(*All Bible verses are from the NIV unless otherwise noted)
Chapter 12
13 When the dragon saw that he had been hurled to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child.
14 The woman was given the two wings of a great eagle, so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the wilderness, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time, out of the serpent’s reach.
15 Then from his mouth the serpent spewed water like a river, to overtake the woman and sweep her away with the torrent.
16 But the earth helped the woman by opening its mouth and swallowing the river that the dragon had spewed out of his mouth.
17 Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to wage war against the rest of her offspring—those who keep God’s commands and hold fast their testimony about Jesus.
Rev 12:13
[The dragon] pursued the woman:
The persecution of believers throughout the ages can be seen as the fruitless raging of the old dragon against the inevitable victory of God!
Luke 10:17 The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.” 18 He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.
Rev 12:14
The woman was given the two wings of a great eagle so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the wilderness:
Exod 19:4 ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself.
Deut 32:10 In a desert land he found him, in a barren and howling waste. He shielded him and cared for him; he guarded him as the apple of his eye, 11 like an eagle that stirs up its nest and hovers over its young, that spreads its wings to catch them and carries them aloft.
The Christian community’s escape from Jerusalem just before the Jewish War with Rome is a historical example that highlights the eternal principle of God’s care for His people when they listen to Him in faithful obedience (Review notes on 11:2, for “time, times, and half a time”).
Rev 12:14
Where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time, out of the serpent’s reach:
As discussed earlier, these represent symbolic time periods, not literal ones. The three-and-a-half symbol has a structure of one, two, and a half. No matter what the “one time” represents, the “two times” represents the same, except doubling or intensifying it. In the same way, the “half a time” represents the same but there is a limiting or cutting short. These symbols represent a limited amount of time established and known only by God to fulfill His plans.
Rev 12:15-16
The serpent spewed water like a river, to overtake the woman and sweep her away with the torrent. But the earth helped the woman:
Ps 124:4 the flood would have engulfed us, the torrent would have swept over us, 5 the raging waters would have swept us away. 6 Praise be to the LORD, who has not let us be torn by their teeth.
The early church faced a flood of false teachers and doctrinal heresies. Webster defines heresy as “adherence to a religious opinion contrary to what is considered orthodox belief.”
Early on, the Gospel message was perverted by some who tried to hold on to their pagan traditions, or by Gnostics who twisted Jesus’ teachings into superstitious webs that snared some believers.
Gal 2:4-5 4 This matter arose because some false believers had infiltrated our ranks to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus and to make us slaves. 5 We did not give in to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you.
1 Tim 6:20-21 Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to your care. Turn away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge, 21 which some have professed and in so doing have departed from the faith. Grace be with you all.
2 Peter 2:1 But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves.
1 John 4:1 Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
Rev 12:17
Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to wage war against the rest of her offspring—those who keep God’s commands and hold fast their testimony about Jesus.
Satan’s efforts to drown the truth of God’s redeeming grace in Christ have continued through the ages: Countless false teachers and prophets have plagued the Church with erroneous teachings, misleading any who would listen to them rather than to the Spirit of Truth. For example:
- Gnostics of the first and second centuries claimed the material world was evil, and therefore, the spiritual Jesus only appeared to have a physical body and die on the cross. Salvation came only to those who had access to their secret knowledge;
- Adoptionists claimed that Jesus Christ was not the Son of God from the beginning of time, but was adopted by God at his baptism;
- Marcion (85-160 AD) preached that the God who sent Jesus was distinct from the “vengeful” God of the Old Testament. He taught that Paul as was the only true apostle of Jesus Christ;
- Arius (c. AD 256–336) taught that Christ is not fully divine but is a created being. Arianism permeated the early church for centuries;
- Novatianism survived until the eighth century, firmly believing that Christians who gave in to threats and torture and sacrificed to the gods during persecution could never be forgiven.
The modern church continues the battle against corrupt ministers and self-proclaimed end-time prophets. Leaders such as Jim Jones and David Koresh have snared their followers with false teachings, mystical philosophies, and sometimes even death.
But Christ’s message continues to fortify and protect those whose faith is placed squarely in God’s word—those who faithfully pursue the Spirit of Truth in prayer and study.
*All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.comThe “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™
