In chapter 12 the timeframe shifts to events, both leading and subsequent to the re-establishing of Israel. The time of the ‘acquisition’ of Jerusalem, the Dead Sea scrolls – so much waiting, waiting, for so long. The wait is over.
Let us turn to the particular. When was the modern nation of Israel constituted? On May 14th, 1948. Note that on April 18th, 2018, Israel celebrated its 70th anniversary. Three-and-a-half twenties – the time from birth to maturity – a time, times and half a time – and so consider verse 14.
1 And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed in the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head. 2 She was pregnant and crying out in the pain and agony of giving birth.
I have no reservation in sharing the sign occurred in 2017 as a cosmic alignment, just before Israel turned 70 years of age. The alignment saw Jupiter ‘enter’ Virgo, and the planet proceeded to the abdominal area of the constellation where it remained for a total of roughly nine months, transiting in a retrograde orbit relative to the earth and then continuing.
This event matches the Biblical description. A sign in heaven: the elements convey a great, supernatural meaning, one visible to those who believe the scripture to be inspired by God. In context, the constellation of Virgo symbolises the Virgin Mary – but also, in modernity, it serves as a symbol of the nation of Israel. As Genesis 1:14 declares, the “lights in the expanse of the sky … let them serve as signs to mark sacred times, and days and years.” Many people have discussed this and still it remains a hidden mystery. Even the fact there would be so little awareness was known.
3 Then another sign appeared in heaven: a huge red dragon with seven heads, ten horns, and seven royal crowns on his heads.
The term ‘dragon’ will be seen in the text in more than one fashion, but here it most plausibly refers to the constellation of Serpens. At a deeper level it portrays the overarching manifestation of the adversary.
4 His tail swept a third of the stars from the sky, tossing them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, ready to devour her child as soon as she gave birth.
Note the orientation, the position of Serpens in relation to Virgo. The orientation of the stellar bodies ‘lines up’, they are consistent with the textual record. But what of these, a third of the stars? Stellar bodies such as a group of meteors falling to the earth? I expect yes, but it also alludes to dark forces under the control of Satan. We see a thematic consistency if we do not dismiss, do not fail to consider the context of these passages.
5 And she gave birth to a son, a male child, who will rule all the nations with an iron scepter. And her child was caught up to God and to His throne.
The woman is Mary, the mother of Christ. Mary was a Jewish virgin, selected by God to give birth to the Messiah, to raise him. Thus, the sign serves to associate both the first and the second coming of Christ with its appearance. The times of the appearance are not arbitrary, rather the place of humanity in eternity is fixed upon this revealing of Jesus, the Son of Almighty God to the nation of Israel – the first and the last, then and now.
6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where God had prepared a place for her to be nourished for 1,260 days.
Question: Is this 1260 days relating to the first or to the second coming of Christ? Could it be both? I am yet unable to see how three and one half years connects with the times of the events of the holocaust. Rather, I perceive three and a half years for Jesus, Mary, and Joseph to remain safe in Egypt.
So it is very difficult to associate this aspect of the vision with modern history. Still, through all of this the horrors of the holocaust echo in the text of this chapter. Israel was reconstituted in 1948, a start initiated by war – in Europe and then in ‘the wilderness’ allotted to the Jews who survived World War II. The time of great trouble commences, continues.
7 Then a war broke out in heaven: Michael [an archangel ‘responsible for the care of Israel’] and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. 8 But the dragon was not strong enough, and no longer was any place found in heaven for him and his angels. 9 And the great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.
As Israel was about to re-emerge, Satan is banished from the heavenly realm. Thus fallen to the Earth, the adversary continues to plan, to seek opportunities to conduct his treachery – to subdue and recruit humanity.
Consider what was happening in Europe under the Nazis. Treachery including population control through so-called health measures – ‘gesundheitspass’ – then and now!
Addendum: Think about it – it is happening again, but this time it is emerging worldwide. Please do not offer or respond, ‘I have no choice.’ Choose Jesus!
It is of central importance to be aware of the following example. The World Economic Forum in 2021 detailed the production and deployment of a digital passport proving vaccination status*, but for now it would seem plans changed. Were there too many voices of independent academic and commercial research? No, rather these sought to establish full control. The delay was an evaluation.
Addendum: * WEF sponsored nations begin to enroll, as the scripture records.
10 And I heard a loud voice in heaven saying: “Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of His Christ. For the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down — he who accuses them day and night before our God. 11 They have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony. And they did not love their lives so as to shy away from death. 12 Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! But woe to the earth and the sea; with great fury the devil has come down to you, knowing he has only a short time.”
The Nazis lost the second world war, Hitler’s pursuit of the Jewish race in order to extinguish it – but the battle was not over, or so it would seem now. The truth of the matter is that the battle was fought and won on the cross.
13 And when the dragon saw that he had been thrown to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. 14 But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle to fly from the presence of the serpent to her place in the wilderness [the desert land of Israel in 1948], where she was nourished [Greek: τρέφεται, from τρέφω (tref’-o), to rear, fully develop] for a time, and times, and half a time [20 + 2 * 20 + 0.5 * 20 = 70 years].
A great eagle – the symbol for the United States. The U.S. did fight and overcome the Nazis, and then defended, supported, protected the nation of Israel – from ‘inception’ to ‘maturity’ – and then things changed.
15 Then from the mouth of the serpent spewed water like a river to overtake the woman and sweep her away in the torrent. 16 But the earth helped the woman and opened its mouth to swallow up the river that had poured from the dragon’s mouth.
For me, this image does not evoke a bold, clear interpretation, and yet I recall recent events surrounding the ‘migrant flood’. I believe these could be related to Israel, regarding both the ongoing international territorial disputes (so as to ‘sweep her away’), and also the western-aligned nations having received masses of African migrants (‘the earth … opened its mouth to swallow up the river’) instead of Israel being inundated within its borders.
Addendum: A few weeks ago I stated, additionally, that the United States is no longer a democratic republic. The ‘flood’ is now global. Everyone needs Christ!
May I interject: all people can accept Christ, but He is God with us, not a genie! As a believer I long for the welfare, to see peace and provision for all of humanity. Life streams from Him, and God is not willing, does not desire that any should perish. This is the bedrock of faith each and all must find.
17 And the dragon was enraged at the woman, and went to make war with the rest of her children, who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus. And the dragon stood on the shore of the sea.
Addendum: Her ‘children’ are the ‘fruit’ of faith in Christ, those who receive salvation. Lucifer thus seeks, now, to destroy believers. Standing ‘on the shore of the sea‘ speaks to proximity – close, yet separate, until events near completion.
The forces of Lucifer – idle? No, preparing and thus ready to strike, again.
Thus the battle shifted to cunning rather than warfare. I will say it without hesitation: Davos became the weapon against the oligarchs, the banks, the governments, the nations, … the United Nations. And now the WHO, IHF. Does anyone doubt there will be another health emergency? Time will tell, but I am expecting a crisis in 2030. Very soon Now the globe’s peoples will be are being subjected to biometric identification. Is it not obvious? As a believer in Christ – and a techie myself – I’ve been expecting it for over 20 years.
Addendum: I can go into some technical detail, even great detail, but for now I will just ask – was this not the purpose of digital certificates from the very beginning?
End Times Prophecy 