Reflections on Revelation 12:7-17
When Satan fails to kill Jesus, the male child, and Jesus is caught up to God's throne, Satan also loses his place in heaven. Until Christ's ascension, Satan had stood in God's presence and continually accused our brothers, but now he has no claim against them. Christ's death has paid their penalty, so Satan no longer has any legal basis to accuse them. Michael and his angels prevail against the dragon and his angels and throw him out of heaven (see John 12:31-32). Now all the brothers who were faithful in their testimony even unto death can rejoice before the throne because they conquered the dragon by relying on the blood of the Lamb.
While heaven rejoices because the kingdom of God and authority of Christ have been asserted in heaven, woe is pronounced on the earth and sea because the devil has come down on them in great wrath. With these words, John explains why the saints on earth are still suffering when Christ has displaced Satan before the throne of God.
On earth, Satan turns his wrath on the woman who had given birth to the male child and on the rest of her offspring who keep God's commands and are faithful in their testimony to Jesus. Thus, the woman is the mother of all those in addition to Jesus who are children of the free woman (Galatians 4:26) and represents all God's faithful servants throughout the ages.
Although Satan pursues the woman, God protects her by giving her the two wings of the great eagle that she might fly into the wilderness where God would nourish her just as he had nourished Israel on manna in the desert after bearing them out of Egypt as on eagles' wings (Exodus 19:4). She is nourished in the wilderness for a time, times, and half a time, which is the same time as mentioned in verse 6, the time between the ascension and return of Christ. The serpent tries to destroy the woman with a torrent of slander and persecution, but the earth swallows it up. Satan may slander and persecute the church, but he will never defeat her.
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