And a great asign warning of an ominous and frightening future event appeared bin heaven: ca 1woman dclothed with the sun, with the moon beneath her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars.The woman represents the nation of Israel. The sun refers to Jacob (also called Israel, the name divinely bestowed on Jacob at Peniel Gen 32:28), and the moon to Rachel, while the twelve stars refer to the twelve tribes of Israel, originating with the sons of Jacob and Rachel (Gen 37:9-11).Matt 24:30; Rev 12:3Rev 11:19Gal 4:26Ps 104:2; Song 6:10 2 She was with child and she acried out, being in labor and in pain to give birth. Rom 9:4, 5Is 26:17; 66:6-9; Mic 4:9f
3 Then aanother sign of warning was seen in heaven: behold, a great fiery red bdragon with 1cseven heads and dten horns, and on his heads were eseven royal crowns . Dan 7:7The seven heads and ten horns correspond to the heads and horns of the beast in 17:3 ff, and to those of the beast in Dan 7:7 ff as well. Daniel’s description reveals that the ten horns are ten kings who temporarily reign with the Antichrist during the Great Tribulation (cf 17:12).Rev 12:1; 15:1Is 27:1; Rev 12:4, 7, 9, 13, 16f; 13:2, 4, 11; 16:13; 20:2Rev 13:1; 17:3, 7, 9ffDan 7:7, 20, 24; Rev 13:1; 17:12, 16Rev 13:1; 19:12 4 And his tail swept across the sky and dragged away a athird of the stars of heaven and bflung them to the earth. And the cdragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she gave birth dhe might devour her child. Dan 8:10; Rev 12:9Rev 8:7, 12Dan 8:10Is 27:1; Rev 12:3, 7, 9, 13, 16f; 13:2, 4, 11; 16:13; 20:2Matt 2:16
5 And ashe gave birth to a Son, a male Child, who is destined to brule all the nations with a rod of iron; and her Child was 1ccaught up to God and to His throne. Ps 2:8, 9; 110:1, 2This refers to the ascension of Christ to heaven following His death and resurrection.Is 66:7Ps 2:9; Rev 2:272 Cor 12:2ff 6 Then the woman fled into the wilderness where she had a place prepared by God, so that she would be nourished there for aa thousand two hundred and sixty days .Rev 11:3; 13:5
7 And war broke out in heaven, aMichael the archangel and his angels waging war with the bdragon. The dragon and chis angels fought,Dan 10:13, 21; 12:1; Jude 9Rev 12:3Matt 25:41 8 but they were not strong enough and did not prevail, and there was no longer a place found for them in heaven. 2+@Pet 2:4; Jude 6 9 And the great adragon was thrown down, the age-old bserpent who is called the 1devil and cSatan, he who continually ddeceives and seduces the entire inhabited world; he was ethrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. Gen 3:1, 14, 15; Zech 3:1; John 13:2; 2+@Cor 11:3; Rev 20:8The Greek for devil is diabolos, which is actually a translation of Satan, a Hebrew word meaning “adversary” or “accuser.” The Greek word additionally carries with it the concept of “slanderer.” See note v 10.Rev 12:3Gen 3:1; 2 Cor 11:3; Rev 12:15; 20:2Matt 4:10; 25:41Rev 13:14; 20:3, 8, 10Luke 10:18; John 12:31 10 Then I heard aa loud voice in heaven, saying,“Now the bsalvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of His Christ have come; for the 1caccuser of our believing brothers and sisters has been thrown down at last, he who accuses them and keeps bringing charges of sinful behavior against them before our God day and night. Job 1:6-11This is the activity of Satan from which he has earned his name (see note v 9). The activity is most clearly seen in Job 1-2 and in Zech 3.Rev 11:15Rev 7:10Job 1:11; 2:5; Zech 3:1; Luke 22:31; 1 Pet 5:8 11 And they aovercame and conquered him because of bthe blood of the Lamb and because of cthe word of their testimony, for they ddid not love their life and renounce their faith even when faced with death. Zech 3:1-10; Rom 8:33, 34John 16:33; 1 John 2:13; Rev 15:2Rev 7:14Rev 6:9Luke 14:26; Rev 2:10 12 Therefore arejoice, O heavens and byou who dwell in them in the presence of God. cWoe to the earth and the sea, because dthe devil has come down to you in great wrath, knowing that he has only ea short time remaining!” Is 44:23; 49:13Ps 96:11; Is 44:23; Rev 18:20Rev 13:6Rev 8:13Rev 12:9Rev 10:6
13 And when the adragon saw that he was thrown down to the earth, he persecuted bthe woman who had given birth to the male Child.Rev 12:3Rev 12:5 14 But the atwo wings of the great eagle were given to the woman, so that she could fly binto the wilderness to her place, where she was nourished for ca time and times and half a time , away from the presence of the serpent . Ex 19:4; Deut 32:10, 11; Is 40:31; Dan 7:25; 12:7Ex 19:4; Deut 32:11; Is 40:31Rev 12:6Dan 7:25; 12:7 15 And the aserpent hurled water like a river out of his mouth after the woman, so that he might cause her to be swept away with the flood.Gen 3:1; 2 Cor 11:3; Rev 12:9; 20:2 16 But the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed up the river which the dragon had hurled out of his mouth. Ex 15:12 17 So the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went off to awage war on the rest of her bchildren , those who ckeep and obey the commandments of God and dhave the testimony of Jesus holding firmly to it and bearing witness to Him.Rev 11:7; 13:7Gen 3:151 John 2:3; Rev 14:12Rev 1:2; 6:9; 14:12; 19:10