A WOMAN CLOTHED WITH THE SUN
What Does the Bible Say?
By Gary Ray Branscome
branscome.org
While the Book of Revelation is the record of a vision,
or series of visions, seen by the Apostle John, the purpose of this essay is
not to deal with the entire book, but to focus on the woman described in
chapter 12:1 although I do deal briefly with certain unscriptural ideas that
should not be ignored.
The record of first vision begins with John saying, I was in the Spirit on the Lords day
(Rev. 1:10). As the vision opens John sees Jesus with a message to the seven churches that are in
The second vision begins with chapter four, and
describes a visualization of heaven that John had when in the spirit (Rev. 4:1-2). The words Come up here (verse 1) were spoken to John alone. And, there is
nothing in those verses to suggest that the resurrection will take place at that
time. That idea is just something someone made up that is being passed along as
tradition.
Furthermore, the idea that the Holy Spirit will be
withdrawn from the earth at that time is another unbiblical idea being passed
along as tradition. Because, No one can
say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost (1Cor. 12:3), the idea
that those (in chapter seven) who, Washed
their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb, came to faith
in Christ without the work of the Holy Spirit, is contrary to Scripture
(Rev.7:14). It is only by the work of the Holy Ghost that we are sealed, and
that sealing goes hand in hand with faith. As it is written, You
were also sealed with the holy Spirit
of promise, after you believed (Eph. 1:3). [Compare Eph 4:30, and Rev.
7:2-10.]
Getting back to the vision that begins in chapter four,
part of that vision describes the opening of seven seals. And, the words, The Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of
David, has prevailed to open the scroll, and to break its seven seals,
indicate that the opening of those seals corresponds to a series of events [a
time line] only made possible by Christs victory over sin.
After the seventh seal was opened John saw a vision of,
Seven angels that had
seven trumpets
(Rev. 8:6). And, after the seventh trumpet [the last trump] sounds (Rev. 11:15), we read, It is time for the dead to be judged, and for you to reward your
servants the prophets, and your saints, and those who fear your name, both
small and great; and to destroy those who destroy the earth (Rev. 11:18). The
words, In a moment, in the twinkling of
an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead
shall be raised, tell us that the resurrection will take place at that
time, at the time of the last trump
(1Cor.
Because chapter 11 ends with the resurrection and
judgment, chapter 12 is not describing events that follow chapter 11, but
instead introduces a new vision that begins with the birth of Christ (Rev.
12:1-5).
Chapter 12
In verse one we read, 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 (Rev.12:1). But, who is this woman? What does she
represent?
In order to answer that question we look first to context.
And, the words, The dragon was angry
with the woman, and went to make war against the rest of her children, who
have the testimony of Jesus Christ, give us a clue by telling us
that she is the mother of all who trust in Christ (Rev. 12:17).
However, that raises another question. Who is the
mother of those who trust in Christ?
And, the Bible answers that question with the words, Hagar represents
We find that same doctrine taught in the Old Testament
where we read, Before she travailed,
she brought forth; before her pain came, she delivered a man child
As
soon as
The phrase, The
new heavens and the new earth, mentioned by Isaiah, points to Rev.
21:1-2, where we read, I saw a new
heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth had passed
away; and there was no longer any sea. And I John saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven,
prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And, those words
identify the heavenly
That fact points to Revelation 19:7-8 where we read, The marriage of the Lamb has come, and his
wife has made herself ready. And it was granted that she should be clothed in
fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of
saints. However, that raises another question. What is the righteousness of saints? It is
certainly not works! And, the words, Christ
is the end of the law for righteousness to every one who believes, answer
that question by telling us the righteousness of saints [the righteousness of believers]
is the righteousness imputed to all who trust in Christ (Rom. 10:4).
The Persecution
Chapter twelve ends with the words, The dragon was angry with the woman, and
went to make war against the rest of her children, who
have the
testimony of Jesus Christ, and that verse leads into a description of
that persecution in chapter 13.
If the beast John
saw in Rev. 13:1 depicts a government as a comparison of Rev. 13:1 with Daniel
7:7 indicates then the fact that people worshipped
the beast, might correspond to the fact that Caesar claimed to be a God
(Rev. 13:4). And, the war of the beast with the saints may be a description of
the persecution that followed Christs ascension into heaven, and the refusal
of believers to worship Caesar (Rev. 13:7).
Conclusion
Although the focus of this essay was the woman
described in chapter 12 verse one, I included a quick look at parts of the
vision leading up to chapter twelve in order to expose certain unscriptural
ideas being read into the text. And, the unscriptural ideas do not end with
chapter twelve.
The first resurrection, spoken of in Rev. 20:5-6, is not
a physical resurrection, but the resurrection from being dead in sin to new
life in Christ. As it is written, If you have risen with Christ, seek those
things that are above (Col. 3:1). The second death has no power over those who
have received that resurrection (Rev. 20:6). And, they will reign with Christ
in heaven (not on earth) until the time of the final resurrection. The idea
that Christ will be reigning on earth contradicts Christs own words. For He
said, My kingdom is not of this world, (John