170    The Bible and the Future of the World 

The Woman and the Dragon (Rev 12:4 7, 13 16) 

    When the dragon tries to destroy the woman, God gives her a safe place 

to stay in a remote location:  and the woman fled into the wilderness, where 

she has a place prepared by God, in which to be nourished for one thousand 

two hundred and sixty days.  (Rev 12:6). Notice that the Church is kept safe 

for the same length of time that the two prophets prophesy, 1260 days. 

    During the worst suffering for the Church on earth, part of the Church 

will have a safe place on earth in a remote area. There the Church will be 

able to preserve the Faith and the Sacraments in safety. This will happen at 

the same time that Antichrist will try to destroy Christianity over almost the 

whole earth (beginning about the middle of his reign). This is the 3  years 

of the Church's greatest suffering. 

    At the beginning of this time, when the dragon tries to destroy the 

woman, she escapes by means of  the two wings of the great eagle  (Rev 

12:14). Thus, part of the Church will be able to escape by flight, out of the 

reach of the kingdom of Antichrist. The dragon also tries to destroy the 

Church with a great flood, but God, through an act of nature, comes to her 

rescue (Rev 12:15 16). And so, there will be the beginnings of some unusual 

type of flood at the beginning of this great persecution of the Church but 

God will intervene to stop this flood. (A few years earlier, about the time of 

the beginning of Antichrist's reign, there will be a great flood which God 

will permit, as Daniel 9:26 tells us.) 

War in Heaven and on Earth (Rev 12:7 12,17) 

     Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the 

dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they were defeated and 

there was no longer any place for them in heaven.  (Rev 12:7 8). 

     Then the dragon was angry with the woman, and went off to make war 

on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God 

and bear testimony to Jesus.  (Rev 12:17). 

    After the devil and his fallen angels are defeated in the heavens, they will 

assist the wicked on earth in making war against the Church. Even though 

part of the Church will be kept safe during these 3  years, there will also be 

a great worldwide persecution of Christians at the same time. Over almost 

the whole world, Christians will be persecuted, hunted, and killed. The 

kingdom of Antichrist will attempt to destroy the Christian faith completely. 

The Antichrist will also try to destroy the Church from within, by promoting 

the abomination of desolation, a perverse imitation of the Holy Eucharist. 

Many, many Christians will die. Those who escape death will nevertheless 

suffer very much.