This chapter has so much information, and heaven knows we need these added details for a clearer over-all picture.  It seems like little pockets of truth were dropped on many subjects.  Please dear reader, do not expect these segments of truth to be in chronological order, because they are not.  A few flash-back examples are here given to establish our footing. This woman in verse one, "...clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet..." Rev. 12:1 is God's true church.  Many examples will be given from Scripture when we get to Revelation 17, in describing another woman in prophecy (an apostate church). Verses 3 & 4 gives the background of Satan and some of his deceptive powers to deceive 1/3 of Heaven's angels. The rebellion begins slowly within Satan himself, with him insinuating to the angels that God's form of government was unfair. After he had gained a few  sympathizers, he presented his complaint to God, telling Him that the angels desired the change, WHAT A LIAR.  John, in his gospel, gives us some added light about Satan, and his ability to lie to fit the occasion. "Ye are of your father the devil, and the lust of your father will ye do.  He was a murderer from the beginning and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him.  When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own, for he is a liar, and the father of it."  John 8:44 .

    Satan was in the Garden of Eden that day and heard God's Words spoken to him about "her seed" coming some day to "bruise " his head, Gen. 3:15.  He knew from reading the prophecies, especially Daniel, when the promised "seed" (Jesus Christ) would appear.  He was ready (so he thought) working through King Herod to destroy all the male children.  (Governments today still do his dirty work.) "For to devour her child as soon as it was born.  And she (the church) 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 His throne." Rev. 12:4,5.  The next verse tells of the church having to flee because of persecution "...into the wilderness where she (God's true church) hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days." Rev. 12:6.  For 1260 years the earth helped the woman from totally being exterminated.  Thousands upon thousands were pursued in the rugged mountains of Europe.  Always a few were spared by knowing their mountains and secret retreats, yet all the while evangelizing every honest seeker of God.  Roman armies grew weary of the chase at times, they turned the most hardened criminals loose from prison.  If they found any of God's true people and brought them back their sentence was stayed, and they (the criminals) received their property.

    You will notice I used the Bible rule of a day for a year, where the church was forced to go underground.  These 1260 years were before the year 1844 so that's the proper rule.  (See Ezekiel 4:6.)  We remember that  "prophetic time closed in 1844." Early Writings 243.  However, many chapters of the Bible have been only partially fulfilled.  "The prophecies that received a partial fulfillment in the overthrow of Jerusalem, have a more direct application to the last days."  Thoughts of the Mount of Blessings 120-121.  Also, "Past history is to be repeated." Testimonies to Ministers 116.

    Does the Bible suggest in this chapter that those 1260 days could be repeated?  I think the words in verse 12 suggest that very thing. "Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and sea! For the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time." Revelation 12:12.  If Satan knows his time is short, the years 583 to 1798 are not the completed picture.   Revelation eleven TWICE tells us of a future 1260 day period, and here in Revelation twelve once again we see the time period 1260 days.  "For a time, and times, and half a time from the face of the serpent." Revelation. 12:15.  So once again there will be a future 1260 day time period.  "The church will yet see troublous times. she will prophesy in sackcloth.  But although she must battle with the infidel and the apostate, yet by the help of God, she is bruising the head of Satan.  The lord will have a people as true as steel, and with faith as firm as the granite rock.  they are to be His witnesses in the world, His instrumentalities to do a special work in the day of His preparation." 4 Testimonies 594.

    Most of verse 12 is quoted in the previous Scripture, but the first few words were left out.  So lets read of those dwelling not on planet earth, but in the heavens, starry heavens, on other planets that have never fallen.  On those planets are dwellers who have never been in rebellion like our Planet earth, no one up there has ever transgressed God's laws.  However, Satan has had access to try and persuade them through deception and lies, to break God's law.  But they haven't fallen for Satan's bag of tricks and have never been law breakers.  That is the reason they can "...rejoice ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them." Revelation 12:12.

    Leadership will instruct us that we can just keep right on sinning until Jesus comes, and he will take care of our little behavior problems on His return.   How sad to instruct with deception, even if it does bring in large numbers of new faces and fresh dollars.  No, I will tell you exactly how it will be.  God's true people at the very end will be a very small group.  They will "... keep the commandments of God." Rev. 12:17.  That is an absolute must.  The word is "keep", not know the commandments.  This very small "obscure" group "have the testimony of Jesus" and knowing that  "the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." Rev 19:10  The words spoken about this small group of people say they "have" the spirit of prophecy.  Friend in order to "have" the spirit of prophecy, one must obey it. Am I right or not?  Ask the Seventh-day Adventist Pastor that tells you not to read this book, about his life insurance policy.  And why he has such insurance against this plain statement.  "I was shown that Seventh-day Adventists should not engage in life insurance."  1 Testimonies 549.  See for yourself just how shallow his reasoning is after you read two pages beginning on 1 Testimonies  549.

    The following statement given October 23, 1850 has enough subject matter for a large book.  Please study each thought with Scripture to get the correct timing.  These are the very words that God' precious flock need to hear today.  IT IS VITAL.

    "I saw the nominal churches and nominal Adventists, like Judas would betray us to the Catholics to obtain their influence to come against the saints.  The saints then will be an obscure people, little known to the Catholics; but the churches and nominal Adventists who know of our faith and customs (for they hated us on account of the Sabbath, for they could not refute it) will betray the saints and report them to the Catholics as those people who disregard the institutions of the Pope: that is, they keep Sabbath and disregard Sunday.  Then the Catholics bid the Protestants to go forward and issue a decree that all who will not observe the first day of the week instead of the seventh, all be slain.  And the Catholics, who's numbers are large, will stand by the Protestants.  The Catholics will give their power to the image of the beast and the Protestants will work as their mother worked before them, to destroy the saints.  But before their decree brings forth or bears fruit, the saints will be delivered by the Voice of God." Early Visions, Oct. 23, 1850.

    What a statement, every sentence is God's word made plainer.  Scattered throughout the Old and New Testament His Holy word has told us of the peril of these last days, now in plain english we are told again.  Just like a telescope looking at the stars, the telescope is not responsible for adding one single star in the heavens.  As we leave Revelation Chapter Twelve, this is a wonderful statement to the faithful, but a devastating statement to the careless, the indifferent, and the wicked.