This article will probably challenge your beliefs around “satan” and the book of Revelation in general. Please consider what I’m saying in light of the scriptures and first century historical records.
Revelation 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:
2 And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.
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.
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.
5 And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron…
Here we see a pregnant woman clothed with the sun, standing on the moon with 12 stars in her crown.
We also see a dragon ready and waiting to devour her “man child” as soon as he is born.
Both these images tie in perfectly with the Gospel of Matthew.
In Matthew chapter one we have the genealogy of Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ descended from Abraham, through Isaac, Jacob (who’s name was changed to Israel), his son Judah, eventually king David, all the way through to Joseph who married Mary.
The pregnant woman in Revelation 12 is faithful Israel, through whom descended Jesus Christ. He is the “man child” the woman gave birth to.
In Matthew chapter two we’re introduced to Herod the Great, king of Judea.
Matthew 2
1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,
2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.
3 When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and…
4 …demanded of them where Christ should be born.
5 And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judea…
16 Then Herod…was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under…
The dragon in Revelation 12 represents Herod the Great…but not just him, for the dragon had SEVEN heads.
I propose that it represents the entire Herodian dynasty from Herod the Great through to Herod Agrippa II.
Herod the Great was born in Idumea, also called Edom.
The Edomites were descendants of Jacob’s twin brother Esau.
Esau was a red, hairy hunter.
His name literally means RED, which is interesting considering the dragon in Revelation 12 is RED in colour.
Esau, when famished from a day of hunting, sold his birth rite to Jacob for a pot of stew.
Jacob then deceived his father, Isaac, into giving him Esau’s blessing.
When Esau found out, he was furious and so began a very long feud between the descendants of Esau and the descendants of Jacob (Israel).
During the intertestamental period (between Malachi and Matthew), also called the 400 years of silence, a lot happened.
Alexander the Great conquered much of the known world, including the “promised land”.
Then the Maccabean Revolt took place in which the Jews gained independence from Greece and the Hasmonian dynasty began to rule.
During the rule of the Hasmonian dynasty the Idumeans were forcibly converted to Judaism.
Herod’s father Antipater was an Idumean advisor to one of the Hasmonian rulers but when Rome took control of the “promised land”, Julias Caesar made Antipater a high ranking military officer.
In 46BC Herod, son of Antipater, was appointed as Governor of Galilee, then in 37BC he was appointed king of Judea.
This is how power was transferred from the Hasmonian dynasty to the Herodian dynasty.
If you want to know more about these things check out the link below.
https://www.jewishhistory.org/review-of-the-hasmonean-era/
Herod the Great was a “client king” meaning he was put in power by Rome.
In Revelation 12 the red, seven headed dragon had ten horns.
These ten horns may represent ten Roman Caesars from Julius Caesar to Emperor Vespasian who ruled during the last part of the Roman-Jewish war.
The dragon appears to be a composite creature.
By the time Jesus began his ministry, an Idumean “client king” was in charge of Judea and her sacred city Jerusalem.
How the tables had turned.
Revelation 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…
In this verse we see that the “great dragon” is also called “satan”.
What or who do you think Satan is? A lot of Christians believe Satan is a fallen angel.
Scriptures used to support this idea are Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28.
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!
However if we begin reading from the start of the chapter, we find it was about Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon.
Isaiah 14
4…thou shalt take up this proverb against the king of Babylon…
The book of Daniel explains how Nebuchadnezzar was so lifted up with pride he had to be brought down to the level of a beast until he recognised who God was (Dan. 4:30-32).
Ezek. 28
14 Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth…
15 Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.
Again if we read from the start of Ezekiel 28, we find it was about the “Prince of Tyrus” (vs 2) not a fallen angel named Satan.
The Greek word 4567. Σατανᾶς Satanás, translated Satan in most bible versions, means adversary.
The Youngs Literal translation never translates it as Satan, always adversary.
Adversary is an adjective, a describing word.
However most versions turn Satanás into a proper noun.
Hence “Satan” becomes the name of a supernatural being, considered by many to be a “fallen angel”.
As you can imagine, this is bound to cause confusion when trying to understanding Revelation 12.
How could the Herodian dynasty or the Romans be “satan”?
What does make sense however, is that they were acting as adversaries towards God and his people.
Similar to how Jesus called Peter Satanás when he tried to stop him from going to the cross.
Peter was acting as an adversary in that moment.
According to first century historian Josephus, the final king of the Herodain dynasty Agrippa the II, was driven out of Jerusalem (WOJ 2.17.1) and his palace burnt down by Jewish Zealots in 66AD (WOJ 2.17.6)
In fact every Roman influence was overcome and and driven out of the city around that time.
Roman soldiers stationed at Masada and the Tower of Antonia were killed (WOJ 2.17.2 WOJ 2.17.7)
Furthermore, in around September/October of 66AD Syrian Governor Cestius and his Roman army attacked Jerusalem (WOJ 2.17.4-6) only to be chased down and defeated by Jewish rebels in the valley of Beth Horon (WOJ 2.19.7&8)
All these events in 66AD marked the point at which the Dragon was cast from heaven to earth.
Now let’s come back to the woman in Revelation 12.
Revelation 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.
The woman fled into the wilderness where she was protected and fed by God for three and a half years.
Can we connect this to the gospel of Matthew? We certainly can.
In Matthew 24 when Jesus prophesied that the temple would be “thrown down” his disciples asked him “when shall these things be, what shall be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” (Matt. 24:2&3)
Jesus replied, “when ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet…let them which be in Judea flee into the mountains…for then shall be great tribulation…” (Matt. 24:15,16&21)
What was the abomination Daniel spoke of?
Daniel 12
11 And from the time that the DAILY SACRIFICE shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days.
It was when “Eleazar (ben Ananias)…governor of the temple, persuaded those that officiated in the divine service to receive no gift or sacrifice from any foreigner” (WOJ 2.17.2)
This, according to first century historian Josephus, happened in around August of 66AD and was a declaration of war upon Rome.
You may notice in Revelation 12 that the dragon’s tail took out a third part of the stars.
Revelation 12
4 And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth…
As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, stars represent Jacob’s descendants (Gen. 37:9&10) particularly those in positions of rulership (Gen. 1:16).
Since the dragon is a composite creature, it’s tail taking out a third part of the stars could be a reference to how Eleazar ben Ananias “persuaded those that officiated in the divine service” to go against normal procedure and to do something that would spark a war.
Could the fallen stars represent Levitical priests corrupted by Eleazar?
Besides the cessation of the daily sacrifice, the abomination of desolation could refer to when Cestius and his army compassed Jerusalem, as per Luke 21.
Luke 21
20 And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh.
21 Then let them which are in JUDEA flee to the mountains…
Jesus warned his disciples that when they saw these things happen it would be a SIGN that they should FLEE to the mountains.
It makes sense to me that when Cestius failed to destroy Jerusalem in around October/September 66AD this gave the Christians a chance to heed Jesus’s warning and flee, not just the city but ALL of JUDEA.
How could we possibly relate this to our current times or even the future? Do we live in Judea? No.
In Conclusion, the powerful imagery of Revelation 12 transports us from Genesis through to the beginning of the Roman-Jewish war in 66AD.
Through careful study of the scriptures and trustworthy historical records, the meaning of the woman and the dragon become clear.
Why is it important for us to understand the book of Revelation? Because it helps us to understand the kingdom of God, a spiritual reality that we can be part of and experience today (Rev 22:17).
God bless as you study to show yourself approved.
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