“And when the dragon would have seen that he was shut out on earth, he persecuted the woman who had given birth to the man child.” (Rev. 12:13, VL) For the more often the devil is thrown down, the more he persecutes [the Church].
“And two wings of that great eagle were given to the woman, so that she might fly to her place in the wasteland, where she would be nursed for a time and times and half a time, away from the face of the serpent.” (Rev. 12:14, VL) We say the “two wings” are the two Testaments, which those receive who would flee “the serpent.” “To her place in the wasteland” — [to] those whom she is given — that is, to evil human beings, as He says: “Behold, I send you as sheep among wolves.” (Mt. 10:16)
“For a time and times and half a time.” (Rev. 12:14) He says, “From the Lord’s Passion until the end of the age.”
“And the serpent shot water like a river out of his mouth after the woman.” (Rev. 12:15) We already said above that “the serpent” is the devil. Truly, the “water like a river” is the people, the persecutor of the Church. When he cannot deceive the saints spiritually, he incites the people against the Church in some manner or word, so that he may always have something by which he may accuse them; as he says, “so that he might sweep her away with the river.”
“And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed up the river which the dragon shot out of his mouth.” (Rev. 12:16) In this place, the “earth” is Christ;* the Son of God took flesh. As it is written: “Our earth gives its fruit” (Ps. 84:13) — that is, they sprout His saints in [the earth]. For Our Lord Jesus Christ, “Who intercedes for us” (Rom. 8:34) and removes these persecutions from us, when this “earth” sits “at the right hand of power.” (Mt. 26:64) For as often as persecutions of the Church are inflicted is Holy Earth called upon, with prayers. For when evil people persecute the Church, then the good bear all adverse things with equanimity; restoring the Lord’s Passion to their minds, rejoicing in the scourge.
* the earth is Christ: “earth” in Hebrew is “adama,” which puns with “adam, ” man; and so the Vetus Latina translation of Gen. 3:19 is “You are earth.” So any human is earth; but the incarnate Son of God is also the New Adam.
Beatus of Liebana's Bloggentary: Commentary on the Apocalypse 
Explanatio: Rev. 12: 13-16
“And when the dragon would have seen that he was shut out on earth, he persecuted the woman who had given birth to the man child.” (Rev. 12:13, VL) For the more often the devil is thrown down, the more he persecutes [the Church].
“And two wings of that great eagle were given to the woman, so that she might fly to her place in the wasteland, where she would be nursed for a time and times and half a time, away from the face of the serpent.” (Rev. 12:14, VL) We say the “two wings” are the two Testaments, which those receive who would flee “the serpent.” “To her place in the wasteland” — [to] those whom she is given — that is, to evil human beings, as He says: “Behold, I send you as sheep among wolves.” (Mt. 10:16)
“For a time and times and half a time.” (Rev. 12:14) He says, “From the Lord’s Passion until the end of the age.”
“And the serpent shot water like a river out of his mouth after the woman.” (Rev. 12:15) We already said above that “the serpent” is the devil. Truly, the “water like a river” is the people, the persecutor of the Church. When he cannot deceive the saints spiritually, he incites the people against the Church in some manner or word, so that he may always have something by which he may accuse them; as he says, “so that he might sweep her away with the river.”
“And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed up the river which the dragon shot out of his mouth.” (Rev. 12:16) In this place, the “earth” is Christ;* the Son of God took flesh. As it is written: “Our earth gives its fruit” (Ps. 84:13) — that is, they sprout His saints in [the earth]. For Our Lord Jesus Christ, “Who intercedes for us” (Rom. 8:34) and removes these persecutions from us, when this “earth” sits “at the right hand of power.” (Mt. 26:64) For as often as persecutions of the Church are inflicted is Holy Earth called upon, with prayers. For when evil people persecute the Church, then the good bear all adverse things with equanimity; restoring the Lord’s Passion to their minds, rejoicing in the scourge.
* the earth is Christ: “earth” in Hebrew is “adama,” which puns with “adam, ” man; and so the Vetus Latina translation of Gen. 3:19 is “You are earth.” So any human is earth; but the incarnate Son of God is also the New Adam.
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