Revelation 12:17

Revelation 12:17, and chap. Revelation 13:1 a. Defeated in his purpose the dragon breaks forth into a paroxysm of rage. The important expression in this verse, the rest of her seed, is difficult, and it has been very variously interpreted. These interpretations it is impossible to examine, and it must suffice to say that ‘the rest of her seed,' as appears from the immediately following description of their character, can only mean that portion of the woman's seed which remained faithful to its trust. They are ‘the saints' of chap. Revelation 13:7. We have here, in short, one of those anticipatory indications, like that of the measuring in chap. Revelation 11:1, of a separation between the Church as a whole and a part of the members, between the vine as a whole and its fruit-bearing branches, which prepare us for the further manifestation of this mystery in later Chapter s of the book. The expression ‘the rest' seems to correspond to the ‘remnant' referred to by St. Paul in Romans 9:27; Romans 11:5, and it is used in Revelation 2:24 in a similar sense.

The first great enemy of the Church has been described. One thing more is necessary that, ready for the conflict, he shall take up his position on the field. Accordingly it is to be observed that the first clause of chap. Revelation 13:1 ought to form a part of the last verse of this chapter, and that the true reading of the clause is not that of the Authorised Version ‘I stood' but ‘he stood' or ‘took his stand.' The dragon took his stand upon the sand of the sea, upon the margin of that ‘earth' and ‘sea' in which he finds his prey (Revelation 12:12).