The Man Child of Revelation 12 --- Who, When and Why?
The church must correctly identify the man child (male child) of Revelation 12 in order to correctly identify her end-times destiny and role in God's plan to restore His creation. Although many believe the birth of the man child is a sign of Jesus as an individual birthed 2000 years ago, there is much to suggest that he is a sign of Jesus --- not as an individual --- but as a portion of His corporate body birthed 3-1/2 years before the very end of the age.
If he is Jesus as an individual, that means one thing. But if he is a portion of the church --- in the form of the corporate body of Christ --- then we need to understand what that means for us who make up the body of Christ and who are alive at the end of the age. For without that understanding and vision, the church will be unaware of and unprepared for her glorious end-time calling.
1 A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars; 2 and she was with child; and she cried out, being in labor and in pain to give birth. 3 Then another sign appeared in heaven: and behold, a great red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads were seven diadems. 4 And his tail swept away a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she gave birth he might devour her child. 5 And she gave birth to a son, a male child, who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron; and her child was caught up to God and to His throne. 6 Then the woman fled into the wilderness where she had a place prepared by God, so that there she would be nourished for one thousand two hundred and sixty days. 7 And there was war in heaven, Michael and his angels waging war with the dragon. The dragon and his angels waged war, 8 and they were not strong enough, and there was no longer a place found for them in heaven. 9 And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. 10 Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, "Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, he who accuses them before our God day and night. 11 "And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death. 12 "For this reason, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them. Woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, knowing that he has only a short time." 13 And when the dragon saw that he was thrown down to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male child. 14 But the two wings of the great eagle were given to the woman, so that she could fly into the wilderness to her place, where she was nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent. 15 And the serpent poured water like a river out of his mouth after the woman, so that he might cause her to be swept away with the flood. 16 But the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and drank up the river which the dragon poured out of his mouth. 17 So the dragon was enraged with the woman, and went off to make war with the rest of her children, who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus. (Revelation 12:1-17 NASB)
There are four main individuals or people groups in the great sign of Revelation 12: the woman, the man child, a great red dragon, and the "rest of her children". The dragon is identified for us in verse 9 as Satan. The "rest of her children" are identified in verse 17 as Christians, because they keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus. The woman is harder to identify, but she fits the description of those Israelites blinded for the sake of the Gentiles until the fullness of the Gentiles comes in at which time she will be grafted back in (Romans 11:25-26). That is why she (they) must be protected for 3-1/2 years so she (they) can survive to the end of the age.
Revelation 12:8 explains that there was no longer any place in heaven found for Satan. In other words, something had just happened which changed his position of authority. What happened? The man child had just been caught up to heaven. There followed a great war in heaven, and as a result Satan was thrown down to earth. It would seem that Satan being thrown down to earth is a direct result of the man child being caught up to God and to His throne. The phrase "to His throne" implies that the man child has assumed a position of authority in heaven. This suggests that the spiritual authority for throwing Satan out of heaven to earth has been delegated to the man child. And that is consistent with the authority that Jesus has given His church.
Jesus Authorizes His Church
17 The seventy returned with joy, saying, "Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name." 18 And He said to them, "I was watching Satan fall from heaven like lightning. 19 "Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing will injure you. (Luke 10:17-19 NASB)
18 "I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. 19 "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven." (Matthew 16:18-19 NASB)
Jesus can delegate authority to whomever He wants, since He has all authority on heaven and earth (Matthew 28:18). He has chosen to apply His authority over Satan through His corporate body. Jesus living in and through His people is a great and wonderful mystery. The crux of it is that it's still Jesus doing the work, but He is doing it through His body of saints. And if we refer to Ephesians 3:8-12, we see that it is through the church that God desires to demonstrate His manifold wisdom, which is His eternal purpose in Christ Jesus and the reason He created all things. So although He has delegated authority to His church, it is still Jesus doing the work, for He says, "Without Me you can do nothing."
Luke 10:19 indicates that Jesus has delegated all authority over the devil to His church. Jesus is now sitting at the right hand of the Father waiting until His enemies be put under His feet. In other words, He is waiting for the church to step into the authority that He has given her. And He's not going to take that authority back because the church has been slow to rise to the occasion. Jesus came to earth and did what He came to do, and now it is the church's turn to do what she has been called and delegated to do. This is the great testimony of the book of Revelation. The man child has authority to eject Satan from heaven to earth. The saints on earth then overcome Satan by the blood of the Lamb, the word of their testimony, and by not loving their lives unto death.
When the disciples returned after their first successful missionary venture, Jesus rejoiced greatly in the Holy Spirit, and He saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. It was the first successful test of their delegated authority. And the test was satisfactory. And I believe that's why Jesus rejoiced. He knew it was the Father's plan to defeat Satan through the church, and Jesus came to put the Father's plan into motion. But did that fall take place 2000 years ago, or did He see a vision of something that would happen in the future in the same way John saw the future events of Revelation? Did He and John both see that event which would eventually take place in Revelation 12:9 at the beginning of the final 3-1/2 years of the age?
When does Satan Fall?
We are constrained to understand the "time, times and half a time" referred to in Revelation as a literal 3-1/2 years, as it is identified as equivalent terms of 42 months and 1260 days. At the beginning of this final 3-1/2 years of the age, the man child is birthed and caught up to heaven. He is birthed following increasingly intense events which Jesus describes in the gospels as "birth pains." If there are birth pains associated with the end times, then there will be a birth. Who or what is being born? It is obvious from a overall view of the book of Revelation that the man child and the glorified saints are the product of this birthing. The church is birthed in splendor as a bride without spot or wrinkle.
There are a number of clues that indicate his birth is at this 3-1/2 year point before the very end of the age. The famines, earthquakes, wars, and the persecution that Jesus describes as birth pains are events commonly associated with tribulation and/or great tribulation. The birth pains that Jesus describes did not take place 2000 years ago. They take place near the very end of the age. After the birth, the woman goes off into the wilderness to be protected for 3-1/2 years. Satan is then cast down from heaven to earth, and we know from other scriptures he then indwells the antichrist who is immediately revealed at this 3-1/2 year point. Jesus takes us back to the book of Daniel to point this out in Matthew 24:15.
There is a crisis of intense events that takes place at this 3-1/2 year point. These last 3-1/2 years represent perhaps the greatest time of testimony on the earth except for the time when Jesus walked the earth 2000 years ago. We remember the prophecy of Elijah when as a result it did not rain for 3-1/2 years. Scholars believe Jesus' time of public ministry was also 3-1/2 years. The two witnesses of Revelation 11 testify for 1260 days, or exactly 3-1/2 years. This last 3-1/2 years of the age will be an awesome testimony --- the final testimony before Jesus returns. Therefore the book of Revelation covers it repeatedly and thoroughly. It is the final lap of the race the church has been running for 2000 years, and it is the most crucial. It is described in detail that we might understand. One of Satan's ploys is to try to convince the church that she is not in view in these scriptures.
Approximately two-thirds of the book of Revelation is devoted to the last 3-1/2 years of the age --- from about the middle of chapter 6 unto the early part of chapter 20. This is an indication of the importance of what takes place during this brief period of time. The whole plan of God to restore His creation is brought to fruition. Satan is defeated. The church is brought to maturity and glory.
The Man Child . . . Why?
19 For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. (Romans 8:19-22 NASB)
All creation is eagerly awaiting the revealing of the sons of God, for it is the sons of God who will set in final motion the defeat of Satan and the restoration of all creation. If this seems like excess, remember that it is all God's plan. He will glorify Himself through His church. It's not that we in ourselves are significant in stature, it's that He has elected to work through the weak and foolish. It pleases God to do things that way, and whatever pleases God pleases the Son.
21 At that very time He rejoiced greatly in the Holy Spirit, and said, "I praise You, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants. Yes, Father, for this way was well-pleasing in Your sight. (Luke 10:21 NASB)
26 For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; 27 but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, 28 and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, 29 so that no man may boast before God. (1 Corinthians 1:26-29 NASB)
Characteristics of the Man Child
I believe that Revelation Chapters 11, 12, 13, and 14 are all repeated looks at the final 3-1/2 years from different perspectives. At the beginning of Revelation 14, we see a company of 144,000 in heaven. I believe this is another look at the man child of Revelation 12 after he has been caught up to heaven.
1 Then I looked, and behold, the Lamb was standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His name and the name of His Father written on their foreheads. 2 And I heard a voice from heaven, like the sound of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder, and the voice which I heard was like the sound of harpists playing on their harps. 3 And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders; and no one could learn the song except the one hundred and forty-four thousand who had been purchased from the earth. 4 These are the ones who have not been defiled with women, for they have kept themselves chaste. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These have been purchased from among men as first fruits to God and to the Lamb. 5 And no lie was found in their mouth; they are blameless. (Revelation 14:1-5 NASB)
We need to carefully and prayerfully consider the description of this company. They are blameless without lie in their mouths. They are chaste. They follow the Lamb wherever He goes. They have been purchased from among men as first fruits to God and to the Lamb. They have applied the promises of God as described in 2 Peter 1:3-4 to their lives and have purified themselves. They have taken to heart God's commandment to "Be holy, for I am holy."
They are seen in heaven before the great tribulation begins. There is nothing that these saints needed to repent of. They are blameless. They had already washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb before the onset of great tribulation. They are contrasted with those of the church at Thyatira who were given opportunity to repent, but did not want to, and as a consequence will find themselves thrown into great tribulation. And during this time all those of the churches will find their hearts and minds searched and will receive according to their deeds. Notice that the man child of Revelation 12 and the overcoming saints of the church at Thyatira are both promised to rule the nations with rods of iron. The man- child company is clearly a portion of the overcoming church.
21 'I gave her time to repent, and she does not want to repent of her immorality. 22 'Behold, I will throw her on a bed of sickness, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of her deeds. 23 'And I will kill her children with pestilence, and all the churches will know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts; and I will give to each one of you according to your deeds. 24 'But I say to you, the rest who are in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not known the deep things of Satan, as they call them--I place no other burden on you. 25 'Nevertheless what you have, hold fast until I come. 26 'He who overcomes, and he who keeps My deeds until the end, TO HIM I WILL GIVE AUTHORITY OVER THE NATIONS; 27 AND HE SHALL RULE THEM WITH A ROD OF IRON, AS THE VESSELS OF THE POTTER ARE BROKEN TO PIECES, as I also have received authority from My Father; (Revelation 2:21-27 NASB)
The difference between those who achieve man-child status and those who do not and are thrown into great tribulation may simply be a matter of taking or not taking verse 21 to heart: "I gave her time to repent, and she does not want to repent of her immorality." It seems clear that there is no victory over Satan short of achieving holiness. As long as he has something in us, we will be compromised and there will be no victory. We will not be a bride without spot or wrinkle.
There is still time --- as of this writing --- to make this decision. The whole church does not do so. For the man child is only the first fruits of the final harvest which takes place at the end of Revelation 14. Those who are not first fruits must go through great tribulation to the extent needed to wash their robes and make them white in the blood of the Lamb. It seems we have the choice to purify ourselves now and avoid the need to be purified during great tribulation.
31 But if we judged ourselves rightly, we would not be judged. 32 But when we are judged, we are disciplined by the Lord so that we will not be condemned along with the world. (1 Corinthians 11:31- 32 NASB)
The Lord only disciplines those He loves --- if necessary.
6 In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, 7 so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; (1 Peter 1:6-7 NASB)
Consequently --- if necessary --- we will find ourselves entering great tribulation because God loves us and insists that we be found without spot or wrinkle when Jesus returns.
13 Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, "These who are clothed in the white robes, who are they, and where have they come from?" 14 I said to him, "My lord, you know." And he said to me, "These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15 "For this reason, they are before the throne of God; and they serve Him day and night in His temple; and He who sits on the throne will spread His tabernacle over them. (Revelation 7:13-15)
Notice that these ones are before the throne, whereas those of the man-child company were caught up to the throne.
Discipline . . .
The Lord is increasing His discipline in these days that we might turn from our sins and our old ways of thinking to be filled with the fullness of Christ and to assume our responsibilities as ambassadors of the Kingdom of God in power. If the kind messenger is not heeded, then a harsh one will be sent, for God will have His church without spot or wrinkle. He is both kind and severe. To the extent we are not walking in holiness, the enemy will have access to our families, our property, our health, our finances, and our minds. When I fall short now in my striving against sin --- which is sometimes far too casual --- I pay a price. The principles of great tribulation are already here. To the extent we choose not to deal with our sins, we will be thrown into situations where the enemy has access to us. God is turning up the heat. The time is short. We must make a choice.
Father, discipline us as sons and daughters that we might rise to this call on the wings of Your mercy and grace. Prompt us to repentance as necessary that we might quality as first fruits of Your harvest and that we might wash our robes and make them white now, if possible, before the fires of great tribulation. But if that fire should be needed, then give us strength to endure to the end, that we might glorify You in the process, and that we might ultimately stand before You and hear the words, "Well done, good and faithful servants."