You offered, “My biggest issue is that Revelation 12 is describing the final 3.5 years of the tribulation, not the beginning.” The woman is Israel, the child is Jesus. That event happened a couple of thousand years ago so at least that portion 12 IS NOT about the last three point five years of the Tribulation. The timeline of the Revelation is not a smooth line.
1260 days...Revelation 12 says John saw the Woman of the sign had fled into the wilderness 1260 days...for a time, times and 1/2 time. It is speaking of the final 3.5 years. It was a motion picture sign John was watching then....
Context...Context...the sign and the rest of Revelation 12 are linked.
“And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child.
14 And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.
15 And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.
16 And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth.
17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ”.
Say again? that the latter part of Revelation 12 happened 2000 years ago? Yet I know you aren’t a pretirist!