Not just the word "woe" in Revelation 12:12, but "woe to the inhabiters of the earth".
Revelation 8:13 And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound!
But do you understand chapter 8 and compare it with chapter 9? For example:
Revelation 9:1-4
1 And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit.
2 And he opened the bottomless pit;
and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit.
3 And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power.
4 And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads.
This smoke from the bottomless pit is the reason the sun (Christ) and the moon (church) no longer give their light of gospel for Salvation. This is a spiritual picture of the
effects of the false gospels being preached in the church, the only holy place on this side of the Cross! So the day of the Lord must begin
IN THE CHURCH either at this point, or perhaps even before this point, because in Revelation 8 we find another spiritual picture which
begins the process of covering the light of the gospel message:
Revelation 8:6-13
6 And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.
7 The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth:
and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.
8 And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood;
9
And the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life, died; and the third part of the ships were destroyed.
10 And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp,
and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters;
11 And the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood;
and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter.
12 And the fourth angel sounded, and the
third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so as the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise.
13 And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice,
Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels,
which are yet to sound!
Woe! Woe! Woe! This is part of the
Day of the Lord. It demonstrates that once all of God’s elect are sealed (Revelation 7:1–4), God’s judgment begins upon His unfaithful church — a judgment that also affects the entire world of those not yet sealed. The day of salvation is over for them.
This is a true
woe and torment for the inhabitants of the earth. Anyone seeking salvation or desiring to be saved during this time will not find it (Revelation 9:5–9). The judgment is gradual; it is not poured out in a single day but unfolds over many days — representing the symbolic “hour” of judgment on the whore.
We will not simply wake up one day to find our churches completely infiltrated with wormwood — the false gospel. The process takes time. How long? The Bible does not specify. However, God says that we will
“know” when the season comes, if, and only if, we are granted spiritual understanding, allowing us to discern what the signs in the sun, moon, and stars truly signify.
For example:
Mat 24:29-30
29
Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
30
And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and
they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
This verse is not saying that when Jesus Christ returns the entire earth will be in literal physical darkness. Rather, it speaks of a sign in the sun, moon, and stars which REPRESENTS the church being under judgment of God. At the completion of the “hour” of judgment upon the whore, Christ will appear. That's it!
Life will still seem normal to many people. They will be going to work, getting married, playing sports, and continuing daily routines
under the light of the sun. There will not be some obvious global blackout that forces everyone to recognize the moment. Instead, Christ will come unexpectedly — because people are not watching! They do
NOT discern the spiritual condition of the church, nor
do they realize that judgment has already begun. That is the point of what Christ talked about!
His coming will catch them by surprise, not because there were no signs, but because they failed to pay attention to them and know that Christ's coming is near! Selah!
