Westminster Annotations, Revelation 2 · Chapter 12
CHAP. XII.
Vers. 1. WOnder] Or, signe. A strange sight and apparition, as appeareth by that which followeth.
in heaven] This vision appeared to John in this visible heaven, where the sun, moon and stars are. It could not be seen in the third heaven, where saints and angels are; for there is no sun nor moon there, Isa. 60. 19. Chap. 21. 23. & 22. 5. And it fitteth the dignity and sanctity of the Church, whose conversation is in heaven, Phil. 3. 20. remote from the dark mistof worldly errours, and lifting it self above worldly affairs and comforts.
a woman] Representing the Christian Church, compared to a virgin espoused to Christ, 2 Cor. 11. 2. to a bride, chap. 19. 7. & 21. 9. & 22. 17. to a wife, Eph. 5. 25, 26, 27, 32.
clothed with the sun] The Church of God, the Spouse of Christ, the brightest and most glorious creature in the world. She shineth, in the doctrine of her ministers, and lives of her members, Matth. 5. 14, 15, 16. or, as being clothed with Christs righteousnesse, whom she hath pu… on, Gal. 3. 27. In the former sense, she shineth before the world; in this, before God. See chap. 19. 8.
the moon under her feet] Or, far beneath. Treading under foot the Jewish feasts, which depended, many of them, on the moon. Or, contemning worldly things, which are mutable, like the moon, as men do things which they tread under their feet.
a crown of twelve stars] The stars stood not one above another, but round about her head, like twelve precious stones in the circumference of a crown. A glorious sight, no doubt. She had the stars about her head, the sun about her body, and the moon under her feet. So in the heavens, some stars are said to be above the sun, and the moon far belowe it. The thing intended seemeth to be, that the Church is adorned with the doctrine of the twelve apostles, on which she is founded, chap. 21. 14. or, with ezcellent ministers, chap. 1. 20. as with a diadem. For the truth of the Gospel doeth not onelyonly make us free, Joh. 8. 36. but kings also, chap. 1. 6. The Church carrieth the stars on her head, as her ornament; Christ, in his hand, as his servants, chap. 1. 16. ready to do his will. Men use to have crowns of gold: the Church treadeth such trash under her feet. Her glory is not worldly dignity, but her teachers integrity.
V. 2. And she being with childe, &c.] Gr. having in her belly: to wit, a childe; as Matth. 1. 18. As the ministers of God are compared to a woman in travell, when they seek to bring men to faith in Christ, Gal. 4. 19. so the whole Church, in another respect, is here compared to such a woman. For a… that woman is weary of her burden, crieth out to be rid of it, and striveth, and endureth much pain; so the Christian Church being grown very populous, some few yeers before Constantines time, crieth unto God by daily prayers, to raise up a Christian emperour, that might give them the free profession of the Christian religion in the Romane empire. For this end also they did strive, joyning their forces with Constantines, to subdue the heathen persecutours. This was a cause of many persecutions to her, and much bloodshed in the wars, for a time. Here it appeareth, that we must begin the time of treading the holy citie under foot, and of the witnesses, before the open profession of Christianity granted by Constantine. See notes on chap. 11. 14. For here, the things foretold in the former chapter begin to be more particularly described; as appeareth, in that the same space of a thousand two hundred and threescore days which was given to the two witnesses, chap. 11. 3. is here given to the Church in the wildernesse, v. 6. and as fourty and two moneths were given to the Gentiles, to tread the holy citie under foot, chap. 11. 2. so the same space is given to the beast, to tyrannize over those places where the true Christian religion had been professed, while the true Church is hid in the wildernesse, chap. 12. 5.
V. 3. wonder] Or, signe; as v. 1.
in heaven] Either because the Romane emperours had power over the Church, or because they thrust themselves into it by their deputies to persecute it. As for the vision, it is likely John saw it in the visible heaven, as he did the woman. See vers. 1.
a great red dragon] The heathen Romane emperours succeeding one another, who did the devil service, as in other things, so chiefly in persecuting the Church, v. 9. Chap. 3. 10. So Pharaoh is called, Psal. 74. 13, 14. Isa. 27. 1. & 51. 9. Ezek. 29. 3. He is great, because of his large empire, chap. 17, 18. Red, that is, bedewed with the blood of the saints, as if he were dyed with it.
seven heads] Sitting on seven hills, chap. 17. 9.
ten horns] Ten kings which arose after, out of this empire, chap. 17. 12. Or, so many provinces, which were the strength of it, as horns are of beasts, Dan. 8. 3, 4, 5, 6.
seven crowns] Seven kindes of governours one after another, on her seven hills, chap. 17. 10.
on his heads] Not on his horns; for the supreme authority was in Rome, on the seven hills, not in the provinces. And as in Rome they had many heads to invent mischief against the Church, and as much power to execute it; so in the provinces they wanted not more instruments of execution.
V. 4. his tail drew the third part] He subjected the third part of the provinces of the world to his empire, chap. 6. 13. or seduced many of the ministers, chap. 1. 20. Dan. 7. 10, 11, 12. and that by craft, chap. 9. 19. Unlesse the force of the dragon be in his tail, as some write.
did cast them to the earth] Put down those princes whom he subdued, from their royall authority. Or, drew some doctours of the Church to forsake the truth, and follow earthly pleasure or profit, Phil. 3. 18, 19. 2 Tim. 4. 10.
to devour her childe] To destroy Christs mysticall Body, 1 Cor. 12. 12. and not to suffer it to live in the empire, or to hinder any Christian likely to rise to the empire. An allusion to Pharaohs watching to destroy the first-born of Israel, Exod. 1. 15, 16. and to Herods endeavour to destroy Christ assoon as he was born, Matth. 2. 7, 8, 16. The like care did the Romane heathen emperours use, to suppresse any that were of more then ordinary parts, or favour with the people, that were likely to set up the Christian religion. So Maximinus, that dragon, devoured Alexander the son of Mammea, whom he saw to be favoured of, and favourable to the Christians. Decius devoured the two Philips, the father and the son. Dioclesian and Galerius left no stone unrolled, that they might have made Constantine away privily. They sent him to fight against the fierce northern nations, as Saul sent David against the Philistines, that he might be slain, 1 Sam. 18. 25. when he came home victorious, contrary to the expectation of Galerius, he perswaded Constantine to fight with a lion in the theatre, to shew his courage. Maximinianus afterward laid snares for him, which yet through Gods mercy he escaped. Last of all, they fought with him, to destroy him; but God delivered him, and destroyed them.
was born] Or, should be born. He hoped, that, though he could not hinder the Churches conceiving, travelling, and bringing forth, no more then Pharaoh could the Israelitish womens; yet he should destroy that she brought forth.
V. 5. a man-childe, &c.] As Moses was born, in spight of Pharaoh, to deliver Gods people out of Egypt; so now the Christian Church got a deliverer, a man-childe. The like phrase is, Isa. 66. 7. It cannot be understood of Christ; for it is a prophecie of things to come after Johns time. But the Church brought forth Christians professing the true religion openly in the Romane empire, or Constantine, who was afterwards to be emperour, to subdue the nations, and then rule strongly over them, Psal. 2. 9. Chap. 2. 27. & 19. 15.
to God, and to his throne] Meaning Constantine and his successours advanced to the Romane empire, and made Gods deputies, sitting as it were on his throne. So Solomon and David are said to sit on the Lords throne, 1 Chron. 29. 23. For it cannot be understood of our Saviour Christs ascension, and sitting at Gods right hand. This John knew before, as being written in the Gospel. And many things passed between Christs death and his ascension. Neither was Christ caught up by anothers power, as we, 1 Thess. 4. 17. but went up into heaven, or ascended thither, Psal. 47. 5. & 68. 18. Eph. 4. 8, 9, 10. to wit, by his own power. Neither can it be understood of Constantines death; for the text would not joyn his death to his birth, seeing much concerneth him in the battel following. He was caught up; for he got not the empire by his endeavours; but, being a son of the Church, professing the Christian religion, he was marvellously preserved by God from the rage of heathen tyrants; and seeking to avoid their snares, he came to his dying father, and by right of succession, and the earnest desires of the people of Rome, oppressed with the heavie yoke of Maxentius, obtained the Romane empire, and so was set on Gods throne, to be next to God. The witnesses are said to ascend up into heaven; but he hath a throne in heaven, to rule, next under God himself, over the nations, yea, even the enemies of the Church, with a rod of iron. He would have been content with his honour in France and Britain, his native countrey (as he was five yeers) had he not, by Gods providence, been caught up to a greater empire then he expected.
V. 6. fled into the wildernesse] Not now, but after the great battel following, and under antichrist. See v. 14. For then she fled from the face of the angry dragon, who persecuted her by antichrist, as before by the heathen emperours. An allusion to Christs fleeing into Egypt, for succour from Herods cruelty, Matth. 2. 13, 14. or to the Israelites fleeing into the wildernesse from Pharaoh, that great dragon, Exod. 13. 17, 18.
a place prepared of God] When men persecute her, God provideth a place of safety for her.
that they should feed her] Either it is to be taken impersonally, That she should be fed; as Luke 12. 20. or the two witnesses should feed her there: for this falleth out in the same time, as appeareth by the number of days here, and chap. 11. 3. So Elias was fed in the wildernesse, in a place prepared by God, 1 Kings 17. 3, 4.
V. 4. war in heaven] A great battel in the Church of God. For the dragon could not fight in the highest heaven: there is no war there.
Michael and his angels] Constantine and his souldiers, represented to the eyes of John in the form of Michael the archangel and his angels, mentioned, Dan. 10. 13, 21. & 12. 1. Jude v. 9.
the dragon] Maxentius, Maximinus, and Licinius, in whom the devil wrought, as his principall instruments to suppresse the Christian religion.
V. 8. And prevailed not] Or, But they prevailed not. So this particle is used, Matth. 11. 19. That is, they were overthrown; as Prov. 12. 3. & 17. 21. Maxentius was drowned in Tiber; Maximinus died, that should have been banished; Licinius lost his head. In memory of this victory, Constantine pictured over the gate of his palace a dragon pierced thorow with a dart, lying under his and his souldiers feet.
neither was their place, &c.] Dan. 2. 35. Psal. 103. 16. They ruled no more in the Romane empire, now converted to the Christian religion, and publikely professing it. The phrase here used, noteth an utter extirpation, Dan. 2. 35. Chap. 20. 11.
V. 9. the great dragon] The Romane heathen emperours, and the devil with them, who poisoned the earth with idolatry, was no more worshipped.
old serpent] Who deceived our first parents at the beginning of the world, Gen. 3. 1. Rev. 20. 2. He is a dragon for cruelty a serpent for subtilty.
the devil] The accuser of tho brethren, v. 10.
Satan] The adversary of Gods Church, Zech. 3. 1.
deceiveth the whole world] Drew all the Romane empire into idolatry.
cast out into the earth] Had no more power over the Church by publike magistracie, as before.
his angels] His souldiers and wicked instruments.
V. 10. in heaven] In the Church of God. In this song, they praise God for deliverance of the Christians from tyrants, the declaration of Gods strength, and the Kingdom of Christ, in putting down heathen emperours, and setting up Christian, and removing their accuser.
now is come, &c.] Now is manifested, chap. 11. 15.
accuser of our brethren] Called the devil; for he accuseth us before God, Job 1. 9. & 2. 5. And in the time of the ten persecutions, when the Christians met by night, for fear of danger, the devil by his instruments accused them before men, as if they met in the night to practise all manner of loosnesse.
day and night] Continually, Psal. 1. 2. Josh. 1. 8.
V. 11. And they overcame him] In the former verse, the power of the captain was commended; now the prowesse of the souldiers is set out.
by the blood of the Lamb] Or, for; Rom. 8. 33, 34, 37. and 16. 20. By vertue of Christs Blood, they got power to overcome Satan, and all his wicked instruments; not by worldly power and strength.
by the word of their testimony] Christ honoured them with this victory, because they bare witnesse of his truth. It is called, The testimony of Jesus, v. 17. Chap. 19. 10. because he was the object of their confession. Here it is called their testimony, because they are the persons who confessed him.
loved not their lives] Acts 20. 24. 2 Cor. 11. 23. & 4. 11. But exposed them to death. Or, despised them, and set them alowe, in comparison of the confession of Gods truth. They made so little account of them, that they exposed them to all dangers for the cause of Christ, joyning with Constantine in the war against the persecutours. Some understand this of the martyrs who died for religion before Constantines time.
V. 12. ye heavens] All ye Churches on earth. An allusion to Psal. 96. 11. Isa. 49. 13.
ye that dwell] Gr. ye that dwell as in a tent. So Joh. 1. 14. 2 Cor. 5. 1. Ye that abide safe here a while, as in a tent, under Gods protection, till ye be translated to glory, Psal. 31. 20. & 91. 1.
wo] Great grief and sorrow will come on you.
of the earth, and of the sea] Or, islands. Who live any where out of the Church of God. For earth and sea are here opposed to heaven, which is the Church. So that the fruit of this victory is the joy of the saints, and grief of ungodly men.
having great wrath] Because he is cast out of Gods Church, that he can no longer tyrannize over it, he will empty his spleen upon his own servants. So he did after upon the Romane Church by the Goths and Vandals.
but a short time] Gr. but a short season. The end of the world was not yet here: but he could not have so fit occasion to put the saints to death, as before, now his Viceroy's the heathen emperors were deposed.
V. 13. cast into the earth] See v. 9.
he persecuted] By the popes, when he could do it no longer by the heathen emperours. Or it may be understood of the Arrian persecution, under Constantius and Valens; which came within this time, and was seconded by popish persecution, till the time prefixed was finished.
which brought forth the manchilde] Vers. 5.
V. 14. two wings of a great eagle] God gave her strength to flee into a safe place speedily, Exod. 19 4. Deut. 22. 11, 12. and so wonderfully delivered and preserved her from antichrists rage.
into the wildernesse] Into a private place. So did the Waldenses, for many yeers, in desert places, as those mentioned, Heb. 11. 38.
into her place] Which God had provided for her safety, and where her wicked persecutours could not come at her to hurt her.
where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time] These words should be in a parenthesis; for the words following depend on the former words, that she might flee into the wildernesse from the face of the serpent.
for a time, &c.] For as many yeers, as there be days in three yeers and an half. See v. 6. Chap. 11. 2, 3. Dan. 7. 25. & 12. 7. See times for yeers, Dan. 4. 16, 23, 32.
from the face] For the red dragon, that sought to devour her, shewed his anger in his face. This phrase also sheweth, that the Church, for some time, was not visible to her enemies, Isa. 16. 4. Or, for fear of the serpent. So this phrase is used, 1 Sam. 17. 24. & 19. 10. Isa. 21. 14.
of the serpent] Mentioned, v. 9.
V. 15. out of his mouth] Sent out bulls abroad from the popes.
water as a flood] Or, river. By his bulls, he raised multitudes of souldiers to destroy the Waldenses, and other protestants since. For the end of the chapter containeth a generall description of the state of the Church all the reign of antichrist, which is after limned out into particulars, in the chapters immediately following. So waters, for many people coming in hostile manner, Isa. 59. 19. Rev. 17. 15. and violently sweeping all away before them, like a river, Isa. 59. 19. Amos 8. 8.
after the woman] If this be a second persecution by the popes, then the former may be by the Arrians. See notes on v. 13. Or, the popes did more closely persecute before, and now more openly send out Croisado's against the Waldenses and others in the wildernesse.
to be carried away of the flood] To be utterly destroyed out of those desert places, as he had driven her out of the inhabited world before.
V. 16. And] Or, But; as v. 8.
the earth helped the woman] The earl of Tholous, and diver others, that were papists, sought for their clients and subjects the Waldenses, seeing their faithfulnesse and painfulnesse, which brought profit to their lords by manuring desert places.
swallowed up the flood.] Destroyed many of the popes souldiers sent against the Waldenses, so that they could never quite be rooted out. Or, the carcases of such as went to sight against the protestants, were scattered upon the earth, dying by famine, or plague, or war, as the Israelites did in the wildernesse, Num. 14. 29. So the land is said to eat up her inhabitants, Numb. 13. 32. And divers of the popes souldiers were so consumed. It may be an allusion to Num. 16. 31, 32. where the earth swallowed up Dathan and Abiram, and so preserved Moses and Aaron from their insurrection. Or, the Romane empire, which is the earth, in this book, when opposed to the Church; was divided in it self, and so Gods people escaped.
V. 17. And] Or, Then. So this particle is used, Matth. 23. 32. and that translation is more elegant. As if it had been said, When the dragon could not keep the Church out of the wildernesse, nor destroy it there; then he persecuted all her favourers he could come at elsewhere.
wroth with the woman, &c.] The war with the seed ariseth not from any hurt they had done the dragon; but out of an old quarrel against their mother, Gen. 3. 15.
and went] The pope, being at Rome, stirred up the magistrates every where to persecute the poor protestants.
with the remnant of her seed] That could not get into the wildernesse with the rest. Those few good Christians which lay hid among the papists, were brought out and slain. Or, when he could not overcome the Church of the Waldenses in the wildernesse, he set antichrist on work to destroy the protestants that sprung up in Bohemia, France, England, and other parts, and served God privately, but had not yet meetings and ministers, as the Waldenses had.