1TC Rev. 12:1. This prophecy of Revelation 12 traces out in a few bold strokes the career of Christ's true church under the figure of a pure woman.
2TC Jer. 6:2. God has compared the daughter of Zion to a beautiful woman.
3TC Isa. 51:16. Zion represents the Lord's people, His true followers, His true church. In Bible symbolism the true church is often compared to a pure woman. (Compare 1 Cor. 1:2 with 2 Cor. 11:2).
4TC Rev. 12:5. That man child that the woman brought forth is Jesus Christ. He is the only one who has been given authority by God to rule all nations. And He is the only one who was ever caught up from this earth to sit on the throne of God with the great Father. The woman, then, must have been in existence before she gave birth to this man child; hence the Lord's church must have been in existence before Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem as the man child of Revelation 12:5.
5TC Acts 7:38. Ancient Israel, in their journey from Egypt to Canaan, were called the church in the wilderness. Then the church of God was in existence in the days of Moses, fifteen hundred years before Christ was born. The word "church," as used in the New Testament, means those who are called out from the world to serve God. In each generation, from the beginning of the world to the end, those who have responded to God's call to serve Him, constitute His church.
6TC Rev. 12:6,14. This woman, the true church, was to be in the wilderness, in a state of seclusion, for 1260 prophetic days, or years. Eze. 4:6. This was the period of the Dark Ages of Catholic rule and persecution from a.d. 538 to 1798.
7TC Rev. 12:17. This twelfth chapter outlines the career of the true church to the end of time, and the last verse in the chapter describes the true church as it will appear in the last days. This verse speaks of the "remnant" of the church. The remnant must mean the last part of the church, and the last part of the church must be here on the earth in the last days, just before the return of Christ at the last day. If we can find this remnant church today, we will know the true church of God for these days, and the very one to which we ought to belong. Rev 12:17 says that this remnant will be distinguished by the keeping of the commandments of God and the testimony of Jesus.
8TC Rev. 19:10. The testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of prophecy. To find the true church today, we must find the church which keeps the commandments of God and has the Spirit of prophecy. This church which keeps the commandments of God will keep the seventh day (Saturday) as the Sabbath, because this is the only day God has ever commanded man to keep each week. This church will also practice tithe paying and observe foot washing in connection with the Lord's Supper, as these are two of the Lord's commandments. (See Lev. 27:30 and John 13:12-15). The remnant church will abstain from such unwholesome foods and drinks as pork, tobacco, tea, coffee, all alcoholic liquors, and cola drinks, since one of the Lord's commands is that we should eat and drink as will please God, according to the principles He has laid down in the Bible. 1 Cor 10:31. The remnant will also refrain from adorning themselves with gold or pearls. 1 Tim 2:9.
9TC Rev. 14:12. The remnant church makes up the people who are preaching this true message for the last days, teaching that the time of God's judgment is come, calling attention to the fall of Babylon, and warning against the mark of the beast; hence they must be the true people of God for this time.
10TC Rev. 15:2,3. They will be victorious at the coming of the Lord. Be faithful to this true message, and you are sure to have eternal victory.
