“Woman in her innocence was attacked by ‘that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan.’ ... At the end of that first crafty assault and speedy victory the dragon met with his rebuff, in words like these: ‘The seed of the woman shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise His heel.’ ... In the Revelation the scene is changed from Eden to the heavens, and before you stand again the woman and the serpent, in the same position of antagonism as before, the serpent still the assailant, only this time more openly so.... The woman is no longer a simple, childlike personage, but _a wonder_; she walks not among the trees and flowers, but amid the orbs of heaven. She is clothed with the sun, the moon is under her feet, and upon her head is a coronet of twelve stars. In her you see the great cause of truth and righteousness embodied—she is, in fact, the church of God in all ages, the woman whose Seed blesses all the nations of the earth.”—_C. H. Spurgeon, in The Tabernacle Pulpit, March 15, 1896._ 2. How is the church at the first advent described? “And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.” Verse 2. NOTE.—The church is in labor and pain while she brings forth Christ and her children, in the midst of afflictions and persecutions. See Rom. 8:19, 22; 1 John 3:1, 2; 2 Tim. 3:12. 3. How are the birth, work, and ascension of Christ briefly described? “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.” Verse 5. NOTE.—Specifically this must refer to Christ (see Ps. 2:7-9); but through Him is also prefigured the experience of the people of God, who finally in the judgment are to share with Christ in ruling the nations with a rod of iron (Rev. 2:26, 27), and, like Him, when their work on earth is accomplished be “caught up,” at His appearing, to God and to His throne. 1 Thess. 4:15-17. 4. What other sign, or wonder, appeared in heaven? “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. 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 in was born.” Verses 3, 4. 5. Who is this dragon said to be? “And the great dragon was cast out, _that old serpent_, called the _Devil_, and _Satan_, which deceiveth the whole world.” Verse 9.