Revelation 12:13-14

THE CONFLICT ON EARTH.

"And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child. And to the woman were given two wings of. great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for. time, and times, and half. time, from the face of the serpent."--12:13, 14.

The dragon, cast down, continues the contest. It is transferred to earth. This indicates some great change in the nature of the struggle. We are told that he persecuted the woman that brought forth the child. And there was given her two wings as of. great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, to her place, and be nourished for. time, and times, and half. time. Let us seek what this language implies:

1. The Church shall be assailed, after its triumph over Pagan Rome in some way.

2. The true Church shall be persecuted, and the dragon (verse 15) shall seek to overwhelm her.

3. The true Church shall flee into the wilderness. place where men will not see her, into obscurity. This implies that she shall cease to be visible to men. She will yet exist, but in. form that men will not recognize her.

4. This period of obscurity shall continue through. time, times, and half. time. In Daniel the word time is used to denote. year. The period here is. time, or one year, times, or two years, and one-half. time, or one-half year. The whole is three and one-half years. This, reduced to days, is 1260 days. As. day is. symbol of. year, this period is 1260 years. In the fifth verse it is presented as 1260 days.

What are the facts of history? Did Rome make an effort under. new form to destroy the Church? Did the true Church disappear from human view in. visible form?

1.. hardly need to reply that after Pagan Rome fell, gradually the Church of Rome adopted Pagan ideas and rites, and usurped universal dominion. We do have. new and long continued persecution of all who do not consent to receive the mark of the beast.

2. Did the true Church disappear? An Apostate Church is visible, but for. long time the true Church is hidden from view. It exists in the hearts of those who love the Lord. It is hidden among the rocks and in the caves, behind the family walls, in true hearts, but in public it is not seen upon the earth. It is vain to seek it. It is in the wilderness. Any church which is visible during this period can not be the true Church.

3. How long does it remain in the wilderness? The period has already been indicated as 1260 days, or years. In the last chapter. said that this period of time is named no less than five times.. also urged that it began during the persecuting reign of Justinian, in A. D. 533, when the Pope was styled the Lord of the Church. For 1260 years from that period the persecuted Church remains in the wilderness. The period ends about the beginning of the nineteenth century, and to this last epoch we may look for the re-appearance of the visible Church, or in other words, the Church will reappear about the beginning of the nineteenth century in. form that will prove its identity with the Church of the apostolic ages.

4. During this period of the true saints, the dragon, through the temporal power of Papal Rome, makes war upon the seed of the woman, the true worshipers.

In the twelfth chapter there appears. monster with seven heads and ten horns. He is the deadly enemy of the woman and her offspring. The result of his first conflict is disaster to himself. The divine help given to the woman overcomes the dragon, and he prevails not, but is cast down to earth.