WHO IS THE WOMAN IN REVELATION 12:1?

Who is the Woman in Revelation 12:1?

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 by

Mike H. Lei

April 23, 2009

 

This paper will look at the identity of the woman in Rev 12:1, “A great and wondrous sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head.” We will take a look at whether she represents the Jewish people, the nation of Israel, the true Israel in the Old Testament, the Church, the heavenly people of God, or Mary, the mother of the Lord.

MacArthur sees the woman as “a symbolic representation of Israel, pictured in the OT as the wife of God”.[1] He doesn’t see this woman represent the church because of the references to the sun, moon, and stars. MacArthur sees the woman being clothed with the sun represents the glory, dignity, and exalted status of Israel. He writes “the moon under her feet possibly describes God’s covenant relationship with Israel, since new moons were associated with worship”. And MacArthur sees the twelve stars represent the Twelve Tribes of Israel.[2]

Ladd writes the heavenly woman represents “the Jerusalem which is above, who is the mother of the people of God on earth (Gal. 4:26).”  He sees the woman gives birth to both the Messiah and the actual church on earth. Ladd sees the woman is the heavenly representative of the people of God, which he calls the ideal Zion or ideal church in heaven.[3]

The Expositor’s Bible Commentary sees the woman represents the covenant-messianic community since the woman under attack represents a group from the birth of Christ until at least John’s day or later. They see this group includes the messianic community from John the Baptist’s ministry and later merged into Christ’s disciples called the church. They see the sun represents the glory and brilliance of the Lord and the light-bearing quality of the community. The commentary sees “the moon under the woman’s feet signifies her permanence and a crown of twelve starts on her head indicates her elect identity”. [4]  They see the stars, sun, and moon as possible allusion to the woman’s priestly nature since Josephus used these to describe high priestly vestments.[5]

Beale see the woman incorporates the people of God living both before and after Christ’s coming. He also sees the twelve stars represent the twelve tribes of Israel. Thus, he sees this is another example where the church is being equated with the twelve tribes of Israel. Beale writes that “the woman’s brightness connotes the heavenly identity and heavenly protection of the people of God, as well as their purity.” [6]

Swete writes, “The ancient expositors in general, beginning with Hippolytus and Methodius, understood the Woman with child to represent the Church, though some identified her with the Blessed Virgin.”[7]

We see that the woman exists before giving birth to the Messiah and she gave birth to believers in Christ whom Satan will war against after he is cast down from heaven (12:13-17). A strong case is seen that the sun, moon, and stars relates to the twelve tribes of Israel.  Since the dispensational theological perspective sees a distinction between Israel and the Church, the woman can’t be both Israel and the Church. She needs to be Israel. If we want to be more specific, she represents saved Israel from the time of Christ to the end times.  

 

 

Bibliography

 

Beale, G. K. The Book of Revelation: A Commentary on the Greek Text. I. Howard Marshell & Donald A. Hagner, eds. The New International Greek Testament Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1999.

Gaebelein, Frank E. Gen. Ed. J. D. Douglas. Assoc. Ed. The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Volume 12 (Hebrews-Revelation). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1981.

Holy Bible, Chinese/English (Union,NIV). Hong Kong: International Bible Society (H.K.) Ltd., 1997.

Ladd, George Eldon. A Commentary on the Revelation of John. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1972.

MacArthur, John. The MacArthur Bible Commentary. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2005.

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[1] John MacArthur, The MacArthur Bible Commentary (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2005), 2015.

[2] Ibid., 2015.

[3] George Eldon Ladd, A Commentary on the Revelation of John (Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1972), 167.

 

[4] Frank E. Gaebelein, gen. ed., J.D. Douglas, assoc. ed., The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Volume 12 (Hebrews-Revelation) (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1981), 514.

[5] Ibid., 514.

[6] G. K. Beale, The Book of Revelation: A Commentary on the Greek Text, I. Howard Marshall & Donald A. Hagner, eds. The New International Greek Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1999), 626-627.

[7] Henry Barclay Swete, Commentary on Revelation (Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications, 1977), 148.