AN EXPOSITION OF THE BOOK OF REVELATION
(Installment Sixteen)

THE GREAT PARENTHESIS (11:5-15:8)

Part III: The Woman and the Dragon (12:7-17)


AS WE HAVE ALREADY SEEN, the woman and the dragon are symbols. The woman signified Israel, especially the faithful remnant of the end time. The dragon is a symbol of the devil, the great adversary of God and man.

In the middle of the Tribulation Satan makes a determined stand against God and against Israel. He has had access to the throne of God throughout the ages--since his rebellion, as set forth in Ezekiel 28:11-19. For various reasons at different times he goes into the presence of the Almighty. Even one of his fallen spirits appears in the presence of God, as we see in I Kings 22:19-23. How often, or how many, or under what conditions Satan and his servile spirits enter into the presence of God, the Scriptures do not tell us. In the passage now under consideration we see that both Satan and his emissaries are in heaven in the middle of the Tribulation.

War in Heaven

It is amazing to us that Satan and his hosts would be permitted to enter heaven. Moreover, it surprises us that there should be war in heaven. But when we study this passage in the light of others, we are not so very much surprised after all.

That there has been war in heaven before is quite evident from the statement of Bildad in Job 25:2: "Dominion and fear are with him; He maketh peace in his high places."

This statement of Bildad's certainly does imply that there was war and rebellion in the highest places of the entire universe. God put this revolt down, according to this statement.

Isaiah the prophet seems to allude to this very thing in 51:9: "Awake, awake, put on strength, 0 arm of Jehovah; awake, as in the days of old, the generations of ancient times. Is it not thou that didst cut Rahab in pieces, that didst pierce the monster?" When we examine the context, of this verse, we see that the prophet was looking forward to the time of the Tribulation, and that he called upon the "arm of Jehovah," none other than the Lord Jesus Christ, to act decisively. In urging him by the Spirit of God to do this, he asked this unusual question: "Is it not thou that didst cut Rahab in pieces, that didst pierce the monster?" This rhetorical question demands an answer in the affirmative. Yes, it was Christ the "arm of Jehovah," who pierced Rahab and cut him in pieces. This refers to the conflict at the original rebellion of Satan against God. Christ took the field of battle and fought against Satan, who is here called Rahab, and his hosts. In Psalm 74:12-14 there is probably another reference to the same conflict between Christ, the Son of God, and Satan and his hosts. In this psalm our author is discussing what will occur in the Tribulation, as is indicated by the context. Thus he addresses Christ and says:

    "12 Yet God is my King of old,
    Working salvation in the midst of the earth.
    13 Thou didst divide the sea by thy strength:
    Thou brakest the heads of the sea-monsters in the waters.
    14 Thou brakest the heads of leviathan in pieces;
    Thou gavest him to be food to the people inhabiting the wilderness."

An additional reference to this conflict is set forth by Jude in verses 6 and 7: "6 And angels that kept not their own principality, but left their proper habitation, he hath kept in everlasting bonds under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. 7 Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them, having in like manner with these given themselves over to fornication and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the punishment of eternal fire." These rebellious angels were cast down and have been kept in bonds under darkness, awaiting the judgment of the great day.

When we read Revelation 12:7-9, we see that Satan and his rebellious emissaries will be in heaven itself. Then Michael and his angels will go forth to war and will drive them out. As to whether or not the Lord Jesus Christ enters the fray, we cannot say; but His power and might evidently energize Michael and his angels, enabling them to drive out these wicked, servile spirits.

In verse 9 we have a clear description of Satan. Here he is represented under the symbolism of the "great red dragon" and is called "the old serpent." This latter name evidently is an echo of that which we read in Genesis, chapter 3. Either the devil assumed the form of a serpent on that occasion, or he used the serpent as a cat's-paw and thus brought about man's downfall. Moreover, this sinister enemy of God and man is called "the Devil and Satan." The latter term, Satan, is of Hebrew origin and means "adversary."

Satan is the deceiver of the whole world, a fact that is little known. The world lies in the Evil One and is deceived and blinded by this sinister being who is determined on man's downfall. Though the human heart is evil and desperately wicked, men would not resort to the many things which they do, if it were not for the blinding influence of Satan.

John saw the result of this conflict in heaven. Satan "was cast down to the earth, and his angels were cast down with him" (Rev. 12:9). Thus they are expelled from the presence of God, never to return there again.

A Voice From Heaven

When Satan and his hosts are hurled out of the courts of heaven, John heard a voice coming forth from the presence of God saying: "Now is come the salvation, and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, who accuseth 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 loved not their life even unto death. 12 Therefore rejoice, 0 heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe for the earth and for the sea: because the devil is gone down unto you, having great wrath, knowing that he hath but a short time."

This quotation begins with the following statement: "Now is come the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ. . . ." We know that the kingdom does not become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ until the end of the Tribulation, which comes three and a half years later. We must understand this language, therefore, to be an announcement concerning the beginning of the end. When we look at the entire sweep of the Book of Revelation, we see that the third series of judgments, namely, the bowl judgments, begins right away after this and continues thereafter through the latter half of the Tribulation and culminates in the turning over of the kingdom of the world to God and to His Christ. Hence, these words are most appropriate on this occasion.

In the latter part of verse 10 we have the statement: ". . . For the accuser of our brethren is cast down, who accuseth them before our God day and night." Satan is the greatest tattletale in the world. He is a blasphemer and is a liar, for he was that from the beginning of his downward career, when he rebelled against God. He misrepresents and falsely accuses the brethren all the time. He never speaks the truth, unless it is for his advantage. He warps, twists, and modifies and changes things. He constantly accuses the people of God before the Almighty. Let all Christians recognize this fact, and let them be very careful about their thoughts and their actions, yes, their entire lives! For if they sidestep, Satan will accuse them before God and throw the fact into the face of the Almighty that His saints are thus acting.

The saints who are accused by Satan before God during the Tribulation are of course the Tribulation saints. We have already seen in our discussion of chapter 7 that the world-wide revival will sweep the earth through the first half of the Tribulation Period. This revival will be conducted by the 144,000 Jewish evangelists to whom we are now giving the truth of the Word of God. After the church is raptured, as we have already learned, and the Tribulation Judgments are beginning to fall upon the earth, there will arise 144,000 of these noble Jewish men who will go forth into every nook and corner of the world and lead hundreds of millions of people to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Satan will be indignant at them and will accuse them before God for everything that they might do or say, and for things which they never do or say.

But these overcome and are victorious "because of the blood of the Lamb, and because of the word of their testimony; and they loved not their life unto death." There is power in the blood of the Lamb. There is power and strength in people's standing for their convictions and giving their testimony--true statements of fact concerning their relationship to God and to Christ and His living His life in them. No false testimony, no exaggerated statements will honor and glorify God. But when people are truthful, know the Lord Jesus Christ, give their testimony, and are willing to lay down their lives, if necessary, for the cause of Christ, then power from God flows into their souls, and they are energized by the Spirit of God and live for Him. There is therefore such a thing as victory in Christ. The Apostle Paul said: "I can do all things in him that strengtheneth me" (Phil. 4:13). We are more than conquerors through Christ who loved us (Rom. 8:37) and who lives His life in us.

In Revelation 12:12 this voice that comes forth from heaven speaks to the intelligent beings in heaven saying: "12 Therefore rejoice, 0 heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe for the earth and for the sea: because the devil is gone down unto you, having great wrath, "knowing that he hath but a short time." The end, as we have already seen, is in sight. This one making the announcement calls to all those who are in heaven, the celestial host, and also the redeemed and saved ones who are in heaven, urging them to rejoice because the final drama is just about to be enacted and the deliverance of the world is at hand.

But during the last act of this drama--the last three and a half years of the Tribulation--Satan is upon earth. He no longer has access to the throne of God. He is indignant, because he has been defeated and driven out of heaven and knows that his time is short. Thus he makes good use of every split second of time that remains to him, because he knows that his defeat is certain and his overthrow is sure.

The Dragon Persecutes the Woman

In verses 13-17 we have Satan's activity against Israel, represented by the woman, that is, the faithful remnant of Israel. Satan has, throughout the past, persecuted the Jewish people as he has no other nation upon the face of the globe, but what he has done in the past is insignificant in comparison to what he will do to it in the future--in the latter half of the Tribulation. According to Zechariah 13:8,9, two-thirds of the Jews will be butchered and slaughtered and go down into the oblivion of forgetfulness, without God and without hope in the world--one of the saddest, most pathetic pictures that is to be found in the entire revelation of God.

According to Revelation 12:14 "there were given to the woman the two wings of the great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness unto her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent." The dragon is symbolic, as we have already learned, and likewise the woman is a symbol. Her being given the two wings of the great eagle also is symbolic in its significance. The woman, Israel, flees from Palestine into a place that is prepared for her, where she remains for "a time, and times, and half a time," three and one-half years, the period spoken of in terms of days in 12:6. Where is this place to which the woman flees? Some have suggested Petra. That is a plausible explanation, but it will not satisfy all the conditions. When we recognize that World War II of the Tribulation, which occurs in the middle of the Tribulation, breaks out and spreads all over the entire world, involving every nation except three, namely, Amman, Moab, and Edom; and when we realize that the woman flees to a place for protection against the old serpent, we come to the conclusion that probably the place to which she flees is Transjordan, which consists of those three countries, Ammon, Moab, and Edom.

While the woman is in this place, she will be fed miraculously, for we are given that information in Isaiah 33:13-16. The remnant will be protected and will be given food and water: ". . . He shall dwell on high; his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks; his bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure."

When the woman flees from the serpent to her place, as we see in this symbolic picture, the serpent sends out a river that is designed to destroy her. Since this is a symbolic picture, therefore the river, also, is evidently symbolic. When a river is used in a figurative sense, as it is here, what is its significance? It is clear from such a passage as Isaiah 8:5-8 that a river, when thus used symbolically, signifies an army that invades a country. Thus, when we see these facts, we are certain that the stream which the serpent is represented as casting out of his mouth is nothing else but an army that the devil will cause to be sent against the woman (Israel) to exterminate her.

But in this symbolic picture we are told in verse 16 by John that "the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth and swallowed up the river which the dragon cast out of his mouth." This signifies the overthrow by a divine stroke of the forces that are sent against Israel at this crucial moment.

Seeing and realizing that he is thwarted in his evil purpose of exterminating Israel from the face of the globe, the dragon "waxed wroth with the woman, and went away to make war with the rest of her seed, that keep the commandments of God, and hold the testimony of Jesus" (Rev. 12:17). The rest of the seed of the woman that are mentioned here evidently are Jews other than those that are in Palestine, against whom he sends his armies. But these against, whom he directs his final attack are the seed of the woman, Israel, "that keep the commandments of God, and hold the testimony of Jesus." Evidently, then, these are Hebrew believers, against whom Satan at that time will direct his severe blows. But they will be protected and will be cared for, as we see from various passages of Scripture. God knows how to take care of His own. He does it in His own way and in His own time.