Chapter 12:
| Darby
| Geneva
| Gill
| Jamieson Faussett Brown
| Johnson
| Matthew Henry
| Matthew Henry Concise
| McGee
| Wesley
| Index
| Bible Gateway |
Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 Jude Genesis
Revelation 12
Concise Complete
A description of the church of Christ and of Satan,
under the figures of a woman and of a great red dragon. (1-6) Michael and his
angels fight against the devil and his angels, who are defeated. (7-12) The
dragon persecutes the church. (13,14) His vain endeavours to destroy her, He
renews his war against her seed. (14-17)
Verses 1-6 The
church, under the emblem of a woman, the mother of believers, was seen by the
apostle in 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. Having 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. As in pain to bring forth a holy family; desirous 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 upon seven hills. As having ten
horns, divided into ten kingdoms. Having seven crowns, representing seven forms
of government. As drawing with his tail a third part of the stars in heaven, and
casting them down to the earth; persecuting and seducing the ministers and
teachers. As watchful to crush the Christian religion; but in spite of the
opposition of enemies, the church brought forth a manly issue of true and
faithful professors, in whom Christ was truly formed anew; even the mystery of
Christ, that Son of God who should rule the nations, and in whose right his
members partake the same glory. This blessed offspring was protected of God.
Verses 7-11
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 heed 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 loved not their lives
so well but they could lay them down in Christ's cause. These were the warriors
and the weapons by which Christianity overthrew the power of pagan idolatry; and
if Christians had continued to fight with these weapons, and such as these,
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
any thing else with this.
Verses 12-17
The church and all her friends might well be called to praise God for
deliverance from pagan persecution, though other troubles awaited her. The
wilderness is a desolate place, and full of serpents and scorpions,
uncomfortable and destitute of provisions; yet a place of safety, as well as
where one might be alone. But being thus retired could not protect the woman.
The flood of water is explained by many to mean the invasions of barbarians, by
which the western empire was overwhelmed; for the heathen encouraged their
attacks, in the hope of destroying Christianity. But ungodly men, for their
worldly interests, protected the church amidst these tumults, and the overthrow
of the empire did not help the cause of idolatry. Or, this may be meant of 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 upon the church, turns his
rage against persons and places. Being faithful to God and Christ, in doctrine,
worship, and practice, exposes to the rage of Satan; and will do so till the
last enemy shall be destroyed.
Chapter 12:
| Darby
| Geneva
| Gill
| Jamieson Faussett Brown
| Johnson
| Matthew Henry
| Matthew Henry Concise
| McGee
| Wesley
| Index
| Bible Gateway |
Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 Jude Genesis
Genesis
Exodus
Leviticus
Numbers
Deuteronomy
Joshua
Judges
Ruth
1 Samuel
2 Samuel
1 Kings
2 Kings
1 Chronicles
2 Chronicles
Ezra
Nehemiah
Esther
Job
Psalm
Proverbs
Ecclesiastes
Song of Solomon
Isaiah
Jeremiah
Lamentations
Ezekiel
Daniel
Hosea
Joel
Amos
Obadiah
Jonah
Micah
Nahum
Habakkuk
Zephaniah
Haggai
Zechariah
Malachi
Matthew
Mark
Luke
John
Acts
Romans
1 Corinthians
2 Corinthians
Galatians
Ephesians
Philippians
Colossians
1 Thessalonians
2 Thessalonians
1 Timothy
2 Timothy
Titus
Philemon
Hebrews
James
1 Peter
2 Peter
1 John
2 John
3 John
Jude
Revelation
