A Brief Commentary on the Apocalypse Part 12

"And a war took place in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon;, and the dragon fought and his angels, and he prevailed not; nor was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, the old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, who deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him."-Rev. 12:7-9.

The churches,-which on the persecution subsequent to the Pentecostal season were scattered abroad, and went everywhere preaching the word (Acts 8:4),-afterwards had rest, and were multiplied, _Ib._ 9:31. They were thus enabled again to act a conspicuous part, as symbolized by the contest between Michael and the dragon.

The contest symbolized, is a religious one; for the dragon is overcome "by the word of their testimony," v. 11.

Michael and his angels, then, must symbolize the body of Christ,-the apostles, and their successor, under the guidance of the Lord,-who const.i.tuted an army of religious teachers. With the arrows of truth they a.s.sailed the idolatrous combinations of their opponents. Under the first seal, they are represented by a mounted warrior, with bow and crown, going forth conquering and to conquer, 6:2. See p. 58.

The dragon, with the appendages of heads, horns, and diadems, was seen to be a symbol of the Roman government. Divested of those, it would simply represent the Pagan hierarchy with which the contest was waged. The heathen priests and their adherents, thus warred with the preachers of Christianity.

Its prevailing not, shows the relative success of the two parties. The struggle continued from the day of Pentecost till the accession of Constantine. The church waded through b.l.o.o.d.y scenes of bitter persecution, which, instead of diminis.h.i.+ng, greatly added to her numbers-"the blood of the martyrs" proving "the seed of the church."

The heathen priests were not deficient in logic, philosophy, and artful sophistry, by which to defend their mythology. They exhausted these, and then resorted to persecution, torture, and death; yet they prevailed not.

With the weapons of truth, the teachers of Christianity successfully a.s.sailed those antiquated forms of error,-overcoming "by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony." "They loved not their lives unto the death," but freely gave themselves for Christ, till, in time, the current of popular favor ceased to flow in the direction of paganism. The accession of Constantine to the throne, put an end to the dragonic period of Rome; the Pagan service gave place to the wors.h.i.+p of Jehovah. The rites of heathenism were no longer the religion of the state, and its ministers were displaced from the exalted position they had so long occupied. Their place was no longer in the symbolic heavens, but in a less conspicuous station.

The casting out of the dragon, would then be this expulsion of the pagan hierarchy from its national importance, and the dejection of the priesthood and their adherents to the earth,-below their former high station,-and to the sea, among the unsettled tribes and nations outside of Rome. This being a religious and not a political event, it does not immediately affect Rome's nationality. That it is not the overthrow of a kingdom, but of religious rites, is shown by the rejoicings which followed.

Rejoicings of the Victors.

"And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, Now is come the salvation and the strength, and the Kingdom of or G.o.d, and the power of his Anointed: for the accuser of our brethren it cast out, who accused them before our G.o.d day and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives to death. On this account, rejoice, ye heavens, and ye who dwell in them."-Rev.

12:10-12.

The loud voice is heard in the symbolic heaven from which the Dragon had been cast. By the displacement of the Pagan hierarchy, and the subst.i.tution of Christianity under Constantine, the adherents of the latter succeeded to the place of the former, and rejoiced over them.

A loud voice symbolizes the utterance of the thoughts and feelings of an interested mult.i.tude. The nature of the voice indicates the nature of the utterance-whether it be one of expectation, fear, warning, or instruction.

This voice is expressive of the then prevalent expectation, that, with the displacement of Paganism commenced the establishment of the Kingdom of G.o.d on earth. This belief was not necessarily well founded;-its _existence_ only being symbolized.

On the triumph of Constantine over Licinius, Eusebius says:-"There were illuminations everywhere. They who were before dejected looked on one another with joyful aspects and smiles, and with choirs and hymns through the cities and country, gave honor first to G.o.d, the Supreme Ruler of all, as they were taught, and then to the pious emperor and his children." Says Mr Lord:

"Eusebius represents the victors at the precipitation of Maxentius and his attendants into the Tiber, as saying, like Moses at the overthrow of the Egyptians in the Red Sea: 'Let us sing to the Lord, for he is signally glorified. Horse and rider he has thrown into the sea. The Lord my helper and defender was with me unto salvation. Who, O Lord, is like to thee among G.o.ds? Who is like to thee, glorified by the holy, admirable in praise, doing wonders? Constantine entered Rome in triumph, hymning these and similar pa.s.sages to G.o.d, the author of the victory.' And on the fall of Licinius he represents the church as uniting in thanksgiving for the deliverance, and congratulations at the overthrow of idolatry, and establishment of Christ's kingdom; and devotes the tenth book of his history to the edicts of the emperor by which the church was nationalized and endowed, and to the restoration of the temples, and the public rejoicings at their dedication. 'Let thanks be given by all to the Almighty Ruler of the universe, and to Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Redeemer, through whom we pray that peace from external foes may be uninterruptedly preserved to us, and tranquillity of mind.'

" 'Let us sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done wonderful things.

His right hand has saved him and his holy arm. The Lord has made known his salvation; he has revealed his righteousness in the presence of the nations. We may now appropriately respond to the inspired command to sing a new song, inasmuch as after such direful spectacles and narrations we now have the happiness to see and celebrate what many holy men before us and the martyrs for G.o.d desired to see on earth, and did not see, and to hear, and have not heard. But advancing more rapidly they attained far superior gifts in heaven, being caught up to the paradise of celestial joy; while we acknowledge the gifts we enjoy are greater than we deserve, and contemplate with wonder the largeness of the divine bounty. Admiring and adoring with all our souls, we testify to the truth of the prophet's words, "Come and see the works of the Lord, what wonders he has wrought in the earth, abolis.h.i.+ng wars to the ends of the world. The bow he has broken, he has dashed the arms, the s.h.i.+eld he has burned in the fire."

Rejoicing at the manifest fulfilment of these predictions to us, we go on with our history.' He goes on accordingly to represent the whole population, freed from the domination of the tyrants, and relieved from oppression, as acknowledging the only true G.o.d and protector of the pious, and these especially who had placed their hope in Christ, as filled with inexpressible joy; the ministers everywhere delivering commemorative addresses, and the whole mult.i.tude offering praises and thanksgiving to G.o.d.

"Lactantius also: 'Let us celebrate the triumph of G.o.d with gladness; let us commemorate his victory with praise; let us make mention in our prayers day and night of the peace which, after ten years of persecution, he has conferred on his people.' "-_Ex. of Apoc._, pp. 343-4.

Mult.i.tudes actually supposed the long-predicted kingdom of G.o.d was now being established. Says Mr. Elliott:

"Can we wonder, then, at the exultation that was felt at this time by many, perhaps by most, that bore the Christian name: or at their high-raised expectations as to the future happy destiny of the Roman, now that it had been changed into the Christian, nation? It seemed to them as if it had become G.o.d's covenanted people, like Israel of old: and the expectation was not unnatural,-an expectation strengthened by the remarkable tranquillity which, throughout the extent of the now reunited empire, followed almost immediately on Constantine's establishment of Christianity,-that not only the temporal blessings of the ancient Jewish covenant would thenceforth in no small measure attach to them, but even those prophesied of as appertaining to the latter day. Hence on the medals of that era the emblem of the phnix, all radiant with the rising sunbeams, to represent the empire as now risen into new life and hope, and its legend which spoke of the happy restoration of the times. Hence, in forgetfulness of all former prognostications of Antichrist and fearful coming evils, the reference by some of the most eminent of their bishops to the latter-day blessedness, as even then about fulfilling. The state of things was such, Eusebius tells us, that it looked like 'the very image of the kingdom of Christ.' The city built by the emperor at Jerusalem, beside the new and magnificent Church of the Holy Sepulchre,-the sacred capital, as it were, to the new empire,-might be, perhaps, he suggested, the New Jerusalem, the theme of so many prophecies. Yet again, on occasion of the opening of the new church at Tyre, he expressed in the following glowing language, not his own feelings only, but those, we may be sure, of not a few of the congregated Christian ministers and people that heard him: 'What so many of the Lord's saints and confessors before our time desired to see, and saw not, and to hear, and heard not, that behold now before our eyes! It was of us the prophet spake when he told how the wildernesses and solitary places should be glad, and the desert rejoice and blossom as the lily. Whereas the church was widowed and desolate, her children have now to exclaim to her, Make room, enlarge thy borders! the place is too strait for us. The promise is fulfilling to her, In righteousness shalt thou be established: all thy children shall be taught of G.o.d: and great shall be the peace of thy children.' "-_Horae Apoc._, v. i., pp. 230-1.

They rejoiced over the downfall of the dragon as over "the Accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our G.o.d day and night." The phrase "our brethren," proves that those who unite in this song are the living saints on the earth. The reference to Satan as an Accuser bears a close resemblance to Zech. 3:1, where Joshua, as a symbol of the people of Israel, is represented as standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him.-"??? Satan signifies an _adversary_. ????? _lesiteno_, to be his adversary or accuser."-_Dr.

Clark._

Satan's most common work is to invent false accusations against those whose efforts tend to frustrate his designs. The Christians had endured false accusations and bitter persecutions, and therefore rejoiced the more over the defeat of the Pagans.

The Flight of the Woman.

"Woe to the inhabitants of the earth, and of the sea! for the devil is come to you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short season."

"And when the dragon saw that he was cast out into the earth, he persecuted the woman, who brought forth the male child. And two wings of a great eagle were given to the woman, that she might fly into the desert, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the presence of the serpent. And the serpent cast out of his mouth water like a river, after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away by the river. And the earth helped the woman; and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed up the river, which the dragon cast out of his mouth. And the dragon was enraged against the woman, and went away to make war with the remnant of her seed, that keep the commandments of G.o.d, and have the testimony of Jesus."-Rev.

12:12-17.

The rejoicing of Christians, according to this symbolization, is afterwards followed by renewed triumphs of the Pagans over them. The hatred of the Pagan wors.h.i.+ppers to Christianity, is strikingly evinced; but it is manifested in a manner different from the former contest.

When the church sought only to overcome by "the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony," it was owned of Christ; but as it became proud and worldly, and cared more for popular favor than for purity of faith and practice, the true church which the woman symbolized, was represented only by those who continued faithful to their profession.

Historians inform us that with the success of Constantine, the visible church became speedily corrupt. As it became popular, unconverted men sought to be enrolled as members. The Pagans, instead of approaching as enemies, came as professed friends. As a profession of Christianity was alone necessary for admission to the church, mult.i.tudes sought connection with it. This caused a condition of things, of which Dr. Milner thus speaks:-"In the general appearance of the church, we cannot see much of the spirit of G.o.dliness. External piety flourished. But faith, love, heavenly-mindedness appear very rare. The doctrine of real conversion was very much lost, and external baptism placed in its stead: and the true doctrine of justification by faith, and true practical use of a crucified Saviour for troubled consciences were scarcely to be seen at this time.

Superst.i.tion and self-righteousness were making vigorous shoots; and the real gospel of Christ was hidden from the men that professed it."

To the same effect is the report of Mosheim:-Of the life and morals of the professing Christians of the fourth century, he says: "Good men were, as before, mixed with bad; but the bad were by degrees so multiplied, that men truly holy and devoted to G.o.d appeared more rarely; and the pious few were almost oppressed by the vicious mult.i.tude." Of their doctrines he says: "Fictions, of early origin" (about saint veneration and relics, a purifying fire, celibacy, &c., &c.), "now so prevailed as in course of time almost to thrust true religion aside, or at least to exceedingly obscure and tarnish it."

Says Mr Lord:-"Constantine and his successors introduced a flood of false doctrines, superst.i.tions and idolatries, into the church, which were incompatible with a pure wors.h.i.+p, and swept all who yielded to their impulse to the gulf of apostasy. Such were the veneration of the cross, and ascription to it of miraculous powers, the homage of relics, the invocation of saints, the conversion of religion into gorgeous ceremonies, the encouragement of celibacy, and the arrogation of the throne and prerogatives of G.o.d by civil and ecclesiastical rulers. These falsehoods, follies, and impieties, introduced or adopted by the emperors, encouraged by their example, sanctioned by their laws, and enforced by the penalties of excommunication, imprisonment, the forfeiture of civil rights, banishment, and death, came armed with an overpowering force to all who were not fortified against them by the special aids of the divine spirit, and like a resistless torrent bore away the great ma.s.s of the church."-_Exp. of Apoc._, p. 350.

With the accession of mult.i.tudes of unworthy members, and the prevalence of false doctrines, the true church would have been speedily overwhelmed had not the people of G.o.d been sustained from such deleterious influences.

To the woman, therefore, were given two wings of a great eagle that she might escape. Wings are symbolic of power of flight-for succor, or escape.

The four-winged leopard of Daniel used his speed to approach and demolish the enemy; the woman, to escape hers. The church of old was sustained in like manner. Thus G.o.d said to Israel, "Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you to myself."-Ex. 19:4.

On the introduction of new rites and doctrines into the church, mult.i.tudes withdrew from the public a.s.semblies, and wors.h.i.+pped apart. They retired from the observation of their rulers and lived secluded for a long period.

Some may inquire for the historical evidence of the _time_ when such a body withdrew. This, from the nature of the case, it may be difficult to give. If the withdrawal of the true wors.h.i.+ppers had been an occurrence of so much notoriety as to be prominently historically noticed, it might have defeated their withdrawal. It is sufficient that the prophecy makes such a withdrawal necessary; and that at a later period such a body was found existing as predicted. See p. 198. Says Mr. Lord:

"Her retreat into her place from the face of the serpent, denotes that the scene of her residence was unknown to the rulers. The anger of the serpent indicates their continued disposition to destroy her, if in their power; while its going on to make war with such of her seed as had not retreated to the desert, denotes that they continued, after her disappearance, to persecute the isolated individuals that from time to time dissented from the corrupt church, and professed the pure faith.

"As it was by spiritual aids that the true wors.h.i.+ppers were enabled to resist the temptations and force by which the rulers endeavored to constrain them to apostasy, and to fly to the desert, no specific record of those aids is to be sought on the page of history. The only evidence that we can ask or possess, that they were conferred, is presented in the fact that a body of dissentients from the corrupt church were in a latter age found in a secluded scene, who had survived the endeavors of the rulers of the fourth, fifth, sixth, and following centuries, to compel all their subjects to conformity, and who have continued to maintain a separate existence, and offer an unidolatrous wors.h.i.+p to the present time.

"And such a body were the Waldenses, inhabiting the eastern valleys of the Cottian Alps. They are known, from the testimony of cotemporary Catholics and their own authors, to have existed there as early as the eleventh century. It was then, and is now, claimed by themselves, and admitted by their enemies, that they had subsisted there from a much earlier age.

These were a Christian church, having the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, regarding them as a revelation from G.o.d, and making them the rule of their faith; having a ministry of their own, holding religious a.s.semblies, professing and teaching the doctrines of the gospel, and celebrating the sacraments.

"They were distinguished for the simplicity and purity of their lives. It was a.s.serted by them, and repeated by the Catholics, that they were induced to retreat to the secluded valleys which they inhabit, to escape the despotism of the rulers and the corruptions and tyranny of the church, soon after its nationalization by Constantine. They have continued to subsist there to the present time, as a separate and evangelical church."-_Exp. Apoc._, pp. 348, 349, 359.

Says Mr. Elliott:-"I must not pa.s.s on without pressing on the reader's notice this notable pre-figuration of the seclusion of Christ's church in the wilderness, as the true and fittest answer to the Romish anti-Protestant taunt, 'Where was your religion before Luther?'

Protestants have not duly, as it seems to me, applied the answer here given. For the wilderness-life necessarily, as I must repeat,-and that on Bossuet's own showing,-implies the _invisibility_ of her who lives in it.

And consequently, instead of the long previous invisibility of a church like the Lutheran, or Anglican Reformed, of the sixteenth century, in respect of doctrine and wors.h.i.+p, being an argument against, it is an argument for it. The Romish church, which never knew the predicted wilderness-life, could not, for this very reason, be the woman of the 12th Apocalyptic chapter; that is, could not be the true church of Christ.

"For 1260 prophetic days, then, or years, she was to disappear from men's view in the Roman world. Is it asked how her vitality was preserved?

Doubtless in her children, known to G.o.d, though for the most part unknown to men; just like the 7000 that Elijah knew not of, who had not bowed the knee to Baal; some, it might be, in monasteries, some in the secular walks of life; but all alike insulated in spirit from those around them, and as regards the usual means of grace, spiritually dest.i.tute and desolate; even as in a barren and dry land, where no water is.-Besides whom, some few there were of her children,-some very few,-prepared, like Elijah of old, to act a bolder part, and stand forth, under special commission from G.o.d, as Christ's witnesses before Christendom."-_Horae Apoc._, pp. 55-57.