The Woman and the Dragon
Study note
Two great signs appear in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars, representing God's people; and a great red dragon with seven heads and ten horns, representing Satan. The dragon sweeps a third of the stars from heaven and waits to devour the woman's male child. The child, destined to rule all nations with a rod of iron, is caught up to God's throne, and the woman flees to a wilderness place prepared by God for 1,260 days.
1 An amazing sign appeared in the sky. It was a woman dressed in the sun, standing on the moon, and wearing a crown of twelve stars. 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 She was about to have a baby and was crying out from the pain of labor. And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.
3 Then a second sign appeared in the sky: a great red dragon with seven heads, ten horns, and seven crowns on its heads. 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 Its tail dragged a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth. The dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, ready to swallow her baby the moment it was born. 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 She gave birth to a son -- a boy who will one day rule all the nations with an iron scepter. But her child was snatched up to God and to his throne. 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 The woman escaped into the wilderness, where God had already prepared a safe place for her. She was cared for there for 1,260 days. 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.
War in Heaven and Satan Cast Down
Study note
Michael and his angels wage war against the dragon and his angels. The dragon is defeated and hurled from heaven to earth along with his fallen angels. A loud voice proclaims salvation and the kingdom of God, declaring that the accuser of the brothers has been thrown down. The saints overcome him by the blood of the Lamb, the word of their testimony, and willingness to lay down their lives. Heaven rejoices, but woe is pronounced on the earth because the devil has come down in great fury, knowing his time is short.
7 Then war erupted in heaven. Michael and his angels battled the dragon. The dragon and his angels fought back, And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,
8 but the dragon was not powerful enough to win. They lost their place in heaven. And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.
9 The great dragon was thrown out -- that ancient serpent known as the Devil and Satan, the one who tricks the entire world. He was hurled down to the earth, and all his angels were thrown down with him. And 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.
10 Then I heard a thundering voice in heaven declare, "Now God's salvation, power, and kingdom have arrived! Now the authority of his Christ is here! The one who accused our brothers and sisters before God day and night has been thrown out!" And 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.
11 They defeated him through the blood of the Lamb and through the message they shared. They loved their mission more than their own lives and were not afraid to die for it. And 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.
12 So celebrate, heavens and everyone who lives in them! But terrible trouble is coming for the earth and the sea. The devil has come down to you burning with rage because he knows his time is almost up. Therefore 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.
The Dragon Pursues the Woman
Study note
Cast to earth, the dragon pursues the woman, but she is given eagle's wings to fly to her wilderness refuge. The serpent spews a flood after her, but the earth swallows it. Enraged, the dragon turns to make war against the rest of her children, identified as those who keep God's commandments and hold to the testimony of Jesus.
13 When the dragon realized he had been thrown down to earth, he went after the woman who had given birth to the boy. And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child.
14 But the woman was given two powerful eagle wings so she could fly to her safe place in the wilderness. There she is taken care of for a time, and times, and half a time -- far from the serpent's reach. And 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.
15 The serpent blasted a river of water from his mouth to try to sweep the woman away in a flood. And 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.
16 But the earth came to her rescue. It opened up and swallowed the river that poured from the dragon's mouth. And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth.
17 This made the dragon furious at the woman. He stormed off to make war against the rest of her children -- those who obey God's commands and hold on to the message of Jesus. And 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.