The Sun-Clothed Woman Rev. 12:1-6, 13-17

[BanjoPicker]

In these passages a complete revelation of the woman as to her identification, motherhood, persecution, flight and protection, is given.
The symbol of the sun-clothed was seen in Heaven by John but what is symbolized by the woman in the Earth as is proved.

1. The manchild will be caught up to Heaven at its deliverance and such could not be true if the woman giving birth to the manchild were in Heaven Rev. 12:5.
2. The woman will flee into the wilderness which is on Earth Rev. 12:6.
3. When the dragon is cast down to the Earth he will persecute the woman Rev. 12:13.
4. The Earth will help the woman and swallow the flood that is cast out of the dragon's mouth to devour her. These could not be said of her if she were in Heaven Rev. 12:15, 16.
The woman is a symbol and we must deal with her as a symbol and clearly differentiate between her and the thing she symbolizes. These is always unless stated or clearly implied otherwise only one central truth conveyed by a symbol and the details are not to be stressed. When details are given any attention at all they must harmonize with the main truth conveyed. This will eliminate all speculation on different parts of the symbol which are not explained anywhere and therefore have no particular meaning separate from the main idea. That the woman could not be a symbol of the virgin Mary, the church, or Christendom we will see in the four theories on the manchild.

 

[BanjoPicker]

This woman symbolizes, some firmly believe, National Israel.

By this term meaning all the Israelites who will be in Palestine during the Seventieth Week and who will from the nation at that time Joel. 3; Zech. 9:10-16; 12:4-14; 13:8, 9; 14:1-21; Mt. 24:15-26; Dan. 9:27. The Jews in all other lands will remain where they are today and will not be gathered back to their land until the second advent Isa. 11:11, 12; Ezek. 37:1-28; Mt. 24:31.

The reasons why the woman symbolizes National Israel

A. Israel is often mentioned in the Old Testament as a married woman Isa. 54:1-6; Jer. 3:1-14. The purpose of the whole book of Hosea is to show the marriage of Israel and God, Israel's backsliding in playing the Who-re and leaving God, and her future humiliation and brokenness in the wilderness and her return to her husband Hosea 2:14-23; Rom. 11; Acts 15:13-18.
B. The Bible recognizes only three classes of people in the world today: the church, the Jews, and the Gentiles 1 Cor. 10:32. At the time this woman travails in the middle of the Week, the church will have been removed from the Earth leaving only the two classes.
C. If the sun, moon, and twelve stars mean anything they can only symbolize the same as was seen in the dream of Joseph in Gen. 37:9-11, namely the twelve tribal heads and their parents.
D. Israel is the only one dealt with in Scripture that could fulfill the statement concerning the woman.

 

[BanjoPicker]

THE TRAVAIL OF THE WOMAN (REV. 12:2-5)

In this passage travail is used in a figurative sense for the woman is a symbol and therefore cannot travail literally. The travails of Israel have been numerous in her past history as is clearly revealed in her bondages and deliverances which began with Israel in Egypt and in the period of the judges and kings. They have continued more or less and will finally culminate in the worst period of travail she has ever known Dan. 12:1; Mt. 24:15-26. Such passages as Ex. 18:8; Jer. 4:31; 6:24; 13:21; 22:22, 24; Micah. 4:9, 10 record some of the travail of Israel in the past. There is to be a future continued travail of Israel in the tribulation Week with a two-fold result:

 

[BanjoPicker]

THE TRAVAIL OF THE WOMAN (REV. 12:2-5)

1. The deliverance of the manchild in the middle of the Week Rev. 2:2-5; Jer. 30:6-9; Dan. 12:1; Isa. 66:7, 8.

This will be the result of the terrible anguish and sorrow of Israel in the middle of the Week, because the Antichrist with whom she has made a seven year's covenant as a guarantee of her protection from the great wh-ore and the ten kings of Revised Rome will have broken this covenant and has determined to, completely destroy her. At this time of travail, the manchild is to be delivered, because that company of Jews symbolized by the manchild are not to go through the great tribulation which will follow immediately.

2. The deliverance of the woman herself at the end of the Week when the Antichrist with many nations tries to destroy Israel Isa. 66:7, 8; Mic. 5:3; Zech. 12:10-14; 21; Joel 3:21.

The result of this travail will be the conversion of Israel as a nation in one day when Christ comes to defeat the Antichrist, exalt Israel, and set up His kingdom Rom. 11:26, 27; Rev. 19:11-20:6; 2 Thess. 1:7-10.

 

[BanjoPicker]

PERSECUTION, FLIGHT, AND PROTECTION OF THE WOMAN

The result of the war in Heaven will be the casting out of Satan and hid angels to the Earth. "When the dragon saw [actually realized] that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman, which brought forth the manchild." The dragon's first move will be to destroy the manchild "as soon as it was born" (Rev. 12:4). Having failed in this because of the catching up of the manchild, he next will turn on the woman who brought forth the manchild and will bitterly persecute her by causing the Antichrist to break his covenant with Israel. The dragon will give his "power, throne and great authority" to the Antichrist (Rev. 13:1, 2) and they together will make war on Israel. This persecution of Israel by the Antichrist is often referred to by the prophets (Isa. 10:20-27; 14:1-27; Jer. 30:3-9; Dan. 7:21-27; 8:23-25; 9:27; 11:40-45; Mic. 5:3-15, etc.). The Jews will realize that the only way of escape is to flee into some country that is not under the control of the Antichrist (Matt. 24:15-24; Dan. 11:40-45). This persecution will therefore cause Israel to flee into the wilderness. She will be aided by God in her flight as symbolized by the "two wings of an eagle," which will be given her "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" (Rev. 12:14, compare Ex. 19:4; Deut. 32:11, 12).

 

[BanjoPicker]

When the dragon learns that the woman is fleeing he will cast out of his mouth water "as a flood" to swallow the woman, but the Earth will help her and open its mouth and swallow the flood thus permitting the woman to escape the dragon. Now a symbolic dragon cannot cast out of his mouth a literal flood nor can a symbolic flood be swallow up by the literal Earth. The dragon is symbolic of Satan (Rev. 12:9), the woman of Israel and the flood of the armies of the dragon and of the Antichrist who will pursue after the fleeing Israelites to destroy them. The Earth will open its mouth and swallow these armies as it did the company in Nim. 16:29-35. Armies are often symbolized by floods (Jer. 46:7, 8; 47:2, 3; Dan. 9:26, 27; 11:21, 26).

 

[BanjoPicker]

THERE ARE MANY OTHER PROPHECCIES IN THE BIBLE CONCERNING THE PERSECUTION, FLIGHT, AND PROTECTION OF THE WOMAN during the last three and one-half years of the Week.

1. IN ISAIAH
"Send ye the lamb to the ruler of the land from Sela to the wilderness unto the mount of the daughters of Zion . . . For it shall be, as a wandering bird cast out of the nest, so the daughters of Moab shall be at the fords of Arnon . . . hide the outcasts; bewray not him that wandereth . . . Let mine outcasts dwell with thee, Moab; be thou a covert to them from the face of the spoiler: for the extortioner is at an end, the spoiler ceaseth, the oppressors are consumed out of the land . . . And in mercy shall the throne be established, and he shall sit upon it in truth in the tabernacle of David, judging, and seeking judgment, and hasting righteousness." (Isa. 16:1-5).

This is the first prophecy of importance concerning the flight of the woman. It names the very place to which she will flee. It is the rock hewn city of Sela, or Petra, as it was called by the Romans. It is in the Mount Seir, near Mount Hor, in the land of Edom and Moab. This prophecy states that the daughters of Moab shall be at the fords of Arnon (Which is a little stream at the north border of Moab) to welcome the Israelites as they flee into this wilderness city and country.

 

[BanjoPicker]

The, city Petra, is located in Edom proper, but the prophet speaks of Moab as also being the protector of Israel at that time. This country forms part of the great wilderness mentioned so often in Scripture where Israel wandered for forty years. Petra was a commercial center in the days of Solomon and was taken by Amaziah, king of Judah (2 Kings 14:7; 2 Chron. 25:11, 12). It is mentioned several times as "the rock" because Sela means rock or stronghold (Judg. 1:36; Isa. 42:11; Jer. 48:28; 49:16; Obad. 3). In the first and last reference, the Revised Version translates it "Sela." It is also called "Bozrah" (Amos 1:12; Isa. 24:5, 6; 63:1-5; Jer. 48:24; 49:13, 22). The ancients gave it the name of "Bozrah of the rock" In 105 A. D. the Romans conquered this country and called it Arabia-Petra. When the dominion of the Roman Empire wanted, this territory fell back into the hands of the Arabians and was completely lost to the civilized world in the seventh century. It was rediscovered in 1812 by Burckhardt.

 

[BanjoPicker]

The city of Petra lies in a large valley and is reached only by one narrow passageway, so narrow, at places, that two people cannot ride abreast. The sides at the top of this passage are so close to each other as to shut off light of the sun. The mountains that form a great protecting wall for the city on all sides are from two hundred to one thousand feet high. The sides of the canyon are lined with temples, houses, and tombs, all hewn out of rock with great skill and they look as fresh as if they had been cut yesterday. A better idea may be had of the magnitude of the work that was done from the size of the temple, which has accommodation for three thousand people. Tradition says that Paul visited this city when he went into Arabia (Gal. 1:17). (See the National Geographic Magazine of Feb. 1935 for interesting pictures in detail of this rock hewn city.)

 

[BanjoPicker]

Isa. 26:20, 21,
also shows that this will be the place prepared by God to feed Israel for the 1,260 days, "come my people [Israel], enter thou into thy chambers and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a moment [three and one-half years] unit the indignation [great tribulation] be overpast." The setting of this passage is positively identified as being fulfilled in the last days for the next verse states, "The Lord cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity.

 

[BanjoPicker]

Isaiah again predicts that Israel will be hiding in Edom when Christ comes, "Who is that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? this that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save . . . Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the winefat? . . . I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment . . . For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come . . . And I looked, and there none to help me; I wondered that there was none to uphold: therefore mine own arm brought salvation unto me; and my fury, it upheld me . . . And I will tread down the people in mine anger, and make them drunk in mine fury, and I will bring down their strength to the earth" Isa. 63:1-6. Here is a vivid picture of Christ coming to Earth to destroy the nations at Armageddon, which answers the questions asked in the first part of this passage. In His coming to Earth Christ will pass over Petra, descending from the east Matt. 24:27, and the Jewish fugitives who are hiding in Moab and Edom will see Him coming in clouds of Heaven with power and great glory Matt. 24:15-31. Then will the wors of Isa. 42:11-13 be fulfilled, "Let the wilderness and the cities life up their voice . . . let the inhabitants of the rock [Sela] sing, let them shout in the top of the mountains . . . The Lord shall go forth as a mighty man . . . He shall cry like a man of war . . . He shall prevail against His enemies." These passages, with Joel 3; Zech. 9:1-14:21; 2 Thess. 1:7-10; Rev. 14:14-20; 19:11-21, picture Armageddon when Christ delivers Israel from the Antichrist.

 

[BanjoPicker]

IN THE PSALMS.
"Moab is my washpot; over Edom cast out my shoe; Philistia, triumph thou because of me . . . Who will bring me into the strong city? who will lead me into Edom? . . . Wilt not thou, O God, which hadst cast us off? and thou, O God, which didst not go out with our armies? . . . Give us help from our trouble: for vain is the help of man. . . . Through God we shall do valiantly: for He is that shall tread down our enemies." (Ps. 60:8-12). This predicts the preservation of these countries from the Antichrist and God's protection of Israel in her flight from Judea into the wilderness when Antichrist breaks his covenant with her and seizes Palestine (Matt. 24:15-21; Dan. 11:40-45).

 

[BanjoPicker]

In Ezekiel.
"As I live, saith the Lord God, surely with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out, will I rule over you: . . . And I will bring you out from the people and will and will gather you out of the countries wherein ye are scattered, with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out . . .And I will bring you into the wilderness of the people, and there will I plead with you face to face. Like as I pleaded with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so will I plead with you, saith the Lord God. . . . And I will cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant: . . . And I will purge out from among you the rebels, and them that transgress against me: I will bring them forth out of the country where they sojourn, and they shall not enter into the land of Israel: and ye shall know that I am the Lord" (Ezek. 20:33-38). This passage records another prophecy that God will bring Israel back from the nations in the last days and then will bring her "into the wilderness of the people, and there I will plead with you face to face. LIKE AS I PLEADED WITH YOUR FATHERS IN THE WILDERNESS OF THE LAND OF EGYPT.
God will send the two witnesses with power to do miracles and to bring Israel back to God and to literally fulfill this passage in pleading with Israel like God pleaded with them through the first two prophets-Moses and Aaron, in their first wilderness experience (Rev. 11:3-13; Malachi 4:4, 5). At the time of the flight of Israel the two witnesses will appear and do miracles in protecting them from the Devil and Antichrist, and they will lead Israel into Petra and bring them back to their God. Thus, when Christ appears over Edom in His descent to the Earth Israel will look upon Him whom they have pierced and they will say. "Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord" (Mt. 23:37-39; Rev. 1:17).

 

[BanjoPicker]

In Daniel.
And at the time of the end shall the king of the south [Egypt] push at him [Syria] and the king of the north [Syria] shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over. . . . He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many [not all] countries shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and chief of the children of Ammon. "If Edom and Moab are to escape out of his hand this seems to be the only nearby place where the Israelites in Judea can flee during the great tribulation. God will reserve these countries from Antichrist to use them as a place of refuge for His people, and to show further the " place prepared of God, that they [these countries] should feed her there" for three and one-half years. This shows that the feeding is not necessarily supernatural, but that the inhabitants of the wilderness no doubt will feed Israel.

 

[BanjoPicker]

In Hosea.
"Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her . . . And I will give her vineyards from thence, and the valley of Achor for a door of hope: and she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the days when she came up out of the land of Egypt. . . . And it shall be at that day, saith the Lord, that thou shalt call me Ishi; and shalt call me more Baali" Hosea 2:14-23. This speaks of the wilderness to which Israel will flee for protection from the Antichrist at which time God redeems Israel and marries her forever.

 

[BanjoPicker]

In Matthew.
"When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, ( whoso readeth, let him understand: ) . . . Then let them which be in Judea flee into the mountains: . . . Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: . . . Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes . . . And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! . . . For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be . . . and except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened" (Mt. 24:15-22). Jesus predicted that at the time the abomination and desolation is set up, that is when the Antichrist breaks his seven years covenant with Israel and does away with their daily sacrifices to God in their temple and sets himself and his image in the holy of the holies to be worshipped during the last half of the Week, that the Jews "in Judea" will flee into the mountains and " there shall great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be" (Mt. 24:15-22; Dan. 9:27; 2 Thess. 2:1-3; Rev.13:1-18).
We have many passages speaking of the persecution, flight and protection of the woman in the wilderness. They all refer to Israel, not the church, Christendom, or the Gentiles, as is clear in each passage. Where in Scripture do we find one passage that speaks of the church or any tribe or nation other than Israel going into the wilderness? Therefore, we can believe that National Israel is the one symbolized by the sun-clothed woman of Rev. 12.