What does the child symbolize? (Revelation 12:4)

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 it was born. Revelation 12:4 - King James

 

 

⚪ The papacy

Rev. 12 [...] And the dragon. — Imperial Rome, represented by Constantine. Stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered. — The early Christian Church. For to devour her child. — Absorb it, make it a subordinate feature of the, Roman' system of government As soon as It was born. — As soon as the development of the clergy class and others equally unfaithful to Christ had made it Impossible for them to be retained longer in the true Church. 12:5. And she brought forth a man child. — The papacy. — Z.'79-12-2. Source : 🇺🇸 1917 - Studies in the Scriptures, Vol 7, The finished mystery, page 187 + Cover

Voici la référence mentionné au-dessus (Z.'79-12-2)-->

(Rev. xii.) Her anxiety and desire in this direction produced a pre-mature birth - "The man of Sin" (the papal hierarchy) being the offspring. This "male child," at first a weak one (A. D. 314), was gradually "caught up unto God and to his throne," or exalted to the position and titles, homage and praise of the true "seed." so that "He as God sat in the temple [church] of God, showing himself that he is God." And within three hundred years he did "rule the nations with a rod of iron." [...] This, Papacy claims as the Millennium, during which it broke in pieces the kingdoms with the rod of iron. Source : 🇺🇸 1879 - Zion's Watch Tower, December 1879, p 2-7 - [55]

 

⚫ The kingdom of God (government - 1914)

There the word “woman” is used to symbolize Zion, which is God’s organization and which gives birth to the righteous government, which government is pictured under the symbol “man child”. In the prophecy it is written: “Before she travailed, she brought forth... a man child.” (Isa. 66:7) This being properly interpreted means that the government was born before the fight began. Necessarily that must be because the new government must come into existence before it could fight against Satan’s government. [...] The birth of the “man child” symbolically represents The Government and marks the time when Christ’s government began its activity against Satan. Source : 🇺🇸 1928 - Government, page 178, page 179 + Cover

Rev. 12 [...] In verse four the dragon is shown standing before the woman of God, ready and waiting to devour her child as soon as it is born. Thus is pictured the 'enmity between the serpent and the woman', as God had previously declared. (Gen. 3:15) This was the exact condition that obtained at the close of the year 1914. For centuries God's people have looked forward to the setting up of the kingdom with great expectation. When on earth Jesus spoke of the coming of the kingdom more than of any other one thing, evidently because of its greatest importance. It is the most stupendous of all things. Its birth was and is of the greatest importance. As Satan recognized Jesus as the heir of God and of the kingdom, and tried to kill him when he was in the flesh, even so he recognized the kingdom as his (Satan's) greatest enemy. He stood ready to destroy the kingdom at its beginning. Jehovah challenges him when he says: "Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to bring forth? saith Jehovah : shall I that cause to bring forth shut the womb? saith thy God." (Isa. 66:9, A.R.V.) God's due time had arrived at the end of the waiting period and nothing could prevent the birth of his government. Source : 🇺🇸 1930 - Light, Vol 1, page 234, page 235 + Cover

Rev. 12 [...] Jesus, is in Daniel's prophecy, wherein it is written: "And at that time [at the birth of the man child, the kingdom] shall Michael stand up, the great [heavenly I prince which standeth for [ruler of] the children of thy people; and there shall be a time of trouble [in heaven and also on earth], such as never was." Source : 🇺🇸 1930 - Light, Vol 1, page 240 + Cover

The same Dragon, shortly after the birth of the man child, or God’s kingdom, cast a great flood out of his mouth against God’s organization. (See Revelation 12:15, 16, and comments thereon.) Source : 🇺🇸 1930 - Light, Vol 2, page 43 + Cover

"The dragon [Satan] kept standing before the woman who was about to give birth," states Revelation 12:4, "that, when she did give birth, it might devour her child." This shows that Satan wanted to dispose of the newborn Kingdom quickly, at the moment of its birth if at all possible. Though Jehovah's intervention prevented Satan from realizing his wicked intention, satan was determined and relentless in his effort to do harm to the newly established Kingdom. It stands to reason, therefore, that "Michael and his angels" would waste no time in taking action to remove "the dragon and its angels" from the heavenly scene so that no harm could come to the Kingdom. This suggests that the defeat and ousting of Satan took place soon after the Kingdom's birth in 1914. Source : 🇺🇸 The Watchtower STUDY, May 15 2009, page 146 + Cover