We turn then to the inquiry, What power is designated by the great red dragon of chapter 12?  The chapter first speaks of a woman clothed with the sun, the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars.  A woman is the symbol of the church; a lewd woman representing a corrupt or apostate church, as in Eze. 23:2-4, &c., which refers to the Jewish church in a state of backsliding, and in Rev. 17:3-6, 15, 18, which refers to the apostate Romish church; and a virtuous woman representing the true church, as in the verse under consideration.  At what period in her history could the church be properly represented as here described?  Ans.  At the opening of the gospel dispensation, and at no other time; for then the glory of this dispensation, like the light of the sun, had just risen upon her; the former dispensation, which, like the moon, shone with a borrowed light, had just passed and lay beneath her feet.  And twelve inspired apostles, like a crown of twelve stars, graced the first organization of the gospel church.  To this period these representations can apply, but to no other.  The prophet antedates this period a little by referring to the time when the church with longing expectation was awaiting the advent into this world of the glorious Redeemer.

A man child here represented as the offspring of this woman, appears upon the stage.  This child was to rule all nations with a rod of iron, and was caught up to God and his throne.  Verse 5.  These declarations are true of our Lord Jesus Christ, but of no one else.  See Ps. 2:7-9; Eph. 1:20, 21; Heb. 8:1; Rev. 3:21.  There is therefore no mistaking the time when the scenes here described took place.  We mention these facts for the purpose of identifying the power symbolized by the dragon; for the dragon stood before the woman, to devour her child as soon as it should be born.  Who attempted the destruction of our Lord when he appeared as a babe in Bethlehem?  Herod.  And who was Herod?  A Roman governor.  Rome, which then ruled over all the earth, Luke 2:1, was the responsible party in this transaction.  Rome was the only power which at this time could be symbolized in prophecy, as its dominion was universal.  It is not without good reason, therefore, that Pagan Rome is considered among Protestant commentators to be the power indicated by the great red dragon.  And it may be a fact worth mentioning that during the second, third, fourth, and fifth centuries of the Christian era, next to the eagle, the dragon was the principal standard of the Roman legions; and that dragon was painted red.

There is but one objection we need pause to answer before passing to the’next symbol.  Is not the dragon plainly called in verse 9, the devil, and Satan?  How then can it be applied to Pagan Rome?  That the term dragon is primarily applied to the devil, there seems to be no doubt; but that it should be applied also to some of his chief agents, would seem to be appropriate and unobjectionable.  Now Rome being at this time pagan, and the supreme empire of the world, was the great, if not almost the sole, agent in the hands of the devil for carrying out his purposes.  Hence the application of that term to the Roman power.