Revelation 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

John's visions throughout the Book of Revelation are chronological,¹ except for his visionary flashback to the premortal existence that begins in Revelation 12:1.² This verse describes a woman in premortality as a great wonder in heaven, which the Joseph Smith Translation modified to say a great sign in heaven.³ This change is consistent with the original Greek manuscripts which contain the Greek words sēmeion mega that should have been translated as a great sign instead of a great wonder.⁴ The sign of the woman is shown in heaven⁵ because she represents the premortal church of God.⁶ The Father organized this premortal church in heaven⁷ during the grand council⁸ that was convened on the spirit world called Kolob.⁹ At the same time the Father organized the premortal church of God on Kolob, Lucifer rebelled and organized the premortal church of the devil.¹⁰

Many scholars interpret the woman in Revelation 12:1 as a symbol of Christ's earthly church,¹¹ and others say the woman represents Mary, the mother of Jesus.¹² Mary obviously did not give birth to a church. Scholars who equate the woman with the earthly church also struggle in vain to identify an earthly timeframe for her part in John's vision.¹³ The Joseph Smith Translation of Revelation 12:7 states expressly that the woman is the premortal church of God, which has its likeness¹⁴ in Christ's earthly church.¹⁵ The premortal church in heaven is the perfect pattern for Christ's earthly church,¹⁶ and it evolves and matures into the earthly church.

The premortal church of God, or kingdom of God,¹⁷ was organized during the grand council. At that time, God the Father chose Jehovah to become the creator, Savior, and Redeemer.¹⁸ After the Father selected Jehovah, he called for a sustaining vote by, and the common consent of, all his spirit children who attended the council.¹⁹ This became a highly contentious gathering because Lucifer proposed a different plan and offered himself as the Redeemer.²⁰ As votes were cast, one third of God's spirit children immediately rejected the Father's plan in favor of Lucifer, and they became permanent members of Lucifer's church of the devil.²¹ A second vast group of spirits remained uncommitted to either Lucifer or Jehovah during the grand council.²² A third group of spirits called the sons of God demonstrated their faith in,²³ and obedience to, God's chosen Son.²⁴ This group of sons and daughters unto God²⁵ became members of the premortal church of God as they accepted the Father's plan²⁶ by covenant.²⁷ Faithful members of the premortal church²⁸ also became members in the premortal house of Israel.²⁹ They were the noble and great spirits that Abraham saw in his vision of premortality in Abraham 3:22.³⁰

The woman who represented the premortal church of God in John's vision was clothed with the sun³¹ to symbolize spiritual light within the premortal church.³² She was adorned with the light of Christ,³³ and her righteous members were the premortal children of light.³⁴ Her sun-like attire indicates that the premortal church was enveloped with the glory of God's celestial kingdom.³⁵ John's description of the glorious woman is closely related to Abraham's vision of Kolob.³⁶ Kolob was the spirit world and glorious governing star that was closest to the throne of God where the premortal church was organized during the grand council.³⁷ The woman's sunlit clothing also represents the light of the gospel of Jesus Christ,³⁸ which valiant members of the premortal church attempted to share with the uncommitted spirit children of God in the first estate.³⁹ This missionary effort typifies the efforts of valiant church members on earth who attempt to share the gospel light with God's uncommitted children in this second estate.⁴⁰ In like manner, church members in the postmortal spirit world endeavor to share the gospel with disembodied spirits who did not have an opportunity to hear the gospel in mortality.⁴¹

The premortal woman had the moon under her feet to symbolize the everlasting dominion⁴² of the church of God and her celestial-worthy members.⁴³ Celestial-worthy members of the church will forever rule over all lesser worlds, kingdoms, classes, and orders,⁴⁴ as the sun rules over the moon.⁴⁵ This symbolic imagery confirms that the Father organized the premortal church of God on Kolob because Kolob is the great governing star of the universe.⁴⁶

The governing power of the premortal church of God is also symbolized by the crown of royalty worn by the woman.⁴⁷ The twelve stars in her crown represent the twelve tribes of Israel.⁴⁸ This imagery confirms that membership in the premortal church of God is synonymous with membership in the house of Israel.⁴⁹ That has been the case since the time of the grand council.⁵⁰ These premortal Israelites were foreordained on account of their faithfulness⁵¹ to receive eternal life⁵² and to rule and reign forever⁵³ in the kingdom of God.⁵⁴

Many scholars say that the twelve stars in the woman's crown represent the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ.⁵⁵ They arrive at this conclusion because they misinterpret the identity of the premortal woman in Revelation 12:1 as Christ's earthly church, instead of the premortal church of God in heaven.⁵⁶ The apostleship did not exist as a priesthood office in the premortal church.⁵⁷ The priesthood office of apostle⁵⁸ was instituted at the time of Christ's mortal ministry and the establishment of his ancient earthly church.⁵⁹ Apostles govern the earthly church⁶⁰ and have their likeness in the presiding patriarchs within the twelve tribes of Israel.⁶¹ However, the heavenly church was and will be organized by the twelve family groups within the house of Israel.⁶² This is the Patriarchal Order of the Priesthood.⁶³ Thus, the twelve stars in the woman's crown represent the Patriarchal Order in the premortal house of Israel,⁶⁴ not the earthly office of the twelve apostles.