Albert Barnes Commentary Revelation 12:6

"And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that there they may nourish her a thousand two hundred and threescore days." — Revelation 12:6 (ASV)

And the woman. The woman represents the church. See Barnes on Revelation 12:1.

Fled. That is, she fled in the manner and at the time stated in Revelation 12:14. John here evidently anticipates, by a summary statement, what he relates in more detail in Revelation 12:14-17. He had referred (Revelation 12:2–5) to what occurred to the child in its persecutions, and he here alludes, in general, to what befell the true church when it was compelled to flee into obscurity and safety. After briefly referring to this, the writer (Revelation 12:7–13) gives an account of Satan's efforts following the child's removal to heaven.

Into the wilderness. On the meaning of the word wilderness in the New Testament, see Barnes on Matthew 3:1.

It means a desert place, a place with few or no inhabitants; a place, therefore, where one might be concealed and unknown—remote from the habitations and observation of people. This would well represent the fact that the true church became for a time obscure and unknown—as if it had fled from the habitations of people and had retired to the solitude and loneliness of a desert. Yet even there (Revelation 12:14, 16) it would be mysteriously nourished, though seemingly driven out into wastes and solitudes, and having its abode among the rocks and sands of a desert.

Where she hath a place prepared of God. This means a place where she might be safe and might be kept alive. The meaning is that during that time, the true church, though obscure and almost unknown, would be the object of Divine protection and care—a beautiful representation of the church during the corruptions of the Papacy and the darkness of the Middle Ages.

That they should feed her. This means that they should nourish or sustain her—trefwsin—namely, as specified in Revelation 12:14, 16. Those who were to do this, represented by the word "they," are not particularly mentioned, and the simple idea is that she would be nourished during that time. That is, stripped of the figure, the church during that time would find true friends and would be kept alive. It is hardly necessary to say that this has, in fact, occurred in the darkest periods of the history of the church.

A thousand two hundred and threescore days. That is, regarding these as prophetic days, in which a day denotes a year, twelve hundred and sixty years. The same period evidently is referred to in Revelation 12:14, in the words for a time, and times, and half a time. And the same period is undoubtedly referred to in Daniel 7:25: And they shall be given into his hand until a time, and times, and the dividing of time. For a full consideration of the meaning of this language and its application to the Papacy, see Barnes on Daniel 7:25.

The full investigation made there of the meaning and application of the language renders its consideration here unnecessary. I regard it here, as I do there, as referring to the proper continuance of the Papacy, during which the true church would remain in comparative obscurity, as if driven into a desert. Compare Barnes on Revelation 11:2.

The meaning here is that during that period the true church would not become wholly extinct. It would have an existence upon the earth, but its final triumph would be reserved for the time when this great enemy should be finally overthrown. Compare Barnes on Revelation 12:14-17.