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Revelation Study

By Rev. Richard Puckett

Text and Reference from Parson's QuickVerse and their helps, Pictures from through out the Internet not for resale!

Chapter 12

The Woman, the Child, and the Dragon

(Rev 12:1 KJV) 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:

Rev 12:1: (vv. 1-5) The woman clothed with the sun cannot be the church. Christ gave birth to the church, not the church to Christ. The 12 stars upon her head are a certain indication that she should be identified as Israel. The Child which she delivers is the Christ (v. 5). The dragon who drew a third of the stars, probably a reference to the angelic hosts, from heaven is Satan (v. 4). Thus, a panorama of messianic history from the birth and the ascension of Jesus to the three and one-half years of persecution of the nation of Israel is revealed.

Verses 1-6. 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. Having on her head a crown of twelve stars; the doctrine of the gospel, preached by the twelve apostles, is a crown of glory to all true believers. As in pain to bring forth a holy family; desirous that the conviction of sinners might end in their conversion. A dragon is a known emblem of Satan, and his chief agents, or those who govern for him on earth, at that time the pagan empire of Rome, the city built upon seven hills. As having ten horns, divided into ten kingdoms. Having seven crowns, representing seven forms of government. As drawing with his tail a third part of the stars in heaven, and casting them down to the earth; persecuting and seducing the ministers and teachers. As watchful to crush the Christian religion; but in spite of the opposition of enemies, the church brought forth a manly issue of true and faithful professors, in whom Christ was truly formed anew; even the mystery of Christ, that Son of God who should rule the nations, and in whose right his members partake the same glory. This blessed offspring was protected of God.

(Rev 12:2 KJV) And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.

(Rev 12:3 KJV) 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.

12:3-17 EVIL AND SUFFERING, Satan-- Satan, the accuser, no longer has access to the heavenly throne. Christ was born of woman, suffered, died, was raised, and ascended to heaven. Satan, the dragon, lost the heavenly battle and was cast down to earth. Christ's victory is sure. He reigns in heaven. Christians must still endure suffering because Satan is still loose on earth and enraged against Christ's followers because Satan knows his time is short

(Rev 12:4 KJV) 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.

(Rev 12:5 KJV) 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.

12:5 JESUS CHRIST, Ascension-- Jesus was a human born of a woman. Unlike other humans, He was resurrected and taken up to God. In His redemption on the cross came power to overcome Satan and establish God's eternal kingdom under Christ's authority.

(Rev 12:6 KJV) 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.

Satan Thrown Out of Heaven

(Rev 12:7 KJV) And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,

(Rev 12:8 KJV) And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.

(Rev 12:9 KJV) 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.

(Rev 12:10 KJV) 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.

12:10-12 GOD, Sovereignty-- Even Satan recognizes the authority and power of God. Christ has overcome Him. In relation to eternity he has only a brief time to do his evil work. Victory rests with God and with God's people.

(Rev 12:11 KJV) 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.

Rev 12:11: Several promises in the book focus on those who overcome. The method of "overcoming" is the atonement of Christ and the testimony concerning His sacrifice. Only He is sufficient to expel Satan.

Verses 7-11. The attempts of the dragon proved unsuccessful against the church, and fatal to his own interests. The seat of this war was in heaven; in the church of Christ, the kingdom of heaven on earth. The parties were Christ, the great Angel of the covenant, and his faithful followers; and Satan and his instruments. The strength of the church is in having the Lord Jesus for the Captain of their salvation. Pagan idolatry, which was the worship of devils, was cast out of the empire by the spreading of Christianity. The salvation and strength of the church, are only to be ascribed to the King and Head of the church. The conquered enemy hates the presence of God, yet he is willing to appear there, to accuse the people of God. Let us take heed that we give him no cause to accuse us; and that, when we have sinned, we go before the Lord, condemn ourselves, and commit our cause to Christ as our Advocate. The servants of God overcame Satan by the blood of the Lamb, as the cause. By the word of their testimony: the powerful preaching of the gospel is mighty, through God, to pull down strong holds. By their courage and patience in sufferings: they loved not their lives so well but they could lay them down in Christ's cause. These were the warriors and the weapons by which Christianity overthrew the power of pagan idolatry; and if Christians had continued to fight with these weapons, and such as these, their victories would have been more numerous and glorious, and the effects more lasting. The redeemed overcame by a simple reliance on the blood of Christ, as the only ground of their hopes. In this we must be like them. We must not blend any thing else with this.

12:11 SALVATION, Atonement-- God's people can overcome the devil through the atoning death of Christ on the cross. If we can testify that Christ has covered our sins, we can overcome all evil, sin, and darkness.

12:11 EVANGELISM, Testimony-- Our testimony for Christ not only strengthens others and wins people to our Lord, it even defeats Satan, "the accuser of our brothers'' (v 10). In the power of Christ's death on the cross, Satan was disarmed. Now we can defeat him through Christ's victory and by the word of our testimony if we will totally give our lives to our Lord, even unto death.

(Rev 12:12 KJV) 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.

Verses 12-17. The church and all her friends might well be called to praise God for deliverance from pagan persecution, though other troubles awaited her. The wilderness is a desolate place, and full of serpents and scorpions, uncomfortable and destitute of provisions; yet a place of safety, as well as where one might be alone. But being thus retired could not protect the woman. The flood of water is explained by many to mean the invasions of barbarians, by which the western empire was overwhelmed; for the heathen encouraged their attacks, in the hope of destroying Christianity. But ungodly men, for their worldly interests, protected the church amidst these tumults, and the overthrow of the empire did not help the cause of idolatry. Or, this may be meant of a flood of error, by which the church of God was in danger of being overwhelmed and carried away. The devil, defeated in his designs upon the church, turns his rage against persons and places. Being faithful to God and Christ, in doctrine, worship, and practice, exposes to the rage of Satan; and will do so till the last enemy shall be destroyed.

12:12 PRAYER, Worship-- The heavenly rejoicing is because the devil's time is short. Heaven is a place of joy in prayer.

The Woman Persecuted

(Rev 12:13 KJV) And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child.

(Rev 12:14 KJV) 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.

(Rev 12:15 KJV) 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.

(Rev 12:16 KJV) 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.

(Rev 12:17 KJV) 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.

12:17 CHRISTIAN ETHICS, Obedience-- In the face of the coming end of history, God's people are called to a new commitment to obedience, for only the obedient will be able to stand against the evil dragon.

12:17 EVANGELISM, Persecution-- Those who stand for Christ and bear a strong testimony will be persecuted; yet, the Lord promises victory to His faithful witnesses. See note on 2:13.