“And the dragon was angry at the woman and declared war against the rest of her children—all who keep God’s commandments and maintain their testimony for Jesus.” Revelation 12:17
The last verse of chapter 12 states that the dragon is especially angry with those within the nation Israel who “keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” While the program of Satan is against the Jewish race as such, anti-Semitism as a whole will reach its peak against Jewish believers during this period. There is a double antagonism against those in Israel who turns to Christ as their Messiah and Savior in those critical days and maintains a faithful witness. Undoubtedly many of them will suffer a martyr’s death, but others will survive the period including the 144,000.
The believing community is tied to Israel. (Romans 9:6-8) In God’s Kingdom there are going to be those that are naturally descended from Jacob (Jewish people), but there are also going to be those who are grafted in – Gentiles (or people from the nations – Romans 11:17-21). It is undeniable that we are talking about believers at the end of this verse. Believers are the ones who keep the commandments of God: they walk in obedience to the Word of God.
Taken as a whole, chapter 12 is a fitting introduction to the important revelations given in chapter 13. Here are the principal actors of the great tribulation with the historic background which provides so much additional information. Israel, Satan, Christ, the archangel, and the godly remnant figure largely in the closing scenes of the age. Next the two principal human actors are introduced: the beast out of the sea and the beast out of the earth, the human instruments which Satan uses to direct his program during the great tribulation.