I believe so many of us might have been asking this question over the years without an accurate answer, I still find it difficult to explain myself.
The Bible made us to understand that there was a pregnant woman in HEAVEN (Rev. 12:1-2)
HEAVEN- not -EARTH!
1. Who was the woman, and who is the child she conceived?
While growing up, the Catholics made us to understand that the woman was Mary and the Child is Jesus.
According to the Holy Bible, Mary conceived Jesus Christ on earth and not in HEAVEN
“The woman fled into the wilderness to a place prepared for her by God, where she might be taken care of for 1,260 days”. Rev. 12:6
2. Did Mary flee to the wilderness after she gave birth to Jesus?
Immediately Jesus Christ was born, God told Joseph (the Man) [… not Mary (the Woman)] to take him [Jesus Christ] to Egypt Matt. 2:13-14
Even if there were a correlation between the Woman in HEAVEN the Bible talked about and Mary mother of Jesus; the years Jesus stayed in Egypt during infancy would be able to give us an insight.
3. How many years did Jesus Christ stayed Egypt.
Jesus said salvation is of the Jews,and when a Gentile is saved they are a Jew inward,and become part of the commonwealth of Israel,and the kingdom on earth will be restored to Israel,and the 12 tribes of Israel,and the 12 apostles of the Lamb,are written in the New Jerusalem,for it is Israel all the way,Old Covenant given to them,New Covenant given to them,kingdom restored to Israel,which Jesus and the saints will rule over the people that God spared that fought against Israel coming in the future,and the New Jerusalem given to them,the final destination of the saints.
God will give the world 7 years to have their way,and cause all people who do not love Him to follow the beast kingdom,whch they will persecute the saints,and at the end of the 7 years the saints are resurrected on earth,God only dealing with Israel,turned them to the truth Jesus is their Messiah,world attacks them,Jesus comes back with His saints,and defeats the world,and saves Israel.
For the first three and one half years the world will operate by the ten horn kingdom,the world split in to ten sections with a leader in each section,and the 7 years will start when the man of sin establishes peace in the Middle East,and they say Peace and safety,in which sudden destruction comes upon them,and they shall not escape.
6 trumpets,6 warnings to the world,to turn to God,but after each trumpet they still do not turn to God,and after the 6th trumpet,which is a war which one third of the population of the world perishes,and they do not turn to God,so He gives them the man of sin to rule over them.
The ten horn kingdom failed at obtaining peace on earth,and they turn to the man of sin to solve their problems,and for the solution to have a peaceful world.The man of sin will rule for three and one half years,and persecute all who hold the testimony that Jesus is Lord and Savior.
God will restore the kingdom on earth to Israel after the 7 years period is up,which Jesus said they will not see Him again,until they say blessed is He that comes in the name of the Lord,which God turned them to the truth that Jesus is their Messiah.
Rev 12:1 And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars:
The woman is Israel,and the 12 tribes of Israel,and Jesus said salvation is of the Jews.It is not about Mary.
Rev 12:2 And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.
Jesus came from the nation of Israel from the tribe of Judah.
Rev 12:3 And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.
The 7 heads are 1.Egypt 2.Assyria 3.Babylon 4.Medo-Persia(Iran) 5.Greece 6.Roman Empire,who does not lose their dominion until God puts them down 7.Ten horn kingdom,the world split in to ten sections,with a leader in each section.All Gentile nations together,but the dominion is the Roman Empire.
The ten horn kingdom is the physical dominion of the beast kingdom coming in the future,and will start when the man of sin establishes peace in the Middle East,and they say Peace and safety for the world.
The crowns are on the heads,Satan in the spiritual realm deceiving people by way of the 7 kingdoms,which the ten horn kingdom will rule for three and one half years,before the man of sin claims to be God,who is the embodiment of Satan.
In Revelation 13 the crowns are on the horns,Satan in the physical realm deceiving people.
Rev 12:4 And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.
Rev 12:5 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.
Satan against the holy child Christ Jesus,and after He provided salvation at the cross,was caught up to heaven,and sits on the right hand of God,which means He was exalted to exercise the throne of power,which Jesus said,all power is given unto Me in heaven and earth,and will rule the world in the future,and the kingdom restored to Israel,in the millennial reign of Christ.
Rev 12:6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.
Israel is protected for the first three and one half years of the 7 years period.
Rev 12:7 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,
Rev 12:8 And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.
Rev 12:9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
This war has not happened yet,and is a future war,and not the rebellion that took place in the 3rd heaven.
After the 6th trumpet and the world does not turn to God,and repent of their sins,and ask God to help them,but keep trying to solve their problems on their own,God gives them the man of sin to rule over them.
WW1,terrible war,they do not turn to God,but set up League of Nations to try to have peace on earth.WW2,terrible war,they do not turn to God,but set up United Nations to try to have peace on earth.
That pattern will continue until God gives them the man of sin to rule over them,for they keep trying to solve their problems,and will not turn to God.
Rev 18:1 And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory.
Rev 18:2 And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.
God gives them the man of sin to rule over them,and war breaks out in heaven between Michael and his angels,and the dragon and his angels,and the fallen angels lose that battle,and are cast to earth,where the earth becomes the holding cell of the devils,and Satan is no longer the prince of the power of the air,and Satan appears as the beast to deceive all people who do not love God.
Rev 12:10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.
Rev 12:11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
Rev 12:12 Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.
Now has come salvation,and when the beast persecutes the saints they will be resurrected to heaven.
The devil knows he is a defeated foe,and has great wrath,because he knows he has but a short time before he is punished.
Rev 12:13 And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child.
Rev 12:14 And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.
Rev 12:15 And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.
Rev 12:16 And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth.
Israel is protected for the last three and one half years of the 7 years period,for God has a plan to bring her to the truth,and restore the kingdom on earth to Israel,and it cannot be thwarted.
And tell you the truth,that although Israel is so small of a nation,because God has a plan to bring her to the truth,and restore the kingdom on earth to her,that the whole world,right now,could assemble all the mighty,fighting,men of the world,with weapons up the wazoo,and go against Israel,and they would not succeed at defeating her.
They could stand afar off,and throw every nuclear weapon on the planet at her,and would not accomplish their goal of defeating Israel.
God's plan cannot be thwarted.
Isa 31:4 For thus hath the LORD spoken unto me, Like as the lion and the young lion roaring on his prey, when a multitude of shepherds is called forth against him, he will not be afraid of their voice, nor abase himself for the noise of them: so shall the LORD of hosts come down to fight for mount Zion, and for the hill thereof.
Isa 31:5 As birds flying, so will the LORD of hosts defend Jerusalem; defending also he will deliver it; and passing over he will preserve it.
God is working with Israel,and Israel fighter pilots paved the way to win the 6 day war,in which they took control of Jerusalem,as birds flying,fighter jets,the LORD shall defend Jerusalem,deliver it,and perserve it.
The only nation in the whole world that is jusified for fighting with physical force against her enemies,no other nation can do that,and be justified,and God said no nation can rule unless He allows it.
Rev 12:17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
The dragon was mad at Israel,and went to make war against those which keep the commandments of God,and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Which the beast shall make war against the saints,and prevail against them(Revelation 13:7).
Shall destroy the mighty and holy people(Daniel 8:24).
They shall be given in to His hands for three and one half years(Daniel 7:25).
And when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people,the resurrection shall happen,and all the saints will be with Jesus,in which He will avenge the saints(Revelation 6:9-11),and when the world attacks Israel God will come back with His saints,and defeat the world,and save Israel(Zechariah 14:1-5;12;2 Thessalonians 2:1-10,Joel 3:9-16,Revelation 19:11-21).
The woman is not Mary,but Israel,and there is no Mary without Israel,for it all stems from Israel,although it all stems from God,and she is protected from being taken down during the 7 years period,for God has a plan to bring her to the truth that Jesus is their Messiah,and restore the kingdom on earth to Israel.