Revelation 12:1 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:
Here in Revelation 12, events past and future are revealed regarding the spiritual warfare between the true God and the Devil.
This passage describes a vision which God gave the Apostle John. The vision involves symbols and words full of great truths. Their meaning can be recaptured by a diligent search of God's Word. First and foremost in the written Word and secondarily in the Word written in the stars. Parallel truths can be found in both.
This passage in Revelation 12 takes on a profoundly significant dimension when examined in terms of astronomy.
Revelation 12:1 says there appeared "a great wonder in heaven."
The word "wonder" is the Greek word semeion. In Greek literature semeion is used of any kind of sign, but a notable usage is in reference to a sign of the zodiac. This is particularly interesting in the context of Revelation 12 for the sign is said to have appeared "in heaven." The sign spoken of in verse 1 is a woman. The only sign of the zodiac that could correspond to this description is the constellation Virgo." Revelation 12 further specifies that the woman was "clothed with the sun," another celestial body.
The sun, as it appears to travel through the ecliptic each year, enters into the mid-body between the neck and the knees of the constellation Virgo, clothing her with the sun for approximately a 21 day period.
So this one astronomical detail shown in John's vision narrows down the astronomical event he is describing to a twenty-day period during any given year. In the year 3 B.C. the sun was in this position from August 27 through September 15.
The woman in Revelation 12 was not only "clothed with the sun," but also the moon was "under her feet." With these two specific details, the sun and moon found in Virgo, we can be very precise in our computation of time. In 3 B.C. this configuration of the sun and moon in Virgo occurred on one day only, and that was September 11.
This configuration of the sun and the moon in the constellation Virgo was observable in Palestine between sunset and moonset, this twilight period being called "night."
On September 11, 3 B.C., sunset was at 6:18 P.M. and moonset at 7:39 P.M. Based on the information given in Revelation 12, it was during this eighty-one-minute period that Jesus Christ took his first breath of life and became a living soul, perhaps even as Adam did in Genesis 2:7 at the beginning of this new day.
For further information see Jesus Christ Our Promised Seed.
Revelation 12:1 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: 2And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered. 3And there appeared another wonder (sign) in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. 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. 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.
The description given in Revelation 12:1 exactly chronicles the astronomical occurrence of the evening of September 11, 3 B.C. Verse 2 describes the woman as being in labor, ready to give birth. Verses 3 and 4 recount symbolically the Adversary's fall from heaven and His plan to slay the child as soon as He was born.
In verses 4 and 5 the woman's labor finishes and the child is brought forth.
Verse 5 refers to the child's birth and ascension to God's throne.
Clearly, from all these specifics the child can be none other than the Christ, the Messiah, the Promised Seed.
Revelation 12:6 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. 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. 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.
The woman spoken of in verse 6 is a future reference to Israel. In the next administration the anti-christ empowered by the Devil will make war against Israel.
God protects these Jewish believers against the flood that the devil tries to kill them with in Revelation 12:14-16.
Revelation 12:7-9 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.
The words rendered "any more" in verse eight come from the Greek word eti. According to Strong's, these words mean a thing which went on formerly, whereas now a different state of things exists or has begun to exist.
The New American Bible reads "and they were not strong enough, and there was no longer a place found for them in heaven."
You see, what I knew and believed about this verse related to the Devil and his fallen demons. I held this isolated view mainly regarding the past, talking about the original overthrow in book of Genesis.
In the beginning Lucifer and his demons were cast out of heaven. However, what I did not realize was this was only in part. What Lucifer was cast out of was his original position and function.
Isaiah 14:12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning!
Son of the Morning or Day Star was a title Lucifer held at one time. He was stripped of this when he was overthrown and his original rebellion was cast down. He lost his authority and his position in heaven when he was cast out. However, he did not lose his access to heaven or the heavenly.
Isaiah 14 records truths regarding the past however this prophecy here will have a future fulfillment in the book of Revelation. It's there where the Devil will be crushed by the Lord Jesus Christ.
Job 1:6-8 6Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them. 7And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. 8And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?
Please note that Satan presently has access to heaven today. Now if that includes access into the throne room of God I do not know, but I would lean very heavily towards saying yes it does. That doesn't matter; the point is Satan has access to God and the heavens in this day and time.
Ephesians 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
The word rendered "high" comes from the Greek word epouranios. It has several useages in the scriptures, but all of them pertain to heaven.
Once again Strong's lists several—existing in heaven 1a) things that take place in heaven 1b) the heavenly regions 1b1) heaven itself, the abode of God and angels.
In the KJV it's translated heavenly 16 times, celestial 2 times, in heaven 1 time, high 1time; for a total of 20 times.
The devil and his demons still have access to heaven. In part two of this teaching we will continue to reconsider Revelation 12 in light of this information.
To be continued…ÿ