The Dragon loses.
A fierce dragon seeks the life of the child, but Heaven’s deliverance intercedes.
A LOOK BACK: Chapter 11 concluded the second Woe, part of the sixth trumpet. Now the third woe approaches. Before it arrives, we receive visions that reassure the faithful of God’s protection and deliverance from persecution.
The Child and the Dragon
A vision of a woman clothed with the Sun and the moon under her feet. She is pregnant, travailing in birthing pains, and wearing a crown with twelve stars.
The dragon appears in heaven (where the woman is) and is magnificent in size and red. He has seven heads each with a crown and ten horns. The tail of the dragon will knock one-third of the stars of heaven to earth as he approaches the woman to devour her child the moment it is born (this might be a representation of Jesus as a child).
The woman gives birth to a boy, one who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron. God will deliver the child out of the reach of the dragon. The woman will flee into the wilderness to a place prepared by God. God will care for her for 1,260 days.
A War Breaks out in Heaven
Michael and the angels fight against the Dragon and his angels. They will lose their place and be cast down into the earth. The text is clear: the dragon is Satan, the Devil, the serpent. He is the deceiver of the whole world.
John hears a voice from heaven. Salvation is declared, and so has the Kingdom and power of Christ. The accuser of Christians has been cast down. The victory was by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of the Christians who did not love their lives to the death (i.e., martyrs).
There is rejoicing in the heavens, but woe to the earth at the presence of Satan. He has been cast down, and his wrath is great for he knows his time is short.
When the dragon is cast down, he persecutes the woman, but the woman flies to the wilderness once again on the wings of an eagle. She receives nourishment for a time and times and half a time (3 and 1/2 years).
The woman is attacked one last time by the dragon, but the earth swallows up the attack. In a fury at this, the dragon begins to make war against the rest of her children — those who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ (the Christians).
Next Week: The Sea Beast and the Land Beast rise to power.