THE WOMAN AND THE DRAGON

PROCLAMATION

“A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head.  She was pregnant and … was about to give birth.  Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on its heads … The dragon stood in front of the woman … so that it might devour her child the moment he was born.”  Revelation 12:1-5 (NIV)

 

EXPLANATION

These are the words of prophecy which were revealed to, and written by, the Apostle John, under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  In this eleventh chapter of Revelation, while he was still in the spirit (Revelation 4:2), John was shown a vision. (Revelation 5:1, 6:1-17, 7:1, 8:1-2, 9:1, and 10:1)  Shortly after the seventh trumpet was sounded, there appeared two signs in heaven: one was a pregnant woman, who was about to give birth, dressed in the sun, and the other was a large red dragon with seven heads. (Revelation 12:1-3)  As the woman gave birth, her child was snatched up unto God before the dragon could get it.  The woman is symbolic for Israel and the child is symbolic for Christ.  The dragon is symbolic for Satan.  A war broke out in heaven and the dragon and his angels were defeated, kicked out of heaven, and hurled to the earth. (Revelation 12:7-9)  Enraged, the dragon pursued the woman and waged war against the rest of her offspring. (Revelation 12:13-17)

 

APPLICATION

The way I see this, the devil is mad because he was not able to stop Christianity at the very beginning and he is attacking everything that has grown out of it.  He is attacking the woman, Israel, and all of her other offspring, all Christians.  That is why we need God’s protection.  Satan is roaming about the earth seeking whom he may devour. (Job 1:7 and 1 Peter 5:8)  We need to put on the whole armor of God in order to withstand his attacks. (Ephesians 6:10-18)  He will not attack Christ; he has already lost that fight.