1.
And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars:
And . . . heaven = And a great sign was seen in heaven.
appeared = was seen. App-133 .
wonder. App-176 . What follows is a sign.
heaven. See Revelation 3:12 .
woman. i.e. Israel. See John 16:21 .
twelve stars. Probably the zodiacal signs, representing the Israel nation in embryo. See App-12 .
2.
And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.
cried = crieth out.
travailing, &c. Greek. odino. Only here and Galatians 1:4 , Galatians 1:19 , Gal 1:27 . See Micah 5:3 .
pained. Literally tormented. See Revelation 9:5 .
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.
another. App-124 .
behold. App-133 .
dragon. Greek. drakon. First of thirteen occurances in Rev. only. ( App-10 and App-197 ) See Revelation 12:9 .
seven heads . . . heads. "Signs" of universality of earthly power.
crowns. Greek. diadema. Only here, Revelation 13:1 ; Revelation 19:12 .
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.
And his, &c. Refers to Satan's first rebellion and to those who followed him.
drew = draggeth. See John 21:8 .
did. Read "he".
earth. App-129 .
stood = is standing. Perf. tense, indicating abiding action.
was . . . delivered = is about to bring forth.
for = in order. Greek. hina.
devour. Same word as Revelation 10:9 , Revelation 10:10 (eat up); Revelation 20:9 . From Genesis 3:15 till now Satan stands ready to devour the promised "seed",
child. App-108 .
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.
man child = a son ( App-108 .) a male (as Luke 2:23 ).
was = is about.
nations = the nations. Compare Psalms 2:9 .
rod. See Revelation 2:27 .
up = away.
unto. App-104 .
God. App-98 .
to. The texts add pros, as above. An interval of years occurs after this verse.
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.
Anticipatory, the flight being consequent on the war in heaven (Revelation 12:14 ).
into. App-104 .
wilderness. Compare Ezekiel 20:33-38 .
that. Greek. hina , as Revelation 12:4 .
7.
And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,
was = came to be.
heaven = the heaven. See Revelation 3:12 . A particular sphere above earth which is dwelt in by, or accessible to, the dragon and his evil powers. Compare Job 1 and Job 2 .Zechariah 3:6 . See Luke 10:18 .
Michael. See Daniel 10:13 , Daniel 10:21 ; Daniel 12:1 .Jude 1:9 , and App-179 .
fought against. The texts read "(going forth) to war with".
against. Greek. meta. App-104 .
8.
And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.
prevailed. Greek. ischuo, as Acts 19:16 , Acts 19:20 . Only here in Rev. Compare App-172 .
neither. Greek. oude.
more. First occurance: Matthew 5:13 (thenceforth).
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.
cast out = cast down, as Revelation 12:10 .
that = the
old = ancient.
serpent. See Revelation 20:2 .Genesis 3:1 , and App-19 .
Devil. Literally slanderer. See Revelation 12:10 and Matthew 4:1 .
Satan = Adversary. Compare Matthew 4:10 . See App-19 .
which deceiveth. Literally the one deceiving. App-128 . See Revelation 20:3 .
world. App-129 .
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.
The central verse in Revelation.
loud = great.
salvation = the salvation.
strength = the power. App-172 .1; Rev 176:1 .
kingdom. See App-114 .
power. App-172 .
Christ. App-98 .
accuser. Greek. kategoros. Only here in Rev.
is = was.
cast down. As "cast out", Revelation 12:9 , with the texts.
accused = accuseth. First occurance: Matthew 12:10 ; last, here.
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.
word. App-121 .
testimony. See Revelation 1:2 .
loved. App-135 .
lives = life.
the. Omit.
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.
Therefore = For this cause.
heavens. In Rev. only here in plural, while fifty-one occurences in singular. See Revelation 3:12 and Matthew 6:10 .
dwell. Literally tabernacle. See Revelation 7:15 and Revelation 13:6 .
Woe. Third and most terrible of the three woes (Revelation 8:13 ).
the . . . of. The texts omit.
come = gone.
wrath. Greek. thumas. First of ten occurrences in Rev.
because . . . that = knowing ( App-132 .) that.
time. Greek. kairos. App-195 .
13.
And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child.
saw. App-133 .
east = east down, Revelation 12:9 .
man child = male. See Revelation 12:5 .
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.
two = the two.
a = the.
great eagle. Great is emph. Compare Deuteronomy 32:11 , Deuteronomy 32:12 .
might = may.
fly. Greek. petomai. See Revelation 12:6 . Compare Exodus 14:5 .Psalms 35:1-5 .Isaiah 11:16 . Ezekiel 20:33-38 . Hosea 2:14 , Hosea 2:15 .Zephaniah 2:3 .Matthew 24:15-28 . Mark 13:14-23 .
time, &c. See Revelation 11:2 and App-195 .
from, &c. See Septuagint of Judges 9:21 for same Figure of speech Idioma ( App-6 ).
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.
out of. App-104 .
flood = river.
carried . . . flood. Greek. potamophoretos. Only here.
16.
And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth.
opened, &c. See Numbers 16:30 .
swallowed up. Greek. katapino. Occurs seven times in N.T. See 1 Corinthians 15:54 . Compare Isaiah 59:19 .
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.
went = went away, as in John 11:46 .
remnant. App-124 .
seed. Believers, Jew and Gentile, who are seen Revelation 7:9 .
and have = holding.
Jesus. App-98 .
Christ. The texts omit. They add here the first clause of Revelation 13:1 , altering to "he stood".