The Pulpit Commentary — Revelation — Section 277

CHAPTER XII. m. 19, et uq.). (8) The fate of the twl)- homed bea8t (eh. xiv. 9; xix. 19, st seq.). This chapter commences another series of 8. The victory of the faithful. (Ch. xiv. .18; revelations. Again St. John returns to the xix. 1-10; xxi.: xxii.) beginning, and tmees the spuitua.l history of the Church and the Christian in their Ver, 1.-And there appeared a great won- der; and .a great ,ign was , - (lkvised warfare with Satan. But the visions whioh Version). This sign onnsist.s of the whole now follow are somewbnt different in cha.- of the appearances, the account of whioh racier from those already related, inasmuch is contained in this verse and the following 111 the conflict is now described rather as one. The vision is thus plainly. declared to between the powers of .. heaven and hell be figurative (of. the use of the correspon4- than between the individual Christian and ing verb in oh. i 1). In heaven. Though the scene of the vision opens in M01'fm, it his oppreesors. Ail with the other visions, is immediately afterwar<ls transferred to the so here, the recital eeems ea.lcula.ted to earth. It is doubtful whether any particular support the suffering Ohriet,ian in his trials, signification is to be attached to the ex- since the overthrow of the powers of dark- pression, though Wordsworth notes concern- ness ia foJetold; and the whole series culmi- ing the Church, " For her origin is from above; here is the kingdom of he11-ven." nate& in a.n acooont of the final abasemeut And Bengel, "The woman, the Church, of the devil, end the e::mltaUon of the though on earth, is nevertheleu, by virtue Church and the bliBB of heaven. of her union with Obrist, in heaven." A. The following analysis will help to make woman. The woman is undoubtedly the clear the relation of the aeveml parts of the Church of God; not necessarily limited to the Christian Church, but the whole com- vision. pany of all wlio acknowledge God including L TBS OBIGni' 01' TBB BNUl'l'Y BETWEBN the heavenly beings in existence \;fore the ClBBisT ilD TBB WORLD. (Oh. xii 7-13.) creation, as well as creation itself. The II. To PBOGBElil8 01' TBB WABll'AB& figure is found both in the Old Teatament .1. TAe UIIIUlta of the dnil. (.1) The a.nd in the New. 'l'hus Iea. liv. 5, 6, ''Forth)' Maker is thine Husband. . . . For the Lolii dragon', direct attacks on Obrist (eh. xii. bath called thee as a woman forsaken and 1-7 and 13-17). (2) On the Church by grieved" (of. also John ill. 29; ,2 Oor. meana of the lllild beatt (ob. xiii. 1--10). :d. 2 ; Eph. v. 25-82). Clothed with the (3) On tba Ohmoh by mean& of the two- sun. The whole deBOription ii intended to homed lletJ,t (ob. xiii. 11-18). portray the glory and beauty of the Church. 2. TM OtJerlh,-ou, and prmuhm,mt of 116 Most of the a.rioient oommenatms give pa.rtioular interpretations of the aym bola 4,ml. (Oh. :a. 1-10.) (1) The fate of the employed. Thus the _,. is believed to in1fn (ob. xiv. 7). (2) The fate of the represent Chriat, the Sun of Bighteoutneu. !llil4 ,-,C(&byJan) (c,h. J.iY. 8; Uli.; xviii.; l'rimasius qu~ Gal. iii. 17, .. J'or ~ 111~7 ~lO ..~ BEVW,ATI_ON OF S'.('. JOH~ Ta.JI _DIV~E. [CJJ. XII. l-~'1.