Revelation 12

A.M. 4100. A.D. 96.

In this chapter,

(1,) The apostle sees in a vision a woman in travail, watched by a red dragon, that he might devour her offspring, Revelation 12:1-4 .

(2,) She brings forth a son, who is caught up unto God, and the woman flees into the wilderness to a place prepared for her, Revelation 12:5 , Revelation 12:6 .

(3,) There is war between Michael and Satan; the former overcomes, and causes great joy in heaven, while a wo is denounced on the inhabitants of the earth on account of Satan’s malice and rage, now about to be exercised against them in a peculiar manner, Revelation 12:7-12 .

(4,) The dragon persecutes the woman, but she flies into the wilderness and escapes all his efforts, many and varied as they are, to effect her destruction, Revelation 12:13-17 .

We now come to a second representation of the same third period of prophecy, that is, the state of the church and world in the days of the voice of the seventh angel; or while the woman, who fled into her place in the wilderness, was nourished there for a time, times, and half a time, or three years and a half, equal to forty-two months, which are equal to twelve hundred and sixty prophetical days, the exact time in which the witnesses were to prophesy. As the former representation showed that true religion should be preserved among a few faithful confessors, though in a constant state of severe persecution, so this represents the state of the church under the figure of a woman, persecuted so as to flee into desert places to hide herself; yet preserved and fed there, notwithstanding all endeavours of a furious serpent, ready to destroy her. This plainly describes an afflicted and persecuted state of the church in general during this period; in which false and idolatrous worship shall be in great power, and the faithful profession of the true religion shall expose men to great danger; that, however, the true worshippers of God shall still be preserved, though in an obscure state, and be enabled, notwithstanding all opposition, to keep and maintain the truth unto the end. See Lowman. Most of the best commentators, says Bishop Newton, divide the Apocalypse into two parts, the book, βιβλιον , sealed with seven seals, and βιβλαριδιον , a little book, as it is called several times. But it happens unluckily, that according to their division the lesser book is made to contain as much or more than the larger; whereas in truth the little book is nothing more than a part of the sealed book, and is added as an appendix to it. If we were to divide the Revelation as they would have it divided, into two parts, the former of which should end with chap. 9. and the latter begin with chap. 10., the whole frame of the book would be disjointed, and things would be separated which are plainly connected together, and dependant on one another. We, however, also, continues the bishop, would divide the Revelation into two parts, or rather, the book so divides itself. For the former part proceeds, as we have seen, in a regular and successive series, from the apostle’s days to the consummation of all things. Nothing can be added, but it must fall somewhere or other within the compass of this period; it must in some measure be a resumption of the same subjects, and this latter part may most properly be considered as an enlargement and illustration of the former. Several things, which were only touched upon, and delivered in dark hints before, required to be more copiously handled, and placed in a stronger light. It was said that the beast should make war against the witnesses, and overcome them; but who or what the beast is, we may reasonably conjecture indeed, but the apostle himself will more surely explain. The transactions of the seventh trumpet are all summed up and comprised in a few verses, but we shall see the particulars branched out and enlarged into as many chapters. In short, this latter part is designed as a supplement to the former, to complete what was deficient, to explain what was dubious, to illustrate what was obscure; and as the former described more the destinies of the Roman empire, so this latter relates more to the fates of the Christian Church.