We're now at some time past the end of the 16th century and we are near the very end of time, because Satan has once again mounted a challenge against God and gone up to heaven and tried to throw God off His throne.
It indicates possession—something that had been assigned to her. We might say either indirect or direct ownership, assigned by God. Now we find...
But we find that he saw, in vision, in verse 16 "that the earth helped the woman." John sees this vision taking place on earth. The place of refuge for this woman is on the earth, not raptured off into heaven, but on the earth. So we find protection. Then we find in verse 17, "that the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ."
It shows, very clearly, a geographical separation between two divisions of what had been one group. One group is in "her place," in the wilderness to where they have flown. Another group remained behind and these people are persecuted by the dragon. It is very clear, then, that some Christians are not in the same place as other Christians, and yet both are of the woman. The end is that there will be a place of protection, of nourishment, in which some are segregated away from others.
