Who do the woman and the man-child represent in Revelation 12?
The woman symbolizes the nation of Israel, while the man-child is the Christ child. The context describes her bringing forth the man-child, who is to rule all nations with a rod of iron, was caught up to God and His throne, and later the woman flees into the wilderness.
Les explains that in Revelation 12 the symbolism identifies the woman as the nation of Israel. She brought forth a man-child, meaning the Christ child. The passage leaps from His birth to the rule of His kingdom, then back to the ascension, where her child was caught up unto God and to His throne. Later, at the midpoint of the tribulation, the woman fled into the wilderness, the mountains Jesus spoke of, where she has a place prepared of God, and the Godhead feeds her there for 1,260 days, or 3 1/2 years. When the dragon is cast into the earth, he persecutes the woman, again identified as the nation of Israel.
And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.