Sun-clothed woman ( professing Church), dragon with 7 crowned heads and 10 horns (Antichrist's empire) and  she is travailing in pain about to give birth to a manchild (the true Church within the woman) at the rapture.

Rev 12:5 And she brought forth a manchild, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.

                       Revelations   12
                  The Manchild Birthwatch
Clearest chapter on order of events concerning Antichrist, rapture and the Great 3 1/2 year Christian tribulation that follows.

    Revelations 12 presents one of the clearest pictures in the bible on the order of events and all the endtime players involved before and after the rapture. This chapter shows clearly the conflict between Antichrist and his empire and the Church before and leading up to the rapture. After the rapture is the story of Satan had his angels cast down to earth and Antichrist's persecution of the saints for 3 1/2 years unto death. This time of trouble for those that turn to Christ after the rapture is known as the great 3 1/2 year Christian tribulation . The main endtime players before and after the rapture are:

Revelations 12 (Click on images for faster find to interpretation))) -
                                                                                                                                        
1 And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars:
2 And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.
3 And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.
4 And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born. 

5 And she brought forth a manchild, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.

7 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and  the dragon fought and his angels,
8 And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.
12 Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhibitors of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.

13 And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child.
17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. 

            
                         

                                The interpretation of Rev 12

Revelations 12:1-5
1 And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars:
2 And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.
3 And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.
4 And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.
5 And she brought forth a manchild, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.

  The sun-clothed  woman is not to be confused with the harlot woman of Rev 17:3-5 called 'MYSTERY BABYLON' which is Satan's Church. 

Rev 17:3-5
3 So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.
4 And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:
5 And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.||

1 And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun,

  The sun rules the day and gives light. Likewise, the Church is to be of the day and of the light (1 Thess 5:5).

1 Thess 5:5
5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.

  The woman was a great sign in heaven. The Church is to be made up of saints who sit in heavenly places (Ephesians 1:3)

Ephesians 1:3
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

1 And the moon under her feet:

  As the moon rules the night so Satan rules the darkness. As the moon is under her feet the Bible says Satan is to be under our feet.

Luke 10:18,19
18 And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.
19 Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you
Eph 1:19-23
19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,
20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,
21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:
22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the Church, 
23 Which is his body, the fullness of him that filleth all in all.

1 Upon her head a crown of 12 stars:

In the old testament we had the 12 tribes of Israel. In the new testament we have the 12 apostles. After the rapture and resurrection of the dead in Christ (1 thess 4:16) both the old and new testament saints are in view in Rev 4:4 symbolized by 24 elders around the throne (see rapture, Revelations).

Rev 4:4 
4 And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.

  The woman would have 24 stars if this woman symbolized both the Old and New Testament saints. The number 12 is used divinely in scripture to mean divine government. In the O.T. it was the 12 tribes of Israel and in the N.T.  it was the 12 Apostles.   Because the sun-clothed woman with the manchild is telling the story of the separation that will take place between the living Christians and the professing Christians in the Church at the time of the rapture,only the New Testament living Church is in view here. The stars represent the saints who are to shine for Jesus in this dark age we live in. A crown of 12 stars then is the new testament Church which is to rule with divine authority. 1 Peter 2:9 says the Church is a holy nation, a royal priesthood.

1 Peter 2:9
9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of
darkness into his marvelous light:

Daniel 12:3
3 And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.

2 And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered:

  These words tell us great truths that God has stored in His Word for the last days leading up to the rapture. There is vast amount of prophecy to be fulfilled in the last days before the rapture especially during the rise and reign of Antichrist (time frame 1 - see chart below).

                                   See Revelations for full study

                   

      When Bible prophecy is being fulfilled it brings forth powerful revival and excitement in the Church and great wonder among the unsaved. Worldwide evangelism becomes a goal to save as many as possible so they will not be left behind at the rapture or go through the 3 1/2 yr Christian tribulation period - timeframe 4 or the 'Day of the Lord - timeframe 5' or be eternally lost in hell. This last day prophetic revival will usher in the greatest harvest of souls. The manchild (true believers) growing inside the woman (professing Church) will be reaching its full growth before it is birthed (raptured). How will the professing Church (unsaved and legal Church organizations) react?. They will cry, they will be pained and will want to be delivered of this manchild. As a woman goes into labor and her labor pains increase in the natural so will it happen in the spiritual realm. The woman will align herself more and more with the world system in the time leading up to the rapture, especially under Antichrist's reign (timeframe 1). The woman is pained as the manchild is getting ready for the rapture to exit both the woman (professing Church) and the world system. However, before the the actual birth - that is - separation of the manchild (saved Church) from the woman (unsaved Church) takes place ( rapture ) we read

And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads:

  The dragon is the devil. We are plainly told in same chapter - Rev 12:9

Rev 12:9
9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

  The dragon has 7 crowned heads and 10 horns. The 7 heads with crowns are not hard to figure out because the angel in Rev 17:9 explains.

REV 17:9
9 And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.
10 And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space.

  Mountain in scripture is often used to symbolize a kingdom or empire. The 7 mountains are 7 kings confirming the truth the mountains refer to kingdoms.  John is told by the angel that 5 kings are already fallen (5 kingdoms or empires have fallen - passed into history) and the 6th kingdom 'is'. The angel is saying the 6th kingdom is presently ruling. Since John is currently listening to the angel, the 6th kingdom that 'is' is clearly the Roman empire that existed in John's day (around 96 A.D.).  The 7th kingdom was yet to come but when it did it would not last very long. The 5 empires the children of Israel have been connected with in prophecy and history before the 6th empire (Roman Empire) that the bible speaks of are:(1) Egyptian,(2) Assyrian, (3) Babylonian, (4) Persian, and the (5) Grecian. The 6th in John's day as I said is the (6) Roman Empire. The 7th head - the one empire yet to come will be (7) Antichrist's Empire. How this happens is well developed in the book of Daniel (see timeframe 1). Besides the 7 crowned heads this dragon has 10 horns. Daniel 7:23,24 refers to the Roman Empire in its final form symbolized as a beast that had 10 horns (see Daniel 7)

.Daniel 7:7
7 After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth
beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and
it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns.

Dan 7:23, 24
23 Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.
24 And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.

Who are the 10 horns?
   The charts below review the 10 toes of Daniel 2 and 10 horns of Daniel 7 as the modern nations of East and West Europe that exist in the land area that once was the Old Roman Empire area.

  The 10 horns symbolize the modern nations today whose land area was once a part of the old Roman Empire. This would be East and West Europe today. The number 10 in the Bible used symbolically or prophetically can be used as a round number meaning any number. For a much clearer study of identifying the 10 horns one must study Daniel 2 and then Daniel 7. Daniel is simply saying that the old Roman Empire area in the last days will be composed of X amount of nations. His symbol for those nations is the 10 horns.  Daniel 7 and Daniel 8 go on to say how these nations will come under Antichrist's dominion and be a part of his empire in the last days. When this happens and Antichrist's Empire is formed this will fulfill the 7th head of the dragon being crowned. The full meaning of this dragon having 7 crowned heads and 10 horns is NOT fully fulfilled until Antichrist's Empire is formed which would include the 10 horns Daniel painstakingly shows to be the nations that make up Antichrist's Empire in the last days. Until that 7th head is crowned (and that is only when Antichrist's Empire is formed composed of the nations symbolized by the 10 horns) the separation of the manchild from the woman - that is - the birth of the manchild - the rapture of the true Church from the professing Church cannot take place. This is a very important truth to grasp.
    Some say the 10 horns that are a part of this dragon could have been fulfilled back in the days of the early Roman Empire and that the manchild of Revelations 12 is the birth of Christ and the woman Israel. But Daniel 7 clearly teaches the 10 horns like the 10 toes of Daniel 2 are the nations in East and West Europe that have evolved only after the Roman Empire fell and split into both the West and East Empires. Both these divisions fell in 476 A.D. and 1453 A.D. respectively. When Antichrist comes to power in the last days and rules over the nations of Europe symbolized by the 10 horns then the truth of the dragon having 7 crowned heads and 10 horns will be totally fulfilled.  Therefore the rise of Antichrist and his empire reigning will take place before the rapture; that is - before the woman gives birth to the manchild.

And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.

  Dragon's tail dragged 1/3 of the stars with him. Some have taught that God divided the angels among the three archangels Michael, Gabriel and Lucifer (who later became Satan). Each one of them ruled over a 1/3 of the angels and possibly 1/3 of heaven (outer space). Dragon dragging 1/3 of the stars would refer to his fallen angels that make up his principalities, powers, thrones Eph 6:12 tells us of.

Eph 6:12
12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against
spiritual wickedness in high places.

  After Antichrist's Empire is formed (which Satan and his angels played a major role - Daniel 7, Daniel 8) we are now told that the dragon(Satan) and his angels are ready to try and prevent the woman from giving birth to the manchild - that is - prevent the rapture from taking place. The meaning 'dragon stood before the woman' means Satan got prepared for confrontation.  Notice these are same words used to tell Daniel about the rise of Antichrist in the last days (Daniel 8:23 see also Daniel 8 page 2)

Daniel 8:23
23 And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up.

  Satan will produce Antichrist before the rapture (the birth of the manchild). Satan and his angels will think they can stop the Church from meeting the Lord in the air (1 Thess 4:16). Satan is called the prince of the air (Eph 2:2) and his angels principalities and powers (Eph 6:12). But Michael and his angels will see to it that the manchild (raptured Church) gets safe passage to meet the Lord in the air. Notice in Daniel 12:1 where Daniel says that Michael shall also stand up -that is - get ready for confrontation with Satan and his angels.

Daniel 12:1
1 And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.
2 And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

Daniel 12:1 puts this before the 'Day of the Lord' a time of trouble such as never was and Daniel also says that God's people (both the dead and living) would be delivered from that time of trouble.

And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne. 

  Who is this manchild that as soon as it is born is caught up to God's throne to rule all nations with a rod of iron? It is not Christ. Jesus lived 33 years on this earth after He was born.  Jesus did not flee from Satan but conquered him and when Jesus went back to heaven he ascended slowly and visibly as His disciples watched Him. The catholic Church says the woman is Mary and the manchild baby Jesus. However, the birth of the manchild does not take place until the dragon has the 10 horns under his control.  As we studied in the previous passages the 10 horns symbolizes the nations of East and West Europe in the last days whose land area were once a part of the old Roman Empire (Daniel 7). These nations did not begin to exist until many centuries later after the old Roman Empire split into east and west. When we say the manchild is the true Church separated from the professing Church at the time of the rapture after Antichrist has formed his empire - everything fits. The manchild is to rule over the nations with a rod of iron. This is a promise God made to the true believers at the Church at Thyatira

Rev 2:25-27
25 But that which ye have already hold fast till I come.
26 And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:
27 And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.

  These believers being caught up in the rapture are about to see the promise of that fulfillment. The raptured saints execute judgments on the nations during the Day of the Lord (time frame 5) and then return to rule and reign on earth with Christ over the nations for a 1000 years (see Kingdom).

and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.
 
   The manchild is caught up to God's throne. This is what happens to the true Church at the rapture.  Revelations 4 records the rapture of the saints and talks of God's throne being setup in heaven. The Church around the throne is symbolized by the 24 elders dressed in white raiment (righteousness of the saints) and wearing crowns (victory crowns - like athletes in the Olympics). The number 24 is symbolic of the Old Testament saints (12 tribes - rembered the saved dead are also caught up - see rapture) and New Testament saints (12 apostles) see Revelations.

Rev 4:1-5
1 After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, "Come up hither, and I will show thee things which must be hereafter".
2 And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was  in heaven, and one sat on the throne.
3 And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald.
4 And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.

  John is a picture of the believer being caught up in the rapture. He hears the voice of the archangel, sound of the trumpet and he looks up and sees an open door and then us immediately caught up to God's throne. This is the same open door (the rapture) which Jesus promised to the Philadelphia Church (Rev 3:8)  to escape the trial that is coming upon the whole world (the great 3 1/2 Christian tribulation period, the 7 year terrible day of the Lord).

Rev 3:8
8 I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.
9 Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.
10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.

   John is not only symbolic of the whole Church been caught up at the rapture, but God uses John as an eyewitness  to see and record the events that take place after the Church is caught up in the rapture.

1 Thess 4:16-15   
For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

1 Cor 15:51-53
51 Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

Phil 3:21
21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. 
                                     
*Note: The rapture takes place between timeframe 3 and timeframe 4 . For a complete study of all the events that happen at the rapture (see rapture)
 
See Revelations or Revelations chart above


Revelations 12:6-12
6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.
7 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,
8 And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.
9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, "Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night".
11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
12 Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhibitors of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.

6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.

  Notice following Rev 12:5 that after the woman brought forth the manchild she is no longer clothed with the sun or standing on the moon but instead fleeing on the earth which has become a wilderness to her. Once the manchild of Rev 12:5 (saved believers in the Church) are caught up in the rapture to God's throne to meet Christ, the unsaved part of the Church (the woman) was left behind.  She has been stripped of her glory and postion. She is no longer clothed with the sun, having the moon under her feet and wearing a crown of 12 stars that she had in Rev 12:1. This is because the true Church within here (the Manchild) has been raptured from within her and she is left for what she is - the unsaved Church. Left behind, she is now prey to Satan and his angels who are cast down by Michael and his angels (Rev 12:7) immediately after the rapture. The world becomes a wilderness experience as the Church that is now left behind is  persecuted by Satan who is mad at the woman for bringing forth the manchild. He is also very angry because he has been cast down to the earth and he is no longer the prince of the power of the air while Christ and the raptured saints now are. The unsaved left behind cannot meet at the Churches and homes they used to meet at. Televison, radio, internet will all be monitored for any evidence for those belonging to the Church. The world has become a wilderness experience - the Church left behind is on the run, she is fleeing into hiding and underground as best as she can.

7 there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,
8 And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.
9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

                                                         
                                                                                         

  After the birth of the manchild (rapture of the true Church - Rev 12:5 above) Michael and his angels who have assured our safe passage now finish off Satan and his angels as the powers of the air by casting them down to earth. Christ and the saints around the throne are now the new powers of the air. This separation within the Church both of the living and the dead at the rapture are clearly foreshadowed in Christ's parables in Matthew 13 (good and bad fish separated, wheat and tares) and again in Matthew 24 (wise and foolish virgins, two will be walking together and one taken and one left, two shall be working together - one taken and one left). See rapture for a full study of these verses. After the rapture Michael and his angels force Satan and his angels down to the earth where the woman (professing Church) that was left behind on earth is already fleeing from what is to come.

The woman (Church left behind after the rapture) gets help from the raptured saints that are in heaven with Christ.

  The woman (Church left behind) manages to survive for 3 1/2 years. She survives that long because during this same time Christ opens up the 6 seals in heaven that result in the Church left behind being fed the Word of God (Rev 12:6) which is preached from heaven by the raptured saints. Also, the greatest outpouring of God's Holy Spirit is now upon those within the Church that accept Christ. She is also helped by war, famine, earthquakes and nature going wild which all slow down the persecution of the Church.  For the full story of how this is accomplished during this 3 1/2 years Christian tribulation period see 6 seals - timeframe 4 page 3. Many saints on the earth after the rapture will become martyrs for Christ and choose death rather than receive the mark of Antichrist or bow down to him or worship him as the whole world will (see the beast and the false prophet - timeframe 4 page 2). After the full number of Christian martyrs to be killed is reached the great 3 1/2 Christian tribulation period ends and so does the Church age. God is not dealing with the woman anymore and the Church age that began with the blood of the martyrs ends with the blood of the martyrs. The great news for these tribulation martyrs that were killed is that they are resurrected completing the first resurrection and completing the raptured Church already in heaven. For a full study of these truths see chart above and martyrs raised).

10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, "Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night".

  John the revelator hears a loud voice in heaven because this is where the resurrected and raptured saints are . The loud voice said that now has come salvation, strength, and the kingdom of God and the power of his Christ for Satan who has accused the saints of wrongdoing day and night is now cast down to earth. Salvation has come meaning that full salvation of the body, soul, and spirit has now taken place. This was the apostle Paul's prayer for the saints at the Lord's coming (1 Thessalonians 5:23).

1 Thess 5:23
23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

  Strength has come because now their is a mighty army in heaven with the Lord.   Their bodies that were mortal and sown in weakness have now been raised and changed to immortal, incorruptible, and full of strength (1 Corinthians 15:42-44).

1 Cor 15:42-44:
42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:
43 It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:
44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.

  The kingdom of God has come because the saints are now ruling in the heavenlies and Satan's kingdom has been toppled with the casting down of Satan himself including his principalities, thrones. powers that were under him.  Ephesians 6:12 tells us these are the ones that Christians wrestled with in high places.

Eph 6:12
12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against
spiritual wickedness in high places.

   After the rapture the reverse is true. Now the Church is in high places and Satan and his angels have to wrestle against the Church in heaven. The power of Christ has come because Satan who had deceived the whole world with his power, lying signs and wonders now has to contend with a Christ who has just raised the dead and raptured the living, and cast him and his angels down to earth. From now on the whole earth is going to see God's mighty power literally shake the heaven's and the earth (Hebrews 12:26).

Heb 12:26
26 Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.

11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

  The saints in heaven overcame Satan - that accused them day and night. Some overcame him by the blood of the lamb, others by what they said out of their mouth - their testimony - and others by giving their life for eternal life with Christ. Remember, there are many saints that are resurrected that were martyred for their faith going all the way back to early Roman Empire including New Testament apostles and prophets as well as the Old Testament saints and prophets.

12 Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabitors of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.

  All that dwell in heaven are told to rejoice because heaven is a place of rejoicing.  This same voice in heaven now pronounces woe to all the inhabitors on earth and in the sea. This is because the devil and his angels have lost their heavenly positions and have been cast down to the earth. They have great wrath because they know their time is short. Christ and the Saints are to return to earth soon and Satan's long rule of sin and terror is coming to a bitter end.  Satan and his angels will then be cast into hell and the bottomless pit.

  For the remainder of Revelations 12 post-rapture events see timeframe 4 page 1- Revelations 12 continued - the woman (professing Church left behind) and how God keeps her alive for 3 1/2 years opening the 6 six seals of Revelation. The 3 1/2 year Christian tribulation produces the tribulation martyrs whose resurrection at the end of the 3 1/2 years completes the Church in heaven and ends the Church age (see martyrs raised)                                                               

1 And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman
clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and
upon her head a crown of twelve stars:
2 And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.
3 And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and
behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten
horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.
4 And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.
5 And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all
nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught
up unto God, and to his throne.
6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath
a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.
7 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels
fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and
his angels,
8 And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.
9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come
salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.
11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by
the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
12 Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhibitors of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.
13 And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the
man child.
14 And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.
15 And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood
after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.
16 And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened
her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon
cast out of his mouth.
17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to
make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus
Christ.