question then was between the dragon’s wrath against those who were the special scene of Christ’s royalty, and the power of that Christ which was now come: the trial of the Church had ceased. The subject being the rule of the nations by the man-child, all the history of what passed in the Church as to this is unnoticed; only the dragon remains in heaven; the royalty not assumed: when it is, the change is noticed. Then, the power being come is not, however, immediately exercised: for the question then arises for the woman upon earth; a question of royalty and power. The object of this royalty and power in Christ being necessarily hated but rescued,[1] and Satan’s hatred and animosity then directed against the remnant who were faithful to the light they had, keeping the commandments of God and having the testimony of Jesus, having the light there was—the spirit of prophecy.[2]
The providential actual agencies follow; wherein
- ↑ The time of Jacob’s trouble; but he is delivered out of it.
- ↑ We have here the important fact, that after the celebration of the coming of salvation, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ, and the casting Satan down out of the heavenly places, three years and a half elapse before his trial and persecution of the Jewish people closes; and they are the object of his hatred, and Christ does not appear in their behalf.
