│ │ conflict in heaven between │ │ Michael, the protector of the │ │ church, with his angels, and │ │ Satan, the great enemy of the │ │ church, with his angels, chap. │ │ xii. 7. │ │ │ │ 8. The ultimate discomfiture of │ │ Satan, represented by his being │ │ overcome and cast out of heaven, │ │ chap. xii. 8, 9. │ │ │ │ 9. A song of victory in view of │ │ this triumph, chap. xii. 10, 11. │ │ │ │ 10. The fact that Satan would be │ │ allowed, for a limited time, │ │ to persecute the church, chap. │ │ xii. 12, 13. │ │ │ │ 11. The church in the wilderness, │ │ chap. xii. 14‒17. │ │ (a) The church would be │ │ driven into obscurity, │ │ like a woman fleeing into │ │ a desert――representing the │ │ condition of the church while │ │ the Papacy should have the │ │ ascendency, ver. 14. │ │ │ │ (b) The church would still │ │ be preserved, though in │ │ obscurity――represented by the │ │ woman nourished by some unseen │ │ power, ver. 14. │ │ │ │ (c) Satan would still rage │ │ against the church――represented │ │ by the dragon pouring forth a │ │ flood of waters to overwhelm │ │ the woman, ver. 15. │ │ │ │ (d) The church would be │ │ protected, as if the │ │ earth should open its │ │ mouth to swallow up the │ │ water――representing the