Greetings! Welcome back to our study of end time doctrine. In our last post, we talked about the second witness to the Restraining Doctrine. We learned that the first four angels of the seven angels with trumpets held back the winds from blowing on the earth to keep Antichrist from appearing before his appointed time… to “restrain” him. In this two-part series, we’re going to examine the “he is taken out of the way” element of the Restraining Doctrine. Remember to keep your heart and mind open to a different interpretation of these end time prophecies. Can you do that? Then let’s get into this!
THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD
First in a Two-Part Series
By Karen Thompson
IDENTIFYING THE “HE IS TAKEN OUT OF THE WAY” ELEMENT
Now let’s continue our study of the restraining doctrine. This time, we will focus on the “he is taken out of the way” element. Let’s look again at our foundational verse in 2nd Thess. 2:7: “…only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way” (NKJV). In the second witness to the restraining doctrine, we’ve established that the four angels holding back the winds of the earth as the “he who now restrains” element. Now I want to submit to you that the 144,000 sealed servants are the “he is taken out of the way” element. To prove that, we must go to the apostle John’s vision of the sun-clothed woman and the great red dragon.
The scenario of the sun-clothed woman in Revelation chapter 12 is symbolism for when the Antichrist figure breaks the seven-year covenant and invades Jerusalem. In the vision of the sun-clothed woman, the 144,000 servants are symbolized as the “man child.” And the man child is the element that is taken out of the way so the Antichrist can come forth at his appointed time. We won’t go over the entire chapter, just the first six verses that talk about the man child.
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. (Rev. 12:1–6)
First, let’s review the scenario. In this vision, the apostle John describes a woman who is clothed with the sun. She appears to be standing on the moon and is wearing a crown of 12 stars on her head. The most noticeable thing about her is that she is pregnant. He said, “She being with child cried, travailing in birth.” She’s not just pregnant; she’s in the throes of birth pangs.
The next thing John saw was a great red dragon, which had seven heads and ten horns. This, of course, is in harmony with Daniel’s vision of the Antichrist beast in the book of Daniel. While the woman is crying out in pain, ready to give birth, the dragon draws a third of the stars with his tail and then casts them to the earth. Right after the dragon casts a third of the stars to the earth, his attention is turned toward the man child of which the woman is about to give birth. He is intent on killing the man child as soon as it is comes forth. The apostle John tells us the man child is very special as it will rule all nations with a rod of iron. Notice it doesn’t say the man child will rule “a” nation. It says “all” nations. Just as soon as the child was birthed, however, it was caught up to God before His throne, making it impossible for the dragon to kill the man child.
After the man child is birthed and then promptly caught up to God in heaven, the sun-clothed woman flees to the wilderness where God has prepared a place for her. She will stay there for a “thousand two hundred and threescore days,” which is equivalent to three- and one-half years. The woman lives in the wilderness during the last half of Daniels’ 70th week.
The Key to Understanding the Vision
In order to prove the man child is symbolic of the 144,000 servants, it will be necessary to correctly identify the symbolism in the scenario. The mistake many people make when interpreting this scenario is failing to understand that the book of Revelation is all about Daniel’s 70th 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 70th 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 Mary, the mother of Jesus, and Jesus Himself. 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. Jesus was killed, resurrected, and then caught up to God.
Another incorrect interpretation is in regard to the action performed by the dragon in verse four: “And his [the dragon] tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth…” (v. 4). This scene of the dragon casting one third of the stars to the earth has been widely interpreted as Satan’s rebellion against God and one third of the angels following Satan in his rebellion. This is also incorrect.
There is no objection to the doctrine that says some of the angels followed Satan in his rebellion. In fact, the Bible tells us they did. For instance, Matthew 25:41 talks about the everlasting fire prepared for judgment that has been reserved for “the Devil and his angels.” Jude 1:6 tells us that some of these rebellious angels are already locked up. Also, 2nd Peter 2:4 talks about the “angels that sinned” who were put into chains until the time of judgment. So there is no argument whatsoever regarding angels following Satan in his rebellion.
The objection is that this verse in Revelation has nothing to do with Satan’s rebellion and one third of the angels following after him. Unfortunately, this verse has been the foundation that Bible teachers have used to form the doctrine that one third of heaven’s angels joined Satan in his rebellion. This belief has been around for a very long time and has widespread acceptance. But just because it’s been around for a long time doesn’t mean it’s correct.
There is a key that must be applied when interpreting Revelation chapter 12. To eschatology students, it can’t be said too often—the events described after Revelation chapter four are about Daniel’s 70th week and what happens to the Jewish people during that time. All interpretations must be limited to events that will happen in that seven-year time period. Satan’s rebellion took place before the fall of mankind in the Garden of Eden. There is no reason to place Satan’s rebellion in the middle of Daniel’s 70th week. The action of the dragon casting a third of the stars to the earth with his tail is symbolism for his invasion of Jerusalem.
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 events. Consequently, everything John saw in the vision after that had to do with future events. Satan’s rebellion and the birth of Jesus are not future events; therefore, it is incorrect to try to place these two past events in prophecy about the future.
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. 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.
The Identity of the Sun-Clothed Woman
Let’s continue our study of proving that the 144,000 sealed servants and the man child are one and the same. In order to correctly interpret the vision of the sun-clothed woman, the first thing we need to do is establish the identity of the symbols. We’ll start with the identity of the sun-clothed woman. In verse one, John described seeing 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.” Simply put, the sun-clothed woman symbolizes the city of Jerusalem. Our first clue 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).
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, by worshiping other gods. But at the end of Daniel’s 70th 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 forever; 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 70th 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.
Sun, Moon, and Stars Symbolism
Now let’s talk about how the woman is clothed with the sun, stands on the moon, and has a crown of 12 stars on her head. From the very beginning, the symbols of the sun, moon, and stars have been connected with the children of Israel. We learn about this connection in Genesis chapter 37 in the story of when Joseph, the son of Jacob, had a dream. Joseph dreamed a dream where the sun, the moon, and eleven stars bowed down before him. Joseph shared his dream with his father and brothers. The interpretation of the dream was that the eleven stars represented Joseph’s brothers and the sun and moon represented his parents. And they were all bowing down before Joseph, the twelfth star! They were all indignant at the very idea of them bowing down before Joseph. It made them mad.
But little did they know that Joseph’s dream was prophetic! Through a series of events, Joseph ended up in Egypt where the Pharaoh of Egypt would one day appoint him to be in charge over all of Egypt. A famine would bring Joseph’s family to Egypt looking for food. It was the event that would cause his family members to all bow down before him.
In this dream, we see the sun, moon, and stars associated with the family of the patriarch Jacob, whose name God would change to Israel (Gen. 32:28). The sun and moon symbolized Joseph’s parents, and his brothers symbolized the stars who would become the heads of the twelve tribes of Israel. Right from the beginning, the symbols of the sun, moon, and stars were attached to this family. This family would grow so numerous that it would become a great nation.
The fact that they became so numerous is a fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham about his seed (offspring), and it’s also another connection with the lights of heaven. Several times, the Lord promised Abraham that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars: “Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, so shall thy seed be” (Gen. 15:5). Also in Genesis chapter 22: “That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven…” (Gen. 22:17).
The Identity of the Man Child
We’ve established the identity of the sun-clothed woman to be Jerusalem. Now let’s look at the identity of the man child. In verse two, we see that the sun-clothed woman is pregnant: “She being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.” There are several clues that confirm the man child and the 144,000 servants are one and the same.
First, we’ve established that the sun-clothed woman symbolizes Jerusalem; and as such, she symbolizes a group of people. Therefore, it stands to reason that if the woman symbolizes a group, then her offspring, the man child, most certainly symbolizes a group as well. The man child symbolizing a group of people is our first clue that the man child is symbolic of the 144,000 servants.
Second, the biblical law of reproduction in Genesis provides us with the next confirmation that the 144,000 servants are the man child. Genesis 1:21 tells us every seed must bring forth its own kind. The seed of a tree doesn’t produce a flower, nor does the seed of a dog produce a cat. Therefore, the seed of the woman will produce after her own kind. Based on the laws of reproduction, the man child will have the woman’s DNA. Simply put, the 144,000 servants from the tribes of Israel we saw being sealed on their foreheads in chapter seven qualify as the woman’s seed. (Rev. 7:5–8). In fact, the only group of people that qualifies as the seed of the woman is the 144,000 servants.
Third, both the man child and the 144,000 servants are destined to help Messiah rule the nations. When we see the 144,000 in heaven, it says about them that they follow the Lamb “whithersoever he goeth” (Rev. 14:4). They are always at His side, which tells us they assist Him in an administrative capacity, helping Him to rule His kingdom. Then in Revelation 12:15, it says about the man child, “And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron.”
Fourthly, the woman’s offspring is referred to as a “man” child. The child is male in gender. Revelation 14:4 says about the 144,000 servants that they never had sexual relations with women, that they are virgins. That means there are no women in the group. All 144,000 servants from the 12 tribes of Israel are men, hence, a man child.
Lastly, let’s look at it from a common-sense perspective. In Revelation chapter 12, we see the man child, who symbolizes a group of people, being caught up to heaven. The next two chapters describe the aftermath of what happens on earth and in heaven after the Antichrist invades Jerusalem in Revelation chapter 12. In chapter 14, John says he saw the 144,000 servants standing with Jesus in heaven. If the man child and the 144,000 servants are not one in the same, then we have a conundrum. We have two groups of people—the man child that is caught up to heaven in chapter 12 and the 144,000 men servants that we see in heaven in chapter 14. If they are not one and the same, then that means the group that the man child represents is caught up to heaven, yet we do not see them in heaven. And then we have the group of 144,000 men servants that we see in heaven, but we don’t know how they got to heaven. Common sense deduction tells us the group the man child symbolizes is the 144,000 servants.
Now let’s consider the prophetic words about Zion giving birth to a male child. John said the sun-clothed woman birthed a “man child.” Prophets have prophesied about Jerusalem in the end of days travailing in pain as a woman about to give birth. For instance, Isaiah chapter 66 prophesies about the end days and what happens when God’s plan for Israel is fulfilled; he says the rebels will be purged from among them, the millennial reign of the Lord will begin with a new heaven and the new earth, and the birth of a man child. Isaiah prophesied, “Before [Zion] travailed, she gave birth; before her pain came upon her, she was delivered of a male child”(Isa. 66:7 Amp.). Since Isaiah was prophesying about the end times, we know the male child in Isaiah’s prophecy is not Jesus.
Now let’s talk about who the man child is not. There are those that interpret the man child as being the Church, that the man child being caught up to God is the time of the rapture for the body of Christ. For the same reason the law of reproduction qualifies the man child as being the 144,000 male servants, it also disqualifies the man child as being the Church, because the Church overwhelmingly is made up of Gentile Christians. So the New Testament Church could not qualify as the seed of the woman.
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