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Revelation 12 depicts war on earth between the dragon (Satan) and a woman (Israel). The “male Child” that the woman brings forth is predicted to “rule all nations with a rod of iron” (Revelation 12:5, NKJV; cf. Psalm 2:9). The woman’s son, then, is Jesus Christ, and He is destined to rule.
The “enormous red dragon” introduced in Revelation 12:3 represents two things: the final Gentile world power in its exercise of authority over the nation of Israel and Satan himself, whose power upholds that kingdom. Satan relentlessly seeks to frustrate the plans of God. When the woman, Israel, gave birth to the Messiah, the true Ruler of humanity, at least one attempt was made to murder Him by means of Herod, who sought to kill the male infants of Bethlehem (cf. Matthew 2:16–18).
Revelation 12:5 elaborates on the birth of the woman’s child: “And she gave birth to a Son, a male, who is going to rule all the nations with a rod of iron” (NASB). The statement is an obvious reflection of Psalm 2:7–9:
He said to me, “You are my son;
today I have become your father.
Ask me,
and I will make the nations your inheritance,
the ends of the earth your possession.
You will break them with a rod of iron;
you will dash them to pieces like pottery.”
So, the Lord God promises His Son that He will inherit the Gentile nations and that He will rule them with a rod of iron. This King, who is also God’s Son, will rule from Zion, God’s “holy mountain” (Psalm 2:6).today I have become your father.
Ask me,
and I will make the nations your inheritance,
the ends of the earth your possession.
You will break them with a rod of iron;
you will dash them to pieces like pottery.”
God’s Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, will rule supremely over the nations that, like “pieces of pottery,” are broken and shattered “with a rod of iron” (Psalm 2:9). A rod of iron is one that cannot be broken or resisted. It is a sign of unbending, absolute authority. When the Lord Jesus comes from His heavenly throne to occupy an earthly throne, He will “strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron” (Revelation 19:15, ESV). There will be no compromise with His enemies, who will feel “the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God” (Revelation 19:15, NKJV) and be consigned to the lake of fire. God and His Anointed One laugh at the utter foolishness of the nations conspiring and plotting their vain rebellion. Any defiance is destined to fail (Psalm 2:1–4).
Christ Jesus will “rule all the nations” (Revelation 12:5). With a rod of iron, He will suppress all rebellion. Even Satan will be locked away for 1,000 years (Revelation 20:1–3). It will be a time of peace and plenty, when “the wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat” (Isaiah 11:6). People will “beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore” (Isaiah 2:4). The rod of iron in the hands of the Prince of Peace results in worldwide blessing.
As the Shepherd of His people, the Lord Jesus wields a rod. As the King of kings, that rod is also a scepter. As the Omnipotent Ruler who cannot be resisted, the scepter is an iron rod. If you are a sheep, one of the people of His pasture, then that rod of iron protects, guards, and defends you. If you are a wolf—or a dragon—then that rod of iron will be your destruction. Evil, no matter how well established or highly organized, will be broken like pottery under the firm application of divine justice. The world will be made right. The Shepherd will care for His flock.
