Who is the male child of Revelation 12?

I received the following question about the male child in Revelation 12:

Who is the child in Revelation 12:4-5? Is it Israel or…?

Chapter 12 also describes the pregnant woman who gives birth to a male son and is followed by the great dragon which is the old serpent, called the devil and Satan. The following things are told about the male child in Revelation 12

And his tail swept away a third of the stars of heaven and hurled them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she gave birth he might devour her Child. And she gave birth to a Son, a male, who is going to rule all the nations with a rod of iron; and her Child was caught up to God and to His throne. (Revelation 12:4-5 NASB)

Thus, we find out the following about him:
1. From birth he is pursued by Satan to be destroyed
2. He is male
3. He is to rule the nations with an iron rod
4. He was taken up to God and His throne

We find all these things in the Lord Jesus Christ. Thus, from the birth of this male child, he was pursued by Satan to be destroyed:

Now when they had gone, behold, an angel of the Lord *appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up! Take the Child and His mother and flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you; for Herod is going to search for the Child to kill Him.” (Matthew 2:13 NASB)

I know someone will say that Herod wanted to kill the Lord Jesus and not Satan, but isn’t that how Satan works through people who do as he wants?

Chapter 19 of Revelation describes the glorious coming of the Lord Jesus Christ on a white horse, and among the descriptions we find this one…

From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty. (Revelation 19:15 NASB)

So Jesus is the One who will rule the nations with an iron rod. And as for the fact that he was taken up to God and His throne, it is well known that this happened on the day Jesus ascended to heaven.

I recommend that you take the 4-volume Bible study course on Revelation. In volumes 3 and 4 we study in detail about this male child.

But you, dear reader, what relationship do you have with the Lord Jesus Christ, with this man who is the Son of God, but who came into this world and took on human flesh to save us from eternal death and the punishment of hell? Choose today to repent of your sins, to receive forgiveness, and to become His disciple, following all the sound teachings of the gospel to inherit eternal life.

Translated by Aliona Soltan