The following is an email sent me by Jerry Nelson in which he explains the woman of Chapter 12. I think that what he has written is good and I have converted his email to html so that everyone can benefit.

All scripture is taken from the King James Version

Rev. 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:

Some say the woman represents the church, let me ask you a question: Did the church give birth to Christ, or is it the other way around? The woman is Israel. The crown of twelve stars represents the 12 tribes. The following verse will support this:

Gen. 37:9 And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me.

Joseph was the twelfth star. The 12 tribes. The tribe of Joseph is listed in Rev. 7:8 among the 144,000.

Rev. 12:2 And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.

The child is the coming Messiah.

Rev. 12:3 And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.

The dragon, Satan, spirit of Antichrist.

Rev. 12:4 And 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.

Satan gathered 1/3 of the angels of heaven in the rebellion seen in the Old Testament. Lucifer (in good standing), once fallen, becomes Satan (God's adversary). Satan fallen in the Old Testament, cast out in the New Testament.

Isaiah 14:12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!

Herod (under Satan's authority) decreed that all male babies 2 years and under should be killed in an attempt to kill the Christ child.

13 And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.

Rev. 12:5 And 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 only man child to fulfill this verse was Jesus Christ.

Rev. 19:15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.

Rev. 12:6 And 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.

Here is something from Strong's concerning the word "wilderness" :

1b1) deserted by others

1b2) deprived of the aid and protection of others, especially of friends, acquaintances, kindred

1b3) bereft

1b3a) of a flock deserted by the shepherd

1b3b) of a woman neglected by her husband, from whom the husband withholds himself.

As for the 1260 days, that is still a mystery. When to when?

Dan. 12:7 And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.

The key is here. A time, times, and an half, come out to 1260.

Dan. 12:8 And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things? 9 And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.

This is when the key will unlock that which is hidden.

Rev. 12:7 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,

The infamous war in heaven. Michael and his army fight Satan and his army.

Rev. 12:8 And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.

Satan loses the battle, he, and his angels, are found no more in heaven.

Rev. 12:9 And 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.

No doubt as to who was cast out, and to where. Most common names are used for Satan to establish the fact.

Rev. 12:10 And 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.

Here is the defining verse in Rev. 12. Follow along closely. I will repeat the verse so that I can underline key points.

Rev. 12:10 And 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.

NOW is come salvation; there was no salvation till the death of Christ on the cross. Now: (arti ar' -tee)

1) just now, this moment

2) now at this time, at this very time, this moment

Heb. 9:17 For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth.

Mark 9:1 And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That there be some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power.

The kingdom was not in force till Christ's death. Some of those standing there (Mark 9:1) would not die until they saw the kingdom of God come with power (the crucifixion of Jesus Christ). Jesus did not have the redemptive power as the Christ until His death. Notice that verse 10 is one sentence, said in one breath, if you will. What is verse 10 talking about? The death of Jesus Christ on the cross! NOW is come salvation, NOW is the strength of the testament, NOW is the kingdom of our God, NOW is the power of his Christ, and NOW what? NOW is the accuser of our brethren cast down. All said in one sentence, in one breath. Satan was cast out at the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Our sins are hidden from God by the blood of Jesus. If Satan could still access God, he could reveal our sins to God, by accusation, therefore making the blood of Christ insufficient to hide our sins. Did Christ die in vain? No! Jesus defeated Satan on the cross, once and for all, in total. The war in heaven was raging as Jesus was dying on the cross. The moment Jesus died Satan was cast out, never to be found there again. God had purged heaven of all evil, for the entrance of His Son as the King of Kings. The kingdom of God was established, and Satan is not in it! NOW is come salvation, praise God! To support this go to:

John 12:27 Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour. 28 Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again. 29 The people therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered: others said, An angel spake to him. 30 Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes. 31 Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out. 32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. 33 This he said, signifying what death he should die.

The prince of this world (Satan), Jesus speaking of His own death. Tied together.

John 14:28 Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I. 29 And now I have told you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye might believe. 30 Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.

Jesus again speaking of His death and the coming of the prince of this world (Satan). Tied together.

John 16:4 But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you. 5 But now I go my way to him that sent me; and none of you asketh me, Whither goest thou? 6 But because I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart. 7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. 8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 Of sin, because they believe not on me; 10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; 11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.

Every instance Jesus speaks of His death, every instance Jesus speaks of the prince of this world (Satan) being "cast out," "cometh," and, "judged." All three verses tie the prince of this world to the death of Christ. I think that if it were put before a jury, that would be strong evidence. Scripture, verifying scripture.

Rev. 12:11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

Who overcame who? Christians overcome Satan by the blood of the Lamb.

Revelation 7:14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

Acts 26:18 To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.

Rev. 12:12 Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.

Woe unto the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea for the devil is come down to you, to pollute your oceans, rivers, lakes, cities, and air. He has come unto you to corrupt you, spread false doctrine, to deceive you in all things, and to devour your children. Everyone will say "sure, but 2000 years is not a short time." It is if you are an eternal being as Satan is. To him, 2000 years is a very short time! Satan doesn't live in time as we do, it is very short to him. To God a thousand years is as a day.

Psalms 90:4 For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night.

2 Peter 3:8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

Rev. 12:13 And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child.

Satan persecutes the woman (Israel) which brought forth the man child (Jesus, the Messiah) Jeremiah 29:18 also fitting into Rev. 12:14.

Jeremiah 29:18 And I will persecute them with the sword, with the famine, and with the pestilence, and will deliver them to be removed to all the kingdoms of the earth, to be a curse, and an astonishment, and an hissing, and a reproach, among all the nations whither I have driven them:

Rev. 12:14 And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, 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.

The dispersion of the Jews amongst the nations, as described in Jeremiah 29:18, God hiding them in the "wilderness." Once again the mystery of the 1260 days mentioned.

Dan. 12:7 And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.

Amos 9:9 For, lo, I will command, and I will sift the house of Israel among all nations, like as corn is sifted in a sieve, yet shall not the least grain fall upon the earth.

Rev. 12:15 And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.

Satan's attempt to carry Israel away with a flood. His greatest attempt was the holocaust of WW2. Six million Jews, including many more Christians and Jews through the ages.

Daniel 11:22 And with the arms of a flood shall they be overflown from before him, and shall be broken; yea, also the prince of the covenant.

Amos 8:8 Shall not the land tremble for this, and every one mourn that dwelleth therein? and it shall rise up wholly as a flood; and it shall be cast out and drowned, as by the flood of Egypt.

Psalms 44:22 Yea, for thy sake are we killed all the day long; we are counted as sheep for the slaughter.

Isaiah 65:12 Therefore will I number you to the sword, and ye shall all bow down to the slaughter: because when I called, ye did not answer; when I spake, ye did not hear; but did evil before mine eyes, and did choose that wherein I delighted not.

Jeremiah 25:34 Howl, ye shepherds, and cry; and wallow yourselves in the ashes, ye principal of the flock: for the days of your slaughter and of your dispersions are accomplished; and ye shall fall like a pleasant vessel.

Rev. 12:16 And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth.

The earth (nations) hid the Jews well enough for there to be a remnant to return to, and reestablish, the nation of Israel.

Rev. 12:17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

Satan, wroth with Israel? Read the newspapers or watch the TV news, it won't take you too long to see that! Make war with Israel? Go back to your papers and TV news, you will here about it. The remnant; those that keep the commandments of God (Israel), and those that have the testimony of Jesus Christ (Christians, or the church). Even true Christians now, are coming under attack by the "New Order." The "New Gospel of Jesus Christ." True Christians, who uphold the Word of God, are called "Pharisees," "religionists," and the "old order," to name a few. The futurists don't like what this chapter says, because it is not all future, therefor jeopardizing their stance of Revelation as being all future. Hence, they say Satan has not yet been cast out. I do not share the preterist view, I see too much in the world now that confirms Revelation, and Revelation is confirming the times. There you have it. Satan was cast out of heaven, once and for all, 2000 years ago! Final argument: the evidence supports that Satan was cast out at the crucifixion of Jesus Christ by the which Satan was totally defeated. No partial victory here! Even hell and death! God had purged heaven of all evil, forever. The Kingdom has been established by the blood of the Lamb. You be the judge. Does scripture verify scripture? If you were on the jury how would you vote? Is Revelation all future? Are you willing to give up what you have been taught if this is true? Could this have any bearing on the pre-tribulation rapture theory? Does it change your view about anything? Or, did you know that Satan was here all along?

Jerry Nelson

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