Revelation 12:4

From Errancy Wiki
Jump to navigationJump to search

Previous Verse < Revelation 12 > Next Verse

And his tail draweth the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon standeth before the woman that is about to be delivered, that when she is delivered he may devour her child. (ASV)

Pro

The stars are small objects loosely attached to a solid sky (see the Jude 1:14 article for more on this). --Robert Stevens 12:23, 9 Nov 2005 (CST)

Con

The Book of Revelation consists of a vision (or series of visions) that John experienced while on the island of Patmos. The language is symbolic (allegorical) and should not be taken as necessarily always speaking of literal, physical objects (although this approach may be warranted in some cases). When we look at the context of the passage from which PRO has excised one verse, it is difficult to justify a literal, physical reading of the passage or to the "stars in heaven" reference within that passage.

Revelation 12

1 And a great sign was seen in heaven: a woman arrayed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars;

2 and she was with child; and she crieth out, travailing in birth, and in pain to be delivered.

3 And there was seen another sign in heaven: and behold, a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his heads seven diadems.

4 And his tail draweth the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon standeth before the woman that is about to be delivered, that when she is delivered he may devour her child.

5 And she was delivered of a son, a man child, who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and unto his throne.

While the language is difficult, most understand the son described in v 5 to be Christ. From this, the women is though to be the OT saints (or perhaps Israel). The dragon is normally a reference to Satan.

Based on the above characterizations, the action described in v4, "...his tail draweth the third part of the stars of heaven,..." must be describing an event that occurred prior to the birth of Christ (or perhaps prior to the beginning of His ministry). It is clear that the language of Revelation does not require the "stars of heaven" to be literal, physical stars and it is most likely that "stars of heaven" refers to some aspect of the church as it relates to Christ. It is not certain what this might be.

Regardless, PRO fails to take into account the imagery of the Book of Revelation. PRO assumes some relationship to literal, physical stars when such a literal reading of the passage is not called for and hardly supports a reasonable understanding of the passage.

Neutral

Edit this section to note miscellaneous facts.

External links