The Woman and the Dragon
A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. [⇒ 12:1-⇒ 14:20] This central section of Rev portrays the power of evil, represented by a dragon, in opposition to God and his people. First, the dragon pursues the woman about to give birth, but her son is saved and "caught up to God and his throne" (⇒ Rev 12:5). Then Michael and his angels cast the dragon and his angels out of heaven (⇒ Rev 12:7-9). After this, the dragon tries to attack the boy indirectly by attacking members of his church (⇒ Rev 12:13-17). A beast, symbolizing the Roman empire, then becomes the dragon's agent, mortally wounded but restored to life and worshiped by all the world (⇒ Rev 13:1-10). A second beast arises from the land, symbolizing the antichrist, which leads people astray by its prodigies to idolize the first beast (⇒ Rev 13:11-18). This is followed by a vision of the Lamb and his faithful ones, and the proclamation of imminent judgment upon the world in terms of the wine of God's wrath (⇒ Rev 14:1-20).
[1] The woman adorned with the sun, the moon, and the stars (images taken from ⇒ Genesis 37:9-10) symbolizes God's people in the Old and the New Testament. The Israel of old gave birth to the Messiah (⇒ Rev 12:5) and then became the new Israel, the church, which suffers persecution by the dragon (⇒ Rev 12:6, ⇒ 13-17); cf ⇒ Isaiah 50:1; ⇒ 66:7; ⇒ Jeremiah 50:12. This corresponds to a widespread myth throughout the ancient world that a goddess pregnant with a savior was pursued by a horrible monster; by miraculous intervention, she bore a son who then killed the monster.
She was with child and wailed aloud in pain as she labored to give birth.
[2] Because of Eve's sin, the woman gives birth in distress and pain (⇒ Genesis 3:16; cf ⇒ Isaiah 66:7-14).
Then another sign appeared in the sky; it was a huge red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and on its heads were seven diadems.
[3] Huge red dragon: the Devil or Satan (cf ⇒ Rev 12:9; ⇒ 20:2), symbol of the forces of evil, a mythical monster known also as Leviathan (⇒ Psalm 74:13-14) or Rahab (⇒ Job 26:12-13; ⇒ Psalm 89:11). Seven diadems: these are symbolic of the fullness of the dragon's sovereignty over the kingdoms of this world; cf Christ with many diadems (⇒ Rev 19:12).
Its tail swept away a third of the stars in the sky and hurled them down to the earth. Then the dragon stood before the woman about to give birth, to devour her child when she gave birth.
She gave birth to a son, a male child, destined to rule all the nations with an iron rod. Her child was caught up to God and his throne.
[5] Rule . . . iron rod: fulfilled in ⇒ Rev 19:15; cf ⇒ Psalm 2:9. Was caught up to God: reference to Christ's ascension.
The woman herself fled into the desert where she had a place prepared by God, that there she might be taken care of for twelve hundred and sixty days.
[6] God protects the persecuted church in the desert, the traditional Old Testament place of refuge for the afflicted, according to the typology of the Exodus; see the note on ⇒ Rev 11:2.
Then war broke out in heaven; Michael and his angels battled against the dragon. The dragon and its angels fought back,
[7-12] Michael, mentioned only here in Rev, wins a victory over the dragon. A hymn of praise follows.
[7] Michael: the archangel, guardian and champion of Israel; cf ⇒ Daniel 10:13, ⇒ 21; ⇒ 12:1; ⇒ Jude 1:9. In Hebrew, the name Michael means "Who can compare with God?"; cf ⇒ Rev 13:4.
but they did not prevail and there was no longer any place for them in heaven.
The huge dragon, the ancient serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, who deceived the whole world, was thrown down to earth, and its angels were thrown down with it.
[9] The ancient serpent: who seduced Eve (⇒ Genesis 3:1-6), mother of the human race; cf ⇒ Rev 20:2; ⇒ Eph 6:11-12. Was thrown down: allusion to the expulsion of Satan from heaven; cf ⇒ Luke 10:18.
{9} Satan is on earth.
Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: "Now have salvation and power come, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Anointed. For the accuser of our brothers is cast out, who accuses them before our God day and night.
[10] The accuser: the meaning of the Hebrew word "Satan," found in ⇒ Rev 12:9; Job 1-2; ⇒ Zechariah 3:1; ⇒ 1 Chron 21:1; he continues to accuse Christ's disciples.
They conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; love for life did not deter them from death.
{11} We conquer Satan by sharing our testimonies with one another. And by receiving the Eucharist.
Therefore, rejoice, you heavens, and you who dwell in them. But woe to you, earth and sea, for the Devil has come down to you in great fury, for he knows he has but a short time."
When the dragon saw that it had been thrown down to the earth, it pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child.
But the woman was given the two wings of the great eagle, so that she could fly to her place in the desert, where, far from the serpent, she was taken care of for a year, two years, and a half-year.
[14] Great eagle: symbol of the power and swiftness of divine help; cf ⇒ Exodus 19:4; ⇒ Deut 32:11; ⇒ Isaiah 40:31.
The serpent, however, spewed a torrent of water out of his mouth after the woman to sweep her away with the current.
[15] The serpent is depicted as the sea monster; cf ⇒ Rev 13:1; ⇒ Isaiah 27:1; ⇒ Ezekiel 32:2; ⇒ Psalm 74:13-14.
But the earth helped the woman and opened its mouth and swallowed the flood that the dragon spewed out of its mouth.
Then the dragon became angry with the woman and went off to wage war against the rest of her offspring, those who keep God's commandments and bear witness to Jesus. (18) It took its position on the sand of the sea.
[17] Although the church is protected by God's special providence (⇒ Rev 12:16), the individual Christian is to expect persecution and suffering.
[18] It took its position: many later manuscripts and versions read "I took my position," thus connecting the sentence to the following paragraph.