The Woman, The Beasts and The Dragon

1. The Woman, The Beasts and The Dragon Revelation 12:1-14:20 The Church and the Empire

3. Broad Context • The Opening of the Seven Seals (6:1-8:1-5) and • The Sound of the Seven Trumpets (8:6-11:19) Presents the reader not so much with a chronological sequence of predicted events but with a series of visions that depict the trauma of living in a world which struggles (temporarily) under the sway of evil. In the midst of this there are faithful witnesses who persevere even unto death and whose endurance leads them to participation in the heavenly liturgy (11:1- 18).

4. Immediate Context 11:19 “Then God's temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant was seen within his temple; and there were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and heavy hail.” (Rev. 11:19) The Ark of the Covenant was the symbol of presence. It had disappeared at the time of the Babylonian captivity and the Temple in Jerusalem (the other sign of God’s presence) has been destroyed by the Romans. So while these earthly signs may have disappeared that does not mean that God is no longer present: What takes place in heaven is an indicator of what is to be on earth. Lightening thunder and earthquake: all be indicators of a theophany!

5. The Woman, the Child and the Dragon 12:1-17 Cosmic Combat! • A Sign in heaven – • Story echoes Biblical and classical mythological accounts of the attempts by the Sea Monster / Dragon to usurp the power of God/ the gods • Classical Mythology gives us the story of Leto fleeing the dragon Python, she gives birth to Apollo who four days later finds the dragon and slays him • Leviathan/ Rahab is the biblical monster who represents the forces of chaos who was subdued by God at the beginning of creation. • On that day the LORD with his cruel and great and strong sword will punish Leviathan the fleeing serpent, Leviathan the twisting serpent, and he will kill the dragon that is in the sea. (Isa. 27:1) • For other biblical references see Is 51:9, Ps 74:13-14, Job 26:13

6. The Woman as Israel or Church Listen, an uproar from the city! A voice from the temple! The voice of the LORD, dealing retribution to his enemies! Before she was in labour she gave birth; before her pain came upon her she delivered a son. Who has heard of such a thing? Who has seen such things? Shall a land be born in one day? Shall a nation be delivered in one moment? Yet as soon as Zion was in labour she delivered her children. Shall I open the womb and not deliver? says the LORD; shall I, the one who delivers, shut the womb? says your God. (Isa. 66:6-11 see also Is 26:7-8, Is 54:1) The Woman with the Twelve stars may be both Israel and the Church Only later was she considered to be Mary the Mother of Jesus. It is a symbolic depiction of the coming of the Messiah and his rejection by the forces of evil. Note how the woman’s other children are pursued by the dragon: the persecuted Church!

7. War in Heaven 12:7-10 • Heaven is the realm of God yet even here the power of evil may be exercised. • The War in Heaven (see 1Enoch 6-19, Jubilees 5). Angelology developed the period of the second Temple and questions about the origin of evil were addresses through the apocalypses. .Links were made to biblical tradition so the identification of the Dragon with the “ancient serpent, the deceiver” (Gen 3:1-19) • Though Michael defeats the Dragon the hymn (12:10- 12)makes clear that it is faith in Christ ( the blood of the Lamb) that has won the victory. Yet the victory is not yet complete.

8. The Dragon continues the war on Earth: 12:13- 18. • On earth Satan pursues the woman (Church) but God intervenes to protect her and the earth too (creation) plays its part but swallowing up the flood sent to sweep her away. • He makes war on her children • Enlists the help of the Beasts (emerging from the sea, source of chaos) • First Beast ( drawn from Dn7:14) imagery suggests the Roman Empire. The wounded head: a reference to legend of Nero Redivivus? • Second Beast: the explicitly religious dimension of the Empire? People in the Empire are deceived or forced into worship.

9. The Number of the Beast • The identification of the beast calls for wisdom – the author appears to want the readers to know in specifically about who he speaks. • Gematria i.e. adding numbers derived from the alphabet was used by both Jews and Gentiles. • Nero Caesar is the best fit. Though it only works using the Hebrew alphabet and not the Greek. In the history of interpretation much attention was given to the denoting this beast as the “antichrist” but the term does not occur in Revelation (see 1Jn 2:18ff). • Candidates have included: Popes, Martin Luther, Napoleon, Htiler, Stalin etc.

10. The Response to the Beast 14:1 – 16:21 • Salvation lies with the Lamb seen on Mt Sion as opposed to the seven hills of Rome (17:9) • 144,000 12x12 symbolic of the whole community of the faithful who have already borne witness and they are the “first fruits” (14:4). Not to be read as the number of those to be saved, see 7:1-17!! • The name of the lamb and his father’s name written on their foreheads- in contrast to the followers of the beast (13:16-17) • The saints have to endure the judgment that comes upon the beast. • The violence of the language (14:14- 16:21) is not in any way a call to arms but an evocation of the horror and hardship of what happens as evil is confronted and defeated. The symbolism is rooted in the plagues of Egypt (Ex 7-14)