Revelation 12 - Do Angels Have Free Will?

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The Woman and the Dragon
12 A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head.2 She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth. 3 Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on its heads. 4 Its tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth. The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that it might devour her child the moment he was born. 5 She gave birth to a son, a male child, who “will rule all the nations with an iron scepter.” in And her child was snatched up to God and to his throne. 6 The woman fled into the wilderness to a place prepared for her by God, where she might be taken care of for 1,260 days.

A woman appears as a sign in heaven replete with sun, moon, and stars in her appearance. She was pregnant and ready to give birth. This is the first of seven signs. Signs in the gospel and letters of John point to something important. In this case John calls it a great sign. 

For each sign there is a significant connection to the final events of the Great Tribulation. Most commentators assume the woman represents Israel, and the 12 stars are the 12 tribes of Israel. 

The women is about to give birth and later in Revelation we learn the child is Jesus 

The next sign is a red dragon. There is much symbolism in the red dragon. 

Seven diadems on his heads: This dragon had great power (seven heads and ten horns) and claimed royal authority (seven diadems). The crowns represent his presumptive claims of royal authority against the true King. He wants to be considered a king. (Guzik)

Most connect the red dragon with Satan himself. 

The dragon shows its power by swiping 1/3 of the stars out of heaven and flinging them to earth. 

The stars are often associated with angels. In the context it seems like these are angels that Satan took with him when he rebelled and led other demonic angels with him to the earth. 

Many believe this describes one-third of the angelic host in league with Satan (his angels of Revelation 12:9). This army of angelic beings in league with Satan makes up the world of demonic spirits. (Guzik)

How did these angels, which God created to worship him and be heavenly messengers become demonic spirits? 

“God never made an evil being; but He made angels, principalities, and powers capacitated for mighty joys and distinctions in His glorious domain, yet with free will, implied in the very creation of moral beings, which they could exercise for their everlasting weal or woe. Many have remained steadfast, to wit, ‘Michael and his angels.’ But some abode not in the truth, but revolted against the rule of Heaven, and became unchanging enemies of God and His Kingdom.” (Seiss)

The dragon (Satan) positioned himself right in front of the woman to devour the child (Jesus) as soon as he was born.  Most people interpret this with King Herod who searched for Jesus in order to kill him. 

The attempt to devour her Child was initially fulfilled by Herod’s attempts to kill Jesus as a child (Matthew 2:16-18). It was also fulfilled throughout Jesus’ life as Satan attacked Him (John 8:58-59 and Mark 4:35-41).

And her child was snatched up to God and to his throne. Most assume this is a reference to Jesus' ascension. 

The woman fled into the wilderness to be protected where she lived for three and a half years. This confirms the woman is not Mary but symbolic of Israel because we know Mary was not in the desert for 3 1/2 years. 

What do the 1,260 days refer to?

The time period covered, 1,260 days, figures to 42 months, or 3 1/2 years. We believe this prophecy has not yet been fulfilled but will be during the end-times tribulation. The 42 months refers to the reign of the Antichrist, specifically, the last half (3 1/2 years) of the seven-year tribulation. At the beginning of that time, the Antichrist will break his covenant with Israel and set up “the abomination that causes desolation” (Mark 13:14; cf. Daniel 9:27)—an act that links the Antichrist to Antiochus Epiphanes, who similarly defiled the temple. The Antichrist will then turn his attention to the genocide of the Jews. During the persecution, Israel (the woman of Revelation 12) will be protected by God in the wilderness. Also during that troubled time, God will send two witnesses to perform miracles and proclaim the truth of Christ in the face of the Antichrist’s lies (Revelation 11:5–6). (Got Questions)

7 Then war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. 8 But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. 9 The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.

As we just mentioned there are angels of darkness and angels of light. In these three verses we still the fight between Michael and the angels light and Satan (aka the devil). The dragon (Satan) was thrown to the earth with his demonic angels with him. This is why as the apostle Paul says, "Our battle is not with flesh and blood but with principalities and powers of this present darkness." 

At the mid-point of the great tribulation, God will turn the tide against Satan – first in heaven, then on earth. A battle will take place that will deny Satan access to heaven.

When is this battle fought? This battle occurs at the mid-point of the seven-year period, as described by Daniel. At that time Michael shall stand up, the great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people; and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation, even to that time. And at that time your people shall be delivered. (Daniel 12:1) (Guzik)

10 Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say:

“Now have come the salvation and the power

    and the kingdom of our God,

    and the authority of his Messiah.

For the accuser of our brothers and sisters,

    who accuses them before our God day and night,

    has been hurled down.

11 They triumphed over him

    by the blood of the Lamb

    and by the word of their testimony;

they did not love their lives so much

    as to shrink from death.

12 Therefore rejoice, you heavens

    and you who dwell in them!

But woe to the earth and the sea,

    because the devil has gone down to you!

He is filled with fury,

    because he knows that his time is short.”

This reminds us before the end times Satan, also known as the accuser, has been before the throne of God accusing the sons of God. But we have triumphed over Satan's attacks by the blood of Jesus. Since we are bought back and redeemed by the blood of Christ, there is nothing Satan can do to us. Then he points to the martyrs who loved Jesus so much they were not afraid to give their lives for their testimony to him. 

But these verses end with a warning that since Satan has been thrown out of heaven with his minions that a time of tribulation will break out on earth like never before. Because this will be Satan's last hurrah, he will do as much as possible to take as many with him to the place where he will suffer endlessly.  

Satan’s power is real and terrifying, but not because he is triumphant, but because he knows he is beaten and has a short time left. He is like a wounded, cornered animal that fights ferociously.

i. Satan might give up his fight against God and humanity made in God’s image, except for the fact that he is utterly depraved, and probably insane in some way; Satan may have deceived even himself into thinking that he has a chance. Our rebellion against God makes even less sense than Satan’s rebellion does. (Guzik)

13 When the dragon saw that he had been hurled to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. 14 The woman was given the two wings of a great eagle, so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the wilderness, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time, out of the serpent’s reach. 15 Then from his mouth the serpent spewed water like a river, to overtake the woman and sweep her away with the torrent. 16 But the earth helped the woman by opening its mouth and swallowing the river that the dragon had spewed out of his mouth. 17 Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to wage war against the rest of her offspring—those who keep God’s commands and hold fast their testimony about Jesus.

Some teach that the woman is a symbol representing all the people of God, including faithful Israel and the church. They use this to advance the idea that the church is here during the tribulation period. But if the woman represents all the people of God (the church and faithful Israel), then who are the rest of her offspring described in Revelation 12:17? It is better to see her as Israel in general or Messianic Jews in particular.

The dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring: This may refer to Israel (the woman) and Gentiles who come to faith in Jesus during the Great Tribulation (the rest of her offspring). These two groups are particular targets of Satan and his antichrist’s persecution in the last days.