but pains in one particular, "pains that issue in birth".

There are altogether seven

"Whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death" (Acts ii. 24).

"As travail upon a woman with child" (I Thess. v. 3).

(and in all the other references, viz., Mark xiii. 8, Gal. iv. 19, 27, and Rev. xii. 2).

This last reference is illuminated by Matt. xxiv., and sends back light in return. The

birth pains of Rev. xii. 2 are followed by the rise of the beast and the false prophet, and

the war on the saints of chapter xiii.  There also, in Rev. xiii., is the abomination of

desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet.