Revelation Chapters 12 and 13

The Combatants

Before the seventh trumpet there was an interlude which introduced us to the mighty angel with the little scroll and the two witnesses. After the seventh trumpet was blown, there was a pronouncement that fast forward to God's eternal reign. But before that, another interlude gave John a vision of the conflict between God and the forces of evil – a war that started in heaven and continued on earth. The vision gives the reason why there is tribulation and why judgment is necessary.

The Woman and the Male Child

John saw in heaven a pregnant woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of 12 stars on her head (12:1-2). She gave birth to a son, a male child, who will rule all the nations with a rod of iron (12:5a).

The woman is a symbol of the nation of Israel because the image of the sun, moon and 12 stars alluded to Joseph’s dream (Gen. 37:9-11) in which the sun and moon were identified as Jacob and Rachel and the 12 stars represented the 12 sons of Jacob, ultimately the 12 tribes of Israel.
The male child who rules with a rod of iron is definitely Jesus Christ, the promised Messiah who is destined to rule all nations (Psa. 2:9).
The woman was the source of the child as is the nation of Israel, the source of the Messiah. For unto the nation of Israel, a child is born (Isa. 9:6). Jesus was the physical descendant of David.

Enter the Dragon

Then John saw a great red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on its heads (12:3). This dragon is clearly identified as Satan in Rev. 12:9. Satan was described as ...

GREAT = the magnitude of Satan’s power and activity in the world
RED = murderous and blood thirsty character and behavior throughout history
DRAGON = ferocious and intensely cruel nature
SEVEN HEADS = power behind the six great empires of history and the one in the future
TEN HORNS = ten-nation confederation (i.e., union) of the revived Roman empire
SEVEN DIADEMS = ruling power especially in the last days

Thus Satan is aptly portrayed as a dragon, a fearsome beast.

The dragon's tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth (12:4). This is probably a reference to his first rebellion against God. A third of the stars are the fallen angels who revolted with Satan at his fall (Isa. 14:12-17; Ezek. 28:12-14).

The Conflict

The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that it might devour her child the moment he was born (12:4b). This is a flashback to King Herod, an instrument of Satan, trying to kill the child, Jesus (Matt. 2:3-8). But the child was caught up to God and to His throne (12:5). The "catching up" probably refers to Christ's ascension, showing the triumphant consummation of human history through Jesus Christ, ruling with a rod of iron.

War in Heaven - Michael the Archangel and his angels fought against the dragon and his angels. Satan (aka the dragon) lost the war in heaven and was hurled down to earth, and his angels with him (12:7-9). The victory of Michael and his angels led to the bittersweet words: “Rejoice, O heavens ... Woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, knowing that he has only a short time” (12:12).

Some time, probably before the middle of the Tribulation, Satan would be expelled and excluded from heaven and confined to the earth. But for now, he still has access to heaven (cf., Job 1:6-12) and he is accusing believers before God. Note that Satan is also known as the accuser of our brethren (12:10).
War on Earth (Tribulation) - 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 fled into the wilderness to a place prepared for her by God, where she might be taken care of for 1260 days (12:6), out of the dragon's reach. This period of time was repeated again in Rev. 12:14 as a time (a year), times (2 years) and half a time (½ year) ... a total of 3½ years or 1260 days (3.5 years x 12 months in a year x 30 days in a month). This scene was set in the future in the second half of the Tribulation and refers to God's protection of and provision for Israel during persecution.

The woman was given two wings of a great eagle, so that she might fly to the place of refuge (12:14). The two wings of the great eagle probably is a metaphorical description of God’s deliverance (as in Exo. 19:4). The dragon pursued the woman and spewed waters like a river, to sweep her away with the torrents. But the earth opened up and swallowed the waters (12:15-16). It is plausible to interpret the torrents of water symbolically as attempts to destroy the nation of Israel.

The dragon was enraged that he was unable to destroy the woman so he went off to wage war against the rest of her children — those who keep God’s commands and hold fast their testimony about Jesus (12:17). Who are the rest of the woman's children? These were Israelites who did not flee (could not or failed to flee) especially those who believe in Jesus Christ including the 144,000.

Instruments of the Dragon

This beast rising out of the sea is taken by many to indicate that he would come from the great mass of humanity, namely the Gentile powers of the world. Satan is looking for people whom he can enter, empower and use to dominate the world and persecute the rest of the woman's children and he found the beast of the sea (cf., Judas Iscariot in Luke 22:3). Satan's offer of the kingdoms of this world was rejected by Christ (Matt. 4:8-10) but accepted by the beast from the sea so he gave the beast his authority and power (13:2).

Image of the (first) Beast - The beast out of the earth could perform great signs and wonders, even causing fire to come down from heaven. Because of these miraculous signs, it deceived the inhabitants of the earth to worship the first beast. It ordered the people to set up an image in honor of the first beast then gave breath to the image so that it could speak. It probably issued a decree that all refused to worship the image be killed (13:13-15).
Mark of the (first) Beast - It also forced all people, great and small, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hands or on their foreheads, so that they could not buy or sell unless they had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of its name and that number is 666 (13:16-18). This mark seems to be another parody ... an imitation of the seal on the 144,000 Jews which is the name of the Lamb and His Father (14:1).

Reflection

Satan is real and active today, prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour (2 Pet. 5:8).

He may accuse you before God just as he did to Job ... "(Your name) does not fear You for nothing! Put forth Your hand now and touch all that he has; he will surely curse You to Your face."
Or Satan may accuse you in this way, "(Your name) has committed the same sin again. This is the umpteen times he did that! Are you sure he is one of yours? How could you forgive him?"

Can we ever overcome this dreadful and powerful dragon? Yes, we can! Rev. 12:11 gives us a clue. And they (the accused) OVERCAME him ...