In this chapter we want to see the remaining items which are consummated in the book of Revelation, which is itself a book of consummation. We must remember that only the items which are related either indirectly or directly to Christ, the Spirit, life, and the church are consummated in this book.
In chapter twelve is the universal woman with her manchild (vv. 1-2). Concerning this universal woman, it is necessary to study the positive females in the Old Testament beginning from Eve. Females such as Sarah and Rebecca should be included in your study. Also, even in the Old Testament God considered His chosen people as a female and furthermore as His counterpart, His wife (Isa. 54:5; 62:5; Jer. 2:2; 3:1, 14; 31:32; Ezek. 16:8; 23:5; Hosea 2:7, 19). This universal woman in Revelation 12 is a universal composition of all God’s redeemed people, who have been portrayed as females. Isaiah 7:14 is another Old Testament passage alluding to this universal woman: “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin will conceive and will bear a son, and she will call his name Immanuel.” In the New Testament, of course, the church is considered as a female, as the wife of Christ (Eph. 5:23-25), as a pure virgin to Christ (2 Cor. 11:2), and even the believers themselves are considered as virgins (Rev. 14:4; S. S. 1:3). All this needs our study. Then you have a consummation in this universal woman. The seed of this woman, the manchild, also needs our study. The seed of the woman in Genesis 3:15, the seed of Abraham (Gal. 3:16), the seed of David (Rom. 1:3), and the seed of the virgin Mary are items which need to be included in our study. This manchild in Revelation 12 represents the stronger part of God’s chosen people. This is a consummation.
The great red dragon is the consummation of the old serpent (Rev. 12:3, 9). In Genesis 3, Satan was a serpent, a smaller creature. Here in Revelation 12 he has become a dragon, much greater than a serpent. Hence, he is called “a great red dragon.” “Red” here signifies the shedding of blood caused by Satan’s murders (John 8:44).
In Revelation 13:1-2 is the coming beast “out of the sea,” signifying the coming Caesar of the coming Roman Empire. This is the consummation of the four beasts in Daniel 7. This last beast in Revelation 13 is the ultimate one, the greatest one. Also, in Revelation 13 is another beast “out of the earth” who “had two horns like a lamb, and he spoke like a dragon” (v. 11). This is the false prophet who is the consummation of all the false prophets.
In Revelation 14:4 is the firstfruit, signifying the living overcomers among God’s living people and in 14:15 is the harvest, signifying God’s living people. To fully understand this consummation it is necessary to study Leviticus 23:9-14, a record of the feast of the firstfruits. The harvest is also recorded in Leviticus 23:15-22. Pentecost was the fulfillment of the feast of weeks (Deut. 16:10), which was also called the feast of harvest (Exo. 23:16), counting from the day of offering a sheaf of the firstfruits of the harvest unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath (Lev. 23:10-11, 15-16). This harvest affords God’s people the way to have a feast of tabernacles (Lev. 23:33-44).