CHAPTER XII.

THE WOMAN. THE MAN-CHILD. THE DRAGON. THE WAR IN HEAVEN.

Vs. 1, 2. 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; and she, being with child, cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.

Καὶ σημεῖον μέγα ὤφθη ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ· γυνὴ περιβεβλημένη τὸν ἥλιον, καὶ ἡ σελήνη υποκάτω τῶν ποδῶν αὐτῆς, καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς κεφαλῆς αὐτῆς στέφανος ἀστέρων δώδεκα, καὶ ἐν γαστρὶ ἔχουσα κράζει, ὠδίνουσα καὶ βασανιζομένη τεκεῖν.

§ 266. AND there appeared,' &c.-Notwithstanding the division of the chapters here, we consider, as already suggested, the subject of this chapter immediately connected with that of the last verse of the preceding. The development about to be made is a result of the opening of the temple, and of the sight of the ark of the covenant afforded by that opening. In other words, the unfolding of the elements of doctrine involved in that system of truth by which alone God can be truly worshipped, results in a development of certain principles peculiar to the economy of grace, represented by the contents of the ark, and elsewhere spoken of as "treasures of wisdom and knowledge hid in Christ."

'A great wonder,' or rather, a great sign. Not merely something exciting great astonishment, but something conveying a very important meaning. The word translated wonder in this place, repeatedly occurs in the New Testament; and with this exception is uniformly rendered by the term sign. It was applied amongst the Greeks to the marks of hours and half hours in the dial, to guide-posts and mile-stones, as well as to seals and military standards; always carrying a meaning with it. The verb onuɛióoua, from σημειόομαι, the same root, is applied to the action of taking notes or making remarks, either as a matter of record, or with the view of extending them afterwards: Vid. Suiceri Lex., art. Enució. Commentarium rerum scribo, ex quo postea fiat historia. This great sign therefore we take to be something full of meaning; something corresponding perhaps with the prediction, Matt. xxiv. 30, "And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven."

'In heaven.'-The spiritual heaven we suppose to be the display of

divine government in spiritual things, analogous to the astronomical exhibition of divine power afforded by the natural heavens. This display of course must come to us through the revealed word of God, properly understood, the clouds of types, and symbols, and dark sayings, and the terrestrial exhalations of literal interpretation, giving place to the ethereal medium of vision afforded by a spiritual understanding. In the midst of this heavenly exhibition, the apostle in spirit is favoured with a sight of the important symbolical representation he is now about to describe.

'A woman.'-The word here translated woman, is the same as that rendered Rev. xix. 7, and xxi. 9, wife; as we might say in those passages the bride, the Lamb's woman; that is, the woman set apart as belonging especially to the Lamb espoused, but not yet a wife. The same term, jvvý, is also applied to Jezebel, Rev. ii. 20, and to the mother of harlots, Rev. xvii. 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 18. It may be used, therefore, either in a good or bad sense, and we must accordingly judge of its purport by the circumstances under which it is employed. In Rev. xvii., the woman sitting on the scarlet-coloured beast is distinguished by an opprobious epithet, ( zón,) and is made desolate and destroyed. Here the woman, however afflicted or tried, is a peculiar subject of divine favour; as appears both from the clothing given her, and the protection afforded to her as well as to her offspring.

§ 267. Clothed with the sun.'-The sun may be put here for the rays, or glory, or light of the sun. It is said of Jesus Christ, Matt. xvii. 2, His face did shine as the sun; and Rev. i. 16, His countenance was as the sun. So of the mighty angel, Rev. x. 1, His face was as it were the sun; and of the justified, Matt. xiii. 43, Then shall the righteous shine as the sun: corresponding with which the Messiah is spoken of by the prophet, as the Sun of righteousness with healing in his wings. This woman is so wrapt about and clothed with the glory of the sun, as to appear like the sun itself. Or, to render the figure still more expressive, one clothed with the sun, may be said to dwell in the sun-to be identified with that orb of light. As the disciple clothed with the imputed righteousness of his Redeemer is in effect. identified with him. This woman we suppose to represent the mystery elsewhere spoken of by John, as the Bride, or new Jerusalem; and by Paul, as the Jerusalem from above, which is the mother of us all ;—the same figure contemplated under circumstances somewhat different ;-the apostle, from his heavenly position, being permitted to look into the divine counsels, and enjoying a stretch of vision compassing even more than appears to be subsequently revealed.

And the moon under her feet.'-The feet we suppose to be put for the progress of the person or thing spoken of. To say that the feet are beautiful, is to say that there is something beautiful in the progress (coming or going

forth) of this person or thing. The moon, exhibiting a serene lustre from the reflected rays of the sun, furnishes a representation of the serenity of peace in believing enjoyed by the disciple, while trusting in his Redeemer's merits. This peculiar peace afforded by the economy of salvation, may be said to be the ornament of its progress; that which makes its coming beautiful, as well as that which is necessary for this progress; as it is by the annunciation of peace, which the gospel carries with it, that its promulgation is effected. The Christian disciple is admonished, Eph. vi. 15, not only to put on the cuirass of righteousness, but also to be shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; to go forth to the legal contest or trial prepared with all the joy and peace in believing, Rom. xv. 13—the hope and trust afforded by the glad tidings of revealed truth. As it is said, Is. lii. 7, "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth salvation, that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth ;" and Nahum i. 15, "Behold upon the mountains the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace.' So, too, in allusion to the same economy, Cant. vii. 1, it is said of the prince's daughter, "How beautiful are thy feet with shoes."

The word rendered shod in the passage quoted from Ephesians, signifies an under binding, (vnodέw,) as of the sandal. The woman's head-dress and clothing being described, in keeping with this description, the moon under her feet seems to occupy as a figure the place of the sandal; that is, both the preparation and the ornament of her feet-that which enables the messenger to go on his way, and that which makes his feet beautiful, as well as that which constitutes the preparation of the soldier for marching in battle array. As the paved work of sapphire, resembling the body of heaven for clearness, under the feet of the God of Israel, Exodus xxiv. 10, may represent a manifestation of the divine glory; so the moon under the feet of the woman may be taken for the manifestation of the peace-bringing, peace-exhibiting attribute of the economy of salvation.

§ 268. And upon her head a crown of twelve stars.'-This crown is of the kind given in token of victory, or of having overcome. The twelve stars, if put for the twelve tribes or patriarchs, may represent the old dispensation, the sure word of prophecy, shining as in a dark place,—the old dispensation contributing its testimony to the glory of the new, or being put for the twelve apostles; these apostles especially, as representatives of the gospel, shining as lights in the world. In either case the crown or head-dress, the clothing or raiment, and the preparation for the feet, combine to indicate this female as a figure of the new economy; not, however, as yet fully revealed, or its gracious provisions yet fully developed.

And she, being with child, cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.'-Children, as we have already intimated, ($ 71,) are scriptural

figures of righteousness or merits; such as enable the disciple to meet his adversary at the bar of divine justice; or, as we have it rendered Ps. cxxvii. 5, in the gate ;-the gate amongst the Hebrews being the place for the administration of justice. The only true means of thus meeting the adversary, are to be found in the imputed merits of the Son of God. The disciple himself under the law being incapable of providing himself with any defence; whence, in allusion to the change of dispensations, it is said, Ps. cxiii. 9, " He maketh the barren woman to keep house, and to be the joyful mother of children."

The pain and anguish of travail here spoken of, may be figurative of the difficulty existing in the nature of things, in providing a means of redemption for sinners, consistently with the divine attributes of justice and purity. As Jesus himself expresses it, Luke xii. 50, “I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished." But the representation here made, may be rather that of manifesting the mystery of redemption than of effecting the work. The difficulty, we may say, is to show how God may be just, and yet justify the ungodly.

The

The name Jerusalem signifying the vision of peace, we suppose the scriptural exhibitions of the city, under its various aspects, to be put for the exhibitions of the old and new covenants-the vision of the process by which God is reconciled to man. This is to be done in such a way as to establish the manifestation of the truth, to put it beyond any dispute. elements or principles of the economy are therefore to be tried. As, in the nature of the case, the plan of redemption must prove itself sufficient to overcome the vindictive claim of the law; so, in the revelation of this plan, it must be shown to possess this sufficiency-it must be shown to bring forth or to furnish a righteousness sufficient to justify the sinner. The difficulty of doing this may be represented by the pains of parturition.

The word rendered pained in our common version is the verb elsewhere rendered torment; and which we have noticed as applicable to the kind of torture imposed upon one tried upon the rack; or to the kind of test to which a mineral substance may be subjected with the view of ascertaining its purity. Here then, if the woman represent the covenant itself, the test applied is to ascertain its ability to justify the sinner. If the woman be the figure of an exhibition of that covenant, the test is applied to ascertain the power of the plan thus exhibited; so we may consider the travail of the woman as illustrative of the difficulties in the way of demonstrating, in its true light, what we consider the power of the leading traits of the gospel plan of redemption. The expression, she being with child, would be more correctly rendered, she being pregnant; for it is yet to be seen whether, as in the case of the legal covenant, alluded to apparently Is. xxvi. 18, this pain and travail may not be fruitless. The Greek term, according to the

Septuagint, is the same in both passages; here, however, the mind is to be kept in suspense till the event is announced.

The joy so proverbially consequent to the birth of a child, especially of a male child, may be considered an universal type of the joy resulting to the whole world of the redeemed, from the bringing forth by the economy of redemption of that element of imputed righteousness, which in Christ is the power of God unto salvation; to this allusion seems to be made John xvi. 21. Till this truth however is fully developed, the joy may not be experienced; consequently, the state of the believer individually, and of the whole community of believers, may, in the meantime, correspond with the season of sorrow and anxiety incident to the anguish of travail.

Vs. 3, 4. And there appeared another wonder [sign] in heaven, and behold, a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. 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 deliv. ered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.

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Καὶ ὤφθη ἄλλο σημεῖον ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ, καὶ ἰδοὺ δράκων μέγας πυῤῥός, ἔχων κεφα λὰς ἑπτὰ καὶ κέρατα δέκα καὶ ἐπὶ τὰς κεφαλὰς αὑτοῦ ἑπτὰ διαδήματα· καὶ ἡ οὐρὰ αὐτοῦ σύρει το τρίτον τῶν ἀστέρων τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, καὶ ἔβαλεν αὐτοὺς εἰς τὴν γῆν. καὶ ὁ δράκων ἕστηκεν ἐνώπιον τῆς γυναικὸς τῆς μελλούσης τεκεῖν,ἵνα, ὅταν τεκῃ, τὸ τέκνον αὐτῆς καταφάγῃ.

§ 269. Another sign in heaven,'—another symbolical representation in the heavenly exhibition of truth, (§ 266.)

'A great red dragon' or as the original might be translated, a great fiery red serpent. The term dragon is but another name for a serpent, and is so employed in the Old Testament, both in our common version and in the Septuagint. It is also applied to Leviathan, Is. xxvii. 1, "That crooked serpent." The word translated red, 70's, is formed from the appellation of fire, aug. The distinction would be unimportant were it not that with the term dragon we associate no particularly Scriptural idea; whereas with that of serpent we recall to mind that old serpent, the devil, as he is termed in the ninth verse of this chapter; the tempter of our first parents, (Gen. ii. 3;) the trier of our Lord, (Matt. iv. 1 ;) and the accuser of the brethren, (Rev. xii. 10.) The fiery red colour of this dragon brings up also the remembrance of the fiery serpents, by which the children of Israel were chastened in the wilderness. The same being, character, or principle, therefore, whose efforts were directed in paradise to the bringing of our first parents under the law, by inducing them to taste the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, is expressly declared in this chapter (tenth verse) to be the accuser of the brethren-that is, the legal accuser-the public prosecutor, in a spiritual sense, under the legal dispensation. We must anticipate thus much upon the suosequent portion of the chapter, in order to obtain a clew to the character of the seven heads and ten horns of the He is termed a great dragon, no doubt on account of his great

monster.