The Revelation 12 Woman — The Restrainer
The woman of Revelation 12 is one of the most discussed figures in prophetic interpretation. The tradition has identified her as Israel, as Mary, as the church. Under Rule 1, the text itself provides the identification when the same figure is examined alongside 2 Thessalonians 2.
The Woman in Revelation 12
> Revelation 12:1 — And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars.
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> Revelation 12:6 — And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, in which she is to be nourished for 1,260 days.
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> Revelation 12:14 — But the woman was given the two wings of the great eagle so that she might fly from the serpent into the wilderness, to the place where she is to be nourished for a time, and times, and half a time.
The sign appears in heaven — not on earth. The woman is in heaven. She flees into the wilderness for 1260 days (the same period as the tribulation). She has a place prepared by God. She is nourished there for the duration.
The Restrainer of 2 Thessalonians 2
> 2 Thessalonians 2:6-7 — And you know what is restraining him now so that he may be revealed in his time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed.
The restrainer holds back the full revelation of the lawless one until the appointed time, then is removed so that the lawless one can be revealed. The tradition has identified the restrainer as the Roman Empire, as the church, as the Holy Spirit. Under Rule 1 the text is examined directly.
The woman of Revelation 12 is in the heavenly realm, has a prepared place, is nourished there for exactly 1260 days — the same period as the tribulation — and her withdrawal from the earth coincides with the beast ascending and the dragon having complete freedom (Revelation 12:12-13). The restrainer of 2 Thessalonians 2 is removed before the lawless one is revealed. These two descriptions match the same event: the Spirit of God withdrawing to the prepared heavenly place for the 1260-day tribulation period.
What the Withdrawal Means
The Spirit is not absent from the universe during this period. The 144,000 are sealed before the Spirit withdraws and carry the Spirit within them through the tribulation. They operate in the Spirit ‘s presence and power throughout the 1260 days. But the general restraining presence that has held back the full expression of the mystery of iniquity since Pentecost is withdrawn to the prepared place. This is why the tribulation is unlike anything before or after (Matthew 24:21). The restrainer has never been withdrawn before. The 1260 days is the only period in all of human history when the Spirit is in the wilderness and the dragon has complete freedom on earth.
The sealing of the 144,000 in Revelation 7, before the hurt begins, is the preparation for this withdrawal. They are sealed and commissioned before the Spirit withdraws. They carry the kingdom provision and testimony through the period when the general restraining presence is absent. This is why the sealing happens before the trumpets begin. The withdrawal of the restrainer and the sealing of the 144,000 are the same preparatory sequence.