Matthew Henry Commentary Revelation 12
Matthew Henry Commentary
Revelation 12
Matthew Henry Commentary
Revelation 12
"And a great sign was seen in heaven: a woman arrayed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars; and she was the child; and she crieth out, travailing in birth, and in pain to be delivered. And there was seen another sign in heaven: and behold, a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his heads seven diadems. And his tail draweth the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon standeth before the woman that is about to be delivered, that when she is delivered he may devour her child. And she was delivered of a son, a man child, who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and unto his throne. 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 12:1-6 (ASV)
The church, under the emblem of a woman (the mother of believers), was seen by the apostle in a vision, in heaven. She was clothed with the sun—justified, sanctified, and shining by union with Christ, the Sun of Righteousness. The moon was under her feet; she was superior to the reflected and feebler light of the revelation made by Moses. She had on her head a crown of twelve stars; the doctrine of the gospel, preached by the twelve apostles, is a crown of glory to all true believers.
She was in pain, as if to bring forth a holy family, desiring that the conviction of sinners might end in their conversion. A dragon is a known emblem of Satan and his chief agents, or those who govern for him on earth—at that time, the pagan empire of Rome, the city built on seven hills. This dragon had ten horns, divided into ten kingdoms, and seven crowns, representing seven forms of government.
The dragon drew with his tail a third of the stars in heaven and cast them down to the earth, thereby persecuting and seducing ministers and teachers. He was watchful to crush the Christian religion. But in spite of the opposition of enemies, the church brought forth a strong offspring of true and faithful professors, in whom Christ was truly formed anew. This offspring is the mystery of Christ—that Son of God who will rule the nations, and through whom His members partake of the same glory. This blessed offspring was protected by God.
"And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels [going forth] to war with the dragon; and the dragon warred and his angels; And they prevailed not, neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast down, the old serpent, he that is called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world; he was cast down to the earth, and his angels were cast down with him. And I heard a great voice in heaven, saying, Now is come the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, who accuseth them before our God day and night. And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb, and because of the word of their testimony; and they loved not their life even unto death." — Revelation 12:7-11 (ASV)
The attempts of the dragon proved unsuccessful against the church, and fatal to his own interests. The seat of this war was in heaven; in the church of Christ, the kingdom of heaven on earth. The parties were Christ, the great Angel of the covenant, and his faithful followers; and Satan and his instruments. The strength of the church is in having the Lord Jesus for the Captain of their salvation.
Pagan idolatry, which was the worship of devils, was cast out of the empire by the spreading of Christianity. The salvation and strength of the church are only to be ascribed to the King and Head of the church. The conquered enemy hates the presence of God, yet he is willing to appear there, to accuse the people of God. Let us take care that we give him no cause to accuse us; and that, when we have sinned, we go before the Lord, condemn ourselves, and commit our cause to Christ as our Advocate.
The servants of God overcame Satan:
- By the blood of the Lamb, as the cause.
- By the word of their testimony: the powerful preaching of the gospel is mighty, through God, to pull down strong holds.
- By their courage and patience in sufferings: they did not love their lives so much as to be unwilling to lay them down for Christ's cause.
These were the warriors and the weapons by which Christianity overthrew the power of pagan idolatry. If Christians had continued to fight with these weapons, and others like them, their victories would have been more numerous and glorious, and the effects more lasting.
The redeemed overcame by a simple reliance on the blood of Christ, as the only ground of their hopes. In this we must be like them. We must not blend anything else with this.
"Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe for the earth and for the sea: because the devil is gone down unto you, having great wrath, knowing that he hath but a short time. And when the dragon saw that he was cast down to the earth, he persecuted the woman that brought forth the man [child]. And there were given to the woman the two wings of the great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness unto her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent. And the serpent cast out of his mouth after the woman water as a river, that he might cause her to be carried away by the stream. And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth and swallowed up the river which the dragon cast out of his mouth. And the dragon waxed wroth with the woman, and went away to make war with the rest of her seed, that keep the commandments of God, and hold the testimony of Jesus:" — Revelation 12:12-17 (ASV)
The church and all her friends could rightly be called to praise God for deliverance from pagan persecution, even though other troubles awaited her. The wilderness is a desolate place, and full of serpents and scorpions, uncomfortable and lacking provisions; yet it was a place of safety, as well as one where she could be alone. But this seclusion could not protect the woman.
The flood of water is interpreted by many as meaning the invasions of barbarians, by which the western empire was overwhelmed; for pagans encouraged their attacks, hoping to destroy Christianity. But ungodly men, for their worldly interests, protected the church amid these tumults, and the overthrow of the empire did not help the cause of idolatry. Alternatively, this may refer to a flood of error, by which the church of God was in danger of being overwhelmed and carried away.
The devil, defeated in his designs against the church, turns his rage against persons and places. Being faithful to God and Christ, in doctrine, worship, and practice, exposes believers to the rage of Satan; and this will continue to be so until the last enemy is destroyed.
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