Revelation 12:5 - Printer Friendly

ESV: She gave birth to a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne,

NIV: She gave birth to a son, a male child, who 'will rule all the nations with an iron scepter.' And her child was snatched up to God and to his throne.

NASB: And she gave birth to a Son, a male, who is going to rule all the nations with a rod of iron; and her Child was caught up to God and to His throne.

CSB: She gave birth to a Son, a male who is going to rule all nations with an iron rod. Her child was caught up to God and to his throne.

NLT: She gave birth to a son who was to rule all nations with an iron rod. And her child was snatched away from the dragon and was caught up to God and to his throne.

KJV: 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.

NKJV: She bore a male Child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron. And her Child was caught up to God and His throne.

This verse reports that the woman John saw brought forth a male child who was destined to rule all the nations with a rod of iron. This child is the third of seven critically important figures described in this passage. The woman is symbolic of the nation of Israel, and this verse is an obvious reference to Jesus. Isaiah 9:6–7 prophesies that this child will bear the government on His shoulder and there will be no end to His government and peace. He will rule with justice and righteousness from the throne of David. Zechariah prophesied that Jesus "shall sit and rule on his throne" (Zechariah 6:13). Psalm 2:7–9 prophesies that God the Father will give His Son Jesus the nations for His inheritance and the ends of the earth for His possession, and His Son will break them with a rod of iron. This rule will follow the tribulation and last a thousand years (Revelation 20:1–6).

Satan's effort to destroy Jesus the Messiah failed. Jesus arose from the dead and ascended into heaven (Acts 1:9; 1 Timothy 3:16). John testifies here that the woman's child "was caught up to God and to his throne," reflecting an event which has already occurred.

Revelation 12:1–6 opens a long stretch of Revelation which ''pauses'' the narrative of the end times. These events are highly symbolic and refer to varying times throughout both history and the future. This section points back to the fall of Satan and to the birth and ascension of Jesus. The passage concludes with an event in the middle of the tribulation period. Revelation 13 will describe the situation prompting the woman of Revelation 12:1–6 to flee into the wilderness.

This chapter relates several highly symbolic visions, which introduce figures critical to the end times. First is a woman, representative of Israel. Second is a red dragon, identified with Satan. Third is a male child, who is Jesus Christ. The red dragon seeks to devour the woman's male child, but God caught the child to His throne, referring to the ascension of Jesus after His resurrection. The passage then continues to describe a war in heaven between Michael and Satan—here Satan becomes the fourth key figure—which results in Satan's complete and total eviction from heaven. Satan attempts to destroy Israel, most likely through an armed invasion, which is supernaturally defeated by God through an earthquake. The fifth main figure is the collective ''offspring'' of the woman. These events are given further details in passages such as Ezekiel chapter 38.

Preceding verses have brought us to the middle of the tribulation, after the seal judgments and very near the end of the trumpet judgments. Now, the focus shifts to symbolically introduce a series of important figures. These are mentioned in various eras, not as part of the earlier chronology of Revelation. This passage relates to Matthew 24:15–26 and Isaiah 16:1–4. Ezekiel 38 and Joel 1 describe an invasion into Israel from the north, and Revelation 9 identifies the invading army as demon inspired. Revelation 13 continues to describe major end-times figures, focusing on ''the beast,'' also known as the Antichrist, and the False Prophet.

The word ''revelation'' means ''an unveiling or disclosure.'' This writing unveils future events such as the rapture, three series of judgments that will fall on the earth during the tribulation, the emergence of the Antichrist, the persecution of Israel and her amazing revival, as well as Jesus' second coming with His saints to the earth, the judgment of Satan and his followers, and finally, the eternal state. This content, combined with the original Greek term apokalypsis, is why we now refer to an end-of-the-world scenario as ''an apocalypse.''