The resistance of the dragon to the Church This chapter reveals the struggling Church: 1- Opposition of Satan to the Church 1-6. 2- Support of heaven to the Church 7-12. 3- The opposition grows stronger 13-17. 1- Opposition of Satan to the Church "Now a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a garland of twelve stars. Then being with child, she cried out in labor and in pain to give birth" [1-2]. Who is this woman who has this description? And who gave birth to the Son? Who was resisted by Satan, and fled away from him? And whom he is still resisting, together with her descendants, until he is thrown in the lake burning with fire? The early Fathers confirm that this woman who gave birth to the Lord Jesus is the Church. She is the community of the believers, since the time of the patriarchs, or since Adam to the end of ages. Bishop Victorianus said, [It is the Church of the patriarchs, the prophets, the saints, and the apostles who were characterized by their sighing and pains, longing to see the Lord Jesus, who is the Fruit of her people in flesh, promised to them long time ago. He took His body from the same people. Her clothing with the sun indicates the hope of resurrection and the glory of the promise. The moon (under her feet) refers to the falling of the bodies of the saints under the forced endless death... And they are shining as the moon in darkness... The garland of twelve stars is the group of the patriarchs from whom the Lord Jesus took the body.] Unfortunately, some western scholars took the following interpretation in a deformed image, and were imitated by some from the east. They say that this woman is the Jewish people, and that the following chapters (12-14) concern the Jews. It is proper for us to understand "the Church," through the right understanding of the early Fathers, taken from the previous interpretation. That the woman is "the Church of the patriarchs, the prophets, the saints, and the apostles..." The Church started with Adam, and the patriarchs like Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Enoch entered its membership. At the time of Moses’ Law, the Jewish people with some of the Gentiles who were converted to Judaism, joined the Church. In that period the Lord Jesus came incarnated from the Church, the Church of the Old Testament, from the Jews. Yet the Jews left the membership of the Church, deviating from faith and refusing salvation. They are not any more believers, or a Church or the spiritual Israel. They became unbelievers, but the Church's door was not closed. She had not died by their death, or deviated, but the Gentiles entered as an extension to the Church. Hence the talk about the woman concerns the Church. The one Church that is beyond the limits of time and race. Thereon, in this chapter, the talk concerns the Church, since its origination until the end of generations. When we say "Church," we cannot separate her from the virgin Mary, to whom we 8 are bound in the person of Jesus Christ, as mother of all the living1. She also is, as the early Fathers say, the woman clothed with the sun, and the moon was under her feet, for the Lord Jesus, the sun of righteousness dwelled in her, and she got a heavenly glory, she who gave birth to the Firstborn Son2. In the same spirit, and without windings, we say that what the Apostle saw here concerns the Church of the New Testament, because it is not separated from the Church of the Old Testament, nor independent of her. The patriarchs of the Old Testament, the prophets, the Law and the promises are all related to her. So though the Lord Jesus has come incarnated from the Virgin Mary, or from the Jews, yet we can say that He came incarnated from the Church, who is proud of the membership of the Virgin Mary. The Virgin who extended backwards, until she contained in her membership, all those from whom the Lord came incarnated. Father Hyppolitus3 says: [It is very clear that, by the woman clothed with the sun, he meant ‘the Church that the Father sent the Word to, thus as her splendor surpasses the sun.’ By saying, "the moon under her feet," he points to her being transfigured with heavenly glory, which surpasses the moon. And the expression "on her head a garland of twelve stars," indicates the twelve apostles who established the Church. As for the saying, that for her Son she "cried out in labor and in pain to give birth," he means that the Church will never cease to carry in her heart the Word, whom the unbelievers persecute.] This is the Church that the Lord has described saying, "Who is she who looks forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, awesome as an army with banners?" (Song 6:10). Satan is resisting this Church as he says, "And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great, fiery red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems on his heads" [3]. Since man's creation, Satan, the "dragon," does not stop envying him. This great dragon is "red," and as bishop Victorianus says, this color is because of his deeds for "he was a murderer from the beginning" (John. 8:44). He never stops ruining and demolishing among mankind trying to destroy God's children. He has seven heads, which means he is constantly thinking of this battle. He has ten horns, which means he is using all the power of his might and dominion, which is extended on earth, to spoil faith. On his heads seven diadems, as he appoints himself as a king over the hearts of the wicked, to dominate their thoughts, their intentions, their senses and their behavior. Bishop Victorianus thinks, that when the Antichrist comes at the end of times, he will deceive ten kings (10 horns), whom he uses to destroy faith. "His tail drew a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to give birth, to devour her Child as soon as it was born” [4]. Some think ,that this is an allusion to the Antichrist who will deceive a third of the believers. But Bishop Victorianus prefers a more proper interpretation, that is, Satan in his fall, had attracted a great number of angels. They fall with him from heaven (Jude 6). 1 The Theotokia of Tuesday: part three, fifth paragraph. 2 Cf. Ante Nicence Fathers, vol., 6, p. 355. 3 A Treatise on Christ and Antichrist, 60 & 61. 9 Therein, we discover his danger and his readiness to destroy and spoil. He did not stop at causing some angels to fall, and deceiving mankind, but he also thought that he could put the Lord Jesus to death. As He was not from man's seed, death did not conquer Him. The Lord rose up from the dead on the third day, raising us up from the grave of sin, causing His believers to ascend to where he stands. Therefore, the Apostle says: "And she bore a male Child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron. And her Child was caught up to God and to His throne" [5]. That whom Satan wanted to devour, is the Shepherd who gathers all nations in His yard. He crushes the powers of evil with a rod of iron. Now He is on the divine throne lifting up the falling mankind. That was concerning the Lord Jesus. As for the condition of the Church in her expatriation, the Apostle says: "Then the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, that they should feed her there one thousand two hundred and sixty days" [6]. It is the Church who is constantly fleeing from Satan's face, to live in mortification, in the wilderness of this world. Waiting for her new dwelling place; the heavenly Jerusalem, which is prepared for her by God. The period of one thousand two hundred and sixty days, which is about three years and a half, indicates all the days that the believers live on earth as strangers. In the Church of the Old Testament we find Elijah fleeing from Ezebel’s face for three years and half. And in the Church of the New Testament, we find the Virgin Mary with the Lord Jesus accompanied by Joseph the Carpenter, fleeing from Herod's face, who was roused by Satan, (it is said that they sojourned three and a half years). Also, at the time of the Antichrist, the Church will suffer from him for about three years and a half. Fleeing in the wilderness and the mountains away from the severity of the tribulation. 2- The support of heaven to the Church "And war broke out in heaven; Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer" [7-8]. Bishop Victorianus thinks, that this is the beginning of the time of the Antichrist. When the Archangel Michael fights against Satan, he overcomes him and makes him fall from heaven, in order to complain no more against the believers. It is appropriate for the believers to meditate for a while on the love of “the archangel,” the honorable angel who defends the sons of God (Dan. 12:1, 1 Thess 4:16, Jude 9). It is he who as an angel of light, desires to see us luminous. He fights for us against the angels of darkness! As a result of this war, Satan falls dead, therefore, he propagates all his poison, using all his power to revenge, during the little time left for him, before he is thrown into hell forever. Thereby, the time of the Antichrist starts and the two witnesses come. "So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him" [9]. It is a great victory when Satan falls down from heaven, that he might not complain against us. Yet he will not stop deceiving, until his last moments, for he is 10 called: 1- The great dragon, as he is huge, severe and fearful. 2- The old serpent; he has a long experience in deceiving. His enmity for us is from the start of mankind (Gen. 3:2,15) 3- The devil or "unjust accuser," as he is always accusing the Church. 4- Satan or the stubborn. 5- "The deceiver of the whole world"...this is the nature of his work. As the enemy has fallen at his last breath, the Apostle says: "Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, ‘Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time” [10-12]. Satan's weakness was uncovered to the heavenly, and his defeat appeared when he was thrown down from heaven. They rejoiced for the closeness of the declaration of man's victory, in the great day of Judgment, through the precious blood. In their happiness and love for human beings, they called the Church who is still struggling on earth their "brethren," as they will be almost like them, as angels of God. The feelings of praise and joy are mixed with sorrow, for what the Church will suffer from Satan who came down to her, to fight her in the person of the Antichrist and his followers... Let heaven rejoice, and those who are in Paradise be happy, let eternity be prepared for the endless wedding, for the hour is very close, and a short time remains. 3- The opposition GROWS STRONGER "Now when the dragon saw that he had been cast to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male Child. But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent" [13-14]. As the dragon wages satanic attacks against the Church, God provides her with "two wings of an eagle," and she becomes like an eagle fleeing from the Antichrist, not in shame and disgrace but with power. She wonders in the wilderness away from his filthiness. As the prophet says: "But those who wait on the Lord, shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary. They shall walk and not faint" (Isa. 40:31). Bishop Victorianus thinks, that the two wings of the eagle are the two prophets who warn the believers, and ask them to flee from the Antichrist into the wilderness. And Fr. Hyppolitus thinks, that they are faith in the Lord Jesus, who compared Himself to a hen that gathers its chicken under its wings. Many meditate on these two wings, and see that they are needed in every age, and in the life of every believer, to fly wondering in heavenly matters, away from the worldly desires. Some of them declared that they were faith and deeds, or love of the heavenly matters and the disdain of the earthy, or the love of God, and the love of the neighbor, or to desire the glory of God, and the salvation of men. However, let us benefit from these 11 wings, and mount up through the Lord Jesus, to sit with Him in heavens. But the old serpent will not stop crawling behind us to oppose us: "So the serpent spewed water out of his mouth like a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away by the flood" [15]. Bishop Victorianus thinks, that this water [points to the multitudes under the power of the Antichrist who persecutes the Church.] It seems that the opposition will be extremely severe, and if we apply, what was written in Daniel the prophet (11:31-35) on this period, we learn that the Antichrist enters the churches and defiles the altars; spoils, destroys and encumber the sacrifice. He allures the believers by all means to drive them away from God, in so much that some who are standing will fall. But God does not leave His children perish this way, “but the people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits. And those of the people who understand shall instruct many” (Dan. 11:32,33). The Apostle says: "But the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon had spewed out of his mouth. And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ" [16-17]. The help may be the provocation of war among some kingdoms, which spoils the power of the Antichrist and shakes his being. (see interpretation of Rev. 9).
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