How do Christians interpret this little snippet of 'prophecy'?

Question

I'm not going to bother cutting and pasting, or even trying to paraphrase.

In the Book of Revelation, one of the signs is a direct reference to known constellations; Virgo, the Virgin (about to give birth, no less) and Draco, the Dragon seeking to eat the child as soon as it is born.

I have read many bizarre interpretations, some from well over a thousand years ago up to the Middle Ages, the Renaissance and even modern charlatan preachers seeking to sell books.

Also, which came first? The story of Herod/Satan and Jesus, and the escape to Egypt, or the Celestial story of Draco and the Pregnant Virgin who escapes to the mountain after giving birth?

Not the first time the stories in the Bible were modeled after the constellation/star stories. Remember Lucifer, and how he fell from the Heavens? It's the story of the cycles of the Planet Venus, the Bright and Morning Star.

Revelation 12:1-5, for those who are not familiar with it.

Answer 1

It's like everything else in the bible -- it's a made up story to explain why the stars form apparent patterns in the sky. I wonder what religious people will do when (and if) they ever get the chance to colonize other planets, and they look up and see completely different and completely new patterns in the sky?
Oo - new material!

Answer 2

There are several interpretations of Revelations 12. To my understanding, which could be wrong, it means this. The woman with the crown of 12 stars is Israel midway into the last 7 years known as the great tribulation period. She is about to birth a child. The child is the 144,000. The dragon, who is satan, want to destroy the 144,000 but they are caught up to God and his throne.

As this is a still future event, how can you more or less, have comment about it? You ask what is the interpretation, when reading and studying the Bible itself, or at least reading some Christian commentaries would give you the answer. If you are reading atheist websites and material, then you are not going to get correct information about Christianity.

Answer 3

Here's how I've interpreted Revelation 12.

The woman about to give birth is a picture of the bride of Christ, the true church of God. The child she gives birth to is Jesus Christ who would rule all nations with a rod of iron (a.k.a a rod of Judgment) When this child (Jesus Christ) went back to heaven (ie after crucifixion), the church fled into the wilderness. The wilderness is in my opinion symbolic of testing or a time of trial.
Notice that there is a symbolic link here with the nation of Israel in the Old Testament. The nation of Israel is symbolically a picture of God's true chosen people, which consist of all those who possess the gift of eternal life.
After the Passover event (symbolic of Jesus death on the cross as the sacrificial lamb, Christ was also crucified on the Jewish Passover) Pharoah allowed Israel to be free and after this event Israel also fled into a wilderness where they were tested by God for forty years.
After the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus, Satan was given a death blow and my guess is that was the time He was cast down to the earth. And now the dragon persecutes all those who are children of the woman, meaning those who are born again believers.
The serpent spewing water out of the mouth seems symbolic of false doctrines Satan tries to engulf the church with. But in all this the woman is protected and is not harmed at all.
The 1260 days is symbolic of the New Testament time period.

Notice the woman was given two wings of a great eagle.

Isaiah 40:31 But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.

Answer 4

Actually, the Bible states that Lucifer was cast to the earth, after trying to overthrow heaven. Venus hasn't been cast to the earth yet, I'm pretty sure. It may have similarities, but it's not the same event. The woman is a symbol of Israel , the nation that produced the Messiah. Therefore, this is not chronological. The devil has tried to eliminate them through the millennia. In Pharaoh's time, Esther's time, the Greeks, Romans, Hitler, the Arab world. The Book of Revelation jumps back and forth through time, so it is difficult to determine which came first. We have to look at Jewish history, then look at events that have not yet occurred.

Answer 5

Where is this celestial story about Draco and the Pregnant Virgin? (Click on my picture and email me).
I myself felt the vision in Revelation was the woman, (the feminine principle), giving birth to the child, (humanity). And the Dragon being the Powers of Darkness wanting to destroy humanity.
Maybe my view fits the symbolism for both prophecies. What do you think?

Answer 6

Most christians who are into that revelation prophecy stuff believe that the sign in the heavens is when it will take place.

As for the "lucifer" story.. that's Isaiah 14:12-14 and it's about a babylonian king who tormented the jewish people and his fall from power.. the hebrew word is "hallel". Lucifer is a latin word and it's a mistranslation.. it has nothing to do with the planet venus in that passage.

Answer 7

Velikovsky nothwithstanding, I believe that the Bible was telling of things that are to occur in Revelation. Not the past. I believe that Venus could have been born out of Jupiter, it doesn't mess with my faith.

But you seem pretty well studied. I wonder if you aren't discounting Revelation because the Historicist veiw doesn't work? And the whole thing seems doubtful when examining Revelation in that Historicist 'light'? Have you considered re examining Revelation using certain Dispensationalist teachings?

Answer 8

My friend, in Revelation, this virgin about to give birth is Israel.
In the gospels Matthew, Mark, Luke and John it is the birth of Christ Jesus.

Joseph's life was a portrayal of the life of Christ. Isaac portrayed Christ on the altar to be sacrificed except God supplied the Lamb.

Think about your star stories this way. God created the stars and they were created to glorify His Son Christ Jesus. The stars can be portrayed in many different ways, but there is only one TRUTH to the stars and the TRUTH is Christ Jesus.

As I read the Bible daily, often one verse describes three different times in history. The Bible tells us "line upon line, precept upon precept - here a little and there a little," and this is how we read it.

Solomon said "there is nothing new under the sun." Therefore, we repeat history over and over and over again. Each era gets us closer and closer to Christ Jesus.

Answer 9

I heard some teaching that there is a correlation between stars & angels.
I also heard that the signs of the zodiac somehow tie in with the symbols of the 12 Tribes of Israel.

Answer 10

If you want the true story of the constellations, read James Kennedy book. You will be amazed.