What, then, does the man-child signify? It symbolizes the mighty host of new converts or children that the early church by her earnest travail brought forth. The seeming incongruity that the church, or mother, and her children are alike only serves to establish the point in question when rightly understood. A child is of the same substance as its mother and is designed to perpetuate the race. So, also, the new-born babes in the church are just the same spiritually as those who are older, and are intended to perpetuate the church of God on earth. But this explanation of itself is not sufficient to entirely satisfy an inquiring mind, and the question is sure to be asked, Why was it necessary that the church of God in this dispensation should be represented by two individuals—a woman and her son? I also will ask a question—Why, on the other hand, was it necessary that the great apostasy of this dispensation should be represented by the double-figure of a woman and her daughters? The answer to the latter question would readily be given—to symbolize two distinct phases of apostasy. So, also, it was necessary that a double-symbol, such as a woman and her son, should be chosen to set forth two phases of the church brought to view in this chapter. If but a single symbol were used, how could the church be thereby represented as continuing on earth and fleeing into the wilderness and at the same time be represented as "overcome," persecuted to the death, and "caught up unto God and to his throne"? This double-phase of the church—the experience of the saints on earth and the reign of the martyrs in Paradise—will be made very clear to the reader hereafter. But it would be impossible to set forth these two phases under one symbol, and therefore two are chosen.
There is also direct Scripture testimony on this point. "Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man-child. Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? For as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children." Isa. 66:7, 8. According to Heb. 12:22, 23, this Zion, or Sion, referred to is the New Testament church, and the man-child that she is said to bring forth is interpreted by Isaiah as "a nation born at once." Such language perfectly describes the rapid increase in the Christian church on Pentecost and shortly afterward, when thousands were added in one day. According to the apostle Paul, the host of Jews and Gentiles reconciled unto God through Jesus Christ constituted "one new man" in Christ. Eph. 2:15. See also Gal. 3:28. R.V. This man-child was to rule all nations with a rod of iron. For an explanation of this rule see remarks on chapter [2:26, 27]. The twelve hundred and sixty days will be referred to later.
7. And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,
8. And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.
9. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
10. And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.
11. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
12. Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.
13. And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child.
14. And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.
15. And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.
16. And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon east out of his mouth.
17. And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
In this vision we have a series of events covering exactly the same period of time as that of the preceeding one; namely, a history of the church up to and including her flight into the wilderness, and of the same opposing dragon. In this description, however, the events are more perfectly detailed.
Because this dragon was called the Devil and Satan, many have been led into the idea that it signified the Prince of darkness himself. But surely we could not suppose that Beelzebub has any such appearance as this dragon. The foregoing explanation concerning his heads and horns shows conclusively that the Pagan Roman empire is meant, and not Beelzebub. Why, then, was it called the Devil and Satan? Among the Hebrews the term Satan was frequently used in a very liberal sense and applied to different objects, signifying merely an adversary or opposer. According to Young's Analytical Concordance the Hebrew word for Satan is translated adversary in a number of texts, a few of which I will refer to. Num. 22:22: "And the angel of the Lord stood in the way for an adversary [Satan, Heb.] against him." Here an angel of the Lord is called a Satan to Balaam. In 1 Sam. 29:4 David is called an adversary (Heb. Satan) to the Philistines. In 2 Sam. 19:22 certain opposers are said to be adversaries (Satans, Heb.) unto David; while in 1 Kings 11:25 a certain man was said to be an adversary (Satan) to Israel all the days of Solomon. A number of other instances could be given if necessary. In the New Testament, also, the term Satan is sometimes used to signify merely an opposer. "But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan." Mat. 16:23. In 1 Cor. 10:20 Paul declares "that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils." Paganism stood as the great opposer of Christianity, hence was a Satan (adversary) unto it; while the apostle denominated its religious rites as devil-worship. I do not question the fact that the spirit of Beelzebub was manifested in the thing; but the dragon itself was the empire, as is proved by the heads and the horns. However, the Devil and the agency through which he works are often used interchangeably. Satan and the serpent in Eden stand in the same relation as do Satan, or Beelzebub, and Paganism in the New Testament; hence to bind Paganism was to bind the Devil and Satan in one important sense.
The dragon would be a beast from the natural world (if such a creature actually existed) and as such could represent nothing more than a civil empire; but in the vision under consideration he is represented as accompanied by angels actuated by his spirit and defending his cause. By this combination of symbols is set forth the politico-religious system of the empire—a religion that denied the doctrine of the one exclusive God and the divinity of Jesus Christ. It was the religion of infidelity. It was the dragon as a false religious system that Christianity attacked, and not the State itself. The following quotation from Butler's Ecclesiastical History will show the relation of Christians to the empire:
"The Romans were accustomed to tolerate all new religions if they took their place by the side of those already existing, and if they did not cast reproach upon them.... But Christianity, by its very nature exclusive in its claims ... was offensive to the Romans and to the State. A religion which cast contempt upon the religions and rites sanctioned by the laws, and endeavored to draw men away from them, seemed to express thereby contempt and hostility for the State itself. Hence Christianity was branded as a malignant superstition, and Christians spoken of as the enemies of the human race.... From the letter of Pliny to Trajan, it was evidently recorded as an religio illicita, and the mere fact of being a Christian was counted of itself a crime.... The exclusiveness of Christianity seemed also to place its disciples in a position of direct disloyalty to the emperors and the State. 'The emperor was ex-officio Pontifex Maximus; the gods were national. Cicero declares as a principle of legislation, that no one should be allowed to worship foreign gods, unless they were recognized by public statute. Maecenas thus counselled Augustas: Honor the gods according to the customs of your ancestors, and compel others to worship them. Hate and punish those who bring in strange gods.' As the Roman empire was founded on the absolutism of the State, and made nothing of personal rights, Christianity, which first taught and acknowledged them, would be peculiarly offensive to the State. Moreover, the conscientious refusal of Christians to pay divine honor to the emperor and his statutes, and to take part in idolatrous ceremonies at public festivals ... and their constant assembling themselves together, brought them under the suspicion and obloquy of the emperors and the people." Pp. 49, 50.
The dragon was stationed in the same heaven where the woman appeared. This signifies his exalted position in the world. While the dragon was in the height of his power and glory, Michael (Jesus Christ—Jude 9; 1 Thes. 4:16; John 5:28) and his followers appeared on the scene, and a fierce battle for supremacy ensued, resulting in the final victory of the hosts of Michael. That it was against the dragon as a religious system that the Christians fought is proved by the kind of weapons they employed. "And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death." Christianity never sought to overturn the civil empire, but did with all the power of truth oppose the huge system of error sustained by it and gained such decisive victories that the cry was heard, "Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ; for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night." The Devil himself suffered a severe defeat when his favorite agents, the dragon and his followers, were cast down from their lofty position and Christianity was exalted instead. Says Butler: "The final victory of Christianity over heathenism and Judaism, and the mightiest empire of the ancient world, a victory gained without physical force, by the moral power of faith and perseverance, of faith and love, is one of the sublimest spectacles of history, and one of the strongest evidences of the divinity and indestructible life of our holy religion." P. 40.
But the fact that many Christians lost their lives in this conflict (verse 11), insomuch that the man-child is represented as being caught up unto God (verse 5), shows that the dragon employed also the arm of civil power in his opposition to the growing truth. The rapid increase of Christianity, despite the violent opposition and persecution of the Pagan party, can be no better represented than by a quotation from the notable Apology of Tertullian, who wrote during the persecution by Septimus Severus, about the end of the second century.