End times series:
Revelation 12
By Liaf
When we studied Revelation chapter 11, we saw that we were about midway into the Tribulation. Chapter twelve is also during the same timeframe. So is chapter thirteen. However, these chapters each focus in on specific subjects and events that occur midway. The half point of the Tribulation is a critical time when several things unfold. In chapter eleven, the subject was primarily about the two witnesses and what the beast did to them. In chapter twelve, we shall see that the subjects are represented symbolically. How do we know that? Because it says so. The subjects are the woman, the manchild, and the dragon. When we get to chapter thirteen, we shall see that the subject will switch back over to the beast and his false prophet. In each case, these chapters fill in important details to make the middle point of the Tribulation more understandable. Let’s turn to our King James Bibles to Revelation chapter twelve and let’s understand:
Revelation 12:1-6: And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars:
And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.
And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.
And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.
And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.
And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.
John described a great wonder, literally a sign or symbol that represented something else. A pregnant woman was about to bear a child and a great red dragon was ready to devour the child. The dragon had one third of the stars of heaven. When the child was born, it was to be a king but was "caught up" to God and his throne while the woman fled and hid for 1260 days. What do you suppose all this symbolism means? Let’s start with the woman. Look at Joseph’s dream in Genesis 37:6-11. Does that give us a clue? For starters, the number twelve represents God’s government or people. We have already dealt with that issue back in Revelation chapter four regarding the 24 elders. Who are the people of God? In the earthly sense, I know only of Israel (i.e. all the twelve tribes). In the New Testament it is the spiritual seed of Abraham that makes up the true church. Since Revelation twelve deals with the midpoint of the Tribulation, I know of no other group that this can represent. This is especially true since Christ did not return yet. And the woman does not represent a woman because that would no longer be symbolic. So which is it? Israel or the church? Most believe it’s the church. I’ll tell you it isn’t the church. First of all, the church is gone with the rapture. Grant it, there are new converts this could represent, but since we are dealing with the people here on Earth, I would opt to say this is representative of Israel (I’ll show more proof shortly). How about the "man child"? Again, most believe this is Christ. Let’s suppose the woman was the church and the man child is Christ. Would Christ be born from the church? Hardly. Did Christ come from Israel-Judah-Pharez-David? Yes, in the flesh. You may be thinking that this is enough proof that the woman can safely assumed to be Israel. Yes, that would be so if the "man child" were Christ. Now I will undo some things I just said. The "man child" is not Christ. Does this disprove that the woman is Israel? No. I still believe she represents Israel, but her offspring is not Christ, but some very special people born from her. Turn to Isaiah 66:7-8:
Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man child. Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion [the woman doing the travailing] travailed, she brought forth her children. [plaral]
I believe the "man child" is none other than the 144,000 in symbolic form. That is why they are on Earth in chapter seven being sealed and later on in chapter 14 they are in heaven. They will be caught up unto God, and to his throne. They will be raptured in the middle of the Tribulation. "What about ruling the nations with the rod of iron?" you may ask. So many people assume the "man child" is Christ because of this passage. No. ALL BELIEVERS will rule and reign with Christ. The iron rod idea comes from Psalm chapter two. That psalm, in turn, is quoted by Christ as being applicable to all overcoming believers in Revelation 2:27. The special 144,000 people of Israel are no exception. Besides, if the "man child" were Christ, it would no linger be symbolism since a "man child" literally is a male child. Remember, the woman is not a woman, the male child is not a male child, and the dragon is not a dragon. They are symbolic of something else.
The Great Red Dragon is none other than Satan (the Bible clearly says so later). He has one third of the angelic host as his followers (we’ve already talked about a star being representative of a demonic being). The seven heads and ten horns show that the beast’s kingdom is involved empowered by Satan. Notice that the crowns are on the seven heads. This is because the subject of this chapter is the dragon. In the next chapter, the crowns are on the horns because the subject of that chapter is the beast. Thus, the subject of this chapter is Satan, Israel, and the special group of 144,000 that we said would be the preachers during the Tribulation in our earlier messages. This agrees with the end time summary that Jesus stated in Matthew 24. Something then happens to make the woman flee for 3 ½ years. What will it be? The next verses clarify that for us. Before we go on, I want to say that this symbolism has astronomical significance. I will do a separate message on that later. In a nutshell, the woman can be related to the constellation VIRGO and the position of the sun and moon relative to her occurs only at certain times of the year. In addition, the constellation DRACO (the DRAGON) encircles about one third of the polar axis region. This deals with God’s messages in the stars and is another topic to be discussed later. Let’s read on to see the rest of the details:
Revelation 12:7-12: And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,
And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.
And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.
And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.
Notice in this passage, the dragon is clearly identified as SATAN, and he is cast to the Earth. The end of this passage warns that those on the Earth are in a terrible situation because he will vent his fury knowing he has but a short time until his judgement. Do not confuse this passage with the beginning of time where Jesus said, "I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven." This was the heavenly conflict at the beginning where Satan "lost his job" so-to-speak because of his sin. Satan still has access to the heavenly realm and indeed, the Bible says he accuses the brethren before God. According to the book of Job, we see in the start of that book that Satan came before God as the other angels did. Now in the MIDDLE of the Tribulation, Satan will not even be allowed to do that. He will be cast down and restricted here to Earth. This casting down did not occur yet.
What does the Bible mean by the accusation of the brethren? This is where understanding the prophecy in the Hebrew feast days comes into play. These feasts were prophetic of things to come. The rapture is depicted in the "feast of Trumpets", and the "Judgement Seat of Christ" by the "Day of Atonement" for the believers (there are still Earthly counterparts to these feasts as well). The Apostle Paul speaks of the Judgement Seat of Christ in heaven where we will all stand trial while the Tribulation occurs here on the Earth. I will have future messages on the feasts of Jehovah. One must understand this trail is not for the believer’s salvation, but rather a trail to determine the believer’s rewards and thus their rank in the coming Kingdom of God. However, Satan will try to make this a salvation issue. Notice how the believers overcome these accusations. They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb. The salvation of the brethren is not even an issue, and for that reason there is war in heaven and Satan is cast down. God finally had enough of his futile accusations and bars him from even coming before the presence of God. The integrity that the believer has is based on the work and worth of Christ, and that’s forever settled!
Revelation 12:13-17: And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child.
And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.
And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.
And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth.
And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
We must remember that in the beginning of this chapter that the "man child" represents the 144,000. These people, in turn, are powerful preachers. They are then raptured where Satan in front of God accuses them, along with other believers. When he is cast to the Earth instead, he vents his fury on Israel because the special 144,000 escaped his wrath. In the previous chapter, we also remember that the two witnesses are resurrected and raptured as well. Satan is ticked off. Consequently, he vents his anger on the remaining people of Israel. Notice that she flies into the wilderness for a time, and times, and half a time. We’ve discussed this before and it means 3 ½ times or 3 ½ years (the last half of the Tribulation). This is when the Gentiles will tread under foot forty and two months the Holy City for the last half of the Tribulation that was mentioned in the last chapter (eleven) of Revelation. Where in the wilderness will she flee? I believe that Daniel chapter eleven indicates that when it states the three nations that will escape the Antichrist’s hand (but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon). The prophetic book of Obadiah also warns Edom to accept the people of God in the day of their calamity. In all these years of "birthright" wars that Israel and Edom had, this will be a time for them to redeem themselves and prove their worth by accepting the refugees of Israel. Most theologians consider the book of Obadiah as history and the book is only applicable for the lessons that can be learned. However, with "Lost Tribes" theology coupled with end-time understanding, we know what happened historically will again be applicable to future events.
The "water as a flood" from the mouth of the serpent that goes after the woman is symbolic of pursuers no doubt. The Earth helped the woman by swallowing the water. Again, this is symbolic of perhaps a catastrophe or event that impedes and destroys the pursuers. Besides the Earth helping the woman, she shows her swiftness of flight by having two wings of a great eagle. This is in unison with what Jesus said in Matthew 24. When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains. With the two witnesses and 144,000 gone, and the woman (Israel) fleeing and successfully hiding, the Dragon turns his fury to those remaining: Christians who were converts during the Tribulation that keep the commands and testimony of Jesus. Being of her seed, these are Israelites, and all those from the Lost Tribes who accepted Christianity. This is worldwide persecution. Notice that Jesus’ comment of Israel’s flight into the wilderness (or mountains) is connected with the abomination of desolation. Revelation chapter eleven and twelve deals with the middle of the Tribulation, but does not mention the abomination of desolation as was with the case in the book of Daniel and Jesus’ summary of end times. Why? This issue will be dealt with in chapter thirteen. Chapter eleven deals midway into the Tribulation with the subject focusing on the two witnesses. Chapter twelve focuses on Satan, the 144,000, and Israel. Chapter thirteen focuses on the beast and false prophet (Antichrist and his sidekick). This chapter will deal with the abomination of desolation midway into the Tribulation.
This is the interpretation of this chapter, but besides the dragon and the pursuers of Israel, this is where I believe the Ezekiel chapter 38 occurs. I will not quote that entire chapter, but the context of that chapter is that God’s people Israel will be dwelling safely when all of a sudden this massive invasion takes place. (Not all of the invaders are necessarily the pursuers.) Most people debate when this invasion takes place. I believe it is the middle of the Tribulation because of the mention of security. Under Antichrist’s seven-year covenant, they will feel secure until he turns on them and they must flee. They safely get away with some pursuers apparently thwarted, but other armies surround Jerusalem. This is the passage in Luke that correlates with the abomination of desolation when Jesus said, "And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh." However, the end of Ezekiel 38 sounds similar to Armageddon and thus some place it at the end of the Tribulation. I see no reason not to accept the possibility that this is a continuous wave of an invasion and corresponds to Revelation’s passage that mentions about the Gentiles treading Jerusalem under foot for 42 months. Many "Lost Tribes" ministries teach that this is an invasion, perhaps from China into the regions where the "Lost Tribes" dwell in safety, i.e. over here on the American continent. Whenever I look up the Hebrew word for "earth" or "land", one word has the context of meaning a specific locality such as being on one’s native soil or land. The other has a broader context meaning the Earth as a whole. One has to look at the rest of the Scripture to determine what meaning is intended. I will not deny that part of Ezekiel 38 may have this invasion of the American continent in mind because that is where Israel resides today. However, during the Tribulation, many Israelites will have already returned to the land of Israel to agree to Antichrist’s seven-year covenant. Some of the words in that chapter that use the word "land" are in the context of one’s native soil. Therefore, the traditional interpretation that this passage means an attack against the land of Israel is the one I hold to. We must not get into so much "Lost Tribe" theology that we concern ourselves with only the promises to Israel as nations, great populations and military might only to forget about the land promised to them. We must keep the pendulum balanced and sometimes the traditional interpretations still apply. In other words, to apply all prophecy to Jew only and to the land of Israel only is wrong. But to apply all prophecy to just "Lost Tribes" and their new homeland as if nothing else mattered is equally wrong. There are elements of both.
In the next message on chapter thirteen, the book of Revelation shows the role that Antichrist and his sidekick play during the middle of the Tribulation. Stay tuned for another message in the near future.