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Revelation 12

Revelation book home•Chapter 12 of 22•17 verses

Chapter overviewAt a glance + deeper study

REVIEWED OVERVIEW

Revelation 12 Overview

John sees a great sign: a woman clothed with the sun gives birth to a man child destined to rule all nations with a rod of iron, while a great red dragon seeks to devour Him. The child is caught up to God, the woman is preserved, and war breaks out in heaven. Michael and his angels defeat the dragon, who is explicitly identified as the old serpent, the Devil, and Satan.

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12Chapter

17Verses

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Before you read Revelation 12

Coming from

John is given a reed to measure the temple of God, while the outer court is given to the Gentiles for forty-two months. Two witnesses prophesy for 1,260 days, display extraordinary power, are killed by the beast from the bottomless pit, lie dead in the great city, then rise and ascend to heaven. The seventh trumpet sounds, announcing the kingdoms of this world becoming the kingdoms of the Lord and His Christ.

In this chapter

Leads into

John sees a beast rise from the sea with seven heads and ten horns, receiving authority from the dragon and demanding worship. A second beast rises from the earth, performs deceptive signs, directs worship toward the first beast, and imposes a mark connected with buying and selling. The chapter ends with the number 666 and a call for wisdom.

Key understandingExplore deeper

The chapter itself identifies the dragon, so that symbol should not be left vague.

The woman has been variously interpreted, but her imagery, twelve-star crown, wilderness preservation, and relation to the Messiah strongly connect her with Israel/the covenant people rather than with Mary alone.

Major truths in this chapterExplore deeper

Satan is a defeated accuser

He is cast down and overcome by the blood of the Lamb and faithful testimony.

The Messiah rules the nations

The male child is destined for rod-of-iron rule.

God preserves His people under persecution

The woman is given a place prepared by God.

Spiritual conflict lies behind earthly persecution

The dragon turns his wrath toward the woman and her seed.

Connections to the rest of ScriptureExplore deeper

Genesis 3:15

The ancient serpent and conflict with the woman’s seed stand behind the chapter.

Psalm 2:7–9

The promised ruler who shepherds nations with a rod of iron matches the male child.

Luke 10:18

Jesus speaks of Satan falling from heaven.

Revelation 20:2

The dragon is again explicitly identified as the Devil and Satan.

What is clear, and where care is neededExplore deeper

Do not identify the woman solely by one detail while ignoring the whole symbolic pattern

Her identity is tied to Messiah, twelvefold imagery, and covenant history.

Do not make victory depend on human courage alone

The saints overcome first by the blood of the Lamb.

Do not confuse Satan’s rage with ultimate authority

His time is short and his defeat is certain.

Read Revelation 12 watching for…

The woman’s signs.

The dragon’s explicit identification.

The male child’s destiny.

The heavenly war.

The blood-of-the-Lamb victory statement.

The dragon’s final target.

Chapter outline3 sections

1-6A woman, her child, and a great red dragon are shown, and the child is caught up unto God 7-12Michael and his angels defeat the dragon, who is cast to earth as heaven rejoices 13-17The dragon persecutes the woman, but she is helped, and he goes to make war with the remnant of her seed

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.

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.

And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,

And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.

And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.

And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.

And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child.

And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.

And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.

And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth.

And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

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Revelation 12:5

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