This chapter emphasizes the role and purpose of Israel in the past, present, and future.
Chapter 11 reveals that the real Temple is in Heaven as is the real ark. The ark on earth is but a replica given to Moses by FATHER. It is important to note that the mercy seat is NOT part of the ark of the covenant. They are always mentioned separately.
Paul emphasized this Truth as he wrote by The Holy Spirit in Hebrews chapter 8:
1 Now this is the main point of the things we are saying: We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the Right Hand of the Throne of the Majesty in the heavens,
2 a Minister of the Sanctuary and of the true Tabernacle which the Lord erected, and not man.
3 For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices. Therefore it is necessary that this One also have something to offer.
4 For if He were on earth, He would not be a priest, since there are priests who offer the gifts according to the Law;
5 who serve the copy and shadow of the heavenly things, as Moses was divinely instructed when he was about to make the tabernacle. For He said, “See that you make all things according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.”
6 But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises.
This replica was to provide both Israel and the true church an idea of what to expect in Heaven. There is no way we can imagine the greater without seeing the lesser replicas! Ezekiel chapters 1 & 10 further describe what is in Heaven.
The Beloved Disciple wrote what he saw and heard by The Holy Spirit in Revelation chapter 12:
1 Now a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a garland of twelve stars.
The woman is NOT the church, it is Israel. The true church is in Heaven, protected from the judgments associated with the 70th week. This woman is pregnant, not the Virgin Bride of Christ. It is vital that we understand the difference!
2 Then being with child, she cried out in labor and in pain to give birth.
There are four woman in the Book of Revelation:
Jezebel Revelation 2:20
The Harlot Revelation 17, 20
This Woman Revelation 12, Jeremiah 3:20
The Bride Revelation 19:7, 21:2, 9
Since The Bible is an integrated message system, we can verify that this woman is Israel by referencing Genesis chapter 37:
5 Now Joseph had a dream, and he told it to his brothers; and they hated him even more.
6 So he said to them, “Please hear this dream which I have dreamed:
7 There we were, binding sheaves in the field. Then behold, my sheaf arose and also stood upright; and indeed your sheaves stood all around and bowed down to my sheaf.”
8 And his brothers said to him, “Shall you indeed reign over us? Or shall you indeed have dominion over us?” So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words.
9 Then he dreamed still another dream and told it to his brothers, and said, “Look, I have dreamed another dream. And this time, the sun, the moon, and the eleven stars bowed down to me (the twelfth star).”
Joseph’s dream depicted the family, i.e.. Israel. In the Old Testament, the Israel is described as a woman in travail: Isaiah 54:5, 66:7, etc. The woman gives birth to the Man-child, the church does not! As Isaiah 9:6 declares: Unto to us a child is born (humanity), unto us a Son is given (Deity). FATHER is clearly not finished with Israel as Paul affirms in Romans chapters 9-11.
3 And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great, fiery red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems (implies rulership) on his heads.
4 His tail drew a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to give birth, to devour her Child as soon as it was born.
The dragon is further identified as the devil and satan in verse 9.
5 She bore a male Child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron. And her Child was caught up (harpazo) to God and His Throne.
Jesus Christ is referenced in His rulership in Psalm chapter 2:
7 “I will declare the decree: The LORD has said to Me, ‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten You.
8 Ask of Me, and I will give You The nations for Your inheritance, And the ends of the earth for Your possession.
9 You shall break them with a rod of iron; You shall dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel.'”
There is an implied interval between verses 5 and 6; the harpazo and Israel fleeing into the wilderness for 3 ½ years. There are 24 “gaps” or intervals in Scripture. The church is associated with these intervals… between the 69th and 70th week.
6 Then the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, that they should feed her there one thousand two hundred and sixty days.
7 And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought,
Michael (the warrior angel) and his angels prevailed, clearly two to one!
8 but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in Heaven any longer.
9 So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
The term “devil” means slanderer in Greek. The word “satan” comes from the Hebrew word for adversary. The origin of satan is described in Ezekiel 28:2-15 and the rebellion in Heaven is described in Isaiah 14:12-17.