By the way, the period of 1260 days, or variants of it (3 1/2 years, 42 months, etc) are used throughout Scripture as a period of trial or tribulation. Yet, the dispensationalist interprets the period in a literal fashion. The idea that a period of days could be symbolic rather than literal is beyond their ability to understand.
Here's some notes on Rev 12:1-4 from various non-dispensationalist sources (although they may be historic premillennialist):
Revelation 12:1-6
12:1—14:20 The Cosmic Conflict Between the Dragon and the Lamb. Between the cycles of trumpet and bowl judgments, a dramatic sequence of visions presents the fundamental contest between the forces of God and Satan (the “dragon,” 12:3) for the nations’ allegiance and worship. The dragon, beast, and false prophet persecute God’s people, but God promises to spiritually protect and gloriously vindicate them. So God exhorts them to steadfastly endure.
12:1–17 The Woman and the Dragon. Many interpreters view the dramatic conflict between God and Satan in ch. 12 as the heart of Revelation. Verses 1–6 establish the conflict between two heavenly “signs”: the woman (God’s people, vv. 1, 4, 6) and her Messianic child (vv. 4–5) versus the dragon, representing Satan (v. 3). Then vv. 7–12 describe the war in heaven, which results in the dragon being hurled to earth (v. 9). Finally, vv. 13–17 describe the war on earth between the dragon and God’s people, whom God protects.
12:1 great sign. Contrasts with v. 3 (“another sign”); these signs introduce the key conflict between the woman and the dragon, which recalls Gen 3:15. woman. The faithful people of God, from whom the Messianic son comes (v. 5). sun . . . moon . . . twelve stars. Recalls Joseph’s dream in Gen 37:9.
12:3 another sign. See note on v. 1. dragon. Recalls OT descriptions of the sea monster Leviathan, representing chaos and God’s enemies (Ps 74:13–14; Isa 27:1; Ezek 29:3); identified as Satan in v. 9 (see note there; cf. 20:2). seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns. Represents the dragon’s great power and claim to sovereignty; copies the depiction of Christ (5:6; 19:12). John describes the “beast” using similar imagery (13:1; 17:3, 9–10, 12).
12:4 stars. May designate angels aligned with Satan in the original war in heaven (cf. v. 9) or diabolical persecution of God’s people (cf. Dan 8:10). devour her child. Recalls the rivalry between the serpent and Eve’s child in Gen 3:15.
12:5 male child . . . iron scepter. Jesus is Israel’s promised royal Messiah in David’s line; cites Ps 2:9; cf. Rev 2:27; 19:15.
12:6 wilderness. A place of divine protection and provision (v. 14). May recall Israel’s exodus (Exod 16:32) and promised restoration after exile (Isa 40:3; Matt 3:3). 1,260 days. The period of persecution (see 11:2 and note [“42 months”]; 13:5–7), proclamation (11:3), and protection (here) for God’s people.
(NIV Biblical Theology Study Bible)
Revelation 12:1-6
12:1–17 Two signs in heaven—a woman who gives birth, and a dragon intent on destroying her offspring—dominate the two visions in this chapter. Twice John sees the dragon decisively defeated, and both descriptions of the battle's aftermath describe the woman's protection in the wilderness (vv. 6, 13-17). The first vision (vv. 1–6) portrays a decisive battle at the turning point of history when Christ's incarnation, obedience, sacrifice, and exaltation forever disqualified Satan as the accuser of believers (see v. 10). Some interpreters think the second vision (vv. 7–17) also represents the same series of events, while others think it portrays events at the beginning of the great tribulation.
12:1–6 The Woman's Son Defeats the Dragon. Christ, the promised son of Israel and of Eve, though apparently a defenseless newborn before the mighty dragon, has been caught up to reign with God.
12:1–2 The woman's description as a great sign in heaven and her clothing with sun, moon, and twelve stars show that she symbolizes Israel (cf. Joseph's dream, Gen. 37:9).
12:3 The great red dragon is “that ancient serpent, the devil and Satan” (v. 9; cf. 20:2; Gen. 3:1–15; Isa. 27:1). Its seven heads with seven diadems and ten horns symbolize great power (cf. Dan. 7:6–7). Cf. the description of the beast (Rev. 13:1).
12:4 His tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven. Evil spirits (demons) in league with Satan share his defeat and downfall before the forces of God (cf. vv. 7–9). Some interpreters think this refers to the original fall of Satan, taking one-third of the angels with him (cf. 2 Pet. 2:4; Jude 6; perhaps Isa. 14:12–15). The dragon's intent to devour the woman's child at birth recalls Gen. 3:15, which predicts that the woman's offspring will bruise the serpent's head as the serpent bruises his heel.
12:5 This male child, the promised Messiah who is born to rule all the nations with a rod of iron (cf. Ps. 2:9), is not destroyed by the dragon but is exalted to God's throne (cf. Acts 2:33–36; Rev. 3:21). Yet the second vision (12:7–17) will reveal that the Messiah's suffering was integral to his victory (v. 11; cf. 5:9–10). The “rod of iron” (also 2:27; 19:15) is not a royal scepter (as in some translations) but the shepherd's club, here used to shatter the nations like pottery (cf. Ps. 2:9).
12:6 The child's mother fled into the wilderness, a setting in which God's people are utterly dependent on him but are protected from the dragon's rage (vv. 13–14). There, she was nourished by God's provision, as were Israel (Ex. 16:13–18) and Elijah (1 Kings 17:6; 19:5–8). Some scholars think the time period symbolized as 1,260 days (or “a time, and times, and half a time,” Rev. 12:14; cf. 11:2–3) began with Christ's ascension and will end when God withdraws his restraint on the dragon's power to deceive the nations and gather them against the church (20:7–10). Others understand the “1,260 days” (three and a half years) to represent the second half of the great tribulation, and to be the same period as the second half of Daniel's seventieth week (Dan. 9:27). On this view, the woman's fleeing into the wilderness indicates that during the great tribulation Jewish believers will be persecuted by the Antichrist and will flee into the wilderness (see note on Rev. 11:1–2).
(ESV SB Notes)
Revelation 12:1-6
12:1-14:20 This third cycle of visions consists primarily of histories of key symbolic characters: the dragon, the woman, the beast, the false prophet, the 144,000, angelic announcers, and the Son of Man (Introduction: Outline). Unlike the cycles of seven seals (5:1-8:1) and seven trumpets (8:2-11:19), these visions have no explicit numbering. But, like the preceding cycles, they lead to a vision of the second coming (14:14-20). The two preceding cycles focused on the judgments issuing from God’s throne. This cycle depicts in depth the nature of the spiritual conflict. Characters appear in symbolic form to represent the forces on the two sides of a cosmic spiritual war.
God Himself has already been revealed in chs. 4; 5. Opposing God are Satan (the dragon) and his agents, the beast (13:1-10) and the false prophet (13:11-18; 16:13). On God’s side are His people, portrayed as a light-bearing woman (12:1-6, 13-17) and as a chaste, numbered, and protected multitude (14:1-5). These two complementary pictures show the saints in their capacity as witnesses of God’s light and as separated from the corruptions of the world. Thus the saints are exhorted to remain faithful to Christ in response to the persecution by the beast, and to remain pure by resisting the seduction by the harlot (Introduction: Characteristics and Primary Themes). The symbolic pictures show the two sides stripped of all inconsistency and confusion to clearly express the nature of spiritual warfare (Eph. 6:10-20). The present conflicts will be followed by the peace of 21:1-22:5 when the fulfillment of God’s plans takes effect.
12:1 a woman. The imagery calls to mind Joseph’s dream (Gen. 37:9, 10) and the picture of Jerusalem bringing forth the Messiah and His remnant (Is. 54:1-4; 66:7-13; Mic. 5:3). The OT saints collectively are in view. Mary the mother of Jesus is included in this group, but only as an outstanding member of the whole. The later history shows that the NT saints also are included (vv. 13-17). The light-bearing character of the woman foreshadows the glory of the New Jerusalem (21:11, 22-27). In her privileges, the church now partakes in the blessings that will be consummated at Christ’s return. In the meantime, she is buffeted by Satan (12:1-14:20 note).
12:3 a great red dragon. This figure is identified as Satan, the devil, in v. 9. The image of a dragon depicts Satan in his monstrous power and hideous enmity against God. Satan has constantly opposed the plans of God and has been repeatedly defeated in the great acts of God’s saving power (Gen. 3:1, 15; Ps. 74:13, 14; Is. 27:1; 51:9, 10; Ezek. 29:3; Luke 10:18; 11:14-23; John 12:31; Col. 2:15). He rises against the Messiah (vv. 4, 5) and His servants (v. 17) but will finally be consigned to everlasting punishment (20:10).
12:5 a male child. In fulfillment of Mic. 5:3, Christ is born and His triumphant rule over the nations will be established, as certified by His resurrection and ascension.
12:6 God promises protection for a persecuted church. On the 1,260 days, see note on 11:2. This period begins immediately after Christ’s ascension and extends throughout the time of the entire church age itself.
(Reformation SB)
