Here the woman is seen in heaven, not on the
earth, in that she is spiritual Israel (Eph 1:3, 2:6).
The 12 stars of her crown represent the rule of
the 12 Apostles (Mt 19:28). She travails in the
travail of the Church to bring forth her firstfruits
to Christ (Rev 14:4), as she travailed during
the sufferings of Christ Himself (Jn 16:21-22).
The symbolism of the woman also suggests
OT Israel (Gen 37:9), from whom came Christ.
Rev 12:4b-5
And the dragon stood before the woman which
was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child
as soon as it was born. 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.
The child refers to Christ Himself, whom Satan
attempted to destroy in His infancy (Mt 2:16),
but who ascended into heaven (Heb 8:1) and
will return from heaven to rule the earth
(Rev 19:15).
The child also refers to the 144,000, who will be
brought forth in the great tribulation (Rev 7:4),
who will later be in heaven (Rev 14:3), and who
will rule the earth with a rod of iron when Christ
returns, as all Christians will (Rev 2:26-29).
Rev 12:6, 13-14
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... The dragon... persecuted the woman which
brought forth the man child. 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.
The woman's fleeing into the wilderness isn't a
pre-tribulation rapture, for heaven is not a
wilderness. Rather, it is the same fleeing into
the hills which Christ commands of us when we see
the abomination of desolation (Mk 13:14-18). Here
the 1,260 days are the same 3 1/2 years as the "time,
and times, and half a time," which is the time of
Antichrist’s rule: 42 months (Rev 13:5). The eagles’
wings represent God’s guidance and provision which
He will give to His people during that time
(cf. Ps 91:4), just as He gave eagles' wings to
Israel in the Exodus (Ex 19:4, Deut 32:11-13).
Rev 12:15-16
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. 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.
Water is symbolic of words (Eph 5:26) and spirit
(Jn 7:38-39). Satan will attempt to deceive the
elect with false words and spirits (Mt 24:24),
but those whose faith is deeply rooted will not
be shaken (Mt 13:5-9).
Rev 12:17
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.
Many Christians will be discovered by the
Antichrist and will be imprisoned and killed
(Rev 13:7, 10; 14:12-13; 20:4).