"In Rev. 12 the church is brought to view under the symbol of a woman.
--In prophetic symbol the church is always represented by a woman.
--history of the church from the birth of Christ,
--and the effort of the dragon, or the pagan Roman power, to slay him as soon as he was born,
--and his being caught up to God and his throne,
--through the long persecution of “a time, times, and a half,” or “a thousand two hundred and threescore days,”
--down to the last persecution of “the remnant of her seed.”
The dragon was, not directly, but indirectly, the persecutor during this great tribulation of the Christians in the “time, times, and the dividing of time.”
Pagan Rome had long persecuted the Christians unto death.
***When the empire professed to become the patron of Christianity it soon beheld a most unchristian strife progressing between the Bishops of different churches. It was another clamor for power, a revival of the question, “Who shall be greatest?” Mark 9:34.***
The parties entirely ignored the instructions of the Savior, given to quell just such spirits. The Bishop of Rome, the most arrogant and overbearing, and of course the least a Christian, was favored by the empire.
*Such were the means and such the motives by which an unchristian, persecuting hierarchy was brought into existence.
By the power of the dragon this vast machinery of error and of death was set in motion.
The dragon power made itself responsible for the consequences which it could easily forsee, when it elevated an ambitious and arrogant church ruler to a position which Christ forbade his followers to occupy.
The last persecution will be under “an image to the beast.” This 
image will cause men to worship the beast, the papal power, which received its authority from the dragon, the pagan power. See Rev. 13.
--And thus it is shown that the spirit of the dragon has descended down to our own times, and that it will be active in the last persecution.
--Of this last phase of dragonic power it is said:—“And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” Rev. 12:17."
Joseph Waggoner