"The serpent poured water like a river out of his mouth after the woman, to sweep her away with a flood."
(Revelation 12:15)
The devil's persecution of the church is pictured here. That picture is as are John's other metaphors of weapons coming out of someone's mouth. These figurative weapons represent words by which Christ and His agents judge sinners or by which the devil and his agents deceive people.
In the OT, "flood" speaks of an army spreading out to conquer, and of persecution of God's people by enemies from whom the Lord delivers, which is the idea in mind here. (Psalm 144:7-8;11) is noteworthy because it is a prayer that God would deliver David "out of great waters," which is a picture of those who speak "deceit and...falsehood."
The devil attempts to destroy the church from within (using deception) and without (using persecution). Just as the serpent deceived the first woman with words, so he attemps to deceive the latter-day woman with a flood of words (2 Cor. 11:3). Satanic agents in the form of false teachers, compromisers, and demons infiltrate the church in order to deceive her to contribute to her demise.
(G.K. Beale)
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