The prophecy in Revelation 12:1-9 begins with a description of a woman clothed with the sun and having the moon under her feet. She is wearing a crown of twelve stars and is about to give birth to a man child. A great red dragon is set to devour her child as soon as it is born, but before he is able to, the man child is caught up into heaven and the woman flees into the wilderness where God has prepared a place to feed her for three and a half years. This time period is described in Daniel 12 as a time of trouble that has never been seen before and is often referred to as “The Time of Jacob’s Trouble.”
The above is from an article I wrote for I610 and posted on my blog. “It’s All About Israel.”
There are differing opinions as to who the woman of Revelation 12 really is. Some in the Roman Catholic Church claim she is Mary about to give birth to Jesus. Also, there is a minority who believe the woman is the Church which will hidden and supernaturally protected during the second half of the tribulation. Most Bible commentaries, however, identify the woman as Israel. Many things described in Revelation can be understood by information provided in the rest of the Bible, especially the Old Testament. Genesis 37:9, the dream of Joseph is paramount to the identity of this woman. Both scriptures speak to the sun and the moon and 12 stars. Also, Israel is frequently referred to as a woman in the Old Testament; Isaiah 47:7-9, 54:5-6, 66:7-8; Jeremiah 4:31; Micah 4:9-10; 5:3.
The woman gives birth her child, Revelation 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.” As the Church do we represent the body of Christ and are we being raptured at this time? In verse 6 the woman flees into the wilderness where she will be protected during the second half of the tribulation, the period of time known as Jacob’s trouble. This would place the Rapture of the Church at the middle of the seven year Tribulation.
My prayer continues to be that there will be a pre-tribulation rapture of the Church. Our world is in tribulation, however and in my opinion, not The Tribulation. I eagerly awaiting the call of Jesus to come up, nevertheless, it will be in God own timing.
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