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Expanded Comments |
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| 1 And a great sign was seen in heaven: a woman arrayed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars; |
And there appeared – As chapters 12, 13 and 17 contain repeated descriptions of the false kingdom--anti-Christ--so chapters 20 to 22 contain eight portraits of the true Kingdom. R330:2
The picture begins prior to Papacy's development. R306:2
The woman was seen about 308 AD, in the "Smyrna" stage, as described in Rev. 2:8-10. R306:3
In heaven – Place of control or rulership in spiritual control. R306:2; A318; D591[D590]
A woman – The early Church. D591
The Gospel Church. R55:2, 306:2; OV410:1
Clothed with – Resplendent in the full, clear light of the unclouded Gospel. D591
The Gospel Church covered with the precious promises of God and the glorious light of truth. R306:2, 55:2
The sun – The light of this Gospel age. R2833:6; D544
The Gospel. OV410:2; R499:4; SM670:2
The Church of Christ has a special enlightenment in the Gospel. HG418:2
Symbol of Christ's Kingdom. R5191:3, 2270:6, 1289:3
The moon – The Jewish system, the Mosaic Law. HG418:3; OV410:2; SM670:2
The moon signifies the typically reflected light of the Gospel in the Law and the prophets of the previous dispensation. R2833:6, 306:2, 55:2; D544
It was light, but not the real; only reflected light. R55:2
As the sun is a symbol of Christ's Kingdom, so the moon symbolized Israel as a nation. The 12, and sometimes 13, lunations symbolize the tribes of that nation. R5191:3, 2270:6, 1289:3
As the moon symbolized "the Law," so the sun symbolizes the Gospel light. The former was but a shadow or reflection of the latter. R499:4
The moon symbolized the Law Covenant as the sun symbolizes the Gospel or New Covenant. R2124:2, 5002:6
Under her feet – The Law which supports her is nevertheless not the source of her light. D591; OV410:2
Not under the Law (moon) but under Grace (sunlight); yet she was supported by the teachings of the Law and rested on the foundation of the apostles and prophets. R306:2, 55:2
A crown – Appointed by God to be the circle, the crown, of the Church. CR125:2
Twelve stars – The twelve apostles as special lights of the Church. R3570:2, 306:2, 55:2; D544, D591; OV396:1
Her divinely appointed and inspired teachers. OV410:1; SM670:1
The twelve apostles, the twelve stars to guide the Church, and the twelve foundation stones of the New Jerusalem. (Rev. 21:14) R5742:1; CR78:2
Teachers, especially the apostles. R1757:6
One being chosen in place of one of the original, Judas, who was lost, so that the twelve might be maintained. NS657:5; R5741:6; OV410:1
The twelve apostles have no successors. There are but "twelve apostles of the Lamb," "twelve stars," "twelve foundations" of the Church glorified, the New Jerusalem. (John 6:70; Rev. 21:14) E207; R5002:6; NS657:5; OV159:4, 410:3; SM670:2
If God ordained only twelve stars as lights for his Church, it is a great mistake for popes and bishops to regard themselves as successors of the apostles--stars also. D594; OV247:4
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| 2 and she was with child; and she crieth out, travailing in birth, and in pain to be delivered. |
Travailing in birth – The favor of Rome came by the conversion of Constantine, AD 313. There the labor pangs of tribulation ceased, and Papacy was born. R306:3
Pained to be delivered – Persecuted and reviled. R306:4, 55:2
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| 3 And there was seen another sign in heaven: and behold, a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his heads seven diadems. |
Another wonder – Continued persecutions caused some to relax their vigilance for the truth, and a spirit or desire to please and get into favor with the persecuting "dragon" came over some. R306:3
In heaven – Symbolizing the place of control or rulership. Both woman and dragon are said to be in heaven--the woman, or church, in spiritual control--the dragon, or empire, in political control. R306:2
Great red dragon – The Pagan Roman Empire. R306:2, 44:3
In chapter 12 its characteristics as a purely civil power; in chapter 13 as a compound of "church and state" and in chapter 17 as a dual power with church and state, "woman" and "beast" kept distinct. HG20:4
The same as the "beast" in Rev. 17:3 and the "dragon" in Rev. 20:1. HG76:3
Seven heads – Rome's successive and distinct forms of government. R306:2, 55:2
First, Consular, BC 30; Second, Imperial, BC 27; Third, Gothic, AD 476; Fourth, Papacy, AD 538; Fifth, Republic, AD 1798; Sixth, Restored Papacy, AD 1870; Seventh, Victor Emanuel. HG20:3
Ten horns – Divisions of power. Mentioned to identify Rome as the same beast, or government, described by Daniel and elsewhere in Revelation. R306:2, 55:2
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| 4 And his tail draweth the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon standeth before the woman that is about to be delivered, that when she is delivered he may devour her child. |
Drew the third part – The continued persecutions created a desire to get into favor with the persecuting dragon and some of the "bright ones" in the church became his followers, or servants. R306:3, 55:2
In hopes of having favor with the empire and escaping persecution. R55:2
Stars of heaven – The bright ones, or ministers and teachers in the church. R55:2
Cast them to the earth – Degraded by becoming followers of the dragon. R306:3
As a result, they lose their position as stars in the true Church. R55:2
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| 5 And she was delivered of a son, a man child, who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and unto his throne. |
She brought forth – Her anxiety and desire produced a pre-mature birth–"The Man of Sin." R306:4[R306:4], 55:2[55:2]
A man child – Not yet the "Man of Sin," in the same sense that a child is not a man; but it was the beginning of what resulted in Papacy--"The Man of Sin." R306:3[R306:3]
AD 314 – at first a weak child. R306:4[R306:4], 55:2[55:2]
Rule all nations – Some so rejoiced at the favors of Rome that they fancied that in this way God would give them the kingdom of the world promised. R306:4[R306:4]
Millions were brought into the church from Paganism. But the change was mostly in name, for the pagan priests became Christian priests, and pagan holidays came to be called by Christian names. R306:3[R306:3]
Accomplished within 300 years. R306:4[R306:4], 55:3[55:3]
When the Lord is reigning with his saints. R1149:4*[R1149:4*]
Caught up unto God – Exalted to the position and titles, homage and praise of the true "seed," so that "he as God sat in the temple (church) of God showing himself that he is God." (2 Thes. 2:4) R306:4[R306:4], 55:2[55:2]
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| 6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that there they may nourish her a thousand two hundred sixty days. |
The woman – The true Church. B329; R5741:6
Into the wilderness – In the case of the third Elijah, the Church in the flesh, the woman Jezebel is mentioned by name (Rev. 2:20); and her pernicious work, the flight of the Church into the wilderness, and her return from the wilderness condition since the Reformation times are all known. R3326:6; B256
The true Church is the Church in the wilderness, separate from the world, and under the divine protection and guidance. R1841:6
See comments on verse 14.
Days – A day representing a year. HG49:3
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| 7 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels going forth to war with the dragon; and the dragon warred and his angels; |
War in heaven – A conflict or controversy between the two elements--the church and the empire--when this son of the church attempted to take the ruling position. R306:4, 55:3
Michael and his angels – Not the same Michael referred to in Dan. 12:1, which is a literal statement. It would be out of order to have a real Michael fight a symbolic dragon. R306:5, 55:3
The Papacy and its supporters. R306:5, 55:3
Meaning, "Who as God"; in close accord with Paul's description--"He as God sitteth in the temple of God." (2 Thes. 2:4) R306:5, 55:3
The dragon – Pagan rulers, etc. R306:5, 55:2; B288
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| 8 and they prevailed not, neither was their place found any more in heaven. |
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| 9 And the great dragon was cast down, the old serpent, he that is called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world; he was cast down to the earth, and his angels were cast down with him. |
The great dragon – Pagan Roman Empire. R306:2, 5, 55:2, 44:3
The same as in Rev. 20:1. HG23:4
Cast out – The conflict between Papal and Pagan power resulted in the gradual overthrow of the latter. R306:5, 55:3
This casting down of the dragon or civil power, continued for several hundred years, until about AD 752 when Pepin asked the sanction of the Pope to ascend the throne of France. R306:4, 55:3
That old serpent – "In that day the Lord with his sore and great and strong sword shall punish Leviathan, the piercing serpent, even Leviathan, that crooked serpent, and he shall slay the dragon that is in the midst of the sea." (Isa. 27:1) R171:6
Confirming the story of the fall. A61
The Devil – An appropriate name--for Rome, when viewed in the light of its bloody persecutions, certainly has been the most devilish of all earthly governments. A258
Not merely the person of the Adversary, but all the system of things of which he has stood as representative. Here, a great religious system. R4609:3
The Roman Empire. R44:3
Satan's invisible kingdom has acted largely through the visible city and government of Rome, and by the same law of correspondence the Roman empire, the beast with seven heads and ten horns, is called "the Devil and Satan." R56:5*
Which deceiveth – He blinds the minds of unbelievers by hiding the light of the gospel of Christ in presenting his own version of the truth. R5849:2
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| 10 And I heard a great voice in heaven, saying, Now is come the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, who accuseth them before our God day and night. |
A loud voice – A great proclamation. R306:5, 55:4
The kingdom of our God – Papacy claimed that when it assumed control that "the kingdom of God and the power of his anointed" had come to the world. R306:5, 55:4
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| 11 And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb, and because of the word of their witness; and they loved not their soul even unto death. |
Him – Satan the accuser. R1293:2*
Their lives – Greek, psuche; souls, beings. E338
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| 12 Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe for the earth and for the sea: because the devil is gone down unto you, having great wrath, knowing that he hath but a short time. |
Therefore rejoice – Let Papacy and all connected therewith rejoice. R306:6, 55:4
Woe to the inhabiters – As the Church had once been persecuted when Paganism reigned, so now when she reigns she makes the Pagans and heretics suffer. This Papacy claims as the Millennial reign. R306:6, 55:4
The devil is come down – This part of the Revelation is in the past. Q646:7
Because he knoweth – Therefore the foe is growing more subtle and more intangible, but not the less real. R479:3*
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| 13 And when the dragon saw that he was cast down to the earth, he persecuted the woman that brought forth the man child. |
When the dragon – The dragon has various heads. Here it has taken on its fifth head--Papacy. It was the same Rome under a new rulership, or head, and the same power which had previously persecuted the Church--the empire and its army. R306:6, 55:4
Hereafter the dragon represents the empire or military power under the control of its ecclesiastical head. R306:6, 55:4
Persecuted the woman – In contrast, it says of another woman, "the whore that sitteth upon many waters:" "And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus." (Rev. 17:1-6) R471:6
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| 14 And there were given to the woman the two wings of the great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness unto her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent. |
The woman – The true Church. B329; R5751:5, 5741:6
Two wings – The same as the two witnesses elsewhere mentioned: the Word of God, Old and New Testament Scriptures. R307:2, 55:5
Which now showed the true Church from which the Papacy had sprung her true condition--on earth instead of, as at first, above the earth, with the moon under her feet. R55:5
Fly into the wilderness – Literally, "the place deserted." R55:5
Into solitude, an outcast because of her fidelity to the truth. B329; R5628:2
Apparently she went into the wilderness condition of her own accord, voluntarily. R5628:2
The scapegoat went into the wilderness, but not voluntarily. R5628:2
A period of ostracism, separation, but not necessarily persecution. R5628:3
Separate from the world and from Babylon – "without the camp" (city). R307:1, 5628:2
A condition of harmony with God, not with the world. R55:5
The wilderness represents disrespect--an outcast condition, while city represents the reverse --popularity, honor, respect, dominion, kingdom. R307:1
In other words, she has been in disfavor, ignored and, to the worldly wise, unknown. HG411:6
Out of public view--through the long period of the Dark Ages no history of the true Church was written, just as no such history or record of her can be written today. SM123:2
The Lord's people can be in this condition even while surrounded by all the affairs of the world. R5628:2
One must get out of Babylon into a separate or wilderness condition to get a good view of the harlot or her daughters. (Rev. 17:3, 5) R307:3
Because of the power of Papacy, which, in Revelation, is likened to the woman Jezebel who persecuted Elijah. R3293:2
As Elijah fled from Jezebel and Ahab into the wilderness, to a place prepared of God, where he was nourished. R557:3
See comments on verse 6.
Her place – The [nominal] church left the wilderness and wandered off toward the world's city, and joined with them, thus leaving "her place." R307:1
The Lord will take the Church out of the "wilderness" into the "city" condition--the New Jerusalem. (Rev. 21:2) R307:1
She is nourished – Miraculously sustained of the Lord. R5741:6, 5751:5
God knew all the strong ones and fed them, and they became so strong as to be willing to seal their faith with their blood. Millions were put to death by Papacy. R307:2
Time, and times, and half a time – Elsewhere styled forty-two months, or 1260 days. (Rev. 11:2, 3; 13:5) R5741:6, 5751:5, 4741:2, 3408:4, 389:2*; B91; C64; HG50:2; Q846:2
The 3-½ years of Elijah's experiences while hiding in the wilderness from Queen Jezebel corresponded to the 1260 years of the true Church in the wilderness condition. R5857:4, 5751:3
The long period of time when the true Church was eclipsed by the success of Babylon marked the time of great spiritual drouth. R5741:6, 5751:3, 4741:2, 557:3; PD46/56
From 538 AD to 1798 AD. R4741:2; PD46/56
Some Bible scholars have applied this period as beginning in 539 AD and ending in 1798 AD, at the time when Napoleon Bonaparte took the Pope of Rome prisoner to Paris. R5751:3, 5742:1, 307:2, 55:5
May also apply from 325 AD with the formulation of the first great creed, the Nicene, to 1585 AD, when the Reformation began. R5742:1
The great drouth that prevailed throughout Christendom from the year 300 until the time of the Reformation. R3408:4
The drouth really began about 539 AD. R3408:3
Greek, kairos; signifying a fixed time. B78
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| 15 And the serpent cast out of his mouth after the woman water as a river, that he might cause her to be carried away by the river. |
The serpent – Satan. R360:1*; C65
The dragon--empire, under its Papal head. R307:2
Cast out – Truth would issue forth from evil agencies, and with an evil intent. C65
Water as a flood – Water represents truth, and the symbol preserves its meaning even though it is said to issue from the mouth of the dragon or serpent. C65
The French Revolution was instigated by many stern truths regarding priest-craft and king-craft, and regarding the individual rights and liberties of all--"The Rights of Man." C65
Marking both the end of Papal power and the beginning of the Lord's "Day of Preparation" or "Time of the End." C67
People--army. R307:2, 55:5
After the woman – Its real object, from Satan's standpoint, was to overwhelm the "woman" (the protesting Church of God). C65
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| 16 And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth and swallowed up the river which the dragon cast out of his mouth. |
The earth – The Roman earth. C67
Society, order-loving people. C66; R307:2
Helped – Spared the Church of God from being overwhelmed. D67
The French Revolution, during which the Catholic priests suffered terribly. This was a picture on a small scale of the approaching great cataclysm. R5750:2
As Elijah was fed by ravens and by the widow. (1 Kings 17:5, 9) R557:3; B256
Swallowed up the flood – The flood of truth which spread over France--arraigning Papacy and its priest-craft, and monarchy and its parasitic aristocracy was swallowed up, or absorbed, by the people of Europe generally. C66
When the rulers of Europe formed "The Holy Alliance" to suppress the liberties of the people and perpetuate their own thrones, it was too late to fetter the people. D67
The army formerly used in conquest was used in hunting down "dissenters." Had it not been that frequent troubles from other sources (earth) demanded attention, the army might have exterminated the true Church. R307:2, 55:5
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| 17 And the dragon waxed wroth with the woman, and went away to make war with the rest of her seed, that keep the commandments of God and hold the witness of Jesus: |
Remnant of her seed – Who joined not in the apostasy. R306:6, 55:4
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| 18 and he stood upon the sand of the sea. |
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