Hello as you know the Bible tells stories that are made up, the book of Revelation is a series of dreams given to a fictional character named the apostle John over a number of years. The passage at Revelation 12:4 is also a dream meaning the contents have a literal meaning. From the beginning Satan and demons have been involved in earth’s affairs to mislead and control them, Genesis 3:1–5. At Revelation 12:4 what would be the purpose of referring to the Devil in this way?
Revelation 20:1-3
Living Bible
20 Then I saw an angel come down from heaven with the key to the bottomless pit and a heavy chain in his hand. 2 He seized the Dragon—that old Serpent, the devil, Satan—and bound him in chains for a thousand years, 3 and threw him into the bottomless pit, which he then shut and locked so that he could not fool the nations anymore until the thousand years were finished. Afterwards he would be released again for a little while.
The passage expresses that Satan was bound for 1,000 years so he could not influence the people of earth anymore. But after 1,000 has ended he was let loose in order to influence people again. This is compared to the final test called Armageddon and how Satan is used to test the earth again.
The Great Tribulation is a test given by God that shows people what is in their hearts and who they truly are. It is released during the Second Coming of Christ; this test is given to all humans on earth that shows the results gathered from the experiment that allows humans the right to guide their own lives apart from divine leadership. The Great Tribulation shows that people do not have or have ever acquired the right skills and training that will help them really strive towards excellence as was intended for humans. How do we know that the Great Tribulation has begun?
1 Thessalonians 5:1-5
Living Bible
5 When is all this going to happen? I really don’t need to say anything about that, dear brothers, 2 for you know perfectly well that no one knows. That day of the Lord will come unexpectedly, like a thief in the night. 3 When people are saying, “All is well; everything is quiet and peaceful”—then, all of a sudden, disaster will fall upon them as suddenly as a woman’s birth pains begin when her child is born. And these people will not be able to get away anywhere—there will be no place to hide.
4 But, dear brothers, you are not in the dark about these things, and you won’t be surprised as by a thief when that day of the Lord comes. 5 For you are all children of the light and of the day, and do not belong to darkness and night.
