Apocalypse Explained #705
705. APOCALYPSE. CHAPTER 12.
1. And a great sign was seen in heaven; a woman arrayed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars.
2. And being with child she cried out, travailing, and pained to bring forth.
3. And there was seen another sign in heaven; and behold, a great red dragon, having seven heads, and ten horns, and upon his heads seven diadems.
4. And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and cast them unto the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to bring forth, that when she brought forth he might devour her offspring.
5. And she brought forth a son, a male who is to tend all the nations with an iron rod; and her offspring was caught up unto God and His throne.
6. And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared by God, that there they may nourish her a thousand two hundred and sixty days.
7. And there was war in heaven, Michael and his angels fought with the dragon, and the dragon fought and his angels.
8. And they prevailed not; and their place was not found anymore in heaven.
9. And that great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the devil and Satan, that seduceth the whole world; he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
10. And I heard a great voice in heaven, saying, Now is come the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of His Christ; for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, that accuseth them before our God day and night.
11. And they overcame him through the blood of the Lamb, and through the word of their testimony: and they loved not their soul even unto death.
12. For this rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to those that inhabit the earth and the sea, for the devil is come down unto you, having great anger, knowing that he hath but a short time.
13. And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman that brought forth the son.
14. And there were given to the woman two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness into her place, where she is nourished a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.
15. And the serpent cast out after the woman out of his mouth water as a river, that he might cause her to be swallowed up by the river.
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.
17. And the dragon was angry against the woman, and went away to make war with the rest of her seed, who keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
18. 1 And I stood upon the sand of the sea.
Footnotes:
1. English Bible, Revelation 13:1
EXPOSITION.
Verses 1, 2. And a great sign was seen in heaven; a woman arrayed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars. And being with child she cried out, travailing, and pained to bring forth.
1. "And a great sign was seen in heaven," signifies Divine attestation respecting the coming church and the reception of its doctrine, and by whom it will be assaulted n. 706; "a woman arrayed with the sun," signifies the church with those who are in love to the Lord, and thence in love towards the neighbor (n. 707); "and the moon under her feet," signifies faith with those who are 1 in charity n. 708; "and upon her head a crown of twelve stars," signifies the wisdom and intelligence of those who are of that church through doctrinals and the knowledges of all things of truth and good from the Word (n. 709).
2. "And being with child," signifies the nascent doctrine from the good of celestial love n. 710; "and 2 she cried out, travailing, and pained to bring forth," signifies non-reception by those who are in the church, and the resistance of those who are in faith separated from charity (n. 711).
1. In No. 705 the words "who are natural and" are crossed out, but they are found in No. 708.
2. The photolithograph has "and," which is not in the Greek.
Isaiah 46
1
Bel boweth down, Nebo stoopeth, their idols were upon the beasts, and upon the cattle: your carriages were heavy loaden; they are a burden to the weary beast.
2
They stoop, they bow down together; they could not deliver the burden, but themselves are gone into captivity.
3
Hearken unto me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, which are borne by me from the belly, which are carried from the womb:
4
And even to your old age I am he; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you.
5
To whom will ye liken me, and make me equal, and compare me, that we may be like?
6
They lavish gold out of the bag, and weigh silver in the balance, and hire a goldsmith; and he maketh it a god: they fall down, yea, they worship.
7
They bear him upon the shoulder, they carry him, and set him in his place, and he standeth; from his place shall he not remove: yea, one shall cry unto him, yet can he not answer, nor save him out of his trouble.
8
Remember this, and shew yourselves men: bring it again to mind, O ye transgressors.
9
Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me,
10
Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:
11
Calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executeth my counsel from a far country: yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it.
12
Hearken unto me, ye stouthearted, that are far from righteousness:
13
I bring near my righteousness; it shall not be far off, and my salvation shall not tarry: and I will place salvation in Zion for Israel my glory.
