“Then I witnessed in heaven an event of great significance. I saw a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon beneath her feet, and a crown of twelve stars on her head. She was pregnant, and she cried out because of her labor pains and the agony of giving birth.” Revelation 12:1-2
In chapters 12 through 14 of the book of Revelation, the great actors of the tribulation time are introduced. As many commentators have noted they are seven in number: (1) the woman, representing Israel, (2) the dragon, representing Satan, (3) the man-child, referring to Christ, (4) Michael, representing the angels, (5) Israel, the remnant of the seed of the woman, (6) the beast out of the sea, the world dictator, and (7) the beast out of the earth, the false prophet and religious leader of the world. About these main characters swirls the tremendously moving scene of the great tribulation. The first actor to be introduced and of prime importance as a key to the whole situation is the woman representing Israel. The sun is the glory of Israel. The moon in its natural state is a reflexed light. In other words it has no light of its own. It refers to the apostate church during Tribulation, which Israel will accept as false Messiah during the first half of the Tribulation. She being with child pertains to the 144,000 Jews that will be saved during the first half of the Tribulation. “Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in many parts of the world, as well as famines. But this is only the first of the birth pains, with more to come.” (Mark 13:8)