Revelation 12:17

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.

Wroth with - `at.'

Went - `away.'

The remnant of her seed - distinct in some sense from the woman. Satan's first effort was to root out the Christian Church as a visible profession of Christianity. Foiled in this, he wars (; ) against the invisible Church, "those who keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus" (A B C omit "Christ"). These are "the remnant," or rest of her seed, as distinguished from her seed, "the man-child" (), and from mere professors. The Church in her beauty (Israel at the head of Christendom, one perfect Church) is not to be manifested until Christ comes: so we now await the manifestation of the sons of God. Unable to destroy the Church as a whole, Satan directs his enmity against true Christians, the elect remnant; the others he leaves unmolested.