250. Verse 15. And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; He shall trample upon thy head, and thou shalt bruise His heel. Everyone is aware that this is the first prophecy of the Lord’s advent into the world; it appears indeed clearly from the words themselves, and therefore from them and from the prophets even the Jews knew that a Messiah was to come. Hitherto however no one has understood what is specifically meant by the “serpent” the “woman” the “serpent’s seed” the “woman’s seed” the “head of the serpent which was to be trodden upon” and the “heel which the serpent should bruise.” They must therefore be explained. By the “serpent” is here meant all evil in general, and specifically the love of self; by the “woman” is meant the church; by the “seed of the serpent” all infidelity; by the “seed of the woman” faith in the Lord; by “He” the Lord Himself; by the “head of the serpent” the dominion of evil in general, and specifically that of the love of self; by to “trample upon” depression, so that it should “go upon the belly and eat dust;” and by the “heel” the lowest natural (as the corporeal), which the serpent should “bruise.”
Revelation 12
1
And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars:
2
And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.
3
And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.
4
And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.
5
And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.
6
And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.
7
And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,
8
And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.
9
And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
10
And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.
11
And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
12
Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.
13
And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child.
14
And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.
15
And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.
16
And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth.
17
And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Apocalypse Revealed #560
560. Now when the dragon saw that it had been cast to the earth, it pursued the woman who gave birth to the male Child. (12:13) This symbolically means that after they were cast down, followers of the dragon in the world of spirits immediately began to harass the New Church because of its doctrine.
"When the dragon saw that it had been cast to the earth" means, symbolically, when the followers of the dragon saw that they had been separated from heaven and were in conjunction with people on earth (nos. 552, 558). Its pursuing the woman means, symbolically, that they immediately began to harass the Lord's church. That the woman it pursued is that church may be seen in no. 533. "Who gave birth to the male Child" means, symbolically, because of the doctrine. That the male child that the woman bore is the doctrine of the New Church may be seen in nos. 535, 542, 543, 545.
