of his people, in defiance of the serpent,
is caught up to the throne of God, (Eph. ii. 6;) while the church flies
to her appointed place in the wilderness during the 1260 years. At the
beginning of that gloomy period the woman fled. This flight is not
mentioned "by anticipation," as some suppose; for the wilderness
condition of the woman, and the sackcloth of the witnesses, are
emblematical of the same depressed state of the church, and during the
same time. The witnesses prophesy during the whole period of the 1260
years; and the woman is fed in the wilderness during the _same_ time.
Her flight, sojourn in the wilderness, and feeding there, are allusions
to the history of Elijah as before, (ch. xi. 6.) when he fled for his
life from the wrath of Jezebel. (1 Kings xix. 1-4.) Jezebel has been
already introduced as an enemy to the church, (ch. ii. 20.) There may be
allusion also to the miraculous subsistence of the church in the
wilderness, till the "cup of the Amorites should be full." During the
time of the conflict, to be described in the rest of this chapter, the
woman is in a place of safety. In the worst of times there are places of
safety provided for God's children. (Isa. xxvi. 20.)

7. And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against
the dragon; and the dragon fought, and his angels.

8. And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven,

9. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the
Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into
the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

10. And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation,
and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ;
for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before
our God day and night.

11. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of
their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

Vs. 7-11.--In this part of the chapter we have three attacks of the
dragon upon the friends of true religion. The first is the war in
heaven, (vs. 7-12.) The second persecution on the earth, (vs. 12-16.)
The third is mentioned in verse 17th: and these three contests cover the
whole period of the 1260 years.

The first war is waged in heaven. The allusion is obviously to the
rebellion of angels, for which they were cast down from heaven, (2 Pet.
ii. 4.) The contest is the same in pr