(Chapter 12)

A great mevga (great, spatially large, of quantity or degree: loud, intense, violent; of time: long (time); of position: great, important) and wondrous sign shmei'on ((miraculous) sign, signal, mark) appeared in heaven: a woman gunh; (woman; wife) clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head. She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth. Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on his heads. His tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth. The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that he might devour her child the moment it was born. She gave birth to a son, a male child, who will rule all the nations with an iron scepter. And her child was snatched up to God and to his throne. The woman fled into the desert to a place prepared for her by God, where she might be taken care of for 1,260 days. (Rev 12:1 - 6)

First - the woman who appears in heaven; who is clothed with the sun; stands on the moon; and wears a crown of twelve stars - she is NOT the ‘virgin Mary’. Absolutely, emphatically NOT! Has ANY of this prophecy up to this point - been about the mother of Jesus? Has Jesus been identified anywhere in this prophecy - as a BABY who needs protecting?? Jesus has only been identified as GOD; the Alpha and the Omega; the First and the Last; the Root of David; the Bright Morning Star; the Lamb who was slain; Lion of the tribe of Judah; Faithful Witness; Firstborn from the Dead; the Living One; the Beginning and the End; Faithful and True; Mighty Angel; Word of God . . .

The above are ALL titles given to Jesus - here in the prophecy which we call Revelation. And probably a few more exist. For example: Son of Man (see R14:14)

Do any of these titles; or the prophecy itself - reference a BABY?? The ONLY reason some people declare the woman to be the mother of Jesus - is because they have not spent the required time letting the Holy Spirit TEACH them; and their ‘box’ of God - does not allow for any other interpretation.

We ALL have ‘boxes’ for God. He is so great, and so awesome - that He cannot be put into a ‘box’; but we do so anyway. I have a ‘box’ for God. I try not to; I try to keep it exploded; but this is very hard. Try as I might - I know that I still put God into some kind of ‘box’. A box of my own making . . .

The woman being the mother of Jesus - is a really, really WRONG box! It totally does not fit with any portion of the prophecy. John was asked to prophesy again - with regards to coming world events. These are all events which have already been revealed - they are being displayed from a different perspective; and with more details.

So - who is the woman? She is the Wife of the Lamb; or the Bride of Christ.

And since this is not Mary, the mother of Jesus - just who is the male Child that she gives Birth too??

She gave birth to a son, a male child, who will rule all the nations with an iron scepter. . . . (R12:5)

The child is a product of the union of Jesus and His Wife. Amazing. God is a creative God; and he hasn’t stopped creating. I don’t know anything else about this child.

Why is this so hard to understand or believe?? God declares that He knew YOU before He even laid one iota of the foundation of this huge, immense universe!

The inhabitants of the earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the creation of the world . . . (Rev 17:8)

. . . ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. (Matthew 25:34)

For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. . . . (Ephesians 1:4)

And Jesus is not the only one whom scripture states will rule with an iron scepter. Remember (R2:24) where Jesus states that he who overcomes will be given authority over the nations?? And they will rule with an iron scepter?

WHO is in authority in Heaven? God, the Father of course. And yet - scripture is quite clear that Jesus rules and is in authority. The principle of being ONE; while being three separate, but EQUAL beings totally eludes us! Jesus rules. And while He is ruling - so does the Father; AND the Holy Spirit. They are ONE in purpose, and thought. And yet - they are three totally separate individuals.

We have seen from numerous gospel scriptures - that Jesus is looking for a WIFE. Revelation reveals that wife. And no matter how it happens; or how God does this - the ‘joining’ of Jesus and His wife - will produce a child! In addition to US ruling - remember we are called to be Kings and Priests - so too - will this child rule. I have no more info on this miraculous child than that . . . He is given Birth to by the Bride of Christ; and this child will rule. Just as everyone who is in Jesus will rule!

Now, why do I state that this woman is the Bride of Christ, or the Wife of the Lamb? What evidence is given?

She does not experience the great tribulation period - but is ‘raptured’ or taken to a safe place; where Satan cannot touch her.

A child tevknon (child, son, daughter, offspring, descendant) is produced. When a man and woman are married - the marriage consummation results in progeny.

Satan attempts to destroy the child. Just as Satan wanted to destroy the Baby Jesus; and God had Joseph and Mary flee (Matthew 2:13) to Egypt, so too Satan desires to destroy this child. And Satan did eventually destroy Jesus. I, through my sins crucified Jesus. But Satan orchestrated His crucifixion as well, believing that with death he would conquer Jesus. But after death - Satan had NO power over Jesus.

And here in this great and marvelous description - no mention or description of Joseph exists, and the wife does not flee to the place prepared for her - until after the child is safe and protected. And Jesus was NOT ‘snatched up’ hJrpavsqh (to catch, steal, carry off) to Heaven after he was crucified and resurrected. Jesus was FULL of POWER and AUTHORITY - just as He is today; and Jesus himself determined the time and place to return, and go into Heaven. Satan could not touch or harm Jesus in ANY way after His resurrection.

When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. (Luke 24:30 - 31)

While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. (Luke 24:36 - 40)

When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. (Luke 24:50 - 52)

After the resurrection - Satan can only ‘harm’ Jesus - by harming and deceiving believers! That is a grief to Jesus; to see us having doubts; and not knowing who we are in God! So too - in these chapter twelve Revelation scriptures; after not being able to touch, or harm the Bride - Satan again goes after those in Christ whom he can hurt . . .

And as previously stated: in scripture, the sun represents God, the Father. And the moon, which reflects the light of the sun, and is only visible because of the reflected light - represents God, the Son. And the stars which are cast broadly thru the heavens, and star differs from star in splendor (1Cor 15:41), and are too numerous to count - represent God, the Holy Spirit.

A great and wondrous sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head. (R12:1)

This is a HUGE event! John describes it as a GREAT and WONDROUS sign. What is the event? A woman clothed with the sun.

The Wife has been given divinity. She is equal with her Husband. And she is clothed with the glory, authority, and stature of God, the Father. Her Foundation is JESUS (her Husband and Bridegroom.) She is standing on Him; resting in His presence; He is the very nature and core of her being. He is the reason for her life, and relationship with God.

Do not plow with an ox and a donkey yoked together. (Deuteronomy 22:10)

Do not be yoked together eJterozugou'nte" (to yoke together in a mismatch) with unbelievers. (2Corinthians 6:14)

And the Virgin Daughter of Zion has a Crown of authority and victory. The Holy Spirit rests on her head and rules her every action and thought. The crown of twelve stars represent the finality and completion of the Holy Spirit; and how the Bride has made herself ready. She clothed herself with the intimacy and authority of God; and she has become the Wife of the Lamb. A very special relationship with God!

The Wife of the Lamb represents those Christians who made themselves ready for Jesus. Who pursued Him relentlessly; pursued righteousness rather than pleasure; intimacy with God rather than friendship with the world. LOVING all - while hating sin and wickedness. Allowing themselves to be truly ONE with God; obeying and not grieving the Holy Spirit - who indwells all believers; and who is willing to be intimate with each and every one of us; and to teach us even the deep things and mysteries of God.

Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.” . . . (R19:7 - 8)

I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. (Romans 8:18)

However, as it is written: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him” - but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. (1Corinthians 2:9 - 10)

She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth. Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on his heads. His tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth. The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that he might devour her child the moment it was born. She gave birth to a son, a male child, who will rule all the nations with an iron scepter. And her child was snatched up to God and to his throne. The woman fled into the desert to a place prepared for her by God, where she might be taken care of for 1,260 days. (Rev 12:2 - 6)

We have the result of the union between the Bride and Jesus being a ruling child or son. And Satan tries to destroy this new ruling entity; but is thwarted. The red dragon is Satan. Satan deceived one third of all the angels - who followed Satan in his declaration that he would be God. Satan saw who God wanted to make be partakers of God’s glory - weak, fleshly man - and declared that he would be God. One third of all the created angels followed Satan; in this declaration. Revelation (R12:4) is the only scripture which references a third of the stars or angels as following Satan.

And there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. (R12:7)

Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. (Matthew 25:41)

For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them into gloomy dungeons to be held for judgment; (2Peter 2:4)

The dragon - who is Satan - has an army of Angels; who rebelled against God, and followed Satan when he declared that he himself would be God. The referenced size of Satan’s army is one third of all of the angels. They had access to heaven; and could still go before God (see Job 1:6); until the great tribulation period draws close; and a war in Heaven occurs; and Satan is cast out; and forbidden from ever entering Heaven again!

The Wife of the Lamb - is taken to a safe place prepared for her in the desert. She will dwell here - being taken care of by God - for the entire tribulation period of 1,260 days or 42 months. Satan, or the dragon - will not be able to touch her; and he will go to make WAR against the remnant of her seed. In other words - Satan will go and persecute, put to death; and attempt to deceive - those Christians who did not qualify for the Bride! We are all called - but many of us are not walking in the pure walk which we are asked to walk. We are not making ourselves ready to be part of the Bride of Christ. And so - we will find ourselves in the great tribulation - with Satan giving us the choice of his mark - or death. And this will not be such an ‘easy’ choice as many believe. With many of your friends telling you to follow this ‘great’ guy; and since we did not qualify to be part of the Wife of the Lamb - because of our selfishness; and pursuit of our own interests - what makes you think that you will not succumb; and take the mark - or worship the Beast??

At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, (Matthew 24:10)

With Satan and his angels being forever removed from Heaven - he is filled with fury; for he knows that his time is short! So with extreme rage he goes after the Wife of the Lamb, in an attempt to destroy her. She receives power from God (two wings of a great eagle); and escapes to the desert place which God has prepared for her. At this location - Jesus is standing (R10) with his right foot on the sea; his left foot on the land; and his head in the clouds! God protects (see Ex 13:21; 14:19; 14:24; 40:38) and provides for His Bride for 1,260 days. Satan - who cannot touch the Bride of Christ - goes to make war and cause extreme grief and anguish for the huge, vast majority of Christians who remain. The remnant of her seed - who did not make themselves ready to be part of the Bride or the Wife of the Lamb.

. . .The waters you saw, where the prostitute sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations and languages. (Rev 17:15)

Oh, the raging of many nations - they rage like the raging sea! Oh, the uproar of the peoples - they roar like the roaring of great waters! (Isaiah 17:12)

Reach down your hand from on high; deliver me and rescue me from the mighty waters, from the hands of foreigners whose mouths are full of lies . . . (Psalms 144:7 - 8)

Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters . . . (Rev 19:6)

The water like a river which is sent as a torrent after the Bride - could be actual water - or possibly a river and immense swarm of people - who absolutely wish to destroy the Bride. As previously mentioned - some of the other scriptures in Revelation - use the word water - when indicating various peoples.

A great and wondrous sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head. She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth. Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on his heads. His tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth. The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that he might devour her child the moment it was born. She gave birth to a son, a male child, who will rule all the nations with an iron scepter. And her child was snatched up to God and to his throne. The woman fled into the desert to a place prepared for her by God, where she might be taken care of for 1,260 days. And there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. The great dragon was hurled down - that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him. Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: “Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down. They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death. Therefore rejoice, you heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you! He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short.” When the dragon saw that he had been hurled to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. The woman was given the two wings of a great eagle, so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the desert, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time, out of the serpent’s reach. Then from his mouth the serpent spewed water like a river, to overtake the woman and sweep her away with the torrent. But the earth helped the woman by opening its mouth and swallowing the river that the dragon had spewed out of his mouth. Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to make war against the rest of her offspring - those who obey God’s commandments and hold to the testimony of Jesus. (Rev 12)

*Chapter 11*   *Chapter 13*

"Questions??? Give a shout!"

All Greek/Hebrew definitions (unless otherwise noted) are taken from
The NIV Exhaustive Concordance by Edward W. Goodrick & John R. Kohlenberger III © 1990 by The Zondervan Corporation. ISBN 0-310-436970-7

All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, International Version®, NIV84®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™
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Copyright 2011 - Revelation Disclosed Updated 10/14/11

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