Revelation 12:17

Was wroth. Or, “was enraged.” Failure to destroy the church in the wilderness intensifies the wrath of the dragon, so much so that he sets about with great determination to wage war upon the people of God, particularly the “remnant of her seed.”

To make war. In an endeavor to destroy the Christian church. His supreme effort in this direction is still in the future (see on chs. 13:11–17; 16:12–16).

Remnant. Gr. loipoi, “remaining ones,” from leipō, “to leave,” “to leave behind.” See Additional Note at end of chapter.

Keep the commandments. That the remnant is thus identified indicates that the commandments of God will be especially controverted in this struggle between the dragon and church (see on ch. 14:12).

Testimony of Jesus Christ. Or, “witness of Jesus Christ.” In the Greek this phrase may be understood either as the “testimony” (or “witness”) Christians bear concerning Jesus or as the “testimony” (or “witness”) that originates with Jesus and is revealed to His church through the prophets (see on ch. 1:2). A comparison with ch. 19:10 clearly favors the latter interpretation. There the “testimony of Jesus” is defined as the “spirit of prophecy,” meaning that Jesus is witnessing to the church through the medium of prophecy.

The close relationship between the “testimony of Jesus” and prophecy is further demonstrated by a comparison between chs. 19:10 and 22:9. In ch. 19:10 the angel identifies himself as “thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus,” and in ch. 22:9 as “thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets.” Thus, on the reasonable conclusion that these two expressions of the angel are parallel, those who have the testimony of Jesus are identified with the prophets. Since it is the distinctive work of the prophets to bear messages from Jesus to the people (see on ch. 1:1), the interpretation that the testimony of Jesus refers to the “testimony,” or “witness,” that Jesus bears to the church is strongly supported. Seventh-day Adventists thus interpret the passage and believe that the “remnant” will be distinguished by the manifestation of the gift of prophecy in their midst. The “testimony of Jesus Christ,” they believe, is the witness of Jesus in their midst through the medium of the prophetic gift. See Additional Note on Chapter 19.