ISRAEL'S CONFLICT - WITH THE DRAGON IN THE PAST

Israel's conflict with the Dragon in the Past   12:1-5

"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:" "And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered." "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." "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." "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."

 

 

The Woman  vs. 1-2

Four women in the scripture represent false or true religion.

1. Jezebel represents paganism - Rev. 2:20 cf. 1 Kings 16:31
2. Scarlet woman represents false religion - Ch. 17.
3. Bride of Christ represents true church - Ch. 19.
4. Sun-clothed woman represents Israel - Ch. 12.

The Appearance of the Woman Cf. Gen. 37:9-11

"And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me." "And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth?" "And his brethren envied him; but his father observed the saying."

Clothed with the sun; the moon under her feet. And having a crown of twelve stars.

The Activity of the Woman vs. 2 (Present tense is used throughout.)

"And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered."

This describes Israel from Abraham to the birth of Christ.

• She is continuously with child.
• She is continually crying.
• She is continually travailing.
• She is continually laboring.
• She is continually in process of giving birth.

The Arrival of the Man Child vs. 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."

She gives birth to the man child. cf. Isa. 7:14, Micah 5:2-3

"Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel."

"But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting." "Therefore will he give them up, until the time that she which travaileth hath brought forth: then the remnant of his brethren shall return unto the children of Israel."

The child is to rule the nations. Isa. 9:6 Psa. 2:6-9

"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace."

"Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion." "I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee." "Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession." "Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel."

Very obviously this could not be the church. For Israel gave us the child and not the church (cf. Isa. 66:7; Micah 5:2-3).

"Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man child."

"But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting." "Therefore will he give them up, until the time that she which travaileth hath brought forth: then the remnant of his brethren shall return unto the children of Israel."

The woman's subsequent experience through 3 1/2 years proves that this cannot be the church (12:6).

"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."

The Meaning of the Woman vs. 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:"

AV says "wonder" RV says "sign" which is correct. This has a peculiar use in John. It refers to something that has inherent relation to what it signifies. In some sense of the word, it becomes evident what the Lord meant when he said to the Samaritan woman, "Salvation is of the Jews." This is seen in heaven but takes place on the earth. Like a movie.