes sense from a biblical perspective that her seed would be portrayed as a male child.[9]
And while many see the male child in Revelation Chapter 12 as Jesus Christ, and only Jesus Christ, there are problems with this understanding:
■ An angel told John that events he was about to record would take place,
“… after this.”[10]
Ninety-six A.D. is commonly accepted as the year the Apostle John received visions and penned Revelation’s pages. Therefore, the events in chapter 12 are to be fulfilled after the angel spoke to John in 96 A.D., not before. And since Jesus Christ was born over ninety years before the angel spoke to John, the birth of the male child in Revelation Chapter 12 cannot be referring to Christ’s birth.
■ The Jesus Christ found in scripture was not caught up to heaven the moment he was born. The four gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, document Christ’s life which spanned over 33 years. Jesus had a fruitful ministry, which culminated in his death on the cross, followed by his resurrection.
The Male Child in Revelation 12 Continued:
■ At the time the Apostle John wrote the book of Revelation, he was told that the ten horns he saw are ten kings who have yet to receive a kingdom:
“The ten horns you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but will receive one hour of authority as kings, along with the beast. These kings have one purpose: to yield their power and authority to the beast.” (Revelation 17:12-13, NASB)
The same ten horns are described as part of the beast who is threatening to devour the male child in Revelation Chapter 12, as soon as it is born.[11]
This is a future event; not something that happened at the time of Christ’s birth.
■ Also, if Jesus is the child described in Revelation 12:5, then the woman would either be Mary or Israel. The Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary spells out one glaring problem with this understanding:
“The woman cannot mean, literally, the virgin mother of Jesus, for she did not flee into the wilderness and stay there for 1260 days, while the dragon persecuted the remnant of her seed.”
■ Neither did Israel.
Looking further into the context of Revelation 12:5:
“… and her child was snatched up to God and to his throne.” (Revelation 12:5)
In the original Greek language which Revelation was written in, the word hērpasthē which some versions of the bible have translated,
“… was caught up,”
actually means,
“… was caught away.”
The direction to the throne is not mentioned.
For this reason, in bibles that reflect what was originally written,[12] and in in literal translations of the bible,[13] the word,
“up,”
is not used to describe the catching away of the child in Revelation 12:5.
The Emphasized Bible by Rotherham states it this way:
“… Her child was caught away unto God and unto his throne.” (Revelation 12:5)
This body of believers who were already in heaven because they had died,[14] and are now seen being caught away to the throne of God, has to do with a change in the heavenly order:
“Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down.” (Revelation 12:10)
The term,
“… now,”
indicates a specific point in time. Another passage in Revelation which contains the word,
“… now,”
has similar connotations:
“Then I heard a voice from heaven say, ‘Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.'” (Revelation 14:13)
Revelation 12 Continued—War in Heaven:
“Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.” (Revelation 12:7–9)
Wars are usually fought for authority and dominion. This is what this war in heaven is about. As Jesus breaks open the seven wax seals on Revelation’s mortgage scroll, a battle commences. The position of authority and dominion that Satan once held is being transferred to Jesus.
As Satan finds himself banished to the earth, realizing he has little time left,[15] he strikes back at the woman’s offspring on earth, those professing faith in Jesus Christ.
“Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to make war against the rest of her offspring—those who obey God’s commandments and hold to the testimony of Jesus.” (Revelation 12:17)
Mental Gymnastics:
There are those who believe the catching away of a body of believers to God’s throne in Revelation Chapter 12 is the bodily resurrection and rapture of the church. Yet in order to maintain this position, one must perform some difficult mental gymnastics, because it’s impossible to harmonize this view with the biblical teaching of a last-trumpet rapture.[16]
Also, those who claim that Revelation’s illustration of a male child being caught up to God’s throne is the rapture also claim that the rest of the woman’s offspring were unworthy to be taken in the rapture, either because they converted to Christianity after the rapture took place, or because they were only lukewarm in their commitment to Christ at the time of the rapture. Yet neither of these explanations is adequate, because the word usage in the text points to a strong dedication to Christ. The rest of her offspring are described as:
“… those who obey God’s commandments and hold to the testimony of Jesus.” (Revelation 12:17)
Is this really the type of people Jesus will leave behind?
Let’s consider another possibility: These Christians are seen on earth because at this point in time the rapture has yet to occur. Revelation Chapter 12 is showing us a contrast between the church on earth and the church in heaven.
A Solitary Place:
“The woman was given the two wings of a great eagle, so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the desert, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time, out of the serpent’s reach.” (Revelation 12:14)
The words,
“… she might fly to,” (Revelation 12:14)
is speaking of the Christian Church on earth made up of members who are still alive, yet many will die and,
“… fly away,”[17]
in the days ahead.
The word “desert” in Revelation 12:14 comes from the Greek eremos, meaning lonesome; it can be properly translated “desert,” “desolate,” “solitary,” or “wilderness.” Some believe this desert is speaking figuratively of the United States of America and that in this time of trouble Christians from all over the world will come to the United States for safety. Others claim Revelation’s desert is a literal desert located “in Petra”[18] and that Jewish[19] people who have found Christ as the events in Revelation unfold will go there to hide from Antichrist’s rage during the tribulation.
However, Revelation’s twelfth chapter is highly symbolic, it speaks of a woman, which is an illustration of something other than a literal woman. The sun does not represent earth’s literal sun. The moon, stars, and serpent are also symbolic of things other than a literal moon, stars, or serpent. So, one would not violate sound methods of bible interpretation to consider that the desert mentioned in the same chapter could be speaking of something other than a literal desert.
Revelation 12 Continued:
“From his mouth the serpent spewed water like a river, to overtake the woman and sweep her away with the torrent. But the earth helped the woman by opening its mouth and swallowing the river that the dragon had spewed out of his mouth.” (Revelation 12:15–16)
Elsewhere in the bible, water[20] like a river, has been used as an illustration that is spiritual in nature. Leaving open the possibility that the earth opening its mouth and swallowing the river is saying that Satan’s spiritual force cannot get to where the woman is.
The solitary place many of God’s children will be protected in, is an illustration of heaven, and the pathway to this solitary place is through death’s door.
Revelation’s Martyrs Die for Their Testimony:
- “When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained.” (Revelation 6:9)
- “Now when they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will attack them, and overpower and kill them.” (Revelation 11:7)
- “They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death. Therefore rejoice, you heavens and you who dwell in them!” (Revelation 12:11–12)
In any war there are casualties. Looking into the history of the early church will demonstrate that multitudes died for the word of their testimony. Many were fed to the lions. Many were burned at the stake. Those Christians did not die in vain; they took a stand in life that had eternal consequences. They held the word of God high as a standard to be abided by at any expense. So shall it be at the end of this age. Once more God’s people will face persecution and once more multitudes will die for the Christian faith.
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Endnotes:
[1] “In the metaphorical language of Scripture the sun is emblematic of the law of God, Ps. 19:7, of the cheering presence of God, Ps. 84:11, of the person of the Saviour, John 1:9; Mal. 4:2, and of the glory and purity of heavenly beings. Rev. 1:16; 10:1; 12:1.” (Smith’s Bible Dictionary)
[2] “His [Christ’s] face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.” (Revelation 1:16)
[3] “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.” (2 Timothy 4:7–8)
[4] “He got up early the next morning and built an altar at the foot of the mountain and set up twelve stone pillars representing the twelve tribes of Israel.” (Exodus 24:12)
[5] Revelation 22:2
[6] “Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever.” (Daniel 12:3)
[7] “O morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God.’” (Isaiah 14:12–13)
[8] “He will rule them with an iron scepter.” (Revelation 19:15, & Psalm 2:9)
[9] In Hebrew tradition, the first-born male was the one who succeeded his father in position, and if his father was a king, he was made ruler over his kingdom. (See 1 Kings 2:12)
[10] “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” (Revelation 4:1)
[11] “Then another sign appeared in heaven: a huge red dragon with seven heads, ten horns, and seven royal crowns on his heads. 4His tail swept a third of the stars from the sky, tossing them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, ready to devour her child as soon as she gave birth.” (Revelation 12:3-4, NASB)
[12] “She gave birth to a son, a boy, who is to rule all the nations with an iron scepter. But her child was snatched away and taken to God and to his throne.” (Revelation 12:5, International Standard Version)
[13] “and she brought forth a male child, who is about to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, and caught away was her child unto God and His throne.” (Revelation 12:5, Young’s Literal Translation)
[14] “When the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been killed because of the word of God, and because of the testimony which they had maintained; and they cried out with a loud voice, saying, ‘How long, O Lord, holy and true, will You refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who live on the earth?’ And a white robe was given to each of them; and they were told that they were to rest for a little while longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers and sisters who were to be killed even as they had been, was completed also.” (Revelation 6:9-11)
[15] “He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short.” (Revelation 12:12b)
[16] “Behold, I am telling you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.” (1 Corinthians 15:51-52, NASB)
[17] “Our days may come to seventy years, or eighty, if our strength endures; yet the best of them are but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away.” (Psalm 90:10)
[18] (The Apocalyptic Prophecy, David Yonggi Cho, Creation House, 1998, p. 184)
[19] “The Jews who believed in Jesus will be transported by God to Petra.” (The Apocalyptic Prophecy, David Yonggi Cho, Creation House, 1998, p. 186)
[20] “Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” (John 7:38)