Revelation
Changes this passage only. Set your default for every passage.
Revelation 12
Revelation 12
Commentary · verses 1-17
1And 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;
1And 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:
Commentary · verse 1
The woman was Israel.
2and she was with child; and she crieth out, travailing in birth, and in pain to be delivered.
2And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.
Commentary · verse 2
The child was Jesus.
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.
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.
Commentary · verse 3
The great red dragon was Satan.
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.
4And 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.
Commentary · verse 4
This verse has been used to show that one third of the angels fell with Satan. During John's time, these first four verses presented the history from the beginning to Jesus' birth...all of these events had occurred in the past relative to John's time.
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.
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.
Commentary · verse 5
This verse referred to Jesus' earthly ministry: from birth to resurrection and sitting at the right Hand of God - this was the present for John, and is the present for us. Next, John presented the future.
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.
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.
Commentary · verse 6
The believing Jews who heed Jesus' warning to hide will remain hidden for 1,260 days, which is 3 1/2 years: from the midpoint of the Tribulation when the Antichrist takes over the temple to the end of the Tribulation.
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.
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.
Commentary · verses 7-9
There will be war in heaven. Satan is not omnipresent. He can only be in one place at one time. From this point on, Satan will be confined to spending his time on earth.
10And I heard a great voice in heaven, saying, Now is come the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, who accuseth them before our God day and night.
10And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.
Commentary · verse 10
The devil who accuses people living on earth was cast down to the earth. This could be seen as the devil possessing the Antichrist at the midpoint of the Tribulation.
11And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb, and because of the word of their testimony; and they loved not their life even unto death.
11And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
Commentary · verse 11
Satan and his angels were overcome by those whom he accused because of Jesus' blood, the believers' testimony, and believers being willing to die.
12Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe for the earth and for the sea: because the devil is gone down unto you, having great wrath, knowing that he hath but a short time.
13And when the dragon saw that he was cast down to the earth, he persecuted the woman that brought forth the man child.
12Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.
13And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child.
Commentary · verses 12-13
Satan persecuted the woman (Israel) who brought forth the child (Christ). We know this will happen at the midpoint of the Tribulation. Notice, this third woe was towards the earth, while those in heaven were told to rejoice. The woe was that Satan himself would be directly persecuting Israel. He would only be able to do this through the Antichrist.
This introduced the concept that while Satan influenced the Antichrist during the first half of the Tribulation, during the second half of the Tribulation Satan would possess the Antichrist.
During this chapter, John gave the perspective of the events of the second half of the Tribulation from the perspective of Satan, whom he referred to as the dragon. It was no longer the person of the Antichrist that was doing this, it was completely Satan through possessing the Antichrist.
14And there were given to the woman the two wings of the great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness unto her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.
14And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.
Commentary · verse 14
After Satan comes to earth, believers in Israel will be hidden for a "time, times, and half a time." Daniel 12:7 used the same phrase:
- A "time" was one year.
- A "times" was two years.
- A "half a time" was half a year.
This is 3 1/2 years total, the time of the second half of the Tribulation.
15And the serpent cast out of his mouth after the woman water as a river, that he might cause her to be carried away by the stream.
15And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.
Commentary · verse 15
The "flood" were words of Satan coming out of the Antichrist's mouth trying to terrorize believers from Israel who will be hidden.
16And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth and swallowed up the river which the dragon cast out of his mouth.
17And the dragon waxed wroth with the woman, and went away to make war with the rest of her seed, that keep the commandments of God, and hold the testimony of Jesus:
16And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth.
17And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Commentary · verses 16-17
The events during the last half of the Tribulation will cause the Antichrist to cease from pursuing those believing Jews who will be hidden in order to focus on the rest of the world. In the KJV, this chapter ended with a period. In the ASV, it ended with a colon signifying the beginning of chapter 13 focused on what distracted the Antichrist, that was possessed by Satan, just after the midpoint of the Tribulation.
This chapter was informational and took a very big picture view (from the beginning (Genesis 1:1) to the end of the Tribulation) from Satan's perspective and is denoted by the "12" with the arrows.