Read & explore together
The Woman and the Dragon
Revelation 12:1-6 shows two striking signs in heaven: a woman and a dragon. The passage uses vivid vision language to show danger, conflict and God’s care, without turning the vision into an ordinary historical scene.
Understanding the passage
The setting of this message
These verses show a sign in heaven of a woman with sun, moon and twelve stars, followed by another sign of a great red dragon. The vision moves from the woman’s labour, to the dragon’s threat, to the child being caught up to God and to his throne, and then to the woman’s place in the wilderness.
Revelation 12:1–6Main takeaway
This vision shows fierce danger, yet the child is caught up to God and to his throne, and the woman has a place prepared by God.
Explore the message
Open a card to explore the full explanation and its Bible references.
01A great sign in heavenThe passage begins with “a great sign” seen in heaven. The woman is described with cosmic imagery: clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and wearing a crown of twelve stars.
Explanation
The passage begins with “a great sign” seen in heaven. The woman is described with cosmic imagery: clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and wearing a crown of twelve stars. The verse presents a striking heavenly sign rather than an ordinary earthly description.
02The woman’s pain and the dragon’s appearanceThe woman is with child and crying out in pain as she labours to give birth. Then “another sign” appears: a great red dragon with seven heads, ten horns and seven crowns.
Explanation
The woman is with child and crying out in pain as she labours to give birth. Then “another sign” appears: a great red dragon with seven heads, ten horns and seven crowns. The vision places the woman’s suffering beside a threatening enemy as the birth approaches.
03The dragon’s threat against the childThe dragon’s power is pictured dramatically when his tail throws one third of the stars of the sky to the earth.
Explanation
The dragon’s power is pictured dramatically when his tail throws one third of the stars of the sky to the earth. He stands before the woman who is about to give birth so that he might devour her child. The danger is direct and immediate in the vision.
04The child and the woman are preservedThe woman gives birth to “a son, a male child” who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron.
Explanation
The woman gives birth to “a son, a male child” who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron. Her child is caught up to God and to his throne. The woman flees into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God for nourishment during one thousand two hundred sixty days.
Questions to explore
Pause, look back at the verses and talk together.
01What words show that this passage presents signs seen in heaven rather than an everyday scene?
Look closely at the repeated wording “a great sign was seen in heaven” and “another sign was seen in heaven”.
02How does the passage show the dragon’s hostility towards the child?
Notice both the dramatic picture of the stars and the specific action of the dragon standing before the woman to devour the child.
03What does God do for the child and for the woman in this vision?
Compare what happens to the child after birth with what is prepared for the woman in the wilderness.
Read the Bible passage
World English Bible ClassicScripture quotation · Public domain
Revelation 12:1–6
1A great sign was seen in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars.
2She was with child. She cried out in pain, laboring to give birth.
3Another sign was seen in heaven. Behold, a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven crowns.
4His tail drew one third of the stars of the sky, and threw them to the earth. The dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she gave birth he might devour her child.
5She gave birth to a son, a male child, who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron. Her child was caught up to God and to his throne.
6The woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, that there they may nourish her one thousand two hundred sixty days.