Greetings, fellow eschatologists! It’s time to start a new series on the book of Revelation. We’re going to be studying chapter 12. It is the chapter that contains the scenario of the sun-clothed woman and the great red dragon. In this study, we’re going to knock down a couple of long-time sacred cows. You ask, “What is a sacred cow”? It’s a figure of speech for some thing or some belief that is considered immune from question or criticism. In this study, I’m going to challenge a couple of long-held interpretations about this chapter. These interpretations have been unquestioned for too long. It’s time to set the record straight. Are you ready to kick down a couple of sacred cows with me? Then let’s get into this!

REVELATION 12

First in an Eleven-Part Series
By Karen Thompson

THE SUN-CLOTHED WOMAN AND THE DRAGON,
THE MAN CHILD, TWO WARS

In Revelation chapter 12, we discover what happens when the seventh trumpet is sounded. It brings forth two wars that break out simultaneously. One takes place on the earth, and the other takes place in the heavens above earth’s atmosphere where Satan rules over the kingdom of men. Both wars culminate with the Jewish people fleeing into the wilderness. The end result of the two wars will be something so good that it causes all the residents in heaven to rejoice, but it will also be so bad that it causes the residents of earth to suffer.

The events of the seventh trumpet take place in the middle of Daniel’s 70^th week, at the three and one-half years mark. In the middle of the 70^th week, the little horn (who is Antichrist) breaks the seven-year covenant and invades Jerusalem/Israel: “And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease …” (Dan. 9:27). The little horn will have entered into a covenant with many (the “many” are 10 other nations) for one week of seven years. All the fighting among these nations will come to an end during that covenant. But Antichrist will break the covenant in the middle of the seven years (after three and one-half years) and invade Jerusalem. His invasion brings the time of peace to an end. That’s what the prophet Daniel was referring to when he said about the little horn that “by peace [he] shall destroy many” (Dan. 8:25).

In the first six verses of Revelation chapter 12, the apostle John tells us about a war using the symbols of a dragon and a sun-clothed woman. This is the war that takes place on earth when the little horn breaks the covenant and invades Jerusalem/Israel.

The Dragon’s Assault on the Sun-Clothed Woman

Rev. 12:1 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. 2 And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered. 3 And 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. 5 And 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. 6 And 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.

To understand the scenario of the sun-clothed woman, we must first correctly interpret the symbolism in the scenario. Misinterpreting the symbolism will prevent you from understanding the seventh trumpet judgment. The mistake many people make when interpreting this scenario is failing to understand that the book of Revelation is all about Daniel’s 70^th week, a time when Daniel’s people, the Jews living in the end times, would experience a devastating time on earth—“a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time” (Dan. 12:1).

Some have incorrectly attributed the symbolism in chapter 12 to things that have nothing to do with Daniel’s 70^th week, things that do not take place in the time period of those seven years. For instance, some have interpreted the sun-clothed woman and the man child to be the Virgin Mary and Jesus. The birth of the man child is interpreted as Jesus being born to Mary, and the man child being caught up to God is interpreted as Jesus’ resurrection. It is an incorrect interpretation. The most obvious reason the man child couldn’t possibly be Jesus is because the child was taken to heaven before the dragon could kill it. The man child is never killed. Jesus was killed. And then He was resurrected and caught up to God.

When interpreting the events of Revelation, it’s important to remember both the words of Jesus and the prophet Daniel regarding end time events. First, let’s consider Jesus’ instructions to John at the beginning of the vision: “Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter” (Rev. 1:19). He was to write about things he “hast seen” (past), things “which are” (present), and things which “shall be hereafter” (future). The things that would take place in the future began when John saw an open door in heaven and received an invitation to enter the door. A voice sounding like a trumpet said to John, “Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter” (Rev. 4:1). It was the Lord’s invitation to John to come to the throne room where he would be shown future end time events. Consequently, everything John saw after that had to do with future events. The birth of Jesus is not a future event; therefore, the interpretation of the sun-clothed woman as being Mary giving birth to Jesus is incorrect.

Furthermore, the description of the dragon with his seven heads and ten horns solidly establishes the fact that this vision is about an end time event with regard to Antichrist. The reason being is that the dragon has on him the end time symbols of the Antichrist kingdom—the seven heads and ten horns. Over and over again in the books of Daniel and Revelation, we read about the end time kingdom of Antichrist being described as ten horns. Also, the description of the Antichrist kingdom as being seven heads and ten horns is repeated in Revelation, chapters 12, 13, and 17. The vision of the sun-clothed woman being attacked by the dragon with seven heads and ten horns is a future event regarding end time prophecy.

Now let’s consider what Daniel had to say. As already noted, when studying Revelation, you must keep in mind that the future events taking place are the fulfillment of Daniel’s 70^th week. Regarding the 70-weeks prophecy, Daniel tells us what the focus will be: “Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city…” (Dan. 9:24). The seventy weeks prophecy concerns “thy people” and “thy holy city.” Well, Daniel was a Jewish man so his people would be the Jewish people. And the holy city of the Jewish people is Jerusalem. So when you study the book of Revelation, you must keep in mind it’s all about the Jewish people and the city of Jerusalem. Remembering both the words of Daniel and Jesus will help keep your end-time doctrine straight.

Let’s first go through the scenario and interpret the symbolism. After we’ve established what the symbolism means, then we can correctly interpret the action in the scenario.

Identity of Sun-Clothed Woman

In verse one, John described seeing a woman appear in heaven: “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.” This woman is associated with the lights of heaven: the sun is her clothing, she’s standing on the moon, and on her head is a crown of 12 stars. The interesting detail of the sun-clothed woman is that she is pregnant, about to give birth: “And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered” (v. 2).

Who is the sun-clothed woman? Many have tried and failed to rightly identify her. To cut to the chase, the sun-clothed woman symbolizes a city, specifically Jerusalem. Our first clue that the sun-clothed woman symbolizes the city of Jerusalem is the fact that she is referred to as a woman. In Old Testament prophecies, Jerusalem is repeatedly symbolized as a woman.

Throughout Israel’s history, God has always referred to Jerusalem as a woman, more specifically as His wife. Ezekiel chapter 16 talks about Jerusalem’s relationship with God from her very beginning. Through the prophet Ezekiel, the Lord speaks to Jerusalem addressing His devotion to her, how He cared for her since she was just an infant. Then when she grew into a woman, He entered into a covenant with her where she was symbolically married to Him: “Now I passed by you again and looked upon you; behold, you were maturing and at the time for love, and I spread My skirt over you and covered your nakedness. Yes, I plighted My troth to you and entered into a covenant with you, says the Lord, and you became Mine” (Eze. 16:8 Amp.)

The book of Revelation says Jerusalem is the Lamb’s bride. An angel said to John, “I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife.” Then he took John to a high mountain and showed him “that great city, the holy Jerusalem” (Rev. 21:9–10).

Isaiah chapter 54 speaks of Jerusalem as a married wife, then as a widow. Because of her sins of idolatry, God rejected her, and so she was called a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit: “…and shalt not remember the reproach of thy widowhood any more. For thy Maker is thine husband; the Lord of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; the God of the whole earth shall he be called. For the Lord hath called thee as a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, and a wife of youth, when thou wast refused, saith thy God. For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee” (Isa. 54:4–7). In this short passage, Jerusalem is called a wife of youth, a woman forsaken, and a widow. The Lord refers to Himself as a “husband” who had “refused” His wife and had “forsaken” her. This phraseology reflects Jerusalem’s backslidden relationship with God.

The Lord told Jeremiah to remind Jerusalem of her betrothal to Him: “Go and cry in the hearing of Jerusalem, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord: “I remember you, the kindness of your youth, the love of your betrothal…” (Jer. 2:2 NKJV).

Through Zephaniah, the Lord rebuked Jerusalem for her tyranny, her disobedience, and her idolatry. All throughout the rebuke, Jerusalem is referred to as a woman: “Woe (judgment is coming) to her who is rebellious and defiled, the tyrannical city [Jerusalem]! She did not listen and heed the voice [of God]; she accepted no correction. She did not trust in the Lord [but trusted her own power]; she did not draw near to her God [but to the pagan gods of Baal or Molech]” (Zep. 3:1–2 Amp.). These are just a few of the many, many verses of scriptures in which the prophets refer to Jerusalem as a woman.

Over and over, Jerusalem is portrayed as a woman, a woman that committed adultery against God, her husband. But at the end of Daniel’s 70^th week, Jerusalem’s apostasy will come to an end and God will again “betroth” her. The prophet Hosea speaks of this betrothal: “And I will betroth thee unto me for ever; yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in loving kindness, and in mercies. I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness: and thou shalt know the Lord” (Hos. 2:19–20). This passage of scripture speaks of the time at the end of Daniel’s 70^th week when Jerusalem’s idolatrous past will have come to an end. She returns to God and He makes her His bride once again; the new Jerusalem will become even more glorious than she was during Solomon’s reign.

Of course, when we talk about Jerusalem having a relationship with God, we’re really talking about the covenant people. After all, buildings and streets cannot have a relationship with God. Essentially, the city is the people and the people are the city.

Jerusalem being symbolized as a woman is only one clue that the sun-clothed woman is Jerusalem. The other symbols in the scenario including the woman’s action, her man child being birthed, and the dragon’s activity also confirm that she is Jerusalem. We’ll go through them one by one.

In the next post, we’re going to study the symbolism of the sun, moon, and stars. You won’t want to miss it!

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