Revelation 12: The Woman, Christ, and Heavenly Hosts Versus the Great Dragon

Introduction

Scripture

Revelation 12 ESV

1 And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. 2 She was pregnant and was crying out in birth pains and the agony of giving birth. 3 And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven diadems. 4 His tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven and cast them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she bore her child he might devour it. 5 She gave birth to a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne, 6 and the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, in which she is to be nourished for 1,260 days. 7 Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back, 8 but he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. 9 And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. 10 And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. 11 And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death. 12 Therefore, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows that his time is short!” 13 And when the dragon saw that he had been thrown down to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. 14 But the woman was given the two wings of the great eagle so that she might fly from the serpent into the wilderness, to the place where she is to be nourished for a time, and times, and half a time. 15 The serpent poured water like a river out of his mouth after the woman, to sweep her away with a flood. 16 But the earth came to the help of the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed the river that the dragon had poured from his mouth. 17 Then the dragon became furious with the woman and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus. And he stood on the sand of the sea.

Outline

Revelation 1 - Introduction

Revelation 1:1-3 - Prologue & Benediction

Revelation 1:4-8 - Epistolary Introduction

Revelation 1:9-20 - A Vision of the Son of Man

Revelation 2-3 - The Seven Churches

Revelation 2:1-7 - The Letter to Ephesus

Revelation 2:8-11 - The Letter to Smyrna

Revelation 2:12-17 - The Letter to Pergamum

Revelation 2:18-29 - The Letter to Thyatira

Revelation 3:1-6 - The Letter to Sardis

Revelation 3:7-13 - The Letter to Philadelphia

Revelation 3:14-22 - The Letter to Laodicea

Revelation 4-5 - The Throne Room

Revelation 4:1-11 - A Vision of the Throne Room

Revelation 5:1-14 - The Lamb is Worthy

Revelation 6-8:5 - The Seven Seals

Revelation 6:1-8 - The First Four Seals

Revelation 6:9-17 - The Fifth and Sixth Seals

Revelation 7:1-17 - Who can Stand on the Day of the Lord?

Revelation 8:1-5 - Anticipation of Further Judgment

Revelation 8:6-11:19 - The Seven Trumpets

Revelation 8:6-13 - The First Four Trumpets

Revelation 9:1-21 - The Fifth and Sixth Trumpets

Revelation 10:1-11 - The End is Near

Revelation 11:1-14 - The Two Witnesses

Revelation 11:15-19 - The Seventh Trumpet

Revelation 12:1-15:4 - The Seven Visions

Revelation 12:1-17 - The Woman, Child, and Heavenly Hosts Versus the Great Dragon

Revelation 12:1-6 - Christ Defeats the Serpent

Revelation 12:7-12 - Heavenly War Against the Dragon

Revelation 12:13-17 - God Protects His People from the Dragon

Purpose of Book

The purpose of Revelation is to challenge/encourage believers, who are expectantly awaiting the reign of Christ, to live faithfully for Him despite worldly circumstances, persecution, and the cosmic battle between God and Satan.

Main Point

The Christ has defeated the Dragon. At the Dragon’s defeat he is cast down to earth where he wars against the people of God, but God promises to protect those who are His.

Revelation 12:1-6 - Christ Defeats the Serpent

Revelation 12:1–6 ESV

1 And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. 2 She was pregnant and was crying out in birth pains and the agony of giving birth. 3 And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven diadems. 4 His tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven and cast them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she bore her child he might devour it. 5 She gave birth to a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne, 6 and the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, in which she is to be nourished for 1,260 days.

Three Characters

The Woman - The Covenant People of God

The Child - Jesus the Promised Messiah

The Dragon - The Serpent, Satan

1 And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars.

A great sign appeared in heaven

A woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars

Genesis 37:9 ESV

9 Then he dreamed another dream and told it to his brothers and said, “Behold, I have dreamed another dream. Behold, the sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me.”

Clothed with the sun - radiant bride of God

Moon under her feet

Crown of twelve stars

12 symbolizing the fullness of the people of God

2 She was pregnant and was crying out in birth pains and the agony of giving birth.

Isaiah 26:17–18 ESV

17 Like a pregnant woman who writhes and cries out in her pangs when she is near to giving birth, so were we because of you, O Lord; 18 we were pregnant, we writhed, but we have given birth to wind. We have accomplished no deliverance in the earth, and the inhabitants of the world have not fallen.

The rule and reign of the Messiah will become a reality through the Davidic Covenant

3 And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven diadems.

Another sign appeared in heaven

A great red dragon

Seven heads and ten horns

Seven heads - dangerously powerful

Ten horns

Daniel 7:7 ESV

7 After this I saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, terrifying and dreadful and exceedingly strong. It had great iron teeth; it devoured and broke in pieces and stamped what was left with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns.

On his heads seven diadems

“complete authority”

4 His tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven and cast them to the earth.

Notice above - 12 stars representing the fullness of the people of God

Daniel 8:10 ESV

10 It grew great, even to the host of heaven. And some of the host and some of the stars it threw down to the ground and trampled on them.

Antiochus Epiphanes - persecutes the Jews and profanes the temple in 168 BC

Typology: Understanding the Bible’s Promise-Shaped Patterns; How Old Testament Expectations are Fulfilled in Christ §1.2. Patterned Promises of a King

• to speak of the creation of the stars (Gen 1:16);

• to show Abram the innumerable nature of his descendants (Gen 15:5);

• to promise Abraham what his multiplied offspring would be like (Gen 22:17);

• to promise Isaac how his seed would be multiplied (Gen 26:4);

• to symbolize Joseph’s brothers bowing down to him (Gen 37:9);

• to remind the Lord how he promised to multiply the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Exod 32:13).

Daniel 12:3 ESV

3 And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.

Genesis 22:17 ESV

17 I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies,

Satan will kill/persecute the people of God, but it will be limited

Hebrews 11:32–38 ESV

32 And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets— 33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. 35 Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. 36 Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated— 38 of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she bore her child he might devour it.

The dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth

So that when she bore her child he might devour it

Satan’s intent was to kill the Messiah - Matthew 2:1-18 regarding Herod

5 She gave birth to a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne,6 and the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, in which she is to be nourished for 1,260 days.

She gave birth to a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron

2 Samuel 7:14 ESV

14 I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men,

Psalm 2:8–9 ESV

8 Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession. 9 You shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.”

Her child was caught up to God and to his throne

In this vision, the ministry and death of Christ are skipped -> Exalted ascension

The woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God

The woman, though still represents the people of God, now becomes those in Christ

The wilderness represents the exiled life we currently live in

God still provided for the Exodus generation for 42 years just as He provides for His people until the 2nd coming

In which she is to be nourished for 1,260 days

Though the enemy still persecutes and kills some of the people of God, God ensures they do not commit apostasy while being persecuted

Revelation 12:7-12- Heavenly War Against the Dragon

Revelation 12:7–12 ESV

7 Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back, 8 but he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. 9 And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. 10 And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. 11 And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death. 12 Therefore, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows that his time is short!”

7 Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon.

Now war arose in heaven

This does not specifically mean a chronological flow that connects with the previous passage

Instead a pointing to what occured during the exaltation of the Messiah

Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon

Daniel 12:1–2 ESV

1 “At that time shall arise Michael, the great prince who has charge of your people. And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book. 2 And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

And the dragon and his angels fought back, 8 but he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven.

The dragon and his angels fought back

But he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven

John 12:27–36 ESV

27 “Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. 28 Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.” 29 The crowd that stood there and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.” 30 Jesus answered, “This voice has come for your sake, not mine. 31 Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out. 32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” 33 He said this to show by what kind of death he was going to die. 34 So the crowd answered him, “We have heard from the Law that the Christ remains forever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?” 35 So Jesus said to them, “The light is among you for a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going. 36 While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.” When Jesus had said these things, he departed and hid himself from them.

9 And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.

The great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole word

Ancient serpent

Genesis 3:1–4 ESV

1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” 2 And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, 3 but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’ ” 4 But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die.

The Devil

Matthew 4:1 ESV

1 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.

Satan

Matthew 4:10 ESV

10 Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, “ ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’ ”

The deceiver of the whole world

2 Corinthians 4:4 ESV

4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

He was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him

Job 1:6 ESV

6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them.

Job 2:1 ESV

1 Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them to present himself before the Lord.

Zechariah 3:1–2 ESV

1 Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him. 2 And the Lord said to Satan, “The Lord rebuke you, O Satan! The Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is not this a brand plucked from the fire?”

Luke 10:18 ESV

18 And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.

The salvific work of Christ is of course personal to us regarding sin, but it was also a cosmological victory against all the spiritual evil forces

10 And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God.

***Hymn sung***

I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying,

Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come

The death, burial, and resurrection solidify the victory of God over His enemies

Christ ascends to the Father where He currently reigns at His right hand

Matthew 26:64 ESV

64 Jesus said to him, “You have said so. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.”

Psalm 110:1 ESV

1 The Lord says to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.”

Hebrews 1:13 ESV

13 And to which of the angels has he ever said, “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet”?

For the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God

No longer can the Devil accuse God’s people as he previously had

The people of God have been entirely freed of sin by Christ thus there is 0 basis for his slander

Revelation 1:5 ESV

5 and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood

11 And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.

They have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony

The people of God are victorious over Satan because of the work of Christ - NOTHING ELSE

The testimony is their living the truth of the Gospel out as saints

For they loved not their lives even unto death

Revelation 2:13 ESV

13 “ ‘I know where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is. Yet you hold fast my name, and you did not deny my faith even in the days of Antipas my faithful witness, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells.

The call of some will be to give their lives as a loving sacrifice of dedication to Christ

12 Therefore, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them!

Rejoicing is a command and a great one!

The rejoicing is because the ancient serpent has been cast out of heaven!

But woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows that his time is short!”

Though free from Satan in heaven, the earth now faces his rage

He is very aware that his time on earth is short and his desire is to harm the people of God and destroy everything he can before the second coming

Revelation 12:13-17 - God Protects His People from the Dragon

Revelation 12:13–17 ESV

13 And when the dragon saw that he had been thrown down to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. 14 But the woman was given the two wings of the great eagle so that she might fly from the serpent into the wilderness, to the place where she is to be nourished for a time, and times, and half a time. 15 The serpent poured water like a river out of his mouth after the woman, to sweep her away with a flood. 16 But the earth came to the help of the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed the river that the dragon had poured from his mouth. 17 Then the dragon became furious with the woman and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus. And he stood on the sand of the sea.

13 And when the dragon saw that he had been thrown down to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child.

Satan now realizes he has no ability to slander the people of God because of the work of Christ

He is restricted to earth after being defeated

His aim - persecute the people of God

14 But the woman was given the two wings of the great eagle so that she might fly from the serpent into the wilderness, to the place where she is to be nourished for a time, and times, and half a time.

Exodus 19:4 ESV

4 ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself.

Isaiah 40:31 ESV

31 but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

God is comforting His exiled people who wait for Him

15 The serpent poured water like a river out of his mouth after the woman, to sweep her away with a flood.

Imagery revealing “to be overwhelmed by war”

Persecution, false teachers, corruption

16 But the earth came to the help of the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed the river that the dragon had poured from his mouth.

Exodus 15:12 ESV

12 You stretched out your right hand; the earth swallowed them.

The Lord will save His people

17 Then the dragon became furious with the woman and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus.

2 John 1 ESV

1 The elder to the elect lady and her children, whom I love in truth, and not only I, but also all who know the truth,

Matthew 16:18 ESV

18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Main Point

The Christ has defeated the Dragon. At the Dragon’s defeat he is cast down to earth where he wars against the people of God, but God promises to protect those who are His.