The woman in Rev 12 is not either/or but both/and
In Rev 12:1 we read “And a great portent appeared in heaven, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars”
Who is this woman? Three different suggestions are proposed; Mary, symbolic of Israel, symbolic of the Church. It is possible that she represents all three. Such “fusion imagery” is common in the Bible, especially in apocalyptic literature.
For example in Rev 4:6-8 the four beasts around the throne are a fusion of the elements of the cherubim in Ezekial 10:1-14 and the Seraphim in Isaiah 6:1-6.
Like the cherubim in Ezekial they have faces of a man, an ox, a lion and an eagle, like the Seraphim they had six wings.
The elders around the throne are 24 (Rev 4:4) because they are a fusion of the 12 patriarchs and the 12 apostles.
Polyvalent symbolism is also a feature of Revelation. For example the seven heads of the beast in Rev 17:3 represent seven hills and also seven kings (Rev 17:9)
It would not be surprising therefore if the woman in Rev 12 is a fusion and/or polyvalent symbolism with elements of Israel and the Church present.
Yes, she can represent Israel, Yes, she can represent the Church.
Primarily though the woman must be Mary, the mother of Jesus.
The woman is identified as giving birth to a son, “a male child, destined to rule all the nations with an iron rod”– reference to Psalm 2:9 & Rev 11:15. Moreover “Her child was caught up to God and his throne” so the child is clearly Jesus.
However to understand what is going on in Rev 12 we need to go back to the first three chapters of Genesis. In the Garden of Eden the man and the woman are given dominion over the earth (Gen 1:28). They are effectively the king and queen of the earth. God’s plan is that eventually they will become the king and queen of heaven, raised above the angels.
Man’s destiny is to share in the divine nature of God
“…. he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, that through these you may escape from the corruption that is in the world because of passion, and become partakers of the divine nature”. (2Pet 1: 4). Thus mankind will be superior to the angels whom we will judge (1Cor 6:3)
However Satan corrupted them and turned them from God. He gained some dominion from them for himself (Lk 3:5-7) and became the ruler of this world (Jn 12:31; 14:30; 16:11).
Why did Satan do that? I think the answer lies in Rev 12.
Genesis does not tell us anything about the creation of the angel but we know that it was before man because Satan tempted Adam in the garden. It is also reasonable to presume to God gave the angels some test, just as he tested Adam, and some angels failed the test. For we read:
For if God did not spare the angels when they sinned, but condemned them to the chains of Tartarus and handed them over to be kept for judgment; (2Pet 2:4).
In Is14:12-15 we read of the fall of Satan….
In Rev 12:1 we read “And a great portent appeared in heaven, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars”
Who is this woman? Three different suggestions are proposed; Mary, symbolic of Israel, symbolic of the Church. It is possible that she represents all three. Such “fusion imagery” is common in the Bible, especially in apocalyptic literature.
For example in Rev 4:6-8 the four beasts around the throne are a fusion of the elements of the cherubim in Ezekial 10:1-14 and the Seraphim in Isaiah 6:1-6.
Like the cherubim in Ezekial they have faces of a man, an ox, a lion and an eagle, like the Seraphim they had six wings.
The elders around the throne are 24 (Rev 4:4) because they are a fusion of the 12 patriarchs and the 12 apostles.
Polyvalent symbolism is also a feature of Revelation. For example the seven heads of the beast in Rev 17:3 represent seven hills and also seven kings (Rev 17:9)
It would not be surprising therefore if the woman in Rev 12 is a fusion and/or polyvalent symbolism with elements of Israel and the Church present.
Yes, she can represent Israel, Yes, she can represent the Church.
Primarily though the woman must be Mary, the mother of Jesus.
The woman is identified as giving birth to a son, “a male child, destined to rule all the nations with an iron rod”– reference to Psalm 2:9 & Rev 11:15. Moreover “Her child was caught up to God and his throne” so the child is clearly Jesus.
However to understand what is going on in Rev 12 we need to go back to the first three chapters of Genesis. In the Garden of Eden the man and the woman are given dominion over the earth (Gen 1:28). They are effectively the king and queen of the earth. God’s plan is that eventually they will become the king and queen of heaven, raised above the angels.
Man’s destiny is to share in the divine nature of God
“…. he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, that through these you may escape from the corruption that is in the world because of passion, and become partakers of the divine nature”. (2Pet 1: 4). Thus mankind will be superior to the angels whom we will judge (1Cor 6:3)
However Satan corrupted them and turned them from God. He gained some dominion from them for himself (Lk 3:5-7) and became the ruler of this world (Jn 12:31; 14:30; 16:11).
Why did Satan do that? I think the answer lies in Rev 12.
Genesis does not tell us anything about the creation of the angel but we know that it was before man because Satan tempted Adam in the garden. It is also reasonable to presume to God gave the angels some test, just as he tested Adam, and some angels failed the test. For we read:
For if God did not spare the angels when they sinned, but condemned them to the chains of Tartarus and handed them over to be kept for judgment; (2Pet 2:4).
In Is14:12-15 we read of the fall of Satan….
