Let's Study Revelation (Chapter 12) by E. G. Cook

CHAPTER TWELVE     In this chapter we find in the first two verses that which his been misinterpreted, misapplied and mistreated through the centuries. Even individual women have claimed to be the woman found here in these verses. Mary Baker Glover Patterson Eddy who seems to have run old king Henry VIII a close second in the marrying business even had the audacity to claim she was this woman. She married a major George W. Clover in 1843, and in spite of her healing ability (or was it because of it?) this husband died in less than a year. Then in 1853 she married Dr. Daniel S. Patterson, a dentist, but divorced him in 1873. Then in 1877 she married Asa Gilbert Eddy who was one of her students. Five years later this husband died in 1882. It seems Mary could heal everybody but her husbands. She claims that the man child that she brought forth was her new religion, "Christian Science," and that the dragon was the mortal mind trying to destroy her new religion. She died in 1910 and has long since learned that she did not fit in with the woman in this precious Scripture.
    Other women, such as Joanna Southcott, an English domestic servant claimed to be the woman of Revelation 12. She was able to turn her claim into a very lucrative business. She sealed what she termed the elect for money, and at her death in 1814 she had over 100,000 suckers in her fold. If you want money and do not care how you get it, you should get in the field of religion. Religion is just about the most money making thing this side of Hollywood.
    Then there are those who tell us that this woman is the church and the man child she brought forth is Christ. If Paul were living today he would call that "perverted teaching."
    Some of us call it "putting the cart before the horse." If you go to the Scriptures and believe them, you will be convinced that Christ gave us the church rather than the church giving us Christ. Still, others tell us that this woman is the professing church and that the man child is the true church. This would make our Lord's true churches the children of apostasy. But the Book says "A corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit." For an evil thing to bring forth something that is good would be contrary to the Word of God and to the laws of nature as well. Of course the Catholic Church claims that this woman is Mary, that she was carried into heaven without dying, and that now she is the queen of heaven. As many of you already know, the Catholic queen of heaven is none other than old Semiramis of Babylonian Mysticism with the alias Mary. And if you desire to know what God thinks of this queen of heaven, read Jeremiah 7:16-20; 44:13-27 and Revelation 18: 6-8.
    When a blood bought, born again child of God has read, or heard gibberish like the above, it should cause him to want the truth from the Book. So, may we take a prayerful look into the precious Book. But before we try to determine who the woman is, let us try to determine who the man child of verse 5 is. We find that He is one who can "rule all nations with a rod of iron." Kaiser Bill tried to do that and failed. Hitler thought for sure that he could do that, but he too made a miserable failure. Stalin also failed. So did Tojo and many others, and there is to be at least one more man who will try to do this. I am unable to call his name even though it may be familiar to all of us at this time (1969), but he will be the ruler of the revived Roman Empire. But in Revelation 19:20 we see that he too will be a miserable failure. But the man child in verse 5 will not fail. He was born to rule all nations with a rod of iron. In order for Him to do that He must have more power than those who will oppose Him. The thing that made a failure of Hitler and all others was the fact that others had more power than they had. So the question is, what man has the power necessary to rule all nations with a rod of iron? Please remember that the nations will not voluntarily submit to this iron rod. The one who rules them with a rod of iron will simply have to have the necessary power to enforce His rule.
    I contend that the Scriptures set forth a man who has this power. In Matthew 28:18 we read, "And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth." Now, since He was given all power, who can have more power and make a failure of Him? In Psalms 2:7-8 He is called the begotten Son and told that He is to be given the heathen for an inheritance. Then in the next verse we read, "Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron." Not only does our Lord have the power to rule all nations with a rod of iron, but in that coming day He will give that power to His faithful saints, Revelation 2:26-27. How then can any born-again Bible believer have any doubts as to who this man child is? The man Christ Jesus is the One who has this power. And He is the One who was caught up to His Father's throne.
    Now who is the woman that brought forth this man child? No one but Bible denying infidels deny that He was born of the virgin Mary. But Mary did not flee into the wilderness where she was fed by the hand of God for three and a half years. So Mary does not qualify as the woman under consideration here. Then who else could qualify? In Isaiah 66:7-8 we read, "Before she travailed, she brought forth: before her pain came, she was delivered of a man child. Who hath heard such a thing?" This man child was brought forth contrary to nature in that she was delivered of this man child before she travailed. In Romans 9:3-5 we learn that Israel is the one "of whom concerning the flesh Christ came." From the context in Isaiah 66 we learn that Israel is the one that was delivered of a man child before she travailed. The nation of Israel brought forth the Lord Jesus Christ nearly two thousand years ago, but her travail is to come during the terrible tribulation which I believe to be near, even at her door. In Hosea, Israel is set forth as the wife of the Father, and as His wife she brought forth the Son.
    In verse 3 we see another wonder, or sign. Here we see a "great red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads." It is to be admitted that the description given here of this dragon may becloud the thinking of some. But when we consider that this dragon tried to destroy Christ soon after His birth, and that he will try to destroy the Jewish remnant during the great tribulation, we will be forced to admit that he was in existence some two thousand years ago, and that he will be in existence during the tribulation. While it is true that old king Herod was, from all outward appearances, the one who tried to kill the Christ Child, still Herod has been dead lo these many centuries. And while the ruler of the revived Roman Empire, will from all outward appearances, be the one who will try to destroy the Jewish remnant in the coming day, still he was not in existence when Christ was a child. So neither Herod of old, nor the beast of the coming day could possibly be the dragon. In Revelation 13:2 we are told that the dragon gave this beast who is the ruler of the revived Roman Empire his power, and his seat (throne), and great authority. This beast will become the incarnation of the old dragon himself, so the description of one of them will fit the other except for the crowns. They both have seven heads and ten horns. In fact, they will work as a unit during the coming great tribulation. But anyone who can read should be able to see who this dragon is. In verse 9 we are told that he is "that old serpent, called the devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world."
    But why is he pictured with seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon the seven heads? As we have already said this old dragon and the beast who is the ruler of the revived Roman Empire will operate as a unit. In Revelation 17:3 we see these seven heads and ten horns again. And in verse 9 we are told that "the seven heads are seven mountains (or hills) on which the woman sitteth." And in verse 18 we learn that this woman is "that great city which reigneth over the kings (rulers) of the earth." That would have to be Rome. Rome is called the city of seven hills. But in Scriptural usage mountains also speak of kingdoms. And in 17:10 we are told that "there are seven kings (kingdoms) five are fallen, one is, and the other is not yet come. " Rome is not only the city of seven hills, but the Roman Empire has had six different forms of government, and the revived empire will make seven. We will go into that more fully when we come to chapter 17.
    As to the ten horns, we are told in 17:12 that "the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings which have received no kingdom as yet." This revived Roman Empire is to consist of ten kingdoms banded together with this great beast over all of them somewhat as Eisenhower was over the allied armies during World War II. The reason I contend that this ten kingdom empire will be a revival of the old Roman Empire is because of what we see in Daniel 7. In verse 7 the terrible beast that represented the Roman Empire also had ten horns. And in verse 24 we read, "And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise." I hold that these ten kings are the same as the ten kings of Revelation 17:12. Therefore, they are definitely a part of the old Roman Empire.
    In verse 6 of the chapter before us we see the woman fleeing into the wilderness where God has already prepared a place for her to stay while old Satan and his cohorts vent their wrath upon all that appears to be of the Lord. Here God will feed this woman (the faithful remnant of the Jews) for 1260 days (3 1/2 years) as He fed the children of Israel during their forty years in the wilderness. In fact He may feed them on manna just as He did in the long ago.
    Beginning with verse 7 we see the war that is to be fought in the heavens above us. Michael and his angels are arrayed against old Satan and his angels. Michael is that great prince that stands for, or is charged with the responsibility of caring for the Jews, Daniel 12:1. As a result of this awful conflict old Satan and his angels are cast down to the earth. He is grounded, so to speak. I am convinced that this war takes place in the middle of the seven years tribulation. In verse 13 the old devil begins to really persecute the woman who brought forth Christ that is, the faithful remnant of the Jews. And in verse 14 we see the woman fleeing into the wilderness where she is to be fed "for a time, and times, and half a time." This is the same as the 1260 days in verse 6, that is, three and a half years. This is the last half of Daniel's seventieth week which is termed the tribulation the great. Satan knows that the time for him to be cast into the bottom less pit is at the door so he vents his wrath upon the Jewish remnant. And when God delivers this remnant out of his reach he turns on everybody else who looks as if they might be a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ. This awful time is so close upon this old world. And if I did not believe with all my heart that we saints are to be raptured before that time comes, I would probably be out looking for a good place to hide when that awful beast takes over.