Chapters 12 and 13 of Revelation are teaching interludes in John’s revelation. They are not limited to a part of any one of the seven seals but contain information vital for all who desire to overcome Satan. The Prophet Joseph, just before acquiring the gold plates, was shown the glory of the Lord as well as the power of the prince of darkness and his innumerable hosts. Following this vision, Joseph was told that ‘all this is shown, the good and the evil, the holy and impure, the glory of “God and the power of darkness, that ye may know hereafter the two powers and never be influenced or overcome by that wicked one’(Messenger and Advocate, Oct. 1835, p. 198)
We will study this chapter in the JST from the Bible Appendix. It is the most revised of the chapters in the Book of Revelation.
Vs. 1 – The sign here is an omen of a coming event. It appears in heaven because that is where John sees his vision. It is in the likeness of things on earth in that a pregnant woman experiencing labor is an earthly event
The JST in vs. 7 tells us that the woman clothed with the sun (Celestial Kingdom ) is the true Church of God
The crown of twelve stars shows the preeminent position of the apostles. Stars often symbolize individual persons. (Gen. 37:9; Job 38:7)
Vs. 2 – The child to be delivered is the Kingdom of God kingdom of God Israel as a travailing woman seeking to give birth to Zion
Vs. 3 – Note that the JST puts verse five before verse 3.
The child that was born in the meridian of time was taken into heaven before it could grow. The rod of iron is the word of God.
After Christ comes, all the peoples of the earth will be subject to him, but there will be multitudes of people on the face of the earth who will not be members of the Church; yet all will have to be obedient to the laws of the kingdom of God, for it will have dominion upon the whole face of the earth. These people will be subject to the political government, even though they are not members of the ecclesiastical kingdom which is the church. This government which embraces all the people of the earth, both in and out of the Church, is also sometimes spoken of as the kingdom of God, because the people are subject to the kingdom of god which Christ will set up. (JFS, DS. 1:229)
Vs. 4 – The dragon represents the devil. Red is the color of sin, murder, and bloodshed.
Seven heads represents Satan’s influence in the ruling of all nations. Ten horns show Satan’s significant power. All of his limited power. Seven crowns (diadema) indicate that Satan has perfect and complete power on earth. His tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth is Satan’s success in the war in heaven.
“When John speaks of the war in heaven, his description of Lucifer’s activities is slightly different from the typical interpretation in Latter-day Saint circles. He states that the devil drew away “third part” of the hosts of heaven with him (See Rev. 12:4; D&C 29:36-38). The distinction between “one-third” and a “third part” may seem subtle, yet it is real. The fraction one-third implies 33 1/3 percent, whereas the phrase “third part” implies a numerically undetermined segment of the population who symbolize the fact that Satan’s power over the pre-mortal spirits was limited. Thus, the numerology in the passage implies that we have no knowledge of the fraction or percentage of the Father’s children who followed the adversary. All we know is that Satan had a limited influence over those in the presence of God.” (Gaskill, p. 118-19)
The last sentence of the verse indicates that Satan stood ready to destroy the Kingdom of God Roman empire . We should note that the dragon’s power existed before and after the Roman Empire .
Vs. 5 – The child (Kingdom of God
Vs. 6 -11 – The war began in heaven and will continue until the great battle at the end of the millennium. What John may be describing is a renewal of the war that started in heaven in the meridian of times. Parry gives two reasons for this 1) The presence of both the Church and kingdom of God 12:11 ), which cannot happen with pre-mortal spirits.
“What kind of war? The same kind that prevails on earth; the only kind Satan and spirit beings can wage-a war of words, a tumult of opinions, a conflict of ideologies; a war between truth and error, between light and darkness, between the gospel of Jesus Christ, with all its saving power, and the false religions of the world, which have a form of godliness but area devoid of saving grace. And the battle lines are still drawn. It is now on earth as it was then in heaven; every man must choose which general he will follow. (BRM, DNTC 3:518)
Vs. 7 - We learn a little more of the pre-earthly nobility of Adam. We are also reminded that the war continues on different battlefields.
Vs. 8 – The word Devil does not appear in the Old Testament. It is a translation from the Greek and means False accuser or slanderer. Satan likes this tactic. Satan means adversary or accuser. Many of his false accusations are voiced through his servants on this earth. D&C 93:25 teaches us that telling lies is a habit Satan has had since the beginning. "The wicked spirits that leave here and go into the spirit world, are they wicked there? Yes. If we are faithful to our religion, when we go into the spirit world, the fallen spirits—Lucifer and the third part of the heavenly hosts that came with him, and the spirits of wicked men who have dwelt upon this earth, the whole of them combined will have no influence over our spirits. Is not that an advantage? Yes. All the rest of the children of men are more or less subject to them, and they are subject to them as they were while here in the flesh" (DBY, 379). Check out the Teachings of the Presidents of the Church- Brigham Young 1997, ch. 38)
Vs. 9–10 -With the neighborhood cleansed of the bad elements, life is good. God is not the accuser. He is the supporter. Christ is our advocate. Satan our accuser. "In other words, the earth is set up and school is in session, worthy spirits can go down to earth, have opportunities to choose between good and evil, join the kingdom of God via the gospel of Jesus Christ, and gain exaltation because of the Atonement of Christ." (Ridges p. 446)
Vs. 11 – A great verse describing how we overcome the adversary.
Vs. 12-17 are a description of the persecution of the Church in the Meridian of Time and the Great Apostasy that followed.
Vs. 12 – The JST additions to this verse “after these things” and “I heard another voice” are indicators that we are moving on to another scene from the war in heaven and meridian of time verses. With all of the things that Satan does not seem to understand, he seems to see clearly that the time will come when he will lose his ability to tempt us.
Vs. 13 – Persecution of the Church (the woman) and its members is a first priority for Satan. Even when he is really busy, he will have time for us. Why? (See Matt. 5:11-12 & John 15:20-21)
Vs. 14 – The eagle’s wings symbolize deliverance from on high, which deliverance comes with swiftness and power. Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians and how I bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto myself. (Ex. 19:4) Ridges suggests the possibility that the eagle could refer to the USA's roll in providing a place for the gospel to be restored in these latter-days. (p. 446)
Time, Times and a half time. “This phrase was first used in Israelite history to refer to the period (168-165 BC) that the temple was defiled by the followers of the Greek emperor Antiochus IV Epiphanes. It came to an end with the courageous fight of the Maccabees. They drove out the Syrian Greeks, destroyed the pagan altars in the temple, and purified it. The time of desecration…so burned itself into the minds and memories of the Jewish nation that it came to be used regularly to denote the period of terror, under the sway of demonic evil, before the final ending of history came.” (Barclay, Great Themes of the New Testament, p. 88)
Vs. 15 – The water as a flood out of the serpent’s mouth has several possible interpretations. 1) Torrent of lies vs. church. 2) Flow of evil sent from Satan. 3) Persecution 4) Attacks of Rome
Vs. 16 – There is no doubt that the earth is obedient and on God’s side. See Numbers 16:28, 30, 32; 26:10; Dt. 11:6; Helaman 12:7-19; Moses 7:48.
Vs. 17 – That would be US. D&C 76:28-29.
