12:2and she was with child; and she cried out, being in labor and in pain to give birth.

This is a continuation from the previous verse.

and she cried out, being in labor and in pain to give birth.

This is a very unique earthly experience. That is, there will be no pain or sorrow in heaven (Revelation 21:4). Thus, there seems to be a conflict with 'appeared in heaven' in the previous verse and the 'pain' in this verse. While the sign was (appeared) in heaven, the object of the symbol was on earth. We really cannot understand the linkages between heaven and earth while we are physically alive. When we get to heaven, then we will understand (if we care to ... the worship and praise session may be so overwhelming that we will not care about this kind of semantics.). Check out the clues in verses 5 and 6.

The prophets in the Old Testament indicate that Jerusalem and the Israelis will be compared to these birth pangs:



Isaiah 26:11-17,18-19 Deliverance of Israel
Jeremiah 6:22-26 Rumor of invasion from the north cause anguish as childbirth pangs
Jeremiah 13:20-21-27 North invaders and an unclean Jerusalem
Jeremiah 30:4-6-9 Sound of terror. Israelis not destroyed completely but nations to where they are scattered will be
Micah 4:6-9,10-13 Distress and rescue