Revelation 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:
(2)  And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.
(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.
(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.
(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.
(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.
(7)  And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,
(8)  And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.
(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.
(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.
(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.
(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.
(13)  And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child.
(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.
(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.
(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.
(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.

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Study Questions

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1. The American Standard Version has “A great sign was seen in heaven.” What was the great sign? Verse 1.

2. What was the woman’s raiment, and can you think of anything of which the woman’s raiment could be symbolic? Verse 1.

3. Commentators have held different views about the woman. (1) the Jewish nation; (2) the church in its New Testament sense; (3) the virgin Mary; (4) the collective spiritual body of God’s people (in both Old and New Testament times). Which do you think is the most reasonable? Verse 1.

4. Many regard Revelation 12:2 as a paraphrase of Micah 4:10. What is symbolized by this state of an expectant mother? Verse 2.

5. What is the other sign (wonder) in heaven, and who or what does it symbolize? Verse 3.

6. What could the dragon’s color, seven heads, ten horns, and seven crowns possibly symbolize, if anything? Verse 3.

7. What would the dragon accomplish if he could devour the child? Verse 4.

8. When you read Psalm 2:7-9, is there any question about the identity of the man child? Verse 5.

9. What happened to the woman who brought forth the man child? Verse 6.

10. Would the time mentioned here be the same as that during which the holy city was to be trodden under foot and the two witnesses would testify in sackcloth? Verse 6.

11. Three major views have been advanced concerning the war in heaven: (1) the primeval war between Satan and God; (2) an actual war in which Satan attempted to invade heaven and defeat the man child, but was repulsed and cast down; (3) a spiritual warfare that had been going on from the beginning, but reaches its climax in Christ’s victory over Satan. Which do you think the most defensible by scripture? Verses 7-9.

12. Do you think about Jesus’ statements in John 12:31, John 14:30, and John 16:11 in view of verses 7-9 of Revelation chapter 12?

13. According to the American Standard Version, the great voice said, “Now is come... the authority of His Christ” (verse 10). When did Jesus claim “all authority (or power)”? Can you think of some other scriptures that affirm the same thing? Verse 10.

14. What three things allowed the “brethren” to overcome Satan? Verse 11.

15. What causes rejoicing for the dwellers in the heavens and woe for the inhabitants of the earth and sea, and do you have an idea about what these three realms might represent? Verse 12.

16. To whom does the dragon (Satan) carry his war when he saw that he was cast unto the earth? Verse 13.

17. Has God ever protected His people in a wilderness? Verse 14. (See Exodus 19:4 and Deuteronomy 32:11)

18. How did the serpent (Satan) try to destroy the woman, and What is the only thing we know of that comes out of his mouth? Verse 15.

19. If the earth represents human religion here, as it often does elsewhere, how does it help the woman? Verse 16.

20. Why is the dragon (Satan) so furious with the woman? Verse 17.

21. Who is “her seed”? Verse 17.

22. Do you think this verse helps us to understand who the woman is? Verse 17.