Introductory remarks:
The last verse of chapter eleven, verse nineteen is actually the first verse of chapter twelve. As we said before, the chapters and verses in the Bible are not inspired; actually, New Testament Greek was originally written in upper case letters with no chapters or verses, and no commas or periods, or any other punctuation. I have a copy on cloth of the 'Rosetta Stone' that my daughter Brenda purchased for me at the British Museum, which shows how the Greek was written during the first century. I've tried to translate it but without much success. The translators did a very good job of punctuating and breaking the subjects up into chapter and verse.
Chapter twelve continues the seventh trumpet judgments. Chapters 12-15 reveal the persecution of the Beast upon Israel.
The Woman and the Dragon
Verse 1, "And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars:"
LGT "And a great sign was seen in the heaven, a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet and upon her head a crown of twelve stars:"
"And there appeared a great wonder in heaven:"
The word 'wonder' in Greek is seimion, which means a 'sign.' This is the symbol of what is about to take place on earth. The sign is registered in heaven and accomplished on earth.
"A woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet,"
This woman is a symbol of Israel, as will become evident as we proceed in the chapter. The Roman Catholic Church teaches that this woman is the Virgin Mary, however, we will see that this is impossible.
"And upon her head a crown of twelve stars:"
McGee gives an illustration from the Old Testament from Joseph's dream that ties this symbol to Israel. "The identifying marks of the woman are the sun, moon and stars. These belong to Israel as seen in Joseph's dream: And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it to his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me. And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth? (Gen. 37:9, 10). Old Jacob interpreted the sun, moon, and stars to mean himself, Rachel, and Joseph's brothers. And they did bow down before Joseph before things were over with (although Rachel had died by that time).
The woman is a sign in heaven, although her career is here on earth. She is not a literal woman; she is a symbol. The career of the woman corresponds to that of Israel, for it is Israel that gave birth to Christ, who is the Child" (T. T. B. J. Vernon McGee).
Verse 2, "And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered."
LGT "And being with child, and she cries, being in travail, and being in pain to bring forth."
As noted in the last verse the woman is the nation Israel. This portion of Scripture is portraying Israel in the Tribulation period. The travailing in birth, is the tribulation Israel must go thru before Christ returns as King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, to rule over the land for a thousand years. We have a wonderful picture of this in Isaiah 66:7, 8: Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she gave birth to a boy. Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Can a land be born in one day? Can a nation be brought forth all at once? As soon as Zion travailed, she also brought forth her sons.
"Therefore, we identify the woman as the nation Israel. No one woman who has ever lived, including the Virgin Mary, fits into this. It is the nation Israel and certainly not the church of all ages. If we just keep our bearings here and not lose our heads, we know that this is the Great Tribulation Period and that the church has already gone to heaven. This woman is not the church of all ages. Being tormented. Certainly Israel has suffered satanic anti-Semitism from the time of the birth of Christ to the present, in fact, even since before that day, because Satan knew that Christ would come from this nation" (T.T.B. J. Vernon McGee).
"The unbelieving Jews are still waiting for 'their Savior to be born from the virgin'. Of course, Mary's real childbirth included pain and the desire to have the child delivered. The main part of this analogy though is in comparing literal childbirth with the unbelieving Jews of the Tribulation still waiting for their Messiah to 'be born'. By not accepting Christ as their Messiah, they are constantly in the pains and anguish of childbirth throughout history and it only gets worse in the Tribulation" (Thieme).
Verse 3, "And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.
LGT "And was seen another sign in the heaven, and behold a great red dragon having seven heads and ten horns and upon his heads seven crowns [diadems = kingly crowns]."
This description does not fit any of the ancient dragons of the Egyptian, Babylonian or Greek mythology; for on this red dragon is placed the crown of a king, and could not apply to any other than Satan himself.
McGee notes:
He is called 'Great' because of his vast power. He controls the nations of the world and offered them to the Lord Jesus if He would worship him (Matt. 4:8-9). Worship of himself is Satan's ultimate goal. The kingdoms of this world are his, and he controls them today. In that day it was Rome, but he has controlled every nation.
He is called 'red' because of the fact that he was a murderer from the beginning (see John 8:44). He has no regard for human life. I do not understand why so many serve him.
He is called a 'dragon' because of the viciousness of his character. He was originally created Lucifer, son of the morning (see Ezek. 28:12-19), but he is now the epitome of evil and the depth of degradation. He is the most dangerous being in all of God's creation. He is my enemy, and he is your enemy if you are a child of God.
3.'Seven heads' suggests the perfection of wisdom which characterized the creation of Satan who was originally the 'covering cherub.' Ezekiel 28:12 speaks of how he was at his origin: ". . . full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty." This reveals two of the fallacies that the world has concerning Satan. This world thinks he is ugly, but may I say to you, he was created "perfect in beauty." If you could see him, you would not see the foul creature that is often pictured for us by the world. Some times he is pictured as having horns, cloven feet, and forked tail. That is the "great god" Pan that the Greeks and Romans worshipped. That is not Satan, although Satan is back of that worship, also. I have seen ruins of the temple at Pergamum and of other temples to Pan in at least a dozen cities. It is not strange that men are worshipping him; when they will not have God, they certainly will take him. But Satan is smart, he's clever, and he's wise. You and I are no match for him at all. We will be overcome by him if we try to stand in our own strength against him. He is not only beautiful, he is also full of wisdom. This is the way he is presented in Scripture.
Verse 4, "And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born."
LGT "And his tail drags away a third of the stars of heaven and he cast them into the earth: and the dragon stands before the woman who is about to bring forth, that when she brings forth he might devour her child."
"And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth:"
I agree with some commentators that see in this the extent of Satan's rebellion in that he takes a third of the angels with him in his rebellion. "And it grew up to the host of heaven and caused some of the host and some of the stars to fall to the earth, and it trampled them down" (Dan 8:10). "And angels who did not keep their own domain, but abandoned their proper abode, He has kept in eternal bonds under darkness for the judgment of the great day" (Jude 6).
"And the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was delivered."
This is Satan's attempt at destroying Christ at His birth because of the prophecy of Genesis 3:15, "And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed (Satan's) and her seed (Eve's); It shall bruise thy head (fatal), and thou shalt bruise His heel (on the cross)." Satan knows now that his defeat is certain since Christ has died on the cross and has risen again, and is ascended back to His Father. Satan is a monster out to devour whomever he can.
Verse 5, "And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to His throne."
LGT "And she brought forth a Son, a man child, who is about to shepherd all the nations with an iron rod, and her child was caught away to God and His throne."
"And she brought forth a man child,"
This of course is the Lord Jesus Christ. Barnes and others interpret this as the church, which I find very difficult to do.
"Who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron:"
"Psalms 2:9, which proves the Lord Jesus to be meant. Any interpretation, which ignores this, must be wrong. The male son's birth cannot be the Christian state triumphing over heathenism under Constantine, which was not a divine child of the woman, but had many worldly elements. The ascending of the witnesses to heaven (ch. 11:12) answers to Christ's own ascension, 'caught up unto God, and unto His throne:' also His ruling the nations with a rod of iron is to be shared in by believers. What took place primarily in the Divine Son of the woman shall take place in those who are one with Him, the sealed of Israel (ch. 7), and the elect of all nations, to be translated and to reign with Him over the earth at His appearing" (Fausset).
"And her child was caught up unto God, and to His throne."
"This is a reference to the ascension of Christ. In the Gospels the emphasis is on the death of Christ. In the Epistles the emphasis is upon the resurrection of Christ. In the Book of Revelation the emphasis is upon the ascension of Christ. Protestantism, and even fundamentalism, has ignored the ascension of Christ, and this is one reason we have not had a great enough emphasis upon the present ministry of Christ. And when He had spoken these things, while they beheld, He was taken up; and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven." (Acts 1:9-11)
The Book of Revelation is the unveiling of the ascended Christ, the glorified Christ, and the Christ who is coming in glory. The Book of Revelation rests upon the fact of the Ascension. He is the One who has been opening the seals which have brought to pass everything that has happened since then" (McGee).
Verse 6, "And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days."
LGT "And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she is having a place prepared by the God, in order that there they should nourish her a thousand two hundred (and) sixty days."
"And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she had a place prepared of God,"
The woman here refers to the remnant of believing Jews who were saved in the first three and one half years of the Great Tribulation. During this time God will protect Israel for a time revealed in the last phrase of this verse.
"That they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days."
This is the last half of the seven years of the Great Tribulation. This is the time of Jacob's Trouble where God protects His nation from the Antichrist.
Verse 7, "And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels."
LGT "And there came to be war in heaven: Michael and his angels warred with the dragon, and the dragon warred and his angels."
This picture of war in heaven in verses 7-9 is the culmination of Satan's final attempt to knock God off His throne. This is symbolic of the angelic conflict that has been going on since Satan rebelled and fell from his exalted place in heaven. This is a picture of the forces of God, which are always good, and the forces of evil (Satan) which are always contrary to God and good.
Verse 8, "And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven."
LGT "And yet they prevailed not, neither their place found any more in the heaven."
Satan and his fallen angels were defeated, and there was not a place for them in heaven any longer.
Verse 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."
LGT "And the great dragon was cast down, the serpent, the ancient one, who is called devil and Satan, the one who is deceiving the whole habitable (world), he was cast into the earth, and his angels were cast with him."
"And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan,"
"Effective first aorist passive indicative of ballo, cast down for good and all, a glorious consummation. This vision of final victory over Satan is given by Jesus in Luke 10:18, And He said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightening fall from heaven." And in John 12:31, Now is the judgment of this world; now shall the prince of this world be cast out." (A. T. Robertson)
"Which deceiveth the whole world:"
"During the Great Tribulation, Satan will be able to totally deceive men - today he deceives only partially. Satan deceives men relative to God and the Word of God. He caused Eve to distrust God: "Has God said you should not eat of that tree? You just can't trust Him, can you?' (see Gen. 3:1-4). Satan deceives men relative to man. Satan makes out mankind better than he is, yet he despises us. He builds us up and tells us we could become gods - how wonderful that would be (see Gen. 3:5). Satan deceives man relative to the world, the flesh, and the Devil. You and I think we are big enough to overcome the world, the flesh, and the Devil, but we are not big enough to overcome any one of them. The world is too big for us, and it will certainly draw us away from the Lord. Satan deceives man relative to the gospel. He does not mind a man going to church or even joining a dozen churches, but he does not want that man to be saved. 'In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them' (2 Cor. 4:4)" (McGee).
"He was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him."
"Two characteristic traits of Satan are blended here: (a) cunning exercised on men to lure them into ruin (2 Cor. 2:11, 11:3), and (b) eagerness to thwart and slander men before God" (The Expositors Greek Testament). Of course we can all rest in the knowledge that God will have the final Word, and cast Satan and all his angels out for good.
Verse 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."
LGT "And I heard a great voice in the heaven saying, Now is come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of His Christ, because He has cast down the accuser of our brothers, the one who accuses them before our God night and day."
"Now I heard a loud voice saying in heaven,"
John is reminding us here that he is still a spectator in heaven. When Satan is cast out, this will be a great cause for rejoicing. Satan will have to be overcome and cast down before Christ will set up His kingdom.
"Now is the salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of Christ:"
Salvation, strength, kingdom, and authority, all have the article, which makes each one of particular importance. "The salvation (he soteria), here the victory as in 7:12; 11:17; 19:1). The kingdom (he basileia), the empire of God as in 11:15. The authority of His Christ (he exousia tou Christou autou). Which Christ received from the Father (Matt. 28:18; John 17:2)" (Robertson).
"For the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night."
This will be the great scene in heaven when Satan is cast out of heaven forever; what rejoicing will take place at this time. "When Satan has been cast out of heaven, it will cause great rejoicing among the redeemed who are in heaven. A great voice in heaven seems to refer to the Old Testament saints or to the tribulation saints who have been martyred up to this point (see Rev. 6:9, 10), for they mention their brethren on the earth: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down" (McGee).
Verse 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."
LGT "And they overcame him because of the Blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they loved not their lives unto death."
"And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb,"
Literally, because of the blood of the Lamb. The victory of the martyrs is in reality Christ's victory. Swete says, "The victory of the martyrs marks the failure of Satan's endeavors." "The blood of Christ is here presented by dia (because of) as the ground for the victory and not the means, as by en (by) in 1:5; 5:9. Both ideas are true, but dia with the acusative gives the reason, The blood of Christ does cleanse us from sin (John 1:29; 1 John 1:7). Christ conquered Satan, and so makes our victory possible (Luke 11:21f.; Heb. 2:18)" (Robertson).
"And by the word of their testimony;"
The same use of dia here, and is literally, because of their testimony to Jesus. It is because of Christ shedding His own Blood at Calvary that His witnesses are able to testify to His precious name. "It is not reliance on works but the consciousness of redemption which enables them to bear witness and to bear the consequences of their witness. This victory on earth depends on Christ's precious defeat of evil" (The Expositors Greek Testament).
"And they loved not their lives unto the death."
"Jesus Himself had been obedient unto death (Phil. 2:8). These martyrs seem to be still alive on earth, but their heroism is proleptically (the assumption of a future act) pictured" (Robertson).
"The shout of victory in view of the conquest over the dragon, verses 10-12. A loud voice is heard in heaven, saying, that now the kingdom of God is come, and that the reign of God would be set up, for the dragon is cast down and overcome. The grand instrumentality in overcoming this foe was the blood of the Lamb, and the word of their testimony; that is, the great doctrine of truth pertaining to the work of the Redeemer would be employed for this purpose, and it is proclaimed that the heavens and all that dwell therein had occasion to rejoice at the certainty that a victory would be ultimately obtained over this great enemy of God. Still, however, his influence was not wholly at an end, for he would yet rage for a brief period on the earth" (Barnes).
Verse 12, "Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and of the sea! For the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time."
LGT "For this reason rejoice you heavens and the ones who tabernacle in them. Woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has come down to you, having great fury, knowing that he has a little time."
"Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them."
This verse begins with. Lit., For this reason, pointing back to verse 10. There is reason for rejoicing in heaven when Satan is cast out, and reason for great woe for the inhabiters of the earth. This is the third woe pronounced upon the earth.
"Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea!"
"This is not an imprecation (to utter a curse), or a wish that woe might come upon them, but a prediction that it would. The meaning is this: Satan would ultimately be entirely overcome - a fact that was symbolized by his being cast out of heaven; but there would be still temporary war upon the earth, as if he were permitted to roam over the world for a time and to spread woe and sorrow there" (Barnes). I agree with this statement of Barnes with a slight exception; I believe this is literal and Satan will be cast out of heaven literally, and will persecute the inhabitants of the earth during the last 3-1/2 years of the Great Tribulation.
"For the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath,"
Nothing will irritate Satan more than being cast out of heaven and realizing that he is finally finished and defeated by the blood of the Lamb. Satan will take out all his vengeance on the inhabiters of the earth. The believer is a pilgrim on the earth and will be delivered from this wrath to come.
"Because he knoweth that he hath but a short time."
"There are two radical reactions to the casting out of Satan from heaven. There is rejoicing in heaven, for this awesome, treacherous, dangerous, and deadly serpent is out forever. Then there is woe in the earth. This is the third woe that extends through the pouring out of the seven bowls of wrath. The only consolation for the earth is that Satan's sojourn is brief - forty-two months. There is an intensification of tribulation during this period" (McGee).
Verse 13, "And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child."
LGT "And when he saw the dragon that was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man-child."
"And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth,"
That is, when Satan saw that he was doomed to this earth, and that his time is short, he then begins to persecute the nation that brought forth Christ, who would eventually seal his doom at the cross, as predicted in Genesis 3:15, Christ would bruise the head of the serpent.
"He persecuted the woman which brought forth the man-child."
The woman is symbolic of Israel; it was through this nation that Jesus Christ was born. And of course the man-child is none other than Jesus Christ. The last 3-1/2 years of the Great Tribulation will be the intensified time of 'Jacobs Trouble' spoken of By Daniel the prophet.
"This is the last wave of anti-Semitism that will roll over the world, and it is the worst, because Satan is cast to the earth and knows that his time is short. He hates Israel because Christ came from this nation according to the flesh. This is the Time of Jacob's Trouble, and this is the reason I cannot rejoice in the present return of Israel to that land. Some people seem to think that they are going back for the Millennium. They are not - they are going back for the Great Tribulation Period if they are going back for any purpose at all, according to the Word of God" (McGee).
Verse 14, "And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent."
LGT "And were given to the woman the two wings of the great eagle, in order that she might fly in the wilderness into her place, where she is nourished there a time and times and a half a time from the face of the serpent."
"And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness,"
The Lord has prepared a place for the children of Israel during this intense period of persecution by Satan during the last half of the Great Tribulation.
"The woman escaped on the two wings of the great eagle. Again and again in the Old Testament, the eagle's wings are the symbol of the up bearing arms of God. 'You have seen', God said to Israel, 'what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagle's wings and brought you to myself' (Exodus 19:4). 'As an eagle stirs up its nest, and hovers over its young; as it spreads out its wings, takes them up and bears them aloft on its pinions, the Lord alone guided him [the people of Israel]' (Deuteronomy 32:11-12). As the Scottish Paraphrase has it of Isaiah 40:31:
On eagle's wings they mount, they soar,
Their wings are faith and love,
Till, past the cloudy regions here,
They rise to heav.n above.
(William Barclay)
"Into her place,"
"Scripture does not say that the rock-hewn city of Petra will be that place. It could be, but we just simply do not know. This 'wilderness' has been variously identified - Petra is not the only place. Some say that it is the wilderness of the peoples of the world; that is, that there will be another worldwide scattering of Israel. Since Christ said, 'Â…flee into the mountains' (Matt. 24:16), we believe it to be a literal wilderness, possibly that same one in which Israel spent forty years under Moses. This time it will be forty-two months, for that is the meaning of 'a time, and times, and half a time.' The important thing is not the place but the fact that God will protect them by His grace" (McGee).
"Where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time,"
God will nourish the believing remnant of Israel for three and one half years. The Greek word for 'nourish' is "trepho; used for children it means to give suck or to nourish. Used with adults, it means to sustain" (Theime)
"From the face of the serpent."
The dragon and the serpent are both representations of Satan.
Verse 15, "And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood."
LGT "And the serpent cast out of his mouth after the woman water as a river, in order that he might cause her to be carried away by the stream."
"And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman,"
The Greek word for serpent is ophis and is used here in Revelation as the devil or Satan. The serpent is the title for Satan "as ruler of the earth after Adam sinned after the serpent deceived the woman" (Theime). The water from his mouth represents Satan's attack on Israel. "In view of the fact that the wilderness is literal, the water also could be literal. God had delivered Israel out of the water, both at the beginning of the wilderness march at the Red Sea and again at the end of the wilderness march at the Jordan River. However, the floods of water could be armies flowing like a river upon them. This figure of speech has been used by Isaiah (see Isa. 8:7-8)" (McGee).
"That he might cause her to be carried away of the flood."
This phrase means that Satan will use all of his demonic armies to completely destroy the regenerate remnant of Israel. This to me is further proof that the church will already have been raptured when Satan attacks Israel.
Verse 16, "And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth."
LGT "And the earth assisted the woman and the earth opened its mouth and drank down the river which the dragon threw out of his mouth."
The earth here assisting Israel is God intervening to protect His chosen people. Just as the earth subdues the floodwaters in all natural disasters, God will intervene and protect Israel. God will subdue all the armies that Satan can muster because the battle will be the Lord's and not Israel's. "In Ezekiel's picture of the last days, the king of the north is seen marching on Israel. Satan will use every means to destroy the people. How will he be stopped? No nation is there to stop him. But God is there, and He will destroy him with natural forces when he invades Palestine: And I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood; and I will rain upon him, and upon his bands, and upon the many people that are with him, and overflowing rain, and great hailstones, fire, and brimstone (Ezek. 38:22). This gives us an indication of what John is talking about here in Revelation" (McGee).
Verse 17, "And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ."
LGT "And the dragon became angry at the woman and went away to make war with the rest of her seed, the ones who are keeping God's commandments and keep on having the witness of Jesus."
"And the dragon was wroth with the woman,"
This is literally; And the dragon became angry at the woman. The devil, with his end in sight, sets his rage against the believing remnant of Israel. Theime points out that "Satan has a demonic tantrum," because of his frustration, "Consequently, he went off in a huff."
"And went to make war with the remnant of her seed,"
After the 144,000 Jews begin to evangelize, many of the nation turn to Christ, and these are the ones who are the remnant referred to. It only makes sense to me that this is Israel John is speaking of, and not the Church; I believe the church has already been taken up at this point, however, its impossible to be dogmatic, I just think that the entire book is aimed at the future history of God's people, Israel.
"Which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ."
Of course we know that John is not speaking of the 'Ten Commandments' as such, but the two commands he stressed in his Epistles, and in his Gospel, that is, to Love God with all the heart, soul, and mind, and to love the brotherhood as oneself. No one has ever been saved by keeping the Ten Commandments, but only, faith alone in Christ alone. The last phrase 'have the testimony of Jesus Christ' is literally, keep on having the witness of Jesus. This is the same as saying that they believe in Christ and what He accomplished for them on the Cross. To witness or testify to something is the same as saying you believe in it. To have the witness of Christ is to say the same thing about Christ that God says about Him, and what He Himself says about His work.
"All anti Semitism is Satan inspired and will finally culminate in Satan's making a supreme effort to destroy the nation of Israel. From the brickyards of Pharaoh's Egypt, Haman's gallows, Herod's cruel edict, through Hitler's purge, and to the world of the Great Tribulation, Satan has led the attack against these people because of the man child - Jesus Christ" (McGee).
Verse 18, "And I stood upon the sand of the sea."
LGT "And he stood upon the sand of the sea."
Verse 18 is the last verse in the Greek New Testament but it is the first verse of chapter thirteen in the KJV, so that is why you may read only seventeen verses in your Bible.
"Satan stops on his way to war with Israel's remnant" (Robertson). The Authorized Version reads I stood, but the Greek translation reads he stood. John is not speaking of himself here, but the subject of chapter 12, Satan.
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