"A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars; and she was with child; and she *cried out, being in labor and in pain to give birth."
(Rev. 12: 1-2)
Is Mary the woman in Rev. 12? If she is not the woman there then who?
There are four symbolic women in the book of Revelation. Mary, the mother of Jesus, is not one of the four.
The first woman is given the name, Jezebel. She leads people astray, so as to commit acts of immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols.(Rev. 2: 20)
The second woman is in chapter 17 verses 1-7, and she is described as "clothed in purple and scarlet….having seven heads and ten horns…in her hand is a gold cup full of abominations and of the unclean things of her immorality... on her forehead a name was written, a mystery, “BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.” She represents the apostate church.
The third woman in Revelation is called the wife of the Lamb, the bride who represents the true church.
(Rev. 19: 7-8). Some have suggested that this is the woman in Revelation 12 represents the church. Nowhere in the Bible is the church ever called a “woman."When the church is spoken of in feminine terms, the church is always called a “bride." She doesn't become a wife until the marriage supper of the Lamb in chapter 19 of Revelation. She is always a bride. Paul writes: "for I betrothed you to one husband, so that to Christ I might present you as a pure virgin.” (2 Cor. 11:2). We see that in Rev. 19.
Eternally-Gratefull is correct...
The fourth woman represents Israel. Israel is oftentimes depicted as the wife of God in the Old Testament, a disloyal wife, an unfaithful wife, an adulterous wife, but in the end God will bring her back to faithfulness. So Israel is symbolized as a woman in Revelation 12.
And how will you explain the child bore, the suns, moon and stars with the verses of the Bible?
"The child born"—can only refer to Jesus Christ." And she gave birth to a son, a male child, who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron; and her child was caught up to God and to His throne.” verse 5.
"Being clothed with the sun"—speaks of the glory, dignity and exalted status of Israel. Israel is the people of promise who will be saved.
"The moon under her feet"-It could refer to exaltation of Israel. but could also have the concept of covenant relationship there, since the moon was so central in the cycle of worship, they, you remember, worshiped in their yearly cycle through a series of new moons and feasts and festivals and sabbaths associated with them.
"Her head a crown of twelve stars"—The twelve stars represent the 12 tribes of Israel.
"She cried out being in labor and in pain to give birth.” --There's something she's in pain about. And it's the bringing forth of a child. It wouldn't be too hard to figure out what that was, or who that was, would it? What did every Jewish mother long for?What did the nation wait for? What did they hope for? The Messiah. Israel agonized and suffered for centuries, waiting and longing for the child that would eventually come and destroy Satan and sin and death and bring the promised kingdom.
Conclusion:
So the imagery in Rev. 12 verse 1 leads us to the conclusion that this is a woman representing Israel.Verse 2, "She was with child." Israel here is depicted not only as a wife and as a woman, but as a pregnant woman, a woman about to give birth. Israel is seen as a mother here. I know many disagree with me and Eternally-Grateful, but context is king in Bible interpretation. And it is my belief that the fourth woman is not Mary, the mother of Jesus, nor can she be "the church" for the reasons stated above.