1. Revelation 12:4 (ESV)
  2. Exposition

What are the stars this dragon swept from heaven?

Revelation 12:4 (ESV)

4 His tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven and cast them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she bore her child he might devour it.

The term “star” appears in Scripture to denote more than physical stars in the sky. In Revelation 1:20 stars are in fact angels (in that particular case, the angels of the seven churches). Similarly, in Revelation 9:1 the “star” is clearly an angel (see also Job 38:7). Angels are heavenly beings God created to serve him in his care for his people (Hebrews 1:14). This great red dragon was able to sweep many of these angels out of God’s presence.