7 And there was war in heaven , Michael and his angels waging war with the dragon . The dragon and his angels waged war , 8 and they were not strong enough , and there was no longer a place found for them in heaven . 9 And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan , who deceives the whole world ; he was thrown down to the earth , and his angels were thrown down with him. 10 Then I heard a loud voice in heaven , saying , "Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, he who accuses them before our God day and night . 11 "And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony , and they did not love their life even when faced with death .
12 "For this reason , rejoice , O heavens and you who dwell in them. Woe to the earth and the sea , because the devil has come down to you, having great wrath , knowing that he has only a short time ." 13 And when the dragon saw that he was thrown down to the earth , he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male child. 14 But the two wings of the great eagle were given to the woman , so that she could fly into the wilderness to her place , where she was nourished for a time and times and half a time , from the presence of the serpent . 15 And the serpent poured water like a river out of his mouth after the woman , so that he might cause her to be swept away with the flood . 16 But the earth helped the woman , and the earth opened its mouth and drank up the river which the dragon poured out of his mouth . 17 So the dragon was enraged with the woman , and went off to make war with the rest of her children , who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus .
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Revelation 12:7-17
Commentary on Revelation 12:7-11
(Read Revelation 12:7-11)
The attempts of the dragon proved unsuccessful against the church, and fatal to his own interests. The seat of this war was in heaven; in the church of Christ, the kingdom of heaven on earth. The parties were Christ, the great Angel of the covenant, and his faithful followers; and Satan and his instruments. The strength of the church is in having the Lord Jesus for the Captain of their salvation. Pagan idolatry, which was the worship of devils, was cast out of the empire by the spreading of Christianity. The salvation and strength of the church, are only to be ascribed to the King and Head of the church. The conquered enemy hates the presence of God, yet he is willing to appear there, to accuse the people of God. Let us take heed that we give him no cause to accuse us; and that, when we have sinned, we go before the Lord, condemn ourselves, and commit our cause to Christ as our Advocate. The servants of God overcame Satan by the blood of the Lamb, as the cause. By the word of their testimony: the powerful preaching of the gospel is mighty, through God, to pull down strong holds. By their courage and patience in sufferings: they loved not their lives so well but they could lay them down in Christ's cause. These were the warriors and the weapons by which Christianity overthrew the power of pagan idolatry; and if Christians had continued to fight with these weapons, and such as these, their victories would have been more numerous and glorious, and the effects more lasting. The redeemed overcame by a simple reliance on the blood of Christ, as the only ground of their hopes. In this we must be like them. We must not blend any thing else with this.
Commentary on Revelation 12:12-17
(Read Revelation 12:12-17)
The church and all her friends might well be called to praise God for deliverance from pagan persecution, though other troubles awaited her. The wilderness is a desolate place, and full of serpents and scorpions, uncomfortable and destitute of provisions; yet a place of safety, as well as where one might be alone. But being thus retired could not protect the woman. The flood of water is explained by many to mean the invasions of barbarians, by which the western empire was overwhelmed; for the heathen encouraged their attacks, in the hope of destroying Christianity. But ungodly men, for their worldly interests, protected the church amidst these tumults, and the overthrow of the empire did not help the cause of idolatry. Or, this may be meant of a flood of error, by which the church of God was in danger of being overwhelmed and carried away. The devil, defeated in his designs upon the church, turns his rage against persons and places. Being faithful to God and Christ, in doctrine, worship, and practice, exposes to the rage of Satan; and will do so till the last enemy shall be destroyed.