Revelation Chapter 12 — The Woman, the Child, and the Dragon

Revelation 12 describes a vision of a woman giving birth to a son, a dragon attempting to destroy them, and a great war in heaven where Michael defeats the dragon.

Spiritual WarfareDivine ProtectionVictory of ChristCelestial Visions

1A 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.

2She was with child. She cried out in pain, laboring to give birth.

3Another sign was seen in heaven. Behold, a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven crowns.

4His 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.

5She 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.

6The 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.

7There was war in the sky. Michael and his angels made war on the dragon. The dragon and his angels made war.

8They didn’t prevail. No place was found for them any more in heaven.

9The 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.

10I 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.

11They 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.

12Therefore 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.”

13When the dragon saw that he was thrown down to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male child.

14Two 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.

15The 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.

16The earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed up the river which the dragon spewed out of his mouth.

17The dragon grew angry with the woman, and went away to make war with the rest of her offspring,*or, seed who keep God’s commandments and hold Jesus’ testimony.

WEB Translation

Notable Verses

Revelation 12:5

She 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.

This verse identifies the child’s destiny and his ultimate position at the throne of God.

Revelation 12:7

There was war in the sky. Michael and his angels made war on the dragon. The dragon and his angels made war.

It describes the pivotal cosmic conflict between the archangel Michael and the forces of the dragon.

Revelation 12:11

They 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.

This verse highlights the means by which the faithful achieve victory over their accuser.

Chapter Summary

Revelation 12 presents a series of symbolic visions. It begins with a woman clothed with the sun, the moon at her feet, and a crown of twelve stars, who is in labor. A great red dragon appears with seven heads and ten horns, intending to devour her child upon birth. The male child, destined to rule nations with a rod of iron, is caught up to God’s throne, and the woman flees to a place prepared by God in the wilderness. The narrative then shifts to a war in heaven, where the archangel Michael and his angels fight against the dragon and its angels. The dragon, identified as the devil or Satan, is defeated and cast down to the earth. A heavenly voice proclaims the victory of God and the authority of Christ, noting that the faithful overcome the accuser through the blood of the Lamb and their testimony. Once on earth, the dragon continues to persecute the woman, but she is divinely protected and given wings to fly to safety. Finally, the dragon turns its anger toward the rest of her offspring who keep God's commandments.

Frequently Asked Questions

The text describes a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars. While interpretations vary among readers, the text focuses on her role as the mother of the child destined to rule the nations and her subsequent protection by God.

Verse 9 explicitly identifies the great red dragon as the 'old serpent,' 'the devil,' and 'Satan,' the deceiver of the whole world who was thrown down to earth.

Michael and his angels fought against the dragon and its angels. The dragon was defeated, and no place was found for them in heaven anymore, resulting in them being cast down to the earth.

The chapter mentions two specific timeframes: one thousand two hundred sixty days in verse 6, and 'a time, times, and half a time' in verse 14.

Study Note

The phrase 'a time, times, and half a time' is a prophetic expression often understood to represent three and a half years, correlating with the 1,260 days mentioned earlier.

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