And after all their tribulations long,
See golden days, fruitful of golden deeds,
With joy and love triumphing, and fair truth.”—Ib.
The Woman and Dragon.
“And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon was under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars; and she, being with child, cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered. And another sign appeared in heaven: and behold, a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems on his heads. And his tail dragged the third part of the stars of heaven, and cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman, who was about to be delivered, to devour her child as soon as it was born. And she brought forth a male child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron; and her child was snatched up to God, and to his throne. And the woman fled into the desert, where she hath a place there prepared of God, that they should feed her there one thousand two hundred and sixty days.”—Rev. 12:1-6.
With this chapter commences a new series of events, extending through the entire gospel dispensation; the former series being terminated by the events of the last trumpet.
The heaven, where these great “wonders” are exhibited, must symbolize the theatre of their fulfilment—the station to be occupied by the agents symbolized, which must be as conspicuous as heaven is relatively high above the earth.
The woman, according to the use of the symbol in other places, must be a representative of the church. As the harlot on a scarlet-colored beast (17:3), is a symbol of a corrupt and apostate church, so a virtuous woman is a chosen symbol of the true church.
The “Jerusalem which is above is the mother” of all true Christians (Gal. 4:26); she is also “the bride, the Lamb's wife” (21:9); and “the remnant of her seed,” are those “which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ,” v. 17. Her robe of light, her position above the moon, and her crown of stars, indicate her greatness and glory.