Hi John and Doves,
I believe most of us agree that this sign did indeed take place in the heavens in 2017. And, the majority of the Rev 12 sign proponents are believers in a future 7 year tribulation. Most of us agree that Ezekiel 38 is looming into view as well. Ezekiel 38: 18-19 tells us that on the very day these nations attack Israel, Almighty God's wrath kicks in. And because of this wrath, the nations will KNOW that this is the work of Almighty God. Let that sink in for a moment. The very day of this attack is when Almighty God makes Himself known to everybody.
Back to Revelation 12. We saw that sign in 2017. If you read the entire chapter, it tells us in Rev 12:6 that the woman (Israel) will flee and be protected for 1,260 days. In Rev 12: 14, we are told that the woman is given two wings of a great eagle so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the wilderness where she will be taken care of for time, times and half a time. Revelation 12 makes it very clear that the surviving remnant of Israel will be protected and nourished for 3.5 years. Not 7 years. If the sign seen in 2017 was the actual Rev 12 sign - it stands to reason that the devil is going to be hurled to earth pretty soon. Otherwise, why would Almighty God give us the sign in 2017?
So....if Ezekiel 38 is close, that makes Almighty God's wrath close too. Ezekiel 38: 19-21 tells us there will be a great earthquake inIsrael on that day. Mountains will be overturned -cliffs will crumble - every wall will fall. This mirrors the EQ of Revelation 6. Except Rev 6 refers to this EQ being world-wide. The wording is achingly similar. Ezekiel 38 is focusing on Israel while Revelation 6 focuses on the entire world.
When Ezekiel 38 happens, so too does Almighty God's wrath. Israel (the woman) is protected for 1,260 days. No more, no less. It's terribly difficult to imagine that there will be many survivors after the calamities of Ezekiel 38, for one.
The BIGGEST question of all is...why was the Rev 12 sign given to us if it isn't going to happen soon and it doesn't encompass the entire chapter? This chapter explicitly says that the devil is going to fall to earth and "the woman flees into the wilderness for protection for 1,260 days. The obvious answer is that this particular sign was given to let us know that this is going to happen soon.
Very little adds up to a future 7 year trib for me. Relying on "typology" just doesn't hack it.
Revelation 12 NIV - - Bible Gateway