Revelation 12:1-12
As we turn the corner and enter into the second half of this book we find our attention focused on the main character: the woman. Who’s this woman birthing a child and who’s the child? Glad you asked. In a nutshell, the woman symbolizes God’s eternal covenant with Israel which becomes the Church (Jew and Gentile together). God’s entire story told throughout the Bible has been the fulfillment of that covenant to Adam and his offspring: God-worshippers.
We find God in Gen. 3:15 promising Satan that the hatred he held for the woman and her Offspring (Messiah and His followers) would be a war to the finish. Christ and Christians were at the top of his ‘most wanted’ list and he would pursue them until the end; this is personal to him. John’s vision allows us to see into this ‘war in the heavenlies’ and recognize our Public Enemy #1.
Verses 1-6 give us the backstory for a fuller picture of why Satan and his cohorts hate God and therefore us with such passion. The birth of the One who will ‘crush his head’ is fulfilled and what Satan’s been monitoring throughout the history of the Bible has arrived, consequently, he’s determined to immediately destroy Him (Matt. 2:16). The when isn’t important in these verses but the why certainly is. Instead of Satan becoming like God (Is. 14:12-17) mankind can experience a spiritual, second birth into His Kingdom. That truth enrages our enemy.
The woman will be pursued by the devil, he’s our adversary who’s pictured as a mega-fire-breathing dragon, until God’s timing reaches it’s completion. She flees for spiritual refuge prepared by Her Savior sheltered and protected for a portion of time. Whether we’re part of this end-time remnant Church or not, our refuge in times of trouble is always in His Presence (Ps. 16).
There’s war declared in heaven (vs. 7-9) by the archangel Michael and he, along with his heavenly armies, go to battle against the dragon and his armies. God is outside of time but Satan is not subsequently he and his demons get kicked out of heaven. That ancient serpent of Gen. 3:15, Christ’s opponent, has received a knockout punch in the final round: Jesus is the Champion!
The final words of this section (vs. 10-12) is a Declaration of Triumph for heaven and the Body of Christ: the Church. The Kingdom of God has arrived, just as Jesus said so many times while walking this earth, and the remnant Church stands in His power against the charges of the Accuser (Rom. 8:31-39). The Nike Church will conquer the enemy every time by the reminder of the blood of Jesus, the Lamb and their testimony of that victory. We can never lose sight of that truth under any circumstances.
And He put all things under His feet and gave Him as head over all things to the Church …
Ephesians 1:22
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