Thoughts on Revelation 12

I was recently reading the book of Revelation, and jotted down some notes in regard to some things I noticed in Revelation 12 that I had never noticed before. This isn't meant to start a great debate or anything. But I just thought I'd offer it up for some mild discussion... let's not get too wacky... ok?

Rev 12
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1-2: This is the first of several pictures John is shown of eschatological history. First John sees a woman clothed with the glory of the sun, standing with her feet on the moon, with a crown of twelve stars, who is travailing in the pains of labor. This is woman is Israel.
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3-4: John is shown another picture from history, of Satan deceiving 1/3 of the angels. Satan anticipates the coming of the child born to the woman, ready to cut the child off when it is born.
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5-6: The child that is born to the woman is Christ, who then ascends to heaven. Some time after the birth of Christ, the woman flees into the wilderness (the nations), where she will receive nourishment from God.
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7-10: In the last days there will be a violent clash in the heavenlies. The result of this clash is that Michael and the good angels overpower Satan and his angels, and are ejected from heaven. I believe with this event, we see "the wicked forces in heavenly places" from Ephesians, or in other words, the principalities and powers of the air, actually removed from the positions they have for so long held.

11: "And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death." I believe I have seen now this verse is often quoted in complete isolation from the context of this chapter. And it'll preach all by itself. However, I think when taken in context, it'll preach all the more. In this verse, in this context, we see why it is that Michael and the angels were able to eject Satan and the wicked forces from heaven. For the saints victoriously held to their testimony even when faced with the loss of their life. And as a result of being such a people, Satan and the principalities and powers were dethroned from the places they
have so long held in heavenly places.

12: The heavens rejoice because Satan and his fallen angels no longer occupy their long held positions, but now as a result, unspeakable terror is released upon the earth by Satan and these fallen angels.
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13-17: Satan furious over his dethronement turns upon Israel, and fiercely persecutes her. Being that the woman is in the wilderness, we see that this persecution against the Jews is on a global scale. However, God gives her a place where she can be taken care of for a period of time. Satan does not let this stop him, and attempts to persecute the Jews all the more by sending a great flood after them. However, not all the people of the earth are in favor of this persecution, as it is evident there are those who "drank up the the river." These people end up putting their own lives on the line for the sake of the Jews who are being fiercely persecuted. As a result of the Devil's rage with Jews, he then turns upon the rest of her children who told to the testimony of Jesus, or in other words, the church. The Devil turns his persecution on the church, for it was the church that probably comprised the majority of those people who helped protect the Jews during this time. As they are such a people who don't love their lives unto death, and thus, were willing to put their necks out on the line to drink up the flood that was unleashed against them.

Pretty interesting stuff. I'm gonna have to soak this up myself... a lot to ponder on.

Jordan

Revelation 12
The Woman and the Dragon
1And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. 2She was pregnant and was crying out in birth pains and the agony of giving birth. 3And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven diadems. 4His tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven and cast them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she bore her child he might devour it. 5She gave birth to a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne, 6and the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, in which she is to be nourished for 1,260 days.
17Then the dragon became furious with the woman and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus. And he stood on the sand of the sea.

Who is the women that is described? Let scripture interpret scripture.
Galatians 4:24-26
24Now this may be interpreted allegorically: these women are two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children for slavery; she is Hagar. 25Now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia; she corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. 26But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother.

The women is the New Covenant through which Christ came and we are the offspring Satan is making war with. When did Satan fall from heaven? Jesus says in Luke 10:17-19
17The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, "Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!" 18And he said to them, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you.

Here is a question to reflect upon, to whom is Satan more concerned with: The nation of Israel or the church of Jesus Christ?