In Revelation 5:5 Jesus Christ is called the Lion of the tribe of Judah. This title signifies Christ as the triumphant King. All living creatures are under Him. None can subdue Him; rather He subdues everything. The first time I saw a lion in the zoo I was afraid the fence was not strong enough to restrict that bold, triumphant creature. Nothing and no one can subdue our Christ.
Christ is not only a Lion but also a Lamb (5:6). To Satan and all the enemies Christ is a Lion, but to us, the redeemed ones, He is a Lamb. Are you afraid of a lamb? You may be afraid of a lion, but you would feel loving toward a lamb. To us the Lord Jesus is a Lamb, a redeeming Lamb. To think that in eternity on God's throne there will literally be a lamb with four feet and a tail is not the proper way to understand the Bible. I remind you again, Revelation is a book of signs.
The universal woman in Revelation 12 is clothed with the sun. On her head there is a crown of twelve stars, and under her feet is the moon (v. 1). Who is this woman? Most fundamental expositors follow the Brethren teaching, that this woman signifies Israel and her man-child signifies Christ. However, after much studying of the Word, we realized from chapter twelve that this woman is composed of two peoples: those who keep the commandments of God and those who bear the testimony of Jesus (v. 17). The people that keep the law are the Jews, Israel. The people that bear the testimony of Jesus are the New Testament believers. Therefore, to say that this woman signifies Israel is only partially true; it leaves aside the New Testament believers.
To say that the man-child born of this woman is Jesus Christ is erroneous. After this man-child is raptured to the throne of God, three and a half years follow. The thousand two hundred and sixty days in 12:6 are three and a half years, which all agree is the period of the great tribulation. Did the great tribulation come right after the Lord's ascension? It has not come yet! This indicates strongly that the man-child here is not the Lord Jesus.
The woman wears a crown of twelve stars on her head. She is clothed with the sun. and the moon is underneath her feet. These indicate three categories among God's redeemed people: the Patriarchs, Israel, and the New Testament believers. The Patriarchs are represented by the stars, Israel by the moon. and the New Testament believers by the sun. This woman is therefore a composition of all God's redeemed people, including the Patriarchs, the other Old Testament believers, and all the New Testament saints.
The man-child is the overcomers of all generations. Through the centuries among God's people a small number have been martyred. These were the faithful ones. Right before the great tribulation these martyred saints will be resurrected and raptured to the throne of God.