Revelation 12:1
NKJV - 1 Now a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a garland of twelve stars.
Community answers are sorted based on votes. The higher the vote, the further up an answer is.
Great question in my humble opinion the heavens and astronomy are God's billboard for messages to His creation. Space is where we as humans are small, weak and life itself hangs on the smallest basic laws of nature. Why would God allow your asked question, simple answer because He can do it and He has a message for that time. The woman clothed with the sun (son) is Israel and the garland with the 12 stars are the 12 tribes. Consider these signs to appear in the sky and in the heavens starting on Passover next year a series of four blood moons (sun-earth-moon). 1st. Total lunar eclipse of moon 4-15-14 feast of Pesach / passover 2nd. Total lunar eclipse of moon 10-8-14 feast of Sukkot / booths / taberacles. On March 20 2015 total eclipse of the sun (sun-moon-earth) 3rd. Total lunar eclipse of the moon 4-4-15 feast of Pesach / passover. 4th. Total lunar eclipse of the moon 9-27-15 feast of Sukkot / booths / taberacles. Nasa has said that after 9-27-2015 four blood moons will not happen for at least 500 years and in history only three times 1492, 1948, 1967. Consider that the fourth moon appears on a feast day in the Jewish year 5777 the last quarter of our calendar year 2015. Rosh Hashanah feast of trumpets (Jewish New Year) comes before Yon Kippur (day of atonement) and Sukkot (booths / taberacles). And this year 5775 Hanukah (lights) falls on the day of Thanksgiving, the earliest day/time in history.....warrior on.
I would echo something that has been already said in the thread: The Woman is Israel and the stars are the twelve tribes. This particular verse starts out by saying that it is a sign. It is a symbol for something. And the imagery here calls upon Genesis 37:9-10. Here Joseph has a dream that the sun the moon and eleven stars are bowing down to him. His father Jacob interprets that in the dream, he is the sun, Joseph's mother is the moon, and Joseph's brothers are the stars. So if we come back to the verse in question, we have a woman clothed with the sun (like having Jacob [Israel] as an identifying factor) the moon under the feet (like Jacob's [Israel's] wife) and the Twelve stars (and not eleven this time; like Jacob's [Israel's] sons). All around, Revelation is a book that is Chock Full of references to the Old Testament. To boot, Israel as a nation is often characterized in the OT as a feminine persona. So all together, the idea that the woman in the verse is Israel certainly holds water. I don't think that there is much of anything in this verse that is truly dealing with astronomy. I don't believe that the question to be asking has to do with the sun and moon. Rather, what is the meaning of the signs, and where is John the Revelator going with them?
This is only my opinion. Please forgive me for mentioning a non-Christian or Jewish religion, but I am only telling my interpretation, which may or may not be correct. Please hear me out. The moon in question is not described as being full, new, or crescent, so I cant be certain. But the recognized symbol for Islam is a crescent moon. With this in mind, here is my interpretation: The woman clothed with the sun and a crown of twelve stars is Israel, and the Islamic countries surrounding her have been made her footstool. Notice how in our current day, all the Islamic countries surrounding the tiny country of Israel are bent on her destruction, but she is undefeatable. And she will not be defeated by any other country. Because God Almighty is protecting her, to fulfill His promise, and to fulfill Jesus' prophecy here in Revelation 12.
All answers are REVIEWED and MODERATED.
Please ensure your answer MEETS all our guidelines.
A good answer provides new insight and perspective. Here are guidelines to help facilitate a meaningful learning experience for everyone.