Revelation 12:1; Conflict of the Woman with the Dragon in the Past

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: 

Who is the woman? There are 4 symbols of the woman in the Bible. The first is that a woman is a symbol of religion, false and true. Four such women appear in the Bible.

(1) Jezebel represents paganism and idolatrous worship (Revelation 2:20; 1 Kings 16:31)

Revelation 2:20 Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.

1 Kings 16:31 And it came to pass, as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took to wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Zidonians, and went and served Baal, and worshipped him. 

(2) The scarlet woman represents false religion (Revelation 17).

(3) The bride of Christ represents the true church (Revelation 19).

(4) And the sun-clad woman represents Judaism and the nation of Israel.

Hermon A. Hoyt, Studies in Revolution, BMH Books, 1977, 81.