Ever since Adam and Eve chose Satan’s way over God’s way, this planet has been a battleground for a spiritual war. We are involved in this war everyday. But God doesn’t leave us to fight alone. One way He equips us is by giving us His Word of truth.

The book of Revelation is full of images and prophecies for God’s people who are in the midst of war. Chapter 12 tells an epic story that shows us how Christ will conquer Satan forever. This story symbolizes the heavenly battle that is unfolding throughout history and even today.

Revelation 12:1-9 gives a brief outline of the final conflict between Christ and Satan. The first scenes describe the efforts of Satan to destroy Christ at his birth in order to thwart the plan of salvation. This is followed by the crucifixion, the efforts of Satan to destroy the New Testament Church, and finally his efforts to destroy the remnant Church.

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. She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth. Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on his heads. His tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth. The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that he might devour her child the moment it was born. She gave birth to a son, a male child, who will rule all the nations with an iron scepter. And her child was snatched up to God and to his throne. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent called the Devil, and Satan...he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him (Revelation 12:1-9).

This piece of Scripture is full of earthly symbols that represent spiritual events and beings. In the following articles, we will unpack the symbols and their implications for today’s world.