Revelation of John 12 · The Lantern

And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon was under her feet, and on her head was a crown of twelve stars.

And being with child, she cried out while giving birth, and she was suffering in order to give birth.

And those, "she, being with child, cries, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered," mean that the Church will not cease to bear from her heart the Word that is persecuted by the unbelieving in the world.

We say that the church is in birth pangs for each one of those who are being born anew through water and the Spirit, "until Christ is formed in them," as the apostle says. Those who have fallen from the true light of Christ are regarded as miscarriages and experience death at the end of their life because of unfaithfulness.

And being with child, she cried travailing in birth, and was in pain to be delivered. This cannot refer specifically to blessed Mary, but it refers to the Church, which suffers here a certain difficulty in childbirth when it tries to give birth once again to people it had already given birth to, until, according to the apostle's saying, we all meet unto a perfect man. [Eph.

And another sign was seen in heaven. And behold, a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads were seven diadems.

"And there appeared another sign in heaven; and behold a red dragon, having seven heads." Now, that he says that this dragon was of a red colour-that is, of a purple colour-the result of his work gave him such a colour.

Here we think that "heaven" signifies the air, and that the "red dragon" is that creature that was deceived and mocked by the angels of God, as it is written in Job. He is "red" either because of his murderous and bloodthirsty character or because of the fiery nature of his angelic essence, since he did fall from the angels.

And there was seen another sign in heaven: and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads, and ten horns: and on his heads seven diadems. The Devil is called a dragon because of his evilness, great because of the manifoldness of his snares, and red because of his murders. He is seen in heaven, that is in the Church, not because he possesses it, but because he opposes it.

And his tail drew down a third part of the stars of heaven and cast them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman, who was about to give birth, so that, when she had brought forth, he might devour her son.

"And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and cast them upon the earth." Now, that he says that the dragon's tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, this may be taken in two ways. For many think that he may be able to seduce the third part of the men who believe.

The tail symbolizes the evil prophets, that is, heretics who threw down to earth those stars of heaven who joined them through a repeated baptism. They are under the feet of the woman. Many believed that these are persons whom the devil made his companions since they were of the same mind as he. Many believe that these are angels who were thrown down with him when he fell.

And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and cast them to the earth. The dragon's tail is depraved preachers, according to this: The prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail. [Is. 9:15] People who from the outside seem to stick to the pursuit of heavenly life are made to fall into the iniquity of overt error by false preachers out of love for the earth.

And she brought forth a male child, who was soon to rule all the nations with an iron rod. And her son was taken up to God and to his throne.

And the woman fled into solitude, where a place was being held ready by God, so that they might pasture her in that place for one thousand two hundred and sixty days.

"But the woman fled into the wilderness, and there were given to her two great eagle's wings." The aid of the great eagle's wings-to wit, the gift of prophets-was given to that Catholic Church, whence in the last times a hundred and forty-four thousands of men should believe on the preaching of Elias; but, moreover, he here says that the rest of the people should be found alive…

And the woman fled into the wilderness, where God had prepared a place for her, so that there she might be nourished for one thousand two hundred and sixty days. Therefore, was the child saved from the Dragon's plot, while the woman was given over to destruction?

And the woman shall flee into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared by God, that there they should feed her a thousand two hundred sixty days. The woman's fleeing into the wilderness means the same as her son's being taken up to God; for the Church flees, not in a physical ascent, but in a spiritual one.

And there was a great battle in heaven. Michael and his Angels were battling with the dragon, and the dragon was fighting, and so were his angels.

And the great and glorious angel Michael is he who has authority over this people, and governs them; for this is he who gave them the law into the hearts of believers.

Michael indeed means "Who is like God." And whenever something of wondrous power is accomplished, Michael is said to be sent, so that from the act itself and the name it may be understood that no one can do what God is able to do.

Now, Scripture also has trees for food. It enlightens by means of those things that are from the opposite side. For it shows us an endless army arrayed against us, either through the seven princes, through a single war, or through several wars. That war began on the day when Michael and his angels battled with the dragon.

But they did not prevail, and a place for them was no longer found in heaven.

And he was thrown out, that great dragon, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, who seduces the whole world. And he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were cast down with him.

At present, however, I have simply been led to mention him, that thou mightest know that all those who in any way corrupt the truth, and injuriously affect the preaching of the Church, are the disciples and successors of Simon Magus of Samaria. Although they do not confess the name of their master, in order all the more to seduce others, yet they do teach his doctrines.

The wise tend to understand the "earth" here to refer to those earthly things in which by the strength of that curse the devil is known to inhabit. For it says, "Earth you shall eat all the days of your life." Having been exiled from spiritual realities, he assailed those of the earth who were suitable to his own strengths.

And that great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, who seduceth the whole world; he was cast unto the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.

And I heard a great voice in heaven, saying: “Now have arrived salvation and virtue and the kingdom of our God and the power of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers has been cast down, he who accused them before our God day and night.

Now the friendly understanding you will have to carry out must arise from your observance of the compact: you must never think of getting back any of the things which you have abjured, and have restored to him, lest he should summon you as a fraudulent man, and a transgressor of your agreement, before God the Judge (for in this light do we read of him, in another passage, as "t…

Quite clearly he is showing in which heaven we are to understand that these things occur. For in the church we know that salvation is accomplished by the victory of Christ.

And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying: Now is there made salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: because the accuser of our brethren is cast forth, who accused them before our God day and night.

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

Because of this, rejoice, O heavens, and all who dwell within it. Woe to the earth and to the sea! For the devil has descended to you, holding great anger, knowing that he has little time.”

And after the dragon saw that he had been thrown down to the earth, he pursued the woman who brought forth the male child.

"And the dragon," he says, "saw and persecuted the woman which brought forth the man-child. And to the woman were given two wings of the great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent." That refers to the one thousand two hundred and threescore days (the half of the week) during wh…

As we said before, the devil carries on a hatred against the church that is without bounds and with all means. For the more he is defeated and is expelled, the more sharply does he try to multiply his deceptions.

And when the dragon saw that he was cast down to the earth, etc. The devil, attacking the Church with inextricable cunning, persecutes all the more intensely the more he is cast down.

And the two wings of a great eagle were given to the woman, so that she might fly away, into the desert, to her place, where she is being nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.

Since, therefore, there exist among them error and misleading influences, and magical illusions are impiously wrought in the sight of men; but in the Church, sympathy, and compassion, and stedfastness, and truth, for the aid and encouragement of mankind, are not only displayed without fee or reward, but we ourselves lay out for the benefit of others our own means; and inasmuch…

And it was said that the woman was given the two wings of the great eagle, so that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she is nourished for a time, times, and half a time, away from the presence of the serpent. But the woman did not come under the power of Satan; rather, she fled into the wilderness.

And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, etc. The Church, supported by the two Testaments, avoiding the turbulent poisons of the world, daily seeks the solitude of a quiet and modest spirit with the affection of the mind, joyfully singing: Lo, I have fled far away and have dwelt in the wilderness (Psalm LIV).

And the serpent sent out from his mouth, after the woman, water like a river, so that he might cause her to be carried away by the river.

"And the serpent cast out of his mouth after the woman water as a flood, that he might carry her away with the flood." He signifies by the water which the serpent cast out of his mouth, the people who at his command would persecute her.

It is possible to interpret the "earth" here to refer to the church, as in the psalm, "He who set the earth on its foundations, so that it should never be shaken." That is, he [set the earth] on the saints whose prayers and teachings and the working of salvation [which they have received] dispels the uncovered intrigues of the enemy.

And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, etc. The flood signifies the onslaught of persecutors. Hence it is said: Perhaps they would have swallowed us up alive, like water (Psalm CXXIII). Therefore, the Church, not only lifted up by the word of God but also driven by the force of persecutions, hastens to fly out of the world.

But the earth assisted the woman. And the earth opened her mouth and absorbed the river, which the dragon sent out from his mouth.

"And the earth helped the woman, and opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth." That the earth opened her month and swallowed up the waters, sets forth the vengeance for the present troubles.

But the earth helped the woman by opening its mouth and swallowing the river that the Dragon had spewed out of his mouth against the woman. The earth swallowing the river signifies that the temptation was accepted within her, that is, the Lord was put to death.

And the earth opened its mouth and swallowed up the flood. This earth is the holy flesh of the Lord, which, swallowing the death that temporarily prevailed over it, taught us also to swallow it. It can also be understood as the Church, whose admonitions and prayers of the mouth ward off the enemy's snares.

And the dragon was angry at the woman. And so he went away to do battle with the remainder of her offspring, those who keep the commandments of God and who hold to the testimony of Jesus Christ.

And he stood upon the sand of the sea.

Revelation of John12