Revelation 12:15; Carried Away of the Flood

Revelation 12:15 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. 

Since the woman could not pursue the woman, he attempted to impose harm by drowning her. [Robertson, Word Pictures, 6:396]

The statement indicate an attempted destruction by literal water or is difficult if not impossible to determine or portray the hot pursuit of the woman by an army (cf. Jeremiah 46:7-8; 47:2-3).

Jeremiah 46:7-8 Who is this that cometh up as a flood, whose waters are moved as the rivers? Egypt riseth up like a flood, and his waters are moved like the rivers; and he saith, I will go up, and will cover the earth; I will destroy the city and the inhabitants thereof. 

Jeremiah 47:2-3 Thus saith the LORD; Behold, waters rise up out of the north, and shall be an overflowing flood, and shall overflow the land, and all that is therein; the city, and them that dwell therein: then the men shall cry, and all the inhabitants of the land shall howl. At the noise of the stamping of the hoofs of his strong horses, at the rushing of his chariots, and at the rumbling of his wheels, the fathers shall not look back to their children for feebleness of hands; 

It could be either, but since the serpent’s initial effort to pursue met with frustration, this may very possible be a different tactic through the use of water to accomplish what he could not do otherwise. Certainly it is not reference to the attempt of the Jewish authority to eradicate the church (cf. Acts 8:1-3) or the river of lies that will threaten the elect in the future (2 Thessalonians 2:9-11; Revelation 13:14). It relates more to a tangible use of force by an authority figure than to either of these proposals.

Acts 8:1-3 And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles. And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him. As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison. 

2 Thessalonians 2:9-11 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: 

Robert L. Thomas, Revelation 8-22, An Exegetical Commentary, Moody Press, 1995, 140.