1917_The_Finished_Mystery_Text

The jubilee of nations shall ring through earth and sky;The dawn of grace draws on apace— 'tis coming by and by.FM183REVELATION 12THE BIRTH OF ANTICHRISTRevelation 12:1.And there appeared a great wonder.— Sign,Greek.— Rev. 1:1.In heaven.— In the power of spiritual control.—A318; Eph. 2:4-6; Phil. 3:20.A Woman.— The early Church, Nominal Zion,(D591), originally a chaste Virgin.— 2 Cor.11:2; Matt. 9:15; 22:2; John 3:29; Eph. 5:25, 32.Clothed with the sun.— Resplendent in the full,clear light of the unclouded Gospel.— D591.And the moon under her feet.— "The moonunder her feet represents that the Law whichsupports her is nevertheless not the source of herlight."— D591.And upon her head a crown of twelve stars.—"The twelve stars about her head as a crownrepresent her Divinely appointed and inspiredteachers— the Twelve Apostles." (D591.)"Now if God ordained only twelve stars as lightsfor His Church, as here represented, is it not agreat mistake for popes, bishops and clergy toregard themselves as successors of theApostles,— stars also?"— D594.Revelation 12:2And [she] being with child.— As a result of theMystery of Iniquity which was working withinher.— 2 Thess, 2:7.[Cried], AND SHE CRIETH travailing inbirth.— Felt the weight of the burden even inapostolic days.— Rev. 2:2.And pained to be delivered.— Desired to getrid of the loathsome thing from which, by themachinations of Satan, she was at the timesuffering. In a sense the birth of the Antichrist