Revelation 12:5

THE MAN CHILD.

"And she brought forth. man child, who was to rule all nations with. rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne."--12:5.

If the reader will turn to the seventeenth verse he will learn that the remnant of the woman's seed is "those who keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ." The offspring of the woman, the "woman's seed," then refers to the saints. It is they that the dragon seeks to destroy. But how shall they rule the nations with. rod of iron? It is usually supposed that this denotes the sternness of the dominion, but the use of the same expression elsewhere shows that it refers rather to the completeness, strength and universal prevalence of their sway. An iron rod, or sceptre, is one that can not be broken. In chap. 19:15, it is declared that the Word of God shall rule the nations with. rod of iron. This is accomplished through the saints. They shall yet possess the earth. Every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess. The kingdoms of the earth shall become the kingdoms of the Lord and his Christ. The man child, the woman's seed, the saints, shall have. complete, an undisputed,. resistless dominion. They shall rule with an iron sceptre. But the man child is caught up to heaven. What means this? It means that the saints, protected by God, shall have. glorious exaltation. There was. signal fulfilment of this promise in the complete triumph of Christianity over Paganism. Before the end of the fourth century the long struggle of the dragon to devour the offspring of the woman was over. Paganism was utterly overthrown. Christianity was the acknowledged religion of the civilized world. In this mighty change, the exaltation of. suffering, down-trodden, bleeding Church, to. sway over the civilized world, we witness the seed of woman lifted to the skies.

When, in A. D. 325 Paganism had fallen, the old Pagan temples were converted into Christian churches, the Lordsday was observed by law throughout the Roman world and Christianity the recognized, protected and prevalent religion, this symbolism was fulfilled. We have this glorious conflict and triumph depicted by the symbolism of. conflict in heaven.