We ought to bear in mind continually, that the seals, trumpets and vials, are introduced as symbols, to delineate one character, the impenitent enemy of God and of his saints.  But this enemy “beguiles through his subtlety,” changing his aspects and instruments, the more successfully to assail the city of the Lord.  It is therefore the design of the Holy Spirit in these three chapters to present the foe in his most prominent features, that the two witnesses may be able to identify the enemy, be apprized of their danger, and intelligently choose their commander,—­“the Captain of salvation.”

“There appeared a great wonder in heaven.”  The word “wonder” in this verse, and also in verse third, simply means a sign or symbol; and the whole structure of the book requires that it be so translated.—­“Woman” is here the true church of God.  Here most expositors fail to explain the symbol “heaven.”  Others say “heaven” symbolizes the church.  Then we have two churches,—­a church within a church!  This is unquestionably the only correct view of the matter.  During most, if not the whole period of the 1260 years, the witnesses are so blended with, or overshadowed by the church catholic or general, that few are able, and fewer still disposed, to distinguish the one from the other.  All through the Bible the church is spoken of as a female.  She is the “daughter of Zion,—­the bride, the Lamb’s wife.”  Any body politic is spoken of in the sacred writings in the same style.  “The daughter of Babylon, of Tyre, or even of Egypt,”—­These are familiar figures.

This woman is “clothed with the sun.”  She has “put on the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Rom. xiii. 14.) He is “the Lord her righteousness.” (Jer. xxiii. 6.) The “moon under her feet,” may represent the “beggarly elements” of the Mosaic ritual, sublunary things, or the ordinances which derive all their light from the “Sun of righteousness.”  The “twelve stars” are the doctrine of the apostles, or rather the apostles’ legitimate successors; their legitimacy tested by their doctrine and order in opposition to the imaginary historical line of papistical and prelatic succession.  A faithful gospel ministry are ever her stars and her crown, (ch. i. 20.) The true apostolic church, thus scripturally constituted, (ch. xi. 1,) becomes the joyful mother of a holy seed. (Ps. cxiii. 9; Gal. iv. 26, 27.)

3.  And there appeared another wonder in heaven, and, behold, a great red dragon, having seven heads, and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.

4.  And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth:  and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.

5.  And she brought forth a man-child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron:  and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.

6.  And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.