Revelation 12:9 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

9 And G2532 the great G3173 dragon G1404 was cast out, G906 that old G744 serpent, G3789 called G2564 the Devil, G1228 and G2532 Satan, G4567 which G3588 deceiveth G4105 the whole G3650 world: G3625 he was cast out G906 into G1519 the earth, G1093 and G2532 his G846 angels G32 were cast out G906 with G3326 him. G846

Cross Reference

John 12:31 STRONG

Now G3568 is G2076 the judgment G2920 of this G5127 world: G2889 now G3568 shall G1544 the prince G758 of this G5127 world G2889 be cast G1544 out. G1854

Luke 10:18 STRONG

And G1161 he said G2036 unto them, G846 I beheld G2334 Satan G4567 as G5613 lightning G796 fall G4098 from G1537 heaven. G3772

2 Corinthians 4:4 STRONG

In G1722 whom G3739 the god G2316 of this G5127 world G165 hath blinded G5186 the minds G3540 of them which believe not, G571 lest G1519 G3361 the light G5462 of the glorious G1391 gospel G2098 of Christ, G5547 who G3739 is G2076 the image G1504 of God, G2316 should shine G826 unto them. G846

John 8:44 STRONG

Ye G5210 are G2075 of G1537 your father G3962 the devil, G1228 and G2532 the lusts G1939 of your G5216 father G3962 ye will G2309 do. G4160 He G1565 was G2258 a murderer G443 from G575 the beginning, G746 and G2532 abode G2476 not G3756 in G1722 the truth, G225 because G3754 there is G2076 no G3756 truth G225 in G1722 him. G846 When G3752 he speaketh G2980 a lie, G5579 he speaketh G2980 of G1537 his own: G2398 for G3754 he is G2076 a liar, G5583 and G2532 the father G3962 of it. G846

Revelation 20:10 STRONG

And G2532 the devil G1228 that deceived G4105 them G846 was cast G906 into G1519 the lake G3041 of fire G4442 and G2532 brimstone, G2303 where G3699 the beast G2342 and G2532 the false prophet G5578 are, and G2532 shall be tormented G928 day G2250 and G2532 night G3571 for G1519 ever G165 and ever. G165

Revelation 20:8 STRONG

And G2532 shall go out G1831 to deceive G4105 the nations G1484 which G3588 are in G1722 the four G5064 quarters G1137 of the earth, G1093 Gog G1136 and G2532 Magog, G3098 to gather G4863 them G846 together G4863 to G1519 battle: G4171 the number G706 of whom G3739 is as G5613 the sand G285 of the sea. G2281

1 John 5:19 STRONG

And we know G1492 that G3754 we are G2070 of G1537 God, G2316 and G2532 the whole G3650 world G2889 lieth G2749 in G1722 wickedness. G4190

Genesis 3:1 STRONG

Now the serpent H5175 was H1961 more subtil H6175 than any beast H2416 of the field H7704 which the LORD H3068 God H430 had made. H6213 And he said H559 unto the woman, H802 Yea, H637 hath God H430 said, H559 Ye shall not eat H398 of every tree H6086 of the garden? H1588

Isaiah 65:25 STRONG

The wolf H2061 and the lamb H2924 shall feed H7462 together, H259 and the lion H738 shall eat H398 straw H8401 like the bullock: H1241 and dust H6083 shall be the serpent's H5175 meat. H3899 They shall not hurt H7489 nor destroy H7843 in all my holy H6944 mountain, H2022 saith H559 the LORD. H3068

2 Corinthians 11:3 STRONG

But G1161 I fear, G5399 lest G3381 by any means, G4458 as G5613 the serpent G3789 beguiled G1818 Eve G2096 through G1722 his G846 subtilty, G3834 so G3779 your G5216 minds G3540 should be corrupted G5351 from G575 the simplicity G572 that is in G1519 Christ. G5547

2 Thessalonians 2:9-11 STRONG

Even him, whose G3739 coming G3952 is G2076 after G2596 the working G1753 of Satan G4567 with G1722 all G3956 power G1411 and G2532 signs G4592 and G2532 lying G5579 wonders, G5059 And G2532 with G1722 all G3956 deceivableness G539 of unrighteousness G93 in G1722 them that perish; G622 because G473 G3739 they received G1209 not G3756 the love G26 of the truth, G225 that G1519 they G846 might be saved. G4982 And G2532 for this G5124 cause G1223 God G2316 shall send G3992 them G846 strong G1753 delusion, G4106 that G1519 they G846 should believe G4100 a lie: G5579

1 Peter 5:8 STRONG

Be sober, G3525 be vigilant; G1127 because G3754 your G5216 adversary G476 the devil, G1228 as G5613 a roaring G5612 lion, G3023 walketh about, G4043 seeking G2212 whom G5101 he may devour: G2666

Revelation 12:3 STRONG

And G2532 there appeared G3700 another G243 wonder G4592 in G1722 heaven; G3772 and G2532 behold G2400 a great G3173 red G4450 dragon, G1404 having G2192 seven G2033 heads G2776 and G2532 ten G1176 horns, G2768 and G2532 seven G2033 crowns G1238 upon G1909 his G846 heads. G2776

Revelation 13:14 STRONG

And G2532 deceiveth G4105 them that dwell G2730 on G1909 the earth G1093 by G1223 the means of those miracles G4592 which G3739 he G846 had power G1325 to do G4160 in the sight G1799 of the beast; G2342 saying G3004 to them that dwell G2730 on G1909 the earth, G1093 that they should make G4160 an image G1504 to the beast, G2342 which G3739 had G2192 the wound G4127 by a sword, G3162 and G2532 did live. G2198

Revelation 20:2-3 STRONG

And G2532 he laid hold on G2902 the dragon, G1404 that old G744 serpent, G3789 which G3739 is G2076 the Devil, G1228 and G2532 Satan, G4567 and G2532 bound G1210 him G846 a thousand G5507 years, G2094 And G2532 cast G906 him G846 into G1519 the bottomless pit, G12 and G2532 shut G2808 him G846 up, G2808 and G2532 set a seal G4972 upon G1883 him, G846 that G3363 he should deceive G4105 the nations G1484 no G3363 more, G2089 till G891 the thousand G5507 years G2094 should be fulfilled: G5055 and G2532 after G3326 that G5023 he G846 must G1163 be loosed G3089 a little G3398 season. G5550

Revelation 9:1 STRONG

And G2532 the fifth G3991 angel G32 sounded, G4537 and G2532 I saw G1492 a star G792 fall G4098 from G1537 heaven G3772 unto G1519 the earth: G1093 and G2532 to him G846 was given G1325 the key G2807 of the bottomless G12 pit. G5421

Isaiah 14:12 STRONG

How art thou fallen H5307 from heaven, H8064 O Lucifer, H1966 son H1121 of the morning! H7837 H3213 how art thou cut down H1438 to the ground, H776 which didst weaken H2522 the nations! H1471

Matthew 4:10 STRONG

Then G5119 saith G3004 Jesus G2424 unto him, G846 Get thee hence, G5217 Satan: G4567 for G1063 it is written, G1125 Thou shalt worship G4352 the Lord G2962 thy G4675 God, G2316 and G2532 him G846 only G3441 shalt thou serve. G3000

Matthew 25:41 STRONG

Then G5119 shall he say G2046 also G2532 unto them on G1537 the left hand, G2176 Depart G4198 from G575 me, G1700 ye cursed, G2672 into G1519 everlasting G166 fire, G4442 prepared G2090 for the devil G1228 and G2532 his G846 angels: G32

Luke 13:16 STRONG

And G1161 ought G1163 not G3756 this woman, G5026 being G5607 a daughter G2364 of Abraham, G11 whom G3739 Satan G4567 hath bound, G1210 lo, G2400 these eighteen G1176 G2532 G3638 years, G2094 be loosed G3089 from G575 this G5127 bond G1199 on the sabbath G4521 day? G2250

John 14:30 STRONG

Hereafter G3765 I will G2980 not G3765 talk G2980 much G4183 with G3326 you: G5216 for G1063 the prince G758 of this G5127 world G2889 cometh, G2064 and G2532 hath G2192 G3756 nothing G3762 in G1722 me. G1698

John 16:11 STRONG

Of G4012 G1161 judgment, G2920 because G3754 the prince G758 of this G5127 world G2889 is judged. G2919

Romans 16:20 STRONG

And G1161 the God G2316 of peace G1515 shall bruise G4937 Satan G4567 under G5259 your G5216 feet G4228 shortly. G1722 G5034 The grace G5485 of our G2257 Lord G2962 Jesus G2424 Christ G5547 be with G3326 you. G5216 Amen. G281

Revelation 2:13 STRONG

I know G1492 thy G4675 works, G2041 and G2532 where G4226 thou dwellest, G2730 even where G3699 Satan's G4567 seat G2362 is: and G2532 thou holdest fast G2902 my G3450 name, G3686 and G2532 hast G720 not G3756 denied G720 my G3450 faith, G4102 even G2532 in G1722 those days G2250 wherein G1722 G3739 Antipas G493 was my G3450 faithful G4103 martyr, G3144 who G3739 was slain G615 among G3844 you, G5213 where G3699 Satan G4567 dwelleth. G2730

Revelation 19:20 STRONG

And G2532 the beast G2342 was taken, G4084 and G2532 with G3326 him G5127 the false prophet G5578 that wrought G4160 miracles G4592 before G1799 him, G846 with G1722 which G3739 he deceived G4105 them that had received G2983 the mark G5480 of the beast, G2342 and G2532 them that worshipped G4352 his G846 image. G1504 These both G1417 were cast G906 alive G2198 into G1519 a lake G3041 of fire G4442 burning G2545 with G1722 brimstone. G2303

Revelation 18:23 STRONG

And G2532 the light G5457 of a candle G3088 shall shine G5316 no more G3364 at all G2089 in G1722 thee; G4671 and G2532 the voice G5456 of the bridegroom G3566 and G2532 of the bride G3565 shall be heard G191 no more G3364 at all G2089 in G1722 thee: G4671 for G3754 thy G4675 merchants G1713 were G2258 the great men G3175 of the earth; G1093 for G3754 by G1722 thy G4675 sorceries G5331 were G4105 all G3956 nations G1484 deceived. G4105

Revelation 18:2 STRONG

And G2532 he cried G2896 mightily G2479 with G1722 a strong G3173 voice, G5456 saying, G3004 Babylon G897 the great G3173 is fallen, G4098 is fallen, G4098 and G2532 is become G1096 the habitation G2732 of devils, G1142 and G2532 the hold G5438 of every G3956 foul G169 spirit, G4151 and G2532 a cage G5438 of every G3956 unclean G169 and G2532 hateful G3404 bird. G3732

Revelation 16:14 STRONG

For G1063 they are G1526 the spirits G4151 of devils, G1142 working G4160 miracles, G4592 which go forth G1607 G3739 G1607 unto G1909 the kings G935 of the earth G1093 and G2532 of the whole G3650 world, G3625 to gather G4863 them G846 to G1519 the battle G4171 of that G1565 great G3173 day G2250 of God G2316 Almighty. G3841

Revelation 12:14-15 STRONG

And G2532 to the woman G1135 were given G1325 two G1417 wings G4420 of a great G3173 eagle, G105 that G2443 she might fly G4072 into G1519 the wilderness, G2048 into G1519 her G846 place, G5117 where G3699 she is nourished G5142 for a time, G1563 G2540 and G2532 times, G2540 and G2532 half G2255 a time, G2540 from G575 the face G4383 of the serpent. G3789 And G2532 the serpent G3789 cast G906 out of G1537 his G846 mouth G4750 water G5204 as G5613 a flood G4215 after G3694 the woman, G1135 that G2443 he might cause G4160 her G5026 to be carried away of the flood. G4216

Revelation 12:7 STRONG

And G2532 there was G1096 war G4171 in G1722 heaven: G3772 Michael G3413 and G2532 his G846 angels G32 fought G4170 against G2596 the dragon; G1404 and G2532 the dragon G1404 fought G4170 and G2532 his G846 angels, G32

Revelation 9:20 STRONG

And G2532 the rest G3062 of the men G444 which G3739 were G615 not G3756 killed G615 by G1722 these G5025 plagues G4127 yet G3777 repented G3340 not G3777 of G1537 the works G2041 of their G846 hands, G5495 that G3363 they should G4352 not G3363 worship G4352 devils, G1140 and G2532 idols G1497 of gold, G5552 and G2532 silver, G693 and G2532 brass, G5470 and G2532 stone, G3035 and G2532 of wood: G3585 which G3739 neither G3777 can G1410 see, G991 nor G3777 hear, G191 nor G3777 walk: G4043

Revelation 3:9 STRONG

Behold, G2400 I will make G1325 them of G1537 the synagogue G4864 of Satan, G4567 which G3588 say G3004 they G1438 are G1511 Jews, G2453 and G2532 are G1526 not, G3756 but G235 do lie; G5574 behold, G2400 I will make G4160 them G846 to G2443 come G2240 and G2532 worship G4352 before G1799 thy G4675 feet, G4228 and G2532 to know G1097 that G3754 I G1473 have loved G25 thee. G4571

Revelation 2:24 STRONG

But G1161 unto you G5213 I say, G3004 and G2532 unto the rest G3062 in G1722 Thyatira, G2363 as many as G3745 have G2192 not G3756 this G5026 doctrine, G1322 and G2532 which G3748 have G1097 not G3756 known G1097 the depths G899 of Satan, G4567 as G5613 they speak; G3004 I will put G906 upon G1909 you G5209 none G3756 other G243 burden. G922

Luke 22:31 STRONG

And G1161 the Lord G2962 said, G2036 Simon, G4613 Simon, G4613 behold, G2400 Satan G4567 hath desired G1809 to have you, G5209 that he may sift G4617 you as G5613 wheat: G4621

Genesis 3:13 STRONG

And the LORD H3068 God H430 said H559 unto the woman, H802 What is this that thou hast done? H6213 And the woman H802 said, H559 The serpent H5175 beguiled me, H5377 and I did eat. H398

1 Chronicles 21:1 STRONG

And Satan H7854 stood up H5975 against Israel, H3478 and provoked H5496 David H1732 to number H4487 Israel. H3478

Job 1:6-12 STRONG

Now there was a day H3117 when the sons H1121 of God H430 came H935 to present H3320 themselves before the LORD, H3068 and Satan H7854 came H935 also among H8432 them. And the LORD H3068 said H559 unto Satan, H7854 Whence H370 comest H935 thou? Then Satan H7854 answered H6030 the LORD, H3068 and said, H559 From going to and fro H7751 in the earth, H776 and from walking up and down H1980 in it. And the LORD H3068 said H559 unto Satan, H7854 Hast thou considered H7760 H3820 my servant H5650 Job, H347 that there is none like him in the earth, H776 a perfect H8535 and an upright H3477 man, H376 one that feareth H3373 God, H430 and escheweth H5493 evil? H7451 Then Satan H7854 answered H6030 the LORD, H3068 and said, H559 Doth Job H347 fear H3372 God H430 for nought? H2600 Hast not thou made an hedge H7753 about him, and about H1157 his house, H1004 and about all that he hath on every side? H5439 thou hast blessed H1288 the work H4639 of his hands, H3027 and his substance H4735 is increased H6555 in the land. H776 But H199 put forth H7971 thine hand H3027 now, and touch H5060 all that he hath, and he will curse H1288 H3808 thee to thy face. H6440 And the LORD H3068 said H559 unto Satan, H7854 Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; H3027 only upon himself put not forth H7971 thine hand. H3027 So Satan H7854 went forth H3318 from the presence H6440 of the LORD. H3068

Job 2:1-2 STRONG

Again there was a day H3117 when the sons H1121 of God H430 came H935 to present H3320 themselves before the LORD, H3068 and Satan H7854 came H935 also among H8432 them to present H3320 himself before the LORD. H3068 And the LORD H3068 said H559 unto Satan, H7854 From whence H335 comest H935 thou? And Satan H7854 answered H6030 the LORD, H3068 and said, H559 From going to and fro H7751 in the earth, H776 and from walking up and down H1980 in it.

Psalms 109:6 STRONG

Set H6485 thou a wicked man H7563 over him: and let Satan H7854 stand H5975 at his right hand. H3225

Isaiah 27:1 STRONG

In that day H3117 the LORD H3068 with his sore H7186 and great H1419 and strong H2389 sword H2719 shall punish H6485 leviathan H3882 the piercing H1281 serpent, H5175 even leviathan H3882 that crooked H6129 serpent; H5175 and he shall slay H2026 the dragon H8577 that is in the sea. H3220

Ezekiel 28:16 STRONG

By the multitude H7230 of thy merchandise H7404 they have filled H4390 the midst H8432 of thee with violence, H2555 and thou hast sinned: H2398 therefore I will cast thee as profane H2490 out of the mountain H2022 of God: H430 and I will destroy H6 thee, O covering H5526 cherub, H3742 from the midst H8432 of the stones H68 of fire. H784

Zechariah 3:1-2 STRONG

And he shewed H7200 me Joshua H3091 the high H1419 priest H3548 standing H5975 before H6440 the angel H4397 of the LORD, H3068 and Satan H7854 standing H5975 at his right hand H3225 to resist H7853 him. And the LORD H3068 said H559 unto Satan, H7854 The LORD H3068 rebuke H1605 thee, O Satan; H7854 even the LORD H3068 that hath chosen H977 Jerusalem H3389 rebuke H1605 thee: is not this a brand H181 plucked H5337 out of the fire? H784

Matthew 4:1 STRONG

Then G5119 was Jesus G2424 led up G321 of G5259 the Spirit G4151 into G1519 the wilderness G2048 to be tempted G3985 of G5259 the devil. G1228

Matthew 4:5 STRONG

Then G5119 the devil G1228 taketh G3880 him G846 up G3880 into G1519 the holy G40 city, G4172 and G2532 setteth G2476 him G846 on G1909 a pinnacle G4419 of the temple, G2411

Matthew 4:8 STRONG

Again, G3825 the devil G1228 taketh G3880 him G846 up G3880 into G1519 an exceeding G3029 high G5308 mountain, G3735 and G2532 sheweth G1166 him G846 all G3956 the kingdoms G932 of the world, G2889 and G2532 the glory G1391 of them; G846

Matthew 13:39 STRONG

G1161 The enemy G2190 that sowed G4687 them G846 is G2076 the devil; G1228 G1161 the harvest G2326 is G2076 the end G4930 of the world; G165 and G1161 the reapers G2327 are G1526 the angels. G32

Matthew 24:24 STRONG

For G1063 there shall arise G1453 false Christs, G5580 and G2532 false prophets, G5578 and G2532 shall shew G1325 great G3173 signs G4592 and G2532 wonders; G5059 insomuch that, G5620 if G1487 it were possible, G1415 they shall deceive G4105 the very G2532 elect. G1588

Luke 8:12 STRONG

Those G1161 by G3844 the way side G3598 are G1526 they that hear; G191 then G1534 cometh G2064 the devil, G1228 and G2532 taketh away G142 the word G3056 out of G575 their G846 hearts, G2588 lest G3363 they should believe G4100 and be saved. G4982

Luke 22:3 STRONG

Then G1161 entered G1525 Satan G4567 into G1519 Judas G2455 surnamed G1941 Iscariot, G2469 being G5607 of G1537 the number G706 of the twelve. G1427

Genesis 3:4-5 STRONG

And the serpent H5175 said H559 unto the woman, H802 Ye shall not surely H4191 die: H4191 For God H430 doth know H3045 that in the day H3117 ye eat H398 thereof, then your eyes H5869 shall be opened, H6491 and ye shall be as gods, H430 knowing H3045 good H2896 and evil. H7451

Acts 5:3 STRONG

But G1161 Peter G4074 said, G2036 Ananias, G367 why G1302 hath Satan G4567 filled G4137 thine G4675 heart G2588 G4571 to lie G5574 to the Holy G40 Ghost, G4151 and G2532 to keep back G3557 part of G575 the price G5092 of the land? G5564

Acts 26:18 STRONG

To open G455 their G846 eyes, G3788 and to turn G1994 them from G575 darkness G4655 to G1519 light, G5457 and G2532 from the power G1849 of Satan G4567 unto G1909 God, G2316 that they G846 may receive G2983 forgiveness G859 of sins, G266 and G2532 inheritance G2819 among G1722 them which are sanctified G37 by faith G4102 that is in G1519 me. G1691

Romans 16:18 STRONG

For G1063 they that are such G5108 serve G1398 not G3756 our G2257 Lord G2962 Jesus G2424 Christ, G5547 but G235 their own G1438 belly; G2836 and G2532 by G1223 good words G5542 and G2532 fair speeches G2129 deceive G1818 the hearts G2588 of the simple. G172

2 Corinthians 2:11 STRONG

Lest G3363 Satan G5259 G4567 should get an advantage of us: G4122 for G1063 we are not G3756 ignorant G50 of his G846 devices. G3540

2 Corinthians 11:14 STRONG

And G2532 no G3756 marvel; G2298 for G1063 Satan G4567 himself G846 is transformed G3345 into G1519 an angel G32 of light. G5457

2 Corinthians 12:7 STRONG

And G2532 lest G3363 I should be exalted above measure G5229 through the abundance G5236 of the revelations, G602 there was given G1325 to me G3427 a thorn G4647 in the flesh, G4561 the messenger G32 of Satan G4566 to G2443 buffet G2852 me, G3165 lest G3363 I should be exalted above measure. G5229

Ephesians 4:14 STRONG

That G2443 we henceforth be G5600 no more G3371 children, G3516 tossed to and fro, G2831 and G2532 carried about with G4064 every G3956 wind G417 of doctrine, G1319 by G1722 the sleight G2940 of men, G444 and cunning craftiness, G1722 G3834 whereby G4314 they lie in wait G3180 to deceive; G4106

2 Thessalonians 2:3 STRONG

Let G1818 no G3361 man G5100 deceive G1818 you G5209 by G2596 any G3367 means: G5158 for G3754 that day shall not come, except G3362 there come G2064 a falling away G646 first, G4412 and G2532 that man G444 of sin G266 be revealed, G601 the son G5207 of perdition; G684

1 Timothy 2:14 STRONG

And G2532 Adam G76 was G538 not G3756 deceived, G538 but G1161 the woman G1135 being deceived G538 was G1096 in G1722 the transgression. G3847

1 Timothy 3:6-7 STRONG

Not G3361 a novice, G3504 lest G3363 being lifted up with pride G5187 he fall G1706 into G1519 the condemnation G2917 of the devil. G1228 Moreover G1161 G2532 he G846 must G1163 have G2192 a good G2570 report G3141 of G575 them which are without; G1855 lest G3363 he fall G1706 into G1519 reproach G3680 and G2532 the snare G3803 of the devil. G1228

2 Timothy 3:13 STRONG

But G1161 evil G4190 men G444 and G2532 seducers G1114 shall wax G4298 worse and worse, G1909 G5501 deceiving, G4105 and G2532 being deceived. G4105

Hebrews 2:14 STRONG

Forasmuch G1893 then G3767 as the children G3813 are partakers G2841 of flesh G4561 and G2532 blood, G129 he G3348 also G2532 himself G846 likewise G3898 took part G3348 of the same; G846 that G2443 through G1223 death G2288 he might destroy G2673 him that had G2192 the power G2904 of death, G2288 that is, G5123 the devil; G1228

1 John 3:8-10 STRONG

He that committeth G4160 sin G266 is G2076 of G1537 the devil; G1228 for G3754 the devil G1228 sinneth G264 from G575 the beginning. G746 For G1519 this purpose G5124 the Son G5207 of God G2316 was manifested, G5319 that G2443 he might destroy G3089 the works G2041 of the devil. G1228 Whosoever G3956 is born G1080 of G1537 God G2316 doth G4160 not G3756 commit sin; G266 for G3754 his G846 seed G4690 remaineth G3306 in G1722 him: G846 and G2532 he cannot G3756 G1410 sin, G264 because G3754 he is born G1080 of G1537 God. G2316 In G1722 this G5129 the children G5043 of God G2316 are G2076 manifest, G5318 and G2532 the children G5043 of the devil: G1228 whosoever G3956 doeth G4160 not G3361 righteousness G1343 is G2076 not G3756 of G1537 God, G2316 neither G2532 he that loveth G25 not G3361 his G846 brother. G80

Jude 1:9 STRONG

Yet G1161 Michael G3413 the archangel, G743 when G3753 contending G1252 with the devil G1228 he disputed G1256 about G4012 the body G4983 of Moses, G3475 durst G5111 not G3756 bring against him G2018 a railing G988 accusation, G2920 but G235 said, G2036 The Lord G2962 rebuke G2008 thee. G4671

Revelation 2:9 STRONG

I know G1492 thy G4675 works, G2041 and G2532 tribulation, G2347 and G2532 poverty, G4432 (but G1161 thou art G1488 rich) G4145 and G2532 I know the blasphemy G988 of them which G3588 say G3004 they G1438 are G1511 Jews, G2453 and G2532 are G1526 not, G3756 but G235 are the synagogue G4864 of Satan. G4567

Commentary on Revelation 12 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible


CHAPTER 12

Re 12:1-17. Vision of the Woman, Her Child, and the Persecuting Dragon.

1. This episode (Re 12:1-15:8) describes in detail the persecution of Israel and the elect Church by the beast, which had been summarily noticed, Re 11:7-10, and the triumph of the faithful, and torment of the unfaithful. So also the sixteenth through twentieth chapters are the description in detail of the judgment on the beast, &c., summarily noticed in Re 11:13, 18. The beast in Re 12:3, &c., is shown not to be alone, but to be the instrument in the hand of a greater power of darkness, Satan. That this is so, appears from the time of the eleventh chapter being the period also in which the events of the twelfth and thirteenth chapters take place, namely, 1260 days (Re 12:6, 14; Re 13:5; compare Re 11:2, 3).

great—in size and significance.

wonder—Greek, "sign": significant of momentous truths.

in heaven—not merely the sky, but the heaven beyond just mentioned, Re 11:19; compare Re 12:7-9.

woman clothed with the sun … moon under her feet—the Church, Israel first, and then the Gentile Church; clothed with Christ, "the Sun of righteousness." "Fair as the moon, clear as the sun." Clothed with the Sun, the Church is the bearer of divine supernatural light in the world. So the seven churches (that is, the Church universal, the woman) are represented as light-bearing candlesticks (Re 1:12, 20). On the other hand, the moon, though standing above the sea and earth, is altogether connected with them and is an earthly light: sea, earth, and moon represent the worldly element, in opposition to the kingdom of God—heaven, the sun. The moon cannot disperse the darkness and change it into-day: thus she represents the world religion (heathenism) in relation to the supernatural world. The Church has the moon, therefore, under her feet; but the stars, as heavenly lights, on her head. The devil directs his efforts against the stars, the angels of the churches, about hereafter to shine for ever. The twelve stars, the crown around her head, are the twelve tribes of Israel [Auberlen]. The allusions to Israel before accord with this: compare Re 11:19, "the temple of God"; "the ark of His testament." The ark lost at the Babylonian captivity, and never since found, is seen in the "temple of God opened in heaven," signifying that God now enters again into covenant with His ancient people. The woman cannot mean, literally, the virgin mother of Jesus, for she did not flee into the wilderness and stay there for 1260 days, while the dragon persecuted the remnant of her seed (Re 12:13-17) [De Burgh]. The sun, moon, and twelve stars, are emblematical of Jacob, Leah, or else Rachel, and the twelve patriarchs, that is, the Jewish Church: secondarily, the Church universal, having under her feet, in due subordination, the ever changing moon, which shines with a borrowed light, emblem of the Jewish dispensation, which is now in a position of inferiority, though supporting the woman, and also of the changeful things of this world, and having on her head the crown of twelve stars, the twelve apostles, who, however, are related closely to Israel's twelve tribes. The Church, in passing over into the Gentile world, is (1) persecuted; (2) then seduced, as heathenism begins to react on her. This is the key to the meaning of the symbolic woman, beast, harlot, and false prophet. Woman and beast form the same contrast as the Son of man and the beasts in Daniel. As the Son of man comes from heaven, so the woman is seen in heaven (Re 12:1). The two beasts arise respectively out of the sea (compare Da 7:3) and the earth (Re 13:1, 11): their origin is not of heaven, but of earth earthy. Daniel beholds the heavenly Bridegroom coming visibly to reign. John sees the woman, the Bride, whose calling is heavenly, in the world, before the Lord's coming again. The characteristic of woman, in contradistinction to man, is her being subject, the surrendering of herself, her being receptive. This similarly is man's relation to God, to be subject to, and receive from, God. All autonomy of the human spirit reverses man's relation to God. Woman-like receptivity towards God constitutes faith. By it the individual becomes a child of God; the children collectively are viewed as "the woman." Humanity, in so far as it belongs to God, is the woman. Christ, the Son of the woman, is in Re 12:5 emphatically called "the MAN-child" (Greek, "huios arrheen," "male-child"). Though born of a woman, and under the law for man's sake, He is also the Son of God, and so the HUSBAND of the Church. As Son of the woman, He is "'Son of man"; as male-child, He is Son of God, and Husband of the Church. All who imagine to have life in themselves are severed from Him, the Source of life, and, standing in their own strength, sink to the level of senseless beasts. Thus, the woman designates universally the kingdom of God; the beast, the kingdom of the world. The woman of whom Jesus was born represents the Old Testament congregation of God. The woman's travail-pains (Re 12:2) represent the Old Testament believers' ardent longings for the promised Redeemer. Compare the joy at His birth (Isa 9:6). As new Jerusalem (called also "the woman," or "wife," Re 21:2, 9-12), with its twelve gates, is the exalted and transfigured Church, so the woman with the twelve stars is the Church militant.

2. pained—Greek, "tormented" (basanizomene). De Burgh explains this of the bringing in of the first-begotten into the world AGAIN, when Israel shall at last welcome Him, and when "the man-child shall rule all nations with the rod of iron." But there is a plain contrast between the painful travailing of the woman here, and Christ's second coming to the Jewish Church, the believing remnant of Israel, "Before she travailed she brought forth … a MAN-CHILD," that is, almost without travail-pangs, she receives (at His second advent), as if born to her, Messiah and a numerous seed.

3. appeared—"was seen."

wonder—Greek, "semeion," "sign."

red—So A and Vulgate read. But B, C, and Coptic read, "of fire." In either case, the color of the dragon implies his fiery rage as a murderer from the beginning. His representative, the beast, corresponds, having seven heads and ten horns (the number of horns on the fourth beast of Da 7:7; Re 13:1). But there, ten crowns are on the ten horns (for before the end, the fourth empire is divided into ten kingdoms); here, seven crowns (rather, "diadems," Greek, "diademata," not stephanoi, "wreaths") are upon his seven heads. In Da 7:4-7 the Antichristian powers up to Christ's second coming are represented by four beasts, which have among them seven heads, that is, the first, second, and fourth beasts having one head each, the third, four heads. His universal dominion as prince of this fallen world is implied by the seven diadems (contrast the "many diadems on Christ's head," Re 19:12, when coming to destroy him and his), the caricature of the seven Spirits of God. His worldly instruments of power are marked by the ten horns, ten being the number of the world. It marks his self-contradictions that he and the beast bear both the number seven (the divine number) and ten (the world number).

4. drew—Greek, present tense, "draweth," "drags down." His dragging down the stars with his tail (lashed back and forward in his fury) implies his persuading to apostatize, like himself, and to become earthy, those angels and also once eminent human teachers who had formerly been heavenly (compare Re 12:1; 1:20; Isa 14:12).

stood—"stands" [Alford]: perfect tense, Greek, "hesteken."

ready to be delivered—"about to bring forth."

for to devour, &c.—"that when she brought forth, he might devour her child." So the dragon, represented by his agent Pharaoh (a name common to all the Egyptian kings, and meaning, according to some, crocodile, a reptile like the dragon, and made an Egyptian idol), was ready to devour Israel's males at the birth of the nation. Antitypically the true Israel, Jesus, when born, was sought for destruction by Herod, who slew all the males in and around Bethlehem.

5. man-child—Greek, "a son, a male." On the deep significance of this term, see on Re 12:1, 2.

rule—Greek, "poimainein," "tend as a shepherd"; (see on Re 2:27).

rod of iron—A rod is for long-continued obstinacy until they submit themselves to obedience [Bengel]: Re 2:27; Ps 2:9, which passages prove the Lord Jesus to be meant. Any interpretation which ignores this must be wrong. The male son's birth cannot be the origin of the Christian state (Christianity triumphing over heathenism under Constantine), which was not a divine child of the woman, but had many impure worldly elements. In a secondary sense, the ascending of the witnesses up to heaven answers to Christ's own ascension, "caught up unto God, and unto His throne": as also His ruling the nations with a rod of iron is to be shared in by believers (Re 2:27). What took place primarily in the case of the divine Son of the woman, shall take place also in the case of those who are one with Him, the sealed of Israel (Re 7:1-8), and the elect of all nations, about to be translated and to reign with Him over the earth at His appearing.

6. woman fled—Mary's flight with Jesus into Egypt is a type of this.

where she hath—So C reads. But A and B add "there."

a place—that portion of the heathen world which has received Christianity professedly, namely, mainly the fourth kingdom, having its seat in the modern Babylon, Rome, implying that all the heathen world would not be Christianized in the present order of things.

prepared of God—literally, "from God." Not by human caprice or fear, but by the determined counsel and foreknowledge of God, the woman, the Church, fled into the wilderness.

they should feed her—Greek, "nourish her." Indefinite for, "she should be fed." The heathen world, the wilderness, could not nourish the Church, but only afford her an outward shelter. Here, as in Da 4:26, and elsewhere, the third person plural refers to the heavenly powers who minister from God nourishment to the Church. As Israel had its time of first bridal love, on its first going out of Egypt into the wilderness, so the Christian Church's wilderness-time of first love was the apostolic age, when it was separate from the Egypt of this world, having no city here, but seeking one to come; having only a place in the wilderness prepared of God (Re 12:6, 14). The harlot takes the world city as her own, even as Cain was the first builder of a city, whereas the believing patriarchs lived in tents. Then apostate Israel was the harlot and the young Christian Church the woman; but soon spiritual fornication crept in, and the Church in the seventeenth chapter is no longer the woman, but the harlot, the great Babylon, which, however, has in it hidden the true people of God (Re 18:4). The deeper the Church penetrated into heathendom, the more she herself became heathenish. Instead of overcoming, she was overcome by the world [Auberlen]. Thus, the woman is "the one inseparable Church of the Old and New Testament" [Hengstenberg], the stock of the Christian Church being Israel (Christ and His apostles being Jews), on which the Gentile believers have been grafted, and into which Israel, on her conversion, shall be grafted, as into her own olive tree. During the whole Church-historic period, or "times of the Gentiles," wherein "Jerusalem is trodden down of the Gentiles," there is no believing Jewish Church, and therefore, only the Christian Church can be "the woman." At the same time there is meant, secondarily, the preservation of the Jews during this Church-historic period, in order that Israel, who was once "the woman," and of whom the man-child was born, may become so again at the close of the Gentile times, and stand at the head of the two elections, literal Israel, and spiritual Israel, the Church elected from Jews and Gentiles without distinction. Eze 20:35, 36, "I will bring you into the wilderness of the people (Hebrew, 'peoples'), and there will I plead with you … like as I pleaded with your fathers in the wilderness of Egypt" (compare Notes, see on Eze 20:35, 36): not a wilderness literally and locally, but spiritually a state of discipline and trial among the Gentile "peoples," during the long Gentile times, and one finally consummated in the last time of unparalleled trouble under Antichrist, in which the sealed remnant (Re 7:1-8) who constitute "the woman," are nevertheless preserved "from the face of the serpent" (Re 12:14).

thousand two hundred and threescore days—anticipatory of Re 12:14, where the persecution which caused her to flee is mentioned in its place: Re 13:11-18 gives the details of the persecution. It is most unlikely that the transition should be made from the birth of Christ to the last Antichrist, without notice of the long intervening Church-historical period. Probably the 1260 days, or periods, representing this long interval, are RECAPITULATED on a shorter scale analogically during the last Antichrist's short reign. They are equivalent to three and a half years, which, as half of the divine number seven, symbolize the seeming victory of the world over the Church. As they include the whole Gentile times of Jerusalem's being trodden of the Gentiles, they must be much longer than 1260 years; for, above several centuries more than 1260 years have elapsed since Jerusalem fell.

7. In Job 1:6-11; 2:1-6, Satan appears among the sons of God, presenting himself before God in heaven, as the accuser of the saints: again in Zec 3:1, 2. But at Christ's coming as our Redeemer, he fell from heaven, especially when Christ suffered, rose again, and ascended to heaven. When Christ appeared before God as our Advocate, Satan, the accusing adversary, could no longer appear before God against us, but was cast out judicially (Ro 8:33, 34). He and his angels henceforth range through the air and the earth, after a time (namely, the interval between the ascension and the second advent) about to be cast hence also, and bound in hell. That "heaven" here does not mean merely the air, but the abode of angels, appears from Re 12:9, 10, 12; 1Ki 22:19-22.

there was—Greek, "there came to pass," or "arose."

war in heaven—What a seeming contradiction in terms, yet true! Contrast the blessed result of Christ's triumph, Lu 19:38, "peace in heaven." Col 1:20, "made peace through the blood of His cross, by Him to reconcile all things unto Himself; whether … things in earth, or things in heaven."

Michael and his angels … the dragon … and his angels—It was fittingly ordered that, as the rebellion arose from unfaithful angels and their leader, so they should be encountered and overcome by faithful angels and their archangel, in heaven. On earth they are fittingly encountered, and shall be overcome, as represented by the beast and false prophet, by the Son of man and His armies of human saints (Re 19:14-21). The conflict on earth, as in Da 10:13, has its correspondent conflict of angels in heaven. Michael is peculiarly the prince, or presiding angel, of the Jewish nation. The conflict in heaven, though judicially decided already against Satan from the time of Christ's resurrection and ascension, receives its actual completion in the execution of judgment by the angels who cast out Satan from heaven. From Christ's ascension he has no standing-ground judicially against the believing elect. Lu 10:18, "I beheld (in the earnest of the future full fulfilment given in the subjection of the demons to the disciples) Satan as lightning fall from heaven." As Michael fought before with Satan about the body of the mediator of the old covenant (Jude 9), so now the mediator of the new covenant, by offering His sinless body in sacrifice, arms Michael with power to renew and finish the conflict by a complete victory. That Satan is not yet actually and finally cast out of heaven, though the judicial sentence to that effect received its ratification at Christ's ascension, appears from Eph 6:12, "spiritual wickedness in high (Greek, 'heavenly') places." This is the primary Church-historical sense here. But, through Israel's unbelief, Satan has had ground against that, the elect nation, appearing before God as its accuser. At the eve of its restoration, in the ulterior sense, his standing-ground in heaven against Israel, too, shall be taken from him, "the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem" rebuking him, and casting him out from heaven actually and for ever by Michael, the prince, or presiding angel of the Jews. Thus Zec 3:1-9 is strictly parallel, Joshua, the high priest, being representative of his nation Israel, and Satan standing at God's fight hand as adversary to resist Israel's justification. Then, and not till then, fully (Re 12:10, "NOW," &c.) shall ALL things be reconciled unto Christ IN HEAVEN (Col 1:20), and there shall be peace in heaven (Lu 19:38).

against—A, B, and C read, "with."

8. prevailed not—A and Coptic read, "He prevailed not." But B and C read as English Version.

neither—A, B, and C read, "not even" (Greek, "oude"): a climax. Not only did they not prevail, but not even their place was found any more in heaven. There are four gradations in the ever deeper downfall of Satan: (1) He is deprived of his heavenly excellency, though having still access to heaven as man's accuser, up to Christ's first coming. As heaven was not fully yet opened to man (Joh 3:13), so it was not yet shut against Satan and his demons. The Old Testament dispensation could not overcome him. (2) From Christ, down to the millennium, he is judicially cast out of heaven as the accuser of the elect, and shortly before the millennium loses his power against Israel, and has sentence of expulsion fully executed on him and his by Michael. His rage on earth is consequently the greater, his power being concentrated on it, especially towards the end, when "he knoweth that he hath but a short time" (Re 12:12). (3) He is bound during the millennium (Re 20:1-3). (4) After having been loosed for a while, he is cast for ever into the lake of fire.

9. that old serpent—alluding to Ge 3:1, 4.

Devil—the Greek, for "accuser," or "slanderer."

Satan—the Hebrew for "adversary," especially in a court of justice. The twofold designation, Greek and Hebrew, marks the twofold objects of his accusations and temptations, the elect Gentiles and the elect Jews.

world—Greek, "habitable world."

10. Now—Now that Satan has been cast out of heaven. Primarily fulfilled in part at Jesus' resurrection and ascension, when He said (Mt 28:18), "All power [Greek, 'exousia,' 'authority,' as here; see below] is given unto Me in heaven and in earth"; connected with Re 12:5, "Her child was caught up unto God and to His throne." In the ulterior sense, it refers to the eve of Christ's second coming, when Israel is about to be restored as mother-church of Christendom, Satan, who had resisted her restoration on the ground of her unworthiness, having been cast out by the instrumentality of Michael, Israel's angelic prince (see on Re 12:7). Thus this is parallel, and the necessary preliminary to the glorious event similarly expressed, Re 11:15, "The kingdom of this world is become (the very word here, Greek, 'egeneto,' 'is come,' 'hath come to pass') our Lord's and His Christ's," the result of Israel's resuming her place.

salvation, &c.—Greek, "the salvation (namely, fully, finally, and victoriously accomplished, Heb 9:28; compare Lu 3:6, yet future; hence, not till now do the blessed raise the fullest hallelujah for salvation to the Lamb, Re 7:10; 19:1) the power (Greek, 'dunamis'), and the authority (Greek, 'exousia'; 'legitimate power'; see above) of His Christ."

accused them before our God day and night—Hence the need that the oppressed Church, God's own elect (like the widow, continually coming, so as even to weary the unjust judge), should cry day and night unto Him.

11. they—emphatic in the Greek. "They" in particular. They and they alone. They were the persons who overcame.

overcame—(Ro 8:33, 34, 37; 16:20).

him—(1Jo 2:14, 15). It is the same victory (a peculiarly Johannean phrase) over Satan and the world which the Gospel of John describes in the life of Jesus, his Epistle in the life of each believer, and his Apocalypse in the life of the Church.

by, &c.—Greek (dia to haima; accusative, not genitive case, as English Version would require, compare Heb 9:12), "on account of (on the ground of) the blood of the Lamb"; "because of"; on account of and by virtue of its having been shed. Had that blood not been shed, Satan's accusations would have been unanswerable; as it is, that blood meets every charge. Schottgen mentions the Rabbinical tradition that Satan accuses men all days of the year, except the day of atonement. Tittmann takes the Greek "dia," as it often means, out of regard to the blood of the Lamb; this was the impelling cause which induced them to undertake the contest for the sake of it; but the view given above is good Greek, and more in accordance with the general sense of Scripture.

by the word of their testimony—Greek, "on account of the word of their testimony." On the ground of their faithful testimony, even unto death, they are constituted victors. Their testimony evinced their victory over him by virtue of the blood of the Lamb. Hereby they confess themselves worshippers of the slain Lamb and overcome the beast, Satan's representative; an anticipation of Re 15:2, "them that had gotten the victory over the beast" (compare Re 13:15, 16).

unto—Greek, "achri," "even as far as." They carried their not-love of life as far as even unto death.

12. Therefore—because Satan is cast out of heaven (Re 12:9).

dwell—literally, "tabernacle." Not only angels and the souls of the just with God, but also the faithful militant on earth, who already in spirit tabernacle in heaven, having their home and citizenship there, rejoice that Satan is cast out of their home. "Tabernacle" for dwell is used to mark that, though still on the earth, they in spirit are hidden "in the secret of God's tabernacle." They belong not to the world, and, therefore, exult in judgment having been passed on the prince of this world.

the inhabiters of—So Andreas reads. But A, B, and C omit. The words probably, were inserted from Re 8:13.

is come down—rather as Greek, "catebee," "is gone down"; John regarding the heaven as his standing-point of view whence he looks down on the earth.

unto you—earth and sea, with their inhabitants; those who lean upon, and essentially belong to, the earth (contrast Joh 3:7, Margin, with Joh 3:31; 8:23; 1Jo+4:5; Php 3:19, 1 John 4:5) and its sea-like troubled politics. Furious at his expulsion from heaven, and knowing that his time on earth is short until he shall be cast down lower, when Christ shall come to set up His kingdom (Re 20:1, 2), Satan concentrates all his power to destroy as many souls as he can. Though no longer able to accuse the elect in heaven, he can tempt and persecute on earth. The more light becomes victorious, the greater will be the struggles of the powers of darkness; whence, at the last crisis, Antichrist will manifest himself with an intensity of iniquity greater than ever before.

short time—Greek, "kairon," "season": opportunity for his assaults.

13. Resuming from Re 12:6 the thread of the discourse, which had been interrupted by the episode, Re 12:7-12 (giving in the invisible world the ground of the corresponding conflict between light and darkness in the visible world), this verse accounts for her flight into the wilderness (Re 12:6).

14. were given—by God's determinate appointment, not by human chances (Ac 9:11).

two—Greek, "the two wings of the great eagle." Alluding to Ex 19:4: proving that the Old Testament Church, as well as the New Testament Church, is included in "the woman." All believers are included (Isa 40:30, 31). The great eagle is the world power; in Eze 17:3, 7, Babylon and Egypt: in early Church history, Rome, whose standard was the eagle, turned by God's providence from being hostile into a protector of the Christian Church. As "wings" express remote parts of the earth, the two wings may here mean the east and west divisions of the Roman empire.

wilderness—the land of the heathen, the Gentiles: in contrast to Canaan, the pleasant and glorious land. God dwells in the glorious land; demons (the rulers of the heathen world, Re 9:20; 1Co 10:20), in the wilderness. Hence Babylon is called the desert of the sea, Isa 21:1-10 (referred to also in Re 14:8; 18:2). Heathendom, in its essential nature, being without God, is a desolate wilderness. Thus, the woman's flight into the wilderness is the passing of the kingdom of God from the Jews to be among the Gentiles (typified by Mary's flight with her child from Judea into Egypt). The eagle flight is from Egypt into the wilderness. The Egypt meant is virtually stated (Re 11:8) to be Jerusalem, which has become spiritually so by crucifying our Lord. Out of her the New Testament Church flees, as the Old Testament Church out of the literal Egypt; and as the true Church subsequently is called to flee out of Babylon (the woman become an harlot, that is, the Church become apostate) [Auberlen].

her place—the chief seat of the then world empire, Rome. The Acts of the Apostles describe the passing of the Church from Jerusalem to Rome. The Roman protection was the eagle wing which often shielded Paul, the great instrument of this transmigration, and Christianity, from Jewish opponents who stirred up the heathen mobs. By degrees the Church had "her place" more and more secure, until, under Constantine, the empire became Christian. Still, all this Church-historical period is regarded as a wilderness time, wherein the Church is in part protected, in part oppressed, by the world power, until just before the end the enmity of the world power under Satan shall break out against the Church worse than ever. As Israel was in the wilderness forty years, and had forty-two stages in her journey, so the Church for forty-two months, three and a half years or times [literally, seasons, used for years in Hellenistic Greek (Moeris, the Atticist), Greek, "kairous," Da 7:25; 12:7], or 1260 days (Re 12:6) between the overthrow of Jerusalem and the coming again of Christ, shall be a wilderness sojourner before she reaches her millennial rest (answering to Canaan of old). It is possible that, besides this Church-historical fulfilment, there may be also an ulterior and narrower fulfilment in the restoration of Israel to Palestine, Antichrist for seven times (short periods analogical to the longer ones) having power there, for the former three and a half times keeping covenant with the Jews, then breaking it in the midst of the week, and the mass of the nation fleeing by a second Exodus into the wilderness, while a remnant remains in the land exposed to a fearful persecution (the "144,000 sealed of Israel," Re 7:1-8; 14:1, standing with the Lamb, after the conflict is over, on Mount Zion: "the first-fruits" of a large company to be gathered to Him) [De Burgh]. These details are very conjectural. In Da 7:25; 12:7, the subject, as perhaps here, is the time of Israel's calamity. That seven times do not necessarily mean seven years, in which each day is a year, that is, 2520 years, appears from Nebuchadnezzar's seven times (Da 4:23), answering to Antichrist, the beast's duration.

15, 16. flood—Greek, "river" (compare Ex 2:3; Mt 2:20; and especially Ex 14:1-31). The flood, or river, is the stream of Germanic tribes which, pouring on Rome, threatened to destroy Christianity. But the earth helped the woman, by swallowing up the flood. The earth, as contradistinguished from water, is the world consolidated and civilized. The German masses were brought under the influence of Roman civilization and Christianity [Auberlen]. Perhaps it includes also, generally, the help given by earthly powers (those least likely, yet led by God's overruling providence to give help) to the Church against persecutions and also heresies, by which she has been at various times assailed.

17. wroth with—Greek, "at."

went—Greek, "went away."

the remnant of her seed—distinct in some sense from the woman herself. Satan's first effort was to root out the Christian Church, so that there should be no visible profession of Christianity. Foiled in this, he wars (Re 11:7; 13:7) against the invisible Church, namely, "those who keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus" (A, B, and C omit "Christ"). These are "the remnant," or rest of her seed, as distinguished from her seed, "the man-child" (Re 12:5), on one hand, and from mere professors on the other. The Church, in her beauty and unity (Israel at the head of Christendom, the whole forming one perfect Church), is now not manifested, but awaiting the manifestations of the sons of God at Christ's coming. Unable to destroy Christianity and the Church as a whole, Satan directs his enmity against true Christians, the elect remnant: the others he leaves unmolested.