Revelation 12:1-6 ESV
The Woman and the Dragon
And a great sign appeared in heaven:a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. She was pregnant and was crying out in birth pains and the agony of giving birth. And another sign appeared in heaven:behold, a great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven diadems. His tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven and cast them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she bore her child he might devour it. She gave birth to a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne, and the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, in which she is to be nourished for 1,260 days.
Signs in heaven are mentioned often in Scripture. This one portrays the struggle and hostility against God. The dragon seeks to destroy the child as he deceived Eve. The coming and going of the Son is before us with His ascension to the throne. The woman, or Israel, is then hidden in the wilderness and tended to for 42 months. This seems to connect us with that same reference of time comprised of three and one half years which is part of the last week before Christ returns.
The end of earth and fruition of God's plan is told to us using the same seven day structure that spoke of creation. The last week speaks of the latter days and this knowledge adds to an increased sensitivity to what it means when Jesus says He will return quickly.
We note that in this vision that Christ has ascended to the throne. His reign begins, though not all of His enemies bow down. They still trample in Jerusalem. The dragon is thrown down from heaven and becomes earthbound. This could be what is meant by being bound. Darkness descends on the earth. The moon turning to blood may be a reference to the red dragon who now shines his dark light in the night.
He is no longer able to deceive those freed from the chains of death and led to heaven by the Redeemer. By His light, Satan is revealed. There is no place left for him in heaven. His time on earth is limited.
From Beale's NGNTC:
Though 12:1–15:4 can be divided in various ways, the best way to discern its divisions objectively is to trace the repeated introductory vision formulas like “and I saw” (καὶ εδον) and “and behold” (καὶ ἰδού). Thus seven sections or “signs” are seen: (1) the conflict of the serpent with the woman and her seed (ch. 12), (2) persecution by the beast from the sea (13:1–10), (3) persecution by the beast from the land (13:11–18), (4) the Lamb and the 144,000 standing on Mount Zion (14:1–5), (5) the proclamation of the gospel and of judgment by three angels (14:6–13), (6) the Son of man’s harvest of the earth (14:14–20), and (7) the saints’ victory over the sea beast and their victory song (15:2–4).
There is a sevenfold structure of the signs are noted by several commentators.
The time between His comings has begun.
Hosea 2:19-20
And I will betroth you to me forever. I will betroth you to me in righteousness and in justice, in steadfast love and in mercy. I will betroth you to me in faithfulness. And you shall know the Lord.
Joel 2:30-32
“And I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and columns of smoke. The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be those who escape, as the Lord has said, and among the survivors shall be those whom the Lord calls.
Isaiah 13:8
They will be dismayed:
pangs and agony will seize them;
they will be in anguish like a woman in labor.
They will look aghast at one another;
their faces will be aflame.
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