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Chapter 12 The Woman and the Dragon
The War Scroll diagram It should be noted on the War Scroll diagram that Revelation 12 is the second chapter of the second section symbolically comprising the last "twelve chapters". (See page .)
Before we get to all that, however, there is a mass of knowledge to be divulged. Revelation 12:1—2A great and wondrous sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown with twelve stars on her head. She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth. The clues to this section are to be found in the following Old Testament references: In Genesis 37 where Joseph’s dreams are told, it is said that Jacob loved Joseph more than the other brothers (37:4). To add to this Joseph had two dreams that made his brothers hate him even more. The first was the dream where he and his brothers were binding sheaves: Genesis 37:7—9 "We were binding sheaves of grain out in the field when suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered around mine and bowed down to it.""I had another dream, and this time the sun and the moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me." Later it will be seen that the time of "harvesting" comes near the end time. Another Old Testament reference to take into consideration, is the following: Isaiah 26:15—17You have enlarged the nation, O Lord; "woman" It is from this reference that the concept of "the woman" is derived. The early development of the Christian Church was through persecution and distress. But in this manner the Christian faith spread. It is said those who died for their faith had the greatest effect on the non-Christian bystanders. Christianity is compared with a "woman" to indicate that it could by its nature, NEED THE PROTECTION of military force to spread the message of Christ. This is why it was necessary that a powerful king or state would have to accept Christianity, to help the spreading of the Word. Constantine was a king who fit this description. In its first verses Revelation 12, as Revelation 11, sets the perimeters of what is going to follow. Read the following carefully for Revelation is covering about two thousand years of the spreading of Christianity — from the time of the acceptance of Christ and God as one to the spreading of Christianity to the ends of the earth. Revelation clearly distinguishes between Christianity (those believing in Chalcedon and those believing only in Christ — the Monophysites) and those who worship one God according to the testimony of the Old Testament. "sun" As mentioned in a previous chapter, Constantine saw a cross of light superimposed on the sun just before the battle against Maxentius, the son of Maximian, in Italy (312). From that time onwards he identified the sun with the Christian God. He ordered his men to go into battle with Christian symbols painted on their shields. On 28 October they gained their famous victory at Milvian Bridge, just outside Rome, and Constantine became ruler of the West. As mentioned in a previous chapter he was thus the first of the "seven horns and seven eyes of the Lamb" (Rev 5:6). Constantine was the first king to secure religious toleration for Christians (Edict of Milan — 313) and under his auspices the Council of Nicaea assembled to iron out the then prevailing dispute regarding the relationship of the Father to the Son.
"woman clothed in the sun" As indicated above, the symbol of "woman" is used to indicate Christianity. As we have seen in history Christianity spread and developed greatly in times when the heads of State were Christians, and could 'protect' the Church. The reader will recall that "clothed in a vesper dipped in blood: and his name is the Word of God" meant Christ himself, but also Origen who was given the wisdom to comprehend the relationship of the Son and the Holy Spirit to the Father, through the scriptures. Therefore the "woman clothed in the sun" means Christianity ("sun") according to the Creed of Chalcedon, from the time that the kings were also Christian, therefore the time 323. It was also the time that Constantine overcame the division in the Christian Church, caused by the followers of the Eastern concept that Christ holds but one composite nature ( Monophysites). "with the moon under her feet" If it is said in the Bible that something is "under your feet" it means that you are in control of it. Revelation uses the symbols of "night" and "moon" later in Revelation to indicate how man would, as the centuries progress, disregard what Christ said of Christianity being the only Way and Truth, and again "slay" the Lamb. Therefore if the "woman" had the "moon under her feet" it was the time that Christianity was a strong religious force moving to convert the heathen nations with the support of the king. What Revelation is saying is that when the Christian State and Church are in unison they stand strong against the forces of evil or against "night". "a crown with twelve stars on her head" Because "twelve" is a number of totality and "stars" in Revelation is the symbol of the Christian Church, "a crown with twelve stars on her head" indicates the total number of Christian Churches that would ultimately follow the Creed of Chalcedon. Revelation 12:1—2 indicates that from 323, the time that king Constantine became a Christian and the concept of the Trinity was accepted as the basis of the Christian faith, Christianity would spread quickly. Within a certain time ( which according to history is "three days") all the countries that would form the stronghold of Christianity according to the Creed of Chalcedon, would be converted. This was also the time when the rider on the white horse rode 'west', into western Europe. As a result of the persecutions in the first centuries of the first millennium, the Church was "pregnant" like a woman, "and cried out in pain". "pregnant" and "birth" Revelation is constantly indicating "time" in history, therefore every possible meaning of the words have to be taken into account. The words "pregnant" and "birth" possibly relate to the thousandth anniversary of the birth of Christ, as will be substantiated later. Revelation 12:3—4Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on his heads. The first sign that appeared in heaven was "the star" at the time of the birth of Christ. The second ("another") sign was the image of the "sword" superimposed on the sun as seen by Constantine (symbolic of the sword of the rider on the red horse). From that time onward, division within the Church would lead to wars among nations and kings. "enormous red dragon" This is the symbol of the devil, which includes everything that causes a rift in the Church or among Christians. It is anything that causes division or — of the greatest importance — that makes Christians lose their correct Christian perspective. The word "enormous" can apply to the long period that the dragon will be active, but can also imply the enormity of the "divisions". As mentioned in the discussion on the red horse, Revelation indicates two "enormous" times of great rifts:
The first great rift The "dragon" will cause the first rift. From the practices of the Nicolaitans, against whom God warned in the letters to the Seven Churches of Asia Minor (Rev 2:6), a related belief was derived, known as Gnosticism, which emerged with the first Christian missions in the first century. Threats to the unity of the Church
Research into Gnosticism has been aided by the discovery of the Nag Hammadi books on Gnosticism in 1945. From these books it emerges that Gnosticism is a summons to self-knowledge and life, to turn oneself to God through Gnosis, and by self-mastery to win the means of return to God. Much can be written on Gnosticism, but I believe the core to its anti-Christian stature lies in its ability to raise questions that the Church were hard-pressed to answer.
In the second and third centuries Marcion became the opposition of the orthodox tradition of the Church. He was denounced by Polycarp of Smyrna (who may have been the last survivor who spoke to the eyewitnesses of Jesus) as the "first-born of Satan". Marcion rejected Yahweh’s (Jehovah’s) identification with God. He believed that the Old Testament was only the history of the Jewish people and had nothing to do with Christianity. In AD 144 Marcion was expelled from the Roman community, but his theory prospered in Syria and on the Mesopotamian frontier. Elsewhere the Marcionites had less success.
In c 172 a movement known as Montanism emerged in Phrygia. The Montanists preached about the approaching end. The orthodox clergy became wary of the outcome of these sermons in the congregations.
In 200—230 Monarchian theories arose that would, in the following century, be the cause of greater controversy in the Church. The Monarchian theories stressed monotheism (that Christ was the Father himself) against the tritheism of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. At this point Origen (established as the first witness in the previous chapter) interceded (at the time of possible intervention by the Trinity, c 216). After an intensive study of the scriptures on the relationship of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, he was in the position to present a different way of thinking.
In c 304—360 the Arian controversy followed. Arianism was a doctrine held by Arius, the presbyter of the Alexandrian Church in North Africa, and his followers. Arius said that the Son, Christ, is not part of God. Emperor Constantine tried to intervene, but did not succeed. He then called together a council of the entire Church at Nicaea in 325. The Council of Nicaea condemned Arianism, and at the second meeting of the council in Constantinople in 381, it was declared a heresy.
This schism in the Christian Church of North Africa was the result of the contention over the moral character of the priesthood and the treatment which the Church should accord to those Christians who were guilty of serious lapses but repented.
Nestorianism threatened to split the unity of the Church in the fifth and sixth century. Nestorius, the Patriarch of Constantinople, asserted that not only were there two natures of Christ, the human and the divine, but also two Persons.This teaching was condemned by the Council of Ephesus in 431, but it spread to the church of Syria. Revelation 12:4His tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth. For a better understanding of this verse we must consider the following Old Testament reference: Isaiah 9:15 The prophets who teach lies are the tail … What this means, is that the above controversies within the Christian Church had an effect on the Christian communities. There was a lack of unity among Christians, especially between the Monophysites and the majority who adhered to the Creed of Chalcedon. Fall of a divided Christianity First the Persians and then the Arabs invaded from the East. From the North the Slavs and the Avars came. The Persians tore Syria and Palestine from the Romans and pillaged Jerusalem in c 610. They killed thousands of Christians. As it happened most of the large cities where controversy had prevailed, were taken or destroyed by the invaders. This can be said of:
The last two cities eventually disappeared from the map of North Africa. Although the Sixth Ecumenical Council, that met in Constantinople in 680 and 681, put an end to the centuries long debate over the relation of Jesus Christ to God and the question of the human and the divine nature of Christ, the Nestorians and various branches of the Monophysites continued their independent existence. Today it still survives in the Coptic, Jacobite and Armenian Churches. "stars out of the sky" When the non-Christian invaders of the East invaded the Christian cities in the centuries after Chalcedon, many Christians forgot the concept of the Trinity and adhered to a Monophysite concept of one God. They were flung to earth — in contrast with heaven — like "stars out of the sky". Revelation 12:4The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that he might devour the child, the moment it was born. Through the controversies that raged within the Church and the division that it brought, the "dragon" tried to take away from, or minimize ("devour") the total message of Christ to the world. Many Christians were lost to the faith after the conquests from the East, partly because the monotheist concept had already taken root in some Christian Churches. Despite this fact and through all the turmoil, the adherence to the Creed of Chalcedon, incorporating the magnitude of the gift of Christ, the Son, to the world by God, the Father, prevailed. Revelation 12:5She gave birth to a son, a male child, who will rule all the nations with an iron scepter. And her child was snatched up to God and to his throne. This verse is of the greatest significance in the interpretation of Revelation and therefore one must also take note of what is said in The KJV. Revelation 12:5(KJV) And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up to God and to his throne. Today we know through history, that the Creed of Chalcedon spread to the ends of the earth. The persecutions and the destruction of those early great centres of Christianity could not bring the Christian Church to a fall, for "she gave birth to a son" (Christ and the Holy Spirit were ultimately accepted as equal parts of the Trinity), "a male child, who will rule the nations with an iron scepter" . AD 996 This verse indicates the thousandth anniversary of the birth of Christ, namely, AD1000 or AD 996 according to the time at the end of the twentieth century. "man child" (KJV) The word "child" in "her child was snatched up to God and his throne " refers to Jesus Christ, but also the TIME when he was born. Through the words "brought forth a man child" Revelation seems to be indicating the thousandth anniversary of the birth of Christ, the beginning of the SECOND millennium that, as we shall see, is the millennium of "man". Revelation seems to be indicating that in the second millennium there is going to be a changed situation concerning the Christian Church and the spreading of the Word according to the Creed of Chalcedon. What is so significant about this verse is that the concept of "man" is linked to the Christ child to indicate how, as the centuries progress, the rule of "man" would be installed instead of the rule of God (as in the anointing of the Christian king). There would in those nations still be a oneness with Christ because of the Christian Church that had been "born out of " the original Christian nations. Because of the "rule of man or men" a deterioration in the adherence to the Christian faith would take place. This is all going to be explained by Revelation in the following chapters. It is important to realize that the Almighty God is in control of everything — also the influence of Satan on man. "And her child was snatched up to God and to his throne" Revelation clearly distinguishes between the first millennium and the second millennium. Most probably this is because the Christians of the first millennium did not contend with the full impact of the "dragon" — which is going to be explained later in this chapter. There seems to have been a resurrection of those who died for their faith at the end of the first millennium. This is based on the following:
Revelation 19:14 reads: "The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean." The symbols of "white", "clean", and "fine lien" apply to those who "have come out of the great tribulation" and made their robes white "in the blood of the Lamb" (Rev 7:14). This means those Christians that had gone through great physical or mental suffering( great tribulation) on earth, but adhered to the teaching of Christ (blood of Christ) even to the point of death. Verses 15—16 deal with the rider who has "the sharp sword with which to strike down the nations". The nations would be struck down in the second millennium. It seems therefore that in the time of the second millennium there were ALREADY some who were resurrected following the rider on the white horse.
It therefore seems as if there was a resurrection of those who were persecuted in the first millennium. Those Christians persecuted in the early development of the Church and those who believed in the Creed of Chalcedon (the total message of Christ) to the point of death, were resurrected. It is difficult to determine whether "the rest" of the first millennium were resurrected then or whether they are still awaiting judgment. (The question of resurrection will be dealt with in Chapter 20.) Revelation 12:6 The woman fled into the desert to a place prepared for her by God, where she might be taken care of for 1,260 days. "1,260 days" It was established in the previous chapter that "1,260 days" means 245 years. The meaning of this verse follows the following background history: The second great rift "taken care of" These words can only be fully understood if the situation between the Holy Roman Emperor and the Catholic Church in Rome at the turn of the first millennium is investigated. Pope John XII was in conflict with the Holy Roman Emperor Otto III. The result was that the Emperor had the Pope deposed and elected another in his place. A situation developed where the Romans on the one hand and the successive German Emperors on the other elected their own Popes. The struggle lasted for several reigns of Popes and anti-Popes, each claiming to be legitimate. So bad had the situation become by 985 that when one Pope, by the name of Boniface VII died (the circumstances of his death questionable), his body was dragged through the streets of Rome, and left naked and unburied. From the previous chapter we know that 1,260 days refers to the time 1070—1315. During this time there was great conflict between the most powerful monarchs of Europe and the Catholic Church. At the beginning of this period the Popes were all-powerful, but at the end their power dwindled, and they never again enjoyed the same power. It was also the time of the Crusades. However, the most remarkable is that virtually precisely at this time four kings reigned that were a major cause of the conflict and deaths that occurred. These kings (and the time of their reigns) were: Henry IV Holy Roman Emperor 1056—1106 Frederick I(Barbarossa) Holy Roman Emperor 1152—1190 Henry II King of England 1154—1189 Philip IV King of France 1285—1314 King of kings From about 1070 ( the same time that Jerusalem was invaded by the Seljuk Turks and a thousand years after the fall of Jerusalem in AD 70) the leaders of the Catholic Church believed that they could depose of the emperors. This hold which the Popes had on the Christian kings of Europe led to intense conflict. In 1075 Gregory VII became Pope. His great aim was to assert his power over the Emperor and the Holy Roman Empire. He also tried to forbid lay rulers from appointing bishops and raising taxes and feudal dues on Church lands. These claims brought the emperor, Henry IV, into conflict with the Catholic Church. At first the Pope was successful. He allied himself with the German nobles in 1076, relieving them of their feudal obligations to obey the emperor. As a result they rebelled against Henry IV, who was forced to cross the Alps the following January to acknowledge Gregory’s supremacy and to submit to the Pope at Canossa. When Gregory abandoned his alliance with the German nobles, the emperor recovered his power and in 1081, Henry’s troops invaded Italy and took possession of Rome. After a long siege in 1084, Henry set up a rival Pope. Gregory was forced to flee from Rome. He died in exile at Salerno. As the kings of Europe became more powerful, they began to place their wishes above those of the Church. After the death of Henry IV, there came to the thrones of Europe kings that were more assertive than the Popes that followed Gregory VII. The kings could only hold power in their realm with the aid of loyal civil servants and a strong army. The first kings to enforce this were the Norman kings of Sicily and Southern Italy. Their example was followed by Henry II of England, who made himself so powerful that not even the murder of Thomas Becket by the courtiers in 1170 could weaken his position. Pope Innocent III (1198—1216) is regarded as the Pope who possessed almost unchallengeable power. He too believed that the monarchs of Europe should be subject to the Church of Rome. Innocent III stated that he was "king of kings and lord of lords" and these are the words used in Revelation 19:16 — the words written on the robe and on the thigh of the rider on the white horse. Eight years after the death of Pope Innocent III, it was Francis of Assisi, established as the second witness, who received the stigmata — the wounds of Christ — on his body. After Pope Innocent III, the Church never fully regained its power. In France, Philip IV, taxed the Church as he wished. The Pope retaliated by trying to depose of him. In 1303 Philip sent his chancellor and a band of troops to arrest Pope Boniface VIII at his summer palace at Anagni, near Rome. Boniface died in that year. His successor, Pope Clement V, moved the papacy to Avignon in France, in the territory of a kinsman of the French king, where it remained for some seventy years.
A glimpse of what is taking place in heaven, will help us to understand the events on earth a little better. Revelation 12:7—12And there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. The great dragon was hurled down — that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth and his angels with him. Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: "Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down. They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death. Therefore rejoice, you heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you! He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short." In verses 7 and 8 it is said that Michael, the angel, fought against the devil. This is of significance for later in Revelation we will be told that Almighty God has control of the Abyss. Therefore God "allowed" the devil to be hurled down to earth. It was all part of what was to be. It was said in a previous chapter that the dragon was hurled to the earth in c 1008, the time of the thousandth anniversary of the time that Christ was presented at the temple (see page ). This time is substantiated in this chapter for it seems to be some time after the year 996 or 1000 the thousandth anniversary of the birth of Jesus Christ. The history of the time 1070—1315 clearly shows that the leaders of the Church as well as the monarchs were over-asserting their authority. According to Revelation 12:9 it is possible that both the Church and the kings were experiencing an onslaught by the "dragon". This makes the conflict between the Church and the kings of Europe more "understandable". This time, that would be followed by the Great Schism (1378—1417), was surely of the greatest significance for the Christian Church in the world. Not only would the Church never again possess the same power, but it was also the beginning of the kings of Europe, and therefore the nations, moving away from the church. Later Revelation will indicate to what extent the "dragon" in the form of the "beast" will draw the nations away from the Christian Church. Revelation 12:13And when the dragon saw that he had been hurled to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. This verse conveys that Christians were going to die because of the strife between the Christian Church and the kings of Europe. This strife was going to bring about a change in the rule of the nations. The rule of kings was going to be replaced by the rule of man. Revelation 12:14The woman was given the two wings of a great eagle, so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the desert, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time out of the serpents reach. The reader will recall that we used the "time, times and half a time" to calculate from 42 months and 1260 days the two periods, namely, 252 and 245 years (see pages and ). They indicated the following two periods: AD 70 and AD 315—322 — The formulation of the Nicaean Creed and Constantine securing Christianity for the Roman Empire and the Holy Lands. AD 1070 and 1315—1322 — The time of the drought in Europe and the persecutions of the Franciscans, indicating the two witnesses. The "sun turned black as sackcloth". These times (252 years and 245 years) must be used to determine when "the woman (which is the Church that confesses the Creed of Chalcedon) was taken care of". I have based this on the fact that the words "a place was prepared for her in the desert" are repeated (see Rev 12:6,14 ) and that the time is indicated as "time times and half a time". "eagle" Revelation 12:6,14 relates to the image of the eagle in the vision seen by Daniel: Daniel 7:4The first was like a lion, and it had the wings of an eagle. I watched until its wings were torn off and it was lifted from the ground so that it stood on two feet like a man, and the heart of a man was given to it.
The word "desert" in Revelation 12:6 indicates the FIRST exodus of Christians from Europe in the time of the Crusades. It must be remembered that many of these Crusaders remained in the Middle East. As mentioned 1,260 days indicates a period of 245 years. If 245 years are added to the year 996 and 1000 ( one thousand years after the birth of Christ) one reaches the times 1241 and 1245. In 1239 Jerusalem was taken by Ayyubid the ruler of Transjordan and in 1244 Christian rule in Jerusalem by the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II of Hohenstaufen came to an end. Exodus 19:4 … and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. In other words the eagle — here the "eagle's wings" — represent the strength of the inspired Christian filled with the Spirit to save the holy lands from the invaders of the East. Later it was this strength that would carry the missionaries and Reformed Christians, both Catholic and Protestant to the ends of the earth. For centuries the wings of the eagle would be "plucked". In other words the drive to spread the Word would weaken. This would be brought about by man who became more interested in the world around him than in accomplishing the growth of the Christian Church. The "eagle" indicates the time 1932. (See Rev 8:13 — "eagle flying in mid-air"). 1932 was also the time that the beast would "stand on two feet like a man". Revelation is ultimately going to bring all these times together. It also indicates that Almighty God is controlling history to fulfil his purpose.
Revelation 12:15 Then from his mouth the serpent spewed water like a river, to overtake the woman and sweep her away with the torrent. For the understanding of verse 15, and to try and trace its meaning in the history that follows, the references in the Old Testament from which John took his images, should be considered: Genesis 4:10—11Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground ("earth" — KJV). Now you are under a curse and driven from the ground, which opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. This reference is of the greatest significance in Revelation for it incorporates the killing of Christians by fellow Christians ("your brother’s blood") that would occur as a result of the strife within the Church, beginning with the death of the Franciscans, and then involving the kings of Europe, "the beast". "From the earth" is significant for this is Revelation’s way of saying that the nations were placing their interests in endeavors pertaining to the earth and not to heaven. The words "which opened its mouth" pertains to earthquakes. The vital clue lies in Numbers 16:32 and 26:10 and Deuteronomy 11:6. These are instances where earthquakes occurred and are expressed specifically as "the earth opened its mouth". Here one must consider the main earthquakes in Europe (for Revelation has not yet indicated that the Far West has to be incorporated into the history) before the end of the nineteenth century. How do we know that it progresses to the end of the nineteenth century? Revelation indicated "red dragon" therefore the time that coincides with of the red horse (c 800—c 1896). The end of the nineteenth century being the time that the Catholic Church no longer had direct control of the nations through the kings. In other words the "dragon" was going to bring about a total rift between the kings and the Church. Major earthquakes in Europe
By using the numbers from the calculations above ( 245 years and 252 years)and subtracting them from the times of the earthquakes a time of seven years is established. ( See chart, p .) 1693—252 = 1441 1693—245 = 1448 Therefore 1441—1448 = 7 1755—252 = 1503 1755—245 = 1510 Therefore 1503—1510 = 7 1857—252 = 1605 1857—245 = 1612 Therefore 1602—1612 = 7 1500 — the central point of the millennium The time of "river" in Revelation is the time 1500. Revelation is therefore indicating the SECOND time that Christians would carry the gospel out of Europe. This is established from Revelation 22: "the river flowing … down the middle of the great street of the city". Later in Revelation it will be indicated that the time of the "great city" is 1068—1932 and 1860—2004. The central point of the time 1068 and 1932 is 1500. This was about the time of the discovery of the New World. Revelation combines the time of the exodus of Christians from Europe to the time when Christians would be persecuted, by using the words "river" and "mouth". The river flowed down the middle of the great street in Revelation 22:2 ("street" signifying the death of Christians ( "their bodies will lie in the street of the great city" — Rev 11:8).
The times 1441—1448, 1503—1510 and 1605—1612 were specific times that indicated certain "divisions" within the Christian Church. Revelation 12:16But the earth helped the woman by opening its mouth and swallowing the river that the dragon had spewed out of its mouth. The times that follow 1448—1693, 1510—1755 and 1612—1857 indicate the times that the "woman", the Christian Church, "was taken care of" to protect her from the "dragon". Here one has to refer to Genesis 4:11 ( see p ) and the phrases "driven from the ground" and "brother’s blood from your hand". This indicates that the division in the Church is going to lead to war between Christians resulting in an exodus from a certain place. Revelation 12:17Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to make war against the rest of her offspring — those who obey God’s commandments and hold to the testimony of Jesus. And the dragon stood on the shore of the sea. The meaning of these verses, as will be borne out by the history that is about to be related, is that the greatest divisions within the Church were going to take place in Europe. What was going to happen in Europe would, through European exploration and colonization of the world, be carried to new European settlements at the ends of the earth. There, the dragon would still pursue the Christian Church. (The words, "make war" are of the greatest significance — but this will only be fully understood later.) The mother countries of Europe would make war with the colonies. However, for the moment (till a following chapter of Revelation), the dragon is still confined to the shores of Europe. Once again Revelation has to do with great sweeps of history. As all the finer details of the history of these times would fill volumes, I will abide by a brief summary. The first "division" (1441—1448) The Russian Church By 1441 the Byzantine or Eastern Empire was infiltrated by the Ottoman Turks, who in the middle of the fourteenth century had gained a foothold in Europe. Their persistent attacks compelled the city of Constantinople to forget its previous animosity towards Rome and to appeal for assistance. Of importance at this time was the separation of the Russian Christian Church from the rest of Europe. The Russians were converted to Christianity in the tenth century and they followed the religion of the Greek Orthodox Church of Constantinople. Russia became an ecclesiastical province of Constantinople and the latter appointed the head of the Russian Church. Where Christianity might have been a bond between Western Europe and Russia it acted as a hindrance to union in Europe. This was largely due to the division between Rome and Constantinople that persisted for centuries. When, in 1439, the Greeks agreed to a union with Rome, Russia was so anti-Rome, that they severed their connection with Constantinople. After the fall of Constantinople in 1453, the Russian Church saw itself as the guardian of the Orthodox faith and developed apart from Rome. Mercantilism As much of the last chapters of Revelation have to do with the endeavours of kings, nations and cities to accumulate wealth through mercantilism, the reader should be kept informed of its development. It would eventually not only be the main driving force in the relations of nations, but it would also bring a division between the Church and the kings. It therefore goes hand in hand with the "dragon" and later the "beast". The period of 1441—1448 saw the rise of mercantile sovereigns. The house of Medici in the republic of Florence could only preserve their crown by the wealth that was accumulated through shipping and trade. They supported the political party of the lower classes and in this way, by financial means, controlled the city. The power that the Italian sovereigns maintained through mercantilism did not escape the notice of other kings of Europe. It was why Prince Henry the Navigator turned his attentions to the sea and the exploration of the African coast. The first load of some ten African slaves reached the shores of Europe in 1441. Division caused by the Reformation (1448—1693) When the Reformation, which is the "dragon" in its ultimate form ("the river — meaning in abundance — that the dragon had spewed out of its mouth" — Rev 12:16), hit Europe in the fifteenth century, it was through the exploration and the conquest of Africa and the New World by Spain and Portugal that the Christian Church, the woman, found refuge from the religious wars that ravaged Europe in the seventeenth century. Later in the fifteenth century, England would follow the example of Spain and Portugal and set sail north-west, north-east, south and east. One can expound at enormous length as to the exploration of Portugal, Spain and England and later colonization, but for the moment as regards Revelation and the "dragon", the new lands provided for the development of new churches and the spread of Christianity. Mercantilism developed enormously through the discovery of new markets world wide. Division in the Catholic Church (1503—1510) Background history It was in this period that the seeds of the Reformation would divide (the "dragon") the Catholic Church. We know from Revelation that the "dragon" was actively at work at this time and during the previous centuries, because he had been cast down to earth. At the end of Revelation we will be able to establish the exact time, but for the moment we must just take note of the devout leaders of the Church, among them John Wycliff (1324—1384) in England and John Hus (1369—1415) in Bohemia, who denounced certain practices of the Church. Their opposition led to the local uprisings of the Lollards and the Hussites. Demands for reform became more widespread throughout the fifteenth century. During this time the Spanish Inquisition that had been established in Spain by the monarchs, Ferdinand and Isabella in 1478, with the reluctant approval of Pope Sixtus IV, was becoming notorious for its methods of torture and terrorism and causing opposition to the Church. At the beginning of the sixteenth century it was clear that the Catholic Church was in need of profound reform. The corruption of the Church was well-known. Men of the Church were moved by the glories of the Renaissance, rather than by the message of the cross. Corrupt leadership set the example for the monastics and the lower orders of the clergy. Bishops and priests flaunted their illegitimate children and the monasteries and the converts became centers of leisurely living. Those who wished to be faithful to their calling found it exceedingly difficult. Martin Luther might have become aware of the ill-practices, such as the sale of indulgences (which involved the economic and political ambitions of certain regal houses of Germany), when he joined the monastery at Erfurt in 1505 and the University of Wittenburg in 1508. In 1511, when he travelled to Rome he was shocked by the many abuses in Rome. He voiced his protest in ninety-five theses, which he posted, according to academic custom, on the door of the castle in Wittenburg, on October 31, 1517. In 1504 ( some thousand years after the conversion of king Clovis of the Franks) some hardy fishermen from Normandy and Brittany in France set sail for the fishing grounds of Newfoundland. After 1509, fishing expeditions went out yearly. Soon (1524) France was to participate in the contest for discovery and sent ships to explore the east coast of North America, from New Jersey to Cape Cod. The Counter-Reformation (1510—1755 )
In the time that the Christian Church (the woman) found refuge in the work of the Jesuits, a Reformed Church in Europe (both Catholic and Protestant) expanded to the newly discovered lands. A number of religious orders were founded in the Catholic Church in the beginning of the sixteenth century to combat the Reformation and to revive the spiritual life of the Church. None could compare in its effectiveness with the Society of Jesus. It was founded by Ignatius Loyola in 1534 and approved by Pope Paul III in 1540. It became one of the most powerful forces of the Catholic Counter-Reformation. In the middle of the sixteenth century, the threat of Protestantism was such that the Jesuits became one of the main instruments in the offensive against the great division in the Church. In Europe they tried to win back Protestants to the Catholic faith. They had a tremendous missionary commitment and hundreds laboured in the far East and in the New World. Their organization, patterned after the military, enabled them to respond quickly and efficiently to challenges and opportunities. Many were scholars who contributed knowledge to the polemic against Protestantism. In the eighteenth century the society degenerated. It turned away from its former ideals to banking and commercial enterprises. Its schools declined badly, and its high-handed and ruthless measures, even to successfully plotting the assassination of kings, aroused widespread condemnation. To civil rulers the Jesuits became such a menace that the society was expelled from Portugal in 1759. In relation to this interpretation of Revelation it is of significance that this happened shortly after the devastating earthquake that hit Portugal in 1755. The Jesuits were expelled from France in 1764, and from Spain in 1767. Nearly six thousand priests were deported from Spain alone. Finally in 1773 the Pope dissolved the society stating that the peace of the Church made such a step necessary. Catherine III of Russia and Frederick the Great of Prussia refused to permit publication of the papal order of dissolution because they could not replace the Jesuits as teachers and educators. The remnant of this society found refuge in these two countries. The dissolution proved only to be temporary, and in 1814 the Society of Jesus was again restored by Pope Pius VII. Luther’s ideas spread rapidly, inside and outside of Germany. He stressed that the "freedom of the Christian man" is saved not by his works, but by God’s saving grace. Calvin was converted to Protestantism in 1533. He gave definite form to the movement. In 1541 he settled permanently in Geneva. In a sense Calvin was the chief arbiter of the Reformed Churches. The French Protestants or Huguenots looked up to him as their leader. Calvinism spread to Scotland. John Knox publicly professed the Protestant faith in the middle of the 1540’s. Through contact with the English Church in 1549, he asserted some influence on the course of the English Reformation. In England the Reformation was manifested in the movement known as Puritanism. The Christian Church (the woman) in Europe became a Reformed Church and the woman was "helped" . This, however, was not attained without bloodshed. In 1555, the English Parliament re-enacted the laws against heresy and Queen Mary inaugurated the persecutions by faggot and stake in an attempt to restore religious unity. Nearly three hundred Protestants who refused to abjure, suffered death by burning. Prominent martyrs were Bishops Latimer and Ridley, and Archbishop Cranmer. In the "Seventeen Provinces" that roughly comprised what we know today as the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxemburg, there was a strong movement for reformation. Lutheran preachers who entered the area, gained large numbers of followers. Charles V of the house of Hapsburg was their ruler and he took stern measures against the spread of Protestantism in these countries. Tens of thousands died for their faith. The leaders were burned and their followers beheaded. Despite these measures Protestantism continued its advance. In France, Henry II, who became king in 1547, persecuted the Protestants. Once again the movement could not be thwarted and the first organized Church developed during his reign. After the massacre of Huguenots in the village of Vassy a long series of religious wars ravaged France. In England the English Church broke with Rome. Henry VIII played a major role. In 1534 Parliament, following the dictates of the king, enacted a series of laws forbidding the payment of annates and other such contributions to Rome. It ruled that Henry ‘s marriage to Catherine was not a true marriage (Mary was therefore not the legitimate heir to the throne) and finally proclaimed the king the supreme head of the Church of England. Parliament also declared that anyone who dared say that the king was a schismatic or a heretic would be guilty of treason. This caused a serious schism, but many in England found that there was need for reformation. By the end of Henry’s reign in 1547 advocates of the Reformation had ample support throughout the kingdom. In the seventeenth century the conflict caused by the Reformation spread beyond national strife and caused the Thirty Years War that would involve all of Central Europe. One might say that in this tremendous division in the ranks of Christiandom the "dragon" reached a peak of destruction. In the same century, however, "the woman" would be taken care of in the new colonies. From Europe Calvinism with its strict discipline made its way to America. The Pilgrim Fathers, the Dutch Burghers, the Scottish Presbyterians, the French Huguenots, the German’s from the Palitinate carried their belief and the Creed of Chalcedon to the New World, where they stamped their influence deeply on Protestant morality. In general Calvinism trained men who, confident in their own convictions and prepared to risk all for their faith, set out determined to do the will of God, emphasizing chastity and temperance. The intensification of the division caused by the Reformation (1605—1612) One might wonder why Revelation overlaps the history by going back to a time that has already been covered. There is a good reason for this as will be discovered in the following chapter. In doing so, Revelation draws attention to the intensification of the influence of the "dragon". It should also be noted that the first division of the Catholic Church and the Russian Orthodox Church (1441—1448) was mentioned as the first "division" in the Christian Church, followed by two sections dealing with the Reformation (1503—1510 and 1605—1612), but this will become clearer in a later chapter. This period (1605—1612) indicates the intensification of the division caused by the Reformation. Not only was there religious dissention among Catholics and Protestants, but the Protestants were becoming divided among themselves In England, though a majority of the English people were members of the Anglican Church, many were dissatisfied with the religious changes that had been brought about by Elizabeth I. The Roman Catholics felt that the religious changes had gone too far, while the Puritans protested that they had not gone far enough in the direction of Calvinism. To the dissatisfaction of both groups James I supported the existing system. He did not relax the penal code against the Catholics as he wished to secure a Spanish Alliance. In 1604 he banished all Catholic priests from England and a few month later Parliament extended the penal laws instituted by Elizabeth. The hopeless situation of the Catholics in England caused a group of fanatics to plot to blow up Parliament in the old palace of Westminster on 5 November 1605 when the Lords and Commons would be in session and the king himself would be present. This incident gave rise to even greater opposition against the Catholics. James I, regarded the democratic ideas of the Church government upheld by the Puritans, as a threat to what he believed to be the divine right of the monarchy. Aware of the trouble that he had encountered with the Scottish Presbyterians, he proclaimed that all clergymen who would not conform to the Prayer Book would be deprived of their livings. It is well-known that a group could not conform and went to Holland in 1604, from whence they migrated to America to found Plymouth colony in 1620. Division among Protestants During the sixteenth century the differences between the Lutherans and the Calvinists became increasingly inflexible and uncompromising. Luther who was seen as a liberator ended as the founder of a new orthodoxy based on scripturalism. The Lutheran Scripturalism would become as uncompromising as the Catholic Papacy. Calvinism also soon settled into a dogmatism no less rigid. What was taking place in Germany at this point was extremely important. The "dragon" was setting to work in a particularly dangerous field: man’s thinking. In the German universities the study of theology overshadowed all other subjects. While in the other countries of Europe the Renaissance was producing art and literature, the German intellectuals were concentrating on religious polemics. Luther declared that in order to be a theologian one had to avoid Aristotelian thoughts. This meant that the accents and influences of Greek philosophy that exalted the abilities of man and his reason, had to be excluded from theology. Luther broke with the humanistic views of Erasmus. Philip Melanchthon, while affirming the doctrine of justification by faith as expounded by Luther, insisted on the need for good works — though not as a means of salvation. This was all acceptable, but here the original message of God to the original seven Churches of Asia Minor must be noted: Beware the influence of pagan philosophy. The end of the sixteenth century and the beginning of the seventeenth century, marked a renewal of interest in Aristotelian philosophy and soon most Lutheran theologians were seeking to build their systems on the basis of Aristotelian logic and metaphysics. Although Protestant scholasticism waned at the end of the eighteenth century the influence of Greek philosophy would, through the influence of the Renaissance gradually dominate the course of European philosophical thinking. In Germany, Charles V, who was the king of Spain and the Holy Roman Emperor, refused to tolerate Protestantism. The Augsburg Confession, in which the Protestants set out their beliefs, was unacceptable to him and he wished to reinstate Catholicism. A number of German states formed the Schmalkaldic League, a defensive union, which was prepared to retaliate if Charles tried to enforce Catholicism in their territories. In February 1546, despite Luther’s attempts to preserve peace, the so—called Schmalkaldic War broke out, four months after his death. At first it seemed that Protestantism had met its end, but finally Charles’s attempt to destroy it failed. The Peace of Augsburg, which ended the war in 1555, left neither party satisfied. Each German prince could choose either Catholicism of Protestantism for his territory. Lutheranism was therefore legally recognized in Germany. Those who could not conform were allowed to emigrate. The problem was that Lutheranism was recognized, but not Calvinism and, to add to this, the Emperor wished to dominate the princes and make his rule a reality in Germany. Thus from 1605—1612 there were moves that indicated a forthcoming confrontation. In 1608 a Protestant League was organized, but because of the existing hostility between the Lutherans and the Calvinists only the Calvinist states of the Rhineland and a number of free cities joined it. he following year the Catholics formed a league. The war eventually broke out because certain rights were withheld from the Protestants in Bohemia. What is of the greatest importance is the fact that almost all the countries of Europe, to a greater or lesser degree, became involved in this war at some point or another. Although religious motives started the war, other issues dominated the later stages of the war. The Thirty Years War (1612—1857) The Thirty Years war that descended on Germany, began in 1618. In reality it was a series of four wars between 1618 and 1648. The war (final) between Spain and France continued until 1659. Each of the four periods of the war — the Bohemian, the Danish, the Swedish and the French — was almost a unit in itself. The Bohemian War In 1609 the Emperor Rudolf II (1576—1612), who was also king of Bohemia, granted a charter to the Bohemians that gave both Protestants and Catholics equal rights. His successor Matthias, who became the ruler of Bohemia in 1611, endeavored to restrict these rights. This was tolerated by the nobles, because they thought that they would elect a successor after the aged Matthias had passed away. In 1617, however, Matthias informed the Bohemian Diet that he had appointed a successor, Ferdinand of Styria, an ardent Catholic and member of the Catholic League. Soon after Ferdinand became the hereditary monarch of Bohemia the religious question came to a head. Protestant Churches were destroyed and the communities rose in revolt. In 1609 the Bohemian Diet met and formally deposed Ferdinand. They chose Frederick, Elector of the Palitinate and the leader of the German Calvinists, as the new king of Bohemia. Maximilian of Bavaria, the Catholic League and Spain came to the aid of Ferdinand, while Frederick could not muster forces. His army was no match for that of the Emperor and he was defeated at Weissenberg in 1620. As a result thousands of Protestants were forced into exile. The Danish Involvement The king of Denmark, Christian IV, championed the cause of Protestantism and opposed the growing power of the Emperor. As duke of Holstein, he was also a prince of the German Empire. He had a family interest in several of the Protestant bishoprics which were bound to be claimed by the Catholics as they had been taken in violation of the Ecclesiastical Reservation. This ordinance ordained that benefices (ecclesiastical fiefs), should be vacated by incumbents who embraced Protestantism. When the English offered to pay him 30 000 pounds a month to invade Germany, the Danish king accepted the offer. Ferdinand managed to acquire the support of Wallenstein, a Bohemian nobleman who collected soldiers from all over Europe. In the autumn of 1625 he had assembled an army of 50 000. This vast army maintained itself by demanding compulsory levies from the districts through which it passed. The Danes were defeated in 1629. The Swedish Intervention Once again Ferdinand tried to restore all property of the Catholic Church, secularized since 1552. Even Wallenstein disapproved of this measure. The Swedish king, Gustavus Adolphus, determined to save Protestantism in Germany as well as to advance his position, decided to intervene. In 1630 his army landed in Germany. Once again Ferdinand turned to Wallenstein. The armies met at Lutzen in 1635. After a day of fierce fighting Wallenstein withdrew his troops. It was a costly victory. In the heat of the battle, Gustavus courageously fought his way almost single-handedly into the midst of the battle and was killed. After his death the Swedish army renowned for its discipline, sank to the level of the other German armies. France When the war was about to end, Richelieu of France took the opportunity to join Sweden, at a stage when the Hapsburgs and the Germans were weary of war. With the French and the Swedes on the one side and the Austrians and the Spaniards on the other, the war continued for another thirteen years. The French army compelled the imperial army of Ferdinand to seek peace in 1648. (As mentioned the war between France and Spain dragged on for another eleven years.) With the Peace of Westphalia that was drawn up after the French victory, the Holy Roman Empire ceased to exist. Each of the some 300 German states was now independent. So what does this all mean in relation to Revelation. The Reformation effected almost the entire Europe. Russia remained on the periphery. It is of importance that the thousands of emigrants that left Europe during the time of the wars of religion in Europe were imbued with the spirit of religious freedom and independence. This would be carried to the New World and to the colonies. Religious differences in the Church The Thirty Years War and the religious differences divided Europe into a Protestant north and a Catholic south. In each country the religious uprisings helped the peasant and the ordinary man in the street to have his voice heard. The will of the people was becoming of greater significance. The king could only maintain power by acquiring wealth. This happened in Florence and by the seventeenth century the competition for overseas trade was the nations’ first priority. Out of the chaos of the Thirty Years War a Christianity emerged that would have great strength in the New World and in the colonies. As mentioned, the dogmatism of the theologians and the rationalism of the philosophers brought about much dissention among Protestants. The Pietists in Germany challenged both streams of thought and lay stress on the belief that the living faith was at the heart of Christianity. Similar movements were led by Zinzendorf and the Moravians. As the Pietists were trying to cultivate the faith of the masses in Germany, so John Wesley, who was influenced by the Moravians on his journey to the Americas, preached practical Christianity in the Church of England. Soon Methodists were reaching people that the Church of England could not. It was this influence of the Pietists, Moravians and Methodists that would spread to the far corners of the earth and the "woman" in a wonderful way, was taken care of. |
