3. And she brought forth a man child--12:5. The use of the word man child here is in neuter gender. And it is not singular number any more than the use of the word “ mother” when used in a collective sense; and that is the sense in which man child was used here--collectively, denoting that portion of the church, or the woman’ s seed, which was to be caught up to God in the martyrdom which followed. That the man child did not refer to Christ becomes evident in the following verses. The expression caught up to God from the face of the dragon would hardly be a fitting description of the ascension of Christ, but it was an appropriate symbol of the triumph of the martyrs who “ overcame . . . by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.” It further harmonizes with the scene of victory for the souls of the beheaded in Revelation 20:4. The man child was not a single person but a collective body. It was that part of the woman’ s seed which was put in contrast with the remnant, or the rest of her seed, in verse 17. The woman’ s seed compares with the firstborn ones of chapter 12:23 of Hebrews “ which are written in heaven” ; and “ the firstfruits unto God” (Revelation 14:4); and the “ kind of firstfruits of his creatures” (James 1:18). The man child that was caught up unto God was that part of the woman’ s seed, or children, who were martyrs-- “ the souls of them that were slain for the word of God,” under the altar, in the suffering of death in chapter 6:9-11; and on thrones in the state of victory in chapter 20:4. The remnant, or rest of the woman’ s seed, or children, remained on the earth to suffer persecution but not martyrdom. It compares also with the account of the two witnesses who ascended up to heaven in chapter 11:12, and the effect on the enemies who beheld them. (See comments on chapter 11:12) It is not unusual in the symbolic imagery of scripture description to characterize members of the church as its children. Examples of this use are found in Romans 7:1-4; Galatians 4:26; Hebrews 12:23; Hebrews 12:28; 2 John 1:1; 2 John 1:4; 2 John 1:13. 4. Who was to rule all nations--12:5. The reason apparently for the interpretation that the man child refers to Christ is the statement of verse 5, that he “ was to rule all nations with a rod of iron.” But this same phrase was used in the language of Christ to the members of the Thyatira church in chapter 2:26-27: “ He that overcometh . . . to him will I give power over the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron.” The rod of iron was the symbol of the impact of the gospel on the pagan world through the victory of the church, resulting from their persecutions. It signified the inexorable character of the law of the gospel in retribution and reward. It was by teaching and practice that those who should overcome all oppression would rule with Christ, and thereby execute his unfailing law as with a rod of iron. (See comments on chapter 2:26-27 and in GOD’ S WORD, p. 192.)