561. But the woman was given two wings of the great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness to her place. (12:14) This symbolizes the Divine vigilance for the New Church and protection while it was still among a few.

The woman symbolizes the New Church (no. 533). Wings symbolize power and protection (no. 245). An eagle symbolizes intellectual sight and the resulting thought (no. 245). To fly means, symbolically, to perceive and be watchful (no. 245). The wilderness symbolizes the church desolate and thus existing among a few (no. 546). Her place symbolizes its state there. It follows from this that the woman's being given two wings of the great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, symbolizes the Divine vigilance for the New Church and protection while it was still among a few.