Three key figures participate in this drama:

1. The woman, already identified as God’s church.
2. The male child born to this woman “is snatched up to God and to his throne” and will someday “rule all nations.” Jesus Christ is the only child ever born in this world who has been taken up to God’s throne and will someday rule all nations.
3. The dragon representing the devil, or Satan.

“And there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. THE GREAT DRAGON was hurled down—that ancient serpent, CALLED THE DEVIL, OR SATAN, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.”
—Revelation 12:7-9.

The picture becomes clear once we understand the symbols. When the devil and his angels “lost their place in heaven,” they were “hurled to the earth.” When Jesus was born in this world nearly two thousand-years ago, the devil tried to kill Jesus, the male child, as soon as He was born. He failed, and Jesus was “snatched up” to God’s throne. Satan then set out to annihilate the Christian church that Christ established. But Satan has failed to destroy either Christ or His church.

John saw glimpses of this great conflict between Christ and Satan raging on this earth. As the battle reaches a climax at Christ’s crucifixion, John hears a voice shout from heaven: