Revelation 12

Notes

Ver. 1. The gospel church has Christ and his righteousness for her robe; and is irradiated with the light of truth, comfort, and holiness. She is elevated above the obscure light of Mosaic rites and ceremonies, and treads with holy indifference upon the enjoyments of this world; and all her light of knowledge and grace is communicated by means of, and according to, the doctrine of the twelve apostles. 2. Her travailing in birth denotes her strong groanings, eager desires, wrestling prayers, and indefatigable labours, under sharp persecutions, to bring forth converts in whom Christ, in his doctrine and image, may be formed. 3, 4. The red dragon is the devil, acting in and by the power of the persecuting heathen empire of Rome, which, after seven forms of government, was split into ten kingdoms; or by the Popish power as extended over these ten kingdoms—by which multitudes of ministers were either murdered or seduced from the faith. 5. Her man-child may have some respect to Constantine, whom Providence marvellously advanced to the imperial throne, A.D. 312, and directed to abolish heathenism; but chiefly denotes a succession of faithful believers who, notwithstanding all the malicious designs and attempts of the devil and his instruments, are brought forth and wonderfully protected and honoured by God. 6, 14. The wilderness into which the church fled is that corrupt or concealed state in which true and practical religion, and truly faithful professors, continued all along from Constantine's time to the Reformation; or from the rise of Antichrist, about A.D. 606. 7, 8. The defeat and ejection of the dragon and his angels may denote the abolition of heathen idolatry, and ruin of the heathens' persecuting power by Constantine; if not also the abolition of Popery by by the power of the Holy Spirit. 12, 13, 15. The dragon's rage at and persecution of the woman, and casting a flood out of his mouth to destroy her, may denote the devil's exerting himself to the utmost to destroy the church by the Arian, Pelagian, and other heresies, the Donatist schism, and the persecutions which attended them; by the Julian persecution and the ravages of the Goths, Vandals, and others, in the Christian countries; or also, by the decrees, persecutions, wars, massacres, and missionaries of the heathen, the establishment of Christian religion in the world. 16. Great ecclesiastics, in their councils and otherwise, defended the truths of the gospel against the Arian, Pelagian, Eutychian, and other heresies; the Goths, Vandals, and other ravaging tribes, diverted the Arian persecutors, and at last became professed Christians themselves and at a later time many secular princes and others who had no real religion, took part with the Christians, and protected them from the pagan fury.

Ver. 3. A great red dragon. Satan, as the spirit of persecution and murder (see Jn. 8. 44; 1 Jn. 3. 12), entering and possessing the body of the Roman empire. C.

Ver. 4. The third part. The Jewish teachers who 'sat in Moses' seat,' but were drawn of Satan to purchase and shed, as Judas was to sell, the blood of our Lord.—Note, The world, as touching religion ('heaven') was then divided into three parts—Jews, Christians, and heathens. The heathens Satan had not then to draw; they were the political beast already fully possessed. C.

Ver. 14. Wilderness. A district unfrequented, and comparatively uncultivated and unknown.—Note, Specimens of the church thus protected from the face of the serpent, his wiles, his persecutions, and his agents, the beast and false prophet, may be found in the primitive British and Irish churches that were preserved free from the shackles of evil for upwards of 1000 years, when they were nationally, though never individually, deceived or subdued; in the Christians of St. Thomas in the East Indies; the Nestorian Christians (most probably Jews) in the countries bordering the Caspian sea; and in the churches of the Waldenses and Albigenses among the fastnesses of the Alps, Apennines, and Pyrenees, who all retain till this day, in a greater or less degree of perfection, the primitive faith and liberty. C.

Reflections.—Glorious is the gospel church when she appears lifted above worldly principles and customs, when she shines in Jesus' imputed righteousness and implanted grace, and is adorned with the pure doctrines of the gospel. By earnest desires, prayers, and labours, she then brings forth children to God through Christ. With great craft, fury, and diligence, Satan and his instruments exert themselves to corrupt or destroy the church, and hinder the conversion of sinners, or to persecute and murder them whenever they appear serious. And if their plots be defeated, they become the more furious and active. But let them plot, fight, and rage as they will, Christ will restrain, and at last conquer them; and, notwithstanding the most fearful and lasting afflictions, will protect and preserve his faithful servants and people, and by faith render them victorious and triumphant. By faith in his atoning blood as the only ground of their justification, and by faithfully contending, even unto death, for his injured truths, they shall overcome at last.