Revelation Chapter 12                     

Part One

THE WOMAN VS. THE DRAGON

Verse 1
And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars; 

Woman - refers to spiritual Jerusalem

But the Jerusalem above is free; she is our mother (Gal. 4:26)  

The Significance
of the Number Twelve

He (Ishmael) shall become the father of twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation
(Gen. 17:20)

1. The twelve tribes of Israel-Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Zebulun, Issachar, Dan, Gad, Asher, Naphtali, Joseph and Benjamin
2. Twelve stones taken from the middle of the Jordan River by a representative from each of the twelve tribes of Israel. The stones were set up by Joshua in the middle of the Jordan River. God instructed Joshua to carry out this exercise as a memorial to the twelve sons of Israel. (Joshua 4:1-9)
3. And He (Jesus) appointed twelve that they might be with Him, and that He might send them out to preach
4. The Holy City Jerusalem
   (Rev. 21:9-14)
   a. has twelve gates 
   b. has twelve angels at the gates
   c. has the twelve names of the tribes of the sons of Israel written on the gates.
   d. the wall of the city has twelve foundation stones
   e. the twelve names of the twelve apostles of Jesus are written on the foundation stones

Verse 2
And she was with child; and she cried out, being in labor and in pain to give birth.

•  Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she gave birth to a boy… ( Is. 66:7)

Verse 3
And another sign appeared in heaven: and behold, a great red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads were seven diadems.

Great red dragon - refers to satan.

And the great red dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and satan, who deceives the whole world; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. (Rev. 12:9)