Chapters 11, 12 and 13 of Revelation are considered Parenthetical.
They are a break in the sequence of events, and chapter 12 moves around through time,
Past and future……maybe more than any chapter in the bible.
Rev 12:1 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:
The “ woman “ is Israel, before the birth of Jesus.
Rev 12:2 And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.
This jumps ahead to the birth of Jesus, and describes the dangers He faced at birth.
Rev 12:3 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.
Rev 12:4 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. …………………..
Now, we are looking back,…..the Original rebellion and fall of Lucifer, as he became satan.
Verse 4 covers the original fall of satan, and his plan to destroy Jesus from His birth through Herod.
Rev 12:5 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.
This is the birth of Jesus and predicting His reign in the Millennium, thousands of years in the future.
……Then,……back again,…..to the time of the Cross and the ascension of Jesus into heaven.
Rev 12:6 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.
Now,…..we skip ahead again,……to the middle of the tribulation.
This is the remaining Jews fleeing the anti-christ, to their place of safety….Petra.
This “ Remnant” Zech. 13:8-9, Romans 9:27.….of Jews will survive the tribulation,
And in fact be the reason for the Second Coming, when they call on Jesus to return….Zech. 13:9.
Rev 12:7 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,……………………..
This happens at the mid-point of the tribulation.
Rev 12:8 And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.
Up until this time, satan still had access to heaven, but now he is put out forever.
Rev 12:9 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.
Earlier, in verse 3, we saw the original rebellion of satan, as he left his place in heaven Voluntarily……
Now,….at this point of the middle of the tribulation,……satan and his angels are Cast out of heaven by God.
Rev 12:10 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.
The voice in heaven announces Salvation, because the final judgments of God on sin and the earth are beginning………….which will lead to the Millennium reign of Jesus .
Rev 12:11 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.
Now, we are in the second half of the tribulation. These are those who will be martyred , and beheaded,….
For Jesus.
Rev 12:12 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.
Heaven….will rejoice at this time, because they know these judgments will bring the return of Jesus….
But, the occupants of heaven also know of the terrible fate of those on earth.
Satan knows God’s plans for him,…….he has nothing to lose, and his hate for Israel is great.
Rev 12:13 And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child.
THIS,…..is the culmination of all satan’s efforts throughout history.
This will be his final and most desperate attempt to annihilate the remaining Jews.
Satan knows well that this “ Remnant “ of Jews will eventually call on Jesus to return,
Thus bringing the Second Coming……and satan’s final judgment.
Rev 12:14 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.
The “ great eagle “ is God.
The place He prepared is Petra in Jordan….This remnant of Jews ( 1/3 of those who entered the tribulation )
Will survive to the end of the tribulation,…1,260 days.
Rev 12:15 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
The serpant here is the anti-christ, being indwelt by satan himself.
The flood, are the armies of the anti-christ who will pursue these fleeing Jews…..
Rev 12:16 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.
There will be a very narrow passage opened into the valley of Petra,….this is where the Jews will
Be protected.
Rev 12:17 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.
These are obviously saved Jews. They will accept Jesus as savior and call on Him to return.
This war is Armageddon……………which, Jesus Himself will fight and end.
Rick Rose