The Woman and the Dragon
CHAPTER 12:1-17
THE WOMAN AND THE DRAGON
1 And a great sign was seen in the heavens, a woman having been clothed with the sun, and the moon was underneath her feet; and on her head a crown of twelve stars; 2 and having a babe in womb. She cries, being in labor, and having been distressed to bear.
3 And another sign was seen in the heavens. And, behold, a great red dragon having seven heads and ten horns! And on his heads were seven diadems, 4 and his tail drew the third part of the stars of the heaven, and he throws them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman being about to bear, so that when she bears he might devour her child.
5 And she bore a son, a male, who is going to shepherd all the nations with an iron staff. And her child was caught away to God, and to His throne. 6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she had a place, it having been prepared from God, that there they might nourish her a thousand two hundred and sixty days.
7 And war occurred in Heaven, Michael and his angels making war against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels made war, 8 but they did not have strength, nor yet was place found for them in Heaven. 9 And the great dragon was cast out, the old serpent being called Devil, and, Satan; he deceiving the whole habitable world was cast out onto the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
10 And I heard a great voice saying in Heaven, Now has come the salvation and power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of His Christ, because the accuser of our brothers is thrown down, the one accusing them before our God day and night. 11 And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb, and because of the word of their testimony. And they did not love their soul even until death.
12 Because of this, be glad, the heavens and those tabernacling in them. Woe to the ones dwelling on the earth, and in the sea, because the Devil came down to you having great anger, knowing that he has a little time! 13 And when the dragon saw that he was cast out onto the earth, he pursued the woman who bore the male. 14 And two wings of the great eagle were given to the woman, that she might fly into the wilderness, to her place, where she is nourished there a time, and times, and half a time, away from the serpent’s face.
15 And the serpent threw water out of his mouth like a river after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried off by the river. 16 And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed the river which the dragon threw out of his mouth.
17 And the dragon was enraged over the woman, and went away to make war with the rest of her seed, those keeping the commandments of God, and having the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Review Chapter 12
A. Woman Clothed with the Sun, and the moon underneath her feet, she had a crown of 12 stars. She was pregnant.
B. Satan, also in Heaven was ready to devour the woman’s baby as soon as it was born.
C. The male child was caught up to God’s throne.
D. Woman fled to the wilderness to a place prepared from God.
E. War in Heaven – Michael and his angels made war with Satan and his angels and Satan was cast out of heaven to the earth.
F. Satan pursued the woman and the remnant of her seed, those keeping the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
LESSON:
John was witnessing a war in heaven! The war is between Satan and the woman.
This war started in the Garden in the Garden of Eden. God promised to put enmity (hatred) between Satan and the woman, between his seed and her seed. Jesus tells us that the “seed is the word of God” and that He who is of God speaketh God’s words.
The woman seen in this chapter is about to deliver a child. Satan drew 1/3 of God’s angels and cast them to the earth. These angels, along with Satan, rebelled against God. Jude tells us that they are now bound in chains of darkness. As Satan and his angels fight with the Woman, Michael the archangel rises up and casts Satan out of heaven.
This chapter tells us that Satan has a few names the serpent (seen in the garden), the devil (who tempted Jesus) and Satan (the Egyptian Pharoh). Let’s take a review of Satan’s roles so that we do not get confused about who he really is. Satan hates God! Those who follow Satan hate God!
The Serpent: 14And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: 15and I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
The Devil: John 8:44-45 44Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. 45And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not. 1
This war is taking place in heaven because the woman, unlike Eve in the garden, will not be deceived by Satan. He tries to cast out a mouth of lies against the woman, and Michael stands up for the woman and casts Satan out of heaven to the earth. Michael is a very strong one in Heaven.
Daniel mentions Michael several times: 18Then there came again and touched me one like the appearance of a man, and he strengthened me, 19and said, O man greatly beloved, fear not: peace be unto thee; be strong, yea, be strong. And when he had spoken unto me, I was strengthened, and said, Let my lord speak; for thou hast strengthened me.
20Then said he, Knowest thou wherefore I come unto thee? and now will I return to fight with the prince of Persia: and when I am gone forth, lo, the prince of Gre’cia shall come. 21But I will show thee that which is noted in the Scripture of truth: and there is none that holdeth with me in these things, but Michael your prince. 1And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.
2And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. 3And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness, as the stars for ever and ever. 4But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.
Satan is after the woman because she has been given the key of David, she keeps the commandments of God and she has the testimony of Jesus. Satan has now been cast to the earth and has a very short time to be here because Jesus will catch him and seal him up for 1000 years.
Satan knows that he has a short time and he will have two goals in mind, get as many offspring as he can, and to set himself up as God. The angel said “Woe to the inhabiters of the earth” because women need to keep their heads covered in the Gospel Truth. Satan, when he is cast down to the earth, will go after and try to take women, especially the women who love Jesus, and have children with them, just like he did with Eve. Women need to be faithful to their own husbands.
When Satan and the fallen angels are cast back to earth, they will try to impregnate women as in the days of Noah. A woman who understands the Word of God, who is faithful to Christ, and who is chaste or faithful to her own husband, has her head covered. Satan cannot break that bond. But the forward woman who lies, cheats, commits adultery with another woman’s husband or lusts after men, is walking totally uncovered because Christ is not in her, she does not know the Word of God, and she becomes an easy target for Satan and his angels.
Chapter 12 Test
- What great sign was seen in the heavens?
- What was the 2nd sign seen in the heavens?
- Describe the dragon?
- What happens when the woman bears her child?
- Who was fighting the war in Heaven?
- What are the names of dragon?
- What happens to the devil and his angels?
- Why was there going to be more woe on the earth?
- What did the devil try to do to the woman?
- Who did the dragon go to make war with?