Revelation 12
Revelation 12 powerfully depicts the spiritual war between good and evil through symbolic images and metaphors. A woman trying to give birth, a red dragon, the woman’s child, and the angel Michael appear, portraying the spiritual conflict between the forces of evil that oppose God and those who follow Christ.
1verseA great sign was seen in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars.
2verseShe was with child. She cried out in pain, laboring to give birth.
3verseAnother sign was seen in heaven. Behold, a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven crowns.
4verseHis tail drew one third of the stars of the sky, and threw them to the earth. The dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she gave birth he might devour her child.
5verseShe gave birth to a son, a male child, who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron. Her child was caught up to God and to his throne.
6verseThe woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, that there they may nourish her one thousand two hundred sixty days.
7verseThere was war in the sky. Michael and his angels made war on the dragon. The dragon and his angels made war.
8verseThey didn’t prevail. No place was found for them any more in heaven.
9verseThe great dragon was thrown down, the old serpent, he 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.
10verseI heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation, the power, and the Kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ has come; for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them before our God day and night.
11verseThey overcame him because of the Lamb’s blood, and because of the word of their testimony. They didn’t love their life, even to death.
12verseTherefore rejoice, heavens, and you who dwell in them. Woe to the earth and to the sea, because the devil has gone down to you, having great wrath, knowing that he has but a short time.”
13verseWhen the dragon saw that he was thrown down to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male child.
14verseTwo wings of the great eagle were given to the woman, that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, so that she might be nourished for a time, times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.
15verseThe serpent spewed water out of his mouth after the woman like a river, that he might cause her to be carried away by the stream.
16verseThe earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed up the river which the dragon spewed out of his mouth.
17verseThe dragon grew angry with the woman, and went away to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep God’s commandments and hold Jesus’ testimony.
Key Characters and Symbols
- The woman: The woman, described as having a crown of many stars and clothed in the sun, can be seen as symbolizing God’s people—namely, Old Testament Israel or the early church.
- The red dragon: The great red dragon with seven heads and ten horns symbolizes Satan, the source of evil. He attempts to destroy the woman’s child—that is, the Savior.
- A male child: The phrase describing a child who rules the nations with an iron rod leads many interpreters to understand it as Jesus Christ.
- Michael and the angels: God’s archangel Michael is depicted as battling in heaven against Satan and his messengers.
The Flow and Structure of Chapter 12
- Verses 1–6: The woman gives birth, and the dragon tries to harm the child, but the child is taken up to God. The woman flees into the wilderness and is protected.
- Verses 7–12: The heavenly war between the dragon and Michael begins, and in the end the dragon and his messengers are driven down to the earth. In heaven, it is proclaimed that salvation and the kingdom of God have been established.
- Verses 13–17: The dragon, driven down to the earth, persecutes the woman, and the woman is saved through God’s protection. Ultimately, the dragon seeks to oppose to the very end the woman’s remaining offspring—those who keep God’s commandments.
Overall Meaning and Message
Revelation 12 shows God’s redemptive work through Jesus Christ, and how evil continually opposes and fights against it in the process, yet God ultimately protects and brings victory. Even amid suffering and spiritual warfare, we can be confident that God will surely lead His people to the end, and that the forces of evil will ultimately be defeated.
Points for Reflection
- We look to God’s astonishing protection and guidance for His people.
- Although the influence of evil is great in reality, we place our hope in the message that, ultimately, God’s victory will be declared.
Apply It to Me
- If I am in spiritual warfare, I will imprint in my heart confidence in God’s protection and victory.
- Even if there are difficulties and persecution, I will make a decision to live trusting God without fear.
