Revelation 12 Study Notes

12:7-10 Because it is mentioned immediately after the woman fleeing into the wilderness (v. 6) and because its outcome immediately affects the earth at the end of the age (vv. 12-13), the war . . . in heaven probably also takes place just after the midpoint of the tribulation period. The sense that the “woman” in Rv 12:6 is a believing remnant of Israel (see notes at 11:13; 12:6) is strengthened by the clash of the dragon (identified as the devil and Satan) with Michael the archangel (Jd 9), who is assigned to protect Israel (Dn 12:1).

12:11 Sometimes what looks like defeat is victory, as when believers die for their faith. Satan has killed them, but they are the ultimate victors because of the blood of the Lamb (Christ’s death on the cross) and the word of their testimony.

12:12 Because Satan has been banned from heaven (vv. 7-9), the heavens and those who dwell in them can rejoice. The “heaven dwellers” are the counterpart group in Revelation to the “earth dwellers” (see 3:10; 6:9-11; 8:13; 11:8-10; 13:8). The devil, having been cast down to earth, is enraged and will take out his great fury on the earth and the sea, because he knows his time is short.

12:13-14 Out of frustration for being cast out of heaven and thrown down to the earth (vv. 7-9), the dragon (Satan) persecuted the woman (believing Israel) for a period of three and one-half years. The phrase time, times, and half a time is a year, two years, and half a year—three and one-half years total. This phrase is taken from Dn 7:25 and 12:7, where it speaks of a period in which “the holy ones” are persecuted in the end times. That the woman was given two wings of a great eagle is the same imagery used of Israel escaping the Egyptian army in the wilderness (Ex 19:4).

12:15-16 There is no way of knowing if the onslaught of the serpent . . . dragon (Satan, see note at vv. 7-10) against the woman (believing Israel; see notes at v. 6; 11:13), as well as the description of the Lord’s protection (the earth . . . swallowed up the river), is meant to be taken literally. Perhaps a metaphorical interpretation is intended.

12:17 Unable to get at the woman, the devil (the dragon) turns aside to wage war against (i.e., kill, 11:7) the Gentile “saints” (13:7). The Gentiles are called the rest of her offspring because they are Christ’s “other sheep that are not from this [Jewish] sheep pen” (Jn 10:16). The other offspring, like John (Rv 1:9) and the martyrs seen under the heavenly altar (6:9), have kept the commands of God and the testimony about Jesus.