 Chapter
12: The Great Sign in Heaven:
Before we begin chapter 12, let's look at a brief
overview of the Revelation so far:
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The
Revelation |
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Summary of the Chapters |
Summary of the
visual images*
described in the
text (the set for the scene): |
Scene 1 - Chapters 1-3:
Jesus walks among the seven lampstands (the
seven churches) and gives instructions,
encouragement and warnings to them. |
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Scene 2 - Chapters 4-11:
John is taken up to heaven. Here he
sees the throne room of God and the Lamb
(Jesus). The throne is surrounded by the
others including the seven spirits of God,
the 24 elders, and four living creatures.
In addition, there is an innumerable amount
of
God's bond-servants and angels who surround
the throne.
The Lamb (Jesus) is the only one worthy to open the
book. The Lamb opens the seven
seals to the book and, as this happens, the angels sound
the seven
trumpets signaling the things that are to
happen.
Three woes (events of anguish and death)
fall on those who are not followers of God
and Christ. |
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* It is important to note that the graphics used
in this lesson are just very simple illustrations of what John may have seen...and
they are not intended to be accurate representations of exactly what was seen in
the vision.
In chapter 12, we begin to see an
entirely new scene...starting with a great sign in
heaven:
 And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman
clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of
twelve stars; 2and she was with child; and she cried out, being in labor and in
pain to give birth.
3And another sign appeared in heaven: and behold, a great
red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads were seven
diadems. 4And his tail swept away a third of the stars of heaven, and threw
them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give
birth, so that when she gave birth he might devour her child. 5And she gave
birth to a son, a male child who is to rule all the nations with a rod of
iron; and her child was caught up to God and to His throne. 6And the woman fled
into the wilderness where she had a place prepared by God, so that there she
might be nourished for one thousand two hundred and sixty days.
7And there was
war in heaven, Michael and his angels waging war with the dragon. And the dragon
and his angels waged war, 8and they were not strong enough, and there was no
longer a place found for them in heaven. 9And the great dragon was thrown down,
the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole
world; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with
him." Revelation 12:1-9 (NAS)
In John's vision as recorded in Revelation
12:1-9, many signs were seen in heaven:
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A Great Sign: A woman that is pregnant...in pain
ready to give birth. She gives birth to a male son.
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Another Sign: A great red dragon.
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The War in Heaven: Michael the archangel
of God and other
angels going to war with the dragon.
Question:
According to Revelation 12:9, who is the great red dragon
in this vision?
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And then a great wonder appeared in heaven: There was a woman who was clothed
with the sun. The moon was under her feet. She had a crown of twelve stars on
her head.
2The woman was pregnant. She cried out with pain because she was about to give
birth.
3Then another wonder appeared in heaven: There was a giant red snake there. The
giant snake had seven heads with a crown on each head. The snake also had ten
horns.
4The snake's tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and threw them down
to the earth. The giant snake stood in front of the woman who was ready to give
birth to the baby. The snake wanted to eat the woman's baby when it was born.
5The woman gave birth to a son, a male child. He will rule all the nations with
an iron rod. And her child was taken up to God and to his throne.
6The woman ran away into the desert to a place that God prepared for her. In
the desert she will be taken care of for 1,260 days.
7Then there was a war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the
giant snake. The snake and his angels fought back.
8But the snake was not strong enough. The giant snake and his angels lost their
place in heaven.
9The snake was thrown down out of heaven. (The giant snake is that old snake
called the devil or Satan. He leads the whole world into the wrong way.) The
snake with his angels were thrown to the earth. (ERV) 
And a great sign was seen in heaven: a woman arrayed with the sun, and the
moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars;
2and she was with child; and she crieth out, travailing in birth, and in pain
to be delivered.
3And there was seen another sign in heaven: and behold, a great red dragon,
having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his heads seven diadems.
4And his tail draweth the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them
to the earth: and the dragon standeth before the woman that is about to be
delivered, that when she is delivered he may devour her child.
5And she was delivered of a son, a man child, who is to rule all the nations
with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and unto his throne.
6And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of
God, that there they may nourish her a thousand two hundred and threescore days.
7And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels (going forth) to war with
the dragon; and the dragon warred and his angels;
8And they prevailed not, neither was their place found any more in heaven.
9And the great dragon was cast down, the old serpent, he that is called the
Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world; he was cast down to the earth,
and his angels were cast down with him. (ASV) 
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:
2And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be
delivered.
3And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon,
having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.
4 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.
5And 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.
6And 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.
7And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon;
and the dragon fought and his angels,
8And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.
9And 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. (KJV)