My Questions on Rev 12

[BVMFatima]

Question 1. Rev 12:3 mentions a " great red dragon". My question is how was a dragon identified as from the Early Christians and apostles themselves? I know for a fact it is the devil, but is it the same dragon common in the Chinese culture, with a very long body that breaths fire and has wings? Or is it something else?

Question 2. Rev 12:6 talks about Mary going into the wilderness, what does it mean by this? It also mentions she has a placed prepared by God where the child of the Woman (Mary) will be nourished for one thousand two hundred and sixty days. Is this in anyway symbolic to the flight to Egypt?

God Bless,
BVMFatima

 

[colmywaykurtz]

In many cultures, such as those of East Asia and Mesoamerica, the dragon’s sinuous shape was seen as a living personification of many natural phenomena, such as whirlwinds or ripples in water, or the wave patterns in dirt or sand drifts. The destructive capability of many of these phenomena further charged these images with connotations of power and awe.

The biblical use of the dragon’s image has always been different, seeing it as emblematic of evil.

The red dragon, therefore, is probably symbolic of worldly evil having its way with many within the Church, convincing them to leave the Church when the papacy draws a line in the sand and tells all Catholics they have to be on one side or the other—drawing a third of them with him. This probably includes both clergy and laymen.

The woman (who is unnamed, by the way) is probably representative of the Church itself—the bride of Christ. She will bring forth a leader (Pope Francis?) who will lay down the law (the “rod of iron”) and inspire the remainder of the Church to have faith without fear. He will ultimately be killed and taken back to God, but not before he strengthens and purifies the Church—preparing the bride for the coming of the groom.

 

[1ke]

I would suggest you read a reputable Catholic bible study for help with your questions on Revelation. Apocalyptic literature is not easy to read on one’s own. And there are many half-baked interpretations and theories not at all compatible with Church teaching floating around out there, especially on the internet.

If you are not an experienced bible study student, all the more reason to get a good quality bible study and commentary guide.

Some suggestions for Bible Studies on Revelation:

Great Adventure Bible Study, Revelation by Jeff Cavins
The Lion and the Lamb (Teen Timeline version of Great Adventure) by Mark Hart
The End by Scott Hahn
Ignatius Bible Study (1, 2, and 3 John and Revelation)
Navarre Bible (Revelation, Hebrews and Catholic Letters)
Catholic Scripture Study website (Revelation, Scott Hahn et al)

Also recommended: Scott Hahn’s book The Lamb’s Supper

 

[Nita]

A quick, easy, online place to check are the footnotes in the Geo. Haydock Bible.
haydock1859.tripod.com/

Here is what it gives for the 2 verses you mention:
Ver. 3. Another wonder in heaven; that is, in the Church of Christ, though revealed to St. John, in the visions, as if they were seen in heaven. — A great red dragon; a fiery dragon, with seven heads and ten horns; i.e. many heads and many horns. By the dragon is generally understood the devil, (see ver. 7 and 9) and by the heads and horns, kings and princes, who act under him, persecuting the servants of God. (Witham) — Dragon, &c. the devil; and by the seven heads and ten horns, are meant those princes and governors who persecute the Church of Christ. (Calmet)

Ver. 6. The woman fled into the wilderness. The Church, in the times of persecutions, must be content to serve God in a private manner; but by divine Providence, such persecutions never lasted with violence only for a short time, signified by 1260 days, or as the same is expressed here, (ver. 14) for a time, and times, and half a time, i.e. for a year, and two years, and half a year. (Witham) — The Christians were accustomed to fly during the times of persecution into the deserts, to avoid the fury of the pagans. This was done by the greatest saints; and St. Jerome remarks, that it was this which gave rise to the eremitical state of life.

haydock1859.tripod.com/id298.html

 

[De_Montfort]

I would also like to suggest reading Scott Hahn’s works, especially Hail Holy Queen. He explains that the woman of revelation is a historical person, here is a few quotes from his work…

“The woman of the Apocalypse must, in the words of another scholar, be ‘a concrete person who embodies a collective.’ The primary meaning, moreover for the woman as for her male child must belong to the individual, the historical person, the Blessed Virgin Mary. who at once became mother to Christ and the members of His body, the Church.”

“The New Adam, the new Davidic monarch, would reign with His bride, the New Eve, and she would be a real historical woman, whom Revelation would identify with the Church. She would be mother of the living. She would be advocate of the people. She would be queen mother. She would be Mary.”