4. THE WOMAN IN THE Revelation 12:13-17 13 And when the dragon saw that he was cast down to the earth, he persecuted the woman that brought forth the man child.--In the symbol John saw the dragon persecute the woman because he was cast down to earth. When Satan saw that his war on the church through the pagan empire was not effective because Christianity had been accepted by the emperor, he persecuted the church through other means. This fact will appear evident from the following verses. 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.--Whatever uncertainty there may be about the historical fulfillment of the symbols in this book, no position can be safe that conflicts with events known to have transpired already. The end of pagan Rome's persecution of the church, the establishment of the church in the empire, the rise of the papacy and the Protestant Reformation are plain facts that must be considered in interpreting prophetic symbols. In the symbolic vision John sees the woman given two wings of an eagle by which she might fly into the wilderness. Similar words--"on eagles' wings"--are used regarding God's bringing Israel out of Egypt. (Exodus 19:3-4.) A wilderness would mean a place of safety, as was used by David and Elijah. (1 Samuel 23:14-15; 1 Kings 19:4.) The woman here refers to the true church in its apostolic purity. The simple idea seems to be that the church, in spite of the opposition, would be preserved as an institution. Hidden in the wilderness indicates that she would not appear as a visible body in congregational organizations, but the truth would still remain. Christ, as the head, could not be destroyed, and the New Testament, as its law, God would providentially preserve. Hence, though hidden from public view, the institution would remain. This is indicated in the expression that during the time in the wilderness the church would be "nourished"--that is, sustained. All that is necessarily meant here is that during the long period of obscurity the apostolic church would not become extinct. This is in accord with Daniel's statement that God would set up a "kingdom which shall never be destroyed." (Daniel 2:44.) That means that no other kingdom would succeed it, or be built upon its ruins, as was the case of the four universal empires described by Daniel. A careful comparison of Rev 11:2-3; Revelation 12:14; Revelation 13:5 will show that twelve hundred sixty days, forty-two months, and time, times, and a half time all refer to the same period; hence, must all mean the same. But verse 6, when compared with verse 14, will show definitely that they do mean the same. That the expression is to be understood symbolically--a day for a year--and means 1,260 years seem certain. For reasons already given the probable time for the beginning of the 1,260 years was A.D. 533. See notes on Revelation 11:3-4. From Christianity's exaltation by Constantine till the bishop of Rome was declared universal bishop was a period of 208 years. During that time Satan, called the dragon or serpent, continued to make war on the church--largely through the introduction of false doctrines and the exercise of human authority in religion. Gradually the church was corrupted until at the beginning of the 1,260 years the organization became the fully developed "man of sin" and the true church began its wilderness experience--lost to view as a visible organization. 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 stream.--The woman "nourished" during 1,260 years means that the church was providentially kept alive in spite of Satan's persecutions, which in the symbol here are represented as a flood of waters being cast out of the serpent's mouth. David in referring to God's help in troubles said "He drew me out of many waters." (Psalms 18:16.) Jeremiah spoke of warring enemies as "an overflowing stream." (Jeremiah 47:2.) This is a bold figure to represent the relentless hatred of Satan against the true church, and the fact that at no time will he cease his efforts to destroy it. 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 vision John saw was an onrushing flood about to overwhelm the woman when the earth with an open chasm swallowed up the water. The dragon is represented as the source of these floods of persecution. As already learned, the dragon is only the agent through which Satan operates. The lesson presented in this part of the symbol appears to be this: The true church, for the 1,260-year period, would be in obscurity--unseen as an organized body--during which time Satan would continue his efforts for its annihilation; but from unseen sources, like the earth swallowing up a flood, its complete destruction would be prevented. Jesus would still remain its head in spite of all pretenders; the gospel would be its law regardless of all false teaching; hence, as an institution, it would continue ready to appear in visible congregations, when the long period designated had come to an end. This verse guarantees that the church, as an institution, would not become extinct, though its true character and teaching would remain obscured for centuries. It is useless to try to point out certain events that prevented the annihilation of the church, for we now know from history that it was not annihilated. 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 testimony of Jesus:--The first general effort to destroy the church was made through the dragon beast--paganism. Failing to accomplish this result, the wrath and indignation of idol worshipers against the church would reach extreme limits. Satan being repulsed in his efforts to blot out the church as an institution changed his plans of attack. Evidently his method from that time on was to persecute the individual members of the church, here referred to as the "seed" of the woman. The statement of the woman being in the wilderness and the dragon "went away to make war" would indicate this change of method. This war was to be waged against "the rest" of her seed--that is, against individual followers of Christ who were trying to keep faithfully the commandments of God ; those who in persecutions would not deny Christ's words those martyred because they would not renounce their faith. Multitudes of these, during this long night of spiritual darkness, are solemn witnesses that what this symbol declares actually came to pass. The things here symbolically predicted are presented in detail in the following chapter. This paragraph presents unmistakable evidence that the Catholic church cannot be the one here represented by the woman, for the woman being in the wilderness indicates that the true church was, as an institution, in obscurity during this 1,260-year period. The Catholic church claims a continued visible existence during that period; hence, cannot be the true church symbolized by the woman. LESSON 17. THE WOMAN AND THE DRAGON Read Rev. 12 1. Describe the woman arrayed with the sun. Ans. Revelation 12:1-2. 2. Describe the great red dragon. Ans. Revelation 12:3. 3. How did the dragon cast down a third part of the stars? Ans. Revelation 12:4. 4. Why did he stand before the woman? Ans. Revelation 12:4. 5. Who was born of the woman? Ans. Revelation 12:5. 6. How was the child saved from the dragon? Ans. Revelation 12:5. 7. Where did the woman flee? Ans. Revelation 12:6. 8. How long was she nourished there? Ans. Revelation 12:6. 9. Between whom was there war in heaven? Ans. Revelation 12:7. 10. Who was victorious in this conflict? Ans. Revelation 12:8-9. 11. To what place were the dragon and his angels cast down? Ans. Revelation 12:9. 12. Give four other names applied to the dragon. Ans. Revelation 12:9. 13. What did a great voice in heaven say had now come? Ans. Revelation 12:10. 14. How was the dragon overcome? Ans. Revelation 12:11. 15. Why was this an occasion for rejoicing in heaven and for sorrow on earth? Ans. Revelation 12:12. 16. Whom did the dragon persecute after he was cast down to earth? Ans. Revelation 12:13. 17. How did the woman escape the dragon? Ans. Revelation 12:14. 18. How then did the dragon attempt to destroy the woman? Ans. Revelation 12:15. 19. How did the woman escape this attempt of the serpent? Ans. Revelation 12:16. 20. Upon whom did the dragon then make war? Ans. Revelation 12:17.