CHAPTERXII.ANALYSIS OFCH. XI.19,XII.This portion of the book commences, according to the view presented in the closing remarks on the last chapter, a new series of visions, designed more particularly to represent the internal condition of the church; the rise of Antichrist, and the effect of the rise of that formidable power on the internal history of the church to the time of the overthrow of that power, and the triumphant establishment of the kingdom of God. See the Analysis of the Book, partV.The portion before us embraces the following particulars:—(1) A new vision of the temple of God as opened in heaven, disclosing the ark of the testimony, and attended with lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail,ch. xi.19. The view of the “temple,” and the “ark,” would naturally suggest a reference to the church, and would be an appropriate representation on the supposition that this vision related to the church. The attending circumstances of the lightnings,&c., were well fitted to impress the mind with awe, and to leave the conviction that great and momentous events were about to be disclosed. I regard this verse, therefore, which should have been separated from the eleventh chapter and attached to the twelfth, as the introduction to a new series of visions, similar to what we have in the introduction of the previous series,ch. iv.1. The vision was of the temple—the symbol of the church—and it was “opened” so that John could see into its inmost part—even within the veil where the ark was—and could have a view of what most intimately pertained to it.(2) A representation of the church, under the image of a woman about to give birth to a child,ch. xii.1, 2. A woman is seen, clothed, as it were, with the sun—emblem of majesty, truth, intelligence, and glory; she has the moon under her feet, as if she walked the heavens; she has on her head a glittering diadem of stars; she is about to become a mother. This seems to have been designed to represent the church as about to be increased, and as in thatcondition watched by a dragon—a mighty foe—ready to destroy its offspring, and thus compelled to flee into the wilderness for safety. Thus understood, the point of time referred to would be when the church was in a prosperous condition, and when it would be encountered by Antichrist, represented here by the dragon, and compelled to flee into the wilderness; that is, the church for a time would be driven into obscurity, and be almost unknown. It is no uncommon thing, in the Scriptures, to compare the church with a beautiful woman. See Notes onIsa.i.8. The following remarks of Professor Stuart (vol. ii.252), though heappliesthe subject in a manner very different from what I shall, seem to me accurately to express the general design of the symbol:—“Thedaughter of Zionis a common personification of the church in the Old Testament; and in the writings of Paul, the same image is exhibited by the phrase,Jerusalem, which is the mother of us all;i.e.of all Christians,Ga.iv.26. The main point before us is the illustration of that church, ancient or later, under the image of awoman. If the Canticles are to have a spiritual sense given to them, it is plain enough, of course, how familiar such an idea was to the Jews. Whether the woman thus exhibited as a symbol be represented asbrideormotherdepends, of course, on the nature of the case, and the relations and exigencies of any particular passage.”(3) The dragon that stood ready to devour the child,ver.3, 4. This represents some formidable enemy of the church, that was ready to persecute and destroy it. The real enemy here referred to is, undoubtedly, Satan, the great enemy of God and the church, but here it is Satan in the form of some fearful opponent of the church that would arise at a period when the church was prosperous, and when it was about to be enlarged. We are to look, therefore, for some fearfulmanifestationof this formidable power, having the characteristics here referred to, or some opposition to the church such as we may suppose Satan would originate, and by which the existence of the church might seem to be endangered.(4) The fact that the child which the woman brought forth was caught up to heaven—symbolical of its real safety, and of its having the favour of God—a pledge that the ultimate prosperity of the church was certain, and that it was safe from real danger,ver.5.(5) The fleeing of the woman into the wilderness, for the space of a thousand two hundred and threescore days, or 1260 years,ver.6. This act denotes the persecuted and obscure condition of the church during that time, and the period which would elapse before it would be delivered from this persecution, and restored to the place in the earth which it was designed to have.(6) The war in heaven; a struggle between the mighty powers of heaven and the dragon,ver.7–9. Michael and his angels contend against the dragon, in behalf of the church, and finally prevail. The dragon is overcome, and is cast out, and all his angels with him; in other words, the great enemy of God and his church is overcome and subdued. This is evidently designed to be symbolical, and the meaning is, that a state of things would exist in regard to the church, which would be well represented by supposing that such a scene should occur in heaven; that is,as ifa war should exist there between the great enemy of God and the angels of light, andas if, being there vanquished, Satan should be cast down to the earth, and should there exert his malignant power in a warfare against the church. The general idea is, that his warfare would beprimarilyagainst heaven, as if he fought with the angels in the very presence of God, but that the form in which he wouldseemto prevail would be against the church,as if, being unsuccessful in his direct warfare against the angels of God, he was permitted, for a time, to enjoy the appearance of triumph in contending with the church.(7) The shout of victory in view of the conquest over the dragon,ver.10–12. A loud voice is heard in heaven, saying, that now the kingdom of God is come, and that the reign of God would be set up, for the dragon is cast down and overcome. The grand instrumentality in overcoming this foe was “the blood of the Lamb, and the word of their testimony;” that is, the great doctrines of truth pertaining to the work of the Redeemer would be employed for this purpose, and it is proclaimed that the heavens and all that dwell therein had occasion to rejoice at the certainty that a victory would be ultimately obtained over this great enemy of God. Still, however, his influence was not wholly at an end,for he would yet rage for a brief period on the earth.(8) The persecution of the woman,ver.13–15. She is constrained to fly, as on wings given her for that purpose, into the wilderness, where she is nourished for the time that the dragon is to exert his power—a “time, times, and half a time”—or for 1260 years. The dragon in rage pours out a flood of water, that he may cause her to be swept away by the flood: referring to the persecutions that would exist while the church was in the wilderness, and the efforts that would be made to destroy it entirely.(9) The earth helps the woman,ver.16. That is, a state of things would existas if, in such a case, the earth should open and swallow up the flood. The meaning is, that the church would not be swept away, but that there would be an interposition in its behalf,as ifthe earth should, in the case supposed, open its bosom, and swallow up the swelling waters.(10) The dragon, still enraged, makes war with all that pertains to the woman,ver.17. Here we are told literally who are referred to by the “seed” of the woman. They are those who “keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ” (ver.17); that is, the true church.The chapter, therefore, may be regarded as a general vision of the persecutions that would rage against the church. It seemed to be about to increase and to spread over the world. Satan, always opposed to it, strives to prevent its extension. The conflict is representedas ifin heaven, where war is waged between the celestial beings and Satan, and where, being overcome, Satan is cast down to the earth, and permitted to wage the war there. The church is persecuted; becomes obscure and almost unknown, but still is mysteriously sustained; and when most in danger of being wholly swallowed up, is keptas ifa miracle were wrought in its defence. Thedetail—the particular form in which the war would be waged—is drawn out in the following chapters.
This portion of the book commences, according to the view presented in the closing remarks on the last chapter, a new series of visions, designed more particularly to represent the internal condition of the church; the rise of Antichrist, and the effect of the rise of that formidable power on the internal history of the church to the time of the overthrow of that power, and the triumphant establishment of the kingdom of God. See the Analysis of the Book, partV.The portion before us embraces the following particulars:—
(1) A new vision of the temple of God as opened in heaven, disclosing the ark of the testimony, and attended with lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail,ch. xi.19. The view of the “temple,” and the “ark,” would naturally suggest a reference to the church, and would be an appropriate representation on the supposition that this vision related to the church. The attending circumstances of the lightnings,&c., were well fitted to impress the mind with awe, and to leave the conviction that great and momentous events were about to be disclosed. I regard this verse, therefore, which should have been separated from the eleventh chapter and attached to the twelfth, as the introduction to a new series of visions, similar to what we have in the introduction of the previous series,ch. iv.1. The vision was of the temple—the symbol of the church—and it was “opened” so that John could see into its inmost part—even within the veil where the ark was—and could have a view of what most intimately pertained to it.
(2) A representation of the church, under the image of a woman about to give birth to a child,ch. xii.1, 2. A woman is seen, clothed, as it were, with the sun—emblem of majesty, truth, intelligence, and glory; she has the moon under her feet, as if she walked the heavens; she has on her head a glittering diadem of stars; she is about to become a mother. This seems to have been designed to represent the church as about to be increased, and as in thatcondition watched by a dragon—a mighty foe—ready to destroy its offspring, and thus compelled to flee into the wilderness for safety. Thus understood, the point of time referred to would be when the church was in a prosperous condition, and when it would be encountered by Antichrist, represented here by the dragon, and compelled to flee into the wilderness; that is, the church for a time would be driven into obscurity, and be almost unknown. It is no uncommon thing, in the Scriptures, to compare the church with a beautiful woman. See Notes onIsa.i.8. The following remarks of Professor Stuart (vol. ii.252), though heappliesthe subject in a manner very different from what I shall, seem to me accurately to express the general design of the symbol:—“Thedaughter of Zionis a common personification of the church in the Old Testament; and in the writings of Paul, the same image is exhibited by the phrase,Jerusalem, which is the mother of us all;i.e.of all Christians,Ga.iv.26. The main point before us is the illustration of that church, ancient or later, under the image of awoman. If the Canticles are to have a spiritual sense given to them, it is plain enough, of course, how familiar such an idea was to the Jews. Whether the woman thus exhibited as a symbol be represented asbrideormotherdepends, of course, on the nature of the case, and the relations and exigencies of any particular passage.”
(3) The dragon that stood ready to devour the child,ver.3, 4. This represents some formidable enemy of the church, that was ready to persecute and destroy it. The real enemy here referred to is, undoubtedly, Satan, the great enemy of God and the church, but here it is Satan in the form of some fearful opponent of the church that would arise at a period when the church was prosperous, and when it was about to be enlarged. We are to look, therefore, for some fearfulmanifestationof this formidable power, having the characteristics here referred to, or some opposition to the church such as we may suppose Satan would originate, and by which the existence of the church might seem to be endangered.
(4) The fact that the child which the woman brought forth was caught up to heaven—symbolical of its real safety, and of its having the favour of God—a pledge that the ultimate prosperity of the church was certain, and that it was safe from real danger,ver.5.
(5) The fleeing of the woman into the wilderness, for the space of a thousand two hundred and threescore days, or 1260 years,ver.6. This act denotes the persecuted and obscure condition of the church during that time, and the period which would elapse before it would be delivered from this persecution, and restored to the place in the earth which it was designed to have.
(6) The war in heaven; a struggle between the mighty powers of heaven and the dragon,ver.7–9. Michael and his angels contend against the dragon, in behalf of the church, and finally prevail. The dragon is overcome, and is cast out, and all his angels with him; in other words, the great enemy of God and his church is overcome and subdued. This is evidently designed to be symbolical, and the meaning is, that a state of things would exist in regard to the church, which would be well represented by supposing that such a scene should occur in heaven; that is,as ifa war should exist there between the great enemy of God and the angels of light, andas if, being there vanquished, Satan should be cast down to the earth, and should there exert his malignant power in a warfare against the church. The general idea is, that his warfare would beprimarilyagainst heaven, as if he fought with the angels in the very presence of God, but that the form in which he wouldseemto prevail would be against the church,as if, being unsuccessful in his direct warfare against the angels of God, he was permitted, for a time, to enjoy the appearance of triumph in contending with the church.
(7) The shout of victory in view of the conquest over the dragon,ver.10–12. A loud voice is heard in heaven, saying, that now the kingdom of God is come, and that the reign of God would be set up, for the dragon is cast down and overcome. The grand instrumentality in overcoming this foe was “the blood of the Lamb, and the word of their testimony;” that is, the great doctrines of truth pertaining to the work of the Redeemer would be employed for this purpose, and it is proclaimed that the heavens and all that dwell therein had occasion to rejoice at the certainty that a victory would be ultimately obtained over this great enemy of God. Still, however, his influence was not wholly at an end,for he would yet rage for a brief period on the earth.
(8) The persecution of the woman,ver.13–15. She is constrained to fly, as on wings given her for that purpose, into the wilderness, where she is nourished for the time that the dragon is to exert his power—a “time, times, and half a time”—or for 1260 years. The dragon in rage pours out a flood of water, that he may cause her to be swept away by the flood: referring to the persecutions that would exist while the church was in the wilderness, and the efforts that would be made to destroy it entirely.
(9) The earth helps the woman,ver.16. That is, a state of things would existas if, in such a case, the earth should open and swallow up the flood. The meaning is, that the church would not be swept away, but that there would be an interposition in its behalf,as ifthe earth should, in the case supposed, open its bosom, and swallow up the swelling waters.
(10) The dragon, still enraged, makes war with all that pertains to the woman,ver.17. Here we are told literally who are referred to by the “seed” of the woman. They are those who “keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ” (ver.17); that is, the true church.
The chapter, therefore, may be regarded as a general vision of the persecutions that would rage against the church. It seemed to be about to increase and to spread over the world. Satan, always opposed to it, strives to prevent its extension. The conflict is representedas ifin heaven, where war is waged between the celestial beings and Satan, and where, being overcome, Satan is cast down to the earth, and permitted to wage the war there. The church is persecuted; becomes obscure and almost unknown, but still is mysteriously sustained; and when most in danger of being wholly swallowed up, is keptas ifa miracle were wrought in its defence. Thedetail—the particular form in which the war would be waged—is drawn out in the following chapters.
19 And the370temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were371lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an372earthquake, and great hail.Ch. xi.19.And the temple of God was opened in heaven.The temple of God at Jerusalem was a pattern of the heavenly one, or of heaven,He.viii.1–5. In that temple God was supposed to reside by the visible symbol of his presence—the Shekinah—in the holy of holies. See Notes onHe.ix.7. Thus God dwells in heaven, as in a holy temple, of which that on earth was the emblem. When it is said that that was “opened in heaven,” the meaning is, that John was permitted, as it were, to lookintoheaven, the abode of God, and to see him in his glory. ¶And there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament.See Notes onHe.ix.4. That is, the very interior of heaven was laid open, and John was permitted to witness what was transacted in its obscurest recesses, and what were its most hidden mysteries. It will be remembered, as an illustration of the correctness of this view of the meaning of the verse, and of its proper place in the divisions of the book—assigning it as the opening verse of a new series of visions—that in thefirstseries of visions we have a statement remarkably similar to this,ch. iv.1: “After this I looked, and, behold,a door was opened in heaven;” that is, there was, as it were, anopeningmade into heaven, so that John was permittedto look inand see what was occurring there. The same idea is expressed substantially here, by saying that the very interior of the sacred temple where God resides was “opened in heaven,” so that John was permitted to look in and see what was transacted in his very presence. This, too, may go to confirm the idea suggested in the Analysis of the Book, partV., that this portion of the Apocalypse refers rather to theinternalaffairs of the church, or the church itself—for of this thetemplewas the proper emblem. Then appropriately follows the series of visions describing, as in the former case, what was to occur in future times: this series referring to the internal affairs of the church, as the former did mainly to what would outwardly affect its form and condition. ¶And there were lightnings,&c.Symbolic of the awful presence of God, and of his majesty and glory, as in the commencement of the first series of visions. See Notes onch. iv.5.Thesimilarityof the symbols of the divine majesty in the two cases may also serve to confirm the supposition that this is the beginning of a new series of visions. ¶And an earthquake.Also a symbol of the divine majesty, and perhaps of the great convulsions that were to occur under this series of visions.Comp.Notes onch. vi.12. Thus, in the sublime description of God inPs. xviii.7, “Then the earth shook and trembled, the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken, because he was wroth.” So inEx.xix.18, “And Mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke—and the whole mount quaked greatly.”Comp.Am.viii.8, 9; Joelii.10. ¶And great hail.Also an emblem of the presence and majesty of God, perhaps with the accompanying idea that he would overwhelm and punish his enemies. So inPs. xviii.13, “The Lord also thundered in the heavens, and the Highest gave his voice: hailstones and coals of fire.” So also Jobxxxviii.22, 23:—“Hast thou entered into the treasures of snow?Or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail?Which I have reserved againstthe time of trouble.Against the day ofbattle and war?”So inPs. cv.32:“He gave them hail for rain,And flaming fire in their land.”Comp.Ps. lxxviii.48;Is.xxx.30;Eze.xxxviii.22.
19 And the370temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were371lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an372earthquake, and great hail.
Ch. xi.19.And the temple of God was opened in heaven.The temple of God at Jerusalem was a pattern of the heavenly one, or of heaven,He.viii.1–5. In that temple God was supposed to reside by the visible symbol of his presence—the Shekinah—in the holy of holies. See Notes onHe.ix.7. Thus God dwells in heaven, as in a holy temple, of which that on earth was the emblem. When it is said that that was “opened in heaven,” the meaning is, that John was permitted, as it were, to lookintoheaven, the abode of God, and to see him in his glory. ¶And there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament.See Notes onHe.ix.4. That is, the very interior of heaven was laid open, and John was permitted to witness what was transacted in its obscurest recesses, and what were its most hidden mysteries. It will be remembered, as an illustration of the correctness of this view of the meaning of the verse, and of its proper place in the divisions of the book—assigning it as the opening verse of a new series of visions—that in thefirstseries of visions we have a statement remarkably similar to this,ch. iv.1: “After this I looked, and, behold,a door was opened in heaven;” that is, there was, as it were, anopeningmade into heaven, so that John was permittedto look inand see what was occurring there. The same idea is expressed substantially here, by saying that the very interior of the sacred temple where God resides was “opened in heaven,” so that John was permitted to look in and see what was transacted in his very presence. This, too, may go to confirm the idea suggested in the Analysis of the Book, partV., that this portion of the Apocalypse refers rather to theinternalaffairs of the church, or the church itself—for of this thetemplewas the proper emblem. Then appropriately follows the series of visions describing, as in the former case, what was to occur in future times: this series referring to the internal affairs of the church, as the former did mainly to what would outwardly affect its form and condition. ¶And there were lightnings,&c.Symbolic of the awful presence of God, and of his majesty and glory, as in the commencement of the first series of visions. See Notes onch. iv.5.Thesimilarityof the symbols of the divine majesty in the two cases may also serve to confirm the supposition that this is the beginning of a new series of visions. ¶And an earthquake.Also a symbol of the divine majesty, and perhaps of the great convulsions that were to occur under this series of visions.Comp.Notes onch. vi.12. Thus, in the sublime description of God inPs. xviii.7, “Then the earth shook and trembled, the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken, because he was wroth.” So inEx.xix.18, “And Mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke—and the whole mount quaked greatly.”Comp.Am.viii.8, 9; Joelii.10. ¶And great hail.Also an emblem of the presence and majesty of God, perhaps with the accompanying idea that he would overwhelm and punish his enemies. So inPs. xviii.13, “The Lord also thundered in the heavens, and the Highest gave his voice: hailstones and coals of fire.” So also Jobxxxviii.22, 23:—
“Hast thou entered into the treasures of snow?Or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail?Which I have reserved againstthe time of trouble.Against the day ofbattle and war?”
“Hast thou entered into the treasures of snow?Or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail?Which I have reserved againstthe time of trouble.Against the day ofbattle and war?”
“Hast thou entered into the treasures of snow?
Or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail?
Which I have reserved againstthe time of trouble.
Against the day ofbattle and war?”
So inPs. cv.32:
“He gave them hail for rain,And flaming fire in their land.”
“He gave them hail for rain,And flaming fire in their land.”
“He gave them hail for rain,
And flaming fire in their land.”
Comp.Ps. lxxviii.48;Is.xxx.30;Eze.xxxviii.22.
CHAPTERXII.AND there appeared a great373wonder in heaven; a374woman clothed with the375sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars:Ch. xii.1.And there appeared a great wonder in heaven.In that heavenly world thus disclosed, in the very presence of God, he saw the impressive and remarkable symbol which he proceeds to describe. The wordwonder—σημεῖον—properly means something extraordinary, or miraculous, and is commonly renderedsign. SeeMat.xii.38, 39;xvi.1, 3, 4;xxiv.3, 24, 30;xxvi.48;Mar.viii.11, 12;xiii.4, 22;xvi.17, 20;—in all which, and in numerous other places in the New Testament, it is renderedsign, and mostly in the sense ofmiracle. When used in the sense of a miracle, it refers to the fact that the miracle is asignortokenby which the divine power or purpose is made known. Sometimes the word is used to denotea sign of future things—a portent or presage of coming events; that is, some remarkable appearances which foreshadow the future. Thus inMat.xvi.3: “signs of the times;” that is, the miraculous events which foreshadow the coming of the Messiah in his kingdom. So also inMat.xxiv.3, 30;Mar.xiii.4;Lu.xxi.7, 11. This seems to be the meaning here, that the woman who appeared in this remarkable manner was a portent or token of what was to occur. ¶A woman clothed with the sun.Bright, splendid, glorious,as ifthe sunbeams were her raiment.Comp.ch. i.16;x.1; see alsoCa.vi.10—a passage which, very possibly, was in the mind of the writer when he penned this description: “Who is she that looketh forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners?” ¶And the moon under her feet.The moonseemedto be under her feet. She seemed as if she stood on the moon, its pale light contrasted with the burning splendour of the sun, heightening the beauty of the whole picture. The woman, beyond all question, represents the church. See Notes onver.2. Is the splendour of the sunlight designed to denote the brightness of the gospel? Is the moon designed to represent the comparatively feeble light of the Jewish dispensation? Is the fact that she stood upon the moon, or that it was under her feet, designed to denote the superiority of the gospel to the Jewish dispensation? Such a supposition gives much beauty to the symbol, and is not foreign to the nature of symbolic language. ¶And upon her head a crown of twelve stars.A diadem in which there were placed twelve stars. That is, there were twelve sparkling gems in the crown which she wore. This would, of course, greatly increase the beauty of the vision; and there can be no doubt that the numbertwelvehere is significant. If the woman here is designed to symbolize the church, then the number twelve has, in all probability, some allusion either to the twelve tribes of Israel—as being a number which one who was born and educated as a Jew would be likely to use (comp.Ja.i.1), or to the twelve apostles—an allusion which, it may be supposed, an apostle would be morelikely to make.Comp.Mat.xix.28;Re.xxi.14.
CHAPTERXII.
AND there appeared a great373wonder in heaven; a374woman clothed with the375sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars:
Ch. xii.1.And there appeared a great wonder in heaven.In that heavenly world thus disclosed, in the very presence of God, he saw the impressive and remarkable symbol which he proceeds to describe. The wordwonder—σημεῖον—properly means something extraordinary, or miraculous, and is commonly renderedsign. SeeMat.xii.38, 39;xvi.1, 3, 4;xxiv.3, 24, 30;xxvi.48;Mar.viii.11, 12;xiii.4, 22;xvi.17, 20;—in all which, and in numerous other places in the New Testament, it is renderedsign, and mostly in the sense ofmiracle. When used in the sense of a miracle, it refers to the fact that the miracle is asignortokenby which the divine power or purpose is made known. Sometimes the word is used to denotea sign of future things—a portent or presage of coming events; that is, some remarkable appearances which foreshadow the future. Thus inMat.xvi.3: “signs of the times;” that is, the miraculous events which foreshadow the coming of the Messiah in his kingdom. So also inMat.xxiv.3, 30;Mar.xiii.4;Lu.xxi.7, 11. This seems to be the meaning here, that the woman who appeared in this remarkable manner was a portent or token of what was to occur. ¶A woman clothed with the sun.Bright, splendid, glorious,as ifthe sunbeams were her raiment.Comp.ch. i.16;x.1; see alsoCa.vi.10—a passage which, very possibly, was in the mind of the writer when he penned this description: “Who is she that looketh forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners?” ¶And the moon under her feet.The moonseemedto be under her feet. She seemed as if she stood on the moon, its pale light contrasted with the burning splendour of the sun, heightening the beauty of the whole picture. The woman, beyond all question, represents the church. See Notes onver.2. Is the splendour of the sunlight designed to denote the brightness of the gospel? Is the moon designed to represent the comparatively feeble light of the Jewish dispensation? Is the fact that she stood upon the moon, or that it was under her feet, designed to denote the superiority of the gospel to the Jewish dispensation? Such a supposition gives much beauty to the symbol, and is not foreign to the nature of symbolic language. ¶And upon her head a crown of twelve stars.A diadem in which there were placed twelve stars. That is, there were twelve sparkling gems in the crown which she wore. This would, of course, greatly increase the beauty of the vision; and there can be no doubt that the numbertwelvehere is significant. If the woman here is designed to symbolize the church, then the number twelve has, in all probability, some allusion either to the twelve tribes of Israel—as being a number which one who was born and educated as a Jew would be likely to use (comp.Ja.i.1), or to the twelve apostles—an allusion which, it may be supposed, an apostle would be morelikely to make.Comp.Mat.xix.28;Re.xxi.14.
2 And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.2.And she being with child cried, travailing in birth,&c.That is, there would be something which would be properly represented by a woman in such circumstances.The question now is, what is referred to by this woman? And here it need hardly be said that there has been, as in regard to almost every other part of the book of Revelation, a great variety of interpretations. It would be endless to undertake to examine them, and would not be profitable if it could be done; and it is better, therefore, and more in accordance with the design of these Notes, to state briefly what seems to me to be the true interpretation. (1) The woman is evidently designed to symbolize the church; and in this there is a pretty general agreement among interpreters. The image, which is a beautiful one, was very familiar to the Jewish prophets. See Notes onIs.i.8;xlvii.1;comp.Eze.xvi.(2) But still the question arises,to what timethis representation refers: whether to the church before the birth of the Saviour, or after? According to the former of these opinions, it is supposed to refer to the church as giving birth to the Saviour, and the “man child” that is born (ver.5) is supposed to refer to Christ, who “sprang from the church”—κατὰ σάρκα—according to the flesh (Professor Stuart,vol. ii.p.252). The church, according to this view, is not simply regarded asJewish, but, in a more general and theocratic sense, asthe people of God. “From the Christian church, considered as Christian, he could not spring; for this took its rise only after the time of his public ministry. But from the bosom of thepeople of Godthe Saviour came. This church,Judaicalindeed (at the time of his birth) in respect to rites and forms, but to becomeChristianafter he had exercised his ministry in the midst of it, might well be represented here by the woman which is described inch. xii.” (Professor Stuart). But to this view there are some, as it seems to me, unanswerable objections. For, (a) there seems to be a harshness and incongruity in representing the Saviour asthe Son of the church, or representing the church as giving birth to him. Such imagery is not found elsewhere in the Bible, and is not in accordance with the language whichisemployed, where Christ is rather represented as theHusbandof the church than theSon: “Prepared as a bride adorned for her husband,”Re.xxi.2. “I will show thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife,”Re.xxi.9;comp.Is.liv.5;lxi.10;lxii.5. (b) If this interpretation be adopted, then this must refer to theJewishchurch, and thus the woman will personify the Jewish community before the birth of Christ. But this seems contrary to the whole design of the Apocalypse, which has reference to theChristianchurch, and not to the ancient dispensation. (c) If this interpretation be adopted, then the statement about the dwelling in the wilderness for a period of 1260 days or years (ver.14) must be assigned to the Jewish community—a supposition every way improbable and untenable. In what sense could this be true? When did anything happen to the Jewish people that could, with any show of probability, be regarded as the fulfilment of this? (d) It may be added, that the statement about the “man child” (ver.5) is one that can with difficulty be reconciled to this supposition. In what sense was this true, that the “manchild” was “caught up unto God, and to his throne?” The Saviour, indeed, ascended to heaven, but it was not, as here represented, that he might beprotectedfrom the danger of being destroyed; and when hedidascend, it was not as a helpless and unprotected babe, but as a man in the full maturity of his powers. The other opinion is, that the woman here refers to the Christian church, and that the object is to represent that church as about to be enlarged—represented by the condition of the woman,ver.2. A beautiful woman appears, clothed with light—emblematic of the brightness and purity of the church; with the moon under her feet—the ancient and comparatively obscure dispensation now made subordinate and humble; with a glittering diadem of twelve stars on her head—the stars representing the usual well-known division of the people of God into twelve parts—as the stars in the American flag denote the original states of the Union; and in a condition (ver.2) which showed that the church was to be increased. The time there referred to is at theearly period of the history of the church, when, as it were, it first appears on the theatre of things, and going forth in its beauty and majesty over the earth. John sees this church, as it was about to spread in the world, exposed to a mighty and formidable enemy—a hateful dragon—stationing itself to prevent its increase, and to accomplish its destruction. From that impending danger it is protected in a manner that would be well represented by the saving of the child of the woman, and bearing it up to heaven, to a place of safety—an act implying that, notwithstanding all dangers, the progress and enlargement of the church was ultimately certain. In the meantime, the woman herself flees into the wilderness—an act representing the obscure, and humble, and persecuted state of the church—till the great controversy is determined which is to have the ascendency—God or the Dragon. In favour of this interpretation, the following considerations may be suggested:—(a) It is the natural and obvious interpretation. (b) If it be admitted that Johnmeantto describe what occurred in the world at the time when the true church seemed to be about to extend itself over the earth, and when that prosperity was checked by the rise of the Papal power, the symbol employed would be strikingly expressive and appropriate. (c) It accords with the language elsewhere used in the Scriptures when referring to theincreaseof the church. “Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man child. Who hath heard such a thing? As soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children,”Is.lxvi.7, 8. “Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the Lord,”Is.liv.1. “The children which thou shalt have, after thou shalt have lost the other, shall say again in thy ears, The place is too strait for me; give place to me that I may dwell,”Is.xlix.20. The comparison of the church to a woman as the mother of children, is one that is very common in the Scriptures. (d) The future destiny of the child and of the woman agrees with this supposition. The child is caught up to heaven,ver.5—emblematic of the fact that God will protect the church, and not suffer its increase to be cut off and destroyed; and the woman is driven for 1260 years into the wilderness and nourished there,ver.14—emblematic of the long period of obscurity and persecution in the true church, and yet of the fact that it would be protected and nourished. Thedesignof the whole, therefore, I apprehend, is to represent the peril of the church at the time when it was about to be greatly enlarged, or in a season of prosperity, from the rise of a formidable enemy that would stand ready to destroy it. I regard this, therefore, as referring to the time of the rise of the Papacy, when,butfor that formidable, corrupting, and destructive power, it might have been hoped that the church would have spread all over the world. In regard to theriseof that power, see all that I have to say, or can say, in the Notes onDa.vii.24–28.
2 And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.
2.And she being with child cried, travailing in birth,&c.That is, there would be something which would be properly represented by a woman in such circumstances.
The question now is, what is referred to by this woman? And here it need hardly be said that there has been, as in regard to almost every other part of the book of Revelation, a great variety of interpretations. It would be endless to undertake to examine them, and would not be profitable if it could be done; and it is better, therefore, and more in accordance with the design of these Notes, to state briefly what seems to me to be the true interpretation. (1) The woman is evidently designed to symbolize the church; and in this there is a pretty general agreement among interpreters. The image, which is a beautiful one, was very familiar to the Jewish prophets. See Notes onIs.i.8;xlvii.1;comp.Eze.xvi.(2) But still the question arises,to what timethis representation refers: whether to the church before the birth of the Saviour, or after? According to the former of these opinions, it is supposed to refer to the church as giving birth to the Saviour, and the “man child” that is born (ver.5) is supposed to refer to Christ, who “sprang from the church”—κατὰ σάρκα—according to the flesh (Professor Stuart,vol. ii.p.252). The church, according to this view, is not simply regarded asJewish, but, in a more general and theocratic sense, asthe people of God. “From the Christian church, considered as Christian, he could not spring; for this took its rise only after the time of his public ministry. But from the bosom of thepeople of Godthe Saviour came. This church,Judaicalindeed (at the time of his birth) in respect to rites and forms, but to becomeChristianafter he had exercised his ministry in the midst of it, might well be represented here by the woman which is described inch. xii.” (Professor Stuart). But to this view there are some, as it seems to me, unanswerable objections. For, (a) there seems to be a harshness and incongruity in representing the Saviour asthe Son of the church, or representing the church as giving birth to him. Such imagery is not found elsewhere in the Bible, and is not in accordance with the language whichisemployed, where Christ is rather represented as theHusbandof the church than theSon: “Prepared as a bride adorned for her husband,”Re.xxi.2. “I will show thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife,”Re.xxi.9;comp.Is.liv.5;lxi.10;lxii.5. (b) If this interpretation be adopted, then this must refer to theJewishchurch, and thus the woman will personify the Jewish community before the birth of Christ. But this seems contrary to the whole design of the Apocalypse, which has reference to theChristianchurch, and not to the ancient dispensation. (c) If this interpretation be adopted, then the statement about the dwelling in the wilderness for a period of 1260 days or years (ver.14) must be assigned to the Jewish community—a supposition every way improbable and untenable. In what sense could this be true? When did anything happen to the Jewish people that could, with any show of probability, be regarded as the fulfilment of this? (d) It may be added, that the statement about the “man child” (ver.5) is one that can with difficulty be reconciled to this supposition. In what sense was this true, that the “manchild” was “caught up unto God, and to his throne?” The Saviour, indeed, ascended to heaven, but it was not, as here represented, that he might beprotectedfrom the danger of being destroyed; and when hedidascend, it was not as a helpless and unprotected babe, but as a man in the full maturity of his powers. The other opinion is, that the woman here refers to the Christian church, and that the object is to represent that church as about to be enlarged—represented by the condition of the woman,ver.2. A beautiful woman appears, clothed with light—emblematic of the brightness and purity of the church; with the moon under her feet—the ancient and comparatively obscure dispensation now made subordinate and humble; with a glittering diadem of twelve stars on her head—the stars representing the usual well-known division of the people of God into twelve parts—as the stars in the American flag denote the original states of the Union; and in a condition (ver.2) which showed that the church was to be increased. The time there referred to is at theearly period of the history of the church, when, as it were, it first appears on the theatre of things, and going forth in its beauty and majesty over the earth. John sees this church, as it was about to spread in the world, exposed to a mighty and formidable enemy—a hateful dragon—stationing itself to prevent its increase, and to accomplish its destruction. From that impending danger it is protected in a manner that would be well represented by the saving of the child of the woman, and bearing it up to heaven, to a place of safety—an act implying that, notwithstanding all dangers, the progress and enlargement of the church was ultimately certain. In the meantime, the woman herself flees into the wilderness—an act representing the obscure, and humble, and persecuted state of the church—till the great controversy is determined which is to have the ascendency—God or the Dragon. In favour of this interpretation, the following considerations may be suggested:—(a) It is the natural and obvious interpretation. (b) If it be admitted that Johnmeantto describe what occurred in the world at the time when the true church seemed to be about to extend itself over the earth, and when that prosperity was checked by the rise of the Papal power, the symbol employed would be strikingly expressive and appropriate. (c) It accords with the language elsewhere used in the Scriptures when referring to theincreaseof the church. “Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man child. Who hath heard such a thing? As soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children,”Is.lxvi.7, 8. “Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the Lord,”Is.liv.1. “The children which thou shalt have, after thou shalt have lost the other, shall say again in thy ears, The place is too strait for me; give place to me that I may dwell,”Is.xlix.20. The comparison of the church to a woman as the mother of children, is one that is very common in the Scriptures. (d) The future destiny of the child and of the woman agrees with this supposition. The child is caught up to heaven,ver.5—emblematic of the fact that God will protect the church, and not suffer its increase to be cut off and destroyed; and the woman is driven for 1260 years into the wilderness and nourished there,ver.14—emblematic of the long period of obscurity and persecution in the true church, and yet of the fact that it would be protected and nourished. Thedesignof the whole, therefore, I apprehend, is to represent the peril of the church at the time when it was about to be greatly enlarged, or in a season of prosperity, from the rise of a formidable enemy that would stand ready to destroy it. I regard this, therefore, as referring to the time of the rise of the Papacy, when,butfor that formidable, corrupting, and destructive power, it might have been hoped that the church would have spread all over the world. In regard to theriseof that power, see all that I have to say, or can say, in the Notes onDa.vii.24–28.
3 And there appeared another wonder376in heaven; and behold a377great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.3.And there appeared another wonder in heaven.Represented as in heaven. See Notes onver.1. That is, he saw this as occurringat the timewhen the church was thus about to increase. ¶And behold a great red dragon.The word rendereddragon—δράκων—occurs, in the New Testament, only in the book of Revelation, where it is uniformly rendered as here—dragon:ch. xii.3, 4, 7, 9, 13, 16, 17;xiii.2, 4, 11;xvi.13;xx.2. In all these places there is reference to the same thing. The word properly means a large serpent; and the allusion in the word commonly is to some serpent, perhaps such as the anaconda, that resides in a desert or wilderness. See a full account of the ideas that prevailed in ancient times respecting the dragon, in Bochart,Hieroz.lib. iii.cap. xiv.,vol. ii.pp.428–440. There was much that was fabulous respecting this monster, and many notions were attached to the dragon which did not exist in reality, and which were ascribed to it by the imagination at a time when natural history was little understood. The characteristics ascribed to the dragon, according to Bochart, are, that it was distinguished (a) for its vast size; (b) that it had something like a beard or dew-lap; (c) that it had three rows of teeth; (d) that its colour was black,red, yellow, or ashy; (e) that it had a wide mouth; (f) that in its breathing it not only drew in the air, but also birds that were flying over it; and (g) that its hiss was terrible. Occasionally, also, feet and wings were attributed to the dragon, and sometimes a lofty crest. The dragon, according to Bochart, was supposed to inhabit waste places and solitudes (comp.Notes onIs.xiii.22), and it became, therefore, an object of great terror. It is probable that the original of this was a huge serpent, and that all the other circumstances were added by the imagination. The prevailing ideas in regard to it, however, should be borne in mind, in order to see the force and propriety of the use of the word by John. Two special characteristics are stated by John in the general description of the dragon: one is, itsred colour; the other, that it wasgreat. In regard to the former, as above mentioned, the dragon was supposed to be black, red, yellow, or ashy. See the authorities referred to in Bochart,ut sup.,pp.435, 436. There was doubtless a reason why the one seen by John should be represented asred. As to the other characteristic—great—the idea is that it was a huge monster, and this would properly refer to some mighty, terrible power which would be properly symbolized by such a monster. ¶Having seven heads.It was not unusual to attribute many heads to monsters, especially to fabulous monsters, and these greatly increased the terror of the animal. “Thus Cerberus usually has three heads assigned to him; but Hesiod (Theog.312) assigns him fifty, and Horace (OdeII.13, 34) one hundred. So the Hydra of the Lake Lerna, killed by Hercules, had fifty heads (Virg.Æn.vi.576); and in Kiddushim,fol.29, 2, Rabbi Achse is said to have seen a demon like a dragon with seven heads” (Professor Stuart,in loco). The seven heads would somehow denotepower, or seats of power. Such a number of heads increase the terribleness, and, as it were, thevitalityof the monster. What is here represented would beasterrible and formidable as such a monster; or such a monster would appropriately represent what was designed to be symbolized here. The number sevenmaybe used here “as a perfect number,” or merely to heighten the terror of the image; but it is more natural to suppose that there would be something in what is here represented which would lay the foundation for the use of this number. There would be something either in theoriginof the power; or in the union of various powers now combined in the one represented by the dragon; or in theseatof the power, which this would properly symbolize.Comp.Notes onDa.vii.6. ¶And ten horns.Emblems of power, denoting that, in some respects, there weretenpowers combined in this one. See Notes onDa.vii.7, 8, 20, 24. There can be little doubt that John had those passages of Daniel in his eye, and perhaps as little that the reference is to the same thing. The meaning is, that, in some respects, there would be a tenfold origin or division of the power represented by the dragon. ¶And seven crowns upon his heads.Gr.,diadems. See Notes onch. ix.7. There is a reference here to somekinglypower, and doubtless John had some kingdom or sovereignty in his eye that would be properly symbolized in this manner. The method in which these heads and horns were arranged on the dragon is not stated, and is not material. All that is necessary in the explanation is, that there wassomethingin the power referred to that would be properly represented by the seven heads, andsomethingby the ten horns.In the application of this, it will be necessary to inquire what was properly symbolized by these representations, and to refer again to these particulars with this view.(a)The dragon.This is explained inver.9 of this chapter: “And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world.” So again,ch. xx.2, “And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil.”Comp.Bochart,Hieroz.ii.pp.439, 440. There can be no doubt, therefore, that the reference here is to Satan, considered as the enemy of God, and the enemy of the peace of man, and especially as giving origin and form to some mighty power that would threaten the existence of the church.(b)Great.This will well describe the power of Satan as originating the organizations that were engaged for so long a time in persecuting the church, and endeavouring to destroy it. It was a work of vast power, controlling kings and nations for ages, and could have been accomplished only by one to whom the appellation here used could be given.(c)Red.This, too, is an appellation properly applied here to the dragon, or Satan, considered as the enemy of the church, and as originating this persecuting power, either (1) because it well represents the bloody persecutions that would ensue, or (2) because this would be the favouritecolourby which this power would be manifest.Comp.ch. xvii.3, 4;xviii.12, 16.(d)The seven heads.There was, doubtless, as above remarked, something significant in these heads, as referring to the power designed to be represented. On the supposition that this refers to Rome, or to the power of Satan asmanifestedby Roman persecution, there can be no difficulty in the application; and, indeed, it is such an image as the writer would naturally use on the supposition that it had such a designed reference. Rome was built, as is well known, on seven hills (comp.Notes onch. x.3), and was called the seven-hilled city (Septicollis), from having been originally built on seven hills, though subsequently three hills were added, making the whole number ten. See Eschenburg,Manual of Classical Literature,p.1,§53. Thus Ovid:—“Sed quæ de septem totum circumspicit orbemMontibus, imperii Romæ Deûmque locus.”Horace:—“Dis quibus septem placuere colles.”Propertius:—“Septem urbs alta jugis, toti quæ præsidet orbi.”Tertullian:—“I appeal to the citizens of Rome, the populace that dwell on the seven hills” (Apol.35). And again, Jerome to Marcella, when urging her to quit Rome for Bethlehem: “Read what is said in the Apocalypse of the seven hills,”&c.The situation of the city, if that was destined to be represented by the dragon, would naturally suggest the idea of the seven-headed monster.Comp.Notes onch. xiii.The explanation which is here given of the meaning of the “seven heads” is, in fact, one that is given in the book of Revelation itself, and there can be no danger of error in this part of the interpretation. Seech. xvii.9: “The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.”Comp.ver.18.(e)The ten horns.These were emblems of power, denoting that in reference to that power there were, in some respects,tensources. The same thing is referred to here which is inDa.vii.7, 8, 20, 24. See the Notes onDa.vii.24, where this subject is fully considered. The creature that John saw was indeed amonster, and we are not to expect entire congruity in the details. It is sufficient that the main idea is preserved, and that would be, if the reference was to Rome considered as the place where the energy of Satan, as opposed to God and the church, was centered.(f)The seven crowns.This would merely denote that kingly or royal authority was claimed.Roman Standard.Thegeneralinterpretation which refers this vision to Rome may receive confirmation from the fact that thedragonwas at one time the Roman standard, as is represented by the annexed engraving from Montfauçon. Ammianus Marcellinus (xvi.10) thus describes this standard: “The dragon was covered with purple cloth, and fastened to the end of a pike gilt and adorned with precious stones. It opened its wide throat, and the wind blew through it; and it hissed as if in a rage, with its tail floating in several folds through the air.” He elsewhere often gives it the epithet ofpurpureus—purple-red:purpureum signum draconis,&c.Withthis the description of Claudian well agrees also:—“Hi volucres tollent aquilas; hi picta draconumColla levant: multumque tumet per nubila serpens,Iratus stimulante noto, vivitque receptisFlatibus, et vario mentitur sibila flatu.”The dragon was first used as an ensign near the close of the second century of the Christian era, and it was not until the third century that its use had become common; and the reference here, according to this fact, would be to that period of the Roman power when this had become a common standard, and when the applicability of this image would be readily understood. It is simplyRomethat is referred to—Rome, the great agent of accomplishing the purposes of Satan towards the church. Theeaglewas the common Roman ensign in the time of the republic, and in the earlier periods of the empire; but in later periods the dragon became also a standard as common and as well known as the eagle. “In the third century it had become almost as notorious among Roman ensigns as theeagleitself; and is in the fourth century noted by Prudentius, Vegetius, Chrysostom, Ammianus,&c.; in the fifth, by Claudian and others” (Elliott).
3 And there appeared another wonder376in heaven; and behold a377great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.
3.And there appeared another wonder in heaven.Represented as in heaven. See Notes onver.1. That is, he saw this as occurringat the timewhen the church was thus about to increase. ¶And behold a great red dragon.The word rendereddragon—δράκων—occurs, in the New Testament, only in the book of Revelation, where it is uniformly rendered as here—dragon:ch. xii.3, 4, 7, 9, 13, 16, 17;xiii.2, 4, 11;xvi.13;xx.2. In all these places there is reference to the same thing. The word properly means a large serpent; and the allusion in the word commonly is to some serpent, perhaps such as the anaconda, that resides in a desert or wilderness. See a full account of the ideas that prevailed in ancient times respecting the dragon, in Bochart,Hieroz.lib. iii.cap. xiv.,vol. ii.pp.428–440. There was much that was fabulous respecting this monster, and many notions were attached to the dragon which did not exist in reality, and which were ascribed to it by the imagination at a time when natural history was little understood. The characteristics ascribed to the dragon, according to Bochart, are, that it was distinguished (a) for its vast size; (b) that it had something like a beard or dew-lap; (c) that it had three rows of teeth; (d) that its colour was black,red, yellow, or ashy; (e) that it had a wide mouth; (f) that in its breathing it not only drew in the air, but also birds that were flying over it; and (g) that its hiss was terrible. Occasionally, also, feet and wings were attributed to the dragon, and sometimes a lofty crest. The dragon, according to Bochart, was supposed to inhabit waste places and solitudes (comp.Notes onIs.xiii.22), and it became, therefore, an object of great terror. It is probable that the original of this was a huge serpent, and that all the other circumstances were added by the imagination. The prevailing ideas in regard to it, however, should be borne in mind, in order to see the force and propriety of the use of the word by John. Two special characteristics are stated by John in the general description of the dragon: one is, itsred colour; the other, that it wasgreat. In regard to the former, as above mentioned, the dragon was supposed to be black, red, yellow, or ashy. See the authorities referred to in Bochart,ut sup.,pp.435, 436. There was doubtless a reason why the one seen by John should be represented asred. As to the other characteristic—great—the idea is that it was a huge monster, and this would properly refer to some mighty, terrible power which would be properly symbolized by such a monster. ¶Having seven heads.It was not unusual to attribute many heads to monsters, especially to fabulous monsters, and these greatly increased the terror of the animal. “Thus Cerberus usually has three heads assigned to him; but Hesiod (Theog.312) assigns him fifty, and Horace (OdeII.13, 34) one hundred. So the Hydra of the Lake Lerna, killed by Hercules, had fifty heads (Virg.Æn.vi.576); and in Kiddushim,fol.29, 2, Rabbi Achse is said to have seen a demon like a dragon with seven heads” (Professor Stuart,in loco). The seven heads would somehow denotepower, or seats of power. Such a number of heads increase the terribleness, and, as it were, thevitalityof the monster. What is here represented would beasterrible and formidable as such a monster; or such a monster would appropriately represent what was designed to be symbolized here. The number sevenmaybe used here “as a perfect number,” or merely to heighten the terror of the image; but it is more natural to suppose that there would be something in what is here represented which would lay the foundation for the use of this number. There would be something either in theoriginof the power; or in the union of various powers now combined in the one represented by the dragon; or in theseatof the power, which this would properly symbolize.Comp.Notes onDa.vii.6. ¶And ten horns.Emblems of power, denoting that, in some respects, there weretenpowers combined in this one. See Notes onDa.vii.7, 8, 20, 24. There can be little doubt that John had those passages of Daniel in his eye, and perhaps as little that the reference is to the same thing. The meaning is, that, in some respects, there would be a tenfold origin or division of the power represented by the dragon. ¶And seven crowns upon his heads.Gr.,diadems. See Notes onch. ix.7. There is a reference here to somekinglypower, and doubtless John had some kingdom or sovereignty in his eye that would be properly symbolized in this manner. The method in which these heads and horns were arranged on the dragon is not stated, and is not material. All that is necessary in the explanation is, that there wassomethingin the power referred to that would be properly represented by the seven heads, andsomethingby the ten horns.
In the application of this, it will be necessary to inquire what was properly symbolized by these representations, and to refer again to these particulars with this view.
(a)The dragon.This is explained inver.9 of this chapter: “And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world.” So again,ch. xx.2, “And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil.”Comp.Bochart,Hieroz.ii.pp.439, 440. There can be no doubt, therefore, that the reference here is to Satan, considered as the enemy of God, and the enemy of the peace of man, and especially as giving origin and form to some mighty power that would threaten the existence of the church.
(b)Great.This will well describe the power of Satan as originating the organizations that were engaged for so long a time in persecuting the church, and endeavouring to destroy it. It was a work of vast power, controlling kings and nations for ages, and could have been accomplished only by one to whom the appellation here used could be given.
(c)Red.This, too, is an appellation properly applied here to the dragon, or Satan, considered as the enemy of the church, and as originating this persecuting power, either (1) because it well represents the bloody persecutions that would ensue, or (2) because this would be the favouritecolourby which this power would be manifest.Comp.ch. xvii.3, 4;xviii.12, 16.
(d)The seven heads.There was, doubtless, as above remarked, something significant in these heads, as referring to the power designed to be represented. On the supposition that this refers to Rome, or to the power of Satan asmanifestedby Roman persecution, there can be no difficulty in the application; and, indeed, it is such an image as the writer would naturally use on the supposition that it had such a designed reference. Rome was built, as is well known, on seven hills (comp.Notes onch. x.3), and was called the seven-hilled city (Septicollis), from having been originally built on seven hills, though subsequently three hills were added, making the whole number ten. See Eschenburg,Manual of Classical Literature,p.1,§53. Thus Ovid:—
“Sed quæ de septem totum circumspicit orbemMontibus, imperii Romæ Deûmque locus.”
“Sed quæ de septem totum circumspicit orbemMontibus, imperii Romæ Deûmque locus.”
“Sed quæ de septem totum circumspicit orbem
Montibus, imperii Romæ Deûmque locus.”
Horace:—
“Dis quibus septem placuere colles.”
“Dis quibus septem placuere colles.”
“Dis quibus septem placuere colles.”
Propertius:—
“Septem urbs alta jugis, toti quæ præsidet orbi.”
“Septem urbs alta jugis, toti quæ præsidet orbi.”
“Septem urbs alta jugis, toti quæ præsidet orbi.”
Tertullian:—“I appeal to the citizens of Rome, the populace that dwell on the seven hills” (Apol.35). And again, Jerome to Marcella, when urging her to quit Rome for Bethlehem: “Read what is said in the Apocalypse of the seven hills,”&c.The situation of the city, if that was destined to be represented by the dragon, would naturally suggest the idea of the seven-headed monster.Comp.Notes onch. xiii.The explanation which is here given of the meaning of the “seven heads” is, in fact, one that is given in the book of Revelation itself, and there can be no danger of error in this part of the interpretation. Seech. xvii.9: “The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.”Comp.ver.18.
(e)The ten horns.These were emblems of power, denoting that in reference to that power there were, in some respects,tensources. The same thing is referred to here which is inDa.vii.7, 8, 20, 24. See the Notes onDa.vii.24, where this subject is fully considered. The creature that John saw was indeed amonster, and we are not to expect entire congruity in the details. It is sufficient that the main idea is preserved, and that would be, if the reference was to Rome considered as the place where the energy of Satan, as opposed to God and the church, was centered.
(f)The seven crowns.This would merely denote that kingly or royal authority was claimed.
Roman Standard.
Roman Standard.
Thegeneralinterpretation which refers this vision to Rome may receive confirmation from the fact that thedragonwas at one time the Roman standard, as is represented by the annexed engraving from Montfauçon. Ammianus Marcellinus (xvi.10) thus describes this standard: “The dragon was covered with purple cloth, and fastened to the end of a pike gilt and adorned with precious stones. It opened its wide throat, and the wind blew through it; and it hissed as if in a rage, with its tail floating in several folds through the air.” He elsewhere often gives it the epithet ofpurpureus—purple-red:purpureum signum draconis,&c.Withthis the description of Claudian well agrees also:—
“Hi volucres tollent aquilas; hi picta draconumColla levant: multumque tumet per nubila serpens,Iratus stimulante noto, vivitque receptisFlatibus, et vario mentitur sibila flatu.”
“Hi volucres tollent aquilas; hi picta draconumColla levant: multumque tumet per nubila serpens,Iratus stimulante noto, vivitque receptisFlatibus, et vario mentitur sibila flatu.”
“Hi volucres tollent aquilas; hi picta draconum
Colla levant: multumque tumet per nubila serpens,
Iratus stimulante noto, vivitque receptis
Flatibus, et vario mentitur sibila flatu.”
The dragon was first used as an ensign near the close of the second century of the Christian era, and it was not until the third century that its use had become common; and the reference here, according to this fact, would be to that period of the Roman power when this had become a common standard, and when the applicability of this image would be readily understood. It is simplyRomethat is referred to—Rome, the great agent of accomplishing the purposes of Satan towards the church. Theeaglewas the common Roman ensign in the time of the republic, and in the earlier periods of the empire; but in later periods the dragon became also a standard as common and as well known as the eagle. “In the third century it had become almost as notorious among Roman ensigns as theeagleitself; and is in the fourth century noted by Prudentius, Vegetius, Chrysostom, Ammianus,&c.; in the fifth, by Claudian and others” (Elliott).