Chapter 12
Verses 1-2 Read the Bible verses.
A great sign was shown in the heavens.
A woman dressed with the sun, the moon under her feet, and a crown of 12 stars. The woman stands for Israel. The 12 stars are the 12 tribes of Israel.
The woman gives birth to a child. The child is Jesus.
Verses 3-9 Read the Bible verses.
Another sign showed in the heavens. There was a dragon having
7 heads, 10 horns, and on his head were 7 crowns.
The dragon is Satan. The 10 horns stand for power. Some people think there will be 10 kings that Satan will rule through. The 7 crowns stand for complete authority. Satan will have complete authority through these 10 kings.
The dragon’s tail swept away 1/3 of the stars of heaven. He threw them to the earth.
The dragon is Satan. Satan was once a high ranking angel in heaven. In heaven he was called Lucifer. When he sinned in heaven, he was able to get 1/3 of the angels to follow him. God made Lucifer leave heaven, and the 1/3 of the angels who followed him went, too. (II Peter 2:4, Jude 6, II Peter 1:19, Isaiah 14:12-15)
The dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth. The dragon was waiting to destroy the baby.
The woman had a male child (Jesus). This child will rule the nations. The child was caught up to God and His throne. Jesus went up to heaven in a cloud. (Acts 1:9-11)
The woman, Israel, ran into the desert where God had prepared a place to hide. God fed her there for 3 ½ years.
During the tribulation, many of the people of Israel will hide from the anti-Christ. God will help them.
During these 3 ½ years, the 2 witnesses are in Jerusalem. Many Jewish people have left Jerusalem to hide in the desert.
There was a war in heaven. Michael, a leading angel, and other angels fight with the dragon, Satan, and his angels.
Satan is thrown down to earth.
Verses 10-13 Read the Bible verses.
“Now salvation and power of the kingdom of God and Christ have come. The accuser (one who blames) of the brethren (believers) has been thrown down.”
The brethren overcame the accuser, Satan, because of the blood of the Lamb (Jesus) and because of the word of their testimony.
The brethren did not love their lives and themselves more than they loved Jesus, but they gave their lives for Jesus and they were true to Him.
The devil has come down to earth and he is very angry. He knows he has only a short time left.
When Satan the dragon saw that he was thrown down to the earth, he began to do mean hateful things to the woman, Israel, and to the male child, Jesus.
Satan has tried to destroy men and especially the Jews. He started with Adam and Eve and throughout history has tried to destroy men. He has made Gentiles hate the Jews. He has made kings and rulers to try to destroy the Jewish people.
When Jesus came, Satan tried to destroy Him. And then Satan tried to destroy the Christians.
Verses 14-17 Read the Bible verses.
The woman (Israel) was given two wings of an eagle so she could fly to the desert to hide and where God took care of her for 3 ½ years.
The serpent (Satan) tried to drown the woman (Israel) with a flood.
But the earth helped the woman and the earth opened up and swallowed the water. This “flood” could be an army coming out to the desert to find the Jewish people. Whatever it is, God makes a natural disaster happen and the “flood” or army is “swallowed”.
The dragon (Satan) was so angry with the woman that he went to make war with other Jews not in the desert.