The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Revelation Explained, by F. Smith
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Title: The Revelation Explained
Author: F. Smith
Release Date: August 20, 2004 [EBook #13229]
Language: English
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The Revelation Explained
An Exposition, Text by Text,
of the Apocalypse of St. John
Showing the Marvelous Development of the Prophecies from the Time of
their Delivery on the Isle of Patmos--The Establishment and Growth of
Christianity--Rise of Mohammedanism in the Eastern Empire--Of the Papacy
in the Western Division--Of Protestantism--The Civil History of the
Territory Comprising the Ancient Roman Empire until the End of
Time--Together with the Conflicts and Triumphs of the Redeemed until the
Final Judgment, and their Eternal Reward and Home in the "New Heavens
and New Earth."
By F.G. SMITH
Author of
"What the Bible Teaches" and "The Last Reformation," etc.
* * * * *
"Behold the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare:
before they spring forth I tell you of them." Isa. 42:9.
"Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto
his servants the prophets." Amos 3:7.
PREFACE.
The subject of prophecy should be of interest to every Bible student.
Its importance can not be overestimated. By it we are enabled to
ascertain our true position in this time-world. From the early dawn of
creation, Inspiration has foretold with certainty the great facts
connected with the history of God's chosen people. By this means alone,
the divinity of Jesus Christ and the truth of our holy religion has been
established in many minds; for it is not in the power of mortals thus to
vaticinate future events. With such surprising accuracy have these
predictions been fulfilled that even infidels ofttimes bear witness to
their truthfulness. "Behold the former things are come to pass, and new
things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them." Isa.
42:9. "For I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none
like me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times
the things that are not yet done." Isa. 46:9, 10.
The Revelation is a rich mine of prophetic truth. The history of the
current dispensation is there delineated in advance so perfectly that we
can not but attribute its authorship to Him who knoweth the end from the
beginning, and worketh all things after the counsel of his own will. It
was written for the special benefit of the people of God, and we should
give it prayerful consideration.
In the preparation for this work, I have gleaned historical information
from all the general and ecclesiastical histories, encyclopedias, etc.,
within my reach, and only regret that I had not access to a still
greater number. However, knowing that large books are seldom read, I
determined in advance not to write an extensive work, but to condense
the subject matter as much as possible, and, therefore, I have been
obliged to omit much valuable material previously gathered. For this
reason many lines of prophetic truth penned by others of the sacred
writers have been passed over in silence, even though relating to the
same events as certain symbolic visions in the Revelation.
I have availed myself of all the helps and the commentaries within my
reach in the study of this important subject. However, I have but seldom
referred to the opinions of expositors. In most cases their explanations
are not based upon any established rule of interpretation, and the
definite laws of symbolic language are usually overlooked or
disregarded. Ordinary readers of the Revelation have always supposed
that the only course for them was to take the opinion of some learned
expositor and to believe on _his authority_; and when they have found
that equally learned and judicious men sustained the most opposite
views, they have been bewildered amid conflicting opinions and have
decided that, when such men were at issue, it was useless for them to
investigate. While, therefore, I have made every available use of their
opinions, it was only for the purpose of forming my own and of enabling
myself so to unfold the nature of the symbols that every one might see
for himself the propriety of the interpretation given.
The present knowledge that has been attained of this prophetic book is
largely the result of the combined efforts of all who have labored to
unfold its meaning. No one has had the honor of first understanding all
its parts, and very few have failed to contribute something, more or
less, to its true interpretation. Therefore I have endeavored as much as
possible to gather up the good from the labors of my predecessors and to
combine it with the results of my own study and research. The Exposition
of Mr. Lord has had an important bearing on this work. For many
beautiful thoughts concerning the nature and the use of symbols, in the
chapter on the nature of symbolic language, I must acknowledge special
indebtedness to the Lectures of Thomas Wickes on the Apocalypse,
delivered many years ago, although I have ofttimes arrived at quite
different conclusions in their interpretation throughout the Revelation.
Much appreciated assistance has been derived from the works of other
commentators as well.
There is considerable disagreement among historians themselves regarding
certain historical points, but their differences are of minor importance
so far as the present work is concerned. When such points were involved,
I have simply endeavored to follow the best authorities. Lengthy or
important quotations from other writers have been duly credited where
they appear, hence no special mention is necessary in this place. Minor
extracts are merely enclosed within quotation-marks.
The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, 6 Vols., Philadelphia, 1872,
is the edition of Gibbon's Rome from which quotations are made.
To assist in simplifying the subject and in placing it before the reader
in a concise, comprehensive manner, a number of useful diagrams have
been added; for they serve about the same purpose in the study of a
subject so complicated as do maps in the study of geography. I would
especially call attention to the large "Diagram of the Revelation,"
where the various lines of prophetic truth are outlined in parallel
series, enabling the reader to comprehend at once where the symbolic
narrative returns to take up a new line of thought covering the same
period of time. In these diagrams, however, no attempt has been made to
set forth every phase of thought connected with the subject; only the
main features have been outlined.
Feeling directed by the Lord to undertake this work and realizing the
greatness of the task, I have earnestly sought for divine wisdom and
guidance, and I humbly acknowledge his gracious assistance in its
prosecution; and while I can not indulge the hope that human fallibility
has been overcome, yet I firmly believe that a careful reliance upon the
Holy Spirit has been an effectual means of avoiding error and unfolding
many of the hitherto mysterious prophecies of this wonderful book. To
his worthy name I ascribe all praise and glory. The future, doubtless,
will witness a still greater development of this subject; for men of God
more worthy and possessing greater abilities will arise, who, beginning
where we have left off, will continue its investigation and throw upon
it additional light as yet unrevealed.
That the Lord will bless The Revelation Explained to the good of his
church upon earth and grant it a place, however small, in the cause of
present truth, is my earnest prayer.
Yours in Christ,
F.G. Smith.
_Grand Junction, Mich., June 26, 1906_.
PREFACE TO FOURTH EDITION
The reception accorded this work when it was first submitted to the
public was more than gratifying to the author. The lapse of time has
only tended to confirm still more strongly the fundamental nature of the
principle of interpretation adopted. In order to supply the constant
demand, the fourth edition is now issued.
I have taken advantage of this opportunity to make certain revisions
necessitated by an increase of knowledge since the work was first
written, nearly twelve years ago. This revision, however, did not
require an entire re-writing and does not involve a change in
fundamentals.
F.G. Smith.
_Anderson, Ind., Mar. 1, 1918_.
CONTENTS.
Preface
Nature of Symbolic Language
CHAPTER I.
Introduction, verses 1-11
Vision of Christ, verses 12-20
CHAPTER II.
Message to Ephesus, verses 1-7
Message to Smyrna, verses 8-11
Message to Pergamus, verses 12-17
Message to Thyatira, verses 18-29
CHAPTER III.
Message to Sardis, verses 1-6
Message to Philadelphia, verses 7-13
Message to Laodicea, verses 14-22
CHAPTER IV.
Vision of God's Throne
CHAPTER V.
The Book with Seven Seals
CHAPTER VI.
First Seal Opened, verses 1, 2
Second Seal Opened, verses 3, 4
Third Seal Opened, verses 5, 6
Fourth Seal Opened, verses 7, 8
Fifth Seal Opened, verses 9-11
Sixth Seal Opened, verses 12-17
CHAPTER VII.
God's Servants Sealed, verses 1-8
The White-Robed Company, verses 9-17
CHAPTER VIII.
Seventh Seal Opened, verses 1-5
First Trumpet Sounded, verses 6, 7
Second Trumpet Sounded, verses 8, 9
Third Trumpet Sounded, verses 10, 11
Fourth Trumpet Sounded, verses 12, 13
CHAPTER IX.
Fifth Trumpet Sounded, verses 1-12
Sixth Trumpet Sounded, verses 13-21
CHAPTER X.
The Rainbow Angel
CHAPTER XI.
Temple and Holy City, verses 1, 2
The Two Witnesses, verses 3-6
The Witnesses Slain, verses 7-10
The Witnesses Resurrected, verses 11-14
Seventh Trumpet Sounded, verses 15-19
CHAPTER XII.
Woman and Man-Child, verses 1-6
Michael and the Dragon, verses 7-12
The Woman's Flight, verses 13-17
CHAPTER XIII.
The Leopard Beast, verses 1-9
"The Faith of the Saints," verse 10
The Two-Horned Beast, verses 11-18
CHAPTER XIV.
The 144,000 on Mount Sion, verses 1-5
The Three Angels, verses 6-11
"The Patience of the Saints," verses 12, 13
Harvest of the World, verses 14-20
CHAPTER XV.
Seven Last Plagues
CHAPTER XVI.
The First Vial, verses 1, 2
The Second Vial, verse 3
The Third Vial, verses 4-7
The Fourth Vial, verses 8, 9
The Fifth Vial, verses 10, 11
The Sixth Vial, verses 12-16
The Seventh Vial, verses 17-21
CHAPTER XVII.
"Babylon the Great," verses 1-6
Beast and Ten Kingdoms, verses 7-18
CHAPTER XVIII.
Fall of Babylon
CHAPTER XIX.
Marriage of the Lamb, verses 1-10
Coming of Christ, verses 11-21
CHAPTER XX.
The Dragon Bound, verses 1-6
The Dragon Released, verses 7-10
The Judgment Scene, verses 11-15
CHAPTER XXI.
New Heaven and Earth, verses 1-8
The Heavenly Jerusalem, verses 9-27
CHAPTER XXII.
River and Tree of Life, verses 1-5
Christ's Coming and Eternity, verses 6-21
Nature of Symbolic Language.
Before proceeding with the interpretation of this wonderful book, it
will be necessary for us to pause and make inquiry concerning the nature
of the language employed in its prophecies and concerning the mode of
its interpretation. It will be seen at a glance that it is wholly unlike
the common language of life; and it will be useless for us to undertake
to ascertain its signification unless we understand perfectly the
principles upon which it is founded.
The question may be asked, "Is the language intelligible at all?"
Considering the variety of interpretations placed upon it by expositors
and the opinions generally held respecting it, we might conclude that it
is not. The majority of the people look upon these prophecies as "a mass
of unintelligible enigmas," and are ready to tell the student of
Revelation that this book "either finds or leaves a man mad." But are we
to look upon its language as being applied at a venture, without any
definite rule, capable of every variety of meaning, so that we can never
be quite _sure_ that we have its correct interpretation?
Commentators generally unite in attaching a definite meaning to certain
symbols, and they tell us that these can not be applied otherwise
without violating their nature. They may not give us their reasons for
thus applying them (in fact, they generally do not), yet it is evidently
assumed that such reasons do exist. Now, if reasons actually exist why a
definite signification must be applied to the symbol in the one case,
why do they not exist in another case, and in all cases? If any law
exists in the case at all, it is a uniform one, for a law that does not
possess uniformity is no law; otherwise, it would be an unintelligible
revelation, and the only possible thing left for us to do would be to
attempt to solve it like a riddle--guess it out. It would be as if the
writer were to use words with every variety of meaning peculiarly his
own attached, without informing the reader what signification to give
them in a given instance. No man has a right thus to abuse written or
spoken language; and we may take it for granted that the God of heaven
would not make such an indiscriminate use of symbolical language when
making a revelation to men. There is no other book the wide world around
in which language is as carefully employed as in the Bible; and we can
rest assured that when God gave this Revelation to Jesus Christ "to
_show_ unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass," he
made choice of proper symbols whose meaning can be definitely evolved,
provided we can but ascertain the great underlying principles upon which
their original selection was based.
In the ordinary communication of our thoughts we employ arbitrary signs
and sounds to which we have universally agreed to fix a definite
meaning. Thus, our entire spoken language is made up of a great variety
of sounds or words with which by long practise we have become familiar.
We call a certain object a horse, not because there is any similarity
between the sound and the animal designated, but because we have agreed
that that sound shall represent that object. So, also, we have agreed
that the characters h-o-r-s-e shall represent the same thing; and by the
use of twenty-six characters, called the alphabet, placed together in
various combinations, we are able to write our entire spoken language.
The incidents connected with the introduction of written language among
a barbarous people are worthy of remark in this connection. That thought
can be conveyed to persons at a distance by the use of certain
cabalistic characters seems to them incredible, and when compelled to
believe it, they look upon the person that can accomplish such wonders
as embodying something supernatural. These things I mention merely to
call attention to the fact that spoken and written language is a curious
and wonderfully complicated affair. This is brought forcibly to our
minds when we hear persons conversing in a foreign tongue, or when we
pick up a book the characters of which are wholly unlike those of our
own language. To us an English book is full of instinctive beauty, every
letter or mark possessing a definite meaning that is instantly conveyed
to our minds, because we have become familiar with them by diligent
study and practise.
There are other ways of transferring thought besides the complicated
system just mentioned--ways which are much more natural and simple.
Thus, a simpler way to represent a certain object would be to draw a
picture of it; or, better still, to represent a certain character or
quality by exhibiting, not the object itself, but an analagous one whose
peculiar character that property is; for examples: the quiet, peaceful,
gentle disposition of a child, by a lamb; a man of cunning, artful,
deceptive disposition, by a fox; or a cruel, bloodthirsty, vindictive
tyrant, by a tiger, etc. This is hieroglyphical or symbolic language.
This language takes precedence over every other for naturalness and
simplicity, being common to a greater or less extent among all nations
and intelligible to all.
Spoken language was undoubtedly a gift from God originally, while
written language is probably a mere human invention. We are not to
suppose that the first attempts to convey thought in writing would be by
an alphabetical system, but by the symbolic, it being, as before stated,
the most natural and within reach of the ordinary ingenuity of man. This
is proved by the fact that the inscriptions on the ancient monuments of
Egypt and the inscriptions of other nations of antiquity are of this
character. It is also a fact worthy of notice that, four thousand years
later, men of other countries and of other languages have, by much study
and a careful comparison of the symbols, been able to decipher with
accuracy those hierographical representations.[1] This of itself is
sufficient to establish the point that definiteness can be attached to
the use and the interpretation of carefully-selected symbols, when the
principles that governed their original selection are discovered.
[Footnote 1: The systems of hieroglyphical writing employed by various
nations have, for the most part, remained unintelligible until a key of
their interpretation was discovered. In 1799 M. Bouchard, a French
captain of engineers, while digging intrenchments on the site of an old
temple near the Rosetta mouth of the Nile, unearthed a black stone
containing a trilingual inscription in hieroglyphics, demotic
characters, and Greek. The last paragraph of the Greek inscription
stated that two translations, one in the sacred and the other in the
popular Egyptian language, would be found adjacent; hence this
celebrated stone has afforded European scholars a key to the language
and writing of the ancient Egyptians. The cuneiform writing of the
Babylonians and Persians remained a mystery also until modern times, but
great progress has now been made in the deciphering of thousands of
inscribed clay tablets, cylinders, prisms, etc. The key to its
interpretation is the celebrated inscription at Behistun, cut upon the
face of a high rock three hundred feet above its base, and recording a
portion of the history of Darius. It is written in the cuneiform
characters, in three languages--Median, Persian, and Assyrian.]
I do not wish to be understood as implying that the symbolical language
of Scripture is identical with the hieroglyphics of ancient monuments.
There may be different kinds of symbolic representations; but they are
not arbitrary, as is spoken language, and can not be arbitrarily
applied; a fixed law governs them all.
Now, the book of Revelation is made up of this symbolic language. It is
not, however, confined to this book alone. There are many instances of
it to be found elsewhere in the sacred volume, and in many cases it is
explained by inspiration itself, thus giving us a reliable key to the
whole. Joseph's dream of the eleven sheaves that made obeisance to his
sheaf was of this description (Gen. 37:7, 8), and his eleven brethren
were angered, because its meaning was apparent--that they should be
humbled before him. Also, his dream of the sun, the moon, and the eleven
stars (verses 9, 10) was understood to signify the subjection of the
entire family unto him, which was actually fulfilled after Joseph's
exaltation in Egypt. The chief butler's dream of the vine with three
branches bearing grapes, which he took and pressed into the king's cup,
was interpretated by Joseph as signifying the butler's restoration in
three days to his former position of cup-bearer to the king; while the
chief baker's dream of the three baskets upon his head, out of which the
birds ate, was interpretated as signifying his execution in the same
length of time. Gen. 40. Pharaoh's dream of the seven fat kine and the
seven lean kine, also of the seven full ears and the seven thin ears,
signified seven years of plenty and seven years of famine. Gen. 41.
Again, the four divisions of King Nebuchadnezzar's wonderful image was
explained by Daniel as signifying four universal monarchies and the ten
toes as signifying the ten minor kingdoms which grew out of the fourth;
while the stone that was cut out of the mountain without human
intervention he interpreted as signifying the divine kingdom of God.
Dan. 2. The two-horned ram of Daniel's vision (chap. 8), according to
the explanation of the angel, symbolized the Medo-Persian empire, its
two horns signifying the two dynasties of allied kings that composed it.
The he-goat signified the Greco-Macedonian empire; his great horn, its
first mighty king; and the four horns that replaced the great one when
broken represented four kings under whom the empire would eventually be
divided into as many parts. In the Apocalypse itself we have a number of
symbols divinely interpreted, "The seven stars are the angels of the
seven churches." "The seven candle-sticks which thou sawest are the
seven churches." "The ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings." "The
waters which thou sawest ... are peoples, and multitudes, and nations,
and tongues." "The woman which thou sawest is that great city which
reigneth over the kings of the earth," etc.
It will be seen that the great underlying principle or _law_ upon which
symbolic language is based is ANALOGY. An object is chosen to represent
not itself, but something of analagous character.
Webster defines _symbol_ as follows: "The sign or representation of any
moral thing by the images or properties of natural things. Thus, a lion
is the _symbol_ of courage; the lamb is the _symbol_ of meekness or
patience." Home, in his Introduction to the Study of the Bible, says:
"By symbols we mean certain representative marks, rather than express
pictures; or, if pictures, such as were at the time _characters_, and
besides presenting to the eye the resemblance of a particular object,
suggested a general idea to the mind, as when a _horn_ was made to
denote _strength_, an _eye_ and _scepter, majesty_, and in numberless
such instances; where the picture was not drawn to express merely the
thing itself, but something else, which was, or was conceived to be,
analagous to it." The main idea, then, as expressed in the foregoing
definitions, is the representation of an object, not by a picture of
itself, but by something analagous, such as the exhibition of moral
qualities by images drawn from nature. But the use of symbols is not
confined to the representation of moral subjects alone. Anything may be
symbolized to which a corresponding analagous object can be found.
To establish the principle of analogy here laid down, it will be
necessary to refer only to a few of the numerous examples of divinely
interpreted symbols in the Scriptures. Any one can readily perceive the
analogy between the seven fat kine of Pharaoh's dream and as many years
of plenty; so, also, with the seven full, healthy ears that grew up on
seven stalks. Likewise, the analogy between the seven thin kine and as
many years of famine, and the seven thin, blasted ears that represented
the same thing, is apparent. One fat kine or one full ear would
symbolize one year of plenty, when crops were abundant; while seven
would represent as many distinct seasons of prosperity, etc. Kine do not
represent kine, but something analagous. The beasts of Daniel's visions
do not represent animals like themselves, or a multitude of such
animals, but something of analagous disposition. The analogy between a
wild, ferocious beast, stamping upon or devouring everything within its
reach, and a cruel, persecuting, tyrannical government is apparent. A
horn does not signify a horn, but some great power, such as a dynasty of
kings or rulers; and what the horn is to the animal in manifesting its
desolating disposition, kings and rulers are to an empire in executing
the persecuting or oppressive principles of the body politic. A pure,
chaste virgin is used to symbolize the true church of God; whereas a
corrupt harlot is chosen to represent an apostate church, and
fornication her idolatrous worship.
Although this principle is worthy of further elucidation, yet enough has
been said to firmly establish the point that symbolic language is
founded upon analogy. It is also clear that, whenever we attach a
literal signification to a symbolic object, we immediately destroy
entirely its use as a symbol. So we may accept it as one established
landmark in the interpretation of the Apocalypse, that every symbol,
regardless of the department from which it is taken--whether from the
material universe, the animal kingdom, human life or the heavenly
realm--stands as the representative, not of itself, but of some other
object of analagous character not found in the same department from
which it is drawn.
This develops another important fact worthy of attention. If the great
law of symbolic language is based upon analogy, it is clear to a
demonstration that the symbols employed _must be_ definitely applied.
They can not be arbitrary, as the words composing our spoken language
are. There is nothing in the nature of the thing to prevent our calling
a horse an elephant, provided we had only agreed universally to adopt
that designation of the animal referred to (arbitrary sounds can be
arbitrarily applied); but we violate nature when we attempt to make a
ferocious tiger the symbol of an innocent child, or represent a
blood-thirsty tyrant by the symbol of a lamb. A disgusting, polluted
harlot may be the proper symbol of an apostate church, but of the pure,
holy church of God--_never_. A proper correspondence must be kept up. We
must follow nature strictly.
Symbols are drawn from every department--from animate and inanimate
creation, from animal life and human life, from the visible universe
below and the heavenly world above, and also from some objects of fancy
to which there is no corresponding object in existence, such as Daniel's
four-headed beast, or the one in the Revelator's vision with seven heads
and ten horns; but in the selection of the same a proper correspondence
of quality is kept up. The symbols that are chosen to set forth the
great spiritual affairs of the church are such as are in themselves
nobler than those selected to describe the political affairs of kings
and empires, because in the divine estimation the church is of
infinitely greater importance and occupies a more honorable position
than worldly kingdoms. Thus, a beautiful virgin bride is chosen to
represent the church of God; whereas a great red dragon with seven heads
and ten horns is chosen to symbolize the Pagan Roman empire. The
glorious body of God's reformers is set forth under the symbol of an
angel from heaven, with his face as the sun, his feet as pillars of
fire, and a rainbow upon his head; whereas the Saracen warriors of
Mahomet are locusts upon the earth, with stings of scorpions. The
department of human and angelic life is chosen to set forth the
spiritual affairs of the church, while the department of nature and of
animal life represents the political affairs of nations. To this general
rule, there is at least one exception. Certain things connected with
God's chosen people under the old dispensation are considered proper
symbols to represent similar things or events in the New Testament
dispensation, without special regard to the department from which they
are drawn. Thus, the temple, altar, incense, candlesticks, holy city,
etc., of the former age, though not taken from the department of human
or angelic life, are, nevertheless, clearly used to represent affairs of
the church, the analogy in the case being apparent because of their
former prominence as connected with the Lord's covenant people.
Again, when the symbol selected is that of a living, active, intelligent
agent, it represents an analagous intelligent agent. Likewise, the
actions of the former plainly denote analagous actions in the latter,
and the effects produced by the actions of the symbolic agent signify
analagous effects produced by the actions of the agent symbolized. To
make it clearer: agents symbolize agents, actions symbolize actions, and
effects symbolize effects. If this be not true--if agents can symbolize
actions and effects as well as agents, or if actions can symbolize
agents and effects--then all is an inextricable maze of confusion, and
well may we repeat the words uttered by a certain minister to the
writer, "The book should have been called Mystification, not
Revelation."
The same principle of analogy is carried out in another particular.
Whenever the enemies of God or destructive agents are intended, objects
of a corresponding desolating character are chosen as their symbols;
whereas the peaceful triumphs of the cross, as exhibited by God's chosen
people, are described under symbols of an equally benign and gentle
character. Thus, the anti-christian, persecuting power of Rome is
described as a ferocious wild beast, stamping everything beneath its
feet and spreading desolation on every side. The Vandal hordes of
Northern barbarians, who, under Genseric overran the Western Roman
empire early in the fifth century, are symbolized by a volcanic mountain
cast into the sea and spreading its streams of molten lava in every
direction. The fearful pest of Mohammedanism is a dense smoke issuing
from the bottomless pit and darkening the heavens. The Saracens of
Mahomet are swarms of locusts appearing upon the earth, with scorpion
stings, tormenting men five months, or, prophetically, one hundred and
fifty years. On the other hand, a church is a candle-stick; its pastor,
a beautiful star; the whole church, a virgin bride; the glorious
assembly of God's reformers, a rainbow angel, etc.
From the foregoing it will be seen that symbols are not words, but
things, chosen because of some analagous resemblance to represent other
things; and by a careful study of the nature of the symbols themselves
we can ascertain where to look for their fulfilment. In the present work
no attempt has been made to prove the interpretations given merely by
the authority of learned names (for they can be arrayed on every side of
a passage), but the nature of the symbols themselves has been developed;
and the reader will be able to judge how nearly the known laws of
symbolic language have been followed.
It will be necessary, however, to notice another exception to the rules
given, although it can scarcely be said to form an exception--it rather
proves the very position taken. Undoubtedly, there are some few objects
whose nature forbids their symbolization, there being no object in
existence of analagous character that can be chosen as their
representative. God, evidently, can not be symbolized; for where is the
individual in heaven or on earth that can stand as his representative?
"To whom then will ye liken God? or what likeness will ye compare unto
him?" Isa. 40:18. Man can not represent him, angels can not; for
whenever they appear on the panoramic scene, they denote distinguished
agencies among men. There may be certain symbols connected with his
person, setting forth his divine attributes and proclaiming the eternal
majesty of his name; but he himself is described as "One sitting upon a
throne," before whom the created intelligences of earth and heaven fall
down and worship unceasingly, but no symbol of Him is given. The same
exception also applies to the person of Jesus, our Savior and Redeemer.
While the human aspect of the Savior, as exhibited during the
incarnation in his sacrificial death, may be properly symbolized by a
lamb, as in chap. V, there is no created intelligence in God's great
universe that can be chosen to represent, in his true, essential
divinity, Him who does not deem it robbery to claim equality with God.
There may, likewise, be certain symbols connected with his person to
give us at least a faint impression of his divine character and infinite
majesty; yet when he appears upon the symbolic scene, he distinctly
announces, "I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was
dead; and, behold, I am alive forevermore." "He hath on his vesture and
on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS." So
whenever the divine Christ appears on the symbolic scene, he comes in
his own person, proclaiming his own name, and we need look for no symbol
of him.
Upon the opening of the fifth seal, the souls of the martyrs are
represented as crying unto God from the altar for the avenging of their
blood on those who dwell on the earth. Where is there an object in all
creation analagous to a disembodied spirit? None can be found. It is
easy to give them an arbitrary name; therefore they appear in the
Revelation under their own appropriate title, as "the _souls_ of them
that were slain." Chap. 6:9, 10, also 20:4.
This exception applies to every case where no corresponding object can
be selected as a symbol. Where the nature of the subject forbids its
symbolization, there the description must of necessity be literal, and
all such objects appear under their own appropriate titles. Otherwise,
we are to look upon the entire book of Revelation as a vast collection
of symbols whose interpretation is to be found, not in the department
from which they are taken, but in another, to which they bear a certain
analagous resemblance.
Although not pertaining strictly to the subject of symbolic language,
yet a word respecting the plan of the prophecy will be appropriate at
this time. The prophetic events are not arranged after the ordinary plan
of histories, narrating all the contemporaneous events in a given
period, whether civil, religious, literary, scientific, or biographical,
thus finishing up the history of that period; but it consists of a
number of distinct themes running over the same ground. The proof of
this assertion will appear as we proceed with the development of the
prophecies.
May the wisdom of heaven direct us in the perusal of this wonderful book
of Revelation, and may we at last be "accounted worthy to obtain that
world," and the glorious privilege of rendering eternal praise to "Him
that sitteth upon the throne," "upholding all things by the word of his
power," "declaring the end from the beginning," and revealing his mighty
works unto the children of men.
CHAPTER I.
The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to show
unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he
sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:
2. Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of
Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw.
3. Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of
this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein:
for the time is at hand.
This book of the Revelation is frequently styled the Apocalypse, derived
from the word by which it is designated in Greek. Jesus Christ having
received it from God, its author, designed it for the future benefit of
his church, and communicated it to his servants by the hand of the
beloved apostle John. Its character is described by its title
"Revelation," which signifies something revealed or made known; and its
object was to "show unto his servants things which must shortly come to
pass." This object of God's in delivering the Revelation to his church
should be a sufficient refutation of the popular theory that this book
is unintelligible, and its varied symbols wrapped in such deep mystery
that their meaning can not be evolved; for it is not consonant with the
supreme power and wisdom of the God-head to suppose that, in making a
revelation to man, he would make the fatal mistake of clothing his
language with a mystery that defies the intellect of mortals to unveil.
It is said of the things herein revealed that they "must shortly come to
pass," by which is meant not that they were all to be completely
fulfilled within a short time, but that the series of special events
predicted were soon to begin. Thus, we speak of a century or eternity as
near at hand, by which we mean that the events of the period spoken of
are about to commence, although the end of the series may be very far
off.
But who are "his servants"? For whose benefit was the Revelation given?
Surely it was for all those who become children of God by faith in
Christ Jesus, from the beginning of the gospel dispensation when it was
given, until the end of time; for a benediction is pronounced upon _all_
those who read and hear its prophecies and "keep those things which are
written therein." It was this promised blessing unto the earnest
inquirers into the truths of Revelation that enabled the writer to
decide to give these prophecies the consideration that is justly their
due, and to recognize their infinite importance to the present church;
"for the time is at hand" that will close the series of events herein
predicted and usher in eternity. Every fulfilment of prophecy brings
with it new duties, and enjoins fresh responsibilities upon the people
of God; yea, "every revolving century, every closing year, adds to the
urgency with which attention is challenged to the concluding portion of
Holy Writ." Daniel prophetically described some of the events contained
also in the Apocalypse, but he was told to shut up the words and seal
the book _until_ the time of the end, when "many shall run to and fro,
and knowledge shall be increased."
It has been a matter of conjecture as to who the angel or messenger was
that Christ sent to deliver the prophecies to John. Some suppose it to
have been Gabriel, because of his having been a chosen instrument to
deliver similar prophecies to Daniel. Some think it was Elijah, he
having been translated that he should not see death, and afterwards
appearing on the mount of transfiguration. Others think it was one of
the redeemed sons of earth; because afterward, when rejecting the
worship John was about to tender him, he says, "See thou do it not: I am
thy fellow-servant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of
Jesus: worship God." Chaps. 19:10; 22:9. But we can not identify this
messenger positively, as no definite information is given. To these
revelations received John bore a faithful record of all things that he
_saw_, implying the fact that they passed in vision before him and he
beheld them as in a picture.
4. JOHN to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto
you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is
to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne;
5. And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the
first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the
earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in
his own blood,
6. And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father;
to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
7. Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him,
and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth
shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.
8. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the
Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the
Almighty.
The Apocalypse opens with the salutation of John to the seven churches
in Asia, unto whom it was particularly addressed, and for whom special
messages were prepared. There were other congregations of the church of
God in Asia, or Asia Minor, besides the seven to whom the Revelation was
sent, such as Colosse, Miletus, Troas, etc. Why only seven were
addressed, we do not know, unless it be that the number seven is used,
as elsewhere in the Sacred Volume, to denote fulness or completeness,
being, as has been said, "a kind of memorial of the great facts of the
first seven days of time which have divided all ages into cycles of
weeks." So when we read of Christ's walking in the midst of the seven
churches, we are to understand that he is in all the congregations of
his people; and the ministers of the seven churches who are upheld by
the Lord himself are representative, in one important sense at least, of
the entire Christian ministry; for Christ has promised to be with them
alway "even unto the end of the world." Mat. 28:20.
This salutation of John's is one of great beauty and splendor, setting
forth, as it does, the divine attributes of the great Jehovah in a
striking manner as he "which is, and which was, and which is to come,"
an expression embracing eternity and designating the eternal,
unchangeable God. The seven spirits before his throne describe the third
person in the Trinity, as will appear clearer hereafter, seven being
used as a sacred or perfect number designating his dignity and
excellence. Some have supposed that seven angelic spirits were here
described; but it is not consistent with the honor due the God-head to
suppose that created intelligences should be exalted to a plane of
equality with the supreme Deity. Moreover, they would probably have been
described as seven _angels_, and not as seven _spirits_.
Jesus Christ is mentioned next and more fully described, he being the
direct author of the Revelation. He is "the first begotten of the dead,
the prince of the kings of the earth," and the one "that loved us, and
washed us from our sins in his own blood." The statement that Christ is
the "first-begotten of the dead," is parallel to similar expressions in
the Bible, where he is declared to be "the first-fruits of them that
slept," "and the first-born from the dead." Though others had been
restored to life before the resurrection of Christ, yet he was the first
to rise with an immortal, glorified body. These expressions may also
denote that Christ was the chief or central figure among all those who
arose. But it was by virtue of his coming and of his victory over death
that any were enabled to rise before his resurrection, as in the mind
and purpose of God, who "calleth those things which be not as though
they were" (Rom. 4:17), Christ was ordained to die and rise again, from
the foundation of the world. He is the "prince of the kings of the
earth" by virtue of his being exalted to the right hand of God, with
"angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him." 1 Pet.
3:22. "Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion,
and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that
which is to come." Eph. 1:21.
"Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,"
describes the great atonement work of Jesus Christ, by which we are
cleansed from all sin and made a royal, kingly priesthood unto God even
in this world. Every soul that has received the blessed experience John
here describes will be able to appreciate the unbounded rapture the
beloved apostle felt in the contemplation of this wonderful theme of
redemption that caused him to ascribe to God, its author, "glory and
dominion forever and ever."
This Jesus is he who will come again, not in humiliation and suffering,
but in glory and honor; not as a Lamb to shed his blood for the sins of
the world, but as the Lion of the tribe of Juda, with infinite power and
majesty, causing all the kindreds of earth to wail because of him. The
blasphemous Jews, who clamored for his crucifixion; Pilate, who
delivered him up; and the Roman soldiery, who drove the nails and
pierced his side, producing a death of greatest ignominy--all will see
him when he comes. But while the proud enemies of God and the cruel
oppressors of his saints are overwhelmed with terror at the sight of His
person, the saints of all ages will shout for joy, saying, "Even so.
Amen." "The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether." In
the face of this awful truth, how dare men assert that the second advent
will usher in a thousand years of peace and tranquility, during which
time the wicked will lie in their graves, when God's word declares that
_every eye_ shall see him when he comes?
The present description of Christ closes with the statement that he is
the Alpha and the Omega, which, being the first and last letters of the
Greek alphabet, mean the same as "the beginning and the ending"; while
the whole concludes with the statement that he is the one "which is, and
which was, and which is to come, the Almighty"--which is the same as the
description given of God in verse 4. Nothing in addition to this could
be ascribed to Christ. Every attribute with which the Deity himself is
invested is here ascribed to Jesus Christ. If our Savior is anything
more than this description declares him to be, it is beyond the reach of
our finite minds to comprehend. The sacred writers everywhere speak of
him as a being worthy of worship and praise; and this fact, taken in
connection with the universal proneness of men to take the honor from
God and to give it to those who are no gods, is a convincing proof that
Christ is God and, as such, is worthy of all honor and praise; and
nowhere is there given in regard to Christ a warning caution such as
John received from the angel at whose feet he fell to worship--"See thou
do it not ... worship God."
9. I John, who also am your brother, and companion in
tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ,
was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and
for the testimony of Jesus Christ.
10. I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a
great voice, as of a trumpet,
11. Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and,
What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven
churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and
unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto
Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.
At the time the Revelation was given, John was a prisoner in the Isle of
Patmos (now called Patmo or Patino), a small, desolate, rocky island in
the Aegean sea, near the coast of Asia Minor, its greatest length from
north to south being about ten miles, and its greatest breadth six. To
this lonely place, according to Jerome and others, John was exiled
during the reign of the tyrant Domitian, in A.D. 95. The reason of his
banishment is given--"For the word of God, and for the testimony of
Jesus Christ." Having confined him to this barren spot, the emperor no
doubt thought he had effectually cleared the world of this preacher of
righteousness. Doubtless the persecutors of John Bunyan[2] thought the
same when they had him shut up in Bedford jail. But when men think the
truth is dead and buried out of sight, God suddenly gives it a
resurrection with thirty-fold greater glory. It was so in this case. The
giving of the book of Revelation--the writing on this spot of the
history of the church in advance--has changed the name of this rocky
island from deepest infamy to one of sacred interest and holy
recollections. The death of Domitian occurred in A.D. 96, and his
successor, the humane Nerva, recalled those who had been exiled because
of their faithfulness to Christianity; and John returned to Ephesus,
where he spent the remainder of his days, dying a natural death at the
advanced age of about one hundred years.
[Footnote 2: John Bunyan (1628-1688) was a Puritan. After the
restoration of the Stuarts to the throne, at the close of the English
Revolution and the failure of the Commonwealth, he was imprisoned for
twelve years "on account of non-conformity to the established worship."
It was during this dreary confinement that he wrote his "Pilgrim's
Progress," the most admirable allegory in English literature.]
The humble manner in which John speaks of himself is affectionate. He
does not represent himself to the churches as some great apostle or
prophet, but as "your brother and companion in tribulation," a sharer
with them in the trials and the persecutions that they were all called
upon to endure. He also testified that he was "in the kingdom and
patience of Christ," of which we will speak more hereafter.
It was on the first day of the week, or the Lord's day, that the vision
recorded in this chapter was given John, while he was "in the Spirit,"
or under the influence of the spirit of prophecy. He was commanded to
write in a book the things that he saw and to send it unto the seven
churches of Asia. It is important to bear in mind the fact that these
visions are things that John _saw_, all the actors and events passing
before him as a moving panorama--the most stupendous scene that human
eyes have ever beheld, containing the future political history of
various nations and kingdoms and also the history of the church in her
different phases from the beginning until the final consummation. Of the
seven churches we will speak more particularly hereafter.
12. And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being
turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks;
13. And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the
Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt
about the paps with a golden girdle.
14. His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as
snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire;
15. And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a
furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.
16. And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his
mouth went a sharp two-edged sword: and his countenance was as
the sun shineth in his strength.
17. And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid
his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first
and the last:
18. I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive
for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.
The hieroglyphic, or symbolic, characters now begin. Turning in the
direction from which the voice came, John saw seven beautiful
candle-sticks and standing in their midst, a personage whose appearance
was inexpressibly glorious. John had recognized the voice of Christ
announcing "I am the first and the last," but he was not prepared for
the sight that met his gaze when he turned and found himself in the
immediate presence of his August Majesty, the Son of God. A human form
was there, but clothed in such vestments as proclaimed God; and no
wonder mortality was overwhelmed when ushered into the presence of the
uncreated Deity--he whose feet glowed as brass in a furnace, whose eyes
were as a flame of fire, and whose voice was as the sound of many
waters. Any man would have fallen as dead before such a personage as is
here described. Men may talk atheism, but it is the atheism of the lips
and of a coward heart, an atheism that would flee appalled before the
burning footsteps of the Deity, and the irresistible conclusion would
be, "It is God himself."
John was not left in doubt regarding the identity of this personage;
for, laying his hand upon the prostrate form of the apostle, he said,
"Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was
dead; and, behold, I am alive forevermore, Amen; and have the keys of
hell and of death." The ever-living One entered death's domains and
permitted himself to be bound with chains; but at his pleasure he broke
them asunder, conquered death, and rose triumphant, carrying with him
the keys of hell and of death; and he has ascended on high, alive
forevermore; and at his voice all the dead will arise at his appearing,
for the grave can no longer hold its victims.
This vision settles an important fact--that when Christ appears upon the
panoramic scene, he comes in his own person, and not in the character of
a created substitute. There may be symbols connected with his
person--the sword of his mouth may signify vengeance upon his enemies;
his eyes as a flame of fire, superior intelligence and penetrating
vision, etc.--but he distinctly announces himself to be the Christ of
God. There is no creature in the universe that could personate "him that
liveth, and was dead, but is alive forevermore."
19. Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which
are, and the things which shall be hereafter;
20. The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right
hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the
angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which
thou sawest are the seven churches.
Here John received a special commission to write the things of the
future that were to be given, the things that were then taking place,
and also certain events which had come under his personal observation
during his life-time, and which were also included in the symbolic
visions, thus covering the entire gospel dispensation.
The special symbols employed in this introductory vision are here
explained by Christ himself, thus leaving us in no doubt whatever. A
star is a fit symbol of the position of a Christian minister--set in the
church to give the light of the gospel of Jesus Christ to the world;
while a candle-stick fitly represents the congregation working with him
and sustaining him in his position. The special power of
Christ--symbolized by his right hand--is manifested in upholding his
ministers, while he walks in the midst of his churches, ready with the
sword of his mouth to defend them from the attacks of their adversaries
and to prove their constant Guardian and Protector.
CHAPTER II.
Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things
saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who
walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;
2. I know thy works, and thy labor, and thy patience, and how
thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried
them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found
them liars:
3. And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake
hast labored, and hast not fainted.
4. Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast
left thy first love.
5. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent,
and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly,
and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou
repent.
6. But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the
Nicolaitanes, which I also hate.
7. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto
the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the
tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.
The special messages to the seven churches of Asia Minor are not of such
thrilling interest as are the symbolic visions of the remainder of the
book, yet we can learn many beneficial lessons from the various
experiences of these congregations.
At the time the Revelation was given, Ephesus was the chief capital of
Proconsular Asia and its pride and glory. It was also that country's
chief mart of idolatry, containing, as it did, the magnificent temple of
Diana, which is reckoned as one of the seven wonders of the world. This
temple, according to the disclosures of modern excavations, was four
hundred and eighteen feet in length, and two hundred and thirty-nine in
width, with one hundred beautiful external pillars of Parian marble,
each a single shaft about fifty-six feet high. The city was proud of the
title it had received, "Servant of the Goddess," and even the Roman
emperors vied with wealthy natives in lavishing gifts to her. One of the
latter, named Vibius Salutaris, presented a large quantity of gold and
silver images to be carried annually in procession.
In this proud, wealthy, idolatrous city the apostle Paul planted a
Christian church, and the great inroads the gospel made into the
prevalent system of idolatry is shown by one circumstance mentioned in
the Book of Acts. "And many that believed came, and confessed, and
showed their deeds. Many of them also which used curious arts brought
their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted
the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver. So
mightily grew the word of God and prevailed." Acts 19:18-20. Fifty
thousand pieces of silver would be equal to ten thousand dollars' worth,
or, according to some estimates, six times that amount. But ten thousand
dollars' worth of books on incantation and magic alone destroyed,
considering the scarcity of books in that day, shows the wondrous extent
to which the gospel had been accepted. This was made the occasion of a
great tumult in the city, when one, Demetrius, seeing that the prestige
of Diana was diminishing, stirred up the people of the city against Paul
and his companions, and cried vehemently, "Great is Diana of the
Ephesians!" The souvenir silver shrines and images of this goddess,
which had been in such demand by the multitudes of people constantly
visiting the city, were no longer sought for when the knowledge of the
one true God was made known; and well might Demetrius and his
fellow-craftsmen be alarmed as their means of wealth disappeared.
The spiritual condition of this church in Paul's time is worthy of
notice; for it presents a striking contrast with its condition at the
time when the special message of the Revelation was addressed to it.
Paul in his epistle to the Ephesians taught them the glorious doctrine
of entire sanctification (chap. 5:25-27), and they had received the
experience; for he gives them the express command, "Grieve not the holy
Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption." Chap.
4:30. And again, "After that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy
Spirit of promise." Chap. 1:13. Their ministers, also, had been placed
in their position by authority of the Holy Ghost, and were commanded to
feed the flock. See Acts 20:28. When this was their heavenly experience,
their "first works" of patience, love, and perseverance, were acceptable
unto Christ; but it was not their present condition. A sad declension
had taken place; therefore the declaration, "I have somewhat against
thee, because thou hast left thy first love." This was no mere human
estimate placed upon their piety, but it was their condition as Christ
himself knew it to be. He "who walketh in the midst of the seven golden
candlesticks," and knoweth the hearts of all men, declared they had
fallen, and commanded them to repent and to do the first works. How sad
that a congregation which had one time enjoyed the fulness of God's
favor should fall from grace and be threatened with destruction by the
Lord himself! But there is one consolation to be obtained from the
experience of this church, and that is, that even if persons have
enjoyed an experience of pardon and of sanctification and have lost it,
there is a possibility of their recovering the favor of God, provided
they "repent, and do the first works."
But Christ, who in chapter 1:5 is said to be "the faithful witness,"
will not overlook anything that is good, nor censure a congregation
unjustly. He finds in this church one fact worthy of commendation--their
abhorrence of the deeds of the Nicolaitans. The infamous practises
attributed to this party are promiscuous sexual intercourse and the
eating of things sacrificed to idols. It is said to have derived its
name from Nicolas, a proselyte of Antioch, who was one of the seven
deacons appointed by the church at Jerusalem, Acts 6:5. But there is no
satisfactory evidence that Nicolas was its founder; and it is the belief
of many, that the sect attributed their origin to him simply to gain the
prestige of his name. However, its mention in this connection is
sufficient proof that at this time those corrupt principles had been
widely promulgated.
The letter closes with an admonition and a promise--an admonition to
give heed to the things uttered by the Spirit, and a promise of
everlasting life to the overcomer. This shows that Christ does not
approve or condemn indiscriminately. If the great mass of professors
continue in their backslidden condition, the individual that gives heed
to God's Word and is made an overcomer will have a right to "the tree of
life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God."
What, may we ask, has been the fate of this church against which Christ
uttered the threat of removal? There is no proof that they gave heed to
the exhortation to repent, and the candle-stick has long since been
taken away. Not a vestige of a church remains to mark the site of this
once important congregation; nay, the city itself is no more, the stork,
the jackal, and a few miserable Turkish huts alone remaining on the site
of this once proud metropolis where thousands congregated and cried,
"Great is Diana of the Ephesians!"
8. And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These
things saith the first and the last which was dead, and is
alive;
9. I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art
rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews,
and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.
10. Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold,
the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be
tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful
unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.
11. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto
the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second
death.
Smyrna was situated on a bay of the Aegean Sea, its beautiful harbor
rendering it from time immemorial one of the most important commercial
cities of Asia Minor. History does not inform us when the gospel was
first introduced in this city; but at a very early date a large
congregation existed there, with the venerable Polycarp as its pastor.
He suffered death by martyrdom under the reign of Marcus Aurelius about
A.D. 167.
In each of the seven letters to the churches Christ introduces himself
by some appellation significant of the character he assumes toward them.
In this he styles himself "the first and the last, which was dead, and
is alive," a fact very important for that congregation to remember
during the great seasons of persecution and oppression through which
they were to be called to pass.
Against this church Christ has no words of condemnation to utter; all is
encouragement and promise. Their condition of poverty is mentioned. It
is probable that this very poverty arose because of their accepting
Christianity and taking joyfully the spoiling of their goods; for it is
a well-known fact that, when individuals embrace Christianity in an
idolatrous land, they are disinherited by parents, cast out by
relatives, and denied public employment. Even the community refuses to
associate with them or to render them assistance in any form. Their
means of subsistence is thus cut off, and they are harassed in every
possible manner. Perhaps this is the very trial of poverty the church of
Smyrna passed through; but Christ declares that they are rich: yea, God
hath "chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the
kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him." Jas. 2:5. Their
enemies may think that they have reduced them to a condition of
wretchedness, but in this the persecutors are mistaken. God says the
righteous are rich. A certain writer has remarked, "There is many a rich
poor man, and many a poor rich man."
The blasphemy of opposing, self-styled Jews is next mentioned. In all
probability the term _Jew_ is applied in its spiritual sense. Paul
declares that "he is not a Jew which is one outwardly ... but he is a
Jew which is one inwardly" (Rom. 2:28, 29), and that "if ye be Christ's,
then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." Gal.
3:29. These persons professed to belong to the true "Israel of God"
(Gal. 6:16), but they were without salvation; and the Smyrnaen church
would not recognize them as belonging to the congregation, and therefore
the only name that could be applied to them was "the synagogue of
Satan." Had they been tolerated in the assembly of the righteous, Christ
would have condemned or rebuked the church for not performing their
duty, the same as he did the churches of Pergamos and Thyatira.
Great persecutions for the church of Smyrna are predicted; but he "which
was dead, and is alive forevermore," having passed through the ordeal of
suffering and death himself, stands in a position to speak words of
comfort and consolation, assuring them in the strongest terms that,
although wicked men and the devil may cast them into prison and
persecute them unto the death, yet "he that overcometh shall not be hurt
of the second death." The overcomers are of the number of those who,
having had "part in the first resurrection, on such the second death
hath no power." Chap. 20:6. The ten days doubtless are prophetic time
(which will be explained later) and signify ten years, which was
probably fulfilled in the terrible persecution that began under the
reign of Diocletian, and continued ten years, or from A.D. 302 to 312.
The subsequent history of Smyrna has been different from that of
Ephesus, in that it has retained its name and importance until the
present day, being the greatest commercial city in the Levant. It has a
population of more than two hundred thousand, several thousand of whom
belong to the Greek and Armenian churches. The light there has become
dimmed, but let us pray that God will soon remember the faith and
perseverance of his ancient servants and again trim the lamps that once
shone so brightly.
12. And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These
things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges;
13. I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where
Satan's seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not
denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my
faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.
14. But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast
there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to
cast a stumbling-block before the children of Israel, to eat
things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.
15. So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the
Nicolaitanes, which thing I hate.
16. Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will
fight against them with the sword of my mouth.
17. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto
the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the
hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone
a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that
receiveth it.
Pergamos was a city of considerable importance, the ancient metropolis
of the province of Mysia and the residence of the Attalian kings.
The description here given of Christ is in accordance with the character
of the church addressed and the work he found necessary to perform in
it. They are said to be located "where Satan's seat is." Pergamos was a
city reputed to be "sacred to the gods" and was one of the headquarters
of idolatry. There are numerous such cities now among the Hindoos and
other idolatrous nations. These cities are regarded with peculiar
veneration and sanctity, and they contain the most honored temples. In
the midst of such surroundings the influences against Christianity would
be very great.
The congregation is commended because of its loyalty and steadfastness
during a period of persecution in which Antipas was slain. When this
persecution occurred, we are not informed; and as to the identity of
Antipas, we are also left in uncertainty. Some suppose him to have been
the elder of the church.
Christ censures them severely, however, for tolerating persons in their
midst who held the doctrine of Balaam and the pernicious sentiments of
the Nicolaitans, and he threatens to fight against them with the sword
of his mouth unless they repent. The doctrine of Balaam is partly
explained--he "taught Balak to cast a stumbling-block before the
children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit
fornication." When Balak desired Balaam to pronounce a curse against
Israel, God by various means miraculously prevented Balaam's doing so;
but Balaam craftily instructed Balak to make use of the women of Moab to
seduce the men of Israel to sacrifice to their idols and to indulge in
the licentious accompaniments to such idolatry. In many places in
heathen countries to-day vile women are attached to the temples of the
gods, and at certain stated feasts licentiousness becomes a sanctioned
part of the religious celebration. Balaam's plan was successful. God was
displeased with Israel, and because of this fornication there fell in
one day twenty-four thousand. For a full account see Num. 22-25;
31:13-17.
It would appear that the doctrine of Balaam and the doctrine of the
Nicolaitans were classed as two different heresies; but the corrupt
tenets of the latter were identical with those of the former, and the
probable meaning is, "As the Hebrews had Balaamites among them; so,
likewise, you have among you the Nicolaitans teaching the same
pernicious doctrines." It is also a singular fact that the Hebrew
signification of Balaam and the Greek of Nicolas is the same--"subduer
of the people." Thus the doctrine of Balaam would stand as a
representation of the principles taught by the Nicolaitans.
The letter to this church also closes with an exhortation and a promise.
Hidden manna and a white stone in which is inscribed a new name are
rewarded the overcomer. The interpretations of this white stone have
been various, but the difficulty seems to lie in determining which
ancient custom is meant. The most satisfactory to my mind is that
contained in the following account by Mr. Blunt:
"In primitive times, when traveling was rendered difficult from want of
places of public entertainment, hospitality was exercised by private
individuals to a very great extent, of which, indeed, we find frequent
traces in all history, and in none more than in the Old Testament.
Persons who partook of this hospitality, and those who practised it,
frequently contracted habits of friendship and regard for each other,
and it became a well-established custom among the Greeks and Romans to
provide their guests with some particular mark, which was handed down
from father to son, and insured hospitality and kind treatment whenever
it was presented. This mark was usually a small stone or pebble, cut in
halves, upon each of which the host and the guest mutually inscribed
their names, and then interchanged with each other. The production of
these stones was quite sufficient to insure friendship for themselves or
descendants whenever they traveled again in the same direction; while it
is evident that these stones required to be privately kept, and the
names written upon them carefully concealed, lest others should obtain
the privileges instead of the persons for whom they were intended." So
those who have obtained salvation and are overcomers through the blood
have received the sure pledge of Christ's eternal friendship (which
those who know not God can not receive) and are invited to partake of
all of his hospitalities, even to "eat of the hidden manna," which is
experienced by the truly sanctified.
18. And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These
things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame
of fire, and his feet are like fine brass;
19. I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and
thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the
first.
20. Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because
thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a
prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit
fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.
21. And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she
repented not.
22. Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit
adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of
their deeds.
23. And I will kill her children with death; and all the
churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and
hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your
works.
24. But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many
as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths
of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden.
25. But that which ye have already hold fast till I come.
26. And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end,
to him will I give power over the nations:
27. And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of
a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of
my Father.
28. And I will give him the morning star.
29. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto
the churches.
To this congregation Christ manifests himself in the character of him
"who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet like fine
brass," denoting the fact that he is the great discerner of all hearts
and that he is able to render unto every man according to his deeds.
Whether the expression, "his feet like fine brass," has any particular
signification, I am unable to say.
This letter opens with a commendation of the works, the charity, the
service, and the faith of this church. In these things they had made
considerable advancement. Nevertheless, Christ had something against
them, because they had suffered "that woman Jezebel" to teach false
doctrines and to seduce the servants of Christ to compromise with
idolatry and to commit fornication. It is improbable that Jezebel was
her real name; but she was a Jezebel in character, named in this letter
after King Ahab's wicked wife, who killed the Lord's prophets, seduced
her husband into idolatry, and fed the priests of Baal at her own table.
Some have supposed that this appellation designated a number or class of
people teaching these doctrines; but the manner in which "her children,"
or disciples, are spoken of would seem rather to point out a particular
woman--one who was a leader and the chief instrument of mischief.
The long-suffering of Christ had been manifested in this case. He had
given her an opportunity to repent of her evil deeds, but she would not.
Now he declares that he will cause his judgments to descend upon her and
her followers. By casting her into a bed is doubtless meant that he
would bring her down upon a bed of sickness and pain and thus make her a
most distressing object. Her partners in sin were to suffer "great
tribulation," and "her children," or disciples, he would kill with
death, or deadly pestilence. Thus would this whole corrupt party be
visited with divine judgments according to their works; while their
great pretensions to wisdom and discernment, "as they speak," or as they
term it, will be shown to be nothing but the "depths of Satan."
The frequent references to these gross sins in the letters to the
churches may seem a little strange to us in the altered circumstances of
society in which we live; but when we consider the tone of public
sentiment and the prevalence of idolatry at that time, it will be seen
that the lapse into these sins was very easy. Some compromised with the
heathen by joining in their idolatrous feasts, maintaining that the meat
was not affected one way or the other, and this proved but a
stepping-stone to the licentious principles and the corrupt practises of
those with whom they thus associated.
The remainder of this letter is full of encouragement to the faithful.
The only burden Christ placed upon them was a severe censure because
they tolerated that abominable party in their midst. They were exhorted
to continue faithful and were promised power over the nations. These
they should rule with a rod of iron, the same as Christ, who received
this power from his Father. The law, or rod, with which Christ, and his
people with him, as _kings_ and priests, rule the nations is the word of
God, the most unyielding law, based upon the greatest authority, ever
written. "Let the saints be joyful in glory ... let the high praises of
God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand; to execute
vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people; to bind
their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; to
execute upon them the _judgments written_: this honor have _all his
saints_." Psa. 149:5-9.
CHAPTER III.
And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things
saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven
stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest,
and art dead.
2. Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are
ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.
3. Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold
fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come
on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will
come upon thee.
4. Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled
their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they
are worthy.
5. He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white
raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of
life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before
his angels.
6. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto
the churches.
Sardis was one of the chief cities of western Asia Minor. It was
beautifully situated on the river Pactolus, in the middle Hermus valley,
at the foot of Mount Tmolus, and was once the capital of the kingdom of
Lydia, the place of residence of Croesus and other Lydian kings. It was
a city of great opulence and splendor, and "distinguished for the
voluptuous and debauched manners of its inhabitants."
To this church Christ introduces himself as "he that hath the seven
Spirits of God, and the seven stars"--that is, he has control of the
Holy Spirit's agency and of his ministers. Thus, the great spiritual
agencies of the church are in his keeping to bestow or to take away as
he pleases. Considering the dead condition of this church of Sardis, it
was very appropriate for Christ thus to address himself to them. He has
no words of commendation to offer, no works of charity, service, faith,
and patience of which to approve. They had works, but these were not
"perfect before God." They were threatened with sudden visitation, as
unexpected as a thief breaking in unawares upon the slumbering inmates
of a dwelling in the still hours of night. Their condition was different
from that of any of the churches before mentioned. They are not charged
with such vile practises as prevailed at Pergamus and Thyatira, the
doctrine of the Nicolaitans had gained no foothold among them, yet their
works were not perfect. "Thou hast a name that thou livest, and are
_dead_." They had maintained the external form of religion, but the
vital power of godliness was lacking.
Although Christ could not commend this church as a body, on account of
their lack of spirituality, yet he testified, "Thou hast a few names
even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments." In the midst of
all the cold formalism of professors and surrounded by worldliness and
iniquity, a few preserved their Christian integrity and were approved by
the Lord. "Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this
... to keep himself unspotted from the world." Jas. 1:27. All such
overcomers have the promise of being clothed in white raiment ("the
righteousness of saints "--chap. 19:8) and of having their names
preserved in the "book of life" in heaven and confessed before the
Father and the holy angels. Wondrous admission into the heavenly realm!
Presented to the Father and the innumerable hosts of heaven _by the
Lord, himself_, there, amid sacred environments, to enjoy the
transcendent felicity of eternal blessedness! "They are worthy," saith
Christ.
Although this church was threatened with sudden visitation, there is no
hint given of the manner in which this should be fulfilled, for the
reason, perhaps, that it might be all the more unexpected. The church
has long since passed out of existence. The city itself has lain in
ruins for centuries, the modern village of Sart composed of a few huts
inhabited by semi-nomadic Yuruks alone remaining near the ancient site.
Cattle now graze on grassy plains once traversed by streets and thronged
with the inhabitants of this superb metropolis.
7. And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These
things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the
key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and
shutteth, and no man openeth;
8. I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open
door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength,
and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.
9. Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say
they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them
to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have
loved thee.
10. Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will
keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all
the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.
11. Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that
no man take thy crown.
12. Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my
God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the
name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new
Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God, and I
will write upon him my new name.
13. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto
the churches.
Philadelphia was once a large and powerful city, and it continued thus
until later times. Prior to the time the Revelation was written, it had
suffered severely from repeated earthquakes, which caused it to be
almost deserted by its inhabitants. Subsequently, however, it recovered
and became a prosperous, influential city.
The character Christ assumes toward this church is that of the Holy and
True--one who will justly reward them for their patience and
perseverance--and by virtue of his possessing the key of David (a symbol
of power and authority), he is able to place before them an open door
which no man can shut.
The character of this church is wholly unlike that of the preceding. In
that, there was nothing to commend, but much to condemn; whereas to
this, all is admonition, encouragement, and promise, because they had
"kept the word of his patience" and had not denied his name. Christ knew
their works and that they were worthy of approval. They still possessed
"a little strength" and had not denied his name.
Christ, who always upholds and rewards his faithful followers, although
they be few in number and constitute the despised of earth, was not
unrighteous that he should overlook this humble congregation of devoted
disciples that had kept his word, but he made them a number of special
promises _because_ of their faith and perseverance. The first was the
assurance that he had set before them an open door which no man could
shut. A door is a means either of entrance or of escape, and signifies
that God was going to open before them a greater field of enlargement
and success, or else would furnish them a sure means of escape and
protection from their cruel and relentless persecutors. It will be
remembered that the church of Smyrna also received nothing but
commendation and encouragement; but there was no promise of an open door
to them. On the contrary, they were told that they should be tried, cast
into prison, and suffer tribulation ten days. They were comforted,
however, with a certain assurance of future reward and a crown of
everlasting life. But before the church of Philadelphia there was opened
a scene of greater prosperity, deliverance from enemies, greater
enlargement, and the glorious prospect of seeing multitudes of souls
brought under the influence of the saving gospel of Christ.
The next promise was that of deliverance from opposing Jews, who were to
be humbled before them. This refers, doubtless, to persons who had a
mere profession of Christianity and who were not recognized by the
congregation--the same as the blaspheming Jews of Smyrna. The
faithfulness of God's elect would eventually be the means of bringing
them back to an experience of salvation, so that they would worship in
the midst of the church again.
Another promise to this congregation was, "I also will keep thee from
the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world." Some
dreadful calamity is here predicted, during which the power of God would
be mercifully manifested in granting this church a special preservation.
Some suppose it to have reference to a great general persecution
throughout the Roman empire, during which the Christians of Philadelphia
would be spared. This may have been the fact; but whether it was or not,
we have no means of information. When we come to consider the symbols of
chapter 9, in which the delusive error of Mohammedanism is set forth, we
will see what a period of sore trial this delusion was to the Eastern
churches. It is also a fact that, in the midst of this abounding heresy,
the church of Philadelphia was preserved as was no other church of Asia.
When the followers of Mohammed were sweeping like a whirlwind over the
Eastern empire, ravaging everything before them, Philadelphia remained
an independent Christian city, when _all the other_ cities of Asia Minor
were under the power of the Saracen sword. It held out against the
Ottoman power until the year 1390 A.D., when it surrendered to Sultan
Bayazid's mixed army of Ottoman Turks and Byzantine Christians (?). This
was six years after the death of Wickliffe, "the morning star of the
reformation," who opposed the corruptions of the Papacy, gave the world
the first English translation of the Bible, and sowed the seeds that
soon grew and produced a Huss, a Jerome, and a Luther. So God preserved
the Christians of Philadelphia in the East until he began raising up
others to herald his truth in the West, whose labors soon ripened into
the glorious Reformation of the Sixteenth Century.
His final promise to the overcomer is that he shall be made a pillar in
the temple of God, and receive the name of God, of Christ, and of the
New Jerusalem, or city of God. In some manner the Christian is labelled
with the name of God, whose property he is; with the name of Christ, by
whom he was purchased; and with the name of the New Jerusalem, or city
of God, his inheritance and eternal abiding-place; and he is made a
pillar in the temple of God. By turning to Heb. 12:22, 23, we find that
the general assembly and church of God in this dispensation constitutes,
in one important sense, the New Jerusalem, or city of God, in which the
overcomers abide. "But ye _are come_ unto Mount Sion, and unto the city
of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem ... to the general assembly
and church of the first-born, which are written in heaven." The church
is also styled the house or temple of God, composed of people out of all
nations who "are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets,
Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone; in whom all the
building fitly framed together groweth unto _an holy temple_ in the Lord
... for an habitation of God through the Spirit." Eph. 2:20-22. See also
1 Cor. 3:17; 1 Pet. 2:5; 1 Tim. 3:15.
To be a pillar in this temple of God means to occupy a conspicuous or
useful position in supporting the truth, examples of which are to be
found in such characters as "James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be
pillars" in the church in apostolic times. Gal. 2:9. In the last prayer
of Christ to the Father, he says concerning his disciples, "While I was
with them in the world, I kept them in thy name" (John 17:12); and since
the church promised by Christ (Mat. 16:18) has been established, we
continually bear the name of the Father, its title being the church or
city of God. We also bear the new name of Christ, as explained in
chapter 2:17, and we meet together and worship in that name (Mat.
18:20), obeying the exhortation of the apostle Paul--"Whatsoever ye do
in word or deed, do all _in the name of the Lord Jesus_, giving thanks
to God and the Father by him." Col. 3:17. A better understanding of the
manner in which we receive the name of God and of his city will be
obtained when we come to the consideration of the followers of a false,
degenerate church represented as receiving the "mark of the beast," by
which they are designated.
To inquire further into the history of this church, Philadelphia still
remains with a population of about fifteen thousand. It contains a
number of places of public worship, a resident (Greek) archbishop, and
several inferior clergy. Mr. Keith, in his "Evidence of Prophecy,"
speaks of the then presiding bishop, and says that he acknowledges "the
Bible as the only foundation of all religious belief" and admits that
"abuses have entered into the church, which former ages might endure,
but the present must put down." It is also a singular coincidence that
the modern Turkish name of the city, Ala-Shehr, signifies "city of God."
This description of the church of Philadelphia I will bring to a close
by adding the following extract from Gibbon, recorded in his noted
history entitled "The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire." It is of
especial value since the writer, being an avowed infidel, can not be
convicted of misconstruing historical facts in order to favor
Christianity.
"The captivity or ruin of the seven churches of Asia was consummated [by
the Ottomans] A.D. 1312, and the barbarous lords of Ionia and Lydia
still trample on the monuments of classic and Christian antiquity. In
the loss of Ephesus the Christians deplore the fall of the first
candle-stick of the Revelation. The desolation is complete; and the
temple of Diana and the church of Mary will equally elude the search of
the curious traveler. The circus and three stately theatres of Laodicea
are now peopled with wolves and foxes. Sardis is reduced to a miserable
village. The God of Mohammed without a rival is invoked in the mosques
of Thyatira and Pergamus; and the populousness of Smyrna is supported by
the foreign trade of the Franks and Armenians. _Philadelphia alone_ has
been saved by prophecy or courage. At a distance from the sea, forgotten
by the emperors, encompassed on all sides by the Turks, her valiant sons
defended their religion and freedom above fourscore years, and at length
capitulated with the proudest of the Ottomans. Among the Greek colonies
of Asia, Philadelphia is still erect--a column in a scene of ruins--a
pleasing example that the path of honor and safety may sometimes be the
same." Vol. VI., p. 229.
14. And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write;
These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the
beginning of the creation of God;
15. I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I
would thou wert cold or hot.
16. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot,
I will spue thee out of my mouth.
17. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods,
and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art
wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
18. I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that
thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be
clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and
anoint thine eyes with eye salve, that thou mayest see.
19. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous
therefore, and repent.
20. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my
voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup
with him, and he with me.
21. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my
throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father
in his throne.
22. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto
the churches.
Laodicea was one of the wealthiest cities of Asia Minor. It was built
upon some low hills, and occupied an important situation in the center
of a very fertile district. It was famous for its money transactions and
for the beautiful soft wool grown by the sheep of the country, which
facts are both alluded to in the message. Verses 17, 18. During the
reign of Tiberius Cæsar it was entirely destroyed by an earthquake, but
its wealthy inhabitants rebuilt it immediately. A Christian church was
soon planted there; for Paul makes the request that his epistle to the
Colossians be read in the church of Laodicea and that his epistle to the
church of Laodicea (which was not included in the New Testament canon)
be read unto them. Col. 4:16.
The condition of this church, according to the burden of the message,
was worse than that of any of the others; for there is not only no
commendation of former faith and piety, but it is not even said of them,
as of the church at Sardis, that a few names were left who had not
defiled their garments. Christ, who here represents himself in the
character of the "faithful and true Witness," testifies that they are
"neither cold nor hot." They did not have enough piety nor zeal to cause
them to do anything for the honor of Christ and his cause, neither were
they open enemies. They were merely lukewarm, insincere friends, and, as
such, were in a position to do the greatest harm. A certain writer has
said, "We always dread a professed but insincere friend; he is the least
desirable of all relations."
They are further described as being satisfied to remain in their
lukewarm condition, indulging themselves in the riches and the pleasures
of this life. Theirs was a rich, prosperous, influential church in their
estimation, and they were proud of it; but "the faithful and true
Witness" declares that they were "wretched, and poor, and blind, and
naked." What a contrast this congregation presents with the churches of
Smyrna and Philadelphia, whose poverty and "little strength" are
expressly mentioned, but who were rich in spirituality, and who received
no reproof, but words of comfort! They of Laodicea possessed no true
gold from the mine of gospel truth, no white raiment of righteousness to
hide their spiritual nakedness, no clear vision to enable them to
discern the things of the Spirit. In fact, they lacked everything
necessary to constitute a church of which the Lord could approve and
which would be an honor to his cause. But notwithstanding their sad
condition, Christ still pleads with them to repent of their doings and
to allow him to come in and sup with them, promising the overcomer the
privilege of sharing the throne of his Redeemer.
On account of their lukewarmness a severe threat was uttered--"I will
spue thee out of my mouth." Allusion is doubtless made to the former
catastrophe that overthrew the city under Tiberius, thus giving them
warning of the destruction that might come upon them in the future. The
result has been in accordance with the prediction. God spued that church
out of his mouth centuries ago, and nothing remains of that proud,
wealthy city. Not even a Turk has any fixed residence on the spot. Its
ruins alone remain in their desolation, "rejected of God, deserted of
man, its glory a ruin, its name a reproach." The Encyclopædia Britannica
says, "Its ruins are of wide extent.... There is no doubt, however, that
much has been buried beneath the surface by the _frequent earthquakes_
to which the district is exposed."
The prophecies concerning these individual churches have been fulfilled;
so that even infidelity itself bears witness to the "strange
verification of Apocalyptic promise and threatening." Two of the
churches, Ephesus and Laodicea, where no spiritual souls remained, were
threatened with utter extinction. They are now in utter ruins--forsaken,
desolate. Sardis, too, where only a few names were left, is reduced to a
small Turkish village, without a church or a Christian. Pergamus and
Thyatira, where much spirituality remained, but where wickedness also
was tolerated, still survive, though but mere remnants of their former
greatness. While Smyrna and Philadelphia, where Christ found nothing to
condemn and to whose churches he uttered only words of comfort and
promise, remain until the present day and are the brightest spots on the
whole scene, standing like erect columns in the midst of the surrounding
ruins.
I do not wish, however, to give too much prominence to the cities
themselves in the fulfilment of these prophecies. The churches located
in these seven cities of Asia were doubtless the main thing under
consideration in the utterance of these promises and threatenings. Yet
it is a singular fact that the subsequent history of the cities
themselves has accorded in a remarkable degree with the nature of the
prophecies uttered. It may be that God has preserved Smyrna and
Philadelphia because of the piety of their ancient inhabitants.
He who held the seven stars in his right hand and walked in the midst of
the seven golden candle-sticks, still possesses the control of his
ministers and is present in the congregations of the righteous; but let
us all take warning from the example of the churches of Asia, and live
such a life of devotion, charity, faith, and patience as Christ, the
"faithful and true Witness," will approve of, that we may "walk with him
in white" and have right to the "tree of life which is in the midst of
the paradise of God."
CHAPTER IV.
After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven:
and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet
talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will show
thee things which must be hereafter.
2. And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne
was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne.
3. And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine
stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight
like unto an emerald.
4. And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and
upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in
white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.
5. And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings
and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before
the throne, which are the seven spirits of God.
6. And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto
crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the
throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind.
7. And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast
like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the
fourth beast was like a flying eagle.
8. And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and
they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night,
saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is,
and is to come.
9. And when those beasts give glory and honor and thanks to him
that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever,
10. The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on
the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and
cast their crowns before the throne, saying,
11. Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and
power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure
they are and were created.
It is probable that the Apocalypse was communicated to John in parts, or
consisted of a series of symbolic visions. This is indicated by the
expression "after this I looked," and is also confirmed by the words
following, "And immediately I was in the spirit," implying that the
vision recorded in chapter 1, which was given on the Lord's day, had
been interrupted and that a new one now began when the angel with
trumpet voice gave summons for him to ascend to heaven "in the spirit"
(or under the influence of the spirit of prophecy) to behold the events
of the future, passing before him as a vast moving picture.
This fact of John's ascension to heaven to behold certain visions of the
future (which begin properly with chapter 6) will serve to explain many
allusions to things said to occur in heaven, merely signifying that John
was in heaven when these things were revealed to him, although their
fulfilment was intimately connected with the affairs of the church on
earth, for whose benefit the Revelation was given and unto whom it was
sent.
When the apostle ascended through the door that had been opened unto
him, the first object that met his vision and absorbed his soul was a
throne with the Almighty seated upon it, around whom all the inhabitants
of heaven were assembled. No symbol of God is given, for the reason that
there is no analagous object that can be chosen as his representative.
True, John saw a throne, but that is a symbol, not of God himself, but
of his supreme power and authority. One was seated upon the throne
separate from the throne itself. It is not said that a jasper or a
sardine stone was seated thereon, for that would be to make such an
object the representative of God; but he that sat on the throne "was to
look upon" like a jasper or sardine stone. The jasper mentioned was in
all probability the diamond, and is described in chapter 21:11 as a
stone most precious, clear as crystal; while the sardine stone was a
brilliant gem of a red hue. This description naturally suggests the
vestments of a great monarch in a position of authority upon his throne.
The main idea, then, as here expressed, is that the appearance of the
Almighty was so inexpressibly glorious that it could be likened to
nothing except the beauty of the most resplendent gems. But God himself
appears in his own person, unrepresented by another, for the reason, as
above stated, that no inferior intelligence of earth or heaven can
analagously represent the uncreated Deity.
The throne of the omnipotent One was surrounded by a beautiful rainbow
of emerald clearness, and was probably a perfect one, or a complete
circle, such as ours would be could it come wholly into our sight. The
rainbow on the cloud, to Noah and his descendants, constitutes the sure
pledge of God's covenant promise not to destroy the earth with another
deluge; so, also, the bow surrounding the throne is a symbol of God's
covenant favor with his people eternally.
There were "lightnings and thunderings and voices" proceeding from the
throne--the same outward manifestations as heralded the Godhead when he
came down on Sinai to declare his holy law. The "seven lamps of fire
burning before the throne" are said to signify the seven spirits of God.
These are not lamp-stands or candle-sticks, such as the ones in the
midst of which the Son of God walked on earth, but seven lights or
flames of fire, representing the operation of the Holy Spirit upon the
hearts of men and women. Surrounding the throne also was "a sea of glass
like unto crystal." In the Greek it stands in a little different
form--"And before the throne _as it were_ a sea of glass." Describing
the same object in chapter 15:2, the Revelator says, "I saw _as it were_
a sea of glass." It was a broad expanse spread out before the throne
with a glassy or transparent appearance like crystal. Its signification
will be made clear hereafter.
In addition to this description of the throne and Deity, our attention
is directed to certain objects before and surrounding the throne. Four
beasts and four and twenty elders are brought to view. The word _beasts_
is a very unfortunate translation, being necessarily associated in our
minds with the brute creation. It is not the word _therion_, which in
thirty-five instances in the Apocalypse is translated beast, denoting an
animal of wild disposition, but the word _zoon_, which signifies "a
living creature," and is thus rendered by many of the translators of the
New Testament. Their being full of eyes signifies sleepless vigilance
and superior intelligence and discernment. The chief description given
of the first living creature is that it was "like a lion." It is stated,
not that the creature was a lion, but that it was "like a lion." It
possessed some peculiar quality characteristic of the lion; namely,
strength and courage. The second living creature, "like a calf," or,
more properly, the ox, is symbolic of sacrifice or of patient labor. The
third, with "a face as a man," denotes reason and intelligence. While
the fourth, "like a flying eagle," is an emblem of swiftness and
far-sighted vision.
But the peculiar qualities thus symbolized are possessed by the four
living creatures themselves, and what do _they_ represent? To whom are
the four and twenty elders referred? They are particularly distinguished
from the angelic throng. In the ninth verse of the following chapter the
elders and the living creatures represent themselves as the host of
people redeemed by the blood of Christ "out of every kindred, and
tongue, and people, and nation." The above-mentioned characteristics,
then, are the peculiar possession of God's people--power and courage to
attack all enemies and to gain the victory; a spirit of perseverance in
patiently laboring for Christ, with a willingness to sacrifice their
lives, if necessary, for the glory of God; ability to receive a
"knowledge of the truth," that they may understand the will of God in
Christ Jesus concerning them; and power and willingness to obey
instantly when able to discern spiritual things, rising above the things
of earth and the trials and persecutions of life--soaring away to
loftier heights, there to bask continually in the blessed sunlight of
God's eternal presence.
Why was it necessary that the redeemed company of God's people should be
represented by _four_ living creatures? Doubtless because it would
probably have been very difficult to select any _one_ creature combining
all the characteristics desired to represent all God's people of all
ages. It is also a significant fact that all the people of God on earth
were included in four great dispensations--ante-deluvian, post-deluvian,
Mosaic, and Christian; although it is not certain that _four_ living
creatures were selected for the special purpose of showing the number of
dispensations. However, this division of time is well established in the
Bible. Peter reckons a new world beginning with Noah (2 Pet. 3:6, 7),
stating that the old world had been destroyed. 2 Pet. 2:5. God came down
upon Mount Sinai and delivered the old covenant, thus marking a distinct
dispensation; while Jesus Christ established the new covenant and
ushered in the fourth and last dispensation. See Heb. 12:18-24. Under
the first dispensation, Abel by faith offered unto God an "excellent
sacrifice"; men "began to call upon the name of the Lord" (Gen. 4:26);
Enoch "walked with God" and "was translated that he should not see
death"; while Noah, "a preacher of righteousness," was "perfect in his
generation" and "condemned the world" by his preaching and obedience.
The second dispensation was graced with a faithful Abraham, who
"staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strong in
faith," from which circumstance he was called "the friend of God" and
has justly received the title "father of the faithful." In his footsteps
followed Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, and Moses. The law age contains the names
of many illustrious prophets of God, and the New Testament era abounds
with brilliant examples of faith and devotion.
The ministry of John the Baptist can not be said to form another
dispensation, because of its short duration (he preceding Christ but six
months), and being at the time unknown outside of a very limited
territory. Another dispensation could not be begun and _completed_ while
the old covenant dispensation was yet in force; for that would make two
dispensations in full force at the same time--a thing impossible. Also,
John's work, according to the evangelist, marks the beginning of the
gospel dispensation (Mark 1:1-4), from which time the kingdom of God was
preached and men pressed into it. Luke 16:16.
It was by virtue of the future atonement-work of Christ that any were
enabled to enjoy God's favor in Old Testament times. Even their
sacrifices, which originated in the family of Adam and which were
continued from generation to generation, pointed forward to the
sacrificial offering of the Savior and by this means purchased covenant
favors with Heaven. So, after all, the atonement was for their benefit
as well as for ours. Paul expressly informs us that Christ died for the
"redemption of the transgressions that were _under the first
testament_." Heb. 9:15. "Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and _all the
prophets_" are "in the kingdom of God" (Luke 13:28), and constitute a
part of this great redeemed host set forth under the symbol of the four
living creatures.
The four and twenty elders, although representing themselves as a part
of this redeemed company, evidently have some special signification; for
they are presented to us as separate characters from the four living
creatures. Who are they? Undoubtedly they represent the ministers of
God, the number twenty-four also signifying perfection or completeness,
being drawn from certain facts connected with the two dispensations in
which God has had a clerical ministry. The natural heads of the tribes
of Israel were the twelve patriarchs; while the spiritual heads of the
Christian church are the twelve apostles of the Lamb, they constituting
a part of the foundation upon which it is built. Eph. 2:20. In a
subsequent chapter we have an account of the sealing of the twelve
tribes, by which is meant the sealing, not of the literal Israel, but of
the spiritual, the twelve tribes being selected from the proper
department to stand as a symbol of the true Israel in this dispensation,
which is expressly said to consist of people of all nations. Natural
Israel and spiritual Israel are frequently used to designate God's
people; so, also, in the case before us the twelve patriarchs as heads
of the natural Israel and the twelve disciples as heads (in one
important sense) of the spiritual Israel are taken to represent the
entire ministry. In the description of the New Jerusalem we find
conspicuously inscribed the names of the twelve tribes of the children
of Israel and of the twelve apostles of the Lamb, thus making the number
twenty-four. Chap. 21:12, 14.
Although the ministers seem to be a special class among those
constituting the redeemed multitude, yet their intimate connection with
the remainder is set forth under another symbol--that of wings _attached
to_ the four living creatures. Each of the four living ones possessed
six wings, which, taken numerically, make up twenty-four again. The
wings of a living creature would signify its means of flight; and it is
by the action of the ministry, who "go into all the world" as flying
messengers to preach the everlasting gospel, that the church of God is
established among all nations. Thus, under the symbol of living
creatures with wings is set forth the glorious harmony and unity that
exists in the body of Christ between ministry and laity.
The elders are represented as being clothed in white raiment and as
possessing golden crowns. "White raiment" is a symbol of righteousness
(chap. 19:8), while crowns represent special power and authority. God's
ministers possess both. They are made righteous through the blood of the
everlasting covenant and are given power over all the power of the enemy
and authority to heal the sick and to cast out devils.
The entire company are engaged in worshiping God unceasingly, the elders
casting their crowns before the throne, thus ascribing all praise,
honor, and glory to Him who has delegated to them the authority they
possess. And may we, my brethren, never grow weary in well-doing and
conclude that the worship of God grows monotonous; but let us, with
heart and soul, join the universal chorus, "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God
Almighty."
CHAPTER V.
And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book
written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals.
2. And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who
is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?
3. And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth,
was able to open the book, neither to look thereon.
4. And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and
to read the book, neither to look thereon.
5. And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the
Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to
open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.
6. And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the
four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it
had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the
seven spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.
7. And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him
that sat upon the throne.
8. And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and
twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of
them harps, and golden vials full of odors, which are the
prayers of saints.
9. And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the
book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and
hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and
tongue, and people, and nation;
10. And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we
shall reign on the earth.
11. And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round
about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number
of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of
thousands;
12. Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain
to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and
honor, and glory, and blessing.
13. And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and
under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in
them, heard it saying, Blessing, and honor, and glory, and
power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the
Lamb for ever and ever.
14. And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty
elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and
ever.
The vision of this chapter is but a continuation of the preceding one,
being a sublime description of the exaltation and office-work of Christ
in his two-fold character as the Lion of the tribe of Juda and as a
sacrificial offering for the sins of the world. The Apocalypse opens
with the words, "The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto
him," and it is fitting that his special prerogatives and
characteristics, together with the true position he occupies, should
first be revealed. This was especially necessary in view of the fact to
be revealed, that another would soon arise usurping the rights and
prerogatives belonging to Christ alone, claiming to be supreme head of
the church, sitting as God in the temple of God, and "showing himself
that _he_ is God." 2 Thes. 2:4.
The attention of John was directed to an object "in the right hand of
Him that sat on the throne"--a book sealed with seven seals--and to a
mighty angel calling with a loud voice for some one to come forward and
loose the seals and open the book. No created intelligence of earth or
heaven dared to step forward and declare himself able to accomplish the
result required, and because of this John wept much.
The form of books in use when the Revelation was given was unlike those
used now. They consisted of strips of parchment or other material,
longer or shorter, rolled up. The book in the symbolic vision before us
consisted of a roll containing seven pieces each one rolled and sealed
separately, so that the outer seal could be broken and the contents of
its strip read without disturbing the remaining ones. Had the seals all
been on the outside, nothing could have been read until they were all
broken; whereas the loosing of each seal was followed by some discovery
of the contents of the roll.
This book in the hand of God is symbolical of something. Most of the
commentators think it represents the book of Revelation, in which case,
of course, it would not include the present description of the book
itself, but only of its contents as applied to subsequent chapters. But
this view, of itself, is unsatisfactory for many reasons. The rules
governing the use and the interpretation of symbolic language would
forbid the thought of one book's symbolizing another book; for the main
idea conveyed by the term _symbol_ is, that the symbolic object stands
as the representative, not of itself, but of something analagous.
Reasoning by analogy, what would the contents of a sealed book in the
hand of God symbolize? Evidently, the infinite counsels and purposes
known only to Jehovah. Its being written within and on the backside
would indicate that those purposes were full and complete, being all
written out and understood by him who "knoweth the end from the
beginning" and "worketh all things after the counsel of his own will."
Its being sealed denotes that the contents were unrevealed, while its
being in the right hand of God--the hand of his power--shows that he is
able to carry into execution his divine purposes and that none shall be
able to alter them or to wrest them from him.
While the events future of John's time form a part of the great plan and
counsels of Jehovah, yet it is taking a very limited view of the subject
to suppose that they alone constitute the sealed book of this vision;
for then would that greatest of all events, the atonement of Christ and
the earliest triumphs of the gospel, have no special part in the sealed,
mysterious counsels of the infinite One. It is much more consistent with
the characteristics and attributes of God to make this book a symbol,
not merely of a part, but of all his divine plans and purposes in the
entire gospel dispensation. This position gains credence from the fact
that the visions of the Revelation cover many times the whole period
from the incarnation to the end. When the very first seal is broken, the
early success and triumphs of the gospel, as experienced in John's
lifetime, are portrayed. According to the vision before us, it was by
virtue of Christ's death that he was able to open the book at all; and
the plan of redemption itself, which is based upon his atonement, is
declared by the Scriptures to be a "mystery which from the beginning of
the world hath been _hid in God_." Eph. 3:9. This redemption scheme was
the great center of attraction to the prophets of the old dispensation,
who "inquired and searched diligently" that they might comprehend its
deep mysteries, "which things the _angels desired to look into_." 1 Pet.
1:10-12.
Now, if the contents of the sealed book were (at the time of this
vision) only the history of events to be, why was it that no man on
earth or in heaven, nor even an angel before the throne, was found
worthy to "look into" it or to communicate its secrets to the children
of men. Gabriel was sent as a worthy messenger to communicate to Daniel
a long series of future events reaching even until the end of time. But
the contents of this roll were such that no created intelligence of
earth or heaven was able to unfold them. All remained unfathomable
mystery--until Christ stepped forward in his character as a sacrificial
Lamb and declared himself able to undertake the task of loosing the
seals and of opening the book. "Unto you it is given to _know the
mystery_ of the kingdom of God" (Mark 4:11), he said to his disciples,
"even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations,
but now is _made manifest_ to his saints." Col. 1:26. "Verily I say unto
you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those
things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things
which ye hear, and have not heard them. Blessed are your eyes, for they
see; and your ears, for they hear." Mat. 13:17, 16.
The fact that the suffering and death of Christ was a past event at the
time when the Revelation was given does not constitute a valid objection
to the position taken, that the contents of the sealed book embrace the
plan of redemption during the entire period of its operation; for the
reason that, in order to form a complete and continuous narrative, past
events are frequently referred to in the Apocalypse. Thus, John saw a
beast with seven heads signifying seven kings; but he was expressly
informed that "_five are fallen_, one is [exists at present], and the
other is not yet come." Chap. 17:10.
When Christ appears on the symbolic stage, he is introduced by the elder
as "the Lion of the tribe of Juda," and "the Root of David." The lion,
being the king of beasts and the monarch of the forest, is indicative of
power, such as Christ possesses. Christ is elsewhere denominated "King
of kings and Lord of lords," and he himself laid claim to "all power in
heaven and on earth," it having "pleased the Father that in him should
all fulness dwell." Why he is termed "the Lion of the tribe of Juda," I
am unable to say, unless the expression is borrowed from the prophecy
recorded of him in Gen. 49:10--"The sceptre shall not depart from Judah,
nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him
shall the gathering of the people be." His being the "Root of David"
shows that he is the source and sustainer of David as to his position
and power. David was specially ordained of the Lord and sustained by
him. Of this there can be no doubt. David was a type; Christ is the
antitype. David's position as ruler over natural Israel constitutes a
type of Christ's position as ruler over the spiritual Israel; and it is
in this sense that Christ reigns upon the throne of his father David.
Luke 1:32, 33. And since Christ came in the line of David's descendants,
he is called the offspring of David and a rod out of the stem of Jesse.
Isa. 11:1, 10. His connection with the throne of David being evident, he
is entitled to the right to reign over his people. The appellation
_Lamb_ is one of the peculiar titles by which the Son of God is
designated, having reference to that part of his mission in which he
constituted a sacrificial offering for sin. His forerunner John was able
to prophetically discern him in this character, and pointed to him as
"the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." John 1:29.
The Lamb was said to have seven horns and seven eyes. A horn is a symbol
of power, and seven, being a sacred or perfect number, denotes the
fulness of power possessed by Christ; while the seven eyes signify the
seven spirits of God, or the Holy Spirit, which, being under the direct
control of Christ, is sent forth into the world to effect the
regeneration of men.
When the Lion of the tribe of Juda stepped forward and undertook the
task of revealing the secret counsels and purposes of Jehovah to the
world, immediately a song of praise ascended from the lips of the
redeemed sons of earth. The song was new, adapted to a new theme, and
sung on a new occasion. "The four beasts and four and twenty elders fell
down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials
[censers] full of odors, which are the prayers of saints. And they sung
a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the
seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy
blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; and hast
made us unto our God kings and priests, and we shall reign on the
earth." This song beautifully expresses the honor due to Jesus Christ in
his office-work as Redeemer of the world, by virtue of which people out
of every nation, kindred, tongue, and people, are saved unto God and
made kings and priests on the earth. The angel who appeared to the
Judean shepherds while they were watching their flocks by night,
comforted them with the welcome announcement: "Fear not: for, behold, I
bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to _all people_. For
unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ
the Lord." Luke 2:10, 11.
Since the preaching of the gospel began, men are instructed to "seek
first the kingdom of God" (Mat. 6:33), and they "press into it" (Luke
16:16) by the saving virtue of Him "who hath delivered us from the power
of darkness, and hath translated us _into the kingdom_ of his dear Son."
Col. 1:13. Taking our place by the side of the writer of the Revelation,
we testify with him that we are already "in the kingdom and patience of
Jesus Christ" (Rev. 1:9), and that we "receive abundance of grace and of
the gift of righteousness," whereby "we _reign in life_ by one Jesus
Christ." Rom. 5:17. In this happy condition, redeemed by the blood of
Jesus, our Savior, made "a royal [kingly] priesthood" in the "holy
nation" of "peculiar people" that have been gathered out of all nations
of earth (1 Pet. 2:5, 9), we feel like singing anew this glad song of
redemption in honor of Jesus, our only Lord and Savior, who is God over
all, blessed forever! Amen.
This new and rapturous song of the redeemed was immediately caught by a
greater multitude of the angelic order, an innumerable company, even
"ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands," and
together, with loud and united voices, did they swell the mighty anthem,
"Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and
wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing." And again the
heavenly strain was raised to loftier heights, until the stupendous
chorus rolled around the universe, by every creature in heaven and on
earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, saying,
"Blessing and honor, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon
the throne, and unto the Lamb forever and ever." A few gifted voices of
earth may possess such power and sweetness as almost to entrance us with
their melody of song; but what an oratorio will it be, my brethren,
when, released from the narrow limits of mortality, that sublime strain
sung by the redeemed of all ages and ten thousand times ten thousand and
thousands of thousands of angels, bursts in upon our ransomed souls! Did
human thought ever reach the conception of music like this? Did the eyes
of a mortal ever behold such rapturous scenes? You may feast your eyes
upon earth's greatest beauty--Yosemite Valley, Yellowstone Park, Niagara
Falls, may pass before your vision; you may climb the lofty Alpine
summit and behold the snow-streaked and snow-capped peaks towering to
the heavens around you--or you may listen to the best music ever
composed by a Mozart, a Handel, or a Beethoven, or the finest ever
executed by a Liszt, a Rubenstein, or a Paderewski; yet I must tell you
upon the authority of God's word that "eye hath not _seen_, nor ear
_heard_, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which
God hath prepared for them that love him." 1 Cor. 2:9.
This vision shows very clearly the lofty position to which Christ has
been exalted, possessing "a name which is above every name"; for the
entire company of angels and redeemed saints unite in extolling him with
songs of praise, and that, too, before the very throne of the Deity and
in the presence of his infinite Majesty. Surely we can not doubt that
ours is a divine Savior, and one worthy of all praise, honor, power and
dominion both now and forever.
Though John beheld this wonderful vision in heaven, yet we must remember
that it was given and recorded for the benefit of God's people upon
earth. The plan of redemption was not actually revealed in heaven, for
"Jesus Christ came _into the world_ to save sinners" (1 Tim. 1:15), and
it was here that he was ordained to "taste death for every man." Heb.
2:9. The ransomed company thus brought to view is intended to point out
the redeemed of earth; for there is no salvation to be obtained in
heaven, in which place no blood was shed--the blood is one of the agents
that bears witness in the earth. 1 John 5:7, 8. The central figures of
this vision were God, the Holy Spirit, and Christ, around whom the
living creatures and elders were gathered, and they, in turn, were
surrounded by the angelic throng. This entire scene was doubtless
intended to represent the exalted character of spiritual things on
earth, where the plan of redemption was revealed and the redeemed host
gathered out of all nations. In a very important sense the Father, the
Son, and the Holy Ghost all dwell in the spiritual church, or new
Jerusalem, and are thus "in the midst" of God's people, surrounded by
the redeemed host who unceasingly worship them, and they, in turn, have
the promise that "the angel of the Lord encampeth round about them"
(Psa. 34:7); yea, "an innumerable company of angels" reside in this
"heavenly Jerusalem," or "city of the living God," unto which we, as a
part of the "general assembly and church of the first-born," "_are
come_" in this dispensation. Heb. 12:22, 23.
CHAPTER VI.
And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as
it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying,
Come and see.
2. And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him
had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth
conquering, and to conquer.
We have now reached the point where the thrilling interest of this book
commences. With the opening of the seals of the book of God's purposes
we have the prophecies of the future, the unfolding of the events to be,
described under appropriate symbols. The contents of six seals are
contained in this and the following chapter, while the seventh occupies
the remainder of the volume.
A word relative to the plan of the prophecies will be appropriate at
this time. I will again state what will be made very clear
hereafter--that the events are narrated by series, and not by centuries.
A particular theme is taken up and carried through to its completion,
then the narrative returns and another subject is traced to its end.
Thus, the entire book consists of a number of distinct parallel series
covering the same ground.
Upon the opening of the first seal, John is summoned as with a voice of
thunder by one of the living creatures to draw near; and the object that
meets his vision is a white horse with its rider. The symbol is that of
a victorious warrior, being drawn from the civil and military life of
the Romans. The symbol is one of dignity. It does not consist of some
inanimate object such as a mountain, a sea, or a river, neither is it a
wild ferocious beast; but it is that of a living, active, intelligent
being, and he, as denoted by various insignia, a conqueror. He rides a
white horse, such as victors used in triumphal procession; his bow and
crown are also symbols of victory. He goes forth conquering and to
conquer, or to make conquests.
This symbol is a faithful representation of the early triumphs of
Christianity in its aggressive conflict with the huge systems of error
with which it had to contend. Some have supposed that the rider
represented Jesus Christ; but this can not be, for many reasons, two of
which I will give. First. Christ always appears on the symbolic stage in
his own character, unrepresented by another, for the reason, as before
stated, that there is no creature that can analagously represent Him who
claims equality with God. Not one name or attribute peculiar to him is
mentioned in the description. Second. There are four horsemen brought to
view in this chapter, and the symbols all being drawn from the same
department, must have the same general application. If the first
horseman symbolizes _a definite personage_, so do the remaining three;
but we should have great difficulty in identifying the last three,
giving them an individual application.
Others make the first horseman a symbol of the gospel itself, but the
gospel is not a living, active, intelligent agent, such as the symbol
evidently is, but is only a system of the revealed truth. All congruity
and appropriateness in the comparison is lacking.
But let us give this symbol further consideration. It is not enough that
its interpretation alone be given, but the reader is justly entitled to
a knowledge of the process by which we arrive at the truth. In the first
place, we have a symbol of great dignity and excellence, and we must
look for an object of corresponding character. The symbol is that of a
living agent, and consequently, we must look for its fulfillment in an
active, intelligent agent. The purity, or whiteness, of the horse on
which the rider was seated would indicate an agency of mild, beneficent
character. Finally, the symbol is drawn, as before stated, from the
civil and military life of the Romans. Now, according to the laws of
symbolic language, a symbol never represents an object like itself, but
an analagous one in another department. A wild beast does not represent
a wild beast, but something of analagous character. Seven fat and seven
lean kine do not represent kine like themselves, but something
analagous--seven years of plenty and as many of famine. There are only
two great series of events described in the Revelation--the history of
ecclesiastical events and the political history of certain nations. The
present symbol is drawn from one of these departments--the political or
the civil life of the Romans; and leaving the latter department to find
its signification in another department, we have no place to go except
into the department of ecclesiastical affairs. Entering, therefore, the
spiritual realm, and looking about us for an object that perfectly meets
every requirement of the symbol, we find it in _the humble ministers of
Christ_, who boldly went forth in obedience to the divine command to
extend the peaceful triumphs of the cross and to carry the gospel of the
kingdom of God "into all the world." Mark 16:15-18; Mat. 28:19, 20. This
succession of faithful, holy, devoted men is worthy of a place in
Apocalyptic vision. They went forth "conquering and to conquer"; and the
victories they gained were such as the world never witnessed before.
Worthy are they to wear a victor's crown, for they have "fought a good
fight."
Because of its connection with events following, it is necessary for us
to consider the divine position of these first ministers of the church.
Their _equality_ is clearly taught in the New Testament. Christ gave
them the express command, "Be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your
Master, even Christ; and all ye are _brethren_." Mat. 23:8. When two of
the disciples manifested a desire to gain preeminence over their
brethren and their aspirations displeased the ten, Christ said to them
all, "Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over
them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. But it
_shall not be so among you_." Mat. 20:25, 26. Thus a perfect standard of
equality in the ministry is lifted up. The beloved apostle, the writer
of the Revelation, when addressing the elders of the seven churches of
Asia in particular, humbly and affectionately represented himself as
their "_brother_ and companion in tribulation." Rev. 1:9.
I will now adduce the testimony of several creditable historians, who
are compelled to admit the humble equality of the New Testament
ministry, notwithstanding the fact that some of them belonged to
churches containing a very _unequal_ ministry.
Mosheim says: "The rulers of the church were called their presbyters or
bishops, which two titles are, in the New Testament, undoubtedly applied
to the same order of men.... Let no one confound the bishops of this
primitive and golden period of the church, with those of whom we read in
the following ages. For, though they were both distinguished by the same
name, yet they differed extremely, and that in many respects." Vol. I,
p. 99.
This fact is now admitted by nearly all denominations, even
Episcopalians. In the work entitled "Episcopacy Tested by Scripture,"
published by the Protestant Episcopal Tract Society, New York, the
author, one of their able advocates, makes the following admission
concerning the title _bishop_ in the New Testament, "that the name is
there given to the middle order or presbyters; and _all_ that we read in
the New Testament concerning _bishops_, including of course the words
_overseer_ and _oversight_, which have the same derivation, is to be
regarded as pertaining to that middle grade"--the presbyters or elders.
Page 12.
The noted historian Waddington, also an Episcopalian, makes the same
admission in the following words: "It is also true that in the earliest
government of the first Christian society, that of Jerusalem, not the
elders only, but the 'whole church' were associated with the apostles;
and it is even _certain_ that the terms _bishop_ and _elder_ or
_presbyter_ were, in the first instances, and for a short period,
sometimes used synomously, and indiscriminately applied to the _same
order_ in the ministry." Church History, Part I, p. 41. The italicizing
is mine.
The well-known historian Milman, also an Episcopalian, in his History of
Christianity, says, "The earliest Christian communities appear to have
been ruled and represented, in the absence of the apostle who was their
first founder, by their elders, who are likewise called bishops, or
overseers of the church." Page 194.
Kurtz, in his Church History, says: "To aid them in their work, or to
supply their places in their absence (Acts 14:23), the apostles ordained
rulers in every church, who bore the common name of _elders_ from their
dignity, and of _bishops_ from the nature of their office. That
originally the elders were the same as the bishops, we gather with
absolute certainty from the statements of the New Testament and of
Clement of Rome, a disciple of the apostles. (See his first epistle to
the Corinthians, Chaps. 42, 44:52.) 1. The presbyters are expressly
called bishops--compare [the Greek especially] Acts 20:17 with verse 28,
and Titus 1:5 with verse 7. 2. The office of presbyter is described as
next to and highest after that of apostle (Acts 15:6, 22). Similarly,
the elders are represented as those to whom alone the rule, the teaching
and the care of the church is entrusted (1 Tim. 5:17; 1 Pet. 5:1,
etc.).... In [several] passages of the New Testament and of Clement we
read of many bishops in one and the same church. In the face of such
indubitable evidence, it is difficult to account for the pertinacity
with which Romish and Anglican theologians insist that these two offices
had from the first been different in name and functions.... Even Jerome,
Augustine, Urban II. (1091) and Petrus Lombardus admit that originally
the two had been identical. It was reserved for the Council of Trent to
convert this truth into a heresy." Pages 67, 68. Chrysostom, Theodoret,
and others also admitted the same.
Many similar historical testimonies now lying before me to the humble
equality of the New Testament ministry could be added; but lest the
reader become weary, I will conclude with the following beautiful
description from D'Aubigne in his noted History of the Reformation: "The
church was in the beginning a community of brethren, guided by a few of
the _brethren_." Again, "All Christians were priests of the living God,
with _humble pastors_ as their guides." Vol. I, pp. 35, 50.
With this description of the early ministers of Christ, who went forth
under the symbol of the first horseman to disciple all nations, we have
the events pertaining to the early history of the church, laid before
us; until the opening of the second seal brings us to another important
phase of its history.
3. And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second
beast say, Come and see.
4. And there went out another horse that was red: and power was
given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and
that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him
a great sword.
The symbol of this seal is that of a rider going forth on a red horse
armed with a great sword with which to take peace from the earth and to
kill. It is drawn from the same source as that of the preceding one, but
differing greatly in the character of the horseman and the object of his
mission. The symbol is one of great dignity--a living, intelligent
agent--drawn from civil and military life. For the same reason as given
before, we must go out of the department of civil life into the history
of religious affairs to find its fulfilment.
Notice, also, the peculiar characteristics of this horseman and wherein
he differs from that of the first seal. The color of the horse is red,
denoting something very different from the peace, purity, and benignity
of the white. Instead of gaining glorious spiritual conquests and
triumphs, like him of the first seal, he was to take peace from the
earth. In the place of a victor's crown, he possesses "a great sword"
with which to kill, denoting an agent of great destruction.
Where shall we look in the history of religious affairs to find the
object that meets the requirements of this symbol? Who were the active,
intelligent agents that appeared as the great opposers of the
establishment of Christianity by the rider of the white horse? We find
the answer undoubtedly in the propagators of the _Pagan religions_. As
soon as Christianity began to gain a foothold in the Roman Empire, the
priests and supporters of Paganism were exasperated to the last degree,
and they determined to crush out the Christian religion. An example of
Pagan opposition is found in the nineteenth chapter of Acts, where it is
recorded that the preaching of the gospel so stirred the people of
Ephesus that they were filled with wrath and for the space of about two
hours cried out, saying, "Great is Diana of the Ephesians!" This great
conflict between Christianity and Paganism will be more fully described
under other symbols in a subsequent chapter, therefore I will make this
description brief.
The destruction of life brought about by this rider of the red horse
doubtless signifies the great slaughter of the Christians at the hands
of the Pagans. During ten seasons of severe persecution, which occurred
under the reigns of the emperors Nero, Domitian, Trajan, Marcus
Aurelius, Septimus Severus, Maximus, Decius, Gallus, Valerian, and
Diocletian, the Christians suffered every indignity that their
relentless persecutors could heap upon them. They had their eyes burned
out with red-hot irons; they were dragged about with ropes until life
was extinct; they were beheaded, stoned to death, crucified, thrown to
wild beasts, burned at the stake; yet "they overcame by the blood of the
Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives
unto the death." Chap. 12:11.
It may appear at first that taking the rider of the horse as a symbolic
agent but the killing which he effected as literal, is an inconsistency
and a variation from the laws of symbolic language; but such is not
necessarily the case. One principle laid down in the beginning was, that
the description of an object or event must necessarily be literal when
no symbolic object could be found to analagously represent it. The
destruction of human life could not well be represented symbolically,
there being no destruction analagous to it whose meaning would be
obvious; hence it must appear as a literal description. This is proved
by many texts in the Revelation that will admit of no other application;
such as verses 9-11 of this chapter; chapter 13:10; 17:6; etc.
But the literal destruction of life may be chosen as a symbol to
represent a destruction to which it is plainly analagous; such as the
destruction of spiritual life, the overthrow of the civil or
ecclesiastical institutions of society, etc. That it is sometimes
employed thus as a symbol will be shown clearly in subsequent chapters.
Hence, in every instance where killing men is the work of a symbolic
agent, the context, or general series of events with which it is
connected, must determine whether the literal or symbolical
signification is intended. In the present prophecy under consideration
it is much more consistent to give it the literal application; for the
devotees of Paganism did not destroy the spiritual life of the church,
which would be an analagous killing; neither did they succeed in
overthrowing the structure of Christianity.
5. And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third
beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and
he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand.
6. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A
measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a
penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.
This symbol is also that of a horseman, differing from the preceding
ones only in his characteristics. He is seated upon a black horse,
denoting something dark or appalling in its nature, the very opposite of
that of the first seal. He possesses no bow nor crown, but instead he
has a pair of balances in his hand for weighing food. This he deals out
only at exorbitant prices--"a measure of wheat for a penny, and three
measures of barley for a penny." The penny, or denarius, is equal to
about fifteen cents of our money, and was the ordinary wages of a day
laborer. In the parable of our Lord recorded in Mat. 20, the householder
is represented as hiring laborers for a penny a day to labor in his
vineyard. The measure, or _choenix_, of wheat was the usual daily
allowance of food for a man. So according to the rate given, it would
require a day's labor to supply food sufficient for one man, which shows
an enormous price placed upon these necessaries of life. In ordinary
times the penny would procure about twenty measures of wheat instead of
one, and fifty or sixty measures of barley instead of three. Surely this
represents famine prices.
The expression "see thou hurt not the oil and the wine" seems to have
some direct connection with the exorbitant schedule of food rates. The
following facts of history, as recorded by Lord, will serve to make the
matter clear: "The taxes required in the Roman empire, to sustain the
court and civil service, the army and desolating wars, and the hungry
brood of office-holders, as well as to provide largesses to the
soldiers, were excessive in the extreme, so as to prove an almost
insupportable burden to the people. The ordinary and economical expenses
of the government were great; but when we take into view that during a
period of seventy-two years previous to Diocletian, there were
twenty-six individuals who held the imperial crown, besides a great
number of unsuccessful aspirants, and that each of these must secure the
favor of the army and the people by large donations of money, we may
well conceive that the taxes and exactions laid to raise the needed
amount must have proved a crushing burden. They were so great as
sometimes to strip men of their wealth and reduce them to poverty. These
were laid upon everything that could be brought into service. Nothing
was too insignificant to escape.... The taxes might be paid in money, or
in produce, grain, fruit, oil, or whatever else it might be;... The
exactions were so excessive that the people were led to avoid them in
every possible mode, as men always will under such circumstances." Once
in fifteen years, a Roman indiction, an assessor would go round to levy
upon the products of the soil, and the assessment was made according to
the amount of the yield. One method adopted to secure a lower assessment
at this time was that of mutilating their fruit trees and vines. We find
among the Roman laws severe enactments against such as "feign poverty,
or cut a vine, or stint the fruit of a tree" in order to avoid a fair
valuation, and the penalty attached was the death of the offender and
the confiscation of all his property. The fact that this law existed
shows that the offense was committed and also that the exactions of the
government must have been of the most oppressive kind.
With these facts before us it is easy to discern the nature of the
symbol, being that of a Roman magistrate prepared to enforce his severe
exactions upon the people at the exorbitant rate of three measures of
wheat for a penny and three measures of barley for a penny, accompanied
by the solemn injunction, "See thou hurt not the oil and the wine," that
is, the olive-trees and the vines.
It is evident that we must, as before, go out of the department of civil
and military life into the realm of ecclesiastical history to find the
true fulfilment of this symbol. The black color of the horse would
denote something directly opposite to that of the first seal; and since
the symbol of the first seal represented the establishment of the pure
gospel of Jesus Christ, this symbol must represent the great apostasy
and spiritual darkness that covered the world at a later period. And if
the horseman of the first seal represented the chosen ministry who went
forth in a glorious mission to win trophies of grace, the horseman of
this seal must represent _an apostate ministry_, possessing power and
authority to enforce the severest exactions upon the bread of life, thus
producing a desolating spiritual famine.
This marvelous change from the humble apostolic ministry to an apostate
one did not occur suddenly, but by degrees; and as it has a great
bearing upon other lines of truth to be brought out in subsequent
chapters, it will be profitable to consider the most important steps by
which this transformation was effected.
When the desire for precedence or superiority first manifested itself
among the disciples, Christ repressed it (Mat. 20:25, 26), and it
appeared no more in their midst; but before the close of the first
century it is evident that a thirst for preeminence existed in the
hearts of some who had been the servants of the church. An example of
this is to be found in Diotrephes, who exalted himself above his
ministerial associates. The Apostle John says concerning him: "I wrote
unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence
among them, receiveth us not. Wherefore if I come, I will remember his
deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not
content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and
forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church." 3 John
9, 10.
In the historical extracts given in the explanation of the first
horseman, it is clear that the first ministers were all equal; but a
time came about the close of the first century when the most influential
among the clergy grasped the power and exalted themselves to a position
of authority over the rest. The manner in which this transformation was
effected is explained by the learned Gieseler as follows: "After the
death of the apostles, and the pupils of the apostles, to whom the
general direction of the churches had always been conceded, some one
amongst the presbyters of each church was suffered gradually to take the
lead in its affairs. In the same irregular way the title of _bishop_ was
appropriated to the first presbyter." Eccl. Hist., Vol. I, p. 65. In the
days when the apostles were active in the affairs of the church there
were but two classes in the ministry--elders, or bishops, and deacons;
but when one of the presbyters was exalted to a higher position than the
rest and assumed to himself the exclusive use of the word bishop, there
were three classes. To quote the words of Geo. P. Fisher: "After we
cross the limit of the first century we find that with each board of
elders there is a person to whom the name of bishop is specially
applied, although, for a long time, he is likewise often called a
presbyter. In other words, in the room of a two-fold, we have a
three-fold ministry." Hist. of the Christian Church, p. 51.
The height to which the single bishop of authority in a church had been
exalted is well illustrated in the Ignatian Epistles. Ignatius was
bishop of Antioch and was condemned by the emperor Trajan to suffer
death by being thrown to the wild beasts in the amphitheatre in Rome.
His execution in this manner took place Dec. 20, A.D. 107. He wrote a
number of epistles, a few extracts from which I will give. "Wherefore it
is fitting that ye should run together in accordance with the will of
your bishop, which thing also ye do. For your justly renowned
presbytery, worthy of God, is fitted as exactly to the bishop as the
strings are to the harp." To the Ephesians, Chap. 4. "See that ye all
follow the bishop, even as Jesus Christ does the Father.... Let no man
do anything connected with the church without the bishop." To the
Smyrnaean's, Chap. 8. "It is not lawful without the bishop either to
baptize or to celebrate a love-feast; but whatsoever he shall approve
of, that is also pleasing to God." Smyrnaean's, Chap. 8. "It is well to
reverence both God and the bishop. He who honors the bishop has been
honored of God; but he who does anything without the knowledge of the
bishop, does [in reality] serve the devil." Smyrnaean's, Chap. 9.
The power of these bishops advanced steadily during the second century.
The churches of the cities where they were located extended themselves
into the surrounding country and smaller towns, and the presbyters or
elders of these inferior churches were presided over by the bishop of
their mother church, and in this manner the great system of diocesan
episcopacy was developed.[3]
[Footnote 3: The ancient signification of the term _diocese_ must not be
confounded with the modern usage of the term. It then designated a
territory or district, usually containing a number of minor churches,
presided over by one bishop.]
In the latter part of the second century when the disputes concerning
Easter and Montanism arose, the custom of diocesan bishops consulting
with each other on important doctrines began, and this developed in the
third century into regular provincial synods, or councils. On account of
the ecclesiastical or political importance of the cities in which they
were located, certain bishops had a special deference given them, and
they were not slow to take advantage of the opportunity to exalt
themselves to the presidency of these councils; and in a very short time
they possessed immense power and constituted entirely a separate order,
designated by the term metropolitan.
The manner in which this important step in the great apostasy was taken
and the effects produced thereby is well described in the words of the
historian Mosheim (referring to events of the third century), from whom
I quote: "In process of time, all the Christian churches of a province
were formed into one large ecclesiastical body, which, like confederate
states, assembled at certain times, in order to deliberate about the
common interests of the whole.... These councils ... _changed the whole
face of the church_, and gave it a new form; for by them the ancient
privileges of the people were considerably diminished, and the power and
authority of the bishops greatly augmented.... At their first appearance
in these general councils, they acknowledged that they were no more than
the delegates of their respective churches, and that they acted in the
name, and by the appointment of their people. But they soon changed this
humble tone, imperceptibly extended the limits of their authority,
turned their influence into dominion, and their councils into laws; and
openly asserted, at length, that Christ had empowered them to prescribe
to his people, _authoritative rules of faith and manners_.... The order
and decency of these assemblies required that some one of the provincial
bishops met in council, should be invested with a _superior_ degree of
power and authority; and hence the rights of _metropolitans_ derive
their origin."--Church History, Cent. II, Part 2.
When a usurping clergy grasps the power to prescribe "authoritative
rules of faith and manners," to employ the words of Mosheim, we may well
conceive that the true amount of pure spiritual food was exceedingly
small and could be procured only at starvation rates. He who reads the
ecclesiastical events of the third century will find it only too true
that many of the cardinal virtues of apostolic Christianity were almost
lost sight of and that a great spiritual famine existed in the earth
over which this dark horseman of the third seal careered. Instead of
salvation through the Spirit of God being carefully taught, baptismal
regeneration was exalted, and the people were instructed in the saving
virtues of the eucharist. The Platonic idea concerning sin having its
seat in the flesh was adopted, and therefore perfect victory or
sanctification was made to consist in the mortification of the natural
appetites and desires of the body, with the result that a life of
fasting, celibacy, or self-inflicted torture was looked upon as the
surest means of obtaining the favor of Heaven. The writings of such
eminent church Fathers as Tertullian, Origen, Cyprian and others now
lying before me, contain the surest evidences of the woeful extent to
which this dark cloud of superstition and error had settled down over
the world during the period of which I write.
7. And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of
the fourth beast say, Come and see.
8. And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat
on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was
given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with
sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of
the earth.
The usual interpretation given this horse and its rider is to apply it
to the desolating wars and famines that occurred in the Roman Empire.
This view is embodied in the celebrated painting "Death on the Pale
Horse," in which death is represented as going forth with war,
pestilence, famine, and wild beasts, to ravage the Roman empire. We are
informed by historians that dreadful pestilences and famines did prevail
and in some places nearly depopulated the country, and that the
remaining inhabitants could not make head against the beasts that
multiplied in the land. But the fact that such events occurred is not
sufficient proof that this symbol has reference to such. Famines and
pestilences may have occurred many times without forming a part of the
Apocalyptic vision.
The greatest objection to giving this part of the vision such a literal
interpretation is, that it fails to bring out its symbolic character. To
what, then, does it refer? We have, as before, a horseman, indicating
that the agent is one of the same general character, differing mainly in
his features and mission. This horse was of a livid, cadaverous hue,
denoting an agent of ghastly, terrible nature. The living rider bore the
awful name of "Death," or as in the original, "The Death," by way of
emphasis. Death literally was not the agent--it is not so stated--but
the rider was termed The Death, or The Destroyer, because of his
terrible mission; and Hell followed with him.
Applying the laws of symbolic language as heretofore, it is evident that
this symbol represents a great persecuting ecclesiastical power. And
with this thought before us, we can scarcely fail to recognize it as a
true description of _the Papacy_. The great apostasy, described under
the preceding seal, prepared the way for the final and complete
establishment of the "man of sin"; but during the period there brought
to view the ministers of religion, power-seeking and apostate as they
were, were unable to enforce their claims by the power of persecution.
Under the present seal, however, is represented a later stage of their
corruption, when a great hierarchal system, sustained and upheld by the
arm of civil power, was able to bear tyrannical rule over a great
portion of the earth. During this period clerical ambition and
usurpation reached its greatest height.
After speaking of the power possessed by the metropolitans, Mosheim
says: "The universal church had now the appearance of one vast republic,
formed by a combination of a great number of little states. This
occasioned the creation of a new order of ecclesiastics, who were
appointed in different parts of the world, as _heads_ of the church, and
whose office it was to preserve the consistence and union of that
immense body, whose members were so widely dispersed throughout the
nations. Such was the nature and office of the Patriarchs." Church
History, Cent. II, part 2.
Thus, the bishops, or metropolitans, of certain of the most important
cities were exalted to a still higher position as special _heads_ of the
church. They were termed _Exarchs_ at first, after the title of the
provincial governors, but afterwards received the more ecclesiastical
appellation _Patriarchs_. The term Patriarch had been in use for a long
time in the church signifying merely a bishop, irrespective of the
dignity he possessed, but it was finally limited to this higher class of
the clergy, in which sense I now employ it. The cities that first
enjoyed this chief distinction were Alexandria, Rome, and Antioch. The
general council of Nice (A.D. 325) in its sixth canon recognized the
superior authority already possessed by these cities. See D'Aubigne's
Hist, of Reformation, Vol. I, p. 41. The general council of
Constantinople in its third canon placed the bishop of Constantinople in
the same rank with the other three Patriarchs; and the general council
of Calcedon exalted the See of Jerusalem to a similar dignity, doubtless
because of its ancient importance as the birthplace of Christianity.
Thus, Patriarchs were established in the five political capitals of the
Roman empire; and they were considered the "_heads of the church_,"
having spiritual authority over the whole empire. These were the only
Patriarchates of importance. Certain ecclesiastics of the Church of Rome
even at the present time bear the honorary title Patriarch; but, to
quote the words of the Encyclopædia Britannica, "In a strictly technical
sense, however, that church recognizes only five Patriarchates, those of
Constantinople, Alexandria, Jerusalem, Antioch, and Rome." Art.
Patriarch. In the years 637 to 640 Jerusalem, Alexandria, and Antioch
fell into the hands of the Saracen followers of Mohammed, which
terminated their importance, and later the Greek schism separated the
Patriarch of Constantinople from Rome; and thus the Patriarch of Rome
was left in undisputed possession of the field and was soon recognized
as universal head of the church. So under the symbol of this dread rider
on a pale horse is portrayed the great hierarchal system by which the
Papacy was fully developed in the West.
It is fitting that we notice particularly the agents of destruction
employed by this rider. He possesses a sword with which to kill--the
same instrument wielded by the rider of the red horse--but it is evident
that he uses it with more terrific energy, by reason of which he
receives the name Death, or The Destroyer. It is possible, also, that in
this case a sword, wielded by the hand of an ecclesiastical power, may
be used as a symbol of a spiritual cutting off, or excommunication. The
sword of excommunication has been the most terrible ever wielded by
human hand. When this pale horseman was careering over the world in the
zenith of his power, excommunication and interdiction were the terror of
individuals and the scourge of nations. At his word the rights of an
individual as king, ruler, husband or father, nay, even as a _man_, were
forfeited, and he was shunned like one infected with the leprosy. At his
command the offices of religion were suspended in a nation, and its dead
lay unburied, until its proud ruler humbled himself at the feet of the
ecclesiastical tyrant who bore rule over the "fourth part of the
earth."[4]
[Footnote 4: This tyranny of the Popes is well illustrated by the
quarrel that took place between Hildebrand (Pope Gregory VII.) and Henry
IV. of Germany. Gregory attempted to make certain reforms, but Henry
refused to recognize those innovations. Gregory excommunicated the
emperor, with the result that he was "shunned as a man accursed by
Heaven." His authority lost and his kingdom on the point of going to
pieces, Henry had but one thing to do--seek the pardon of the Pope. He
found the Pontiff at Canoosa, but Gregory refused to admit the penitent
to his presence. "It was winter, and for three successive days the king,
clothed in sackcloth, stood with bare feet in the snow of the court-yard
of the palace, waiting for permission to kneel at the feet of the
Pontiff and to receive forgiveness." On the fourth day he was granted
admittance to the presence of the Pope.
During the Pontificate of Innocent III. Philip Augustus, king of France,
put away his wife. Innocent commanded him to take her back and forced
submission by means of an interdict. This submission of a brave, firm,
and victorious prince shows the tremendous power wielded by the Popes in
that period.
The manner, also, in which Innocent III. humbled King John of England
affords another illustration of the power of the Popes. John caused the
vacant See of Canterbury to be filled, in accordance with the regular
manner of election, by one of his favorites. Innocent declared the
appointment void, as he desired that the place should be filled by one
of his friends. John refused to allow the Pope's archbishop to enter
England as Primate. Innocent then excommunicated John, laid all England
under an interdict, and incited Philip, king of France, to war, offering
him John's kingdom upon the very liberal condition that he go over and
take it. The outcome of the matter was that John was compelled to yield
to the power of the Pope. He even gave him England as a perpetual fief,
and agreed to pay the Papal See the annual sum of one thousand marks.]
The loss of life by spiritual famine was extreme. The Word of God, which
is spirit and life to God's people (Jno. 6:63), was laid under interdict
and the common people deprived of its benefits. At the time the black
horse appeared, a little food could be obtained at famine prices; but
when the fourth arrived, he was empowered to kill "with hunger." Also,
one of his agents of destruction was death, or pestilence, a fit symbol
of false and blasphemous doctrines breathed forth like a deadly
pestilence blasting everything within its reach. Invocation of saints,
worship of images, relics, celibacy, works of supererogation,
indulgences, and purgatory--these were the enforced principles of
religion, and like a pest they settled down upon the people everywhere.
This rider also brought into operation "the beasts of the earth" to aid
him in his destructive work. To kill with sword or hunger shows that
such work of destruction is performed solely by him who has it in his
power; but to kill with beasts indicates that _they_ perform the deadly
work according _to their own natures_. Nothing is clearer than the fact
that wild beasts stand as a symbol of persecuting tyrannical
governments; hence we are to understand that this rider was to employ
also the arm of civil power to aid him in the deadly work. How
strikingly this represents the historical facts of the case! In all
truly Roman Catholic countries the civil governments were only a cipher
or tool in the hands of the church, and the ecclesiastics were the real
rulers of the kingdom. But whenever any dark work of persecution was to
be performed, the wild beast was let loose to accomplish the result.
When charged, however, with the bloody work, the Catholics always
answer, "Oh, we _never persecute_--don't you see, it is the wild beasts
that are covered with gore--our hands are clean," yet they themselves
held the chain that bound the savage monsters. We shall have occasion in
a subsequent chapter to trace further the pathway of this dread rider as
he reels onward in the career of ages, "drunken with the blood of the
saints."
This work of destruction performed by the dread rider on the pale horse
is considered by many as a literal description of the persecutions of
the Papacy. While Catholics usually charge the civil powers with this
bloody work, it is an undeniable fact of history that the Popes often
ordered or sanctioned crusades against the Waldenses, Albigenses, and
other peoples (see remarks on verses 9-11, chap. 17:6), in which the
sword, starvation, and every other means of cruelty imaginable were
brought into use to exterminate the so-called heresy. And in view of the
fact explained in the comments on verses 3 and 4 of this chapter, that
_killing_ is sometimes to be understood in a literal sense on account of
there being nothing to analagously represent such destruction of life,
it is not a violation of the laws of symbolic language thus to interpret
it. It might be consistent in this case to give it a twofold
application; the agreeing facts of history regarding the Papacy strongly
suggest it. Thus, the _sword_ could signify a literal destruction of
life, as in verse 4, and also, in the present case, an ecclesiastical
cutting off by the Papacy, or excommunication; and _hunger_ could
signify literal death by starvation, and also, as in verses 5 and 6, a
destruction of spiritual life, etc.
Where, let me ask, in the whole compass of human writings can be found a
series of events of such thrilling interest, so great in magnitude, as
is contained in these eight verses? Who but the Omnipotent could have
conceived such a wonderful development of the power of iniquity and with
such master-strokes of power compressed them into so small a scene of
symbolic imagery? The impress of divinity is here speaking from every
line.
9. And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar
the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for
the testimony which they held:
10. And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord,
holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them
that dwell on the earth?
11. And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it
was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little
season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that
should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.
Upon the opening of this seal the scene changes entirely. No more
horsemen appear, but instead the souls of the martyrs are seen at the
altar crying for vindication of their blood upon the cruel oppressors of
earth. The question arises, Are these souls symbols of something else,
or are they what they are here stated to be, "the souls of them that
were slain"? Evidently, the latter, appearing under their own name and
character, because they can not properly be symbolized. They were
disembodied spirits, and where is there anything of analagous character
to represent such? Angels can not; for whenever they are employed as
symbols, it is to designate distinguished agencies among men. They
therefore appear under their own appropriate title as "the _souls_ of
them that were slain."
These souls appeared "under the altar," that is, _at the foot of the
altar_, being the same as that described in chap. 8:3--"And another
angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer, and there was
given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of
all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne." Thus, the
heavenly world, as opened up before John, appeared symbolized after the
sanctuary of the temple in which stood the golden altar, or altar of
incense. Some have supposed that the brazen altar was the one referred
to, signifying the living sacrifice these souls made of themselves to
God. But there is no altar mentioned in the symbols except the golden
altar. Besides, these were not sacrificial victims; for Christ was made
a complete sacrifice for sin, while these only suffered martyrdom
because of their faithfulness to the cause of Christ. It is much more
reasonable to suppose that their interceding cries went up from the
golden altar, where the "prayers of all saints" ascended with much
incense.
Their prayers to God for the avenging of their blood shows the
expectation on their part that the judgments of Heaven would descend
upon the cruel and haughty persecutors and oppressors of earth, and
their surprise was that the day of retribution had been so long delayed.
The history of the church as developed under the preceding seals gives
particular force to this cry of the martyrs. For nearly three centuries
the civil power of Pagan Rome had been employed to crush the cause of
God. During ten terrible seasons of persecution they had been crucified,
slain with the sword, sawn asunder, devoured by beasts in the arena, and
given to the flames. When Constantine, a nominal Christian emperor,
ascended the throne and protected religion by law, it was believed that
persecutions must cease; but soon the discovery was made that the sword
had only changed hands, there having risen an ecclesiastical hierarchy
destined to "glut itself upon the blood of which heathen Rome had only
tasted." The world was now made the arena for the terrible coursings of
the pale horseman, and the "beasts of the earth" were let loose to fall
with savage fury upon their helpless victims, until millions lost their
lives at the instigation of the apostate Church of Rome. Is it any
wonder that the souls of these martyrs should cry unto God for the
vindication of their righteous blood?
It is said that "white robes were given unto every one of them." By
referring to chap. 3:4; 7:9, 13, 14, it will be seen that "white
garments" and "white robes" are sometimes used as a symbol to describe a
part of the heavenly inheritance. The martyr-spirits, although impatient
at the delay of avenging judgment, received a righteous reward. But the
period of tribulation to the church was not yet over. The cup of
iniquity in the hands of her enemies was not yet full, and they were
told to "rest for a little season, until their fellowservants also, and
their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be
fulfilled." The account given seems to indicate an important epoch, a
period in which the martyrs had reason to expect the vindication of
their righteous blood, but which, instead, was to be followed by another
great period of persecution. Considering the time of the events already
described in this series of prophecy, we have no difficulty in fixing
the chronology of this event at the dividing-point between the era of
Papal supremacy and the age of Protestantism--or at the Reformation of
the Sixteenth Century. Did severe slaughter and persecution follow the
Reformation? Witness the reign of Mary Tudor, frequently styled "Bloody
Mary." During three years of her reign, 1555 to 1558, two hundred and
eighty-eight were _burnt alive_ in England! Think of the inhuman
massacre of the innocent Waldenses of southern France by the violent
bigot Oppede (1545), who slew eight hundred men in one town, and thrust
the women into a barn filled with straw and reduced the whole to
ashes--only a sample of his barbarity; or of their oppression in
southern Italy by Pope Pius IV. (1560), at whose command they were slain
by thousands, the throats of eighty-eight men being cut on one occasion
by a single executioner! Witness the horrible massacre of St.
Bartholomew in Paris (Aug. 21, 1572), when the Queen dowager, the
infamous Catherine de Medici, lured immense numbers of the innocent
Hugenots into the city under the pretext of witnessing a marriage
between the Hugenot Henry, king of Navarre, and the sister of Charles
IX., king of France--when the gates were closed and the work of
wholesale slaughter began at a given signal and raged for three days,
during which time from six to ten thousand were butchered in Paris
alone! Think of the rivers of blood in the Netherlands, where the Duke
of Alva boasted that in the short space of six weeks he had put eighteen
thousand to death! Witness the dragoonading methods and other inhuman
persecutions to "wear out the saints of the Most High," that followed
the revocation of the Edict of Nantes (1685) by Louis XIV., king of
France, during whose reign three hundred thousand were brutally
butchered--while Pope Innocent XI. extolled the king by special letter
as follows: "The Catholic church shall most assuredly record in her
sacred annals a _work of such devotion toward her_, and CELEBRATE YOUR
NAME WITH NEVER-DYING PRAISES ... for _this most excellent
undertaking_"!! My heart sickens with horror in the contemplation of
such events. Eternal God! can thy righteous eye behold such
heart-rending scenes of earth, and thy hand of power not be extended to
humble to the dust these cruel, haughty oppressors of thy people?
12. And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo,
there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as
sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;
13. And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a
fig-tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a
mighty wind.
14. And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled
together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their
places.
15. And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich
men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every
bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in
the rocks of the mountains;
16. And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us
from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the
wrath of the Lamb;
17. For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be
able to stand?
Upon the opening of this seal the scene changes again. The symbols are
all drawn from an entirely different source. We are taken out of the
department of civil life into the scenes of nature, which is a clear
evidence that the history of the church is no longer under
consideration. Had God intended to here continue her history, he would
no doubt have employed symbols derived from the same source as those
preceding, so as to prevent our being led astray. No more horsemen or
living characters appear, but we behold the most terrific convulsions of
nature--a mighty earthquake, the darkening of the sun and the moon, the
falling of the stars, and finally the dissolution of the heavens,
together with the mountains and the islands being removed. If the
history of the church is no longer under consideration, this great
change of symbols directs us with absolute certainty into the political
and civil world for their fulfilment. Of course, we are not to suppose
that this is a literal description.
In this manner the dignity and the excellence in the use and the
interpretation of symbols is preserved. To describe the religious
history of the church, noble symbols chosen from the department of human
life are selected; while symbols drawn from an inferior department--that
of nature--are chosen to represent political affairs. This point will
appear very clear as we proceed in the interpretation of the Apocalypse.
It is just what we might naturally expect.
The question may be asked, If these symbols from nature represent
political affairs, where in the events of civil history shall we look
for their fulfilment? Every one will readily perceive the analogy
between an earthquake and a political revolution, when all society is in
a state of agitation as when the solid earth trembles. It is also
evident that the sun, moon, and stars bear the same analagous
relationship to the earth that kings, rulers, and princes do to the body
politic; while the firmament of heaven is analagous to the entire fabric
of civil government, the symbolic heaven in which the symbolic orbs are
set to give light.
The symbols, then, point us to the most terrible revolutions--when
society is in a state of agitation, when kingdoms are overthrown and
their rulers and princes thrown from their positions or made objects of
the most gloomy terror; yea, when the entire fabric of civil government
is finally overthrown and all the institutions and organizations of
society are swept away as with a tornado. This is the time of
consternation to the great men of earth, when they shall hide
"themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains," and say to
the mountains and rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of him
that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: for the
great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?" This is
the time that the martyrs looked forward to when they cried, "How long,
O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them
that dwell on the earth?" A large portion of the Apocalypse is occupied
with the history of these persecuting powers, civil and ecclesiastical.
It is their dominacy that constitutes the long period of tribulation to
the church, when the witnesses prophesy in sackcloth and the faithful
are ground into the dust by the feet of these proud oppressors as they
stand in the high places of the earth. But the cries of the slaughtered
saints have ascended to the throne as incense; God speaks; the judgments
of Heaven descend upon these lofty ones; and a voice from heaven
declares, "They have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and _thou
hast given them blood to drink_; for they are worthy."
This is surely a striking combination of symbols, and the way they are
arranged would indicate that their fulfilment occupied a considerable
period of time. First we have a great earthquake, afterwards the
darkening of the sun and the moon, with the falling of the stars, and
finally the dissolution of the heavens themselves, with the sweeping
away of mountains and islands. This description covers the same period
as that described under the seven last plagues, beginning with certain
fearful revolutions in which the nations that had slaughtered the
millions of God's people were given "blood to drink," and ending finally
in "the great day of his wrath" that shall sweep them from their
positions eternally. The full explanation of these events can not at
present be appreciated by the reader, therefore I reserve it for the
future, to be more fully developed under other symbols.
In these six seals we have a vivid outline of mighty events, political
and ecclesiastical, extending from the earliest stage of Christianity to
the end of time. This description in advance was no mere human
production. No human foresight would have detected, and no mortal mind
would have conceived, events so wonderful and so farreaching in their
character. Any other history would sooner have been imagined. It takes
divine wisdom to understand the true position of the church in the
present, and she can scarcely read her past history by natural wisdom
alone, much less outline the future. First the establishment of
Christianity is symbolized, then the violence of the Pagan party, the
apostasy, and final establishment of the "man of sin," until the
millions of earth are crushed by the spiritual tyranny or by the arm of
civil power, and the cry of the martyrs goes up "How long, O Lord?" But
they are told to rest "a little season," when they shall witness the
hand of God laid upon these persecuting nations of earth, convulsing
them in the most fearful revolutions, and ending finally in their
complete overthrow in that last "great day of God Almighty."
CHAPTER VII.
And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four
corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that
the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on
any tree.
2. And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the
seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the
four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea.
3. Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees,
till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.
4. And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there
were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the
tribes of the children of Israel.
5. Of the tribe of Juda were sealed twelve thousand. Of the
tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad
were sealed twelve thousand.
6. Of the tribe of Aser were sealed twelve thousand. Of the
tribe of Nepthalim were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of
Manasses were sealed twelve thousand.
7. Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the
tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of
Issachar were sealed twelve thousand.
8. Of the tribe of Zabulon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the
tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of
Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand.
A clear understanding of the two visions in the chapter before us can be
obtained only by considering the plan of the prophecy already referred
to. The events are narrated by series. A particular theme is taken up
and followed through to its completion; then the narrative returns and
another theme is introduced. But this is not all. Whenever the history
of abounding error or iniquity is set forth, we have in immediate
connection and in perfect contrast therewith a history of the true
people of God; thus, the contemporaneous history of righteousness and
iniquity, truth and error, a true church and a false one. The visions of
this chapter cover the same period of time as the events described in
the preceding chapter, but form the most perfect contrast. The student
of Revelation who unfolds the dark history of apostasy and iniquity
contained in the preceding seals might naturally be led to ask, Is this
the melancholy end of God's church? Does it deteriorate rapidly and turn
out so badly, after all? As an answer to these questions, God gives us
next a history of his own people, showing that he preserved his own
church complete, although Antichrist reigned in power.
The principal points in the vision before us are the tempestuous winds
about to descend upon the earth, and the sealing of God's servants. The
first of these, being drawn from nature, would lead us to look for its
fulfilment in political events; while the latter, derived from human
life, directs us into the affairs of the church. The "four winds of the
earth" from the "four corners of the earth" signify all the winds from
every direction--the cardinal points of the compass; while the four
angels signify all the agencies that have control of these winds, which
for the present are held in restraint in order to give opportunity for
the sealing of the Lord's servants. _Angels_ in the Scripture is
frequently used to denote evil agencies as well as good, the context
determining which is meant. See Chap. 12:7. The design of the winds was
to "hurt the earth, the sea, and the trees."
What, let me ask, in the political world is analagous to tempestuous
storms sweeping over the earth? What but huge masses of men, excited by
fierce passions, precipitating themselves upon the inhabitants of an
empire, sweeping everything before them in the fury of their march and
spreading desolation on every side? In the symbols of the next chapter
we find that just such hordes of men--barbarians--under their angels, or
leaders, precipitated themselves upon the Roman empire; and the fearful
effects upon the earth, the sea, and the green trees produced thereby,
is particularly detailed. For the present, however, they are held under
restraint until the sealing of the servants of God should be
accomplished, then they were to go forward in their work of destruction.
The sealing of the servants is not making them the people of God, but
rather marking or designating them as such, just as later we find the
devotees of a corrupt apostate church specified as having the "mark of
the beast." Considerable light can be thrown upon the subject of the
sealing of God's servants and of the mark of the beast by consulting
Roman history for the origin of such expressions. The many conquests of
the Roman arms furnished so many prisoners that they became a drug in
the slave-markets of the world, and were so numerous that in many places
they outnumbered the Roman citizens ten to one. In the first century
before Christ it is said that some Sicilian estates were worked by as
many as twenty thousand slaves. "That each owner might know his own, the
poor creatures were _branded like cattle_." The "mark of the beast"
possessed by the followers of a false communion will be found to consist
of an Antichristian spirit by which they are filled with "doctrines of
devils." So, also, "the seal of the living God" consists of the giving
of the Holy Spirit, by which his people are led into all truth. See John
14:26. While Sabbatarians vainly try to prove that keeping the seventh
day is the seal of God in this dispensation, yet there is not one text
of Scripture that hints such a thing, but, on the contrary, the
Scriptures are against them. "Grieve not the _Holy Spirit_ of God
whereby _ye are sealed_ unto the day of redemption." Eph. 4:30. Again,
the Word of God says, "Now he which stablished us with you in Christ,
and hath anointed us is God; who hath also sealed us, and given the
earnest of the Spirit in our hearts." 2 Cor. 1:21, 22. The time this
sealing of the people of God takes place is thus described: "_After_
that ye believed, ye were _sealed_ with that Holy Spirit of promise."
Eph. 1:13. The winds of heaven were restrained until the work of _full
salvation_ could be firmly established in the earth. When Christ
appeared, the Roman empire was in a state of comparative quiet, and the
immense hosts of foreign invaders did not appear until the firm
establishment of Christianity, being held back by the power of God until
his work should be accomplished.
In the description of the sealing given, twelve thousand were selected
from each of the twelve tribes. Some have supposed this to have
reference solely to salvation work among the Jewish nation; but that
would be adopting the literal mode of interpretation, thus destroying
its symbolic character. The twelve tribes are chosen from the proper
department to represent the church or "Israel of God" in this
dispensation, irrespective of nationality. The twelve gates in the wall
of the heavenly city are named after the twelve tribes of the children
of Israel (chap. 21:12), showing that it is only through "Israel" that
any one can enter the New Jerusalem. Since the gospel is given to all
nations, this can not signify literal Israel. "The children of the
promise are counted for the seed." Rom. 9:8. "If ye be Christ's, then
are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." Gal. 3:29.
Since the vision is symbolical, we are to consider the numbers given as
symbolical also, the definite number of twelve thousand from each of the
tribes showing that the church of God was _complete and perfect_, no
part being omitted.
9. After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man
could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and
tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed
with white robes, and palms in their hands;
10. And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God
which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.
11. And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about
the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on
their faces, and worshipped God,
12. Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and
thanksgiving, and honor, and power, and might, be unto our God
for ever and ever. Amen.
13. And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are
these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?
14. And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me,
These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have
washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the
Lamb.
15. Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him
day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne
shall dwell among them.
16. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither
shall the sun light on them, nor any heat.
17. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed
them, and shall lead them unto living mountains of waters: and
God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.
In this scene the vision is carried forward to the close of the long
period of tribulation and persecution to the church of God, when all her
enemies are finally overthrown; and here are the glorious results, the
harvest gathered: a great multitude whom no man can number, gathered out
of all nations, and kindreds, and peoples, and tongues, standing before
the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in
their hands, the symbols of their victory. The scene is laid in heaven,
and refers undoubtedly to the end of time when the heavenly world will
be opened up to all the faithful who have suffered for Christ amid the
trials and the oppositions through which his church is called to pass in
this present world. We are expressly informed by one of the elders who
these are in white robes and whence they came, so there can be no
question respecting them. This is the glorious company of the redeemed
of all ages who "came out of great tribulation, and have washed their
robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore they are
before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple; and
he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. They shall hunger
no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them,
nor any heat." What a contrast with the scenes of earth, when oppressed
by famine, and cold, and nakedness, and peril, and sword, they were
killed all the day long! But their sufferings are over; "for the Lamb
which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them
unto living fountains of waters and God shall wipe away all tears from
their eyes."
This redeemed company is represented as uniting in a song of praise and
thanksgiving to God for bringing them through their long period of
trial, "saying Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and
unto the Lamb"; while heaven resounds with universal praise as the
angels and all the redeemed host take up the chorus and swell the mighty
anthem "saying, Amen; blessing, and glory, and wisdom and thanksgiving,
and honor, and power, and might be unto our God forever and ever. Amen."
It is clear that, in this chapter and the one preceding, we have two
grand parallel and comprehensive histories--in one, the process of
corruption in the so-called church and the final judgments that overtook
these cruel persecutors of the Lord's people; in the other, the setting
apart and sealing of God's servants, their preservation from the
contaminations of an apostate church, and the final glorious triumph of
all who endure unto the end.
This vision has often been applied in a figurative manner to the
spiritual reign of God's people on earth before the end of time--that
they are overcomers through the blood of Christ, that God dwells with
them in his church, that their spiritual needs are all supplied so they
hunger and thirst no more--but a careful study of the plan of the
prophecy will show that its real signification is the heavenly state at
the end. As the sixth seal describes the final overthrow of all the
antichristian powers that have oppressed God's people on earth; so this
vision describes the great white-robed company gathered out of every
nation, kindred, tongue, and people, who have been preserved faithful
through all these trials and tribulations, and who receive at last the
crown of everlasting life. This last vision will be more fully described
under certain symbols contained in the last two chapters of this book;
while the earthquake, the falling of the stars, etc., of the sixth seal
will be more perfectly detailed in chapters 15 and 16.
CHAPTER VIII.
And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in
heaven about the space of half an hour.
2. And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to
them were given seven trumpets.
3. And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a
golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that
he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the
golden altar which was before the throne.
4. And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of
the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand.
5. And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the
altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and
thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake.
The remainder of the book is embraced in the contents of the seventh
seal. This may appear a little singular at first, being so much larger
than the preceding ones. But it is easily understood when we consider
the six as being a synopsis of the whole book, containing a history of
the church apostate to the final consummation, and also the
contemporaneous history of the truth church of God; while the seventh
gives in detail the account of these great persecuting powers, civil and
ecclesiastical, and the trials and triumphs of the saints in the New
Jerusalem--developing more fully the events described under the six.
Upon the opening of the seventh seal, "there was silence in heaven about
the space of half an hour." Whether this interval of silence is intended
to be symbolical of any event on earth I do not know; neither have I
seen any solution of the matter that is consistent or satisfactory. Some
have supposed that it denoted a cessation of persecution among the
Christians of earth. But if that were the case, then its opposite,
"voices in heaven," would indicate seasons of persecution. There were
several seasons of rest from persecution enjoyed by the early saints,
and why should one period be singled out more than the rest and be thus
described? Besides, "a half hour," according to prophetic time would
signify only about one week, a period too short certainly to take
account of. Others have supposed that it signified the end of the world,
and that heaven would then be deserted for a short time while the
judgment was taking place. But the events following show that the end of
the world is not here described, therefore it can not have reference to
such. Moreover, it is extremely doubtful whether silence in heaven would
be a proper symbol of such an event. I do not perceive the analogy. In
fact, such an interpretation of _silence_ would be literal and not
symbolic.
Its explanation would seem to be found in connection with certain facts
stated respecting the opening of the preceding seals--that voices
followed them. When the first four seals were opened, John heard the
voices of the four beasts, "as it were a voice of thunder"; and on the
opening of the fifth, he heard the souls of the martyrs crying unto God;
but when the seventh was opened, there was silence for a time. The
contrast is noticeable; but whether it has any special signification, I
am unable to say; perhaps not.
Before the sounding of the seven trumpets, the acceptableness of the
prayers of the saints is represented by an angel offering incense "upon
the golden altar which was before the throne." This scene was doubtless
introduced to lend encouragement to God's children--that, although
iniquity abounded on every side and the judgments of God were poured out
upon the people, still the prayers of the faithful few were acceptable
in his sight, ascending before the throne like sweet incense from off
the golden altar.
After offering up the incense with the prayers of all saints, the same
angel took his censer and filled it with fire from off the altar and
cast it (the fire) upon the earth--a token of God's avenging
judgments--"and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and
an earthquake." These, of course, were on earth, and symbolized the
revolutions and convulsions now about to take place in the empire.
6. And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared
themselves to sound.
7. The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire
mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the
third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt
up.
We here enter upon a series of prophecies developing fully the
successive steps in the decline of the Western Roman empire, by which it
finally tottered to its fall. It was necessary that this persecuting,
tyrannical government should be subverted in order to give opportunity
for the establishment of apostate Christianity in the form of the
Papacy, as it constituted the "let" or hindrance to the full development
of the "man of sin" mentioned by the apostle in 2 Thes. 2. That
persecuting, Pagan Rome was a serious obstacle confronting the
development of apostasy was recognized even by the early Christians.
Thus, Tertullian, in his notable Apology, chapter 32, says: "Christians
are under a particular necessity of praying for the emperors, and for
the continued state of the empire; because we know that dreadful power
which hangs over the world, and _the conclusion of the age, which
threatens the most horrible evils, is restrained by the continuance of
the time appointed for the Roman empire_. This is what we would not
experience; and while we pray that it may be deferred, we hereby show
our good-will to the perpetuity of the Roman state." In a subsequent
chapter it will be seen that Pagan Rome, broken up into minor divisions
and no longer able to maintain her position in the political world,
resigns her power and authority into the hands of the rising Papacy.
Therefore it is not surprising that the means by which this great change
is effected should be made the subject of prophetic revelation. Besides,
we have other things to guide us in the interpretation. We can readily
identify the symbols under the fifth trumpet with the curse of
Mohammedanism in the Eastern empire, and we would naturally suppose that
the first four precede those. Again, the symbols are all drawn from the
natural world, which leads us assuredly into the political affairs of
the empire for their fulfilment. They are also of the most destructive
nature, therefore we look for objects of a corresponding desolating
character. Finally, the vision of the preceding chapter represents
fierce, destructive winds as about to descend upon the earth, being
temporarily held in check to give opportunity for the primitive
establishment of Christianity, implying that they would afterwards be
let loose to burst like a tornado upon the empire. It is said positively
that power was given "to hurt the earth and the sea" (chap. 7:2), and in
the vision before us the effects produced upon the earth and the trees
are particularly detailed.
"The earth" signifies the Roman empire, or that portion of the earth
made the subject of apocalyptic vision. That this application of the
word _earth_ is correct, is shown by various Scriptures. "And it came to
pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Cæsar Augustus
that _all the world_ should be taxed." Luke 2:1. "The queen of the South
... came from the _uttermost parts of the earth_ [southern Arabia] to
hear the wisdom of Solomon." Mat. 12:42. "Ye shall be witnesses ... unto
the _uttermost part of the earth_." Acts 1:8. The apostles carried the
gospel personally, only throughout the territory of the then-known
civilized world--the Roman empire. Upon this earth there descended in
the vision before us a fierce storm of hail and fire, mingled with
blood. Its being mingled with blood would indicate its destructive
effects. One characteristic of this symbol particularly is worthy of
notice. Hail and fire cast upon the earth would become absorbed speedily
or pass into new combinations with the surrounding elements, thus not
remaining in any permanent form except in its effects. In this
particular it is wholly unlike the symbol of the next trumpet, which is
that of a burning mountain cast into the sea, for such a body would
naturally remain permanently where it fell; whereas a storm of hail and
fire would soon disappear. Also, the statement that this storm was cast
upon the earth would indicate that it was a calamity descending from
without upon the empire.
Where, now, do we find the object that fully meets the requirements of
this symbol--destructive agents descending upon the Roman empire like a
furious storm of hail and fire, accomplishing the first important step
toward the subverting of the empire? We find it in the irruption of the
fierce Gothic tribes of the North, who, under Alaric, burst like a
tornado upon the empire about the beginning of the fifth century,
spreading destruction and desolation upon every side.
The following quotations and facts from the highest authority on the
subject, Gibbon's Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (Vol. III, pp.
190-294), will give the reader an idea of the awful effects produced by
the invasions of these barbarous tribes. The great Theodosius, emperor
of the Western Roman empire, "had supported the frail and mouldering
edifice of the republic," but upon his death he was succeeded by the
weak Honorious. In a few months the Gothic barbarians were in arms. "The
barriers of the Danube were thrown down, the savage warriors of Scythia
issued from their forests ... and the various tribes of barbarians, who
glory in the Gothic name, were irregularly spread over the woody shores
of Dalmatia to the walls of Constantinople." They were "directed by the
bold and artful genius of Alaric," who soon concluded that the conquest
of Constantinople was an impracticable enterprise. He "disdained to
trample any longer on the prostrate and ruined countries of Thrace and
Dacia, and he resolved to seek a plentiful harvest of fame and riches in
a province which had hitherto escaped the ravages of war.... The troops
which had been posted to defend the straits of Thermopylæ retired ...
without attempting to disturb the secure and rapid passage of Alaric;
and the fertile fields of Phocis and Bæotia were instantly covered by a
deluge of barbarians, who massacred the males of an age to bear arms,
and drove away the beautiful females, with the spoil and cattle of the
flaming villages. The travelers who visited Greece several years
afterwards, could easily discover the deep and bloody traces of the
march of the Goths.... The whole territory of Attica, from the
promontory of Sunium to the town of Megara, was blasted by his baleful
presence; and, if we may use the comparison of a contemporary
philosopher, Athens itself resembled the bleeding and empty skin of a
slaughtered victim.... Corinth, Argos, Sparta, yielded without
resistance to the arms of the Goths; and the most fortunate of the
inhabitants were saved, by death, from beholding the slavery of their
families and the conflagration of their cities."
Arcadius, the emperor of the East, wishing to dissuade Alaric from
further conquests and such wholesale massacres, promoted him to the rank
of Master-general of the eastern Illyricum, but it had an opposite
effect. "The birth of Alaric, the glory of his past exploits, and the
confidence in his future designs, insensibly united the body of the
[Gothic] nation under his victorious standard; and, with the unanimous
consent of the barbarian chieftains, the Master-general of Illyricum was
elevated, according to the ancient custom, on a shield, and solemnly
proclaimed king of the Visigoths. Armed with this double power, situated
on the verge of the two empires, he alternately sold his deceitful
promises to the courts of Arcadius and Honorious; until he declared and
executed his resolution of _invading the dominions of the West_.... He
was tempted by the fame, the beauty, the wealth of Italy, which he had
twice visited; and he secretly aspired to plant the Gothic standard on
the walls of Rome, and to enrich his army with the accumulated spoils of
three hundred triumphs." He marched into Italy, and the emperor fled
before him. A temporary respite was finally procured by the promise of a
payment of four thousand pounds of gold.
Alaric soon appeared, however, before the very walls of Rome, and that
splendid city, surrounded by hordes of barbarians, was soon reduced to a
wretched condition by famine. Two representatives of the Romans waited
upon Alaric for terms of peace, stating that if such could not be
arranged the inhabitants of the city, animated by despair, would fight
to the bitter end. To this the haughty conqueror made this famous reply:
"The thicker the grass, the easier it is mowed." With an insulting
laugh, he named the ransom required--all the gold and silver contained
in the city, all the rich and precious movables, together with all the
slaves. Then the ministers humbly asked, "What do you intend to leave
us?" "Your lives," the haughty king replied, and retired. He finally
relaxed a little and fixed other terms, which included the immediate
payment of the enormous sum of five thousand pounds of gold, thirty
thousand pounds of silver, besides other treasure. "The victorious
leader, who united the daring spirit of a barbarian with the art and
discipline of a Roman general, was at the head of a hundred thousand
fighting men; and Italy pronounced, with terror and respect, the
formidable name of Alaric."
A second time Rome was besieged by Alaric and taken. Honorious was
deposed and Attalus made emperor; but Honorious was afterwards restored.
In A.D. 410 he again marched upon the city, captured and entered it.
"Eleven hundred and sixty-three years after the foundation of Rome, the
imperial city, which had subdued and civilized so considerable a part of
mankind, was delivered to the licentious fury of the tribes of Germania
and Scythia." For six days the city was sacked by the barbarous
soldiery, and the horrible scenes of robbery, murder, and rapine that
ensued can not be described. It has been said that "civilized warfare is
sufficiently terrible," but that would be almost a blessing compared
with such scenes as these. For a space of four years Alaric ravaged
Italy almost without opposition.
The slaughter and devastation that followed this storm of "hail and
fire" is thus described: "The banks of the Rhine were crowned like those
of the Tiber, with houses and well-cultivated farms; and if a poet
descended the river, he might express his doubts on which side was
situated the territory of the Romans. This scene of peace and plenty was
suddenly changed into a desert, and the prospect of the smoking ruins
could alone distinguish the solitude of nature from the desolation of
man. The flourishing city of Mentz was surprised and destroyed, and many
thousand Christians inhumanly massacred in the church. Wurms perished
after a long and obstinate siege. Strasburg, Spires, Rheims, Tournay,
Arras, Amiens, experienced the cruel oppression of the German yoke, and
the consuming flames of war spread from the banks of the Rhine over the
greatest part of the seventeen provinces of Gaul. That rich and
extensive country, as far as the ocean, the Alps and the Pyrenees, was
delivered to the barbarians, who drove before them, in a promiscuous
crowd, the bishop, the senator and the virgin, laden with the spoils of
their houses and altars."
Another historian describing the same, a few years after the event,
says: "The barbarians meeting with little resistance, indulged in the
utmost cruelty. The cities which they captured, they so utterly
destroyed that no traces of them now remain, except in Thrace and
Greece, except here and there a tower or a gate. All the men who opposed
them they slew, young and old, and indeed spared not women, nor even
children. Whence there is still but a sparse population in Italy. The
plunder which they seized in every part of Europe was immense, and
especially at Rome, where they left nothing, either public or private."
In this latter description reference is also made to some later
invasions, but they were all of the same desolating character.
These historical facts show how the green grass, or the feebler portion
of society--the tender sex, the young, and the aged--were consumed
before this fearful storm of hail and fire; and also how the trees, or
the stronger portion--those better able to make resistance--suffered
greatly.
It is also a fact to be observed that these fierce tribes which overran
Italy, harassed or captured Rome repeatedly, and threatened the
overthrow of the empire, made no permanent settlement in that territory.
"Under Alaric the Goths make no lasting settlement. In the long tale of
intrigue and warfare between the Goths and the two Imperial courts which
fills up this whole time, cessions of territory are offered to the
Goths, provinces are occupied by them, but as yet they do not take root
anywhere; no Western land as yet becomes Gothia,"--Encyclopædia
Britannica, Art. Goths. After the death of Alaric (A.D. 412), however,
they settled in the southern part of Spain and Gaul[5]--part of the
territory of the West--but they no longer threatened the life of the
empire; but, on the contrary, they became allies of the Romans in
opposing the dreadful incursions of the Huns and other barbarians. Thus
their invasion of the West was at first terribly destructive--like a
storm of hail and fire--but their ravages soon ceased, except in their
disastrous and weakening effects.
[Footnote 5: This division of the Gothic tribes is commonly called the
Visigoths (Western Goths), as distinguished from the Ostrogoths, or
Eastern Goths.]
8. And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain
burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of
the sea became blood;
9. And the third part of the creatures which were in the sea,
and had life, died; and the third part of the ships were
destroyed.
The symbol of this trumpet is that of a volcanic mountain cast into the
sea, whence it sends forth its streams of lava in every direction until
a third of the creatures in the sea are destroyed, thus spreading
desolation on every side. It would naturally remain where it fell, a
permanent instrument of destruction.
We have here a description of the next step of importance in the
downfall of the Western empire. The second great invasion was that of
"the terrible Genseric" with his Vandal hordes, who pushed southward
through Gaul and Spain, conquered the Carthaginian territory of northern
Africa, and there formed a permanent independent government in A.D. 439.
From this fixed place, he continued for years to make incursions upon
the bordering cities and islands, burning the cities, murdering the
inhabitants, and intercepting the commerce of the Mediterranean. During
his military career, 429-468, he became the terror of the inhabitants of
the empire, insomuch that historians designate him "the terrible
Genseric." The depredations committed by his followers were but a
repetition of such scenes of barbarity as have already been described in
the invasions of Alaric under the first trumpet, therefore I will not
devote much space to the historical facts in the case. Their deeds,
however, were such that the very term _Vandal_ has come to be used as a
designation of any man of ferocious character. Concerning the important
part that this chieftain acted in the downfall of the Western empire,
Gibbon uses this significant language: "Genseric, a name which, in the
destruction of the Roman empire, has deserved an equal rank with the
names of Alaric and Attila." Vol. III, p. 370.
In the year 454 the empress Eudoxia wished to be revenged on Maximus,
who had murdered her husband Valentinian and had grasped the throne, and
she secretly invited Genseric to attack Rome. That fierce general, who
is described by the Encyclopædia Britannica as "cruel to
blood-thirstiness, cunning, unscrupulous, and grasping," was glad to
undertake the task, and he soon landed an army of Vandals and African
Moors at the gates of the city. It was soon taken and for fifteen days
given over to be sacked by the barbarous soldiery. When they had glutted
their savage instincts with the horrible deeds of murder and rapine,
loaded with the spoils of the imperial city, they returned to Africa,
taking with them an immense number of captives, including Eudoxia and
her two daughters. This desolating incursion left the empire weak and
tottering to its fall. Genseric "became the tyrant of the sea; the
coasts of Italy, Greece, and Asia, were again exposed to his revenge and
avarice. Tripoli and Sardinia returned to his obedience; he added Sicily
to the number of his provinces; and before he died, in the fulness of
years and glory, he beheld the FINAL EXTINCTION of the empire of the
West." Gibbon, Vol. III, pp. 497, 498.
By "the sea" into which this burning mountain was cast is meant, not the
Mediterranean nor any other literal sea, but the heart of the empire,
and that in a state of agitation. The empire was in a state of
comparative quiet when Alaric appeared; therefore the storm of hail and
fire is represented as falling upon "the earth," as a result of which
society was thrown into a state of great agitation, and moved to its
depths, like an ocean in a storm. This was its condition when Genseric,
from his fixed position in Africa, began his desolating incursions;
therefore the next symbol is that of a mountain cast into "the sea." By
the sea becoming blood is doubtless meant the destruction of life in the
empire, and "the third part" denotes the vast extent of the destruction.
I must speak with hesitation on what is signified by "the creatures
which were in the sea" and the "ships." By analogy I would be led to
refer the former to the rulers and the dignitaries in the empire, they
bearing an analagous position to the empire that fishes do to the waters
of the sea; while the latter may refer to public monuments and
structures.
10. And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star
from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the
third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters;
11. And the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third
part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the
waters, because they were made bitter.
The description given of this star is similar to that of a large burning
meteor, such as we frequently see shooting athwart the heavens. It fell
rapidly to earth, as such meteors often do, and struck the
fountain-heads of the rivers, imparting to them such a poisonous quality
as caused the death of those who drank the waters.
This symbol is also drawn from the natural world, and hence we must look
for its fulfilment in political events. The rapidity of its fall and
disappearance in the waters would direct us to an agent who would appear
suddenly and soon disappear, and whose career would leave bitter
results. The direct effects of this meteor were experienced by the
rivers and the fountains of waters, which bear an analagous relation to
the sea that bordering tribes and nations do to an empire. The heart of
the empire, or "the sea," was directly affected by the burning mountain,
under the preceding trumpet; while the tributaries of the sea, or the
bordering tribes, are made the subject of direct attack under this
symbol and the poisonous qualities of their waters carried to far
distant points.
Under this striking symbol we have a description of the third important
step in the downward course of Rome--the short but eventful career of
Attila, with his terrible Scythians, or Huns. Singularly, Attila was
said to "possess the iron sword of the war-god _Mars_," and he claimed
for himself the designation or title "The Scourge of God"; while his
followers were even more cruel and barbarous, if possible, than the
Goths and the Vandals.
Coming from the remote solitudes of Asia under the leadership of their
fierce king, they poured like a tornado, first upon the inhabitants of
the Eastern empire (in 442, 445) and then turned their attention
westward. Attila ruled over "nearly all the tribes north of the Danube
and the Black sea," and under his banner fought Ostrogoths, Gepidæ,
Alani, Heruli, and many other Teutonic peoples. Says Gibbon: "The whole
breadth of Europe, as it extends above five hundred miles from the
Euxine to the Adriatic, was at once invaded, and occupied, and desolated
by the myriads of barbarians whom Attila led into the field." It was the
boast of Attila that the grass never grew on the spot which his horse
had trod. In 451 he led his forces, seven hundred thousand strong,
through the center of Germany into the heart of Gaul, where he was met
at Chalons by the combined forces of the Visigoths, Alans, Franks and
Romans, and was defeated, with the loss of one hundred and seventy
thousand of his men. This was one of the most gigantic as well as one of
the most important battles of history. A rivulet flowing through the
field of battle is said to have been colored and swollen by the blood of
the slain. The next year, however, with a greater force at his command,
he fell with headlong fury upon northern Italy; but he did not attack
Rome. Suddenly and seemingly without cause, he withdrew his army; and
this peculiar action of his has been the wonder of historians ever
since. Says the Encyclopædia Britannica: "Attila at once withdrew from
Italy, but the motive which led him to act thus is not known." According
to the prophecy, he was to fall upon the "rivers and fountains of
waters" only. A short time later, in 453, he died, and "the vast empire
over which he had ruled broke up _immediately_ after his death, no one
chief being powerful enough to seize the supremacy." Thus his short but
wonderful career of about twelve years ended suddenly, like a meteor
falling into a river.
But the effects of this invasion were farreaching. Rome in her declining
strength, being unable to cope with these immense hordes of barbarians,
was forced to call to her assistance the half-civilized tribes of Gothic
barbarians against a more dreaded foe. The success that attended these
conflicts of the combined forces were the means of giving greater
political importance to these Gothic tribes and securing their
independence. But while they rose, Rome fell. By the very act of
employing such weapons in defense, Rome robbed herself of the little
political strength remaining, and she was obliged to accept the bitter
consequences.
Under each of these first three trumpets the extent of destruction is
indicated by the expression "the third part." Since the successive steps
in the downfall of the empire is the subject under consideration, this
expression as here applied doubtless has particular reference to the
loss of political power and life, rather than referring directly to the
loss of human life sustained. With this thought in view, it is evident
that the political importance of the empire was entirely destroyed by
these desolating incursions. Of the truth of this fact all historians
agree. Nothing of Rome remained, except the semblance of a government,
when the time arrived for the sounding of the next trumpet.
12. And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun
was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part
of the stars; so as the third part of them was darkened, and the
day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise.
The symbol of this trumpet is that of an eclipse of sun, moon, and
stars, so that they shone not for a third part of the day and night.
Under the sixth seal we showed that these luminaries of heaven are taken
as symbols of rulers and princes; for the latter bear an analagous
relation to the empire that the former do to the earth. In the
darkening, then, of the sun, moon, and stars, we are to look for some
disastrous change or overthrow in the imperial government. Such an event
occurred only a few years after the events described under the preceding
trumpets. With her political strength and resources exhausted, Rome
could no longer maintain a separate existence, and Odoacer, king of the
Heruli, overthrew Momyllus Augustulus, the last of the Roman line of
emperors, and caused himself to be proclaimed king of Italy in A.D. 476.
This terminated the Western empire; and thus was the Roman sun eclipsed
in darkness. In a subsequent chapter, however, we will find the eclipse
lifted at a later period and _New Rome_ enjoying all the power and
authority lost in her predecessors of the old Augustin line.
Odoacer continued in possession of his kingdom seventeen years. Then he
was defeated and slain by Theodoric, and by him the kingdom of the
Ostrogoths was established in Italy. Sixty years later this kingdom was
subverted by Belisarius, the general of Justinian, emperor of the East,
to whom it became a tributary province. In each of the principal cities
of Italy Justinian appointed a governor with the title of Duke, in
subordination to another with the title of Exarch, whose residence was
at Ravenna. "Thus, at last, was Rome, once the proud mistress of the
world, reduced to a poor dukedom, made tributary to the Exarch of
Ravenna, and he holding his authority at the will of the emperor of
Constantinople, the seat of the Eastern empire."
Thus, under the symbols of these four trumpets we have developed the
wondrous history of the downfall of imperial Rome, in order to give
opportunity for the scenes of the drama yet to follow. The "man of sin"
could not be fully revealed in all his terrible features until this
hindrance was removed out of the way. Imperial Rome for three centuries
stood as the great opposer of God's people and slaughtered thousands,
perhaps millions, of the Lord's innocent servants, and the hand of
retributive Justice was finally extended to humble her to the dust.
Singularly, the persons whom God made choice of to effect her downfall
have either regarded themselves as special instruments whose mission it
was to punish the world or else have received such designations by
historians because of their awful work. Contemporary historians
distinguish Alaric by the epithets "The Scourge of God," "The Destroyer
of Nations"; while the great Vandal leader is designated "The Terrible
Genseric." Attila claimed the title "The Scourge of God."
13. And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of
heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the
inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the
trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound!
The later editions of the Greek New Testament give the word _eagle_
instead of _angel_--denoting a messenger or angel flying with the
swiftness of an eagle. This messenger doubtless is not intended to be
symbolic; for it is not one of the seven angels, but a messenger
possessing a warning, and that warning is given "to the inhabitants of
the earth," as if they were addressed directly. It simply announces that
the three trumpets yet to sound will possess greater calamities to the
people of earth than those that have preceded, by reason of which they
are called woes. The manner, also, in which the woe trumpets are spoken
of afterwards confirm the statement that the announcement is literal and
not symbolical. "One woe is past, and, behold, there come two more woes
hereafter." Chap. 9:12. "The second woe it past: and, behold, the third
woe cometh quickly." Chap. 11:14. These announcements are evidently
literal, and serve to explain the passage before us. Accordingly, the
last three trumpets are generally referred to as the woe trumpets.
CHAPTER IX.
And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven
unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless
pit.
2. And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out
of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the
air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit.
3. And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and
unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have
power.
4. And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass
of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but
only those men which have not the seal of God in their
foreheads.
5. And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but
that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was
as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man.
6. And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find
it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them.
7. And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared
unto battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like
gold, and their faces were as the faces of men.
8. And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were
as the teeth of lions.
9. And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron;
and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of
many horses running to battle.
10. And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were
stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five
months.
11. And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the
bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but
in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon.
The symbols of this trumpet are of a very peculiar character and
peculiarly combined. They are not drawn entirely from the natural world,
showing that we are not to look for their fulfilment in political events
alone; neither are they drawn from human life in any such way as to
indicate events in the religious history of the church. The leading
characters in it, however, are living, active agents of such a
destructive nature as to entitle them to the designation of a woe.
The first object presented in the vision is a "star" fallen to the
earth. Our translation conveys the idea that this star was in the act of
falling; but in the original it is different, being there represented as
having fallen, its dejection from heaven to earth being complete. The
only place that it appeared in view was on the earth, and there it is
described as fallen. A star is a symbol either of a civil ruler or of a
religious teacher, the symbols in connection deciding whether it is set
in the political or the ecclesiastical firmament. But this was not such
a star as He who walketh in the midst of the golden candle-sticks
holdeth in his right hand, but it was a _fallen_ star, indicating that
it was the propagator of a false faith.
To this star was given a key. In the Gospels the same figure is
employed, where the ministers of Christ are represented as possessing
the keys of the kingdom of heaven, showing that they acted in his name
and by his authority. How appropriate, then, is this symbol as applied
to a false teacher, who possesses, not the keys of the kingdom of
heaven, but, instead, "the key of the bottomless pit"! Thus, under the
symbol of the star and the key, we have the teacher and his authority
set forth. Armed with this authority, this false teacher "opened the
bottomless pit; and there rose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a
great furnace; and the sun and air were darkened by reason of the smoke
of the pit." In the Scriptures Jesus is represented as the Sun of
righteousness, while "the light of the _glorious gospel_ of Christ"
illuminates the world. But here we have something of the opposite
character--a dense smoke eclipsing the sun and darkening the heavens.
Have we not here a fit representation of a delusive faith proceeding
from its true source, "the bottomless pit"? And is not a fallen star an
appropriate symbol of its propagator?
In representing a system of religion by these objects from nature we
depart from the general rule first laid down--that objects of nature
symbolize political affairs, while the department of human and angelic
life is chosen to represent religious affairs. But the reader should
bear in mind one important exception to this rule--that things
prominently connected with the history of the people of God in former
ages are frequently employed (regardless of the department to which they
belong) to represent spiritual things, their interpretation being easily
seen; such as candle-sticks, altar, temple, incense, etc. When the
plague of "thick darkness" covered the land of Egypt for three days,
"the children of Israel had light in their dwellings." In the exodus the
Lord went before them "by night in a pillar of fire, to give them
light." After the erection of the tabernacle the holy place was
constantly illuminated. This natural light in the Jewish age constitutes
a beautiful type of the spiritual "light of the glorious gospel of
Christ" that has "shined in our hearts" in the Christian dispensation.
This spiritual light comes from Christ, the "Sun of righteousness," the
"true Light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world"; and
proceeds, also, from his people, who "shine as lights in the world." But
it is the "light of the _gospel_." This light proceeds in a special
sense from God's ministers, who are represented as "stars" (chap. 1:20)
and who possess "the keys of the kingdom of heaven." Mat. 16:19; 18:18.
How appropriate, then, that a _fallen_ "star," possessing "the key of
the bottomless pit," should be a symbol of a religious impostor, and
that the smoke which darkened the heavens, eclipsing the sun, the source
of light, should represent a prominent delusive faith! I have already
mentioned the fact that the symbols of this vision lead to a series of
events entirely separate in their nature from the spiritual history of
the church as developed under other symbols. We find its fulfilment in
Mohammed and the delusive system he promulgated. In the year 606 Mahomet
retired to a cave in Hera, near Mecca, and there received his pretended
revelations, although it was not until six years later that he began to
teach his doctrines publicly and to gain followers outside of the circle
of his own family and personal friends. Gibbon, Vol. V., p. 121.
The next object in the vision is the locusts that came out of the smoke,
to which was given power like scorpions, or power to inflict a deadly
sting like scorpions. To what living agents, then, did the delusion of
Mohammedanism give birth--agents of a destructive nature like scorpion
locust? Evidently, the Saracens,[6] those warrior followers of Mohammed
who flocked to his standard. These locusts received the express command
that "they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green
thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of
God in their foreheads." The successor of Mohammed, Abubeker, gave the
Saracens a command that they should "destroy no palm-trees, nor burn any
fields of grain; cut down no fruit-trees, nor do any mischief to cattle,
only such as you kill to eat." This command was singular, yet it
doubtless is not the fulfilment of the command to the locusts; for that
would be adopting a literal meaning instead of a symbolic one, and to
complete the picture we should have had literal Saracens instead of
locusts. We can not consistently make a part literal and the remainder
symbolical. In the explanation of the first trumpet (chap. 8:6, 7), we
showed that grass and trees symbolized the inhabitants of a kingdom,
grass representing the feebler and trees the stronger portions of
society. The fact, then, that these locusts were not to destroy the
green grass and trees show that they were not sent as a scourge upon the
political empire only, as was the storm of hail and fire under the first
trumpet. Had their mission been like that of natural locusts, to destroy
every green thing, we should then conclude that they were sent as a
scourge upon the empire alone, having nothing whatever to do with a
system of religion. These locusts, however, were commanded not to do
what natural locusts always do--eat green grass and trees--and were
commissioned to do what locusts never do--"hurt men," but only those who
have not the seal of God in their foreheads; that is, the worshipers of
a false, idolatrous church, who are not known unto God as his true
people. This is positive proof that the design of this vision is to set
forth some awful religious imposture; for the "men" that they were to
hurt are found in the department which by analogy represents religious
events.
[Footnote 6: "In earlier times the name of Saraceni was applied by
Greeks and Romans to the troublesome Nomad Arabs of the Syro-Arabian
desert."--_Encyclopædia Britannica_. In the Middle Ages, however,
Europeans began to call all their Moslem enemies Saracens. It is in the
limited sense that it is here applied, designating the first followers
of Mohammed before the rise of the Ottoman empire.]
The fact that their commission was to torment those "men which have not
the seal of God in their foreheads," is a proof also of the wide-spread
apostasies that had already taken place. This was the time when the pale
horseman was careering over the world carrying desolation everywhere by
his instruments of oppression--sword, pestilences, famine, and the wild
beasts of the earth. "The churches both in the Western and Eastern
empire were in the most deplorable condition, being corrupted with the
grossest ignorance and idolatry; the virgin Mary, the saints, and
miserable relics of every description being worshiped in the place of
Jehovah, and superstition reigning with sovereign power over all minds."
The Saracen warriors of Mohammed were sent as a scourge upon apostate
Christendom, overrunning the very territory where the gospel was first
preached, and were commissioned to "torment" the false professors of
Christianity.
In regard to the kind and the extent of the injury they were to inflict,
it is said that "to them it was given that they should not kill them,
but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as
the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man. And in those days
shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die,
and death shall flee from them." The Saracens, as here described under
the symbol of the locusts, sustained a two-fold relation, and the
careful and perfect manner in which the symbols are selected to set it
forth is worthy of particular notice. In the first place, the Saracens
were a political body. As such, locusts would fitly represent them. But
they were also a religious body, and how could that fact be symbolically
combined with the other? It is done by the locusts' being forbidden to
act out their own nature in eating grass and trees, and their being
commanded instead to "hurt men," thus changing the field of their
operations into the department of human life--the department that is
chosen to symbolically set forth religious events. Thus the
politico-religious system of the Saracens is accurately set forth. This,
also, is nearly as clear as a demonstration that the position already
taken concerning the nature and the use of symbolic language is correct.
It was given that they should "not kill" men. We have already shown that
killing men when used symbolically signifies the destruction of the
political or ecclesiastical organizations and institutions of society.
We could not consistently interpret it as literal slaughter, but as some
analagous destruction. Now, the Saracen power was, as already stated, a
politico-religious system, and its warriors were an infatuated set of
religious fanatics, described by historians as "carrying the sword in
one hand, and the Koran in the other." Thus, they had it in their power
to kill either religiously or politically--destroy either the church or
the empire--but they did neither, for their mission was not to kill, but
to "torment." "They made extensive conquests and gained immense numbers
of converts. But they did not overthrow the Eastern empire, although
they repeatedly attacked and besieged Constantinople, suffering,
however, uniform defeat in the attempt. Neither did they destroy the
church, corrupt and apostate as it was. To idolators and infidels they
put the alternative of the Koran or death; but allowed the Christians to
retain their church organization, laying them, however, under severe
contributions, and treating them to the ignominious appellation of
Christian dogs." Concerning the character of Mohammed, Gibbon informs us
that "he seldom trampled on a prostrate enemy, and he seems to promise,
that on the payment of a tribute, the least guilty of his unbelieving
subjects might be indulged in their worship, or at least in their
imperfect faith" (Vol. V, p. 129), and this, of course, would be the
natural tendency of his followers. The Armenian and the Greek churches
survived, and still exist in that portion of the world, but they have
indeed been greviously tormented. "The proud Moslem, glorying in his
prophet and religion, has heaped every possible insult and injury upon
the Christians," yet he suffered them to live, but live only for him to
torment. Surely the oppressions thus experienced are appropriately
described by the words, "as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh
a man." Under such torments the professed Christians might court death,
but such is not granted; and still they survive, but only to be
"tormented." The Moslem had "the Christian dog" completely under his
foot.
We now turn our attention to the period of time during which these
Saracen locusts were to continue their ravages. It is given as "five
months," or one hundred and fifty days. As this description is entirely
symbolic, we must consider the time symbolic also, for time certainly
can be symbolized as well as anything else. It is very appropriate for
days to symbolize years, for they are analagous periods of time; the
diurnal revolution of the earth being taken to represent the earth's
annual movement. Such a system of reckoning time was known centuries
ago. When Jacob complained to Laban because he had been given Leah
instead of Rachel, "Laban said, It must not be so done in our country,
to give the younger before the first-born. Fulfil her _week_, and we
will give thee this also for the service which thou shalt serve me yet
_seven other years_. And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week ... seven
other years." Gen. 29:26-30. In this case it will be seen that a day was
used to represent a year, since seven days, or one week, represented
seven years. When the law was given, Moses recognized the week of seven
natural days, the last day of which was constituted a Sabbath of rest
for Israel; but he also instituted a week of seven years, the last year
of which was a sabbatical year of rest unto the land. This last fact
will explain such expressions as "forty days, _each day for a year_"
(Num. 14:34), and "I have appointed thee each day for a year." Ezek.
4:6.
This period, then, of "five months," or one hundred and fifty days,
would represent symbolically one hundred and fifty years. As before
stated, it was in the year A.D. 612 that Mohammed began to expound his
doctrines publicly and to gather adherents around his standard, from
which point the locusts commenced, although the smoke had been let out
of the pit a little previously. For a period of one hundred and fifty
years from this date, they continued their ravages, until A.D. 762. Then
they "built Bagdad, which became their settled seat of empire; and
henceforth they became a settled nation, making no further conquests."
From that date their power began to decline. But during this one hundred
and fifty years they spread over the country like swarms of devouring
locusts. According to the well-known facts of history, "they overran
Arabia, Palestine, Persia, Egypt, and the northern shores of Africa,
from which they passed to the conquest of Portugal and Spain." These
were the countries that had been the most oppressed by a priest-ridden
church and where especially were to be found those "men which have not
the seal of God in their foreheads." Europe was trembling and filled
with apprehension at what her fate might be at the hands of these
fanatic warriors who fought with savage fury, under the promise of their
prophet that, if slain in battle, they should be immediately transported
to Paradise. At the zenith of their power, and confident of success,
they passed from Spain into France four hundred thousand strong. But
here they exceeded their mission. The southern provinces of France
contained many Christians who had the "seal of God" upon them, and this
country became the seat of the Waldenses and Albigenses, of which
interesting people we shall learn more hereafter. The invading host was
met at Tours by Charles, grandfather of Charlemagne, who dealt them such
a crushing blow that he was ever afterward designated by the surname
Martel--the Hammer. This battle was one of the fiercest recorded in
history. The Saracens who had scarcely ever experienced defeat fought
with the fury of despair, until, according to the accounts of that age,
three hundred and seventy-five thousand of their number lay upon the
field of battle with their general. This decisive victory saved Europe
from her threatened subjection to the Mohammedan faith.
The next point in the vision to claim our attention is the particular
description of these locusts. Some of the points mentioned might find a
literal fulfilment in the personal appearance of the Saracens--such as
the crowns signifying the turbans they wore, etc., but we must adhere
strictly to the symbolic mode of interpretation and look for their
fulfilment in Saracen character. Their being like war-horses denotes
their warlike disposition. The crowns on their heads signify their great
success and triumphs. Their faces of men and hair like women doubtless
signify their boldness on the one hand and their effeminateness on the
other. Their teeth as the teeth of lions show their ferocity of
character. Their breastplates of iron indicate their invincibility or
else their insensibility to injuries inflicted upon them. The sound of
their wings like horses and chariots running to battle denotes the
multitude and rapidity of their conquests. Their tails like scorpions,
containing stings with which to "hurt men"--operating in the religious
world--symbolize their position as propagators of a false faith. Thus
they are set forth in their two-fold character--as invincible warriors
and as the zealous professors of a delusion, whose sting was like that
of a scorpion when he strikes a man.
"And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless
pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue
hath his name Apollyon." The following fact of history will explain
this: "The Saracens had their Caliphs, the successors of Mohammed, who
united in themselves the supreme civil, military and ecclesiastical
powers. They were the high-priests of their religion, the commanders of
their armies, and the emperors of the nation." This king over them
signifies a succession of rulers, and they are well described as "the
angel of the bottomless pit," for that is the very place where the
delusion is said to have originated. Mahomet, as a fallen star, opened
the pit and let out the smoke, and his successors, who grasped his power
and authority, are fitly characterized as angels from the same place,
bearing the name Abaddon or Apollyon, which terms both signify
Destroyer.
Is not this a wonderful combination of symbols which can be carried out
with surprising accuracy? What human ingenuity could have ever contrived
such a marvelous series of events, and described them under such
appropriate symbols? Finally, let me ask, Where in the whole compass of
universal history can be found another series of events so perfectly
meeting every requirement of the symbols? In this we must acknowledge
the hand of God.
12. One woe is past; and, behold, there come two woes more
hereafter.
This announcement, that one woe is past, meaning that the period of one
hundred and fifty years during which the Saracens were to continue their
conquests has ended, serves an important purpose in enabling us to fix
the chronology of the events described. It proves that they succeed each
other.
13. And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the
four horns of the golden altar which is before God,
14. Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the
four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates.
15. And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an
hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third
part of men.
16. And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred
thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them.
17. And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat
on them, having breastplates of fire, and of jacinth, and
brimstone: and the heads of the horses were as the heads of
lions; and out of their mouths issued fire and smoke and
brimstone.
18. By these three was the third part of men killed, by the
fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out
of their mouths.
19. For their power is in their mouth, and in their tails: for
their tails were like unto serpents, and had heads, and with
them they do hurt.
20. And the rest of the men which were not killed by these
plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they
should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and
brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear,
nor walk:
21. Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their
sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.
At the sounding of the sixth trumpet, or the second woe trumpet, a voice
is heard from the four horns (all the horns) of the golden altar. This
probably denotes that the very same altar where incense was offered up
to God with the prayers of all saints was now crying out to him for
vengeance upon an apostate church. That church had reached the summit of
apostasy and iniquity, the virgin Mary, the saints, and thousands of
idols in the form of miserable relics being worshiped more than God.
Because of these abominable idolatries, a voice is heard crying from the
golden altar for the avenging judgments of Heaven, which were the
loosing of the four angels bound in the river Euphrates. The symbols of
this vision are also of peculiar character and drawn from different
departments. We have four angels bound in the Euphrates, an immense army
of horsemen, then a large number of horses with heads as of lions, and
fire, smoke, and brimstone issuing from their mouths. The horses thus
particularly described are evidently intended to have a definite
symbolical signification, and being objects of nature, they would
indicate a political or military power. The horsemen, being objects from
human life, would point us to some religious body; while the angels
signify the leaders that have control of these agencies. Their being
commissioned "to slay the third part of men" show that they will
overthrow some of the established institutions of society. We are to
look, therefore, for some politico-religious power that should invade
and overthrow the empire. We are, of course, directed to the Eastern
empire; for the Western division was subverted under the symbols of the
first four trumpets. With these specifications before us, we shall have
no difficulty in identifying the power intended--_the Turkish, or
Ottoman, empire_. Its agreement with the symbolic representations of the
vision will be manifest from a statement of the facts of history.
"The Turks were of Tartar or Scythian origin, from the northern regions
of Asia, whence also the Huns hived upon Europe during the fourth and
fifth centuries. The latter passed to the north of the Black sea from
Russia, and swept the regions of the Danube and the Rhine. The Turks,
passing to the east of the same, fell upon the empire from that quarter.
They took possession of Armenia Major in the ninth century, where they
increased, and in the space of two hundred years became a formidable
power, being at the end of this period combined into four Sultanies, the
heads of which were at Bagdad, Damascus, Aleppo, and Iconium. The first
of these was erected A.D. 1055; the two next A.D. 1079, and the last
A.D. 1080--all of them within twenty-five years, and the three last
within two."
These four Sultanies are doubtless signified by "the four angels" that
were bound in the river Euphrates. The Euphrates here is employed as a
symbol, not of the Turks themselves--for the horsemen are their symbol,
as we shall see--but of the binding of the angels. The use of this word
as a symbol is derived from a fact of history, being the object,
according to Herodotus, that kept Cyrus back from entering the city of
Babylon. While the Persian monarch surrounded the walls of that ancient
metropolis of the Babylonian empire, with his army, he was held in
restraint by the river Euphrates; and it was not until he had diverted
its waters into an artificial channel that he gained an entrance. So,
also, these Sultanies, or leaders of the Turks, were held under
restraint as if bound by the river Euphrates, until the time appointed
for them to go forth on their mission of conquest. Different causes held
them back. For a long time they were involved in fierce and almost
continuous wars with the neighboring Tartar tribes on the east and the
north, and at the same time the Crusaders of Europe were carrying on a
determined war with the Saracens for the possession of the Holy Land.
For two centuries the armies of Christendom poured into Syria and
Palestine to recover from the hands of the "infidels," as they were
called, the holy sepulchre and the country that gave birth to
Christianity; but when Europe finally abandoned the project, then went
forth the command to loose the four angels, "which were prepared for an
hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of
man." To kill men symbolically, I have already shown, signifies the
destruction either of an empire as a political body or of the church
(that is, the so-called church) as a religious body. The locusts under
the fifth trumpet were to do neither; but the symbolic characters of
this vision are "to slay the third part of men," by which is set forth
the fall and subjugation of the Eastern empire and church; just as,
under the fifth trumpet, the fall of the Western empire was described by
the darkening of a third part of the sun, moon, and stars.
Before considering the time-prophecy in this vision, we will pass on to
notice a few particulars respecting the horses and their riders. The
horsemen possessed breastplates of fire, jacinth, and brimstone; while
out of the mouths of the horses proceeded fire, smoke, and brimstone.
There is evidently a special design in distinguishing between the horses
and their riders. These symbols, being drawn from different sources--the
former from the natural world and the latter from human life--point out
the two characteristics of the Turks as a politico-religious power. The
symbolic description of the two is almost identical. The horsemen had
breastplates of fire, jacinth (purplish or reddish blue), and brimstone.
This describes the character of the Turks as a religious system. Out of
the horses' mouths proceeded fire, smoke, and brimstone, which
represents the Moslems as a political power. The only difference is that
the smoke is substituted for the jacinth, but they very nearly agree in
color. We are thus brought to the conclusion that the political and the
religious power of the Turks is in harmony and agreement with each
other--united in the closest manner possible, like a horse and its
rider, and both animated by the same spirit. That spirit is perhaps
their fierce, fanatical, aggressive, intolerant character.
The tails of the horses were like serpents with heads, their power being
in their mouth and in their tails--the one a lion, the other a serpent.
It was by the fire, the smoke, and the brimstone that came from their
lion-heads that the third part of men was killed, or their conquests
were made; then with their serpent-like tails would they torment or
"hurt" all those who would not adopt the Moslem faith, being in this
respect like the scorpion locusts. Their lion-heads would denote their
invincible strength and courage; and their serpent-tails, the tormenting
sting inflicted upon those whom they subdued but who would not accept
their religion. It is not said that the riders were the direct agents of
destruction--not the Moslem faith as a religion--but it was the horses
that accomplished the deadly work--the Ottomans as a political body.
This was the power that extended conquests and established their empire,
although it was accompanied by the religious system, working in perfect
harmony.
It is said that the "rest of the men which were not killed by these
plagues" repented not. This expression doubtless signifies the Western,
or Latin, church. They saw these judgments of the Euphratean horsemen on
the Eastern empire, and the triumph of the Moslem sword and faith (the
woe fell as a judgment upon the Eastern church); still, they continued
as before in their abominable idolatries, by which is probably meant
their worship of the virgin Mary, saints, relics, and images. There was
no reformation. Error, superstition, and ecclesiastical usurpation
prevailed as before.
The Turks obtained their first victory over the Christians of the
Eastern, or Greek, empire in A.D. 1281. Within ten years the Latins who
inhabited Palestine were entirely overthrown (see Gibbon, Vol. VI, p.
47), and the way was now clear for Turkish aggression against the Greek
empire. Before the end of the century the four Sultanies mentioned were
combined into one consolidated empire under Osman (corrupted by
Europeans into Ottoman) and from him took the name which it still
retains--the Ottoman empire. From the time they were let loose, the
Turks continued their aggressions until A.D. 1453, when Constantinople
fell before their victorious arms, and the Eastern empire, with the last
of the Constantines, sunk to rise no more. "The Turkish sword and the
religion of the Koran were enthroned in the Christian metropolis of the
Roman emperors; and the proud Moslem had the Christian dog completely
under his foot." The Ottoman power, however, continued to grow and make
new conquests until the year A.D. 1672, when they conducted a successful
campaign against Poland, in which forty-eight towns and villages were
ceded to the Sultan, with promise of an annual tribute of two hundred
and twenty thousand ducats. See Encyclopædia Britannica, Art. Turkey.
This was the last victory they ever gained wherein the Ottoman empire
obtained any advantage. A little later they marched against Vienna, but
sustained a miserable defeat. "Venice and Russia now declared war
against Turkey; misfortune followed misfortune; city after city was rent
away from the empire; the Austrians were in possession of almost the
whole of Hungary, the Italians of almost all the Morea." Encyclopædia
Britannica, Art. Turkey. So the power of the Ottomans to extend their
conquests and to add to their empire, ended with the victory over the
Poles in A.D. 1672. This fact is even admitted by Demetrius Cantemir,
prince of Moldavia, one of their historians, in the following language:
"This was the _last_ victory by which any advantage accrued to the
Othman state, or any city or province was annexed to the ancient bounds
of the empire." In accordance with this statement, the same historian
entitles the first part of his history up to the victory over the Poles
in 1672 the History of _the Growth of the Othman Empire_, and the
remaining portion, _The Decay of the Othman Empire_.
Calculating now the time during which these horsemen were prepared to
extend their conquests--"an hour, and a day, and a month, and a
year"--we find according to prophetic, or symbolic, time--thirty days in
a month, three hundred and sixty in a year--that it signifies three
hundred and ninety-one years and fifteen days. This is exactly the
period of time that elapsed between their first victory in A.D. 1281 and
their last conquest in A.D. 1672. I can not verify the fifteen days,
because no history at my command states the exact days of the month on
which these victories occurred.
One more point of importance must be considered before we conclude this
chapter, and that is the continuance of the Ottoman power. The first, or
Saracen, woe had power to torment men "five months," or one hundred and
fifty years, during which time they continued their ravages. The second
woe began when the command was given to loose the four angels, or the
beginning of the Ottoman conquests. "An hour, and a day, and a month,
and a year," or three hundred and ninety-one years, marked the time
during which they were "prepared" to extend their conquests. But it is
not stated that the woe itself, or the Ottoman power, would then cease;
for it is not represented as ending until after the death and the
resurrection of the witnesses (chap. 11:14), immediately following which
the coming of Christ and the general judgment, or the third woe, is
described. Verses 15-18. The Turkish power has made no advance for
centuries, but has been on the decline; yet it will endure for its
allotted time. It furnishes us a way-mark by which we can determine our
position along the pathway of time; for when it falls, we may rest
assured that the coming of Christ is imminent.
For nearly two centuries it has been the wonder of civilized nations how
that corrupt, tyrannical government, which has been described as a
"despotism tempered by assassination," could exist in the increased
light and onward advance of modern civilization. Concerning its position
in Europe, Judson, in his recent history of Europe in the Nineteenth
Century, says: "The Turkish empire has been an element of unrest in
Europe. It has long been plain to all that it is not permanent. It has
taken no root. The Turks are merely encamped in Europe; and it is merely
a question of time when the last of them must return across the
Bosphorus." Pp. 269, 270. But Turkey will continue to hold this
territory of the old Greek empire until the time appointed by the Father
for her overthrow. The nations of Europe have often conspired for her
overthrow. This is what is known as the great Eastern Question, which
has been described by one writer as "the expulsion of the Turk from
Europe, and the scramble for his territory." But it has not yet been
accomplished, for the very reason doubtless, that it _could not_ take
place before the resurrection of the witnesses, of which we will speak
later. Judson thus continues his account of the matter: "As soon as this
idea was realized [that Turkish power in Europe must fall] by the
Western nations, in place of the dread of the Turk which had so long
been part and parcel of European thinking, the question of the disposal
to be made of the Turkish possessions became matter of live interest.
And this is the Eastern Question. The Greek empire vanished forever when
the last Constantine fell in 1453. The only problem is one of partition.
And the heart of it all is the disposal to be made of Constantinople.
That imperial city is a site that, in strong hands, means power and
wealth. What shall become of it? Russia early formed designs of
conquest.... The empress Catherine ... had a grand scheme for a
restoration of the Greek empire under a Russian prince. Alexander I., at
Tilsit, planned a partition of the Ottoman empire with Napoleon, but the
latter declined to see Constantinople in Russian hands.
'Constantinople,' said he, 'is the empire of the world.' In 1844
Nicholas visited England and made guarded suggestions to the
prime-minister about the Turkish lands. The Ottoman empire, said he, was
a sick man, nearly at the last extremity.... England declined to plan
for a share of the inheritance, and nothing was done. In 1853 Nicholas
resumed the subject with the British ambassador at St. Petersburg. The
sick man, he now held, was at the point of death.... But again England
declined and, indeed, the next year went to war with Russia to save the
sick man from a premature end at the hands of the would-be administrator
of the estate. Another power doubly interested in the future of the
Turkish dominions is Austria. That empire has been the traditional enemy
of the Turk, and at the end of the seventeenth century was the actual
bulwark of Europe against Mohammedan conquest. When the tide of war
rolled the other way, Austria was ready to share in the spoils. Twice
near the end of the eighteenth century, was an alliance made between
Russia and Austria for the partition of Turkey," etc. Pp. 270, 271.
Thus, we find that these designs of nations for the overthrow of Turkey
have so far been overruled; for God will not allow that power to come to
"a _premature end_."
CHAPTER X.
And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed
with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was
as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire:
2. And he had in his hand a little book open: and he set his
right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth,
3. And cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth: and when
he had cried, seven thunders uttered their voices.
4. And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was
about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me,
Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write
them not.
5. And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the
earth lifted up his hand to heaven,
6. And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created
heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the
things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are
therein, that there should be time no longer:
7. But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he
shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as
he hath declared to his servants the prophets.
8. And the voice which I heard from heaven spake unto me again,
and said, Go and take the little book which is open in the hand
of the angel which standeth upon the sea and upon the earth.
9. And I went unto the angel, and said unto him, Give me the
little book. And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up; and it
shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet
as honey.
10. And I took the little book out of the angel's hand, and ate
it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I
had eaten it, my belly was bitter.
11. And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many
peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.
In the preceding chapter we had a history of the two great woes that
befell apostate Christendom. In this chapter we have in contrast a
portion of the history of God's true church, to show us that all was not
lost even though the Eastern church was greviously tormented by the
serpent-tails of the horses and the Western church still continued as
before in her sorceries, fornications, and abominable idolatries.
The symbol is that of an angel from heaven. This is not the seventh, or
the third woe angel, who ushers in the general judgment (chap.
11:15-18), but it is a special messenger appearing on earth with the
awful message that the end of time is near and that when the seventh
angel soon begins to sound the mystery of God shall be finished and
there shall be time no longer. This mighty angel is symbolical of some
human agencies of distinguished character; for it stands in striking
contrast with the destructive powers described under the preceding
trumpets. When angels appear on the panoramic scene only in the temple
above, they themselves are not symbolic characters, but only the
conductors of the Revelation; but whenever they appear on earth, they
represent distinguished agencies among men. In the present vision the
symbol is drawn, not from the natural world, but from the heavenly, and
the scene is laid upon earth; therefore we must look to the history of
the church to find its fulfilment in some distinguished agencies
appearing for the defence of Christ and his truth. The cloud, rainbow,
face as the sun, and feet as pillars of fire, are doubtless intended to
set forth their beautiful, benignant character, and to show that the
angel is not such an one as those that were bound in the river
Euphrates. This one has the bow of covenant promise upon his head, and
his face shines as the sun.
Where, then, in the history of God's true church do we find the agencies
corresponding to the symbol? We find them in the _holy ministry_ that he
has raised up and is now sending forth to preach the pure gospel and to
declare the speedy sounding of the seventh trumpet and the coming of the
Lord Jesus Christ to earth again.
"Lo, the angel now is standing on the sea and on the land;
How his voice the air is rending as to God he lifts his hand!
What an awful, awful message! Help us, Lord, this truth to see:
When the seventh trumpet thunders, then shall time no longer be.
"One more trumpet yet to summon us before the judgment seat,
Then the time of our frail planet will be said to be complete.
How the wicked will be wailing and the righteous overjoyed
When with fire the heav'ns are burning and the earth shall be destroyed!"
This angel "set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the
earth," that his lion-like voice might be heard over all the world. This
shows that the earth (the Apocalyptic earth--the territory of the Roman
empire) was not the only place where the message was to be borne; it was
to be sounded upon the sea, which would indicate its promulgation among
all nations.
When his mighty voice sounded, "seven thunders uttered their voices";
and when about to record what they said, John was commanded to "seal up
those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not." The
fact that they were not to be recorded shows that they were to
constitute no part of this Revelation. John evidently thought so at
first; for they had the appearance of revelation, something clothed with
divine authority, but they were not to be delivered to the church. What,
then, were they? The most probable supposition is, that they were things
that God for some reason did not choose to have revealed. Their sayings
may have described events just prior to the end so perfectly as to leave
the world in no doubt respecting the nearness of Christ's second coming;
whereas it appears in the Scriptures that God has designed that it
should be a matter of considerable uncertainty, especially to the
unsaved. However, we can obtain no satisfactory explanation of the
things uttered by the seven thunders; for we can not identify positively
what John was commanded to "seal up."
This angel had in his hand a little book that John was required to take
and eat. In advancing and taking the book, John himself becomes an actor
in the symbolic scene, the same as was the book and the angel from whose
hand he took it. Therefore we must now consider John a symbol of
something in this vision. Some of the commentators have supposed that
this book signified the remainder of the book of Revelation. But John
was commanded to _write_ the Revelations, not to _eat_ them. And if he
ate them, how, then, could they constitute the remainder of the book?
Its true signification is undoubtedly the word of God. In making such an
application we do not necessarily make one book merely a symbol of a
larger one, as the Bible is, but of God's _revealed will_, just the same
as the sealed book of chapter V was the symbol of the divine purposes.
When we come to explain the resurrection of the witnesses in chapter XI,
it will be found that this is the time when the word of God is again
taught in all its purity, being restored for the first time, in its
perfect sense, since the morning time of this dispensation. A great
spiritual famine has for centuries overspread the earth. Since the time
the black horse of the third seal entered on his career, the people have
been starving for spiritual food. The few crumbs that have been dropped
during the reign of Protestantism have been eagerly gathered up by the
spiritually-minded; but, thank God! the time has now arrived when the
messengers appear with food from heaven, and the multitudes of earth's
starving millions can "eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the
name of the Lord God." Joel 2:26. Halleluiah!
In taking the book from the hand of the angel and eating it, John became
a symbol of the church, or people of God, who receive the Word from the
hand of his ministers. The sweetness of its taste signifies the
eagerness with which people receive it and the gladness experienced when
they first partake of the heavenly manna; while the bitterness resulting
therefrom probably symbolizes the bitter persecutions and oppositions of
which it is the occasion. "Yea, and _all_ that will live godly in Christ
Jesus shall suffer persecution." 2 Tim. 3:12.
John was told to "prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and
tongues, and kings," which signifies that the people of God must again
be witnesses of his saving grace throughout all the world. In the
beginning of this dispensation all his people prophesied among the
nations; for Christ had said unto them, "Ye shall be _witnesses_ unto
me, both in Jerusalem, and in Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the
uttermost parts of the earth." Acts 1:8. So, also, in this evening time
we go forth again on the same mission, inspired by the soon-coming of
our Savior.
"Even so come, Lord Jesus."
CHAPTER XI.
And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel
stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the
altar, and them that worship therein.
2. But the court which is without the temple leave out, and
measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy
city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.
3. And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall
prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in
sackcloth.
4. These are the two olive-trees, and the two candlesticks
standing before the God of the earth.
5. And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their
mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt
them, he must in this manner be killed.
6. These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days
of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to
blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they
will.
The two principal objects of this vision is the city of Jerusalem with
its holy temple and worshipers, and two witnesses prophesying for twelve
hundred and sixty days. These are not objects from the natural world;
therefore we may conclude that we have not here to do with political
events, while the character of the symbols point us with certainty to
the history of the church.
There is a possibility that the speaker here is not the angel of the
preceding chapter; for the words in verse 1 "and the angel stood" may be
an interpolation, they being found in very few manuscripts. See the
Revised Version and the Emphatic Diaglott, Greek and English. If not,
then he must be the angel through whom the Revelation was given. Chap.
1:1; 22:8. Whether the angel is the same as the one in the preceding
chapter or not, it is evident that that series of prophecy ends with
chapter 10, and that he here introduces a new line of events running
over the entire gospel dispensation[7], in which John as an active agent
in the panoramic vision still stands as a symbol of the people of God,
who, in striking contrast with the blind devotees of an apostate church,
are commanded to "measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them
that worship therein." The temple with its altar and court and the holy
city itself, here used as symbols, are representative of something
analagous, and refer to no other than the outward, visible church of God
with its doctrines and worshipers. Its measurement is designed to show
how far it conforms to the true church; while the rod is a symbol of the
revealed will of God, by which the measurement is brought as to a true
standard.
[Footnote 7: This statement may seem to conflict with the classification
of events in the "Diagram of the Revelation," where this prophecy is
treated, not as an independent series, but as part of a compound series
beginning with chapter 8 and ending with chapter 11. For thus
classifying it my reason is, that the line of prophecy beginning with
chapter 8 introduces the seven trumpets, and therefore the series is not
complete until the seventh trumpet is given, which event concludes the
line of truth given in the present chapter.]
By noticing briefly the arrangement of the temple and the purposes to
which the different apartments were put, we shall be able to understand
better the design of this vision. The temple proper consisted of two
apartments. In the first stood the altar of incense and other things; in
the second, the ark of the covenant, etc. The priests officiated in the
first apartment regularly, while into the second went the high-priest
alone once every year. This, Paul informs us, was a shadow of a greater
and more perfect tabernacle. Heb. 9:1-11; 8:2. The altar that is
mentioned and that John was to measure is a symbol of the great cardinal
doctrine of the church--the atonement and mediation of Christ. He was
the sacrifice made for sin, through whom we have redemption and access
unto God. John was also told to measure those who worshiped therein--the
officiating ministers in the sanctuary--who were thus made symbols of
the ministers and the teachers in the church. To measure the temple of
God, then, was to ascertain the great doctrines taught in the Scriptures
and symbolized by the sanctuary, the altar, and the priests; namely, the
doctrines of the New Testament concerning God as the supreme lawgiver,
the atonement of Jesus Christ as the only ground for justification, and
the ministers whom he appointed to officiate in his church.
These are the great principles corrupted by the Papacy. Instead of the
one supreme God, we find another in the temple of God, "showing himself
that _he_ is God." Christ was not recognized as the supreme and only
head of the church; but instead the Pope claimed the title of universal
head and legislated supreme, while his decrees and anathemas were
accepted as from Jehovah himself. Christ was not regarded as the only
mediator between God and man, but the virgin Mary and the saints were
exalted to share the mediatorial throne, the mother being more honored
than the Son. Penance, counting of beads, works of supererogation, were
believed to be more effectual in obtaining forgiveness of sin than
living faith in our only Redeemer. Finally, in place of the humble
ministers of Christ whom he appointed to officiate in his church, there
were haughty lords and rulers, making the most extravagant claims to
power and authority over the minds and consciences of men. The court of
the temple was the space outside of the sanctuary occupied by the
congregation while the worship within was conducted by the priests. John
was told to leave this out and measure it not; for it was given to the
Gentiles to tread under foot, or profane, for the space of forty and two
months, or twelve hundred and sixty days. In the estimation of a Jew,
the Gentiles were all idolaters and outside of God's covenant favor. As
a symbol, then, we are to understand that the great body of worshipers
thus brought to view are not the true children of God at all, but are,
as it were, uncircumcised, idolatrous Gentiles, having no connection
whatever with the great head of the church and no part in the covenant
of his mercy. The whole city of Jerusalem was to be given over to this
profane multitude and by them desecrated for forty-two months, denoting
that this great company of worshipers was to constitute the visible,
external church during the period specified. It is as though the city of
Jerusalem were occupied by the idolatrous heathen, and the Jews driven
out as aliens. These Gentiles, then, were to constitute the one great
(so-called) universal church--the Church of Rome.
Forty and two months, or twelve hundred and sixty days, are symbolic
time, signifying twelve hundred and sixty years, during which time the
power of apostasy was to reign supreme over the minds of men. The same
period is also referred to frequently in subsequent chapters. It is
necessary, then, for us to ascertain at what period of time the church
was given over to a profane multitude that was not the true people of
God. Some have supposed that this must refer to the time when Popery
became fully established. Such, however, could not be the case (although
the time-period includes that important event); for the power of
apostasy was greatly developed centuries before the final supremacy of
the Popes was established, and was necessary in order to prepare the way
for their exaltation. The Popes obtained their authority by degrees. In
A.D. 606 the emperor Phocas conferred the title "Universal Bishop" upon
the Pope of Rome. In A.D. 756 the Pope became a temporal sovereign. Yet
the power of Papal usurpation did not reach the summit until the reign
of the impious Hildebrand, who succeeded to the Popedom in A.D. 1073,
under the title of Gregory VII. But according to the symbols before us,
we must look for a period not so much when the Popes were enabled to
definitely enforce their arrogant claims, as when the ministry became
corrupted and when the inhabitants of the city, or the devotees of the
visible church, became a profane multitude entirely estranged from the
covenant of promise. The usurpations of the ministry that accompanied
this great change in the external church have been considered already
under the symbols of chapter VI. This mighty transformation to a church
containing nothing but uncircumcised Gentiles was fully accomplished
during the latter half of the third century, from which date we must
look for the true disciples of the Lord as entirely separate from the
hierarchy. A few quotations from standard and ecclesiastical histories
will show this important epoch in the rise of the Papacy that plunged
the world into almost universal apostasy.
"The living church retiring gradually within the lonely sanctuary of a
few solitary hearts, an external church was substituted in its place,
and all its forms were declared to be of divine appointment. Salvation
no longer flowing from the Word, which was henceforward put out of
sight, the priests affirmed that it was conveyed by means of the forms
they had themselves invented, and that no one could obtain it but by
these channels.... The doctrine of the church and the necessity of its
visible unity, which had begun to gain ground in the _third century_,
favored the pretensions of Rome." D'Aubigne's History of the
Reformation, Book I, Chap. 1.
"At the end of the third century almost half the inhabitants of the
Roman empire, and of several neighboring countries, professed the faith
of Christ. About this time endeavors to preserve a unity of belief, and
of church discipline, occasioned numberless disputes among those of
different opinions, and led to the establishment of an ecclesiastical
tyranny." Encyclopædia of Religious Knowledge.
Concerning the Roman diocese, the Encyclopædia Britannica says, "Before
the termination of the third century the office was held to be of such
importance that its succession was a matter of interest to ecclesiastics
living in distant sees." Vol. XIX, p. 488.
"Almost proportionate with the extension of Christianity was the
decrease in the church of vital piety. A philosophizing spirit among the
higher, and a wild monkish superstition among the lower orders, fast
took the place in the third century of the faith and humility of the
first Christians. Many of the clergy became very corrupt, and
excessively ambitious. In consequence of this there was an awful
defection of Christianity." Marsh's Church History, p. 185.
"We have found it almost necessary to separate, and indeed widely to
distinguish the events of the two first, from those of the third
century, for nearly at this point we are disposed to place the FIRST
CRISIS in the internal history of the church." Waddington's Church
History.
"This season of external prosperity was improved by the ministers of the
church for the exertion of new claims, and the assumption of powers with
which they had not been previously invested. At first these claims were
modestly urged, and gradually allowed; but they laid a foundation for
the encroachments which were afterwards made upon the rights of the
whole Christian community, and for lofty pretensions to the right of
supremacy and spiritual dominion.... Several alterations in the form of
church government appear to have been introduced during the third
century. Some degree of pomp was thought necessary.... The external
dignity of the ministers of religion was accompanied by a still greater
change in its discipline.... Many of the Jewish and Pagan proselytes ...
languished in the absence of ceremonies which were naturally adapted to
the taste of the unreflecting multitude, while the insolent infidel
haughtily insisted upon the inanity of a religion which was not
manifested by an external symbol or decoration. In order to accommodate
Christianity to these prejudices, a number of rites were instituted; and
while the dignified titles of the Jewish priesthood were through a
compliance with the prejudices of that people, conferred upon the
Christian teachers, many ceremonies were introduced which coincided with
the genius of Paganism. The true gospels were taught by sensible images,
and many of the ceremonies employed in celebrating the heathen mysteries
were observed in the institutions of Christ, which soon in their turn
obtained the name of mysteries, and served as a melancholy precedent for
future innovations, and as a foundation for that structure of absurdity
and superstition which deformed and disgraced the church." Rutter's
History of the Church, pp. 52-56.
This "season of external prosperity" mentioned by Rutter began with the
accession of Gallienus to the imperial throne in A.D. 260. Up to this
time the hand of persecution had been raised against the church almost
incessantly; but from 260 until the reign of Diocletian persecution
almost ceased, during this space of about forty years. But this period
also marked the greatest decline in spiritual things and a marvelous
development of the hierarchy. Speaking of the bishop of Rome in these
times, Dowling says, "He far surpassed all his brethren in the
magnificence and splendor of the church over which he presided; in the
riches of his revenues and possessions; in the number and variety of his
ministers; in his credit with the people; and in his sumptuous and
splendid manner of living." History of Romanism, p. 34.
Ammianus Marcellinus, a Roman historian, who lived during these times,
adverting to this subject, says: "It was no wonder to see those who were
ambitious of human greatness, contending with so much heat and animosity
for that dignity, because when they had obtained it, they were sure to
be enriched by the offerings of the matrons, and of appearing abroad in
great splendor, of being admired for their costly coaches, and sumptuous
feasts, outdoing sovereign princes in the expenses of their table." This
led Proetextatus, a heathen, who was præfect of the city, to say, "Make
me bishop of Rome, and I'll be a Christian too!"
Speaking of the period now under consideration, Eusebius, "the father of
church history," "mentions one Paul, who was at this time bishop of
Antioch; who lived in luxury and licentiousness, and who was a teacher
of erroneous doctrines, and usurped so great authority that the people
feared to venture to accuse him. In the conclusion of the same chapter
in which this is found, he shows that after a general council was held
at Antioch, this Paul was excommunicated and robbed of his bishopric by
the bishops of Rome and Italy; from this it appears that they possessed
an authority still greater than that usurped by Paul." The following are
his words: "Paul, therefore, having thus fallen from the episcopate,
together with the true faith as already said, Domnus succeeded in
administration of the church at Antioch. But Paul being unwilling to
leave the building of the church, an appeal was made to the emperor
Aurelian, who decided most equitably on the business, ordering the
building to be given up to those whom the Christian bishops of Italy and
Rome should write." Eccl. History, Book VII, Chap. 30. The Encyclopædia
Britannica says that this council at which Paul was excommunicated was
held "probably in the year 268," and that "Paul continued in his office
until the year 272, when the city was taken by the emperor Aurelian, who
decided in person that the church-building belonged to the bishop who
was in epistolary communication with the bishops of Rome and Italy."
Vol. XVIII, p. 429.
The above extracts show not only the development of error in the church,
but also the great power already obtained by the hierarchy. Geo. Fisher
says, "The accession of Constantine [A.D. 312] found the church so
firmly organized under the hierarchy that it could not lose its identity
by being absolutely merged in the state." History of the Christian
Church, p. 99.
In the year A.D. 270 Anthony, an Egyptian, the founder of the monastic
institution, fixed his abode in the deserts of Egypt and formed monks
into organized bodies. "Influenced by these eminent examples [Anthony,
Hilarion, et al.] immense multitudes betook themselves to the desert,
and innumerable monasteries were fixed in Egypt, Ethiopia, Lybia and
Syria. Some of the Egyptian abbots are spoken of as having had five,
seven, or even ten thousand monks under their personal direction; and
the Thebias, as well as certain spots in Arabia, are reported to have
been literally crowded with solitaries. Nearly a hundred thousand of all
classes, it is said, were at one time to be found in Egypt.... Although
the enthusiasm might be at a lower ebb in one country than in another,
it _actually affected the church universal_, so far as the extant
materials of ecclesiastical history enables us to trace its rise and
progress.... The more rigid and heroic of the Christian anchorets
dispensed with all clothing except a rug, or a few palm leaves round the
loins. Most of them abstained from the use of water for ablution; nor
did they usually wash or change the garments they had once put on; thus
_St. Anthony_ [the founder of this order] bequeathed to Athanasius a
skin in which his sacred person had been wrapped for half a century.
They also allowed their beards and nails to grow, and sometimes became
so hirsute, as to be actually mistaken for hyænas or bears." Hist. of
Romanism, pp. 88, 89. Reader, what was the condition of the so-called
church in A.D. 270 that could make the introduction of such abominations
possible? Although many more historical quotations on this point might
be added, I will conclude with the two following extracts from Joseph
Milner.
"We shall, for the present, leave Anthony propagating the monastic
dispositions, and extending its influence not only into the next
century, but for many ages after, and conclude this view of the state of
the _third century_, with expressing our regret that the faith and love
of the gospel received toward the close of it a dreadful blow from the
encouragement of this unchristian practise." Cen. III, Chap. 20.
"Moral, and philosophical, and monastic instructions will not effect for
men what is to be expected from evangelical doctrine. And if the faith
of Christ was so much declined (and its decayed state _ought to be dated
from about the year 270_), we need not wonder that such scenes as
Eusebius hints at without any circumstantial details took place in the
Christian world." Cent. IV, Chap. 1.
After reading the foregoing statements of historians, the reader will, I
believe, agree with me that the year 270 is a consistent date to mark
the time when the visible external church was wholly given over to the
profane multitude of uncircumcised, idolatrous Gentiles to tread under
foot. Measuring forward the allotted period of twelve hundred and sixty
years brings us to the exact date of the first Protestant creed (_the
Augsburg Confession_) in A.D. 1530. We must point to this date both for
the end of Rome's universal spiritual supremacy and for the rise of
Protestantism. D'Aubigne, in his History of the Reformation, when he
comes to this period, says: "The conflicts hitherto described have been
only partial; we are entering upon a new period, that of general
battles. Spires (1529) and Ausburg (1530) are names that shine forth
with more immortal glory than Marathon, Pavia, or Marengo. Forces that
up to the present time were separate, are now uniting into one energetic
band." Book XVIII, Chap. 1. "The first two books of this volume contain
the most important epochs of the reformation--the Protest of Spires, and
the Confession of Augsburg.... I determined on bringing the reformation
of Germany and German Switzerland to the _decisive epochs_ of 1530 and
1531. The history of the reformation, properly so called, is then in my
opinion almost complete in those countries. The work of faith has there
attained its apogee: that of conferences, of interims, of diplomacy
begins.... The movement of the sixteenth century has there made its
effort. I said from the very first, It is the history of the reformation
and not of Protestantism that I am relating." D'Aubigne, Preface to Vol.
V.
The next important object in the vision is the "two witnesses" that
prophecied in sackcloth. From the description given, it would appear at
first that these witnesses were active intelligent agents; and as such,
belonging to the department of human life, they would symbolize the
church, the number two denoting the ministry and the people of God. But
the church is already symbolized in this chapter, the angel representing
the ministry, as in the preceding chapter, and John, who is clearly one
of the symbolic agents in this vision, representing the church;
therefore the two witnesses must be representative of something else.
Since the actions ascribed to them are drawn from the department of
human life, it is evident that their interpretation is to be found in
connection with the affairs of the church. By way of explanation, verse
4 represents them to be "the two olive-trees, and the two candle-sticks
standing before the God of the earth," although it is not stated that
any olive-trees and candle-sticks were shown in this prophetic vision.
In this reference is made to the fourth chapter of Zechariah, where two
olive-trees are represented as standing one on each side of a golden
candle-stick, distilling into it their oil for light. When asked for the
signification of the two olive-trees and the candlestick, the angel
answered, "This is the _Word_ of the Lord ... by my _Spirit_, saith the
Lord." Ver. 6. That the Word of God and the Spirit of God are special
witnesses is proved by many texts. Jesus said, "Search the Scriptures
... they are they which _testify_ of me." John 6:39. "This gospel of the
kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a _witness_ unto all
nations." Mat. 24:14. "The Holy Ghost also is a _witness_." Heb. 10:15.
"The Spirit itself beareth _witness_." Rom. 8:16. "It is the Spirit that
beareth _witness_." 1 John 5:6. It is the Spirit acting in conjunction
with the Word of God that gives spiritual life, through regeneration,
unto men, and which opens their understanding that they may know the
things of God. 2 Cor. 2:9-15.
God may have given us the explanation that these two witnesses were the
same as the olive-trees and the candle-sticks to prevent our being led
astray with the supposition that they were actually intelligent agents.
(I speak humanly.) Accepting this statement, the actions of these
witnesses here described can be explained only by the figure of speech
known as Personification, by which it is proper, under certain
conditions, to attribute life, action, and intelligence to inanimate
objects. Thus, the blood of Abel is said to have cried from the ground.
Gen. 4:9, 10. "The stone shall cry out of the wall, and the beam out of
the timber shall answer it." Hab. 2:11. "The hire of the laborers ...
which is of you kept back by fraud crieth: and the cries ... are entered
into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth." Jas. 5:4. "The mountains and the
hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of
the field shall clap their hands." Isa. 55:12. I would not attempt to
vary from the general order and explain these two witnesses by the
figure of personification, were it not for the fact that the two
olive-trees and the two candle-sticks are here given as a means of
explanation; and trees and candle-sticks, we know, are not active,
intelligent agents, and consequently do not necessarily symbolize such.
To "hurt" the Word and Spirit of God is to oppose, corrupt, or pervert
their testimony and to turn people away from them; and the judgments of
Heaven are pronounced in that Word and by that Spirit against such as
turn away from the truth unto fables. They shall have their part in the
lake that burns with fire and brimstone. Rev. 20:15; 22:8. It is also
said of them: "These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the
days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to
blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will."
This indicates the fact that these were God's own special witnesses sent
in his name and by his authority, as were the prophets of old. Elijah
shut up heaven by prayer; Moses called down the plagues upon Egypt; and
these were God's attestations that they were his divinely commissioned
servants. So these two witnesses had power to shut heaven and to smite
the earth with plagues, not literally, but herein is symbolically set
forth the fact that they were God's appointed agents, even though
despised and rejected, like Elijah in the midst of apostate Israel and
Moses amid idolatrous Egypt, yet, like them, with the seal of Heaven
upon their ministry.
In the beginning of this dispensation these two witnesses were the
vicars of Christ in his church upon earth. The word of God and the
Spirit of God were the Governors of his people. At that time they had
perfect freedom of action among the children of God; but when the
apostasy arose, the governing power of the Word and Spirit of God in the
church was gradually usurped by the rising hierarchy, until, finally,
men had entire authority in what was called the visible church. This was
brought about when, to quote Mosheim's words, the bishops grasped the
power and authority "to prescribe authoritative rules of faith and
manners." D'Aubigne explains it thus: "Salvation no longer flowing from
the _Word_, which was henceforward put out of sight, the priests
affirmed that it was conveyed by means of the forms they had themselves
invented, and that no one could attain it except by these channels....
Christ communicated to the apostles, and these to the bishops, the
unction of the _Holy Spirit_; and this Spirit is to be procured only in
that order of succession.... Faith in the heart no longer connected the
members of the church, and they were united by means of bishops,
archbishops, popes, mitres, canons and ceremonies." History of the
Reformation, Book I, Chap. 1. Thus, the Word and Spirit of God as the
true vicars of Christ in his church were finally expelled from what was
looked upon as the one visible church, and with them the true worshipers
also were driven out; and nothing remained in the public view except the
great company of profane idolaters already referred to. The same is
referred to in a subsequent chapter as the flight of the true church
into the wilderness, where, hidden from sight, she had a place prepared
of God for twelve hundred and sixty days. So after all, God had a true
church during the Dark Ages--a people that stood in opposition to the
abounding corruption and iniquity of the church of Rome; a people that
rejected the established hierarchy and gave heed to the Word and Spirit
of God. But their numbers were so few, comparatively, that the
operations of the two witnesses were greatly limited; hence they are
represented as being clothed in sackcloth, a symbol of melancholy and
mourning.
Among those who opposed the teachings of that apostate church were the
Cathari, Poor Men of Lyons, Lombards, Albigenses, Waldenses, Vaudois,
etc. The name Waldenses and Albigenses have frequently been loosely
applied to all the bands of people that passed under various titles in
different countries and that opposed the doctrines and ecclesiastical
tyranny of Rome. Speaking of the twelfth century, Bowling says: "There
existed at that dark period, when 'all the world wondered after the
beast,' a numerous body of the disciples of Christ, who took the New
Testament for their guidance and direction in all the affairs of
religion, rejecting the doctrines and commandments of men. Their appeal
was from the decisions of councils, and the authority of popes,
cardinals, and prelates, to the law and the testimony--the words of
Christ and his holy apostles." History of Romanism, p. 272. Egbert, a
monkish writer of that age, speaking of them, says that he had often
disputed with these heretics, "a sort of people," he adds, "who are very
pernicious to the Catholic faith, which, like moths, they corrupt and
destroy. They are armed," says he, "_with the words of Scripture_ which
in any way seem to favor their sentiments, and with these they know how
to defend their errors, and to oppose the Catholic truth. They are
increased to great multitudes throughout all countries, to the great
danger of the church [of Rome]."
For lack of space, an extensive history of these interesting people can
not be given; but a few references to them by their most inveterate
enemies, the Papists themselves, are of such importance that I can not
pass them by unnoticed. The testimony given by Evervinus, a zealous
Catholic, in a letter he wrote to the celebrated Bernard, at the
beginning of the twelfth century, relative to the doctrine and manners
of these so-called _heretics_, is exceedingly valuable. Says he: "There
have lately been some heretics discovered among us, near Colonge [sic:
Cologne], of whom some have, with satisfaction returned again to the
church. One that was a bishop among them, and his companions, openly
opposed us, in the assembly of the clergy and laity, the lord-archbishop
himself being present, with many of the nobility, maintaining their
heresy from _the words of Christ and his apostles_. But, finding that
they made no impression, they desired that a day might be fixed, upon
which they might bring along with them men skilful in their faith,
promising to return to the church, provided their teachers were unable
to answer their opponents; but that otherwise, they would rather die
than depart from their judgment.
"Upon this declaration, having been admonished to repent, and three days
allowed them for that purpose, they were seized by the people, in their
excess of zeal, _and committed to the flames_! and, what is most
astonishing, they came to the stake and endured the torment not only
with patience, but even with joy. In this case, O holy father, were I
present with you, I should be glad to ask you, how these members of
Satan could persist in their heresy with such constancy and courage as
is rarely to be found among the most religious in the faith of Christ?"
He then proceeds: "Their heresy is this: They say that the church (of
Christ) is only among themselves, because they alone follow the ways of
Christ, and imitate the apostles, not seeking secular gains.... Whereas
they say to us, 'Ye join house to house, and field to field, seeking the
things of this world.'... They represent themselves as the poor of
Christ's flock, who have no certain abode, fleeing from one city to
another, like sheep in the midst of wolves, enduring persecution with
the apostles and martyrs: though strict in their manner of
life--_abstemious, laborious, devoted, and holy_ ... living as men who
are not of the world. But you, say they, lovers of the world, have peace
with the world, because ye are in it. False apostles, who adulterate the
word of God, seeking their own things, have misled you and your
ancestors. Whereas, we and our fathers, having been born and brought up
in the apostolic doctrine, have continued in the grace of Christ, and
shall continue so to the end.... They affirm that the apostolic dignity
is corrupted by indulging itself in secular affairs, while it sits
[professedly] in St Peter's chair. They do not hold with the baptism of
infants, alleging that passage of the gospel, 'He that believeth and is
baptized shall be saved.' They place no confidence in the intercession
of saints and all things observed in the church, which have not been
established by Christ himself, or his apostles, they pronounce to be
superstitious. They do not admit of any purgatory fire after death,
contending, that the souls of men, as soon as they depart out of the
bodies, do enter into rest or punishment ... by which means they make
void all the prayers and oblations of the faithful for the deceased....
I must inform you also, that those of them who have returned to our
church, tell us that they had great numbers of their persuasion,
scattered almost everywhere.... And as for those who were burnt, they,
in defense they made of themselves, told us that this heresy had been
_concealed from the time of the martyrs_ [by which is meant the early
period of Christianity] and that it had existed in Greece and other
countries."
Although Bernard began a strenuous opposition to these people, still he
testifies: "If you ask them of their faith, nothing can be more
Christian-like; and if you observe their conversation, nothing can be
more blameless, and what they speak they make good by their actions....
As to life and manners, he circumvents no man, overreaches no man, does
violence to no man. He fasts much and eats not the bread of idleness;
but works with his hands for his support."
Claudius, archbishop of Turin, who joined in hunting and persecuting
them to the death, writes, "Their heresy excepted, they generally live a
purer life than other Christians." Again, "In their lives they are
perfect, irreproachable, and without reproach among men, addicting
themselves with all their might to the service of God."
The sum and substance of their offense is mentioned by Cassini, a
Franciscan friar, where he says, "That ALL THE ERRORS of these Waldenses
consisted in this, that they denied the church of Rome to be the holy
mother church, and _would not obey her traditions_."
In conclusion I quote from the celebrated Roman Catholic historian
Thuanus. He states their tenets as follows: "That the church of Rome,
because it renounced the true faith of Christ, WAS THE WHORE OF BABYLON
... that consequently _no obedience was to be paid to the Pope_, or to
the bishops who maintain her errors; that a monastic life was the sink
and dungeon of the church, the vows of which [relating to celibacy] were
vain ... that the orders of the priesthood were marks of the great beast
mentioned in the Apocalypse; that the fire of purgatory, the solemn
mass, the consecration days of churches, the worship of saints, and
propitiations for the dead, were the devices of Satan." Lib. VI, Sec.
16, Lib. XXVII. The chief offense of these so-called heretics seems to
have been that they denounced the Pope as "Antichrist" and the apostate
church of Rome as "the Babylonish harlot."
7. And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast
that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against
them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.
8. And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great
city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also
our Lord was crucified.
9. And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations
shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall
not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves.
10. And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them,
and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because
these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth.
11. And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God
entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great
fear fell upon them which saw them.
12. And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them,
Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and
their enemies beheld them.
At the expiration of the twelve hundred and sixty years the scene
changes. The prophecy of the witnesses in their sackcloth state, hidden
away from sight in the wilderness, ends, and they are now brought out
into public view--but only to be killed. Their slaughter takes place at
the hands of the beast. When we come to consider chapter XIII, we shall
see that the Papacy is described as a beast reigning for forty-two
months, or twelve hundred and sixty years, after which time another
beast possessing great power and authority appears on the scene. This
second beast is Protestantism, and through it the murder of the two
witnesses at the close of the Papal supremacy in the vision before us
was effected.
It would seem, by the similarity of statement that the beast "ascendeth
out of the bottomless pit," that the slaughter of the witnesses was
effected by the Papal beast (chap. 17:7, 8); but the Mohammedan delusion
also is said to have proceeded from "the bottomless pit." Chap. 9:1, 2.
The expression _bottomless pit_ is doubtless used merely to signify the
source of certain powers in contradistinction to the heavenly source
from which others proceeded. Although the Papal beast is said to have
originated in the bottomless pit, the second beast also doubtless
proceeded from the same source, for he possessed many of the
characteristics of the former, and caused the earth to worship the first
beast, as explained in chapter 13. That he was not of heavenly origin is
shown by the statement that he came up "out of the earth." Chap. 13:11.
But the direct proof that it was the Protestant beast, and not the Papal
beast--although the same expression as to its origin is used concerning
it--that slew the two witnesses, is found in the fact that the reign of
the first, or Papal, beast was limited to forty two months (chap. 13:5),
corresponding to the twelve hundred and sixty years in which the
witnesses prophesied in the vision before us; while it was after the
_close_ of this period, at the time when the second, or Protestant,
beast arose (chap. 13:11), that the witnesses were slain.
To many this may seem a hard saying; but I request that the matter be
given the most careful attention in the light of prophecy and divine
truth. It is true that the Sixteenth Century Reformation at first
brought the witnesses out of the wilderness of seclusion where they had
remained during the long night of Romanism and exhibited them to the
public view; but when thus placed upon exhibition, they were soon robbed
entirely of their position as the Vicars, or Governors, of God's church.
Since creed and sect-making first began, the Word and Spirit have not
possesed governing power and authority in Protestantism; but men have
usurped that place and prescribed authoritative rules of faith and
practise for the people. The principles of Higher Criticism have so far
pervaded the realm of sectarian theology that a vast number of the
clergy no longer regard the Bible as the inspired word of God to man,
but simply as a remarkable piece of religious literature recording the
natural development of the religious consciousness among a peculiarly
sensitive race of people. Protestantism certainly has placed the Bible
on the dissecting table and dismembered it in a manner wholly unknown
before. While Protestants will not for a moment allow the blessed Book
to be hidden out of sight--put "into graves"--still they will not grant
it that place it should occupy as the sole discipline of faith, so it is
a dead letter to them. That all-glorious doctrine of Bible _unity_,
which fills the whole New Testament, strikes a deathblow to all the
carnal divisions and institutions of sectarianism; and so with one
accord they unite in _fighting it_. "Oh, the good old blessed Bible! we
could not do without it," say they; yet, as everybody knows, they are
governed by the discipline and laws that they or their representatives
have formulated. Thus, the Word and Spirit of God are brought under the
public gaze, only to be treated with such indignity in God's sight, and
killed; while infidels look on, and tauntingly remark, "Either the
religion of to-day is no Christianity, or the Word of God is a lie."
In the beginning of this dispensation the church of God not only
consisted of all those who were spiritual, but constituted a visible,
organic body as well, made up of numerous local congregations that were
separate in the management of their internal affairs, yet interrelated
with each other, and were directed by humble pastors, who were, in
reference to each other, _equal_. The Word of God was their only
discipline, and the Spirit of God, their great Teacher and Guide. Thus,
the two witnesses were active in their official position, in the public
view, as the Vicars or Governors of the church of God on earth. When,
however, men usurped the place of these Vicars by ignoring the Spirit
and rejecting the Word and making their own rules of faith, the effect
was a national hierarchy--the church of Rome, which for twelve hundred
and sixty years stood in the public view. Yet the two witnesses were
still alive, though driven into obscurity and "clothed in sackcloth";
for they still acted in their official position in the congregations of
the medieval Christians already referred to, who resisted the doctrines
of men and clung tenaciously to the simple, primitive form of church
government and allowed the Spirit and Word authority supreme.
But during the Protestant era Christians the world over became
identified with the various sects, hence were representing to the world
the beast power instead of the true church. Thus, during the Protestant
period, the church of God, _in its organic form_, was not represented
anywhere on earth; for its members were scattered among those who were
"worshiping the beast and his image." Hence the two witnesses, during
this era, had no place to operate in their official capacity as the
Governors of God's church and are therefore represented as slain. The
government of Protestant sects is not effected by the Word and Spirit;
for the institutions themselves are of human origin, and men are their
law-makers and governors.
When the two witnesses are deprived of their governing power and the
rules and disciplines of men substituted in their place, a decline into
worldliness is the invariable result. This has been the case repeatedly
in sectarianism. In fact, Protestantism, as a component part of that
great city Babylon, has so given herself over to "revellings,
banquetings, and abominable idolatries," that a voice from heaven has
declared her to be "the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul
spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird." Chap. 18:2.
Witness the shows, festivals, frolics, grab-bag parties, kissing bees,
cake-walk lotteries, and other abominations unnumbered, that are carried
on without shame, under the guise of religion, in the high places of
this modern Babylon! If the Word of God with the full power and
authority of his Spirit could be turned in upon them, it would be like
the torment of fire; but no, it is dead to them, and they rejoice and
make merry and continue in "the same excess of riot."
In the description before us, this city of sectarianism in which the two
witnesses are slain is "spiritually [or mystically] called Sodom and
Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified." It is a mystical Sodom, Egypt
and Jerusalem--a Sodom for wickedness and lewdness, an Egypt for the
captivity and oppression of God's people, and a Jerusalem for the
crucifying of the Son of God afresh and putting him to an open shame.
Thus, this city mystically combines the wickedness of the three most
wicked places on earth--Sodom, Egypt, and Jerusalem. These facts we
shall notice more particularly hereafter.
But these two witnesses were not always to remain trampled under foot in
the streets of great Babylon; for a time came when "the spirit of life
from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great
fear fell upon them which saw them." In this is portrayed the
reformation which is now taking place in the world. About the year A.D.
1880 God began to raise up holy men and women whom he commissioned to
preach the everlasting gospel of the kingdom again; and they went forth
in his name calling upon God's people everywhere to come "out of all
places where they had been scattered in the cloudy and dark day" (Ezek.
34:12) and to take up their abode in the one true church of Jesus
Christ, his body, independent of all sectarianism and the creeds and
disciplines of men. In this assembly of the faithful, gathered out of
all nations, no man nor set of men attempts to form laws or regulations
for the supervision of spiritual affairs; but with one consent they
humbly bow before the only true Lawgiver (Jas. 4:12), and say, "The
government shall be upon his shoulder" (Isa. 9:6); and the Word and
Spirit of God have perfect control of his saints. Halleluiah! They can
preach, teach, and believe every word of truth placed in the Sacred
Volume, without a conference or discipline of men forbidding. Standing
upon this apostolic platform of eternal truth, they hurl the thunders of
divine judgment against the hidden works of darkness, causing the
graceless devotees of fallen Babylon to quake with fear and to "gnaw
their tongues for pain."
After the resurrection of these witnesses, a voice from heaven is heard,
saying, "Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and
their enemies beheld them." This ascension to heaven in the presence of
their enemies, which according to this chapter occurred before the end
of time, has reference undoubtedly to their great exaltation. "Thy
greatness is grown, and _reacheth unto heaven_." Dan. 4:22. We see that
in this text a similar expression signifies great exaltation. So this
work is destined to assume such proportions that the people of earth may
have the privilege of seeing the truth. In the preceding chapter John,
as a symbol of the church at this time, under the living ministry
symbolized by the rain-bow angel, was told that he "must prophesy again
before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings." Verse 11.
The signification of the time-period of three days and a half claims our
attention next. According to the foregoing explanation, it will be seen
that the writer applies it as three centuries and a half, or three
hundred and fifty years--from A.D. 1530 to A.D. 1880. It will be
necessary to adduce strong reasons for thus applying it. In the first
place, the time-prophecies of the Bible are by no means confined to the
year-day manner of interpretation. Many times in the Old Testament the
expression occurs, "And it shall come to pass _in that day_," which
expression is admitted by all to have reference to the gospel day, or
the entire gospel dispensation. When the church of Philadelphia was
promised deliverance from the _hour_ of temptation which was to come
upon all the world (chap. 3:10), no one supposes that a short period of
only one week is specified. The rulers of the ten kingdoms were to
"receive power as kings _one hour_ with the beast" (chap. 17:12), which
expression will be shown later to really cover many years. We might
point out many such exceptions were it necessary.
Again, it was the beast that came up at the expiration of the twelve
hundred and sixty years, or Protestantism, that slaughtered the
witnesses, and we could not expect their resurrection during the reign
of Protestantism, which every one will admit was longer than three and
one-half years, according to the year-day application. The events as
they have developed prove that it was just three and one-half centuries
before Protestantism was entirely ignored and the Spirit and Word
recognized as the sole Governors in the church of God. Besides, the
general trend of events following the formation of Protestantism
naturally divide the succeeding centuries into separate periods. The
first (sixteenth) was a fierce conflict for the establishment of
Protestantism; the second (seventeenth) was a violent reaction, wherein
the church of Rome nearly triumphed over her hated opposers; while the
third (eighteenth) is specially noted in history as the period of
infidelity or reason. This division of time was so noticable that
D'Aubigne, who wrote about A.D. 1835, in his famous History of the
Reformation, refers to it in the following remarkable language: "It has
been said that the three last centuries, the sixteenth, the seventeenth,
and the eighteenth, may be conceived as an immense battle of _three
days'_ duration. We willingly adopt this beautiful comparison.... The
first day was the battle of God, the second the battle of the priest,
the third the battle of Reason. What will be the fourth? [1830-1930] In
our opinion, the confused strife, the deadly contest of all these powers
together, TO END IN THE VICTORY OF HIM TO WHOM TRIUMPH BELONGS." Book
XI, Chap. 9.
The writer is thankful to God that he is permitted to see the fourth day
ending "in the victory of Him to whom triumph belongs." And may we, my
brethren, be grateful to our dear Lord that it is our privilege to have
part in this glorious reformation of divine truth that is now sweeping
over the world and gathering the elect together for the soon-coming of
the Savior.
13. And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the
tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of
men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave
glory to the God of heaven.
14. The second woe is past; and, behold, the third woe cometh
quickly.
At the time the witnesses reach their greatest exaltation, a great
earthquake takes place upon earth, and the tenth part of the city falls.
The nature of the symbol would point us to some political upheaval.
Since the great city of Babylon is composed of different divisions (as
will be seen hereafter), it is a matter of doubt as to which part of the
city is here referred to; but most probably that of the hierarchy as
embraced in one of the ten divisions or kingdoms. Since the fulfilment
of this prediction is yet future, I speak with hesitation and wait for
the event to make all clear. It is probable, however, that either in
this political revolution, or about that time, the Ottoman power will be
overthrown; for immediately the announcement is made, "The second woe is
past; and, behold, the third woe cometh quickly."
15. And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices
in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the
kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for
ever and ever.
16. And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on
their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God,
17. Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art,
and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy
great power, and hast reigned.
18. And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the
time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou
shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the
saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and
shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.
19. And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was
seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were
lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and
great hail.
The seventh angel that here sounded is the third woe-angel, and
according to the description before us, ushers in the general judgment.
When the temple of God was opened that this mighty event might take
place on earth, there were "lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and
an earthquake, and great hail." Wondrous commotions took place in the
world, for kingdoms and empires were all overthrown, and Jesus Christ
was the only king remaining, and his mission was to raise the dead that
they might be judged, to give reward to the prophets and saints, and to
banish with everlasting destruction those that corrupted the earth. The
description itself is too plain to need further comment.
"The temple of God" that was opened in heaven is to be understood as
symbolical (as explained in chap. 6:9), and not literal. In other words,
the heavenly world appeared to John symbolized after the sanctuary of
the temple on earth. Chap. 15:5-8; 16:1, 7, 17, etc. This is proved
clearly by the fact that, when the real heaven, the future home of the
redeemed, is described, John says, "I saw _no temple_ therein." Chap.
21:22.
Before dismissing the visions of this chapter, I wish to call attention
to one more point hitherto referred to--that of parallelism and
contrast. While we have the history of the church apostate described by
the treading down of the holy city, we have also, in immediate contrast
and running parallel therewith, a history of the true church existing
during the same period of twelve hundred and sixty years, although it
was in a sackcloth state. And while the reign of Protestantism is
described as a period during which the two witnesses were in one sense
dead, we have in immediate contrast a history of the last great
reformation, in which the spirit of life from God again enters these
same witnesses, and they stand upright on their feet, to the
consternation of all their adversaries. Amen.
CHAPTER XII.
And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed
with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a
crown of twelve stars:
2. And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and
pained to be delivered.
3. And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a
great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven
crowns upon his heads.
4. And his tail drew the third part of the stars of Heaven, and
did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the
woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child
as soon as it was born.
5. And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all
nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto
God, and to his throne.
6. And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a
place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a
thousand two hundred and threescore days.
The three principal objects of this vision are the woman clothed with
the sun, the man-child born of her, and a red dragon with seven heads
and ten horns. These, being drawn from nature and human life, would
point us both to the church and to the state for their fulfilment. The
symbols, also, are living agents, and we should expect the objects they
represent to be such.
This woman is an appropriate symbol of the church of God, which is
composed of living, intelligent beings; and that it is the true and not
an apostate one, is shown by the fact that upon her flight into the
wilderness she had a place prepared of God where she was nourished for
twelve hundred and sixty days. In a subsequent portion of the Apocalypse
a vile harlot is taken as the representative of the church apostate. In
this way a proper correspondence of character and quality is kept up.
This woman appeared, not in the temple above, but in the firmament of
heaven, where she was clothed with the sun, the moon under her feet, and
upon her head a crown of twelve stars. Thus the brightest luminaries of
heaven were gathered around her. Arrayed in this splendid manner, she is
easily distinguished from an apostate church, which would not be so
highly favored with such attire in this exalted position. Doubtless the
objects with which she is adorned have some special signification. The
moon is a fit symbol of the old covenant, above which the church had
just risen, only to be clothed in the superior brightness and glory of
the new covenant. And as the moon shines only with a borrowed light,
obtaining its illumination from the sun; so, also, the old covenant was
only a shadow of the good things to come and now stands eclipsed in the
brightness and transcendant glory of that new and better dispensation.
According to the explanation given of the seven stars in the right hand
of Jesus (chap. 1:19), we are authorized to regard stars as a symbol of
Christian ministers, and the twelve that appear most prominently in the
first history of the church are the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
The dragon, a beast from the natural world, would properly symbolize a
tyrannical, persecuting government. This was a red dragon with seven
heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. In the following
chapter we read that John saw a beast rising up out of the sea with the
same number of heads and horns, but ten crowns on his horns. And the
dragon gave him (the beast) "his power, and his seat, and great
authority." Verse 2. So far as the heads and horns are concerned, the
only difference between the two is that the crowns--a symbol of supreme
authority and power--have been transferred from the heads to the horns.
In chapter 17 John saw the same beast again and there received the
following explanation of the seven heads: "And there are seven kings:
five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he
cometh he must continue a short space." Verse 10. Concerning the horns
he was told, "The ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have
received no kingdom as yet." Verse 12. With this explanation before us
it will be easy to identify the dragon of chapter 12 and the beast of
chapters 13 and 17 as the Roman empire, the first under the Pagan and
the second under the Papal form. The seven heads signify the seven
distinct forms of supreme government that ruled successively in the
empire. The five that had already fallen when John received the vision
were the Regal power, the Consular, the Decemvirate, the Military
Tribunes and the Triumvirate. "One is"--the Imperial.[8] The
identification of its seventh and last head we shall leave until later.
The ten horns, or kingdoms, which had not yet arisen when the Revelation
was given, were the ten minor kingdoms that grew out of the Western
Roman empire during its decline and fall. The historian Machiard, in
giving an account of these nations, and without any reference to the
Bible or its prophecies, reckons ten kingdoms, as follows:
1. The Ostrogoths in Maesia;
2. The Visigoths in Pannonia;
3. Sueves and Alans in Gascoigne and Spain;
4. Vandals in Africa;
5. Franks in France;
6. Burgundians in Burgundy;
7. Heruli and Turings in Italy;
8. Saxons and Anglis in Britain;
9. Huns in Hungary;
10. Lombards, at first on the Danube, and afterwards
in Italy.
[Footnote 8: The fact that commentators and historians differ in their
enumeration of the forms of government that ruled in Rome is often a
source of confusion to ordinary readers. Hence an explanation is
necessary. Rome was first ruled by kings, and therefore the first form
of government is designated by either the term _Kings_ or the term
_Regal Power_. Upon the expulsion of the kings and the formation of the
republic, the royal power was entrusted to two men who held it for a
year, and were called _consuls_. In times of great public danger the
consuls were superseded by a special officer called a _dictator_, who
had supreme power. As the early life of the republic was often
threatened with grave dangers, Rome was often governed by a dictator;
hence this form of government is sometimes called the Dictatorship. The
third form was the _Decemviri_, a government by ten men, who compiled
the twelve famous Tables of Laws. In 444 B.C. another change was made by
the appointment of _Military Tribunes_ (whose numbers varied) with
consular power. These were frequently called _Consuls_. The fifth form
was the _Triumvirate_, a government by three men. The sixth was the
_Imperial_. Hence the different forms can be enumerated thus: 1. The
Regal Power, or Kings. 2. Consula or Dictators. 3. Decemvirate. 4.
Military Tribunes, Tribunes, or Consuls. 5. Triumvirate. 6. Imperial.
The seventh form will be considered in another place. See remarks on
chap. 17:7-11.]
Other historians agree substantially with this. These kingdoms all arose
within one hundred and seventy years. The dragon is described with the
horns, although they were not now in existence and did not arise until
nearly the time when the dragon became the beast; likewise, he is
represented with seven heads, although he really possessed only one head
at a time, and five had already fallen and one being yet to come. He is
described with all the heads and horns he ever had or was to have.
The tail of this dragon "drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and
did cast them to the earth." Some people who have never learned the
nature of symbolic language try to imagine such a literal creature as
the one here described and picture in their minds what an awful thing it
would be to see the third part of the stars falling to the earth. But
real stars that are fixed or planetary never fall, and if they did, they
would be as apt to fall in an opposite direction as toward the earth.
Besides, if one should come tumbling down here, it would knock this
world into oblivion. But with a knowledge of the proper use of symbols
we can easily identify this dragon with the Roman empire under its Pagan
form; and the casting down of the stars, which were doubtless used as
symbols of ministers as in verse 1, signifies the warfare which this
awful beast power waged against the church of God, in which her
ministers were always a shining mark for the first persecution and
suffered terribly for the cause they represented.
The man-child is the next object that claims our attention. Some have
supposed that it represented Jesus Christ in his first advent to the
world. But this could not be; for Christ is never represented as being
the offspring of the church, but, on the other hand, is declared to be
its originator. Some, also, have supposed that it represented the church
bringing forth Christ to the world in a spiritual sense. This, however,
would be in direct conflict with the known laws of symbolic language. A
visible, living, intelligent agent, such as this man-child evidently
was, could not be the symbol of an invisible spiritual presence.
Besides, it has been clearly shown that Christ always appears in his own
person, unrepresented by another, from the fact that he can not be
symbolized. It is clear that this child can not signify a single
definite personage; for after he is caught up to God, there is still a
remnant of the woman's seed left upon earth. See verse 17.
What, then, does the man-child signify? It symbolizes the mighty host of
new converts or children that the early church by her earnest travail
brought forth. The seeming incongruity that the church, or mother, and
her children are alike only serves to establish the point in question
when rightly understood. A child is of the same substance as its mother
and is designed to perpetuate the race. So, also, the new-born babes in
the church are just the same spiritually as those who are older, and are
intended to perpetuate the church of God on earth. But this explanation
of itself is not sufficient to entirely satisfy an inquiring mind, and
the question is sure to be asked, Why was it necessary that the church
of God in this dispensation should be represented by two individuals--a
woman and her son? I also will ask a question--Why, on the other hand,
was it necessary that the great apostasy of this dispensation should be
represented by the double-figure of a woman and her daughters? The
answer to the latter question would readily be given--to symbolize two
distinct phases of apostasy. So, also, it was necessary that a
double-symbol, such as a woman and her son, should be chosen to set
forth _two phases_ of the church brought to view in this chapter. If but
a single symbol were used, how could the church be thereby represented
as continuing on earth and fleeing into the wilderness and at the same
time be represented as "overcome," persecuted to the death, and "caught
up unto God and to his throne"? This double-phase of the church--the
experience of the saints on earth and the reign of the martyrs in
Paradise--will be made very clear to the reader hereafter. But it would
be impossible to set forth these two phases under one symbol, and
therefore two are chosen.
There is also direct Scripture testimony on this point. "Before she
travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of
a _man-child._ Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things?
Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be
born at once? For as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her
children." Isa. 66:7, 8. According to Heb. 12:22, 23, this Zion, or
Sion, referred to is the New Testament church, and the man-child that
she is said to bring forth is interpreted by Isaiah as "a nation born at
once." Such language perfectly describes the rapid increase in the
Christian church on Pentecost and shortly afterward, when thousands were
added in one day. According to the apostle Paul, the host of Jews and
Gentiles reconciled unto God through Jesus Christ constituted "one new
man" in Christ. Eph. 2:15. See also Gal. 3:28. R.V. This man-child was
to rule all nations with a rod of iron. For an explanation of this rule
see remarks on chapter 2:26, 27. The twelve hundred and sixty days will
be referred to later.
7. And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought
against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,
8. And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in
heaven.
9. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called
the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was
cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
10. And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come
salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the
power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast
down, which accused them before our God day and night.
11. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the
word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the
death.
12. Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them.
Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil
is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth
that he hath but a short time.
13. And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he
persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child.
14. And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that
she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is
nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face
of the serpent.
15. And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after
the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the
flood.
16. And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her
mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon east out of
his mouth.
17. 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.
In this vision we have a series of events covering exactly the same
period of time as that of the preceeding one; namely, a history of the
church up to and including her flight into the wilderness, and of the
same opposing dragon. In this description, however, the events are more
perfectly detailed.
Because this dragon was called the Devil and Satan, many have been led
into the idea that it signified the Prince of darkness himself. But
surely we could not suppose that Beelzebub has any such appearance as
this dragon. The foregoing explanation concerning his heads and horns
shows conclusively that the Pagan Roman empire is meant, and not
Beelzebub. Why, then, was it called the Devil and Satan? Among the
Hebrews the term _Satan_ was frequently used in a very liberal sense and
applied to different objects, signifying merely an adversary or opposer.
According to Young's Analytical Concordance the Hebrew word for Satan is
translated _adversary_ in a number of texts, a few of which I will refer
to. Num. 22:22: "And the angel of the Lord stood in the way for an
_adversary_ [Satan, Heb.] against him." Here an angel of the Lord is
called a Satan to Balaam. In 1 Sam. 29:4 David is called an adversary
(Heb. Satan) to the Philistines. In 2 Sam. 19:22 certain opposers are
said to be adversaries (Satans, Heb.) unto David; while in 1 Kings 11:25
a certain man was said to be an adversary (Satan) to Israel all the days
of Solomon. A number of other instances could be given if necessary. In
the New Testament, also, the term _Satan_ is sometimes used to signify
merely an opposer. "But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind
me, Satan." Mat. 16:23. In 1 Cor. 10:20 Paul declares "that the things
which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to _devils_." Paganism
stood as the great opposer of Christianity, hence was a Satan
(adversary) unto it; while the apostle denominated its religious rites
as devil-worship. I do not question the fact that the spirit of
Beelzebub was manifested in the thing; but the dragon itself was the
empire, as is proved by the heads and the horns. However, the Devil and
the agency through which he works are often used interchangeably. Satan
and the serpent in Eden stand in the same relation as do Satan, or
Beelzebub, and Paganism in the New Testament; hence to bind Paganism was
to bind the Devil and Satan in one important sense.
The dragon would be a beast from the natural world (if such a creature
actually existed) and as such could represent nothing more than a civil
empire; but in the vision under consideration he is represented as
accompanied by _angels_ actuated by his spirit and defending his cause.
By this combination of symbols is set forth the politico-religious
system of the empire--a religion that denied the doctrine of the one
exclusive God and the divinity of Jesus Christ. It was the religion of
_infidelity_. It was the dragon as a false religious system that
Christianity attacked, and not the State itself. The following quotation
from Butler's Ecclesiastical History will show the relation of
Christians to the empire:
"The Romans were accustomed to tolerate all new religions if they took
their place by the side of those already existing, and if they did not
cast reproach upon them.... But Christianity, by its very nature
exclusive in its claims ... was offensive to the Romans and to the
State. A religion which cast contempt upon the religions and rites
sanctioned by the laws, and endeavored to draw men away from them,
seemed to express thereby contempt and hostility for the State itself.
Hence Christianity was branded as a malignant superstition, and
Christians spoken of as the enemies of the human race.... From the
letter of Pliny to Trajan, it was evidently recorded as an _religio
illicita_, and the mere fact of being a Christian was counted of itself
a crime.... The exclusiveness of Christianity seemed also to place its
disciples in a position of direct disloyalty to the emperors and the
State. 'The emperor was ex-officio _Pontifex Maximus_; the gods were
national. Cicero declares as a principle of legislation, that no one
should be allowed to worship foreign gods, unless they were recognized
by public statute. Maecenas thus counselled Augustas: Honor the gods
according to the customs of your ancestors, and compel others to worship
them. Hate and punish those who bring in strange gods.' As the Roman
empire was founded on the absolutism of the State, and made nothing of
personal rights, Christianity, which first taught and acknowledged them,
would be peculiarly offensive to the State. Moreover, the conscientious
refusal of Christians to pay divine honor to the emperor and his
statutes, and to take part in idolatrous ceremonies at public festivals
... and their constant assembling themselves together, brought them
under the suspicion and obloquy of the emperors and the people." Pp. 49,
50.
The dragon was stationed in the same heaven where the woman appeared.
This signifies his exalted position in the world. While the dragon was
in the height of his power and glory, Michael (Jesus Christ--Jude 9; 1
Thes. 4:16; John 5:28) and his followers appeared on the scene, and a
fierce battle for supremacy ensued, resulting in the final victory of
the hosts of Michael. That it was against the dragon as a religious
system that the Christians fought is proved by the kind of weapons they
employed. "And they overcame him by the _blood of the Lamb_ and by the
_word of their testimony_; and they loved not their lives unto the
death." Christianity never sought to overturn the civil empire, but did
with all the power of truth oppose the huge system of error sustained by
it and gained such decisive victories that the cry was heard, "Now is
come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power
of his Christ; for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which
accused them before our God day and night." The Devil himself suffered a
severe defeat when his favorite agents, the dragon and his followers,
were cast down from their lofty position and Christianity was exalted
instead. Says Butler: "The final victory of Christianity over heathenism
and Judaism, and the mightiest empire of the ancient world, a victory
gained without physical force, by the moral power of faith and
perseverance, of faith and love, is one of the sublimest spectacles of
history, and one of the strongest evidences of the divinity and
indestructible life of our holy religion." P. 40.
But the fact that many Christians lost their lives in this conflict
(verse 11), insomuch that the man-child is represented as being caught
up unto God (verse 5), shows that the dragon employed also the arm of
civil power in his opposition to the growing truth. The rapid increase
of Christianity, despite the violent opposition and persecution of the
Pagan party, can be no better represented than by a quotation from the
notable Apology of Tertullian, who wrote during the persecution by
Septimus Severus, about the end of the second century.
"Rulers of the Roman Empire," he begins, "you surely can not forbid the
Truth to reach you by the secret pathway of a noiseless book. She knows
that she is but a sojourner on the earth, and as a stranger finds
enemies; and more, her origin, her dwelling-place, her hope, her
rewards, her honors, are above. One thing, meanwhile, she anxiously
desires of earthly rulers--not to be condemned unknown. What harm can it
do to give her a hearing?... The outcry is that the State is filled with
Christians; that they are in the fields, in the citadels, in the
islands. The lament is, as for some calamity, that both sexes, every age
and condition, even high rank, are passing over to the Christian faith.
"The outcry is a confession and an argument for our cause; for we are a
people of yesterday, and yet we have filled every place belonging to
you--cities, islands, castles, towns, assemblies, your very camp, your
tribes, companies, palace, senate, forum. We leave to you your temples
alone. We can count your armies: our numbers in a single province will
be greater. We have it in our power, without arms and without rebellion,
to fight against you with the weapon of a simple divorce. We can leave
you to wage your wars alone. If such a multitude should withdraw into
some remote corner of the world you would doubtless tremble at your own
solitude, and ask, 'Of whom are we the governors?'
"It is a human right that every man should worship according to his own
convictions ... a forced religion is no religion at all.... Men say that
the Christians are the cause of every public disaster. If the Tiber
rises as high as the city walls, if the Nile does not rise over the
fields, if the heavens give no rain, if there be an earthquake, if a
famine or pestilence, straightway they cry, Away with the Christians to
the lion.... But go zealously on, ye good governors, you will stand
higher with the people if you kill us, torture us, condemn us, grind us
to the dust; your injustice is the proof that we are innocent. God
permits us to suffer. Your cruelty avails you nothing.... The oftener
you mow us down the more in number we grow; the blood of Christians is
seed. What you call our obstinacy is an instructor. For who that sees it
does not inquire for what we suffer? Who that inquires does not embrace
our doctrines? Who that embraces them is not ready to give his blood for
the fulness of God's grace?"
Another writer has said: "The church in this period appears poor in
earthly possessions and honors, but rich in heavenly grace, in
world-conquering faith and love and hope; unpopular, even outlawed,
hated and persecuted, yet far more vigorous and expansive than the
philosophies of Greece, or the empire of Rome; composed chiefly of
persons of the lower social ranks, yet attracting the noblest and
deepest minds of the age, and bearing in her bosom the hope of the
world; conquering by apparent defeat and growing on the blood of her
martyrs; great in deeds, greater in sufferings, greatest in death for
the honor of Christ and the benefit of generations to come."
This triumph of early Christianity over Paganism was a theme worthy of
the song. "Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our
God, and the power of his Christ." Even before the death of the
apostles, according to the younger Pliny, the temples of the gods in
Asia Minor were almost forsaken. No wonder, then, that even the
inhabitants of heaven were called upon to rejoice at so great a victory
attained by the followers of the Lamb. But the same voice also says,
"Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is
come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath
but a short time." This represents the violence of the Pagan party upon
its defeat, being exasperated to the exercise of greater opposition and
cruelty wherever the means and the power were still in their hands. Cast
down from his exalted position in the heavens--the religious sphere--his
ecclesiastical prestige lost, he had no place to abide but in the
earth--the political kingdom--whence he took up arms, and "woe to the
inhabitants of the earth." But "the days of Paganism in the empire were
numbered." The Devil knew that he had but a short time, therefore he
came down in great wrath. This is in accordance with the facts of
history. Paganism did not die an easy death, but struggled hard and
long.
When cast from his high position, however, the dragon "persecuted the
woman which brought forth the man-child." The true idea expressed in the
original is that he _pursued_ the woman, and this signification is
indicated by what follows--"To the woman were given two wings of a great
eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she
is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of
the serpent." The _time_ as a definite period signifies one year; hence
a time, times, and half a time would be three and one-half years, or
twelve hundred and sixty days, as before explained. There is an apparent
incongruity or contradiction of statement in reference to the symbols
here; but it is a contradiction that when rightly understood throws
light upon the whole subject. It will be noticed that the woman and
Michael with his angels symbolize the same object--the people of God.
Under the latter figure they were triumphant and the dragon was
defeated. Yet after he was cast down, he turned upon the woman and
pursued her, and thus, the church appeared to be the defeated party.
According to this, then, the Pagan party is represented as _prevailing_
soon after he met _defeat_ and the church apparently _defeated_ soon
after her period of _triumph_. Here again we have two separate symbols
of the same object in order to represent two of its different phases.
This is explained satisfactorily by noticing carefully the facts. The
woman, who is always the true church composed of holy people, was at
first identical with the visible church, or the great body of
Christians, and in this condition was successful in spreading the pure
gospel and casting down the powers of iniquity symbolized by the dragon.
But the dragon politically, as symbolized by his being a beast from the
natural world, with heads and horns, remained in power for some time,
his religious prestige only being lost. Christianity did not attempt to
cast down the dragon in the sense of destroying the civil empire. As is
well known, a great spiritual declension followed the period of the
church's greatest triumph, which decline drove the woman, or the true
church, into the wilderness; hence to all appearances the church became
a defeated party. About this same time, the dying cause of Paganism
revived for a season in terrible severity in the latter part of the
third century; hence to all appearances the dragon was triumphant. This
supreme effort of Paganism's to regain its former position will be
better understood in connection with what follows regarding the flood
which he cast out of his mouth. But that the dragon was not permanently
triumphant is shown by the fact that he afterwards resigned his power
and position unto the beast. Chap. 13:2.
As to the meaning of the "two wings of a great eagle" given the woman to
aid her in her flight, I am not able to say positively. Some apply them
to "the grace and providence of God which watched over the church";
others to the "spiritual gifts of faith, love," etc., which, like
supporting wings, bore the church above her enemies. But I can not see
how the wings of a great eagle can properly symbolize such things. They
are not drawn from the right source. Perhaps nothing more is intended by
the wings than to denote the fact of her successful flight. That this
idea is the correct one seems quite clear when we consider the fact that
the remarkable deliverance of the Israelites from Egyptian bondage is
set forth under the same figure, that of eagles' wings. "Ye have seen
what I did unto the Egyptians, and how _I bare you on eagles' wings_,
and brought you unto myself." Ex. 19:4. With the wings of such a
powerful bird she was able to escape, so that the dragon could not
overtake her.
"And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman,
that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood. And the earth
helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the
flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth." Here is a peculiar
combination of symbols from different departments--the serpent, a flood
of water, the woman, and the earth. The last two as allies is a very
unusual circumstance. Some refer the flood of waters to heresies that
arose in, or was connected with, the hierarchy about this time; but in
that case how could it be said that it was the serpent that cast it out?
Others apply it to errors that the Pagan party introduced baptized with
the name of Christianity, when they professed to become converts at a
later period. It is certainly an appropriate _figure of speech_ to say a
flood of error or of false doctrine; but whether a flood of water is a
proper _symbol_ of the same is another question. I do not think it is.
Water, being an object of nature, would point us to something political.
False doctrines are usually symbolized by something different from
objects in nature.
There is considerable difficulty in verifying the symbol, but I will
submit what up to the present has seemed to me as the most satisfactory
explanation. It appears from the description that this was about the
last great public effort the dragon made to overwhelm the church and
that he was exasperated to this supreme effort by the humiliating defeat
he had suffered. The means he employed was _water_, an object of nature;
hence we are to look for some great political event by which the dragon
made his master-effort to destroy the woman shortly after her flight
into the wilderness. In A.D. 284 Diocletian, a Pagan, succeeded to the
imperial throne. Before the close of his reign (305), the Christians
suffered the most terrible persecution ever received at the hands of
Pagan Rome. It continued ten years--A.D. 302-312. It was the design of
this emperor to completely extirpate the very name of Christianity, and
his unfortunate victims were slain by the thousands throughout the
empire. "But the master-piece of [his] heathen policy was the order to
seek and burn all copies of the Word of God. Hitherto the enemy had been
lopping off the branches of the tree whose leaves were for the healing
of the nations; now the blow was made at the root. It had once been the
policy of Antiochus Epiphanes, when he madly sought to destroy the
Jewish Scriptures. It was both wise and wicked. It had but one defect,
it could not be carried into complete execution. The sacred treasure was
in too many hands, and too many of its guardians were brave and prudent,
to make extermination possible. An African bishop said, 'Here is my
body, take it, burn it; but I will not deliver up the Word of God.' A
deacon said, 'Never, sir, never! Had I children I would sooner deliver
them to you than the divine word.' He and his wife were burnt together."
Butler's Eccl. History, p. 66.
But "_the earth_ helped the woman"--another unlooked-for political
event. Worn out with the cares of State, boasting that the very name of
Christ was abolished, and dying with a loathsome disease, the tyrant
abdicated his throne. A number of individuals claimed imperial honors;
but Constantine, the ruler of Gaul, Spain, and Britain, fought his way
against contending rivals and finally entered Rome, the capital, in
triumph. Enthroned as emperor of the West, he immediately issued an
edict of toleration favorable to the Christians (A.D. 313) and soon
became a professed Christian himself and by law made Christianity the
established religion of the empire. In 324, having crushed all rivals,
he became sole emperor of the Roman world, and with a view of promoting
Christianity convened what is known as the First General Council of the
Church, at Nicaea in Asia Minor, A.D. 325. The prestige of Paganism as a
religious power had been overthrown long before by the followers of
Christ, but now its political importance received a death-blow, only a
few expiring struggles appearing subsequently before the final downfall
of Western Rome. Thus, the earth helped the woman and swallowed up the
flood of persecution which the dragon cast out.
"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." Finding that he could not destroy or exterminate
the church of God, he determined to make war upon its individual
members.
CHAPTER XIII.
And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up
out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his
horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.
2. And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his
feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a
lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great
authority.
3. And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and
his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after
the beast.
4. And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the
beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto
the beast? who is able to make war with him?
5. And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things
and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty
and two months.
6. And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to
blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in
heaven.
7. And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to
overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and
tongues, and nations.
8. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose
names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from
the foundation of the world.
9. If any man have an ear, let him hear.
10. He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he
that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here
is the patience and the faith of the saints.
In this vision John beheld a beast rise out of the sea. His
appearance--like that of a leopard with the feet of a bear and a mouth
like a lion--indicated that he was some terrible creature. He was also a
persecutor of the saints, the same as the dragon that preceded him. As
before explained, this beast, also, symbolizes the Roman empire; for he
possesses the same heads and horns as the dragon, the only difference
being that the supreme power and authority, as indicated by the crowns,
is now vested in the ten horns, or minor kingdoms, instead of in the
seven heads. The dragon as a political power represented Rome before her
overthrow by the barbarians; the beast as a political power represents
new Rome.
A careful study of the characteristics of this beast, however, will show
that he represents more than a civil power. As a mere beast from the
natural world he could symbolize nothing more than some political power;
but it will be noticed that, combined with his beastly nature, there are
also certain characteristics that belong exclusively to the department
of human life--a mouth _speaking_ great things; power to magnify himself
against the God of heaven; the ability to single out the saints of God
and kill them, and to set himself up as an object to be worshiped, etc.
This combination of symbols from the two departments--those of animal
and of human life--points us with absolute certainty to Rome as a
politico-religious system. Ask any historian what world-wide power
succeeded Rome Pagan, and he will answer at once, "Rome Papal."
While it is not my general design to explain the many lines of prophetic
truth described under similar symbols in other parts of the Bible, yet I
will ask the reader here to pardon the slight digression while I call
attention briefly to a few thoughts in the seventh chapter of Daniel
regarding this same Papal power.
Daniel received a vision of four great beasts, which were interpreted to
symbolize four universal monarchies. Verse 17. These were the
Babylonian, the Medo-Persian, the Greco-Macedonian, and the Roman. The
fourth beast possessed ten horns, which were explained to signify ten
kingdoms to arise out of the fourth empire. This is identical with the
dragon of Rev. 12, except the latter possessed seven heads not mentioned
by Daniel. In the midst of the ten horns (ten minor kingdoms) grew up a
_little_ horn, which soon assumed greater proportions than his fellows,
taking the place of three of the original horns, and into his hand the
saints of the Most High were given for "a time and times and the
dividing of time," or twelve hundred and sixty years. This eleventh horn
differed from the ten in that it possessed a mouth speaking great
things, and the eyes of a man. A horn with eyes and mouth in it is a
very unusual thing, yet it is just such a combination as we might expect
when we possess a correct knowledge of symbols. Being drawn from two
departments--human life and animal life--this double-symbol directs us
to a politico-religious system that came up among the ten horns that
grew out of the old Roman empire. We instantly identify it with the
growing Papacy, which arose to a position of great authority in
conjunction with the new Roman empire.
Three of the horns, or temporal kingdoms, were overthrown in order to
give room for the complete development of this politico-religious power.
Since great changes have frequently occurred among the nations of Europe
originally embraced in the ten minor kingdoms, different powers have
been referred to as the three described in Daniel's prophecy; but the
most satisfactory explanation to my mind is that of the three kingdoms
in Italy that were overthrown as if to give the hierarchy room for
development, and that gave the Papacy its _first_ temporal sovereignty,
thus completing the symbol by constituting her a civil as well as an
ecclesiastical horn.
Odoacer, in A.D. 476, overthrew the old empire of the West and
established the kingdom of the Heruli in Italy. Seventeen years later it
was subverted by Theodoric, who established the kingdom of the
Ostrogoths, which continued sixty years; then it, in turn, was
overthrown by Belisarius, but was soon succeeded by the Lombards. The
Lombard kingdom was subverted by Pepin and Charlemagne, who, as
champions of the church, gave a large part of their dominions to the See
of Rome and thus favored the Papacy with her first temporal power. Thus
were the kingdoms of the Heruli, Ostrogoths, and Lombards plucked up by
the roots upon the very territory occupied first by the Papacy as a
temporal power, and as if to give it room.
The careful student of Daniel 7 will notice immediately the striking
similarity between the politico-religious system symbolized by the
little horn and the leopard beast of Revelation 13 under consideration.
The following parallels between them prove their identity:
"1. The little horn was a blasphemous power: 'He shall speak great words
against the Most High.' Dan. 7:25. The leopard beast of Rev. 13:6 does
the same: 'He opened his mouth in blasphemy against God.'
"2. The little horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against
them. Dan. 7:21. This beast also, Rev. 13:7, makes war with the saints,
and overcomes them.
"3. The little horn had a mouth speaking great things. Dan. 7:8, 20. And
of this beast we read, Rev. 13:5: 'And there was given unto him a mouth
speaking great things and blasphemies.'
"4. The little horn rose on the cessation of the Pagan form of the Roman
empire. This beast rises at the same time; for the dragon, Pagan Rome,
gives him his power, his seat, and great authority.
"5. Power was given to the little horn to continue for a time, times,
and the dividing of time, or twelve hundred and sixty years. Dan. 7:25.
To this beast also power was given for forty and two months, or twelve
hundred and sixty years. Rev. 13:5.
"6. At the end of the twelve hundred and sixty years the universal
dominion of the little horn was to begin to decline, being consumed and
destroyed unto the end. Dan. 7:26. This beast, also, Rev. 13:10, was to
be led into captivity and 'killed with the sword.'"
These points prove identity. To quote the words of a certain expositor:
"When we have in prophecy two symbols ... representing powers that come
upon the stage of action at the _same time_, occupy the _same
territory_, maintain the _same character_, do the _same work_, exist the
_same length of time_, and meet the same _fate_, those symbols represent
the same _identical power_." To this all must agree. Hence we have in
the vision before us a description of Papal Rome in her two-fold
character as a temporal and a religious power. The wounding and healing
of the head of the beast will be explained in chapter XVII.
How the same heads and horns can serve both the dragon and the leopard
beast will be better understood later. For the present it will be
sufficient to state that it is because they are the same beast in
reality, being clothed, in its later form, in a Christian garb, instead
of the worn-out garments of infidelity or heathenism possessed by the
former. This transfer is expressed in the following words: "And the
dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority." Verse 2.
This beast, then, succeeded to the dominion held by the dragon. It was
like an old, established firm retiring and giving its standing and
credit and well-earned reputation to a new partnership, to conduct a
similar business.
While this beast, as before observed, represents the developed religious
and political power of the Papacy combined, still the actions ascribed
to it show plainly that it is in its character as an _ecclesiastical_
beast that its terrible features are here delineated. No one would
suppose that a mere political power would set itself up as an object to
be worshiped, exalting itself above the God of heaven, and then single
out and slaughter the saints for not complying therewith. As far as
rendering obedience to civil governments is concerned, the Christians of
all ages have been the most peaceful and obedient servants of all. So we
shall hereafter refer always to the _beast_ as an ecclesiastical power,
unless otherwise stated.
This beast all the world admired. "And they worshiped the dragon which
gave power unto the beast: and they worshiped the beast, saying, Who is
like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?" The people
worshiped the established hierarchy, and they also worshiped the dragon
from which the beast obtained so much of his power. The expression
"_worshiped_ the dragon" shows plainly that it is the dragon as a
religious system that is referred to, and not the old civil empire. How,
then, could the old heathen worship be perpetuated in the church of Rome
and form a part of her religious services? By adopting rites and
ceremonies purely Pagan in their origin. Since I have already stated
that the beast and the dragon as temporal powers were about the same in
reality, except the change of sovereignty from the heads to the horns,
it will now be necessary to show the remarkable similarity in spirit
that existed between them as religious powers, the one being the
successor of the other.
1. The high-priest of the Pagan religions was called Pontifex Maximus,
and he claimed spiritual and temporal authority over the affairs of men.
The Pope of Rome possesses the same title and makes the same claims, and
he is clad in the same attire as the Pagan Pontiff.
2. The heathen were accustomed to wear scapulars, medals, and images to
shield them from the common ills and dangers of life. Romanists wear the
same and for the same purpose.
3. The Pagans, by an official process called _deification_, frequently
exalted men who had lived among them to a position worthy of special
honor and worship. Papists, by a similar process called _canonisation_,
raise their former men of prominence to the dignity of _saints_ and then
offer up prayers to them.
The foregoing practises are derived from Paganism; also from Judaism or
Paganism came their practise of burning incense in public worship, the
use of holy water, burning wax candles in the daytime, and votive gifts
and offerings. Other heathen principles are:
4. Adoration of idols and images, a practise expressly forbidden by the
Mosaic law and unsanctioned by primitive Christianity;
5. Road gods and saints (in Catholic countries);
6. Processions of worshipers and self-whippers (especially in Catholic
countries);
7. Religious orders of monks and nuns. One who has read of the vestal
virgins of old will recognize at once where monkery originated.
In the city of Rome there still stands an old heathen temple built by
Marcus Agrippa and dedicated in the year B.C. 27 to _all the gods_. In
the year A.D. 610 it was reconsecrated by Pope Boniface IV. to "the
blessed Virgin and all the saints." From that time until the present day
Romanists in the same temple have prostrated themselves before _the very
same images_ and have devoutly emplored them by the same forms of prayer
and for the very same purposes as did the heathen of old. The only
difference is, that instead of calling this idol Jupiter, they call it
Paul; instead of denominating that one Venus, they call it Mary, etc.
Well has Bowling said: "The scholar, familiar as he is with the classic
descriptions of ancient mythology, when he directs his attention to the
ceremonies of Papal worship, can not avoid recognizing their close
resemblance, if not their absolute identity. The temples of Jupiter,
Diana, Venus or Apollo, their 'altars smoking with incense,' their boys
in sacred habits, holding the incense box, and attending upon the
priests, their holy water at the entrance of the temples, with their
_aspergilla_, or sprinkling-brushes, their thuribula, or vessels of
incense, their ever-burning lamps before the statues of their deities,
are irresistibly brought before his mind, whenever he visits a Roman
Catholic place of worship, and witnesses precisely the same things."
History of Romanism, pp. 109, 110.
Having failed in his direct attacks against the Christian church, with
the accession of Constantine, who established Christianity as the State
religion, the dragon soon clothed his pernicious principles in a
Christian garb and made war against the remnant of the woman's seed that
kept the commandments of God, through the rising hierarchy, under the
name of Christianity; but his heads and horns being visible, and he
being unable to control his tongue, his real sentiments crop out, and he
is easily identified. It is not to be supposed, however, that the beast
would appear suddenly in full possession of the immense power ascribed
to him in this chapter. On the contrary, Daniel represents it as a
_little_ horn at first, whose look finally became "more stout than his
fellows." Dan. 7:8, 20. Such ecclesiastical power was attained only by
the process of gradual development. According to the vision his
universal power was limited to "forty and two months," or twelve hundred
and sixty years. Since this has reference to the beast as an
ecclesiastal power, which according to Daniel grew up by degrees, the
time should be calculated the same as in chapter 11:2, 3--dated from the
time when the external, visible church was wholly in the hands of the
profane multitude of Gentiles and the true church crowded into the
wilderness. The nationalized hierarchy, however, continued to advance to
greater degrees of power over the nations, until it reached its zenith
under the pontificate of Gregory VII., A.D. 1073-1080.
The great things and blasphemies spoken by this beast are doubtless
fulfilled by the prerogatives and rights belonging to God alone which
this apostate church, especially through her regularly constituted head,
claims. In fact, the Pope is the real mouth of this beast, the one who
dictates her laws with great authority. He claims to be the vicar of
Christ on earth and supreme head of the church, even, as in the case of
Pope Innocent, denominating himself the one before whom every knee must
bow, of things in heaven, and things on earth, and things under the
earth. He claims power over the souls of all men on earth and even after
their departure from earth. If this is not blasphemy against God, his
tabernacle, or church, and "them that dwell in heaven," then I am wholly
unable to imagine what would fulfil the prediction. Among the
blasphemous titles assumed are these: Lord God the Pope, King of the
World, Holy Father, King of kings, and Lord of lords, Vicegerent of the
Son of God. He claims infallibility (which was backed up by the
Ecumenical council of 1870) and has for ages. Further, he claims power
to dispense with God's laws, to forgive sins, to release from purgatory,
to damn, and to save.
All the inhabitants of the earth were to worship him, except those whose
names were in the book of life. Thank God that even during the dark age
of Romanism a people existed who were owned by the Lord and who refused
to render idolatrous worship to this tyrannical beast. For further
information regarding these medieval Christians, see remarks on chapter
11:3. But these saints who opposed the Papal assumptions were made the
object of fearful persecutions, until Rome glutted herself upon the
blood of millions of God's holy saints. This will be more fully
described in chapter 17, where this apostate church appears under
another symbol, "drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the
blood of the martyrs of Jesus." In all their severe trials, however,
they were comforted with the knowledge that Justice would not always
sleep, but that a time would come when her retributive hand would be
stretched forth to lead into captivity their persecuting enemies and
break their world-wide reign of tyranny and usurpation. "Here is the
patience and the faith of the saints." To a number of people God gave
special foresight of the coming reformation of the sixteenth century, in
which the universal spiritual supremacy of the Papacy ended. A few of
the many examples will be profitable.
Says D'Aubigne: "John Huss preached in Bohemia a century before Luther
preached in Saxony. He seems to have penetrated deeper than his
predecessors into the essence of Christian truth. He prayed to Christ
for grace to glory only in his cross, and in the inestimable humiliation
of his sufferings.... He was, if we may be allowed the expression, the
John Baptist of the reformation. The flames of his pile kindled a fire
in the church that cast a brilliant light into the surrounding darkness,
and whose glimmerings were not to be so readily extinguished. John Huss
did more: prophetic words issued from the depths of his dungeon. He
foresaw that a real reformation of the church was at hand. When driven
out of Prague and compelled to wander through the fields of Bohemia,
where an immense crowd followed his steps and hung upon his words, he
had cried out: 'The wicked have begun by preparing a treacherous snare
for a goose. But if even the goose, which is only a domestic bird, a
peaceful animal, and whose flight is not very far in the air, has
nevertheless broken through their toils, other birds, soaring more
boldly towards the sky, will break through them with still greater
force. Instead of a feeble goose, the truth will send forth eagles and
keen-eyed vultures.' This prediction was fulfilled by the reformers.
"When the venerable priest had been summoned by Sigismund's order before
the Council of Constance, and had been thrown into prison, the chapel of
Bethlehem, in which he had proclaimed the gospel and the future triumphs
of Christ, occupied his mind much more than his own defence. One night
the holy martyr saw in imagination, from the depths of his dungeon, the
pictures of Christ which he had painted on the walls of his oratory,
effaced by the Pope and his bishops. This vision distressed him; but on
the next day he saw many painters occupied in restoring these figures in
greater number and in brighter colors. As soon as the task was ended,
the painters, who were surrounded by an immense crowd, exclaimed, 'Now
let the popes and bishops come! they shall never efface them more!' And
many people rejoiced in Bethlehem, and I with them, adds John Huss.
'Busy yourself with your defence rather than with your dreams,' said his
faithful friend, the Knight of Chlum, to whom he had communicated this
vision. 'I am no dreamer,' replied Huss, 'but I maintain this for
certain, that the image of Christ will never be effaced. They have
wished to destroy it, but it shall be painted afresh in all hearts by
much better preachers than myself. The nation that loves Christ will
rejoice at this. And I, awaking from the dead, and rising so to speak,
from my grave, shall leap with great joy.'" History of the Reformation,
Book I, Chap. 6.
This bold witness for Christ was burned at the stake July 6, 1415, by
order of the General Council of Constance. When the fagots were piled up
around him ready for the torch, he said to the executioner, "You are now
going to burn a goose [Huss signifying goose in the Bohemian language];
but in a century you will have a swan whom you can neither roast nor
boil." Fox's Book of Martyrs. This was fulfilled in Martin Luther.
Henry Institorus, an inquisitor, uttered these remarkable words: "'All
the world cries out and demands a council, but there is no human power
that can reform the church by a council. The Most High will find other
means, which are at present unknown to us, although they may be at our
very doors, to bring back the church to its pristine condition.' This
remarkable prophecy, delivered by an inquisitor at the very period of
Luther's birth, is the best apology for the reformation."
Andrew Proles, provincial of the Augustines, used often to say: "Whence,
then, proceeds so much darkness and such horrible superstitions? O my
brethren! Christianity needs a bold and a great reform, and methinks I
see it already approaching.... I am bent with the weight of years, and
weak in body, and I have not the learning, the ability, and eloquence,
that so great an undertaking requires. But God will raise up a hero, who
by his age, strength, talents, learning, genius and eloquence, shall
hold the foremost place. He will begin the reformation; he will oppose
error, and God will give him boldness to resist the mighty ones of the
earth."
John Hilten censured the most flagrant abuses of the monastic life, and
the exasperated monks threw him into prison and treated him shamefully.
"The Franciscan, forgetting his malady and groaning heavily, replied: 'I
bear your insults calmly for the love of Christ; for I have said nothing
that can injure the monastic state: I have only censured its most crying
abuses.' 'But,' continued he (according to what Melancthon records in
his Apology for the Augsburg Confession of Faith), 'another man will
rise in the year of our Lord 1516: he will destroy you, and you shall
not be able to resist him.'"
In 1516 Luther held a public discussion with Feld-kirchen, in which he
upheld certain doctrines of truth that made a great stir among the
Romanists. Says D'Aubigne: "The disputation took place in 1516. This was
Luther's first attack upon the dominion of the sophists and upon the
Papacy, as he himself characterizes it." And again, "This disputation
made a great noise, and it has been considered as the beginning of the
reformation." Book I, Chap. 9. The next year, however, he entered
publicly upon the actual work of reformation.
Frederick of Saxony, surnamed the Wise, was the most powerful elector of
the German empire at the period of the reformation. A dream he had and
related just before the world was startled by the first great act of
reformation is so striking that I feel justified in repeating it in this
connection. It was as follows:
"Having gone to bed last night, tired and dispirited, I soon fell asleep
after saying my prayers, and slept calmly for about two hours and a
half. I then awoke, and all kinds of thoughts occupied me until
midnight.... I then fell asleep again, and dreamed the Almighty sent me
a monk, who was a true son of Paul the apostle. He was accompanied by
all the saints, in obedience to God's command, to bear him testimony,
and to assure me that he did not come with any fraudulent design, but
that all he should do was conformable to the will of God. They asked my
gracious permission to let him write something on the doors of the
palace-chapel at Wittemberg, which I conceded through my chancellor.
Upon this, the monk retired thither and began to write; so large were
the characters that I could read from Schweinitz what he was writing
[about 18 miles]. The pen he used was so long that its extremity reached
as far as Rome, where it pierced the ears of a lion which lay there, and
shook the triple crown on the Pope's head. All the cardinals and princes
ran up hastily and endeavored to support it.... I stretched out my arm:
that moment I awoke with my arm extended, in great alarm and very angry
with this monk, who could not guide his pen better. I recovered myself a
little.... It was only a dream. I was still half asleep, and once more
closed my eyes. The dream came again. The lion, still disturbed by the
pen, began to roar with all his might, until the whole city of Rome, and
all the States of the holy empire, ran up to know what was the matter.
The Pope called upon us to oppose this monk, and addressed himself
particularly to me, because the friar was living in my dominions. I
again awoke, repeated the Lord's prayer, entreated God to preserve his
Holiness, and fell asleep.... I then dreamt that all the princes of the
empire, and we along with them, hastened to Rome, and endeavored one
after another to break this pen; but the greater our exertions the
stronger it became: it crackled as if it had been made of iron: we gave
it up as hopeless. I then asked the monk (for I was now at Rome, now at
Wittemberg) where he had got that pen, and how it came to be so strong.
[In those days they used goosequills for pens.] 'This pen,' replied he,
'belonged to a Bohemian goose [Huss] a hundred years old. I had it from
one of my old schoolmasters. It is so strong because no one can take the
pith out of it, and I am myself quite astonished at it.' On a sudden I
heard a loud cry; from the monk's long pen had issued a host of other
pens. I awoke a third time; it was day light." History of the
Reformation, Book III, Chap. 4.
Frederick related the foregoing to his brother John, the Duke of York,
on the morning of Oct. 31, 1517, stating that he had dreamed it during
the previous night. The same day at noon Martin Luther advanced boldly
to the chapel at Wittemberg and posted upon the door ninety-five theses,
or propositions, against the Papal doctrine of indulgences. This was his
public entrance upon the great work of reformation. The importance of
the Reformation of the Sixteenth Century is incalculable. It gave the
deathblow to the universal spiritual supremacy of Rome. As we have
already seen, the Papacy had for centuries held despotic sway over the
minds and the consciences of men. One potent cause of the Reformation
was the great Revival of Learning that marked the close of the medieval
and the beginning of the modern period of history. This great mental
awakening contrasted sharply with the blind ignorance and superstition
of the Middle Ages, and caused many men to doubt the Scriptural
authority of many of the doctrines and ceremonies of the Church of Rome;
such as invocation of saints, auricular confession, use of images,
worship of the Virgin Mary, etc.
Scandals and abuses in the Church of Rome also hastened the Reformation.
During the fifteenth century the morals of that church had sunk to the
greatest depths of iniquity. The Popes themselves were, in some cases,
monsters of impurity and iniquity, insomuch that historians are obliged
to draw the vail over many of their dark deeds.
But the real occasion of the revolt of the northern nations of Europe
against the jurisdiction of Rome was the controversy regarding
indulgences. "These in the Catholic church, are remissions, to penitents
of punishment due for sin, upon the performances of some work of mercy
or piety, or the payment of a sum of money." When Leo X. was elected to
the Papal dignity (1513), he found the church in great need of money for
the building of Saint Peter's and other undertakings, and he had
recourse to a grant of indulgences to fill the coffers of the church.
The power of dispensing these indulgences in Saxony in Germany was given
to a Dominican friar named Tetzel. This fanatic enthusiast entertained
the most exaggerated opinion of the efficacy of indulgences. In his
harrangues he uttered such expressions as the following:
"Indulgences are the most precious and the most noble of God's gifts."
"There is no sin so great that an indulgence can not remit; ... only let
him pay well, and all will be forgiven him." "Come, and I will give you
letters, all properly sealed, by which even the sins that you intend to
commit may be pardoned." "I would not change my privileges for those of
St. Peter in heaven; for I have saved more souls by my indulgences than
the apostle by his sermons." "The Lord Omnipotent hath ceased to reign;
he has resigned all power to the Pope." See D'Aubigne's History of the
Reformation, Book III, Chap. 1.
Martin Luther was an Augustine monk and a teacher of theology in the
University of Wittemberg. Before Tetzel appeared in Germany, Luther
possessed a wide reputation for learning and piety, and he had also
entertained doubts respecting many of the doctrines of the church.
During an official visit to Rome in 1510 he was almost overwhelmed with
sorrow because of the moral corruption there; but while penitentially
ascending on his knees the sacred stairs of the Lateran, he seemed to
hear a voice thundering in his soul, "The just shall live by faith!"
This marked an important epoch in his career.
When Tetzel appeared in Saxony with his indulgences, Luther fearlessly
opposed him. He drew up ninety-five theses against the infamous traffic
and nailed them to the door of the church at Wittemberg, and invited all
scholars to criticise them and point out if they were opposed to the
doctrine of the Word of God or of the early church Fathers. Here the
invention of printing proved to be a powerful agency in advancing the
cause of reformation by scattering copies of these theses everywhere;
and soon the continent of Europe was in a perfect turmoil of
controversy. The Pope excommunicated Luther as a heretic. In reply
Luther burned the Papal bull publicly at Wittemberg. Shortly afterward
Luther produced his celebrated translation of the Bible in the German
language. Even a brief history of the entire Reformation would be too
large for the limits of the present volume, therefore with a few words
respecting the nature of the work of the Reformation we will pass on to
another prophetic vision.
The great secret of the early success of the reformers was their appeal
from the decisions of councils and regulations of men to the Word of
God. So long as the Word and Spirit of God were allowed their proper
place as the Governors of God's people, the work was a spiritual
blessing. But this happy state of affairs did not long continue. Within
a few years the followers of the reformers were divided into hostile
sects and began to oppose and persecute each other. Luther denounced
Zwingle as a heretic, and "the Calvinists would have no dealings with
the Lutherans." The first Protestant creed was the Augsburg Confession
(1530). This date marks an important epoch. From this time the people
began to lose sight of the Word and Spirit of God as their Governors and
to turn to the disciplines of their sects, which they upheld by every
means possible. Thus we find Calvin at Geneva consenting to the burning
of Servetus, because of a difference of religious views; and in England
the Anglican Protestants waged the most bitter, cruel, and relentless
war not only against Catholics, but against all Protestants who refused
to conform to the Established Church. The Protestants placed armies in
the field and fought for their creeds, as during the Thirty Years' War
in Germany and the long period of the Hugenot wars in France. The real
work of the Reformation, the promulgation of so much of the truth of the
Bible, was an inestimable blessing to the world; but the rise of
Protestantism (organized sectism) in 1530 introduced another period of
apostasy as distinct in many of its features as was that of Romanism
before it. The historian D'Aubigne recognizes an important change at
this period. He says:
"The first two books of this volume contain the most important epochs of
the Reformation--the Protest of Spires, and the Confession of
Augsburg.... I determined on bringing the reformation of Germany and
German Switzerland to the _decisive epochs of_ 1530 and 1531. The
history of the Reformation, properly so-called, is then in my opinion
almost complete in those countries. The work of faith has there attained
its apogee: that of conferences, of interims, of diplomacy begins....
The movement of the Sixteenth Century has there made its effort. I said
from the very first, It is the history of the Reformation and not of
Protestantism that I am relating." Preface to Vol. V.
11. And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and
he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.
12. And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before
him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to
worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.
13. And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down
from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,
14. And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of
those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the
beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should
make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and
did live.
15. And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast,
that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as
many as would not worship the image of the beast should be
killed.
16. And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor,
free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in
their foreheads:
17. And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the
mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
18. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the
number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his
number is Six hundred threescore and six.
The symbolic description of this beast directs us also to a political
and a religious system rising at the expiration of the twelve hundred
and sixty years' reign of the first beast, but that he was no such
terrible beast politically as the one before him is proved by the fact
that he had but two horns and they _like a lamb_. This beast rose "out
of the earth"--the Apocalyptic earth, or the territory of the Roman
empire. The first beast rose out of the sea, which, as before shown,
signifies the heart of the empire in an agitated state; for the ten
horns came up through the greatest political convulsions that the page
of history records. When John beheld the second beast "coming up,"
however, the empire was in a state of comparative quiet, although fierce
wars followed afterward. He stands as a symbol of _Protestantism_ in
Europe; although his power and influence afterwards extended beyond the
"earth"--the Apocalyptic earth--into "the whole world." Chap. 16:14.
That this beast came up upon the same territory occupied by the Papacy
is proved also by the statement that "he exerciseth all the power of the
first beast before him." It was predicted in a subsequent chapter
(17:16) that the ten horns, or kingdoms of Europe, after supporting the
Papacy during the Dark Ages, would later turn against her. This has met
a remarkable fulfilment under the reign of Protestantism.
The first two nations to turn violently against Popery were England and
Germany. They have ever since been the chief supporters and defenders of
Protestantism, and they are doubtless the two kingdoms symbolized by the
two horns of the beast. While at one time the Pope was a temporal
sovereign and could, by his political and ecclesiastical power, humble
with ease the mightiest nations of Europe before him, his authority has
been wrested from him by degrees, so that to-day not a vestige of his
temporal power remains, and his anathemas fall harmlessly. The nations
have asserted their rights as kings. When King Victor Emmanuel entered
Rome on the twentieth day of September, 1870, the Pope's temporal sun
set forever, and he does not control even the city in which he
lives--Rome. He is often referred to as "the prisoner of the Vatican."
"He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity," said the
prophecy; "he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the
sword." It was by force of arms that the Popes obtained and maintained
their temporal power over the nations, and by the force of arms they
have had their authority torn from them. Religion has been referred to
as "the basis of government"; for the legislators of any country are to
a great degree influenced in their deliberations by religious
sentiments. In all Protestant countries that greatest of Protestant
principles, religious liberty, is as truly recognized by statute as was
that infernal principle of the Papacy, religious intolerance, when
formerly enforced by law. Protestant principles have so far permeated
the nations of Europe formerly controlled by the Papacy that religious
toleration is generally granted. In Italy, the headquarters of Popedom,
where the Catholics are greatly in the majority, religious liberty is
granted by law. And even Spain, denominated by the Encyclopædia
Britannica "the most Catholic country in the world," exhibits "a general
indifferentism to religion," meaning that the fanaticism and intolerance
of former ages that caused thousands, and perhaps millions, to be slain,
is rapidly dying out. In the vision before us, however, the special
actions ascribed to this beast--_speaking_, working miracles, deceiving,
making an image and imparting life to it, etc., which all belong
properly to the department of human life--show conclusively that it is
the character of this beast as an _ecclesiastical power_ that is the
chief point under consideration. He was not to become such a terrible
beast politically (for his horns were only _like a lamb_), but "he
_spake_ as a dragon." As soon as we enter the department to which
_speaking_ by analogy refers us, we find this beast to be a great
religious power; and it is in this character alone that he is dilineated
in the remainder of the chapter. That the description of a religious
system is the main burden of this symbol, is shown also by the fact that
it is in every case referred to in subsequent chapters as the "false
prophet." Chap. 16:13; 19:20; 20:10. Therefore every reference I make to
this second beast hereafter should be understood as signifying the
religious system of Protestantism, unless otherwise stated.
That Protestantism in its many forms can be properly represented by a
single symbol--a beast or false prophet--may seem a little strange at
first; but when we come to consider next the making of an image to the
beast, it will be seen that the Protestant sects, from God's standpoint
of viewing, are all alike in character, as were the multitudinous forms
of heathen worship represented under the single symbol of the dragon.
Hence only one beast, or the making of one image, was necessary to stand
as representative of the entire number. It will be noticed by the reader
that from verse 12 to the close of the chapter the term _beast_
signifies the first beast, or the Papacy, and that the second beast, or
Protestantism, is designated by the pronoun _he_.
_Image_ is defined to be "an imitation, representation, similitude of
any person or thing; a copy, a likeness, an effigy." The second beast,
then, is to manufacture something in _imitation_ of the first beast. If
any doubt exists as to which phase of the first beast, political or
ecclesiastical, is copied, it can be settled by considering what is said
of the image made from the original. "The image of the beast
should--_speak_." This directs us by analogy, as heretofore explained,
to the department of religious affairs; hence the second beast forms an
_ecclesiastical organization_ in imitation of the hierarchy of Rome. At
this juncture the Protestant will doubtless exclaim, "Oh, our churches
are nothing like the church of Rome!" But consider a little in the light
of truth. God's Word teaches that they bear the close relationship of
_mother_ and her _daughters_ (Rev. 17:5), and by the help of the Lord we
shall point out a similarity of character in this and subsequent
chapters. The symbol of the church of Rome in chapter 17 is that of a
corrupt _prostitute_, while the symbol of Protestantism is that of her
_harlot daughters_. The Roman church is a humanly organized institution
governed by a set of fallible men, their claims of infallibility to the
contrary notwithstanding. Protestant sects, likewise, are all human
organizations (even though they may sometimes deny it), and are governed
by a man or a conference of men. The Roman Catholic church makes and
prescribes the theology that her members believe. Protestant churches,
also, make their own disciplines and prescribe rules of faith and
practise. The Word of God, inspired by his Spirit, could not be enforced
in Romanism without destroying it; for its main spirit is Antichrist.
So, too, the whole Word in Protestantism would soon annihilate her
God-dishonoring sects; for they are all contrary to its plain teachings,
which condemn divisions and enjoin perfect unity and oneness upon the
redeemed of the Lord. What is said concerning the image of the beast
applies to sectarianism as a whole and the human organization of all her
so-called churches, regardless of the differences that exist between
them as individual institutions; for they may differ as widely as the
various systems of heathen religions symbolized by the dragon, yet they
can be represented by the single symbol of an image to the first beast,
because they are built upon the same general principles--are but human
organizations, falsely called churches of Christ, and are all contrary
to the Scriptures.
Imparting life to the image of the beast simply signifies the complete
organization of the ecclesiastical institutions so that they are capable
of self-government and their decrees possess authority. Every living
body is animated by a spirit. The sectarian spirit that animates the
Methodist body will lead people into that body, etc.; but the one Spirit
of God will, if permitted, baptize us all into the one body of Christ,
where we can all "drink into one Spirit." 1 Cor. 12:13. "And he spake as
a dragon" signifies the great authority by which his laws are enacted
and enforced upon the people.
"And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from
heaven on the earth in the sight of men, and deceiveth them that dwell
on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in
the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that
they should make an image to the beast." Fire from heaven upon Elijah's
sacrifice was the attestation of God to his divine mission. Bringing
down fire from heaven, then, symbolically describes the claims of this
beast to being a true prophet of the Lord.
At this point we must make a distinction which, being true in the facts
of history, must necessarily be intended in the symbolic representation.
According to the symbols of the preceding chapter the woman, or true
church, "fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of
God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and
threescore days." The time-prophecy is the same and covers the same
period as the reign of the Papal beast; therefore just as an important
change in the Papacy occured at the expiration of the prophetic period,
so also we must expect a radical change with respect to the true church:
it must no longer be completely obscured in the wilderness.
As the Reformation, and Protestantism as a religion, was the means of
ending Rome's universal spiritual supremacy, so also the same movement
must be regarded as possessing sufficient light and truth to again bring
into prominence the work of the Spirit and the true people of God. "Fire
from heaven" may therefore be regarded as describing the divine work of
reformation, the unfolding of truth accompanied by the saving power of
God. Such spiritual work has accompanied the origin of various religious
movements during the Protestant era.
The general description of the two-horned beast, however, brings into
prominence an evil characteristic--the disposition to lead people into
deception by making an image to the beast and then worshiping it. The
evil does not inhere in the work of bringing down "fire from heaven,"
but in image-making and image-worship, for which the Spiritual work
simply furnished an occasion. The Spiritual work of reformation is
therefore to be distinguished from the later work of creed- and
sect-making. And since the beast takes advantage of Spirit
manifestations, in order to deceive men, he becomes a sort of apostate
and is denominated "the _false prophet_." See Chap. 16:14; 19:20.
Ecclesiastically considered, the two-horned beast stands as the symbol
of the religious system of Protestantism as a whole--a peculiar
combination of truth and error, of good and bad, of "fire from heaven"
and false, miracle-working power (chap. 16:14); while the "image to the
beast" signifies the sectarian institution--the man-made,
man-controlled, unscriptural sect machinery manufactured in imitation of
the Papal original. To exalt such earth-born churches and lead people to
adore and worship them is but a species of idolatry and the rankest
deception. It is a sad fact that multitudes of people in Protestantism
are more devoted to their particular church than they are to the Lord
Jesus Christ. They can witness the open rejection of God's precious Word
and the vilest profanation of his holy name, without uttering a word of
protest; but let anyone say a word against _their church_, and instantly
they are aroused to the highest pitch of excitement--beast-worshipers!
The Protestant era has witnessed many wonderful reformations in which
the true fire of God fell upon waiting souls, but this initial work of
the Spirit has in each case been employed as an excuse for taking the
next step--making an image. Thousands of honest souls, lacking better
light, have been induced to submit to such human organization. But the
truly saved have always loved and adored their Lord more than the human
church to which they were attached, therefore they should not be
regarded as beast-worshipers. They are the ones whom the Lord
denominates his people when the voice is heard calling them out of
Babylon. Chap. 18:4.
The "mark of the beast" next claims our attention. The beast referred to
is the Papacy. How did the Papacy mark its subjects? Undoubtedly, by the
false spirit which animated that organization, branding them all with
its delusive doctrines and errors. In a previous chapter the servants of
God were represented as receiving the seal of God in their foreheads.
This was shown to signify the pure Word and doctrines of the Bible being
planted within them by the Holy Spirit. In making the sect image in
imitation of the Papal original, then, the principle of marking subjects
has also been copied. The members of every sect organization are
indelibly marked. You can not become one of them without solemnly
agreeing to believe the doctrines taught in their discipline and
accepting the government of their man-made institutions. Subscribing to
the rules of faith and practise that originated with the sect shows how
its members worship the image. They are also said to worship the first
beast, the original of the image. How is this fulfilled? In the same
manner that the worshipers of the first beast worshiped the dragon that
preceded it; namely, by accepting and believing false principles of
faith that originated in the system immediately preceding. Protestant
sects have transferred many of the false doctrines of Romanism to their
own creeds, hence they worship the first beast just as truly as the
Papists worshiped the dragon by accepting heathenish principles. The
greatest principle of false doctrine that originated with Catholicism,
and one that has been transferred to _every Protestant sect_, is, that a
human organization is necessary to complete the church of Christ on
earth. The church of Rome has an earthly head and a human government;
and Protestants, also, firmly believe the unscriptural doctrine that
they must bow to an organization of men and thus be under a visible
headship: they receive the mark of the beast. Many sects have also
copied other Popish doctrines, such as infant baptism, the destruction
of all outside of the pales of the church (?), infantile damnation,
sprinkling, and other things too numerous to mention. Thus, they worship
the first beast as well as his image.
They also receive the "name of the beast." Here again "beast" refers to
the Papacy. The Papal beast was represented as being full of the names
of blasphemy, which blasphemy was shown to signify the usurpation of
prerogatives and rights belonging to God alone. The greatest
ecclesiastical usurpation reached by the Romish hierarchy was that of
claiming to be the head of the church and the right to prescribe and
enforce their doctrines, naming their organization the _Holy Catholic
Church_. In making their sect organizations in imitation, Protestants,
as above stated, have transferred the same principle and make the same
blasphemous claim of a right to make disciplines to govern God's people,
and then name their sect machinery a _church_ of God. The name may be
Methodist, Baptist, Mennonite, Episcopalian, or what not, it is only a
_beast name_, yet a name that you must accept if you desire to become
one of them.
They not only receive the name of the beast, but also receive the
"number of his name." It will be necessary first to explain what is
meant by the number of a name. "The modern system of notation by the
nine digits and the cipher, was not introduced until the tenth century,
but on account of its superior excellence, has since superseded every
other. Previous to this great discovery, the letters of the alphabet
were used to denote numbers, each letter having the power of a _number_
as well as a _sound_. The same system is still retained among us for
certain purposes. The Roman letters I. V. X. L. C. D. M., have each the
power of expressing a number. This, however, was the common and the best
mode of notation that the ancients possessed." The number of a name,
therefore, was merely the number denoted by the several letters of that
name.
The number of the name of the beast--the first beast--is said to be the
number of a _man_. When we enter the Romish hierarchy and search for a
man the number of whose name will be six hundred and sixty-six, where
could we go more appropriately than to the Pope himself, its authorized
head? The Scriptures point him out particularly as the "_man_ of sin,"
"the son of perdition." 2 Thes. 2:3, 4. Has the Pope of Rome a name the
letters of which, used as numerals, make six hundred and sixty-six? Yes.
He wears in jeweled letters upon his miter the following blasphemous
inscription: _Vicarius Filii Dei_--Vicar of the Son of God. Taking out
of this name all the letters that the Latins used as numerals, we have
just six hundred and sixty-six. U and V were both formerly used to
denote five.
V ..... 5 F ..... 0
I ..... 1 I ..... 1
C ... 100 L .... 50
A ..... 0 I ..... 1
R ..... 0 I ..... 1
I ..... 1 D ... 500
U ..... 5 E ..... 0
S ..... 0 I ..... 1
---
666
In some manner the worshipers of Protestant images also receive the
number of this name--six hundred and sixty-six. The name is that of
"Vicar of the Son of God." In all Protestantism (see remarks on chapter
11:7, 8) the true Vicars of Christ on earth--the Word and Spirit of
God--have been set aside, and conferences of men have taken their places
in all the official acts relative to spiritual affairs. Hence the number
of the name applies to them as well. What that number specially
symbolizes I do not know, unless it is, as has been explained by
others--_division_. While the policy of Romanism has been that of unity,
still the false claims made by one individual can be as well made by
another, and by many, which has been the case, as just explained;
therefore it would not be improper at all to make the Pope's number a
symbol of the whole, since his system has been so largely copied by the
rest. The whole structure of sectarianism is built on the principle of
division, and it so happens that there is always enough left to divide
again. So this special number is perhaps the symbol of endless division,
signifying the great number of human organizations claiming to be
churches of Christ. The church of God, however, is built on the
principal of unity; division is destruction to its true nature and life,
for it is Christ's body.
It is further said that "no man might buy or sell, save he that had the
mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name." To "buy or
sell" is to engage in the ordinary pursuits of life and have intercourse
with human society. Applying this as a symbol to the analagous
department of the church, we have the fact set forth that those without
the special mark have no more recognized standing in the so-called
churches than men that are not allowed to buy or sell have in a
community. But _selling_, as a symbol, would specially indicate the
dealing out of truth, or the preaching of the gospel. A Holy Ghost
minister in the clear light of heaven's truth, independent of all the
creeds of Babylon, will not be allowed the privilege of laboring freely
among sectarians, after the truth for which he stands becomes well
known. And if he holds meetings in the community, the members of the
sects are often warned by their leaders against "buying"--receiving--it
from the Holy Ghost minister, because of his not having the mark or name
of the beast. Their ministers are specially marked, for they come out of
their colleges and theological seminaries with the stamp of their
respective doctrines upon them and a license from the sect to enter its
ministry; and those not thus marked or designated have no place among
them. This may also explain the manner in which the beast causes those
who will not worship the image to be killed--an analagous killing;
namely, an ecclesiastical cutting-off, or excommunication, as explained
in previous chapters.[9]
[Footnote 9: The early history of Protestantism shows that at that time
the principle of religious intolerance brought over from Romanism
manifested itself in the actual putting to death of numerous dissenters.
For example see pp. 252, 291-294 of the present work. It is possible
that the persecuting principle ascribed to the two-horned beast may
include both the literal and the ecclesiastical cutting-off, reference
being made directly to the intolerant spirit.]
The facts just stated are well illustrated by the following
circumstances. A few years ago a brother in the ministry went into a
certain town to find a place to conduct a series of holiness meetings.
He was directed by a Presbyterian lady to their pastor, who, she said,
was a believer in the doctrine of holiness. When he called on the
minister and made known his errand, the first question asked him was
this, "Are you a member of the Presbyterian church?" The brother
answered in the negative. He did not have the _name of the beast_. The
next question that greeted him was this, "Do you believe the Westminster
Confession of Faith to be orthodox?" He answered, "No, sir." He did not
have the _mark of the beast_. The last question asked was, "Do you
belong to any of the various orthodox Protestant denominations?" The
brother said, "No." He did not have the _number of his name_. The answer
was, "You can not have our house."
While on a missionary trip in the Near East, the writer, in company with
another brother, attended a Seventh-Day Adventist service in Bucharest,
Roumania. After the sermon another brother requested that we be given
the opportunity to speak a little, but the request was absolutely
refused. It was explained that we would say nothing against them or
their work but only speak about salvation; but we were not permitted
even to testify in a few words. The difficulty was that we did not have
either the "mark of the beast" or its "name."
CHAPTER XIV.
And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with
him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name
written in their foreheads.
2. And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters,
and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of
harpers harping with their harps:
3. And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and
before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn
that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which
were redeemed from the earth.
4. These are they which were not defiled with women; for they
are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever
he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the
firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.
5. And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without
fault before the throne of God.
There is no difficulty in identifying this company on Mount Sion as the
true people of God in marked contrast with the worshipers of all corrupt
and false religion. As to the chronology of the event, it is evident
that we have here a continuation of the same series of prophecy
beginning with the apostolic period in chapter XII, describing
alternately the true church and the false church.
At the beginning of this series the true church, symbolized by the
star-crowned woman, fled into the wilderness and was there lost to view;
while the leopard beast and the two-horned beast of chapter XIII,
symbolizing the two leading forms of organized Christianity, were
brought into prominent view. It is therefore fitting that the true
church should again appear and be given her proper position and work in
the world before the end of all earthly things.
That the company here brought to view represents the true church is
shown by its agreement with the church of God before the apostasy began.
In the seventh chapter we have seen that before the political calamities
befell the Western Roman Empire the work of sealing God's servants was
accomplished, twelve thousand from each of the twelve tribes of Israel
being sealed, thus representing symbolically the fact that God's church,
comprising the true Israel, was perfect and complete, no part being
omitted. In the chapter under consideration we have this divine sealing
process again after the apostasy, and once more the definite number
144,000 occurs, showing that the church before the end is to be perfect
and complete.
The contrast of this company with the ecclesiastical powers in the
preceding chapter proclaims in an unmistakeable manner the fact that we
have here described a true reformation and work of God before the end of
time. In the morning-time of the dispensation the redeemed of earth were
represented as singing praises to Christ; so also the company here
brought to view unite in singing a song which only the redeemed can
know. This company is on Mount Sion, not in the darkness of the
wilderness, they are with the Lamb, not wandering after the beast; they
are not even following the beast that was "like a lamb," but they are
with the true Lamb, the Savior of the world; they have the "Father's
name written in their foreheads," not the mark or the name of the beast.
It is said of them that "these are they which were not defiled with
women, for they are virgins." Fornication and adultery, as will be
explained later, is a symbol of spiritual idolatry; and the chastity of
this redeemed company shows that they were free from the abominations of
the apostasy. They "follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth." Their names
are in the book of life, and they do not worship the beast. Chap. 13:8.
Here, then, we have a symbol of the church of God in the latter days
standing distinct from the great apostasy.
6. And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having
the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the
earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,
7. Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him;
for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made
heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.
8. And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen,
is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink
of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.
9. And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice,
If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark
in his forehead, or in his hand,
10. The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which
is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation;
and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the
presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:
11. And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and
ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast
and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.
12. Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep
the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
13. And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write,
Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea,
saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; and
their works do follow them.
Another phase of the last reformation is here brought to view--its
communicative genius. It not only stands clear from the apostasy, but it
sounds the warnings of God and proclaims his message. The first
messenger had a very important message to deliver, even "the everlasting
gospel." His message was not limited to the inhabitants of "the
earth"--the Apocalyptic earth--only, but included "every nation, and
kindred, and tongue, and people," showing that it was of universal
importance. It was not a new gospel, but the everlasting gospel, the
same gospel preached before the long period of apostasy. There is one
phase different, however, and that is that the _nearness_ of the second
coming of Christ is a leading feature; the messenger with loud voice
warns the people to prepare for the awful judgment just at hand by
turning to "worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and
the fountains of waters." The apostle Paul cautioned the Thessalonian
brethren not to entertain the idea that the advent of Christ was then
near at hand, for it could not come until after the great period of
apostasy that he predicted; but here is a messenger now claiming that
the "_hour of his judgment is come_"--an event just at hand. He carries
his special message to all people; for Jesus declared, "This gospel of
the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all
nations; and _then shall the end come_." Matt. 24:14. This represents
the restoration of gospel truth in the reformation that was begun about
the year A.D. 1880 and that is now being carried to all nations by a
holy ministry.
The nature of this restoration work is clearly shown. Its leading
feature is its missionary character, the proclamation of the pure gospel
to "every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people." Since the days
of the apostles the whole gospel has not been boldly declared and
carried forward with burning missionary zeal. Romanism and Protestantism
have conducted their missionary work and, according to chap. 16:14,
their sphere of influence will extend throughout "the whole world"; but
here is clearly set forth the fact that God has authorized another
universal message and world-wide work wholly distinguished from all
others. The contrast between the worshipers of the beast and his image
and those composing the redeemed company on Mount Sion is so clear, also
the nature of the work done by each, that we can not possibly identify
them as being one.
This work of conducting a world-wide missionary enterprise may appear to
be a gigantic task, but the seeming impossibility vanishes when we
consider the fact (to be more fully developed hereafter) that God calls
into this service all his people who are yet under the sectarian yoke.
With this great host already dispersed over the world, the work of
making known this last message can and will be accomplished.
The positive statement that the _hour_ of his judgment is come shows
that the end is exceedingly near; hence the second and third angels must
follow the first in the closest proximity possible in order to introduce
their messages before the wrath of God is poured out upon apostate
Christendom. The time is so short that these three messengers can not
possibly refer to three distinct reformations in the world; hence they
must signify three important phases in the one last reformation that
carries the gospel to all nations in the short period of an "hour,"
which time also includes the final judgment.
A careful study of these three messages will show that they are
inseparably connected. The second cry was against Babylon, that she had
fallen. Rev. 18:1, 2 proves this fall of Babylon to be a moral one--a
giving away to ungodliness, iniquity and all manner of deception.
According to chapter 16:19 the great city of Babylon is composed of
three parts, being a confederation of the dragon[10] (heathenism), the
beast (Catholicism), and the false prophet (Protestantism). Chap. 16:13,
14. It is evidently to this latter division of Babylon that this second
message applies; for Paganism was always a false religion, and
Catholicism was always a corrupt one, during whose reign the church of
God, as already shown, was separate. Protestantism, then, was the only
part of the great city that could fall morally or spiritually. During
the space of three hundred and fifty years, from the formation of the
first Protestant creed, she held reign and authority over the people of
God, who were scattered among her hundreds of opposing sects.
[Footnote 10: That the dragon should be a part of great Babylon seems at
first improbable; but in this statement reference is made, not to the
dragon in his original, or Pagan, state, but to the form in which he is
manifesting himself in these last days to deceive the nations, working
in conjunction with apostate Christendom. This phase of the dragon power
which brings him into harmony with, and, in reality, a part of, modern
Babylon, will be more clearly understood when we come to consider the
three unclean spirits that come out of the mouth of the dragon, the
beast, and the false prophet (chap. 16:13, 14), and the release of the
dragon in chapter 20:7-9.]
In this condition the faithful children of God, although bearing the
mark and name of the beast, longed for restoration of the divine,
primitive standard; but in the cloudy atmosphere of that period they
could not clearly discern the whole truth. Later, when the full tidings
of the everlasting gospel came, there came also a revelation that
Babylon is fallen and that God is calling his people out of confusion
just before the end of time.
I call to witness every child of God who has been with the present
reformation from its beginning, if there were not three special phases
of the development of the truth, as follows: 1. A wonderful revival of
spirituality among a few of God's chosen ones, caused by the
"everlasting gospel" being revealed to them as never before. 2. The
knowledge of the truth and deep experience thus obtained prepared the
way for the next step, which was the discovery that the "churches" were
a part of the great Babylon of Revelation and were in a fallen
condition, "a hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and
hateful bird." Chap. 18:2, 3. Hence the cry went up, "Babylon is fallen,
is fallen." 3. Then followed immediately the message to God's people to
"flee out of the midst of Babylon and deliver every man his soul,"
warning them that no one could any longer bear the mark of the beast or
worship his image without forfeiting eternal salvation and that the
fearful judgments of heaven would soon descend upon every one who
refused to obey the message and to walk in the light. The last two
phases, which apply to Babylon, are the same and in the same order as
the description given in chapter 18:1-4. First, an angel from heaven
cries mightily with a strong voice, "Babylon the great is fallen, is
fallen"; and then "_another voice_" from heaven says, "COME OUT OF HER,
MY PEOPLE." The three successive phases of the message are now all
combined in one, and God is gathering his holy remnant "out of all
places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day" (Ezek.
34:12) into the one body of Jesus Christ. Halleluiah! John, also, saw
this glorious result of the three messages--"And I saw as it were a sea
of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over
the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of
his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God. And they
sung the song of Moses the servant of God [a song of deliverance], and
the song of the Lamb [the song of redemption], saying, Great and
marvelous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways,
thou king of saints." Chap. 15:2, 3. Let all the people of God rejoice!
"Hail the day so long expected,
Hail the year of full release;
Zion's walls are now erected,
And the watchmen publish peace.
"Now on Shiloh's wide dominion,
Hear the trumpets loudly roar:
Babylon's fallen, is fallen, is fallen,
Babylon's fallen to rise no more."
Those of the Lord's people who through lack of sufficient light were
yoked up with unbelievers in Protestantism, labored faithfully to
upbuild the very sectarian institutions that God was against and that
were destined to be destroyed, though they themselves were saved as by
fire; but from the time this reformation began the redeemed die in the
triumphs of a living faith, and their labors in upbuilding the true
cause and kingdom of God are still blessed and fruitful, being
perpetuated in the works that follow them.
"Here is the patience of the saints; here are they that keep the
commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus." As before mentioned, God's
people during the reign of Romanism expected her universal supremacy to
come to an end, and their patience was greatly exercised in waiting for
the appointed time to arrive. It came with a great spiritual
reformation. Then followed another period of apostasy, during which time
God's people again looked forward to something better in the future.
Many remarkable predictions of this present holiness reformation were
uttered by some of the most spiritual saints during the Protestant era,
and I can not refrain from mentioning a few of them in this connection.
D'Aubigne: "The nineteenth century is called to resume the work which
the sixteenth century was unable to accomplish." History of the
Reformation, Book XV, Chap. 1.
Fletcher: "Only He will come with more mercy, and will increase the
light that shall be at eventide, according to his promise in Zech. 14:7.
I should rather think that the visions are not yet plainly disclosed;
and that the day and hour in which the Lord will begin to make bare his
arm openly are still concealed from us. Oh, when will the communion of
saints be complete? Lord, hasten the time; and let me have a place among
them that love thee, and love one another in sincerity." This is an
extract from a letter written by John Fletcher to Mr. Wesley, dated
London, May 26, 1757, as given in Joseph Benson's life of Fletcher, pp.
39, 40.
D'Aubigne again: "In every age it has been seen how great is the
strength of an idea to penetrate the masses, to stir nations, and to
hurry them, if required, by thousands to the battle-field and to death.
But if so great be the strength of a human idea, what power must not a
heaven-descended idea possess, when God opens to it the gates of the
heart! The world has not often seen so much power at work; it was seen,
however, in the early days of Christianity, and in the time of the
Reformation; and _it will be seen in future_ ages." Book VI, Chap. 12.
"It has been said that the three last centuries, the sixteenth, the
seventeenth, and the eighteenth, may be conceived as an immense battle
of three days' duration. We willingly adopt this beautiful
comparison.... The first day was the battle of God, the second the
battle of the priest, the third the battle of reason. What will be the
fourth? In our opinion, the confused strife, the deadly contest of all
these powers together, to _end in the victory of Him to whom triumph
belongs_." Book XI, Chap. 9.
Lorenzo Dow, comment on Rev. 14:6-11; 18:1-5: "The angel, or
extraordinary messenger, with his assistants, proclaiming the fall of
Babylon will be known in his time. Also the one warning the people of
God to come out of Babylon literally, spiritually, and practically, will
be known also, and such other threatening for the omission of compliance
is not to be found in all the Bible." Dow's Works, p. 533.
The following extracts are from an old book written about 1812 by
Theophilus R. Gates and entitled "Truth Advocated." Through the kindness
of a sister living in Allegan County, Michigan, the writer was enabled
to secure the following from the only copy of this book known to be in
existence--she having borrowed it of her neighbor, a relative of its
author.
On Rev. 14:11: "I would here gladly drop the subject, lest I give
offense; but duty compels me to remark, what can not be denied, that an
inordinate attachment to certain systems and forms of religion, has
occasioned all the strifes, animosities, and persecutions, that have so
long agitated the Christian world; and if God be just, every one must
drink of the cup of his indignation, according to his offense. The beast
and his image, as it exists in Protestant countries, seems in this place
particularly meant; and our own land is full of the number of his name.
That such a testimony will one day go forth we must believe, or else St.
John saw that which will never be: and the testimony will as certainly
be received; for a company in the next chapter are to be seen that had
gotten the victory over the beast, his image, his mark, and the number
of his name. It is also equally true that as yet it has never gone
forth; and that at the time, great afflictions or suffering of some kind
will be undergone to exercise the patience of the saints.... It is at
this very time, no doubt, that the three unclean spirits, like frogs,
come out of the mouth of the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet;
spirits of devils working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the
earth, and of the whole world, to gather them to the great battle of the
great day of God Almighty. The greatest possible efforts, indeed will
now be made by all the sectarians to keep up their existence ... nor is
it any wonder that hireling ministers and system worshipers, Demetrius
like, should be stirred up and raise no small stir about the way; for it
is evident, not only their craft is in danger of being set at naught by
this testimony, but also the great Diana of systems and forms of
religion to be despised, and their magnificence destroyed, whom now
almost the whole Christian world worshipeth." Pp. 281-283.
"And now commences an era of light and suffering, when the corrupt
churches (with the kings of the earth and great men united with them)
being about to be wholly brought down, make one general muster against
Christ and his true worshipers. These things are clear to me as a ray of
light; and whoever lives at this time will see as great opposition and
spite to the true way of righteousness then set forth from sectarians
and professors generally, as there was from the Jews towards Christ and
his testimony: and also, like the Jews, at the very time they oppose the
true way of the Lord with all their might, they will no doubt make the
greatest possible show of religion, will think they are the true church,
yea will have a zeal for God, carrying on religion with great success,
forming societies, sending missionaries among the heathen, etc., etc.
That such an event will take place is very clear." Pp. 286-288.
"This happy period I never expect to see: but known unto the Lord only
are all things. I know that such a time will be; for we are assured by
the angel, these are the true sayings of God: and I also believe that it
will take place _within two centuries_ from this time. But oh! how
corrupt doth the world now appear to me.... Help me, O Lord, I pray
thee, to do thy will.
"Whenever any body of people come into notice, establish their rules and
institutions, and become a respectable sect, they are the people of God
then only in name; they cease to have the nature any longer; and whoever
unites himself to the same, constitutes himself one of the beast's
party, and so far as his influence extends, he helps to establish the
kingdom of Antichrist in the earth. This is clear from the prophecies of
the Revelation, and it will answer no purpose to take offense when the
truth is spoken. These things will, moreover, sooner or later be
declared with great plainness by some one; and then will the man of sin
put forth all his strength; then will persecution come, and the beast
muster his armies to defend himself and to destroy the assailants, but
in vain; for however few their number may be at first, and however
furious the battle may rage against them, they are destined to conquer.
And herein the words of Christ will fitly apply, 'Fear not, little
flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.'"
P. 313.
Speaking of sectarianism, he says further: "The same round of things
will continue until the evil is remedied.... When this shall take place,
time only can determine with certainty. It will probably commence
slowly, and not come with any great outward observation. Few will at
first see or embrace the way, being strange to them, and appearing on
account of their prejudices, and the way they have been taught by the
false prophet, to be wrong and improper: moreover, being opposed to all
others, they will have all others to oppose them. But though they are
despised and hated, and few in number, the Lord is with them." Pp. 322,
323.
On Rev. 16:13, 14: "I have already delivered my views with respect to
these unclean spirits ... and it is not necessary to say much here upon
the subject; only I would just observe, that this will be a time of
greater trial to Christians in general, and in a time in which more will
be deprived of every particle of true religion through the influence of
false ministers belonging to the different societies in Christendom,
than any that has ever yet been in the world. But while they are making
these great exertions, they are only preparing themselves and their
deluded votaries for a more awful and complete destruction. For God
Almighty is against them, and they against Him; though they will know it
not, but think perhaps all the while they are his peculiar favorites,
and that they are employed in maintaining his cause, like the Jews
before them, when it is only their own cause and men's traditions." P.
338.
"I am but as the voice of one crying in the wilderness of error and of
sin, of wickedness and delusion, testifying according to the best light
given me; and any light that I can possibly communicate will in a little
time become as the feeble shining of the sun, by reason of the greatness
of the light that shall be hereafter." P. 354.
"A true and living testimony will go forth before this last period of
the awful judgments of God comes to a close, and in consequence of
rejecting it, like the Jews of old, the wrath of God will come upon them
to the uttermost. The testimony against the worshipers of the beast, by
the third angel, Rev. 14:9, is the testimony that effectually overthrows
the kingdom of darkness and establishes the truth as it is in Jesus,
pure and undefiled.... The authors of this testimony will ... unlike to
all who go before them, attack the evil at its root, and expose the
deceit, hypocrisy and wickedness of the different sects in a way that
has never before been done; for which they will suffer the greatest
persecution. You may look upon these things as the reveries of my own
fancy; but some day or other, people will witness to the truth of what I
now write." Pp. 421, 422.
"All the reformations which go before this last great reform will only
be partial and temporary. They will only lop off the branches, or at the
most, only strike at the body of the corrupt tree, while the roots
remain untouched and uninjured. But when this last testimony goes forth,
the very roots of the corrupt tree will be attacked." P. 426.
"Every sect is under an idea that whenever the Lord comes to establish
truth in the earth, it will be to establish their creed, raise up their
sect, and bring the whole world into their way. And when the faithful
witnesses whom God will raise up shall openly declare that they have all
gone out of the way, that the greatest professors have so much of guile,
selfishness and party spirit about them as to be nothing but hypocrites,
and that a person must be better than they are or be lost forever; that
sects are an abomination to the Lord; denounce eternal death upon every
advocate and adherent of men-made establishments; ... I say when such a
testimony as this goes forth, as it sooner or later will, no wonder that
the sects, all with one accord, should set themselves against it--should
call it heresy--declare it will ruin the churches if it is not
suppressed.... Although, as I have before testified, I am only as the
voice of one crying in the wilderness--a mere babe in the knowledge of
these things which are to be revealed hereafter, yet I expect to raise a
host of bigots and hypocrites against me.... Nor can it be very long
before the true light, in a very especial manner, will shine.... If
these things do not come to pass, then let me be called an enthusiast or
a deceiver." Pp. 444-446.
14. And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud
one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden
crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle.
15. And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud
voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and
reap: for the time has come for thee to reap; for the harvest of
the earth is ripe.
16. And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the
earth; and the earth was reaped.
17. And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven,
he also having a sharp sickle.
18. And another angel came out from the altar, which had power
over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp
sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the
clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully
ripe.
19. And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and
gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great
winepress of the wrath of God.
20. And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood
came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the
space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs.
The special characters of this vision and their work have been very
difficult for me to identify positively. Until clearer light on the
matter is received, I choose to withhold an explanation rather than to
indulge in speculation. Its usual explanation is to apply the gathering
of the harvest of the earth to the work of the reformation now taking
place and the vintage scene to the final destruction of the wicked,
their punishment being symbolized by the treading of the "winepress of
the wrath of God." This may be its signification. It is certain,
however, that in a subsequent chapter, the final judgment of the wicked
is symbolized by the treading of "the wine-press of the fierceness and
wrath of Almighty God." Beyond this I can not now speak with certainty.
CHAPTER XV.
And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous, seven
angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up
the wrath of God.
2. And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and
them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his
image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand
on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.
3. And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the
song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works,
Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of
saints.
4. Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for
thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship
before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest:
5. And after that I looked, and, behold, the temple of the
tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened:
6. And the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven
plagues, clothed in pure and white linen, and having their
breasts girded with golden girdles.
7. And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven
golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and
ever.
8. And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God,
and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the
temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were
fulfilled.
The scene presented to us in this vision is but an introduction to the
solemn scenes of awful judgment immediately following. The first thing
that attracted John's attention was a sign, great and marvelous, "seven
angels having the seven last plagues." The reason why these are
denominated the "last plagues" is because that "in them is filled up the
wrath of God." These are the completion, then, the finishing up of the
work of divine judgment against the persecutors of the church. When the
last one is poured out the work is done, the time of judgment is over.
These angels are not designed to symbolize any agencies on earth, for
they do not appear on earth; they are simply the conductors of the
Revelation. God never commissions his people on earth to perform such
great judgments upon their persecutors as the temporal judgments of the
seven last plagues will be shown to be; but, on the contrary, he has
given them the express command not to avenge themselves, but to suffer
wrong. He himself lays exclusive claim to this prerogative, saying,
"Vengeance is _mine_; I will repay, saith the Lord." Rom. 12:19.
As soon as the subject of the plagues is introduced and before they are
poured out, the narrative suddenly changes and a short history of God's
redeemed saints is given. This, perhaps, thus occurs for two reasons--to
assist us in fixing the chronology of the events described and to
encourage us with the thought that, even while the awful judgments of
God are being "made manifest" upon the haughty oppressors of earth, God
has a chosen people who have "gotten the victory over the beast, and
over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name."
They stand upon the "sea of glass, having the harps of God"--a symbol of
melody and praise--and sing the song of Moses and the song of the Lamb.
The song of Moses was that sung by the Israelites when they had escaped
to the further side of the Red Sea, thus securing perfect deliverance
from their enemies. So, also, this company of worshipers sing a great
song of deliverance--deliverance from the beast and his image. In
chapters 4 and 5 John saw the great host redeemed before the apostasy
standing on this sea of glass, singing the song of redemption--the song
of the Lamb--but this company are enabled to sing another song as
well--the song of deliverance--for they have "gotten the victory over
the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of
his name." Halleluiah! "Great and marvelous are thy works, Lord God
Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints."
As before stated (chap. 8:3), the heavenly world as opened up to John
appeared symbolized after the sanctuary of the temple. By "the temple of
the tabernacle of the testimony," out of which the seven angels came
fully prepared for their work, is meant the most holy place of the
sanctuary, called "the tabernacle of the testimony" because there was
deposited in it, beneath the wings of the cherubim, the ark of the
testimony, or God's covenant. It was therefore as from the most holy
place of the sanctuary--from the very presence of the Deity--that these
angels went forth commissioned to execute the seven last plagues. This
shows that they went by the divine command as ministers of vengeance.
The purity and beauty of their attire denoted both the spotless
excellency of their characters and the justice of the work in which they
were to engage. Although theirs was a work of awful avenging judgment,
still the garments they wore would not be soiled thereby; and their
flowing robes of white were girded up with a beautiful golden girdle.
Therefore there is no inconsistency between the purity and love of God
and the work of his vengeance. It would seem to human reasoning that the
two are irreconcilable, but these symbols teach differently.
These angels received their vials (goblets) of wrath at the hands of one
of the four living creatures, who are symbols of the redeemed sons of
earth. Their deliverance by one of these doubtless denotes that these
judgments were to be executed in their behalf and in answer to their
prayers. For centuries the wrath of deadly persecutors had been poured
out upon God's people, until the cry ascended from the lips of the
martyrs, "How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and
avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?" Chap. 6:10. Now their
prayer is answered, and by their hand, as it were, the vials of wrath
are delivered with the divine sanction unto the seven angels to be
poured out upon these proud oppressors of the Lord's people. These
vials, too, were "full of wrath." What a fearful expression! _Full of
wrath_, even "_the wrath of God_, who liveth forever and ever." There
was nothing in them but wrath and that to the very brim.
As soon as the vials were delivered, "the temple was filled with smoke
from the glory of God." This symbol is taken from the Shekinah which
filled the ancient tabernacle. We read that when the tabernacle was
finished, "a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory
of the Lord filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter into
the tent of the congregation, because the cloud abode thereon, and the
glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle." Ex. 40:34, 35. The same thing
occurred at the dedication of Solomon's temple. "The cloud filled the
house of the Lord, so that the priests could not stand to minister
because of the cloud: for the glory of the Lord had filled the house of
the Lord." 1 Kings 8:10, 11. So, also, in the symbol before us the glory
of God filled the temple so that no man was able to enter. This is
intended to set forth the fact that these avenging judgments were for
the manifestation of the divine glory and that there was no access to
the throne of God nor to his mercy-seat to alter them or to stay their
execution. Such is the sublime scene presented to our view preparatory
to the pouring out of the seven last great plagues.
CHAPTER XVI.
And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven
angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God
upon the earth.
2. And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth;
and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which
had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his
image.
A great voice out of the temple, now filled with the glory of the divine
presence, commanded the seven angels to enter upon their mission. It
came, therefore, from God, who alone fixed the time for these judgments
to begin.
Before an intelligent explanation of these plagues can be given,
however, the following points must be made clear: 1. _Where_ the vials
were poured out. 2. _Upon whom_ they were emptied. 3. _Why_ they were
thus poured out. 4. _When_ they were fulfilled, or, rather, at what time
they began to be fulfilled. These points we will first briefly consider
in the order named, after which we will discuss the _nature_ of the
plagues and their individual application.
1. The place where these vials of wrath were poured out was "upon the
earth"; that is, the Apocalyptic earth, or that portion of the earth
made the special subject of Apocalyptic vision; namely, the territory of
the ten kingdoms. The last two vials, however, will be found to embrace
a larger territory.
2. They were poured out upon those "which had the mark of the beast, and
upon them which worshiped his image." It has already been shown that the
image made by the second beast of chapter 13 was the Protestant
ecclesiastical organizations; hence the "beast" here referred to, to
which the image was made, must signify the ecclesiastical hierarchy of
Rome, the original. So the plagues fell upon the adherents of both
organized Romanism and Protestantism in Europe.
3. The reason why the judgments of the first three vials especially
descended upon them was because "they had shed the blood of saints and
prophets." Verse 6. That Romanism was a fierce oppressor of God's people
has already been noticed: Protestantism as their persecutor, also, must
now be considered further. Protestant sects after they first became
established and got power in their own hands, acted much in the same
manner as the church of Rome did before them, persecuting, banishing,
imprisoning, and even putting to death those who refused to receive
their tenets or to conform to the system of religion they had adopted.
The Lutherans, at first a pious, persecuted people, on becoming numerous
and exalted by the favor of the great, established a certain system of
religion and then, when it was in their power, persecuted, imprisoned,
banished, or put to death all that dissented. As early after the
Reformation as 1574, in a convention at Torgaw, they established the
real presence in the eucharist and instigated the Elector of Saxony to
seize, imprison, and banish all the secret Calvinists that differed from
them in sentiment, and to reduce their followers by every act of
violence, to renounce their sentiments and to confess the ubiquity.
Peucer, for his opinions, suffered ten years of imprisonment in the
severest manner. In 1577 a form of concord was produced in which the
real manducation of Christ's body and blood in the eucharist was
established and heresy and excommunication laid on all that refused this
as an article of faith, with pains and penalties to be enforced by the
secular arm. Crellius, in 1601, was put to death.
In Switzerland, before the city of Zurich was entirely safe itself from
the encroachments of Romanism, its Protestant council condemned a young
man named Felix Mantz to be drowned because he insisted that the
baby-sprinkling of Romanism was not baptism and that all who had
received the rite ought to be immersed. This sentence was carried into
effect. The severest laws were passed in different countries of Europe
against the Anabaptists, and large numbers were banished or burnt at the
stake. See Encyclopædia Britannica, Art. Anabaptists. Protestants may
claim this was because of their fanaticism on other lines; but it
remains a fact, nevertheless, that the chief sentiment at the base of
these laws was religious persecution and that Protestants sanctioned and
carried them into execution.
King Henry VIII., the founder of the Established Church in England,
adopted the most stringent laws to enforce its doctrines. Certain
articles of religion were drawn up, known in history as the "Bloody Six
Articles." Concerning these the People's Cyclopædia says: "The doctrines
were substantially those of the Roman Catholic Church. Whoever denied
the first articles (that embodying the doctrine of transubstantiation)
was to be declared a heretic, and burnt without opportunity of
abjuration; whoso spoke against the other five articles should, for the
first offense, forfeit his property; and whosoever refused to abjure his
first offense, or committed a second, was to die like a felon." Art.
Henry VIII. "The royal reformer persecuted alike Catholics and
Protestants. Thus, on one occasion, three Catholics who denied that the
king was the rightful head of the church, and three Protestants who
disputed the doctrine of the real presence in the sacrament,... were
dragged on the same sled to the place of execution." In speaking of that
period of history and of the religious persecutions of the times, Myers
says: "Punishment of heresy was then regarded, by both Catholics and
Protestants alike, as a duty which could be neglected by those in
authority only at the peril of Heaven's displeasure. Believing this,
those of that age could consistently do nothing less than labor to
exterminate heresy with axe, sword and fagot." General History, p. 553.
That religious intolerance even at a later date was practised in
England, witness the twelve years' imprisonment of John Bunyan and the
hundreds confined in jails throughout that country for not conforming to
the established religion. It was such severe persecution by that early
Protestant sect that drove the Puritans from England's fair country to
the then inhospitable shores of America, that they might have an
opportunity to worship God according to the dictates of their own
conscience. In Scotland the Covenanters "insisted on their right to
worship God in their own way. They were therefore subjected to most
cruel and unrelenting persecution. They were hunted by English troopers
over their native moors and among the wild recesses of their mountains,
whither they secretly retired for prayer and worship. The tales of the
suffering of the Scotch Covenanters at the hands of the English
Protestants form a most harrowing chapter of the records of the ages of
religious persecution." This list might be considerably augmented, but
it is unnecessary. However, that Protestant persecution and tyranny
should never reach the enormous extent of the Romanists before them is
proved by the fact that her horns were "like a lamb." Chap. 13:11.
4. It is very important for us to ascertain the _time_ for the beginning
of these plagues; for they can not be identified unless we understand
the chronology of the events described. It is a fact no one can question
that the seventh plague is the judgment of the last day, for in the
seven "is filled up" the wrath of God; hence they are denominated the
_last_ plagues. It is also a fact, well-known to all who are spiritual
and who understand the truth in the present reformation, that certain
events said to occur under the period of the sixth plague are _now_
taking place; namely, the confederation of all false religions to oppose
the people of God, led on by the "unclean spirits" that come "out of the
mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the
mouth of the false prophet." Verses 13, 14.
Therefore five of the plagues precede the time in which we are now
living. It is evident that the plagues could not begin before the
reformation; for the vials were poured out upon the "image of the
beast"--Protestantism--also. Hence we are directed to some period
between the sixteenth century and the present day for their
commencement. The reason _why_ the first judgments especially were
poured out will assist us in determining the starting-point--"They have
shed the blood of saints and prophets." This expression seems to
indicate that the time for the plagues to begin was after Romanism and
Protestantism ceased putting people to death because of their religious
sentiments. That this is the correct idea is clearly proved by what was
said to the martyrs when they cried unto God for the avenging of their
blood on them that dwell on the earth. "And it was said unto them, that
they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellow-servants
also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be
fulfilled." Chap. 6:10, 11. For additional information concerning the
terrible persecutions that followed the Sixteenth Century Reformation,
see remarks on chapter 6:10, 11.
We must now determine about what time the great persecutions referred to
ceased, or nearly ceased, and that will give us the right starting-point
from which to reckon the pouring out of the first vial. In A.D. 1685 the
revocation of the Edict of Nantes, by Louis XIV. of France, took place,
and in the terrible persecutions that occurred during his reign three
hundred thousand are said to have lost their lives. The time that we are
endeavoring to establish, then, must be later than the seventeenth
century. Louis died in 1714. Persecutions continued from time to time in
France, with considerable severity, until about the middle of the
century. "Soon after this ... the flowing of heretic blood ceased,
though an effort was made in 1765 by the Popish clergy to resist the
tendency to toleration by a remonstrance to the king." History of
Romanism, p. 608. A few individual cases of persecution may have
occurred later in other countries; but in the main we are safe in
pointing to about the middle of the eighteenth century for the general
cessation of these religious _murders_. We will now consider the nature
of the first plague.
The pouring out of this vial produced the most painful malignant ulcers
upon the human body. Such ulcers are evidently not political calamities;
for the symbol is drawn, not from nature, but from human life. Still, it
is not drawn from a human being as a whole (in which case religious
events would be symbolized), but only from his body. What, then, is the
analagous object of which the human body may stand as a proper
representative? Evidently, the mind. We would naturally pass from the
bodily to the mental; and what painful ulcers are to the one, marring
its beauty and filling it with burning anguish, such are blasphemous
opinions and malignant principles to the other.
Considering the time for this plague pointed out above, the student of
Revelation who is acquainted with the history of the past will scarcely
fail to discern at once, in the striking points of this symbol, those
horrible principles of infidelity, atheism, and licentiousness, which
were spread so extensively over Europe during the latter half of the
eighteenth century, and which were the most efficient causes in bringing
about the fearful convulsions which followed in the French Revolution.
That all may understand this matter in its proper light, however, it
will be necessary to state some of the facts respecting this "noisome
and grievous sore" that fell at that time upon the inhabitants of
Europe. In writing upon the causes that led up to the French Revolution,
Mr. Wickes gathered the following facts of history mainly from the
Encyclopædia of Religious Knowledge, under the articles headed
_Philosophists_ and _Illuminati_. I will quote his own language, as it
is very pointed.
"Philosophists was a name given to several persons in France, who
entered into a combination to overthrow the religion of Jesus, and
eradicate from the human heart every religious sentiment. The man more
particularly to whom this idea first occurred, was Voltaire, who being
weary (as he said himself) of hearing it repeated that twelve men were
sufficient to establish Christianity, resolved to prove that one might
be sufficient to overturn it. Full of this project, he swore, before the
year 1730, to devote his life to its accomplishment, and for some time
he flattered himself that he should enjoy alone the glory of destroying
the Christian religion. He found, however, that associates would be
necessary; and from the numerous tribe of his admirers and disciples, he
chose D'Alembert and Diderot, as the most proper persons to co-operate
with him in his designs. He contrived also to enlist Frederick II., king
of Prussia, who became one of his most zealous coadjutors, until he
found that Voltaire was waging war with the throne as well as the altar.
This, indeed, was not originally Voltaire's intention. He was vain; from
natural disposition an aristocrat, and an admirer of royalty. But when
he found that almost every sovereign but Frederick disapproved of his
ambitious designs, as soon as he perceived their issue, he determined to
oppose all the governments on earth rather than forfeit the glory with
which he flattered himself, of vanquishing Christ and his apostles in
the field of controversy.
"He now set himself, with his associates, D'Alembert and Diderot, to
excite universal discontent with the established order of things. For
this purpose, they formed secret societies, assumed new names, and
employed an enigmatical language. In their secret meetings they
professed to celebrate the mysteries of _Mythra_; and their great
object, as they professed to one another, was to confound the wretch,
meaning Jesus Christ. Hence their secret watchword was 'Crush the
wretch.' The following are some of their doctrines, as found in their
books expressly designed for general circulation. Sometimes standing out
in their naked horror, at other times enveloped in sophistry and
disguise. The Universal Cause, that God of the philosophers, of the
Jews, and of the Christians, is but a chimera and a phantom--The
phenomena of nature only prove the existence of God to a few
prepossessed men--It is more reasonable to admit, with Manes, of a
two-fold God, than of the God of Christianity--We can not know whether a
God really exists, or whether there is any difference between good and
evil, or vice and virtue--Nothing can be more absurd than to believe the
soul a spiritual being--The immortality of the soul, so far from
stimulating men to the practise of virtue, is nothing but a barbarous,
desperate, fatal tenet, and contrary to all legislation--All ideas of
justice and injustice, of virtue and vice, of glory and infamy, are
purely arbitrary, and dependent on custom--Conscience and remorse are
nothing but the foresight of those physical penalties to which crimes
expose us--The man who is above the law, can commit, without remorse,
the dishonest act that may serve his purpose--The fear of God, so far
from being the beginning of wisdom, should be the beginning of
folly--The command to love one's parents is more the work of education
than of nature--Modesty is only an invention of refined
voluptuousness--The law which condemns married people to live together,
becomes barbarous and cruel on the day they cease to love one another.
"Such were the atrocious sentiments, though sometimes artfully veiled,
which were disseminated in their books, and which, spreading all over
Europe, imperceptibly took possession of the public mind, and prepared
the way for the subversion of religion, morals, and government. As soon
as the sale of the works was sufficient to pay expenses, inferior
editions were printed and given away, or sold at a very low price;
circulating libraries of them were formed, and reading societies
instituted. While they constantly denied these productions to the world,
they contrived to give them a false celebrity through their confidential
agents and correspondents, who were not themselves always trusted with
the entire secret.
"By degrees they got possession nearly of all the reviews and periodical
publications; established a general intercourse, by means of hawkers and
pedlars, with the distant provinces; and instituted an office to supply
all schools with teachers; and thus did they acquire unprecedented
dominion over every species of literature, over the minds of all ranks
of people, and the education of the youth, without giving any alarm to
the world. The lovers of wit and polite literature were caught by
Voltaire; the men of science were perverted, and children corrupted in
the first rudiments of learning, by D'Alembert and Diderot; stronger
appetites were fed by the secret club of Baron Holbach; the imaginations
of the higher orders were set dangerously afloat by Montesquieu; and the
multitude of all ranks was surprised, confounded, and hurried away by
Rousseau. Thus was the public mind in France completely corrupted, and
the way prepared for the dreadful scenes that followed."
But there is also another chapter to the dark history of this "noisome
and grievous sore." The same author says again:
"After Voltaire had broached his system of infidel philosophy, and
brought it unto perfection, it was taken up by the celebrated Dr. Adam
Weishaupt, professor of canon law in the University of Ingolstadt, and
by him perfected as a system of light or illuminism. On the 1st of May,
1776, he founded, among the students of the above-named University, a
secret society under the name of the _Illuminati_, whose avowed object
was to diffuse the light of science, these secret societies being so
many radiating centers of light. But the science taught was the most
atrocious infidelity, and its object the overturning of all government
and religion. Free masonry, being in high repute all over Europe when
Weishaupt first formed the plan of his society, he availed himself of
its secrecy to introduce his new order, which rapidly spread, by the
efforts of its founders and disciples, through all those countries, and
found its way even to the United States. It would not be possible here
to give even an outline of the nature and constitution of this
extraordinary society--of its secrets and mysteries--of the deep
dissimulation, consummate hypocrisy, and shocking impiety of its founder
and his associates--of their Jesuitical arts in concealing their real
objects, and their incredible industry and astonishing exertions in
making converts--of the absolute despotism and complete system of
_espionage_ established throughout the order--of the blind obedience
exacted of the _novices_, and the absolute power of life and death
assumed by the order and conceded by the novices--of the pretended
morality, real blasphemies, and absolute atheism of the founder and his
tried friends. Reference can only be made to these things as
well-established facts.
"It is important here to bear in mind one or two facts, in order to
realize what an engine of corruption this secret organization of the
_Illuminati_ was. One fact is, the high popularity which these secret
societies at that period enjoyed. It was unbounded. There is something
which commends such secret organizations most powerfully to the depraved
human nature. Men love them because they are secret, and because they
can wield such tremendous power. The other fact to be considered, is the
absence, to a such vast extent, of the controlling elements of true
religion in the European mind, and its predisposition to skepticism. The
Reformation of the Sixteenth Century had broken the shackles of priestly
Papal superstition over the human mind; and [true] evangelical doctrine
not being introduced to supply the vacuum, the mass swung readily over
from the regions of dark superstition to blank atheism. Thus were the
elements ready prepared to hand for such spirits as Voltaire,
D'Alembert, Diderot, Weishaupt, and others, to work upon, and by reason
of their secret powerful agencies, to mould to their own liking.
"It was now this damning system of infidelity, under the specious name
of philosophy, light, and science, spread with such untiring industry
over the European mind, that unhinged the whole framework of society,
and prepared it, like a vast magazine, for an awful explosion. All the
principles that held society together in the fear of God and future
retribution--regard for human law--respect for magistrates, parents, and
the marriage-tie--yea, in the very distinctions of virtue and vice, had
been unsettled or taken away. They had been reasoned down and laughed
out of the world; and when these only restraints, which God has imposed
upon human selfishness and passion were removed, what was then to hold
back those fierce passions and that deep selfishness from the most
unbounded excesses? God was no more feared--government was no more
sacred--religion was a delusion--immorality was a lie--virtue was a
name--the marriage-tie was a farce--modesty was refined voluptuousness:
and when men were persuaded of these things, society began to roll and
heave under the long swells of that portentous storm of wrath which was
soon to break, in all its desolating fury, over the earth."
In the facts here presented it may be seen how far we are justified in
applying to them this first vial of wrath. The vial was poured out "upon
the earth"--on the inhabitants of the ten kingdoms when in a state of
tranquility. This was their condition, unsuspicious of danger, when the
dread infection was spread through society. According to the testimony
of Pres. Dwight, within ten years from the first establishment of the
Illuminati, in 1776, "they were established in great numbers through
Germany, Sweden, Prussia, Poland, Austria, Holland, France, Switzerland,
Italy, England, Scotland, and America. They spread with a rapidity which
nothing but fact could have induced any sober mind to believe."
This system of infidelity is well symbolized by a noisome, grevious
ulcer, which is loathsome to the sight, offensive to the smell,
corrupting to the body, and productive of awful pain. That it appeared
so to others besides the author of the Revelation is shown by the
following epithets which Burke, the celebrated English orator, applied
to the spirit of the French Revolution, which was only the discharged
virus of these ulcers. He styled it "the fever of Jacobinism;" "the
epidemic of atheistical fanaticism;" "an evil lying deep in the
corruptions of human nature;" "such a plague, that the precaution of the
most severe quarantine ought to be established against it." The result,
he says, was "the corruption of all morals," "the decomposition of all
society." What greater plague could fall upon Romanism and Protestantism
than this fearful scourge of infidelity?
I have dwelt for a considerable length of time upon this subject,
because of its deep interest, and also because I desired to verify the
application of the symbol as much as possible, on account of its close
connection with the pouring out of the vials which follow.
3. And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea; and it
became as the blood of a dead man: and every living soul died in
the sea.
This vial was poured out upon the "sea." The sea is a large body of
water within the earth, subject to violent storms and agitations. As a
symbol it would denote some central power or kingdom within the symbolic
earth in a state of revolution. The effects produced by this vial were
two-fold--the waters were changed into blood as of a dead man, and all
the living creatures in the sea died. The waters of the sea represent
the inhabitants of this kingdom (see a similar explanation of _water_ in
chap. 17:15) as the earth does the inhabitants of the empire, or the ten
kingdoms. The living creatures in the sea, therefore, could signify the
rulers and princes of the kingdom, as they bear an analagous relation to
the people that fishes do to the waters. The statement that the waters
of the sea became "as the blood of a dead man" is doubtless intended to
signify a much more dreadful state of things than if they had simply
been changed to blood. They were converted into black and poisonous, or
corrupt, blood. This denotes the vast slaughter and massacre of the
inhabitants of this kingdom; while the death of the living creatures
denotes the extinction of those in power.
It may appear at first that making the conversion of water into blood a
symbol of bloodshed is adopting the literal method of interpretation;
but not so, and for the following reason: The symbol is taken from
nature, the waters of the sea representing the inhabitants of the
kingdom. The waters are changed into an unnatural state or element, that
of blood, and this change denotes an analagous one passing upon the
inhabitants. Their continuing in life would be their remaining as
waters: their massacre and destruction would be the waters changed to
blood--a horrible and unnatural element. Likewise, the death of the
living things in the sea is a similar destruction overtaking the kings,
rulers, and princes.
With our understanding of the nature of the first vial, which prepared
the way for the pouring out of this one, we shall have no difficulty
whatever in identifying this symbol with the terrible convulsions of the
French Revolution. It followed as a necessary consequence of the first.
Voltaire and his coadjutors had insulted and trampled in the dust
everything held sacred in human eyes, and this fully prepared the way
for the scenes of terror that followed.
In studying these vials the reader should bear in mind constantly the
reason _why_ they were sent as judgments upon the nations of
Europe--because of their former oppression of God's people. From the
days when the Popes received their first temporal authority at the hands
of the Carlovingian king, Pepin and Charlemagne, France[11] constituted
the real backbone of the Papacy, the very center of her power and
authority, as all history will show. In the fourteenth century the Papal
seat was removed from Rome to Avignon, in France, where it remained for
about seventy years. During this period all the Popes were French, and
"all their policies were shaped and controlled by the French kings." To
write a history of the Papacy during the Dark Ages is to outline the
history of France, so closely are their affairs interwoven. Hence it is
only natural that she should be symbolized as the "sea" in this part of
the Apocalypse, with the other nations as tributaries. Ver. 4-6. That
the French Revolution was in its effects a terrible blow to the thrones
of despotism throughout Europe is shown by the following quotation from
the Encyclopædia Britannica: "We are coming to the verge of the French
Revolution, which _surpasses all other revolutions the world has seen_
in its completeness, the largeness of its theatre, the long preparation
for it ... its _influence on the modern history of Europe_." Art.
France.
[Footnote 11: Pepin and Charlemagne were, properly speaking, simply
German princes reigning in Gaul. The kingdom of France is usually dated
from the accession of the first of the Capetian kings, late in the tenth
century, 987. However, the Frankish nation, of whom the Carlovingian
kings were leaders, laid the foundation of the French kingdom and gave a
new name to Gaul--France.]
This revolution commenced on the fifth of May, 1789, in the Convocation
of the States General, for the redress of grievances and the extrication
of the government and nation from the difficulties under which they were
laboring. A conflict had been going on between despotism and popular
rights, the throne and nobility contending for absolute power, and the
people, for freedom. But when in this encounter the popular party
triumphed, there was no fear of God before the eyes of those who seized
the reins of government. The infidelity of Voltaire and his associates
had removed the last restraint upon human passion, and the scenes of
terror that followed are without a parallel in history. The king was
condemned to death and executed. The barbarous execution of the queen,
Marie Antoinette, followed in about six months, and this was immediately
succeeded by the decree of the National Convention, of the most infamous
character, that of the violation of the tombs of St. Dennis and the
profanation of the sepulchres of the kings of France. I will quote from
Sir A. Alison's noted History of Europe:
"By a decree of the Convention, these venerable asylums of departed
greatness were ordered to be destroyed.... A furious multitude
precipitated itself out of Paris; the tombs of Henry IV., of Francis I.,
and of Louis XII., were ransacked, and their bones scattered in the air.
Even the glorious name of Turenne could not protect his grave from
spoilation. His remains were almost undecayed, as when he received the
fatal wound on the banks of the Lech. The bones of Charles V., the
savior of his country, were dispersed. At his feet was found the coffin
of the faithful Du Gueselin, and the French hands profaned the skeleton
before which English invasion had rolled back. Most of these tombs were
found to be strongly secured. Much time, and no small exertion of skill
and labor, were required to burst their barriers. They would have
resisted forever the decay of time or the violence of enemies; they
yielded to the fury of domestic dissension. This was followed
immediately by a general attack upon the monuments and remains of
antiquity throughout all France. The sepulchres of the great of past
ages, of the barons and generals of the feudal ages, of the
paladins, and of the crusaders, were involved in one undistinguished
ruin. It seemed as if the glories of antiquity were forgotten, or sought
to be buried in oblivion. The tomb of Du Gueselin shared the same fate
as that of Louis XIV. The skulls of monarchs and heroes were tossed
about like foot balls by the profane multitude; like the grave-diggers
in Hamlet, they made a jest of the lips before which the nations had
trembled."
Having begun by waging this profane warfare upon their own glorious
dead, another scene of the fatal drama immediately succeeded. The same
author continues: "Having massacred the great of the present and
insulted the illustrious of former ages, nothing remained to the
revolutionists but to direct their vengeance against heaven itself.
Pache, Hebert, and Chaumette, the leaders of the municipality publicly
expressed their determination 'to dethrone the God of heaven, as well as
the monarchs of earth.' To accomplish this design, they prevailed on
Gobet, the apostate constitutional bishop of Paris, to appear at the bar
of the Assembly, accompanied by some of the clergy of his diocese, and
there abjure the Christian faith. He declared 'that no other national
religion was now required but that of Liberty, equality, and morality.'
Many of the constitutional bishops and clergy in the Convention joined
in the proposition. Crowds of drunken artisans and shameless prostitutes
crowded to the bar, and trampled under their feet the sacred vases,
consecrated for ages to the holiest purposes of religion. The churches
were stripped of all their ornaments; their plate and valuable contents
brought in heaps to the municipality and the Convention, from whence
they were sent to the mint to be melted down. Trampling under foot the
images of our Savior and the Virgin, they elevated, amid shouts of
applause, the busts of Marat and Lepelletier, and danced around them,
singing parodies on the Halleluiah, and dancing the Carmagnole.
"Shortly after a still more indecent exhibition took place before the
assembly.... Hebert and Chaumette, and their associates, appeared at the
bar and declared 'that God did not exist, and that the worship of Reason
was to be substituted in his stead.' A veiled female, arrayed in blue
drapery, was brought into the Assembly; and Chaumette, taking her by the
hand, 'Mortals,' said he, 'cease to tremble before the powerless
thunders of a God whom your fears have created. Henceforth acknowledge
no divinity but Reason. I offer you its noblest and purest image; if you
must have idols, sacrifice only to this.' When, letting fall the veil,
he exclaimed, 'Fall before the august Senate of Freedom, O Veil of
Reason!' At the same time, the goddess appeared personified by a
celebrated beauty, the wife of Momoro, a printer, known in more than one
character to most of the Convention. The goddess after being embraced by
the president, was mounted on a magnificent car, and conducted, amid an
immense crowd, to the cathedral of Notre Dame, to take the place of the
Deity. There she was elevated on a high altar, and received the
adoration of all present, while the young women, her attendants, whose
alluring looks already sufficiently indicated their profession, retired
into the chapels around the choir, where every species of licentiousness
and obscenity was indulged in without control, with hardly any veil from
the public gaze. To such a length was this carried, that Robespierre
afterward declared that Chaumette deserved death for the abominations he
had permitted on that occasion. Thenceforward that ancient edifice was
called the _Temple of Reason_."
Such horrible events are sickening to relate; but as I started out to
describe the condition of this "sea" when it became as the blood of a
dead man, I must be faithful to the task. God was now dethroned; the
services of religion abandoned; every tenth day set apart for the
hellish orgies of atheism and Reason; Marat was deified; the instrument
of death sanctified by the name "the holy Guillotine"; on the public
cemeteries was inscribed, "Death is an Eternal Sleep"; marriage was a
civil contract, binding only during the pleasure of the contracting
parties. Mademoiselle Arnout, a celebrated comedian, expressed the
public feeling when she said, "_Marriage the sacrament of adultery_."
What an awful harvest would be expected of such seed! Alison continues:
"A Revolutionary Tribunal was formed at Nantes, under the direction of
Carrier, and it soon outstripped even the rapid march of Danton and
Robespierre. Their principle was that it was necessary to destroy _en
masse_, all the prisoners. At their command was formed a corps, called
the Legion of Marat, composed of the most determined and bloodthirsty of
the revolutionists, the members of which were entitled, on their own
authority, to incarcerate any person whom they chose. The number of
their prisoners was soon between three and four thousand, and they
divided among themselves all their property. Whenever a further supply
of captives was wanted, the alarm was spread of a counter-revolution,
the _generale_ beat, the cannon planted; and this was followed
immediately by innumerable arrests. Nor were they long in disposing of
their captives. The miserable wretches were either slain with poinards
in prison, or carried out in a vessel and drowned by wholesale in the
Loire. On one occasion a hundred 'fanatical priests,' as they were
termed, were taken out together, striped of their clothes, and
precipitated into the waters.... Women big with child, infants eight,
nine, and ten years of age, were thrown together into the stream, on the
sides of which men, armed with sabres, were placed to cut off their
heads if the waves should throw them undrowned on the shore.
"On one occasion, by orders of Carrier, twenty-three of the
revolutionists, on another twenty-four, were guillotined without any
trial. The executioner remonstrated, but in vain. Among them were many
children of seven or eight years of age, and seven women; the
executioner died two or three days after, with horror at what he himself
had done. So great was the multitude of captives who were brought in on
all sides, that the executioners, as well as the company of Marat,
declared themselves exhausted with fatigue; and a new method of
disposing of them was adopted, borrowed from Nero, but improved on the
plan of that tyrant. A hundred or a hundred and fifty victims, for the
most part women and children, were crowded together in a boat, with a
concealed trap-door in the bottom, which was conducted into the middle
of the Loire; at a signal given, the crew leaped into another boast, the
bolts were withdrawn, and the shrieking victims precipitated into the
waters, amid the laughter of the company of Marat, who stood on the
banks to cut down any who approached the shore. This was what Carrier
called his _Republican Baptisms_. The _Republican Marriages_ were, if
possible, a still greater refinement of cruelty. Two persons of
different sexes, bereft of every species of dress, were bound together,
and after being left in torture in that situation for half an hour,
thrown into the river. Such was the quantity of corpses accumulated in
the Loire, that the water of that river was affected, so as to render a
public ordinance necessary, forbidding the use of it to the inhabitants;
and the mariners, when they heaved their anchors, frequently brought up
boats charged with corpses. Birds of prey flocked to the shores and fed
on human flesh; while the very fish became so poisonous, as to induce an
order of the municipality of Nantes, prohibiting them to be taken by the
fishermen.
"The scenes in the prisons which preceded these horrible executions
exceeded all that romance had figured of the terrible. Many women died
of terror the moment a man entered their cells, conceiving that they
were about to be led out to the noyades; the floors were covered with
the bodies of their infants, numbers of whom were yet quivering in the
agonies of death. On one occasion, the inspector entered the prison to
seek for a child, where, the evening before, he had left above three
hundred infants; they were all gone in the morning, having been drowned
the preceding night. Fifteen thousand persons perished either under the
hands of the executioner, or of disease in prison, in one month: the
total victims of the Reign of Terror at that place exceeded thirty
thousand."
After narrating scenes of terror in Paris, Alison says again: "Such
accumulated horrors annihilated all the charities and intercourse of
life. Before daybreak the shops of the provision merchants were besieged
by crowds of women and children, clamoring for the food which the law of
the _maximum_ in general prevented them from obtaining. The farmers
trembled to bring their fruits to the market, the shop-keepers to expose
them to sale. The richest quarters of the town were deserted; no
equipages of crowds of passengers were to be seen on the streets; the
sinister words, _Propriete Nationale_, imprinted in large characters on
the walls, everywhere showed how far the work of confiscation had
proceeded. Passengers hesitated to address their most intimate friends
on meeting; the extent of calamity had rendered men suspicious even of
those they loved most. Every one assumed the coarsest dress, and the
most squalid appearance; an elegant exterior would have been the certain
forerunner of destruction. At one hour only were any symptoms of
animation seen: it was when the victims were conveyed to execution; the
humane fled with horror from the sight, the infuriated rushed in crowds
to satiate their eyes with the sight of human agony.
"Night came, but with it no diminution of the anxiety of the people.
Every family early assembled its members; with trembling looks they
gazed around the room, fearful that the very walls might harbor
traitors. The sound of a foot, the stroke of a hammer, a voice in the
streets, froze all hearts with horror. If a knock was heard at the door,
every one, in agonized suspense, expected his fate. Unable to endure
such protracted misery, numbers committed suicide. 'Had the reign of
Robespierre,' said Freron, 'continued longer, multitudes would have
thrown themselves under the guillotine; the first of social affections,
the love of life, was already extinguished in almost every heart.'"
With one more quotation from this historian I will dismiss this horrible
theme: "The combination of wicked men who thereafter governed France, is
without parallel in the history of the world. Their power, based on the
organized weight of the multitude, and the ardent co-operation of the
municipalities, everywhere installed by them in the position of power,
was irresistible. All bowed the neck before this gigantic assemblage of
wickedness. The revolutionary excesses daily increased, in consequence
of the union which the constant dread of retribution produced among
their perpetrators. There was no medium between taking part in these
atrocities, and falling a victim to them. Virtue seemed powerless;
energy appeared only in the extremity of resignation; religion in the
heroism of which death was endured. There was not a hope left for
France, had it not been for the dissentions which, as the natural result
of their wickedness, sprung up among the authors of the public
calamities.
"It is impossible not to be struck, in looking back on the fate of these
different parties, with the singular and providential manner in which
their crimes brought about their own punishment. No foreign
interposition was necessary, no avenging angel was required to vindicate
the justice of divine administration. They fell the victims of their own
atrocity, of the passions which they themselves had let loose, of the
injustice of which they had given the first example to others The
Constitutionalists overthrew the ancient monarchy, and formed a limited
government; but their imprudence in raising popular ambition paved the
way for the tenth of August, and speedily brought themselves to the
scaffold; the Girondists established their favored dream of a republic,
and were the first victims of the fury which it excited; the Dantonists
roused the populace against the Gironde, and soon fell under the axe
which they had prepared for their rivals; the anarchists defied the
power of 'heaven itself,' but scarce were their blasphemies uttered,
when they were swept off by the partners of their bloody triumphs. One
only power remained, alone, terrible, irresistible. This was the power
of Death, wielded by a faction steeled against every feeling of
humanity, dead to every principle of justice. In their iron hands, order
resumed its sway from the influence of terror; obedience became
universal, from the extinction of hope. Silent and unresisted, they led
their victims to the scaffold, dreaded alike by the soldiers who
crouched, the people who trembled, and the victims who suffered. The
history of the world _has no parallel_ to that long night of suffering,
because _it has none to the guilt which preceded it_; tyranny never
assumed so hideous a form, because licentiousness never required so
severe a punishment."
Prom this awful description, which might be carried to almost any
extent, the reader will understand the force of the prophecy which
declared that the "sea became as the blood of a dead man, and every
living soul died in the sea."
4. And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and
fountains of waters; and they became blood.
5. And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous,
O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast
judged thus.
6. For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou
hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy.
7. And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God
Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments.
Fountains and rivers are tributaries to the sea, and thus, they
symbolize the inferior communities and nations belonging to the
Apocalyptic earth. France was the great central power and the sea of
revolution upon which the second vial descended. The surrounding nations
were the rivers and fountains upon which the third was poured. It is not
said of them that they became as the blood of a dead man, nor that every
living thing in them died, but only that "they became blood." This
symbol denotes the insurrections and desolating wars in which the
nations of Europe were involved for a number of years, growing out of
the French Revolution. I shall not here take time nor space to enter
into the historical details relating to this statement; the facts are
well known. "The blood-thirsty Jacobinism of France waged war not only
upon its own monarchy, but sought to overturn all the thrones and
fabrics of despotism in Europe. The same system of infidelity and
atheism had been spread through the kingdoms there, though not to so
great an extent as in France, and prepared the elements for revolution
in them likewise." The French republic encouraged these agitations and
by a unanimous decree of the Assembly, in 1792, set itself in open
hostility with all the established governments of Europe. It was in
these words: "The National Convention declares in the name of the French
nation, that it will grant fraternity and assistance to all people who
wish to recover their liberty; and it charges the executive power to
send the necessary orders to the generals, to give succor to such
people, and to defend those citizens who have suffered, or may suffer in
the cause of liberty." "The Revolution, having accomplished its work in
France, having there destroyed royal despotism, ... now set itself about
fulfilling its early promise of giving liberty to all peoples. In a
word, the revolutionists became propagandists. France now exhibits what
her historians call her social, her communicative genius." Napoleon was
right when he said that a revolution in France was sure to be followed
by a revolution throughout Europe. "France conceived the idea that she
had a Divine mission, as the great apostle of liberty, to propagate
republicanism through all the kingdoms of Europe. In her madness of
intoxication she undertook the work, threw down the gauntlet, and the
fierce tocsin of war sounded from nation to nation, until the continent
was converted into one vast battle-field."
The "angel of the waters" signifies the angel that had charge of the
vial of wrath poured out upon the rivers and fountains of waters. In
full view of the awful plagues sent upon the inhabitants of earth, one
grand thought seemed to occupy his mind--the righteousness of these
judgments. It is not such a thought as humanity would have in mind when
reading the history of these fearful convulsions of society, one scene
of terror only preparing the way for another more horrible, until they
would feel like closing the book and asking, "When will this awful night
of horror be over? When will these avenging judgments cease?" These,
however, were not the thoughts of this angel clothed in spotless
garments; for, draining his vial to the dregs and forcing the nations to
drink it, he said: "Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and
shalt be, because thou hast judged thus. For they have shed the blood of
saints and prophets, and thou hast given them _blood to drink_; for they
are worthy." Truly, in this the Word of God is fulfilled, which says,
"My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways." Isa.
55:8. That class of people who represent God as a kind, loving Father
only, one who will not take vengeance upon the objects of his own
creation--let them visit in the pages of history these nations of
Europe, scathed and blasted with the hot thunderbolts of divine wrath,
until their minds sicken with horror at the sight of human agony and
blood. In full view of these horrifying scenes let them hear the angel
of the waters saying, "Thou art righteous, O Lord ... because thou hast
judged thus; for they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and
thou hast given them blood to drink, for they are worthy"; while another
voice from heaven, even from the altar, replies, "Even so, Lord God
Almighty, _true and righteous_ are thy judgments"--and their theology
must here break down.
The thoughts just expressed confirm with certainty our interpretation of
the "sea" and "rivers and fountains of waters" as signifying those
nations which had been the persecutors of the saints, and show, also,
the character of the divine judgments as being the shedding of their
blood. They had shed the blood of saints and prophets, and now the same
cup of wrath was placed to their lips, and they were forced to drink it
to the dregs. God remembered the sighs and groans of his faithful
followers; the cry of the martyrs for the avenging of their blood on
"them that dwell on the earth" reached his ear; and now the time of
retribution began.
8. And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and
power was given unto him to scorch men with fire.
9. And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the
name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they
repented not to give him glory.
The sun is the great central luminary of the earth, under whose genial
light and warmth everything rejoices and develops in forms of beauty.
When, however, a scorching power is given to his rays, the earth becomes
as a furnace in which every green thing is burnt up. What the sun is to
this world, such are the ruling powers to a kingdom; and power being
given them to scorch as with fire denotes that the government would be
administered, not for the good of the people, but for the purpose of
oppression. A scorching sun, therefore, is a proper symbol of tyrant
rulers.
Still keeping in view the object of God in sending these first
plagues--the punishment of the nations embraced within the territory of
the ten former kingdoms of Europe--we are directed with certainty to the
next great scourge that followed as a result of those already
developed--the almost universal military empire of Napoleon. The success
of three of the four greatest military leaders the world has ever
seen--Alexander, Cæsar, and Charlemagne--has been so clearly predicted
by inspiration that no believer in the truth of Revelation attempts to
deny it; therefore it is not surprising that the fourth--Napoleon--
should also be assigned a place in Apocalyptic vision: not so much
because of his all-powerful military genius merely, but because of his
mighty influence and effects upon the very nations that were especially
made the subject of prophecy, as they stand connected with the history
of God's people for centuries. At the close of the Revolution the French
nation had not virtue nor religion necessary to remedy the evils under
which they had long been suffering from the oppression of their
monarchs; for when they undertook the work and demolished the throne,
they let loose all the wildest elements of wrath to rage without
restraint. The nation rejected God, and God rejected the nation. He gave
them up to their own madness, to the fury of the most atrocious
wickedness that was ever developed under heaven. "From the wild excesses
and intolerable calamities of blood-red republicanism, the people were
rejoiced at length to find a refuge in a gigantic military despotism,
which became the terror and scourge of Europe." But the hand of God was
in this thing, also. When the sun scorches the earth with burning heat,
it is God that gives it its power. So Napoleon with his iron will and
towering genius was only an instrument in God's hand for scourging the
guilty nations. In the ordinary sense of the term Napoleon was not a
tyrant to his own nation. Still, his government was a despotism to
France; while to the Apocalyptic earth, or the ten kingdoms, he was a
scorching sun, for his empire extended over the whole. It finally became
a saying that "if Napoleon's cocked hat and gray coat should be raised
on the cliffs of Boulogne, all Europe would run to arms." This agrees
with the statement of the historian Judson, concerning the monarchs of
Europe, that "the mere name of Napoleon was a dread to them." None of
them could stand before his terrible onset. "Europe was shaken from end
to end by such armies as the world had not seen since the days of
Xerxes. Napoleon, whose hands were upheld by a score of distinguished
marshals, performed the miracles of genius. His brilliant achievements
still dazzle, while they amaze, the world." The crowns and scepters of
Europe he held as play-things in his hand, to dispose of at pleasure.
Says Wickes: "Never in the history of Christendom were ancient dynasties
overthrown, and new ones created, kings made and unmade, within so short
a period, as during the unparallelled career of this great conqueror. He
had the crowns and kingdoms of all Europe in his gift, to settle as he
pleased, or bestow as presents upon his relatives and friends. To his
brother Jerome he gave the crown of Westphalia; to his brother Louis,
the crown of Holland; to his brother Joseph, the kingdom of Spain; to
his brother-in-law and general Murat, the kingdom of Naples; and others
he conferred upon his favorite marshals."
When he invaded Russia, a territory outside of the Apocalyptic earth, he
exceeded his mission, and there met with the most terrible overthrow.
Although he entered that kingdom with the most magnificent army that he
had ever gathered together, yet for suffering and disaster that famous
retreat from burning Moscow stands without a parallel in history. It was
not the Russian armies that prevailed against him; it was God that
fought against him with the blasts of his north wind. These speedily
silenced those tremendous parks of artillery that had thundered upon the
fields of Jena, Friedland, Wagram, Marengo and Austerlitz, and scattered
those invincible battalions that had marched triumphant over Europe.
Ney, at the head of the National Guards, ever before victorious, was
compelled to beat a hasty retreat, glad to escape with the smallest
remnant of his host. Napoleon failed here because God had given him no
mission to perform in that territory.
Concerning his ambition, the Encyclopædia Britannica says: "With a frame
of iron, Napoleon could endure any hardships; and in war, in artillery
especially and engineering, he stands unrivalled in the world's
history.... He could not rest, and knew not when he had achieved
success.... He succeeded in alienating the peoples of Europe, in whose
behalf he pretended to be acting. And when they learned by bitter
experience that he had absolutely no love for liberty, and encouraged
equality only so long as it was an equality of subjects under his rule,
they soon began to war against what was in fact a world-destroying
military despotism." He was inspired with the most unbounded ambition,
which was nothing short of despotism over all Europe, if not the world.
Universal empire was his grand object, or, as it has been expressed by
historians, a desire to concentrate "the world in Europe--Europe in
France--France in Paris--Paris in _himself_." Says Wickes: "The empire
which he actually reared in Europe was a vast, oppressive, centralized
despotism.... To build it up, he desolated France through his terrible
conscriptions, requiring the whole strength and flower of the nation to
supply his armies. It is stated that after the wars of Napoleon there
were three times the number of women in France that there were of men.
The fathers, the husbands, the sons, the brothers, had fallen upon the
battle-field, and thus desolated almost every household in the kingdom.
Similar desolation also he carried by his wars into the other kingdoms."
The dread of Napoleon settled down upon all the nations of Europe. They
could not cope with his mighty genius, and therefore his presence was a
terror to them. When the allied powers secured his first abdication, in
1814, and sent him to the island of Elba, the desolating results of his
long career were shown in the work that the Congress of Vienna was
called upon to perform when it assembled in the fall of 1814. While the
representatives of the powers were laboring to repair the damage that
had been wrought and to adjust the territorial limitations of the
various nations that had been altered or entirely demolished, the
assemblage was suddenly surprised the following spring by the news that
Napoleon had escaped from Elba and was enroute to Paris. The terror and
consternation in Europe then experienced is shown by the following
quotation from Sir James Mackintosh, a man of high reputation as a
jurist, as a historian, and as a far-sighted and candid statesman:
"Was it in the power of language to describe the evil! Wars which had
raged for more than twenty years throughout Europe, which had spread
blood and desolation from Cadiz to Moscow, and from Naples to
Copenhagen; which had wasted the means of human enjoyment, and destroyed
the instruments of social improvement; which threatened to diffuse among
the European nations the dissolute and ferocious habits of a predatory
soldiery ... had been brought to a close.... Europe seemed to breathe
after her sufferings. In the midst of this fair prospect and of these
consolatory hopes, Napoleon Bonaparte escaped from Elba; three small
vessels reached the coast of Provence; their hopes are instantly
dispelled; the work of our toil and fortitude is undone: the blood of
Europe is spilled in vain."
The bitterest ingredients in the cup of these nations was the
humiliating overthrow of their own government and their subjection to
the hated _republican_ despotism of France. It was a scorching sun that
they could not endure. Still, they repented not to give God glory; they
continued as before. After Napoleon had accomplished the purpose for
which he was intended, God permitted this stupendous genius to be
subdued; but it required the combined powers of Europe to secure his
downfall.
Creasy, in his Fifteen Decisive Battles of the World, says concerning
the battle of Waterloo, "The great battle which ended the twenty-three
years' war of the first French revolution, and which quelled the man
whose genius and ambition had so long _disturbed and desolated the
world_, deserves to be regarded by us ... with peculiar gratitude for
the repose which it secured for us and for the greater part of the human
race."
10. And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the
beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed
their tongues for pain,
11. And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and
their sores, and repented not of their deeds.
Under this vial the symbols differ somewhat. The "beast" is evidently
the one of whom the image was made, referred to in verse 2--the Papacy.
The seat that the Papacy occupied from the time the dragon resigned in
favor of the beast (chap. 13:2) was his position of temporal power and
authority. In the following chapter the Papacy is described as _seated_
upon a ten-horned beast, the ten horns of which symbolized the kingdoms
of Europe. In this position it was able to exercise a guiding influence
over the European nations. We have already seen what great power the
Popes exercised in this direction during the Dark Ages. But the "beast"
of chapter 17 himself, as distinguished from his horns, symbolizes the
Holy Roman Empire, which was a revival of the old empire of the Cæsars.
This revived "world-empire" was closely allied to the Papacy. When
Charlemagne, the Carlovingian king, restored the empire of the West, he
was crowned "Emperor of the Romans" by Pope Leo III., A.D. 800. "The
Popes made the descendants of Charles Martel kings and emperors; the
grateful Frankish princes defended the Popes against all their enemies,
imperial and barbarian, and dowering them with cities and provinces,
laid the basis of their temporal sovereignty, which continued for more
than a thousand years." After the decline of the Carlovingian power the
imperial authority was again revived by Otto the Great (962), who was
crowned Emperor of the Romans by the Pope. Henceforth the empire of the
West was termed the _Holy Roman Empire_. "From this time on it was the
rule that the German king who was crowned at Aachen had a right to be
crowned ... emperor at Rome." So the general rule was that the Popes
upheld the emperors, and the emperors sustained the Popes in their
position as the spiritual heads of the church and as temporal rulers
over the Papal states, which were granted them originally by the
donations of Pepin and Charlemagne.
In chapter 13 the civil powers of Europe and the ecclesiastical power of
Rome are not shown by a double symbol--a woman and a beast--as in
chapter 17, but are there represented by a combination of symbols drawn
from the departments of human life and animal life, which shows that a
politico-religious system is intended, as heretofore explained; hence
the term _beast_, as there used, signifies either the Papacy or the
civil power. Thus the term is used in the present chapter under
consideration, and has reference here to the beast as an ecclesiastical
power--the Papacy--and his "seat" refers to his temporal authority.
This vial, then, being poured out upon his seat, with the result that
his kingdom was filled with darkness--a symbol drawn from nature--points
to the downfall of the Pope as a temporal ruler. Thus he would be
deprived of his "seat."
We have already seen that each plague prepares the way for a succeeding
one. Under the reign of Napoleon the Holy Roman Empire was dissolved
(1806). This was the beginning of the end of the Pope's temporal
authority; for the two had in a great measure been for ages
interdependent upon each other. Pius VII. was made a prisoner and the
temporal sovereignty of the Roman See declared to be at an end; while
the Pope himself was forced to disown all claim to rank as a temporal
ruler. Of course, this was but a temporary overthrow; for when the
period of Reaction came, the Pope recovered also temporal authority. But
the vast territories of Avignon, Venaissin, Bologna, Ferrara, and the
Romagna--representing fully _a third_ of all the Papal dominions--which
had been forcibly ceded to France under Napoleon, was never restored to
the Roman See. From that time the sun of the Pope's temporal kingdom
rapidly approached the horizon; while the inhabitants of his dominions
continued to blaspheme God through the atheistical Jacobinism that
infested to so great an extent the whole mass of society--symbolized by
their "sores"--and the firm supporters of Popery were filled with
excessive chagrin and mortification of mind--symbolized by their
"pains"--because the power of their leader, who professed temporal
sovereignty over the whole earth, was being suddenly destroyed and his
kingdom left in darkness. Concerning this matter the People's
Cyclopædia, after speaking of the blow the Pope's spiritual supremacy
received at the Reformation, says: "But in her relations to the State
the Roman church has since passed through _a long and critical
struggle_. The new theories _to which the French Revolution gave
currency_ have still further modified these relations." In the second
revolution of 1848 the Pope's temporal authority was about to be
entirely destroyed by the attempted establishment of the republic of
Italy; but at this juncture France, who, notwithstanding her plagues,
had not repented of her former deeds, not willing to desert entirely the
Papal cause after upholding it faithfully for centuries, interfered, and
the Pope was sustained in his position by a French garrison until 1870
(except a short time in 1867), at which time the success of King Victor
Emmanuel and his capture of the Eternal City established the free
government of United Italy. The temporal sun of the Pope set forever;
his kingdom was left in darkness.
12. And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river
Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of
the kings of the east might be prepared.
13. And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the
mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out
of the mouth of the false prophet.
14. For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which
go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to
gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.
15. Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and
keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his
shame.
16. And he gathered them together into a place called in the
Hebrew tongue Armageddon.
The symbols under this vial are so different that at first they scarcely
look like anything constituting a plague. By recalling a few
circumstances of history we shall understand why the river Euphrates was
selected as a symbol, and also, its true signification in this
connection. This river was connected with ancient Babylon, and while
running in its own channel was the protection of the city and an
obstacle to its capture. By turning the water of this river from its
course, King Cyrus (according to the account given by Herodotus)
succeeded in overthrowing the city, with the result that God's people
who were at that time in captivity there received permission to return
to their own land and to rebuild the house of God in Jerusalem. Ezra
1:1-3. Under the sixth trumpet this symbol was applied to the four
angels as a symbol of the restraint placed upon their operations, they
being bound in that river. As there are no agents in this vision who are
represented as bound, we must apply it to the city itself, the name of
which is given in verse 19--Babylon--being a symbol of one of its
defenses. According to verse 19 this mystical Babylon is composed of
three parts, being made up of the dragon (in his modern form), the
beast, and the false prophet mentioned in verse 13. And its location is
not confined to the territory of the ten kingdoms; for its field of
operations is not only that of the "earth"--the Apocalyptic earth--but
"_of the whole world_." Ver. 14. In one division of this great city,
that of the false prophet, God's people were long held in captivity; but
its spiritual overthrow was to be accomplished by the drying up of the
Euphrates of its defenses, that the way of the kings of the East might
be prepared.[12]
[Footnote 12: Applying the Euphrates (an object from nature) as a symbol
of ecclesiastical affairs in this manner appears to be in violation of
the laws of symbolic language laid down; but we should bear in mind the
fact that events of whatever nature connected with the history of God's
chosen people in the old dispensation are of themselves proper symbols
of similar events in the New Testament dispensation. Thus the temple,
altar, candle-sticks, incense, holy city, etc., of the former
dispensation, although of themselves objects from nature, are
nevertheless clearly used to represent affairs of the church, because of
their former significance as connected with the people of God. The fact
that the great city of this chapter is spiritual Babylon (see verse 19)
is positive proof that the river Euphrates is here applied in the proper
manner.]
To the Hebrews the term _east_ had a much more extensive signification
than with us, to whom its only distinction is that it is the point of
the sun's rising. But beyond this, it was to the Jews the cardinal point
of the compass to which they naturally looked first. Their temple was
built toward the east, its principal entrance being in that direction.
The most powerful and enlightened kingdoms of the world lay to the east
of Judea, and they included them all under the general term, sons or
children of the East (Orientals) and kings of the East, comprehending
not only Arabia and the lands of Moab and Ammon, but also Armenia,
Assyria, Mesopotamia, Babylonia and Chaldea. Travelers from these
countries would all enter Judea from the east, and they were considered
Orientals. These nations were also distinguished for their proficiency
in science and learning. The Magi, or wise men of the East, came to
worship the infant Jesus at Jerusalem. They were eminent in the science
of astrology, which was considered the greatest science of that day. The
East, therefore, was looked to for wise men; and it is a noticeable fact
that the pathway of science, of literature, and of empire has ever been
from that direction, so as to have passed into a proverb, "westward the
star of empire holds its way." "The kings of the East," then, employed
as a symbol of this sixth vial, is not intended to signify any persons
literally from that quarter of the earth, but represents the bringing in
of knowledge and understanding. Thank God that we live in the time when
the defenses of spiritual Babylon have been broken through and when
light and knowledge on the Word of God has reached the hearts of many
redeemed souls held in bondage there! And like the Israelites of old,
when Cyrus, entered the ancient Babylon through the dry river-bed of the
Euphrates, they have come out with rejoicing and made their way to Zion
again. Halleluiah! That the spiritual downfall of Babylon is a real
plague to sectarians there can be no doubt, and it is plainly declared
to be such in chap. 18:8, where the same event is described.
At the very time when the defenses of Babylon are thrown down, the three
unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon
(Paganism), and out of the mouth of the beast (Romanism), and out of the
mouth of the false prophet (Protestantism), to gather together all the
wicked powers throughout "the whole world" for that last great day of
God Almighty.[13] There is no analagous object to which a _spirit_ can
be made a symbol; therefore we must regard them as being literally
spirits of devils, here appearing under their own appropriate title.
Their mission is to form a confederation of all the gigantic powers of
wickedness, slimy and loathsome as the animal to which they are likened,
and to array themselves against the cause of Christ.
[Footnote 13: I do not suppose that these three unclean spirits should
be limited in their operations to Paganism, Romanism, and Protestantism;
for that leaves out Mohammedanism, which is neither Pagan, Roman, nor
Protestant, yet is certainly "false prophecy"; and the three spirits
were to gather the "whole world."]
Armageddon, where the spirits gathered all the enemies of truth and
righteousness together, means the mountain of Megiddo, the memorable
field of the overthrow of Sisera's mighty host by Barak. It was also the
place of great defeat to the Israelites in the time of Josiah and the
scene of his death. The name, therefore, stands as a symbol for a field
of slaughter or defeat and denotes that when the confederation of
wickedness is complete, the united host of God's enemies will be utterly
defeated, as by the overthrow of Megiddo. This great conflict with
powers of wickedness and spirits infernal will be further explained in
chapter XX.
Simultaneous with the notable events of this vial, the announcement is
made of the near-coming of Christ to the world--"Behold I come as a
thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he
walk naked, and they see his shame." The children of God that have been
gathered out of old Babylon rejoice in the glad announcement and say,
"Even so come, Lord Jesus."
17. And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and
there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the
throne, saying, It is done.
18. And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and
there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were
upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great.
19. And the great city was divided into three parts, and the
cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in
remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of
the fierceness of his wrath.
20. And every island fled away, and the mountains were not
found.
21. And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every
stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God
because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was
exceeding great.
The application of this vial to the judgments of the last great day is
so plain that but little comment is here necessary. It was poured "into
the air," a region of vast extent, not confined to a given locality, but
embracing the whole earth. Hence this plague is universal. When the
seventh angel emptied his vial, "There came a great voice out of the
temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done." All is now
fulfilled. The work of wrath is finished. The description of the plague
follows, but it follows only _as a description_. As actually
accomplished, it preceded that great voice, which was uttered in view of
the thing already brought to pass.
The dissolution of the earth itself upon which we live is not here
described, although according to the teaching of other scriptures it
occurs at this time; but the symbols, being drawn from the department of
the operations both of humanity and of nature, show the complete and
final overthrow of all the great powers civil and ecclesiastical. The
dominancy of these great powers has been the chief burden of Apocalyptic
vision, and here their utter destruction at last is set forth under
various symbols. The weight of the Jewish talent is said to have been
one hundred and fourteen pounds. Such a mass of ice descending from
heaven would beat down everything in its resistless, desolating fury.
There is no intimation, however, of men being killed under this or the
accompanying symbols; therefore as individuals they survive, while the
storm of wrath falls upon the civil and ecclesiastical institutions of
society, resulting in their utter annihilation. This is the "great day
of his wrath" described under the sixth seal, to the symbols of which
this description bears a striking resemblance, as any one can see at a
glance. Well may the oppressors of earth say to the mountains and hills,
"Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the
throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: for the great day of his wrath
is come; and who shall be able to stand?" Chap. 6:16, 17.
CHAPTER XVII.
And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven
vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will
show unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon
many waters:
2. With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication,
and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the
wine of her fornication.
3. So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and
I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet colored beast, full of names of
blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.
4. And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet color, and
decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden
cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her
fornication:
5. And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON
THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
6. And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and
with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I
wondered with great admiration.
Here again the narrative returns to take up another series of the
history. A number of times we have been taken over the same ground. It
is this feature of the Apocalypse more than any other that has misled
and perplexed commentators. Attempting to explain it as one continuous
narrative from beginning to end, they have been compelled to consider
numerous passages as "digressions," "parentheses," or "episodes," etc.
As already observed, however, the prophecy is not arranged after the
ordinary plan of histories, narrating all the contemporaneous events in
a given period, whether civil, religious, literary, scientific, or
biographical, thus finishing up the history of that period; but it
consists of a number of distinct themes running over the same ground.
In this chapter a more particular description of the church of Rome,
"that great city which reigneth over the kings of the earth" (verse 18),
is given under the symbol of a drunken harlot. With this vile prostitute
"the kings of the earth have committed fornication"--they have
encouraged her in her corruption and idolatries--"and the inhabitants of
the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication." This
latter symbol is doubtless taken from the cup of drugged wine with which
lewd women were accustomed to inflame their lovers. So had this apostate
church made "the inhabitants of the earth"--of the ten kingdoms--drunken
with her wine-cup and thus rendered them willing partakers in her
abominable idolatries. She is described in two positions--first, as
"sitting upon many waters," which the angel informs us "are peoples, and
multitudes, and nations, and tongues" (verse 15); and second, "upon a
scarlet-colored beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads
and ten horns." The first position denotes her wide supremacy in the
world over distant peoples and nations; the second, the close
relationship that she sustained to the civil power. That beast carried
her in royal state. The civil powers of Europe have usually lent
themselves as a caparisoned hack for this great whore to ride upon and
have considered themselves highly honored thereby. This beast was full
of the names of blasphemy, which were the same as the blasphemous
assumptions of the Papacy, as explained in chapter XIII, showing that he
agreed perfectly with this apostate church in her impious claims and
supported her in them, making himself equally guilty and deserving of
the same name. What is intended exactly by his scarlet color I do not
know. The same power under its Pagan form was represented as a red
dragon.
The appearance of this woman was that of the most splendid character,
nor are we to suppose the contrary because she was such an infamous
prostitute. She may have been, and according to the description was, all
that, but still her appearance was such as to bewitch her admirers and
votaries. Robes of purple and scarlet, with the most costly profusion of
gold and diamonds, were superb adorning, even regal splendor. All that
skill and wealth could do in magnificence of attire was bestowed upon
her to set forth her charms. The "golden cup in her hand" was as to
richness in harmony with her dress, while as to contents it set forth
her character, for it was "full of abominations and filthiness of her
fornication." This cup was an appropriate symbol of her atrocious
wickedness and idolatries.
This woman had also a name written on her forehead. It was not, indeed,
placed there by herself nor by her admirers; but He who drew this
symbolic picture placed it there that all might know her true character.
"MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF
THE EARTH." Although this apostate church was only in embryo in the
apostles' day, yet the apostle who gave us a careful delineation of its
terrible characteristics declared that it was then developing and
denominated it a _mystery_. "The mystery of iniquity doth already work."
2 Thes. 2:7. The same apostle regarded as an unquestionable fact that
_godliness_ was a mystery (1 Tim. 3:16); but he who peruses the history
of the Papacy will be forced to declare with emphasis, "Without
controversy great is the mystery of Romanism." She is also styled
Babylon the Great. This name is derived from ancient Babylon. This city
was the center of the earth's idolatry and stood first of all as the
direct enemy of God's people. So, likewise, this church is the center of
earth's spiritual idolatry. There are other harlots, or corrupt
churches, in the world beside her; but she is the _mother_ of them all.
They are all children by her side. Some of them greatly honor her and in
deep veneration call her "_our holy mother church_;" but God brands her
as the "mother of harlots and abominations of the earth."
But the statement that she was a harlot merely, does not entirely
describe her character. She was a _drunken_ harlot. Drunken with
what--wine? No indeed; that were a very small sin for her. She was
"drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs
of Jesus." Romanists positively declare that their church never
persecutes; but with the picture of this drunken prostitute before our
eyes, we shall be hard to convince. To illustrate this point fully would
be to write a book of martyrs much larger than the present work; so, for
lack of space only, we shall have to content ourselves with merely
bringing forward a few of many historical proofs showing _that they
themselves_ claim the right to exterminate heretics.
Innumerable provincial and national councils have issued the most cruel
and bloody laws for the extermination of the Waldenses and other
so-called heretics; such as the Councils of Oxford, Toledo, Avignon,
Tours, Lavaur, Albi, Narbonne, Beziers, Tolosa, etc. Since Papists will
assert that these had no authority to establish a doctrine of the church
(although they clearly reflect its spirit), I remind the reader that
some of their _General_ Councils have by their decrees pronounced the
punishment of death for heresy. At least six of these highest judicial
assemblies of the Romish church, with the Pope at their head, have
authoritatively enjoined the persecution and extermination of heretics.
Extracts from the Acts of these Councils could be given if space
permitted. 1. The second General Council of Lateran (1139), in its
twenty-third canon. 2. The third General Council of Lateran (1179),
under Pope Alexander III. 3. The fourth General Council of Lateran
(1215), under the inhuman Pope Innocent III., which exceeded in ferocity
all similar decrees that had preceded it. 4. The sixteenth General
Council, held at Constance in 1414. This Council, with Pope Martin
present in person, condemned the reformers Huss and Jerome to be burned
at the stake and then prevailed on the emperor Sigismund to violate the
safe-conduct that he had given Huss, signed by his own hand, in which he
guaranteed the reformer a safe return to Bohemia; and the inhuman
sentence was carried out, with the haughty prelates standing by to
satiate their eyes on the sight of human agony. This council also
condemned the writings of Wickliffe and _ordered his bones to be dug up
and burnt_, which savage sentence was afterwards carried into effect;
and after lying in their grave for forty years, the remains of this
first translator of the English Bible were reduced to ashes and thrown
into the brook Swift. Well has the historian Fuller said, in reference
to this subject, "The brook Swift did convey his ashes into Avon, the
Avon into Severn, the Severn into the narrow seas, and they into the
main ocean. And thus the ashes of Wickliffe are the emblem of his
doctrie, which is now dispersed all over the world." 5. The Council of
Sienna (1423), which was afterwards continued at Basil. 6. The fifth
General Council of the Lateran (1514). The laws enacted in each
succeeding Council were generally marked, if possible, with augmented
barbarity.
Says the learned Edgar, in his Variations of Popery: "The principle of
persecution, being sanctioned not only by theologians, Popes and
provincial synods but also by General Councils, _is a necessary and
integral part of Romanism_. The Romish communion has, by its
representatives, declared its right to compel men to renounce heterodoxy
and embrace Catholicism, and to consign the obstinate to the civil power
to be banished, tortured, or killed." St. Aquinas, whom Romanists call
the "angelic Doctor," says, "Heretics are to be compelled by corporeal
punishments, that they may adhere to the faith." Again, "Heretics may
not only be excommunicated, but _justly killed_." He says that "the
church consigns such to the secular judges _to be exterminated from the
world by death_."
Cardinal Bellarmine is the great champion of Romanism and expounder of
its doctrines. He was the nephew of Pope Marcellus, and he is
acknowledged to be a standard writer with Romanists. In the twenty-first
and twenty-second chapters of the third book of his work entitled _De
Laicis_, he enters into a regular argument to prove that the church has
the right, and should exercise it, of punishing heretics with death. The
heading is his, together with what follows.
"Chapter XXI. _That heretics, condemned by the church, may be punished
with temporal penalties and even death._ We will briefly show that the
church has the _power and ought_ to cast off incorrigible heretics,
especially those who have elapsed, and that the secular power ought to
inflict on such temporal punishments and even death itself. 1. This may
be proved from the Scripture. 2. It is proved from the opinions and laws
of the emperors, _which the church has always approved_. 3. _It is
proved by the laws of the church ... experience proves that there is no
other remedy;_ for the church has tried step by step all remedies--first
excommunication alone; then pecuniary penalties; afterward banishment;
_and lastly has been forced to put them to death; to send them to their
own place_.... There are three grounds on which reason shows that
heretics should be put to death: the first is, Lest the wicked should
injure the righteous; second, That by the punishment of a few many may
be reformed. For many who were made torpid by impunity, are _roused by
the fear of punishment_; AND THIS WE DAILY SEE IS THE RESULT WHERE THE
INQUISITION FLOURISHES," etc.
"Chapter XXII. _Objections answered._ It remains to answer the
objections of Luther and other heretics. Argument 1. From the history of
the church at large. 'The church,' says Luther, 'from the beginning even
to this time, _has never burned a heretic_. Therefore it does not seem
to be the mind of the Holy Spirit that they should be burnt!' [He surely
misunderstood Luther.] I reply that this argument proves not the
sentiment, but the ignorance, or impudence of Luther; FOR AS ALMOST AN
INFINITE NUMBER WERE EITHER BURNED OR OTHERWISE PUT TO DEATH, Luther
either did not know it, and was therefore ignorant; or if he knew it, he
is convicted of impudence and falsehood,--for _that heretics were often
burnt_ BY THE CHURCH may be proved by adducing a few from many examples.
Argument 2. 'Experience shows that terror is not useful.' I reply
EXPERIENCE PROVES THE CONTRARY--for the Donatists, Manicheans, and
Albigenses WERE ROUTED AND ANNIHILATED BY ARMS," etc.
So this high dignitary of the Catholic church, a cardinal, a nephew of
one Pope and the special favorite of others, freely admits the charge so
often laid to Popery by creditable historians--the butchering of an
"infinite number" of people that differed from them--and here labors
hard to uphold it as a principle of righteousness. Their bloody crusades
against the innocent, unoffending Waldenses, Albigenses, and other
peoples, in which thousands, and in the aggregate _millions_, were
slaughtered like venomous reptiles, stand out on the page of history
with a prominence that can not be mistaken; and they themselves can not
deny it. Dowling has well said that their "history is written in lines
of blood. Compared with the butcheries of holy men and women by the
Papal Antichrist, the persecutions of the Pagan emperors of the first
three centuries sink into comparative insignificance. For not a tithe of
the blood of martyrs was shed by Paganism, that has been poured forth by
Popery; and the persecutors of Pagan Rome never dreamed of the thousand
ingenious contrivances of torture which the malignity of Popish
inquisitors succeeded in inventing." P. 541.
If any of my readers suppose that the character of Popery has changed
with the lapse of ages, I must tell you that such is not the ease.
Popery is unchangeable and this her ablest advocates declare. Chas.
Butler, in the work he wrote in reply to Southey's book of the church,
says, "It is most true that the Roman Catholics believe the doctrines of
their church to be unchangeable; and that it is a tenet of their creed,
that what their faith ever has been, such it was from the beginning,
_such it is now_, and SUCH IT EVER WILL BE." A copy of the eleventh
edition of The Faith of Our Fathers, published in Baltimore, Maryland,
in 1883, lies before me. It was written by Archbishop (now Cardinal)
James Gibbons, the highest authority of the Roman Catholic church in
this country. In page 95 he says: "It is a marvelous fact, worthy of
record, that in the whole history of the church, from the nineteenth
century to the first, no solitary example can be adduced to show that
any Pope or General Council ever revoked a decree of faith or morals
enacted by any preceding pontiff or council. Her record in the past
ought to be a sufficient warrant that she will _tolerate no doctrinal
variations in the future_." So the doctrine of her inherent right to
persecute and slay every one who disagrees with her, which has been
enacted by Pontiffs and General Councils and so carried out in the past,
is still in vogue and would now be enforced were it in her power to do
so.
While this statement of Gibbons' shows the unchangeable spirit of
Popery, still it is the basest presumption upon the historical knowledge
of the reader. The facts are that the _official_ acts of some of their
Popes and General Councils have been so far wrong that Romanists
themselves have been compelled to admit it. Thus the _sixth_ General
Council, which was held at Constantinople in 680, and which every
Catholic accepts as Ecumenical, condemned, in the strongest terms, Pope
Honorius as a Monothelite _heretic_. Let them attempt to deny it, and we
will bring forward our proof. Romish authors themselves admit it, the
well-known Dupin with the rest, as appears by the following extract from
his writings: "The Council had as much reason to censure him as Sergius,
Paulus, Peter, and the other Patriarchs o£ Constantinople." He adds in
language yet more emphatic, "This will stand for certain, then, that
Honorius _was condemned_, AND JUSTLY TOO, AS A HERETIC, by the sixth
General Council." Dupin's Eccl. History, Vol. II, p. 16.
The Decretals of Isodore furnish another example of Papal infallibility
(?). For ages these documents were the chief instrument of the Popes in
extending their power and the proof of the righteousness of their
assumptions to excessive temporal authority. Wickliffe declared them
false and apocryphal. For this he was condemned by the sixteenth
_General Council_, held at Constance in 1414, and his bones ordered dug
up and burnt because of his daring impudence. The spurious character of
these false decretals have since been proved beyond the shadow of a
doubt; and since it is impossible to deny it longer, it is admitted even
by Romanists. So, after all, this _infallible_ Council was wrong, the
Papists themselves being the judges.
Pope Benedict IX. was guilty of such flagitious crimes that he became an
object of public abhorrence, and he finally _sold_ the Popedom. One of
his infallible (?) successors in the Papal chair, Pope Victor III.,
pronounced this infallible (?) profligate a person "abandoned to all
manner of vice. A _successor of_ SIMON THE SORCERER, and NOT OF SIMON
THE APOSTLE." I do not question the truth of this assertion, but what
becomes of their boasted uninterrupted apostolical succession? Baronius,
the Popish annalist, confesses that Pope Sergius III. was "the slave of
every vice, and the most wicked of men." Among other horrid acts Platina
relates that he _rescinded the acts_ of Pope Formosus, compelled those
whom he had ordained to be re-ordained, dragged his dead body from the
sepulchre, beheaded him as though he were alive, and then threw him into
the Tiber! This Pope cohabited with an infamous prostitute named Marozia
and by her had a son named John, who afterwards ascended the Papal
throne, through the influence of his licentious mother, under the name
of John XI. So the unlawful amours of Sergius produced this infallible,
necessary link in the _holy_ chain of uninterrupted apostolical
succession! It must be remembered, also, that the Popes have for ages
laid claim themselves to infallibility; and in the last General Council
of that body, held at the Vatican in 1870, it was declared a dogma of
the church. Romanists will tell us that this decree refers only to his
official acts, and not to his personal character; but official acts have
been the main thing under consideration in the case of Sergius,
Honorius, and Benedict. But if such monsters of vice can produce good,
holy, infallible acts, as Papists declare, then Jesus Christ is
mistaken; for he declared positively that "a corrupt tree _bringeth
forth evil fruit_ ... neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good
fruit." Mat. 7:17, 18. "God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man
a liar." Rom. 3:4. During these dark ages thousands of priests, who were
by the laws of the church denied their Scriptural right of possessing a
wife (1 Cor. 7:9, etc.), lived openly with concubines; and the Council
of Toledo decreed that they should not be condemned therefor, provided
they were content with one.
But the devil produced his master-piece of iniquity in the person of
Roderic Borgia, who ascended the Papal throne in 1492 under the name of
Alexander VI. The utmost limits assigned to Papal depravity were
realized in him, so that the very name Borgia has come to be used as a
designation of any person unusually wicked. Says Waddington: "The
ecclesiastical records of fifteen centuries ... contain no name so
loathsome, no crimes so foul as his.... Not one among the many zealous
annalists of the Roman church has breathed a whisper in his praise....
He publicly cohabited with a Roman matron named Vanozia, by whom he had
five acknowledged children. Neither in his manners nor in his language
did he affect any regard for morality or decency; and one of the
earliest acts of his pontificate was, to celebrate, with scandalous
magnificence, in his own palace, the marriage of his daughter Lucretia.
On one occasion this prodigy of vice gave a splendid entertainment,
within the walls of the Vatican, to no less than fifty public
prostitutes at once, and that in the presence of his daughter Lucretia,
at which entertainment deeds of darkness were done, over which decency
must throw a veil; and yet this monster of vice was, according to Papist
... the vicar of God upon earth, and was addressed by the title of HIS
HOLINESS!!" But why stir this cesspool of filth any longer? Is not that
church of which Alexander VI. was for eleven years the crowned and
anointed head--a necessary link in the boasted chain of _holy_
apostolical succession, the pretended vicar of Christ upon earth--is it
not, I ask, fitly described by the pen of inspiration "MOTHER OF HARLOTS
AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH," as she reeled onward in the career of
ages, "drunken with the blood of the saints"?
7. And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I
will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that
carriest her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns.
8. The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend
out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that
dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in
the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they
behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.
9. And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are
seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.
10. And there are seven kings; five are fallen, and one is, and
the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue
a short space.
11. And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth,
and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition.
12. And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which
have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one
hour with the beast.
13. These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength
unto the beast.
14. These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall
overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and
they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.
The angel promises to explain "the mystery of the woman and of the beast
that carried her." The beast is the same as the secular beast with seven
heads and ten horns, described in chapter 13. An explanation of its
heads and horns has already been given. The expression "the seven heads
are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth, and there are seven
kings," requires further explanation. Many have understood the mountains
to signify the seven mountains on which the city of Rome is said to be
built; but that is adopting the literal mode of interpretation, and is
contrary to the laws of symbolic language. The more obvious meaning is
that the seven heads represent seven mountains and also seven kings; but
this probably is not the idea intended. The heads of a beast are not the
proper symbol of mountains. The fact, too, that the woman is represented
as sitting upon these mountains, shows that they are to be taken as a
symbol, as well as the woman, and not the object symbolized. They are,
then, the same as the heads and denote the seven kings or seven forms of
government under which the Roman empire subsisted.
The seventh and last head has not yet been identified. Before
considering it, however, I wish to call attention to another point that
has already been referred to. The beast that John here saw, with the
seven heads and ten horns, was Rome under the Papal power. Did new Rome
in reality have the seven heads? No. The dragon John saw in chapter 12
is represented as having seven heads and ten horns, and signified Rome
under the Pagan power. Did old Rome really possess the ten horns? No.
According to verse 12 in this chapter, they were to arise future of
John's time. But notice carefully that the seven heads, which according
to this description, belonged to the beast sustaining the Papal power in
after years, are here explained by the angel as signifying the very
forms of government by which _Pagan_ Rome subsisted. "Five _are fallen_
[a past event], one _is_ [exists at this present time], and the other
_is not yet come_." So according to divine interpretation, the same
heads and horns serve for both the dragon and the beast. This could not
possibly be a true representation unless they were both in reality the
_same beast_, they being represented as two only for the purpose of
describing the two phases of Roman history--Pagan and Papal.
With this point established, that these two forms of Roman history are
the same beast, we are now prepared to understand the statement that the
beast "was and is not, and yet is." This is equivalent to saying that
the beast existed, it ceased to exist, and then it came into existence
again. This was exactly the history of Rome. Its downfall under the
Pagan form was described under the fourth trumpet as an eclipse of the
sun, moon and stars, so that they shone not for a third part of the day
and night. For a time it seemed not to exist. A little later the eclipse
is lifted; the beast exists again under the Papal form. In this is set
forth clearly the wounding and the healing of the beast. The wound was
inflicted on its sixth, or Imperial, head (for the first five had
already fallen, according to the historical facts just related), being
accomplished by the hordes of Northern barbarians overturning the empire
of the West. It appeared for a time that the beast was indeed wounded
unto death; but not so: to the surprise of all, he survived under the
form of the seventh head. At this point the question is sure to be
asked, How could the beast continue to live if its seventh head was to
continue but "a short space"? This is accounted for by the fact that
there was what might be appropriately called an eighth head, but which
was in reality of the seven. "And the beast that was, and is not, even
he is the eighth, and is of the seven." Verse 11.
The identification of the seventh head will now make the matter
complete. The facts all meet in the Carlovingian empire, or the empire
of Charlemagne. In the year 774 Charlemagne completed the work begun by
Pepin twenty years before and overthrew the kingdom of the Lombards in
Italy, which was the last of the three horns plucked up before the
little horn of Daniel. By this victory he became complete master of
Italy, and he received the title Patrician of Rome. This was not merely
an honorary title, such as had for ages been conferred upon certain
individuals; but it was a distinct form of civil government and supreme,
taking the same rank with that of the Consular, the Decemvirate, the
Triumvirate, etc., in the earlier history of the nation. It lasted,
however, only "a short space," or twenty-six years, when Charlemagne,
having extended his conquests over all the western part of Europe,
assumed the Imperial title and thus revived the empire of Rome in the
West under its Gothic form. In his Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire,
Gibbon says: "In the twenty-six years that elapsed between the conquest
of Lombardy and his Imperial coronation, Rome, which had been delivered
by the sword, was subject, as his own, to the scepter, of Charlemagne.
The people swore allegiance to his person and family; in his name, money
was coined, and justice was administered, and the election of Popes was
examined and confirmed by his authority--except an original and
self-inherent claim of sovereignity, there was not any prerogative
remaining which the title of emperor could add to the Patrician of
Rome." This decisive testimony by the highest authority on the subject
shows conclusively that all the power of sovereignty resided in
Charlemagne as the Patrician of Rome, and that this, therefore, is a
proper head to be ranked with the other six that preceded it.[14]
[Footnote 14: Commentators frequently identify the seventh head with the
Exarchate of Ravenna. After the overthrow of the kingdom of the
Ostrogoths in Italy by Belisarius, the general of Justinian, about the
middle of the sixth century, the territory became subject to the emperor
of the Eastern empire and was ruled by him through an Exarch whose place
of residence was Ravenna. This Exarchate (sometimes called _Patriciate_)
continued until about the middle of the eighth century, when it was
terminated by Astolphus, king of the Lombards, who made Ravenna the
capital of the Lombardic kingdom in 752. Three years later the Lombards
were defeated by Pepin, who made the Holy See a present of the lands he
conquered from them--the origin of the temporal power of the Popes.
Pepin was succeeded by his son Charlemagne, who was appointed
_Patrician_ of Rome, by the Pope, in 774. During the last half century
that the Exarchate of Ravenna remained its existence was but little more
than a name, the real power of government being usurped by the Papacy.
It could hardly be considered an inconsistency were we to interpret the
seventh head as signifying both the Patriciate of Ravenna and the
Patriciate of Charlemagne that closely followed it; but in the present
work I have restricted its application to the latter form because of its
distinctive characteristic as constituting a supreme civil power
entirely independent of the empire of the East, and because of its
importance in the revival of the empire of the West.]
This head, however, continued only "a short space"; and an eighth arose
on Christmas, the first day of the year 800 (as time was then reckoned),
when Charlemagne was crowned emperor of Rome, and thus revived the
empire of the West. This eighth head, however, was "of the seven"; for
it was the same as the sixth, both being Imperial--the first being in
the Augustan line, and the other in the Carlovingian, and separated from
each other by the seventh, or Patriciate. Considered one way, there were
eight heads, but two of them were alike, hence only seven; for the
eighth was of the seven. According to verse 11 it was under the eighth
head that the beast subsisted at the time he was carrying the woman of
this chapter, which exactly accords with the historical facts in the
case; and the same was continued in a line of emperors reaching down to
the time of the French Revolution.
The ten horns had "received no kingdom as yet." This signifies that at
the time when the Revelation was given they had not yet arisen. When
they did come into existence they were to receive power as kings with
the beast and were to give to it their power and strength. It is a
singular fact that a distinct head should continue to exist after these
horns had arisen and developed into powerful kingdoms; but herein the
remarkable accuracy of prophecy is clearly shown. It is said that they
should make war with the Lamb and that the Lamb should overcome them.
Some think that this has reference to the persecution of the saints
during the Dark Ages; but it seems to me that it would have been stated
differently if such were its meaning. It may be a prophetical reference
to the battle of Armageddon, which will be terminated by the coming of
the Son of God himself to overthrow completely all the powers of
wickedness.
15. And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where
the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and
tongues.
16. And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these
shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and
shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.
17. For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to
agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of
God shall be fulfilled.
18. And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which
reigneth over the kings of the earth.
The special thoughts contained in these verses have been so far
explained already that it is unnecessary to go over the same ground
again. Already the civil powers of Europe are beginning to cast this
woman aside as an old, wrinkled, haggard prostitute is cast off by her
lovers. Already they have deprived her of all temporal authority such as
she possessed in guiding this beast of chapter 17, as explained under
the fifth plague in the preceding chapter. Whether they are destined to
become a still greater enemy to her, the future will determine.
CHAPTER XVIII.
And after these things I saw another angel come down from
heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his
glory.
2. And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon
the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of
devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every
unclean and hateful bird.
3. For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her
fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed
fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed
rich through the abundance of her delicacies.
A movement of mighty power is symbolized in these verses. The chronology
of the events described in the preceding chapter brings us down to the
time when the ten horns turn against the Papacy by depriving her of her
temporal authority. This, as we have already seen, was completely
fulfilled in 1870 and constituted the fifth plague. In the description
of the sixth plague which followed, it was shown that the great city
which was invaded was composed of three parts--Paganism (the modern form
of the dragon power), Catholicism, and Protestantism. The same great
city is here brought to view, and the angel from heaven, with a mighty
voice, cries, "Babylon the Great is fallen, is fallen." This fall of
Babylon can not signify a literal destruction; for there are certain
events to take place in Babylon after her fall which entirely precludes
that idea; for instance, the calling of God's people out of her, in
order that they may not receive of her plagues. In these plagues is
embraced her literal destruction, or complete overthrow. The fall is
therefore a moral one; for the result of it is that Babylon becomes "the
habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of
every unclean and hateful bird."
Protestants who make any attempt to interpret these prophecies usually
limit the designation "Babylon the Great" in these verses to the church
of Rome, because the woman symbolizing the apostate church in the
preceding chapter is denominated "Babylon the Great." Ver. 5. But the
same verse also declares her to be the "_Mother_ of harlots;" and if she
as a degraded woman stands as the representative of a corrupt church,
her unchaste daughters, also, must symbolize churches that are her
descendants; and if the real name of the _mother_ is Babylon, as stated,
the proper name of her harlot daughters must be Babylon also. Whether,
therefore, the mother or the daughters are referred to, it is all
"Babylon the Great," because it is all the same family and is a part of
that "GREAT CITY which reigneth over the kings of the earth." Chap.
17:18. We must, therefore, have something besides the mere title
"Babylon the Great" to determine which division of the great city is
referred to in a given instance--whether Pagan, Papal, or Protestant.
A careful study of the prophecy now under consideration will show that
it has particular reference to the Protestant division of Babylon. It
contained many of God's children; whereas Paganism was always a false
religion and never held any of God's saints. Under the reign of
Catholicism, the people of God are represented in all the symbols of
this book relating thereto as existing entirely separate from that
communion. The description of this apostate church given in the
preceding chapter shows clearly that instead of being partly composed of
God's saints, she was their most bitter and relentless persecutor, yea,
was "_drunken with the blood of the saints_, and with the blood of the
martyrs of Jesus." This is definite proof that the present phase of
Babylon under consideration is the Protestant division; and her moral
fall is the grand signal for the escape of God's people who have partly
composed her number, as the fall of ancient Babylon was for the escape
of the Israelites. In their younger days the Protestant organizations
(symbolized by the daughters) were of much better character than the
mother church from whom they descended. Many of them started out on
reform. While a spiritual people, God worked with them; but when they
made their image to the beast, they suddenly declined, and this voice
from heaven finally declares them to be in a fallen condition--entirely
void of salvation, except a very few chosen saints that have not defiled
their garments, contained therein.
That this application of the term _Babylon_ is correct, and also, the
fallen condition ascribed to her in accordance with the facts, I will
prove by the following testimonies of Protestants themselves. The first
is from Vision of the Ages; or, Lectures on the Apocalypse, by B.W.
Johnson, member of the Christian sect.
"It is needful to inquire what the term _Babylon_ means. It occurs
several times in the New Testament. Here (in the Apocalypse) it is
spoken of as 'that great city,' and her fall is doomed 'because she hath
made all nations drunk with the wine of her fornication.' In Rev. 17:5,
a scarlet harlot is seen sitting upon the seven-headed and ten-horned
monster, and upon her forehead is written, 'Mystery, Babylon the Great.'
With this woman the kings of the earth are said to have committed
fornication. In chapter 18 the fall of the great city, Babylon is
detailed at length, and it is again said that all the kings of the earth
have committed fornication with her. The harlot with Babylon stamped on
her brow, and the great city of fornication styled Babylon, in chapters
14 and 18, are one and the same existence.
"There is an ancient city of Babylon often mentioned in the Old
Testament, but ages before John wrote, it had ceased to be inhabited,
the only dwellers among its lonely ruins were howling beasts and hissing
serpents. It has never been rebuilt to this day and has passed away
forever. John refers therefore not to old Babylon, but to some power yet
unseen (when he was upon the earth), that should be revealed in due
time, and of which old Babylon was a symbol. Let us notice some of the
features of ancient Babylon.
"1. On that site took place the confusion of tongues which divided those
who before had been of one speech and one family, into various tribes
and schisms at variance with each other and of various tongues. The word
Babylon, a memorial of this event, means confusion, and is derived from
Babel.
"2. Old Babylon persecuted the people of God and destroyed the temple in
Jerusalem.
"3. It carried the people of God into captivity.
"4. It was a mighty, resistless universal empire. The antitype, the
spiritual Babylon, must correspond. There is a power that exhibits all
these characteristics. By apostasy from the truth it originated the
schism which has divided the family of God into different sects and
parties which speak a different spiritual language. It has carried the
church into a long captivity by binding upon it the thralldom of
superstition. It has been a constant persecutor of the saints, and has
enjoyed an almost universal dominion. That power is the woman that sits
upon the seven-headed beast ... the false woman, symbolical of a false
church, the great apostate spiritual dominion of Rome. And we may add,
out of which have come--directly or indirectly--_all the religious sects
of the present day_."
Dr. Barnes says: "The word _Babylon_ became the emblem of all that was
haughty and oppressive, and especially of all that persecuted the church
of God. The word here (Rev. 18:4) must be used to denote some power that
resembled the ancient and literal Babylon in these characteristics. The
literal Babylon was no more; but the name might be used properly to
denote a similar power."
Wm. Kinkade, in Bible Doctrine, page 249, says, "I think Christ has a
true church on earth, but its members are scattered among the various
denominations, and are more or less under the influence of mystery
Babylon and her daughters."
Alexander Campbell says: "A reformation of Popery was attempted in
Europe full three centuries ago. It ended in a Protestant hierarchy, and
swarms of dissenters. Protestantism has been reformed into
Presbyterianism, that into Congregationalism, and that into Baptistism,
etc., etc. Methodism has attempted to reform all, but has reformed
itself into many forms of Wesleyanism. All of them retain in their
bosom--in their ecclesiastical organizations, worship, doctrines, and
observances--various relics of Popery. They are at best a reformation of
Popery, and only reformations in part. The doctrines and traditions of
men yet impair the power and progress of the gospel in their hands." On
Baptism, p.15.
Again, he says: "The worshiping establishments now in operation
throughout Christendom, increased and cemented by their respective
voluminous confessions of faith, and their ecclesiastical constitutions,
are not churches of Jesus Christ, but the legitimate daughters of that
mother of harlots, the church of Rome." How any man could possess as
much light on this subject as did Mr. Campbell, and then build a sect
himself, is more than I can understand.
Lorenzo Dow says of the Romish Church: "If she be the mother, who are
the daughters? It must be the corrupt, national, established churches
that came out of her." Dow's Life, p. 542.
In the Religious Encyclopaedia, Article Antichrist, we read: "The writer
of the book of Revelation tells us he heard a voice from heaven saying,
'Come out of her, my people, that ye partake not of her sins, and
receive not of her plagues.' If such persons are to be found in the
'mother of harlots,' with much less hesitation may it be inferred that
they are connected with her unchaste daughters, those national churches
which are founded upon what are called Protestant principles."
In the Encyclopædia of Religious Knowledge we read: "An important
question, however, says Mr. Jones, stills remains for inquiry: Is
Antichrist confined to the church of Rome? The answer is readily
returned in the affirmative by Protestants in general; and happy had it
been for the world had that been the case. But although we are fully
warranted to consider that church as 'the mother of harlots,' the truth
is that by whatsoever arguments we succeed in fixing that odius charge
upon her, we shall, by parity of reasoning, be obliged to allow other
national churches to be her unchaste daughters, and for this plain
reason, among others, because in their very constitution and tendency
they are hostile to the nature of the kingdom of Christ."
One of Martin Luther's guests remarked that the world might continue
fifty years, and he replied: "Pray God that it may not exist so long;
matters would be even worse than they have been. There would rise up
infinite sects and schisms, which are at present hidden in men's hearts
and nature. No; may the Lord come at once, for there is no amendment to
be expected."
Mr. Hartly, a learned churchman, has remarked as follows: "There are
many prophecies which declare the fall of the ecclesiastical powers of
the Christian world, and though each church seems to flatter itself with
the hope of being exempted, yet it is very plain that the prophetical
characters belong to all. They all have left the true, pure, simple
religion, and teach for doctrines the commandments of men."
Says Mr. Simpson, in Plea for Religion: "We Protestants, too, read the
declaration of the third angel against the worshipers of the beast and
his image, and make ourselves easy under the awful denunciation by
applying it exclusively to the church of Rome; never dreaming that they
are equally applicable not only to the English, but to every church
establishment in Christendom, which retains any of the marks of the
beast. For though the Pope and the church of Rome is at the head of the
grand twelve hundred and sixty years' delusion, yet all other churches,
of whatever denomination, whether established or tolerated, which
partake of the same spirit, or have instituted doctrines and ceremonies
inimical to the pure and unadulterated gospel of Christ, shall sooner or
later share in the fate of that immense fabric of human ordinances."
Says Mr. Hopkins: "There is no reason to consider the antichristian
spirit and practices confined to that which is now called the church of
Rome. The Protestant churches have much of Antichrist in them, and are
far from being wholly reformed from the corruptions and wickedness, in
doctrine and practice, in it. Some churches may be more pure and may
have proceeded farther in a reformation than others; but where can the
church be found which is thoroughly purged from her abominations? None
are wholly clear from an antichristian spirit and the fruits of it....
And as the church of Rome will have a large share in the cup of
indignation and wrath which will be poured out, so all the Christian
world will have a distinguished portion of it: as the inhabitants of it
are much more guilty than others. There is great reason to conclude that
the world, particularly that part of it called Christian and Protestant,
will yet make greater and more rapid advances in all kinds of moral
corruption and open wickedness, till it will come to that state in which
it will be fully ripe and prepared to be cut down by the sickle of
divine justice and wrath."
Mr. O. Scott (Wesleyan Methodist) says: "The church is as deeply
infected with a desire for worldly gain as the world. Most of the
denominations of the present day might be called _churches of the
world_, with more propriety than churches of Christ. The churches have
so far gone from primitive Christianity that they need a fresh
regeneration--a new kind of religion."
Said T. DeWitt Talmage: "I simply state a fact when I say that in many
places the church is surrendering, and the world is conquering.... There
is a mighty host in the Christian church, positively professing
Christianity, who do not believe the Bible, out and out and in and
in.... Oh! we have magnificient church machinery in this country; we
have sixty thousand American ministers; we have costly music; we have
great Sunday-schools; and yet I give you the appalling statistics that
in the last twenty-five years, laying aside last year, the statistics of
which I have not yet seen,--within the last twenty-five years the
churches of God in this country have averaged _less than two conversions
a year_ each! There has been an average of four or five deaths in the
churches. How soon, at that rate, will this world be brought to God? We
gain two; we lose four. Eternal God! what will this come to?"
Bishop Roberts said: "The popular religion of this country is not the
religion of the New Testament. It has some of its features but not all.
It is lacking in grand fundamental elements. It answers many good
purposes--restrains, refines, elevates, and gives to society a high
grade of civilization; but fails to secure the great end which
Christianity is designed to accomplish--the salvation of the soul. It
dazzles but to blind, it promises but to deceive; it allures by worldly
considerations to a heaven of purity, which no worldling can enter; it
gives to its votaries, who long to eat of forbidden fruit, the assurance
of impunity from the threatened evils, and leads them on by siren
strains from the Paradise of purity into the broad road which ends at
last in the blackness of the darkness of an eternal night of despair!"
Says the Golden Rule: "The Protestants are outdoing the Popes in
splendid, extravagant folly in church building. Thousands on thousands
are expended in gay and costly ornaments to gratify pride and a wicked
ambition, that might and should go to redeem the perishing millions!
Does the evil, the folly, and the madness of these proud, formal,
fashionable worshiper, stop here? These splendid monuments of Popish
pride, upon which millions are squandered in our cities, virtually
exclude the poor for whom Christ died, and for whom he came especially
to preach."
The report of the Michigan Yearly Conference, even as long ago as 1851,
published in the True Wesleyan of Nov. 15, says: "The world, commercial,
political, and ecclesiastical are alike, and are together going in the
broad way that leads to death. Politics, commerce, and nominal religion,
all connive at sin, reciprocally aid each other, and unite to crush the
poor. Falsehood is unblushingly uttered in the forum and in the pulpit;
and _sins that would shock the moral sensibilities of the heathen, go
unrebuked in all the great denominations of our land_. These churches
are like the Jewish church when the Savior exclaimed, 'Woe unto you,
scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites.'"
Robert Atkins, in a sermon preached in London, says: "The truly
righteous are diminished from the earth, and no man layeth it to heart.
The professors of religion of the present day, in every church, are
lovers of the world, conformers to the world. Lovers of
creature-comfort, and aspirers after respectability. They are called to
_suffer_ with Christ, but they shrink even from reproach. Apostasy,
_apostasy_, APOSTASY, is engraven on the very front of every church; and
did they know it, and did they feel it, there might be hope; but alas!
they cry 'We are rich, and increased in goods, and stand in need of
nothing.'"
I have by no means exhausted the supply of similar testimonies of
Protestants now before me, but for lack of space I must conclude. In the
face of these amazing facts can any one deny that Protestantism is a
part of great Babylon and is in a fallen condition?
"The merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her
delicacies." A certain writer on this text has said: "Who take the lead
in all the extravagancies of the age? Church-members. Who load their
tables with the richest and choicest viands? Church-members. Who are
foremost in extravagance in dress, and all costly attire?
Church-members. Who are the very personification of pride and arrogance?
Church-members. Where shall we look for the very highest exhibition of
the luxury, even show, and pride of life, resulting from the vanity and
sin of the race? Answer, To a modern church-assembly on a pleasant
Sunday." Though this writer interpreted the text literally, yet he spoke
a vast amount of truth, as every one knows.
Consider, too, the wickedness carried on everywhere in sect Babylon
unrebuked, with the preachers ofttimes in the lead. Shows, festivals,
frolics, grab-bag parties, cake-walk lotteries, kissing-bees, etc., etc.
If the apostle were here to-day and we should inform him of a modern
church entertainment where a bared female foot, projecting from beneath
a curtain, was sold to the highest gentleman bidder, who had the
privilege of kissing its owner and taking her to supper, he would
probably answer, "Have I not told you, 'Babylon is fallen'?" If his
attention was called to the fact that the members of a prominent church,
in a novel entertainment, displayed the likeness of a donkey, minus the
tail, while the members one by one were blindfolded, and, amid the
uproarous laughter of the crowd assembled, were given the detached part
to see who could place it the nearest where it belonged, he would say
with double emphasis, "_Have I not told you_, 'BABYLON THE GREAT IS
FALLEN, IS FALLEN, AND IS BECOME THE HABITATION OF DEVILS, AND THE HOLD
OF EVERY FOUL SPIRIT, AND A CAGE OF EVERY UNCLEAN AND HATEFUL BIRD'?"
The "abominations" are by no means confined to the _mother_ in the
Revelation, but are also to be found in abundance in connection with her
harlot daughters.
4. And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of
her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that
ye receive not of her plagues.
5. For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath
remembered her iniquities.
6. Reward her even as she rewarded yon, and double unto her
double according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled
fill to her double.
7. How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously,
so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart,
I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.
8. Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and
mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire:
for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.
Here we have a number of important truths brought before us--first, that
God had a people in Babylon who up to this time were free from her
contaminations; second, that they received a positive call from heaven
to "come out"; third, that all who refused to obey the heavenly command
would become partakers of her sins and receive of her plagues; fourth,
that those who came out were to pour the strongest judgments upon
Babylon--"reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her
double according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled, fill to
her double." It is evident that the "torment and sorrow" which God's
people give Babylon after their departure is not a temporal
retaliation--for they never indulge in such, and the Word of God forbids
it--but is altogether of a spiritual nature; hence the fierce judgment
they inflict is executing the Word of truth, which brings to light all
the wickedness and abominations contained therein. "Death, and mourning,
and famine" only remain. This symbolizes that all spiritual life has
departed, while famine and mourning are left. That such is the actual
fact is shown by the following lamentation of the late Bishop R.S.
Foster concerning his own sect, the Methodist Episcopal:
"The ball, the theatre, nude and lewd art, social luxuries, with all
their loose moralities, are making inroads into the sacred enclosure of
the church; and as a satisfaction for all this worldliness, Christians
are making a great deal of Lent and Easter and Good Friday, and church
ornamentations. It is the old trick of Satan. The Jewish church struck
on that rock; the Romish church was wrecked on the same; and the
Protestant church is fast reaching the same doom.
"Our great dangers as we see them, are assimilation to the world,
neglect of the poor, substitution of the form for the fact of godliness,
abandonment of discipline, a hireling ministry, an impure gospel, which
summed up is a fashionable church. That Methodists should be liable to
such an outcome, and that there should be signs of it in a hundred years
from the 'sail-loft,' seems almost the miracle of history; but who that
looks about him to-day can fail to see the fact?
"Do not Methodists, in violation of God's Word and their own discipline,
dress as extravagantly and as fashionably as any other class? Do not the
ladies, and even the wives and daughters of the ministry, put on 'gold
and pearls and costly array'? Would not the plain dress insisted upon by
John Wesley and Bishop Asbury, and worn by Hester Ann Rodgers, Lady
Huntington, and many others equally distinguished, be now regarded in
Methodist circles as fanaticism? Can any one going into the Methodist
church in any of our chief cities distinguish the attire of the
communicants from that of the theater and ball-goers? Is not worldliness
seen in the music? Elaborately dressed and ornamented choirs, who in
many cases make no profession of religion and are often sneering
skeptics, go through a cold artistic or operatic performance, which is
as much in harmony with spiritual worship as an opera or theater. Under
such worldly performances spirituality is frozen to death.
"Formerly every Methodist attended class and gave testimony of
experimental religion. Now the class-meeting is attended by very few,
and in many churches abandoned. Seldom the stewards, trustees and elders
of the church attend class. Formerly nearly every Methodist prayed,
testified or exhorted in prayer-meeting. Now but very few are heard.
Formerly shouts and praises were heard; now such demostrations of holy
enthusiasm and joy are regarded as fanaticism.
"Worldly socials, and fairs, festivals, concerts and such like have
taken the place of religious gatherings, revival meetings, class and
prayer meetings of earlier days. How true that the Methodist discipline
is a dead letter! Its rules forbid the wearing of gold or pearls or
costly array; yet no one ever thinks of disciplining its members for
violating them. They forbid the reading of such books and the taking of
such diversions as do not minister to godliness, yet the church itself
goes to frolics and festivals and fairs, which destroy the spiritual
life of the young, as well as the old. The extent to which this is now
carried on is appalling. The _spiritual death it carries in its train_
will only be known when _the millions it has swept into hell_ shall
stand before the judgment.
"The early Methodist ministers went forth to sacrifice and to suffer for
Christ. They sought not places of ease and affluence, but of privation
and suffering. They gloried not in their big salaries, fine parsonages,
and refined congregations, but in the souls that had been won for Jesus.
Oh, _how changed!_ A hireling ministry will be a feeble, a timid, a
truckling, a timeserving ministry, without faith, endurance, and holy
power. Methodism formerly dealt in the great central truth. Now the
pulpits deal largely in the generalities and in popular lectures. The
glorious doctrine of entire sanctification is rarely heard and seldom
witnessed in the pulpits."
This lengthy quotation shows clearly the spiritual condition of
Methodism, and certainly she is no worse than the rest. God is calling
his people out of "all the places where they have been scattered in the
cloudy and dark day." Ezek. 34:12. Those who refuse to walk in the light
will go into darkness. God help people to "flee out of the midst of
Babylon, and deliver every man his soul."
9. And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication
and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for
her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning,
10. Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas,
alas that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour
is thy judgment come.
11. And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over
her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more:
12. The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones,
and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and
scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory,
and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and
iron, and marble,
13. And cinnamon, and odors, and ointments, and frankincense,
and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and
sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men.
14. And the fruits that thy soul lusted after are departed from
thee, and all things which were dainty and goodly are departed
from thee, and thou shalt find them no more at all.
15. The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her,
shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and
wailing,
16. And saying, Alas, alas that great city, that was clothed in
fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and
precious stones, and pearls!
17. For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every
shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as
many as trade by sea, stood afar off,
18. And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying,
What city is like unto this great city!
19. And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and
wailing, saying, Alas, alas that great city, wherein were made
rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness!
for in one hour is she made desolate.
In this description we have a continuation of the judgments of Babylon
already introduced. It must be borne in mind, however, that this is the
spiritual judgments following her moral fall, and not her final and
everlasting literal destruction. The latter is described under another
symbol a little further on in this series of prophecy.
The symbol here is that of a great city, the grand metropolis of the
world, the mart of earth's commerce; a superb city, their [_sic_] being
no end to its luxuries and magnificence. In it everything that can
minister to the appetite, gratify the taste, and feed the pride of the
human soul is to be found in profusion, being described at length. This
great city is suddenly afire, and her merchants and the great men of the
world who sustain her are overwhelmed with sorrow at the sight of all
their wealth disappearing. Thus is great sect Babylon represented. She
is a mighty city extending not only over the Apocalyptic earth, but, as
symbolized by the ship-masters, sailors, and foreign traders, over the
whole world. Suddenly she is set on fire by heaven's truth and her
spiritual magnificence destroyed. The apostle Paul describes the great
apostasy as a system that the "Lord shall _consume_ with the spirit of
his mouth, and shall _destroy_ with the brightness of his coming." 2
Thes. 2:8. That spiritual consumption is now taking place in accordance
with the symbols of this chapter, but the entire literal destruction of
old Babylon will take place coincident "with the brightness of his
coming," as described in the following chapter.
That sectarians are greatly alarmed over the sad condition of their
fallen churches is clearly shown by the many quotations already given
from Protestant writers. They may not be aware that it is a judgment
from heaven upon man-made organizations; but such we know it to be in
the light of eternal truth. Not only are they bewailing the loss of
spiritual life and the desolating famine in sectdom, as was Bishop
Foster and others, but they are beginning to tremble for their own
safety and to wonder what the final outcome of it all will be. Wherever
the gospel truth has been preached in all its purity, the sectarian
denominations have been left destitute of spiritual life; for the
children of God have heard his call, "Come out of her, my people," and
have made their escape to Zion. Hence the ministers of Babylon cry out
continually, "Stop! you are tearing our churches down," "You are taking
our best members away from us," etc. But we can not withhold the truth;
for the time has come when God is gathering his people together out of
all the "places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark
day" (Ezek. 34:12) into the one church that Jesus built. "Babylon is
fallen, is fallen."
20. Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and
prophets; for God hath avenged you on her.
This verse is so clear that it requires no special explanation. God's
people are delivered from sect Babylon; and while the judgments of
eternal truth are being poured out upon her, all heaven and earth is
called upon to rejoice and to give glory to God.
"We stand in the glory that Jesus has given,
The moon as the day-spring doth shine;
The light of the sun is now equal to seven,
So bright is the glory divine.
"Now filled with the Spirit and clad in the armor
Of light and omnipotent truth,
We'll testify ever and Jesus we'll honor,
And stand from sin Babel aloof.
"The prophet's keen vision transpiercing the ages,
Beheld us to Zion return;
We'll sing of our freedom, though Babylon rages,
We'll shout as her city doth burn."
21. And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone,
and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that
great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at
all.
22. And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, and
trumpeters, shall be heard no more at all in thee; and no
craftsman, of whatsoever craft he be, shall be found any more in
thee; and the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more at all
in thee;
23. And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in
thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be
heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great
men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations
deceived.
24. And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints,
and of all that were slain upon the earth.
Following the moral fall of Babylon and the call of God's people out of
her, a mighty angel predicts her eternal doom. "With violence shall that
great city Babylon be thrown down, and _shall be found no more at all_."
This doubtless has reference to the entire city of Babylon in all her
divisions brought to view in this series of prophecy and shows her final
destruction at the coming of Christ, when she shall suddenly be thrown
with terrific force, like a great millstone descending into the sea, and
"shall be found no more at all." According to the symbols here given she
will be like a city completely destroyed, not one inhabitant or living
creature remaining. Thus her eternal doom is pictured and remains to be
yet fulfilled.
"And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all
that were slain upon the earth." We have already shown that
Protestantism, as well as her mother Romanism, has been guilty of
shedding innocent blood; and as the term Babylon includes both these
divisions, when the great city is thrown down with violence, Romanism
and Protestantism will sink together, and then this awful treasure--the
blood of prophets and of saints--shall be brought to light in that last
great day of God Almighty.
CHAPTER XIX.
And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in
heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honor, and
power, unto the Lord our God:
2. For true and righteous are his judgments: for he hath judged
the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her
fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her
hand.
3. And again they said, Alleluia. And her smoke rose up for ever
and ever.
4. And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down
and worshipped God that sat on the throne, saying, Amen;
Alleluia.
5. And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God,
all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great.
6. And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as
the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty
thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent
reigneth.
7. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him: for the
marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself
ready.
8. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine
linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness
of saints.
9. And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are
called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto
me, These are the true sayings of God.
10. And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me,
See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren
that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony
of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.
The scene of this vision is laid in heaven. John heard a great voice of
much people saying, "Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honor, and
power, unto the Lord our God." This great song of praise doubtless came
from the lips of the angelic throng; for immediately the four living
creatures and the four and twenty elders reechoed the same shout of
praise, saying, "Amen; Alleluia." Then came a voice from the throne
calling upon the servants of God, both small and great, to unite on this
occasion in one grand and sacred song of praise; and this sublime chorus
fell upon the ear of the enraptured apostle "as it were the voice of a
great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of
mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent
reigneth. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him for the
marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife [or bride] hath made herself
ready." Was not here a hearty response to that call, "Rejoice over her
thou heaven"? While this scene shows the interest all heaven takes in
these wondrous scenes of earth, it is doubtless intended especially to
represent the joy and thanksgiving of God's people who have "gotten the
victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over
the number of his name."
The marriage of the Lamb which was about to take place was a special
theme of joy on this occasion. In the Scripture the term _marriage_ is
frequently used to represent a special union between Christ and his
people. Thus, the early church was represented as being free because of
the death of the law, that they "should be _married_ to another, even to
him who is raised from the dead." Rom. 7:4. So, also, the eternal union
of Christ with his people is here described under the figure of
marriage. In one sense they have been married to Christ all through this
dispensation; in another sense they have not. The church has had the
promise of this eternal union, hence she has been betrothed to Christ;
but left in the world, she has been driven into the wilderness, while a
corrupt and drunken prostitute and her harlot daughters have been in the
public view. Now, however, the judgments of God have descended upon
Babylon, and the bride of Christ appears in all her beauty again,
"arrayed in fine linen, clean and white"; and the next great event is
her public marriage to Christ when he comes to claim her as his own.
The marriage scene is one of the most joyful that we witness on earth,
and among Eastern nations especially was celebrated with great pomp and
magnificence, the joy and splendor of the occasion being enhanced
according to the rank and wealth of the parties. But earth has never
witnessed such an event as this special _marriage of the Lamb_. Well may
the inhabitants of heaven and earth, in view of this sublime spectacle,
swell the song of praise--"Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to
him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made
herself ready." The special preparations that the bride is making
represents the glorious holiness reformation that is now sweeping over
the world, gathering God's people together for the splendid event.
"Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the
Lamb."
"These are the true sayings of God." They are almost too glorious to be
believed; still, they are no idle dreams of fancy: they are true, yea
"the true sayings of God." In the contemplation of such a wonderful
event, the beloved apostle was carried away, as it were, with holy
enthusiasm, and he fell at the feet of the angel to worship. We do not
know just what the motives or impressions were that caused him to do
this. But his soul was full, full to overflowing, and he could not but
adore and worship. The angel, however, refused the homage thus offered,
by the declaration that he himself, also, was the servant of Christ and
one of the brethren that had the testimony of Jesus; "for the testimony
of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." The idea is: "I am a fellowservant
with you, and we both have his testimony. You bear witness to him now in
this present generation; I bear witness to those who are to come. You
witness now of his death and resurrection; I tell of his future glory
and triumphs. We are both, therefore, engaged in the same good work. The
testimony of Jesus and the spirit of prophecy are the same. To God,
therefore, we must both bow." See remarks on chap. 1:1.
11. And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he
that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in
righteousness he doth judge and make war.
12. His eyes were as a flame _of_ fire, and on his head were
many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he
himself.
13. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his
name is called The Word of God.
14. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white
horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.
15. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he
should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of
iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath
of Almighty God.
16. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written,
KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.
That the person described in this vision is Christ is questioned by no
one. He is the same one who appeared to John in the beginning. Then he
stood in the midst of the seven golden candle-sticks, the sure defense
of the churches, holding the seven stars in his right hand. Now,
however, he appears from the opened heavens on a white horse, his
mission "to judge and make war." The description of his person, his
names, and his attributes, unmistakably proclaim him the Son of God. He
is the "faithful and true," the name by which he made himself known to
the churches of Philadelphia and Laodicea. "His eyes as a flame of fire"
denotes omniscience; and as a searcher of all hearts he made himself
known to the church of Thyatira. "Many crowns" are a symbol of supreme
sovereignty and doubtless signify his many victories. "And he had a name
written which no man knew but he himself." He had names by which he
might be known to mortals; but he had one name that no created
intelligence could understand: it was known only to him. What that name
was, of course, is not given; it could not be. If the human mind could
not conceive it, human language could not convey it. We can know him as
the Faithful and true Witness, as the Word of God, and as King of kings
and Lord of lords; but there is one name that we can not know. His
"vesture dipped in blood" refers, not to the blood of atonement, but to
the blood of his enemies sprinkled upon his raiment in treading the
winepress of God's wrath, and denotes that he was going forth to the
dread work of vengeance. To this I shall refer more fully hereafter. His
name is also called "the Word of God," which, when used as a personal
appellation in the Scriptures, always signifies Jesus Christ.
Before considering his mission further and the armies that accompanied
him, I wish to call special attention to the nature and the chronology
of this event. If the present series of prophetic symbols (which begin
with chap. 17) is a narrative of continuous events reaching to the end,
then the vision before us is a description of the second coming of
Christ, the event which was just previously announced and for which the
bride had made herself ready. The usual interpretation given it is, that
it is a sublime description of the servants of Christ going forth under
his direction to spread the truth everywhere among the nations--in
short, that it is the triumph of gospel truth over error under the
_providential_ government of Christ. That such a meaning can be derived
from the vision by taking it in a _figurative_ sense there can be no
doubt, and this is what commentators generally do. They make the whole a
figurative description of the triumph of the gospel, Christ being
present only by his superintending providence. It is made simply a
highly poetic description of the victory of truth and righteousness. In
this case, however, the principles of symbolic language are clearly
abandoned and a mere ordinary figurative meaning given. If we follow
strictly the laws of symbolic language, as we manifestly ought, we shall
be compelled to take another view of it.
In the first place, if this does not describe the actual coming of
Christ, then his second coming is nowhere described in the Revelation.
That so great an event should merely be alluded to in a few places and
nowhere symbolically described seems incredible. At the judgment scene
brought to view in the following chapter the presence of Christ is
_assumed_, but it is not stated. Again, there are no victories of love
and mercy described at all in the vision before us; but, on the
contrary, it is a scene of fearful judgment--a terrible treading of "the
winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God," the complete
overthrow of every opposing power; while the beast and the false prophet
are represented as taken and cast alive into a lake of fire burning with
brimstone. Surely, this is not the work of the church of God. But let it
be remembered especially that this last event takes place under the
_seventh_ plague, which is the "filling up" of the wrath of God, and
that Christ previously announced under the sixth vial, "Behold, _I come_
as a thief." Christ comes in reality when this seventh plague occurs. To
represent the glorious triumphs of Christianity by the mission of the
church, the gospel and the Holy Spirit, under the symbol of Christ,
going forth to judge, to make war, and to tread the winepress of God's
wrath, is at war with every principle of symbolic language.
But can this vision of Christ upon a white horse denote a mere
providential superintendence, such as Christ constantly exercises over
the church and its spiritual affairs on earth? Certainly not by any
principle of symbolic language. Throughout the whole prophecy thus far
we have seen that whenever any symbolic agent is brought upon the
panorama, whether horseman, or beasts, or locusts, or harlot, or
whatever else, it always denotes some corresponding agents appearing on
earth and beginning their appropriate work. The symbolic agent is real.
But here is a symbolic appearance of Christ. By what law could such a
symbolic appearance represent merely a providential superintendence? And
if his appearance was necessary in this case, why was it not necessary
in every event, to show that it was done under his direction? Again, if
this symbolic appearance of Christ is not his real appearance, how can
we tell that there is any reality in the appearance of the horsemen of
the first four seals, the ten-horned beast, or the harlot woman? What
right have we to remove one agent from the panorama as an actual agent
there any more than another? And if this is not his real appearance,
upon what principle of interpretation can we ever establish the fact of
his second coming? It is evident to all that, if we can turn this agent
into a mere providential one, we can do the same with another, and thus
set aside his second coming altogether. Then, what shall we say in the
next chapter when some one steals our weapons and declares that the
great white throne before which all the dead, small and great, stand is
nothing but that providential government of God under which all sinners
pass condemnation upon themselves and their sins find them out? If we
can deal thus with symbols, we can do anything with them and can make
out any meaning we please.
The laws of symbolic language require us to take the appearance of
Christ in this vision just as we do the appearance of any other agent,
as a real event. We can not consistently give it any other meaning. His
_symbolic_ appearance must represent his _real_ appearance; otherwise,
it can never be represented by anything. Jesus appears in his own name
and person because there is no other that can represent his infinite
dignity and majesty. And the symbols connected with him denote the
object of his mission and the work which he performs. His white horse
shows him now a glorious conqueror; his crowns denote his supreme
dominion; the sword of his mouth and his vesture dipped in blood denote
the dread work of vengeance upon his enemies; while the army following
him doubtless denotes the "ten thousands of his saints" that accompany
him when he comes. Jude 14. The bride has already prepared herself for
his coming, and now the eternal union takes place. "Blessed are they
which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb."
17. And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a
loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of
heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of
the great God;
18. That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of
captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses;
and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both
free and bond, both small and great.
19. And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their
armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on
the horse, and against his army.
20. And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that
wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that
had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his
image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning
with brimstone.
21. And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat
upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all
the fowls were filled with their flesh.
The foregoing explanation so nearly covers this ground that little
remains to be said. The symbol is that of vast slaughter on a
battle-field, which gathers all the birds of heaven and the beasts of
the forest to the prey. The enemies gathered for this battle were "the
beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies," together with the
false prophet. This is the grand confederacy of wickedness formed under
the mission of the three unclean spirits that went forth, not only unto
the kings of the earth, but also into the whole world. This is not a
literal collecting of armies, hence not a literal slaughter upon a
battlefield, nor a literal assembling of carrion birds; but it is a
symbolic representation of the final and eternal destruction of the
allied powers of sin. As will be further described in the following
chapter, they were gathered together for the purpose of overthrowing the
church of God and anticipated a complete victory in the battle of
Armageddon; but the sudden appearance of Jesus Christ to rescue his
bride results in their complete overthrow. The special theme of this
series of prophecy has been the history of apostate Christendom; hence
the beast and the false prophet are represented as being taken and
thrown into the lake of fire burning with brimstone. "The remnant" that
were slain refers to the other powers of wickedness not embraced in
Catholicism and Protestantism This series being now traced to its close,
the narrative returns to take up another important theme of prophetic
truth.
CHAPTER XX.
And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the
bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.
2. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is
the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years.
3. And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and
set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more,
till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he
must be loosed a little season.
It is commonly supposed that the events here described are to occur at
the second advent; but by considering carefully the different things
enumerated in this chapter--the binding of the dragon; then a thousand
years; after that the Armageddon battle; and last of all the judgment
scene, in which all the dead, both small and great, are rewarded, and
all the powers of wickedness cast into the lake of fire--it will be seen
at once that this is not a continuation of the series of prophecy
immediately preceding, but an entirely new theme, running partly
parallel with that series, and both ending at the same point--the second
coming of Christ and the general judgment, in which the lake of fire is
the final doom of the combined powers of wickedness. In that series the
beast and the false prophet--Romanism and Protestantism--were the chief
powers of evil under consideration; in this series the dragon feature
predominates. If this be not true, then there will be two judgment
scenes and the wicked cast into the lake of fire twice. Positive proof
of the position here taken will be given as we proceed.
The power here referred to as "the Devil and Satan" is also denominated
"the dragon." This use of the definite article shows clearly that a
particular character is designated--_the_ dragon--and implies that the
object has already been introduced. In his first appearance upon the
symbolic panorama (chap. 12:3) he is simply styled _a_ dragon, but in
every subsequent instance he is called _the_ dragon, which proves that
the same character is meant. In addition to the former remarks on
chapter 12:9 relative to the terms applied to this antichristian power,
the following quotation from the People's Cyclopædia will throw some
light on the subject: "In the mythical history and legendary poetry of
almost every nation, the dragon appears as the emblem of the destructive
and anarchistic principle.... Like the serpent, the dragon is always a
minister of evil ... the object of which is to fight order, harmony, and
progress. In Christian art, the dragon is the emblem of sin.... It is
often represented as crushed under the feet of saints and martyrs....
Sometimes its prostrate attitude signifies the triumph of Christianity
over Paganism." Art. Dragon. Considering this usage of these terms for
ages, it is not strange that they were applied also to that great
antichristian, persecuting system of Paganism, which stood before
Christianity as its greatest barrier to "order, harmony, and progress."
The angel that overthrew this public system of Pagan infidelity
symbolizes the primitive host of Christians, the ministers in
particular. Some have supposed that he represented Christ; but, as
already shown conclusively, Christ can not be symbolized by an inferior
intelligence, hence always appears upon the scene in his own character,
proclaiming his own eternal name. The fact that this angel possessed the
key of the bottomless pit is no proof that he is Christ, even though in
chapter 1:18 Jesus is said to have certain keys; for in chapter 9:1 we
find that a _fallen star_--the symbol of Mohammed--is said to have "the
key of the bottomless pit" also. At the most, this expression is only a
symbol of power and authority, be it good or bad. In the gospel the same
figure is applied to God's ministers, where they are given authority to
bind the powers of wickedness on earth. Mat. 16:19; 18:18. The chain is
a symbol of the power to bind.
When Christianity first commenced its warfare with this huge system of
error, almost the entire then-known world was under its deceptive
influence; but by a long conflict, in which thousands of the noble
followers of the Lamb were slaughtered, this antichristian public system
of Pagan infidelity was at last completely overthrown, and the final
result was, that the civilized world became as completely Christian
(nominally at least) as it ever had been Pagan. This great
transformation could never have been effected without the undying
heroism and whole-hearted consecration of the first disciples of Christ.
From this time the dragon _as such_--as a public deceiver of the nations
throughout the Apocalyptic earth--was overthrown. This marks the
beginning of the thousand years mentioned.
Since many of the principles of heathenism were copied by the church of
Rome, it may be difficult for some to understand at first why it is said
that the dragon no longer deceived the nations after being cast down by
primitive Christianity; but this becomes clear when we consider what the
dragon really was and what the church of Rome was understood to be. A
time came when the entire civilized world knew that heathenism as such
was wrong and rejected the very idea of a plurality of gods; but they
were led to believe that they could adapt many of their former rites and
ceremonies to the worship of the one true God in whom they believed and
thereby render acceptable service to him, and were sure that the Romish
church was the one true apostolic church. It was not the dragon, or
heathenism, that then deceived them; it was Christianity--_a false
Christianity_. The manner in which the people were deceived during the
time following the casting down of heathenism in the beginning has
already been considered in chapters XII, XIII, XVII, XVIII, etc.,
covering the same period of time included in the one thousand years in
the vision before us.
We can not apply this period specified as literally one thousand years
without varying from every principle of time prophecy in the Revelation,
for they are all symbolic; neither can we apply it according to the
usual year-day method, which, signifying three hundred and sixty
thousand years, would throw this series of events out of harmony with
the time-periods allotted to the other themes of truth running over the
same ground and terminating at the same point--the general judgment.
Therefore, to be consistent, we shall have to apply it as (so far as
human knowledge of the exact dates is concerned) an indefinite length of
time, on the same principle that "the hour of temptation" in chapter
3:10, the three and one-half days in chapter 11:9, and the "hour" in
which the ten kingdoms receive power with the beast (chap. 17:12), etc.,
are applied.
4. And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was
given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded
for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had
not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had
received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and
they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
5. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand
years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
6. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first
resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they
shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him
a thousand years.
We have in this description another division of the subject
introduced--a history of God's people, or one phase of the church,
during the same thousand years following the casting down of the dragon.
"They lived and reigned with Christ." It was those who had "part in the
first resurrection" that were exalted to this honored position with
Christ. Millenarians always _assume_ that this refers to a literal
resurrection at the second coming of Christ, but no such thing is hinted
at. Not one word is said about literally resurrected saints reigning.
John says, "I saw the _souls_ of them which were beheaded for the
witness of Jesus ... and _they_ lived and reigned with Christ a thousand
years." Nothing whatever is said about any reign on earth at all; but
the description shows plainly that it was disembodied spirits that were
reigning with Christ in Paradise during the period that followed the
casting down of the dragon, which was in reality one of long apostasy
and darkness on earth. Before and during this conflict with Paganism the
church of God was publicly triumphant on earth. Afterward, during the
apostasy, a false church was, in the public view, triumphant, while the
church of God was crowded out of sight into the wilderness. However, the
reign of God's saints did not cease; for when they were slaughtered by
their relentless persecutors and deprived of their reign on earth, they
were, as symbolized by the man-child, caught up to God and to his throne
and there "lived and reigned with Christ" during the thousand years
under consideration.
This same thought concerning the reign of the martyrs in Paradise while
the powers of evil triumphed on earth, was brought to view on the
opening of the fifth seal in chapter 6:9-11. "And when he had opened the
fifth seal, I saw under the altar the _souls of them that were slain_
for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: and they
cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost
thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? And
white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto
them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their
fellowservants also and their brethren, _that should be killed as they
were_ should be fulfilled." This quotation will make clear one point
concerning the refusal of the martyrs to worship the beast and his
image. We are not to understand that every soul of the martyrs John saw
in these visions reigned during the entire period under consideration;
but he beheld the reign of the saints above during the one thousand
years, and he saw there the souls of all the martyrs--such as had been
slain in the early days of Christianity (chap. 12:11); such as refused
to worship the beast and were martyred therefor (chap. 13:7); and also,
such as "should be killed as they were" (chap. 6:11) and were put to
death shortly after the formation of the image of the beast. Chap.
13:15; 16:6.
This company of souls that the apostle saw reigning with Christ above
were those who had had part "in the first resurrection," which had made
them "blessed and holy." They were not on earth; they were disembodied
spirits above, hence had not been literally resurrected. The Scriptures
clearly teach that mankind in their ordinary condition are "_dead_ in
trespasses and in sins," and that through salvation, which makes them
"blessed and holy," they are "quickened" to a new life in Christ. Eph.
2:1. That this is Scripturally "the first resurrection" is proved most
positively by the words of Christ--"Verily, verily, I say unto you, the
hour is coming, _and now is_, when the _dead_ shall hear the voice of
the Son of God: and they that hear _shall live_. He that heareth my
word, and believeth on him that sent me, _hath_ everlasting life, and
shall not come into condemnation, but is _passed from death unto life_."
John 5:25, 24. Although many other proofs could easily be given, this of
itself is sufficient to establish the point that the host of early
Christians who had "passed from death unto life" in Christ and who gave
their lives gladly for the sake of Christ, constituted the ones referred
to as having had "part in the first resurrection." According to verse 6
it was only on those who had part in the first resurrection that the
second death had no power. The church at Smyrna received the sure
promise from Christ himself that they should "not be hurt of the second
death" (chap. 2:11); and this shows beyond all question that even at
that early date they had had part in this first resurrection that makes
men blessed and holy.
It is the trick of Beelzebub to deceive souls by causing them to
overlook the fact that this first resurrection that made men blessed and
holy is of a spiritual nature and to fix their hopes in two literal
resurrections at the end. There will be but one literal resurrection
then, as is clearly shown by the account given of the judgment in this
chapter, verses 11-15. The writer of the Revelation declared positively,
"Behold, he cometh with clouds: and _every eye_ shall see him, and they
also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because
of him." Chap. 1:7. If this does not prove that there is but one literal
resurrection when Christ comes, then I would not know how to state such
a fact if I desired. Furthermore, Jesus himself, in the same chapter in
which he described "the first resurrection," says most positively that
all the literal dead shall be resurrected at the same time. "Marvel not
at this," he says: "the _hour_ is coming, in the which all that are in
the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have
done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil,
unto the resurrection of damnation." John 5:28, 29. This _hour_
certainly can not signify more than a short period of time. In their
efforts to prove two literal resurrections, millenarians always quote
with emphasis, "The dead in Christ shall rise first." 1 Thes. 4:16. In
doing so they, either ignorantly or wilfully, wrest the Scriptures to
their own destruction; for any one can see at a glance that no such
thing as two resurrections is even hinted at. Verses 15-17 simply teach
this, that the righteous who are living on the earth at the time Christ
appears will not ascend to heaven _before_ the righteous dead are
resurrected, but the dead will rise first, then they will all be caught
up together at one and the same time. The wicked are not mentioned in
this connection; for, as stated, Paul was writing this only for the
comfort and the edification of the church. In the following chapter,
however, their "sudden destruction" at the second coming of Christ is
mentioned as a warning to the church.
It is evident that the first resurrection as applied in this connection
specified particularly that phase of the church which, as symbolized by
the man-child, was caught up to God through martyrdom and there "lived
and reigned with Christ." The other phase of the church, symbolized by
the woman, is not said to reign with Christ a thousand years, but, on
the other hand, is represented as driven into the wilderness, her public
reign on earth being ended by the holy city being trodden under foot of
a profane multitude of apostate beast-worshipers; and the two witnesses,
clothed in sackcloth, were prophesying only in a few isolated,
individual hearts.
A careful study of this scripture, taken in connection with others in
the Revelation applying to the same object, will show that all God's
people, both those here brought to view during the thousand years and
those following that period, are spoken of as dead people resurrected
and reigning. They are considered under two phases--those who, as
symbolized by the man-child, were caught up to God through martyrdom and
there lived and reigned with Christ; and those who, as symbolized by the
woman, were deprived of their public reign on earth and were driven into
the wilderness during the same period. The first phase were "priests of
God and of Christ" and reigned with him in Paradise (chap. 6:9-11); but
"the rest," the phase symbolized by the woman, did not live and enjoy
their public reign again, as in the early days of Christianity, until
the expiration of the thousand-year period. It is true that individuals
on earth received life from God and were thus spiritually resurrected
during the thousand-year period; but the dominant beast-power martyred
them by thousands, the two witnesses were then in their sack-cloth
state, and thus the public triumphal reign of the saints on earth
ceased. The statement of verse five that "the rest of the dead lived not
again until the thousand years were finished" should be applied not in
an individual, but in a general sense, the same as the reign above
during the same period is considered. There is also some doubt as to the
authenticity of this sentence. It is not found in the Vatican
Manuscript, which is one of the oldest in existence; and the Syriac
Version, which has come down to us from early days through an entirely
separate channel, does not contain it. However, it is evident that the
phase of the church symbolized by the woman actually reigns triumphantly
on earth after the thousand years is finished; for verses 7-9 of this
chapter show that the dragon, combined with Gog and Magog, goes forth on
the breadth of the earth to compass the camp of the saints just before
the end of time.
The fact that the reign of God's people on earth is divided into two
distinct periods is shown also by other prophecies. In the seventh
chapter of Daniel is recorded a vision of four great beasts, symbolizing
the Babylonian, Medo-Persian, Grecian, and Roman empires. Verse 18,
connected with Dan. 2:31-44, shows that the saints were to possess the
kingdom of God before the overthrow of all these four kingdoms, which
was actually fulfilled by Jesus Christ appearing during the reign of the
Roman empire and planting the kingdom of God in the earth. See Mark
1:15; Luke 12:32; 16:16; Col. 1:13. Then follows a description of the
rise of the Papacy, which was to "_wear out the saints of the most
High_" for a time, times, and the dividing of times--three and one-half
times, or forty-two months, or, prophetically, twelve hundred and sixty
years. This, as before explained, reaches to the year A.D. 1530. During
this period the public reign of the saints on earth ceased. Then
immediately following it is said, "The judgment shall sit, and they
shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it _unto the
end_." This does not refer to the final judgment; it is a spiritual
judgment that commences before that time and continues "_unto the end_."
For example of a similar _judgment_ see Acts 7:7.
God had a people during the Protestant era who walked in all the light
they possessed and who were filled with judgment against the beast-power
that had worn out the saints for ages. And though in places some were
put to death for refusing to worship the image of the beast that
lifeless professors had set up, yet there were from time to time
reformations that resurrected many people to life in Christ. A little
later, however, the real spiritual reign of the saints is perfectly
restored in the pure gospel light of the evening time, and now the next
verse is fulfilled, which says, "And the kingdom and dominion, and the
greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the
people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting
kingdom." It is only reasonable to suppose that the public reign on
earth would commence gradually and would finally reach its perfect
fulfilment, just the same as it ceased gradually in the beginning.
Therefore we can not point to a definite date exactly marking the end of
the thousand years, any more than we can locate exactly the time of its
commencement; but we must be satisfied just to consider this symbolic
expression as covering a long period of time during which these
important phases of deep truth are considered merely from a general
standpoint.
This special reign of a thousand years above is doubtless brought to our
view for the express purpose of making the history of the triumph of
Christianity continuous. When interrupted on earth, the scene is
suddenly transferred to Paradise; then when the woman comes out of the
wilderness and the public reign on earth begins again, while the woman
is being prepared as a bride for the coming of the Lamb, the scene, as
the following description in verse 9 also will show, is again
transferred to earth. The reign above does not in reality cease with the
expiration of the thousand years, but we are permitted to obtain a view
of it only for that length of time during the down-trodden state of the
church on earth. This reign of the martyrs' above is placed in direct
contrast with the public reign on earth during the same time, which
consisted of multitudes of people worshiping the beast, recieving his
image and his mark. What the "thrones" on which they sat and the
"judgment" given them signifies, I do not know for certain, but it is
doubtless the same exalted privilege and authority which Christ promised
to all his over-comers--to sit with him on his throne. Chap. 3:21.
7. And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be
loosed out of his prison,
8. And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four
quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to
battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.
9. And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed
the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire
came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.
10. And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of
fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are,
and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
The loosing of Satan, or the dragon, is the first important point to be
considered. Before this matter can be rightly understood, however, we
must take into account carefully certain facts regarding his binding. It
was not the dragon as a political power that Christianity attacked (it
did not labor to that end), but it was its huge public system of false
belief that was overthrown. This great system, as opposed to
Christianity, can all be summed up under the one word _infidelity_.
_Infidel_ signifies "a heathen; one who disbelieves in Christ, or the
divine origin and authority of Christianity."--Webster. This system was
positively an antichristian power that sought by every possible means to
destroy the religion of Jesus and to blot out his very name. It failed
in the attempt. It was bound. During the long reign of Popery, when the
doctrine was be-a-Catholic-or-die, infidelity could not publicly lift
its head in the sense in which it was cast down by the early Christians.
It had no power over the nations of the Apocalyptic earth to then
deceive them; but they were greatly deceived by a false Christianity
until almost all the world wondered after the beast. The release of the
dragon, then, in order to be entirely satisfactory and consistent, must
embrace the following points: First, it must at least include the
development of a great public antichristian power whose avowed object is
to destroy the whole fabric of Christianity. Second, being bound by
divine power, his release must be the result of divine permission for a
special purpose. Third, the scene of his imprisonment must necessarily
be the place of his release; namely, the earth--the Apocalyptic
earth--the territory of the Roman empire.
We find all these requirements meeting a most perfect fulfilment in the
events described under the pouring out of the first vial, which was done
by the direction of Him that sat upon the throne. A sufficient history
of that fearful system of infidelity which, through the labors of
Voltaire and his coadjutors, spread throughout all Europe has already
been given. The very object of the leaders of this movement was the
extermination of the Christian religion, and their secret watchword was
"Crush the wretch," meaning Jesus Christ. The dragon was loose in all
his terrible features. The Pagans upheld a false belief; these modern
worshipers of the dragon did likewise and publicly exalted the "Goddess
of Reason" as an object of devotion, setting aside every tenth day for
their hellish orgies in her honor. The former endeavored to overthrow
the Christian religion; the latter had for its special aim the utter
destruction of everything Christian either in name or in character. This
devilish system spread over all Europe and almost undermined the whole
fabric of society, and threatened to convert the world from Christianity
to the worship of the Goddess of Reason. Its foothold gained was so
extensive and its effects so far-reaching that prominent historians,
D'Aubigne among the number, have denominated the period of its greatest
triumph "the day of Reason." It is one of the three and one-half days
covered by the prophecy in Rev. 11:9.
I do not wish to be understood, however, as limiting the release of the
dragon and his work to the system of infidelity that had its origin in
France. I merely refer to that unfortunate system as the beginning of
the dragon's release and work--the re-introduction to the world of those
principles of public hostility to Christianity which had lain buried
since the days of Pagan Rome. The dragon in the beginning was a
deceptive system, one that "deceived the whole world"; but its
deceptions were uncovered by the light of Christianity, and then it
became the bitter public opposer of the religion of Christ. In the
release of the dragon the order is reversed. He first appears as the
public enemy of Christianity in the form already mentioned, but
afterwards changes his tactics to milder methods in order the better to
"deceive" the people, as we shall see hereafter.
But there is another chapter in the history of the dragon's career that
we must not overlook--his partnership with Gog and Magog. The original
signification of the terms _Gog and Magog_ is difficult to ascertain, as
all known accounts are conflicting. The terms occur in Ezek. 38 and 39
also. In the Revelation, however, it is clear that these terms are
applied to Romanism and Protestantism, and under the special leadership
of this spirit of antichrist they are gathered together to battle
against the saints of the most High. I will again quote the description
of this union as given under the sixth vial, which refers to the present
time: "And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth
of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth
of the false prophet. For they are the spirits of devils, working
miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole
world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God
Almighty.... And he gathered them into a place called in the Hebrew
tongue Armageddon." Chap. 16:13-16. It will be noticed that the field of
operations under this grand confederation of the three unclean spirits
is enlarged so that it includes not merely the Apocalyptic earth, but
"the whole world."
In order to form a confederation of powers each of which holds its own
distinctive principles, it is necessary that each make certain
concessions, in outward appearance at least, so that they can work
together in harmony against a common foe. In this case it will be
necessary that three points be conceded before the dragon, the beast,
and the false prophet can agree. First, the dragon must not appear in
his true character as antichristian; he must be clothed in some
different attire in order to "deceive." Second, Catholicism must stop
her work of slaying those who disagree with her and cover up her true
principles. Third, Protestantism must cease protesting against the
abominations of Catholicism. We are living in the time when this
confederation of the powers of wickedness is being effected; therefore
we must not expect to see the dragon as a terrible creature with heads
and horns standing as the open adversary of God, but we must look for
him dressed up in a garb "to deceive." If necessary he can place himself
under a Christian garb without violating his conscience--of which he has
none.
It will perhaps be beneficial to give the reader a short account of some
of the forms under which the dragon is manifesting himself at the
present time in order to "deceive" the people. It will be remembered
that, in the description of the first vial, which represented the awful
system of infidelity that was spread over Europe, Dr. Adam Weishaupt of
the University of Ingolstadt, formed a secret society under the name of
the Illuminati in order the better to spread these wicked principles. A
quotation was also made showing that "_Freemasonry_ being in high repute
all over Europe when Weishaupt first formed the plan of his society, he
availed himself of its secrecy to introduce his new order, which rapidly
spread, by the efforts of its founders and disciples, through all those
countries." Now, if Freemasonry was such an excellent channel for the
dragon to begin his work through, is it not reasonable to suppose that
he would still retain his position in that order, and especially since
_the very name of Christ_ is barred from its rites, rules, and
ceremonies? And this thought is especially convincing when we consider
the fact that Freemasonry is in its very nature and constitution only a
form of Paganism. This vast body is founded on what they call the
"ancient mysteries." The following is taken from Masonic Salvation by
Fred Husted:
"Warburton says: 'Each of the Pagan gods had (beside the public and
open) a secret worship paid unto him, to which none were admitted but
those who had been selected by preparatory ceremonies called initiation.
This secret worship was called "the mysteries."'
"Mackey, another member of this order, says: 'These mysteries existed in
every country of heathendom, in each under a different name, and to some
extent under a different form, but always and everywhere with the same
design of inculcating (teaching) by allegorical and symbolical teachings
the great Masonic doctrines of the unity of God and the immortality of
the soul. This one important proposition and the fact which it
enumerates (states) must never be lost sight of, in any inquiry into the
origin of Freemasonry; for the Pagan mysteries were to the spurious
Freemasonry of antiquity precisely what the Masters' lodges are to the
Freemasonry of the present day.'
"This is certainly a frank statement, coming as it does from a man who
is an acknowledged and highly esteemed authority in matters pertaining
to the craft. Daniel Sickles says, 'In Egypt, Greece, and many other
ancient nations Freemasonry, that is, the Mysteries, was one of the
earliest agencies employed to effect the improvement and enlightenment
of man.' Pierson says, 'The identity of the Masonic institutions with
the ancient Mysteries is obvious,' which means clearly to be seen,
manifest to any and all.
"Masons say that the order is founded on the Bible--that is, unlearned
Masons say so. Geo. Wingate Chase, in the Digest of Masonic Law, says:
'The Jews, the Turks, each reject either the New Testament or the Old or
both, and yet we see no good reasons why they should not be made Masons.
In fact, Blue Lodge [first three degrees] Masonry has nothing whatever
to do with the Bible. It is not founded on the Bible. If it were, it
would not be Masonry; it would be something else.'
"Sickles says in speaking of the third, or Master Mason's degree, 'There
are characters impressed upon it which can not be mistaken. _It is
thoroughly Egyptian_.' He further says that the tradition is older by a
thousand years than Solomon. 'That our [Masonic] rites embrace all the
possible circumstances of man, moral, social, and spiritual, and have a
meaning high as the heavens, broad as the universe, and profound as
eternity.' Sickles in Gen. Chiman Rezon.
"The writer was informed when the charges were given him 'that our
ancient brethren worshiped in high hills and in low vales, and that
guards were placed to keep off cowans or eves-droppers.' By referring to
Scripture we at once find the character of those who worshiped in high
hills and low vales, and why they needed a guard to keep off
eves-droppers. 'Thou saidst, I will not transgress; when upon every high
hill and under every green tree thou wanderest, playing the harlot.'
Jer. 2:20; 3:6. 'Ye shall utterly destroy all the places, wherein the
nations which ye shall possess served other gods, upon the high
mountains, and upon the hills, and under every green tree.' Deut. 12:2.
'Enflaming themselves with idols under every green tree, slaying the
children in the vales under the clifts of the rocks.... Even thither
wentest thou up to offer sacrifice.' Isa. 57:5-7. They were not afraid
of Ahab and Jezebel (2 Kings 7:10; 1 Kings 14:23), and they grew and
multiplied in their reigns, and in the reigns of all those of whom it is
recorded that 'they did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord.'
Some of the kings of Israel and of Judah destroyed their high places for
them and were highly favored of God for so doing.
"Again, 'The precepts of Jesus could not have been made obligatory upon
a Jew. A Christian would have denied the sanction of the Koran. A
Mohammedan must have rejected the law of Moses, and a disciple of
Zoroaster would have turned from all, to the teaching of his
Zend-Avesta. The universal law of nature, which the authors of the old
charges have properly called the moral, is therefore the _only law_
suited in every respect to be adopted as the Masonic code.' Mackeys'
Textbook, Masonic Jurisprudence. If the statements just quoted do not
place the secret society of Masonry on a footing decidedly Pagan, it is
difficult to say just where it does stand....
"Tammuz, or Osiris of Egypt, who is declared to be the original of Hiram
Abiff the temple-builder, is still mourned for. Ezek. 8:14. See Young's
Analytical Concordance or any standard Greek Mythology. Now see
Piersons' Traditions of Freemasonry. 'The Masonic legend stands by
itself, unsupported by history, or other than its own traditions. Yet we
readily recognize in Hiram Abiff the Osiris of the Egyptians, the
Mithras of the Persians, the Bacchus of the Greeks [god of drunkenness,
or feasts and the like], the Dionysis of the fraternity of artificers,
and the Atys of the Phrygians, whose passions, deaths, and resurrections
were celebrated by these people respectively.' Thus it is clearly shown
that each of these ancient nations had its counterfeit Savior and
Redeemer, and it is here proved by the words of Masonic Grand Masters,
authors, and authorities, that Masonry is of Pagan origin."
When we think of the millions of devotees of this form of Paganism,
multitudes of church-members and preachers, surely it is not difficult
to see that the dragon is loose in deceiving power again. That he is
meeting with great success in forming his confederation of all false
religions, is obvious. The world's Parliament of Religions, held in
Chicago in the year 1893, is an illustration of this statement. The
dragon, the beast, and the false prophet met in "mutual confidence and
respect," a "brotherhood" of religions. Theism, Judaism, Mohammedanism,
Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, Shintoism, Zoroastrianism,
Catholicism, the Greek Church, and Protestantism in many forms--all
these were represented. And the devotees of these religions met, as they
said, "To unite all religion against all irreligion; to make the golden
rule the basis of this union; and to present to the world _substantial
unity of many religions_." The following are a few extracts from
addresses made before the Parliament.
President Charles Carroll Bonney, in the opening address, said:
"Worshipers of God and lovers of man: Let us rejoice that we have lived
to see this glorious day.... That we are permitted to take part in this
solemn and majestic event of a World's Congress of Religions. The
importance of this event can not be overestimated. Its influence on the
future relations of the various races of men, can not be too highly
esteemed. If this Congress shall faithfully execute its duties with
which it has been charged, it shall become the joy of the whole earth,
and stand in human history like a _new Mount Zion_, crowned with glory,
and marking the actual beginning of a _new epoch of brotherhood_ and
peace. _For when the religious faiths of the world recognize each other
as brothers, children of one Father_, whom all profess to love and
serve, then, and not until then, will the nations of the earth yield to
the spirit of concord and learn war no more.... We meet on the mountain
height of absolute respect for the religious convictions of each
other.... This day the sun of a new era of religious peace and progress
arises over the world, dispelling the dark clouds of sectarian strife.
_It is the brotherhood of religions._"
Chairman John Henry Barrows, in his address, said: "We are here not as
Baptists and Buddhists, Catholics and Confucians, Parsees and
Presbyterians, Methodists and Moslems; we are here as members of a
Parliament of Religions, over which flies no sectarian flag, ... but
where for the first time in large council is lifted up the banner of
love, fellowship, brotherhood.... Welcome, one and all, thrice welcome
to the world's first Parliament of Religions! Welcome to the men and
women of Israel, the standing miracle of nations and religions! Welcome
to the disciples of Prince Siddartha, the many millions who worship
their lord Buddha as the light of Asia! Welcome to the high-priests of
the national religion of Japan! This city has every reason to be
grateful to the enlightened ruler of 'the sunrise kingdom.' Welcome to
the men of India, and all faiths! Welcome to all the disciples of
Christ! ... It seems to me that the spirits of just and good men hover
over this assembly. I believe the spirit of Paul is here. I believe the
spirit of the wise and humane Buddha is here, and of Socrates the
searcher after truth.... When a few days ago I met for the first time
the delegates who have come to us from Japan, and shortly after the
delegates who have come to us from India, I felt that the arms of human
brotherhood had reached almost around the globe." World's Parliament of
Religions, Chap. III. Similar congresses have since been held. While I
never expect to see all these principles of evil under one organized
form, yet it is evident that the spirits of devils that have gone forth
into "all the world" are uniting them all under one _spirit_--that of
Antichrist.
Another form in which the old dragon is manifesting himself and uniting
thousands of people against the truth, and one in which the "miracles"
ascribed to this latest confederation of Satan are performed, is that of
"Christian Science." Attracted by its healing doctrine, multitudes are
lured into this deceptive communion of Mrs. Eddy's. At the very best her
system is, as every historian knows, only a slight revision of the
Oriental Philosophy; and notwithstanding its forged name _Christian_, it
is truly subversive of the doctrine of Christ. Her grand central
doctrine of the "allness" of mind and the unreality of matter is a true
copy of the "fantastic idealism" of the Gnostics. Gnosticism was based
on "speculative knowledge." So is Mrs. Eddy's theory. Gnosticism denied
the "_true humanity_ of the Redeemer, and made his person a mere
phantom, and his work a mere illusion." So does Christian Science.
Although Mrs. Eddy clamours loudly that her work is _Christian_ and her
multitude of followers believe her claim, still a careful study of her
work Science and Health will convince any unprejudiced person that she
utterly repudiates the atonement-work of Jesus Christ by denying his
person and the reality of sin and matter. Though the system may contain
some good moral principles, yet it has no power to save men from sin,
since it denies the existence of actual sin. Her denial of the one
personal God--"all is infinite mind, and its infinite manifestations,"--
is but a swing of the pendulum from the godless and graceless system of
the materialistic philosophy propounded by Darwin and Haeckel and is as
absurd and unscriptural (although opposite) as the rankest Pantheism.
The salvation of the soul through faith in Jesus Christ has absolutely
no place in the Christian Science creed. It is nothing but a species of
universalism. Individuals of every evil class and character--
self-lovers, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to
parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers,
false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God,
profane, murderers of fathers and mothers, man-slayers, whoremongers,
liars, drunkards, sorcerers, perjured persons, backbiters, haters of
God, despiteful, inventors of evil things, implacable, unmerciful,
abominable, and those unto every good work reprobate--any and all of
these characters can and do come to the healers of Christian Science,
and _not one word is said to them about getting salvation_ through
repentance and living faith in the Savior; but, on the other hand, they
are received as follows: "As _children of God_ you have a right to the
healing of your bodies"! The dragon is in it! I warn people to beware.
"They are the spirits of devils, working miracles," and form an
important proof that we are near the end of time.
Another form in which the dragon is manifesting his power on the
deceptive and miracle-working line is modern Spiritualism. Multitudes of
people of all classes are believers in this soul-destroying doctrine.
The system is generally acknowledged to be but a modern form of what was
anciently styled witchcraft, necromancy, magic, etc., while the mediums
of to-day are of the same class as those formerly known as "witches,"
"sorcerers," "magicians." This they themselves often admit. The system
is so well known both in doctrine and in its pernicious effects that I
will not devote further space to the matter.[15] In many other forms the
dragon is working his deceptions upon the people.
[Footnote 15: For further consideration of this subject read the book
"Modern Spiritualism Exposed," by the publishers of this work.]
Millions of church-members and thousands of preachers are numbered among
these antichristian organizations of Freemasonry, Christian Science,
Spiritualism, etc., etc., gathered together under the influence of the
spirits of devils working miracles, mighty signs, and wonders. On the
other hand, the churches are filled with persons who in spirit are
nothing but skeptics and infidels. Said T. De Witt Talmage on one
occasion, "There is a mighty host in the Christian church, positively
professing Christianity, who _do not believe the Bible_, out and out, in
and in, from the first word of the first verse of the first chapter of
the Book of Genesis, down to the last word of the last verse of the last
chapter of the Book of Revelation." Is it any wonder that such is the
case when a large number of the preachers themselves are in reality
skeptics? A newspaper clipping before me contains the following, uttered
on March 28, 1905, by the Rev. B.A. Green, pastor of the First Baptist
Church, of Evanstown, Ill., before about a hundred of his fellow
ministers: "All the truth in the world is not contained in one book, nor
in books of theology, God was too big for one temple and he is also too
big for one book. God is everywhere. His truth is found in all good
books. The pastor of to-day should read the modern psychology and modern
literature, _especially the works of fiction_ which deal with religious
or social phases of modern life." A large portion of the sectarian
ministry reject entirely the Mosaic account of the creation, and accept
instead the modern theory of evolution.
The following quotation is from the Rev. Minton J. Savage, pastor of the
Church of the Messiah, New York, N.Y., who is an acknowledged leader in
the "higher criticism." This was in answer to an attack made on the
higher critics by a convention of the American Bible League. "The men
who are leading in the higher criticism of the Bible and who are now
being assailed so bitterly by the American Bible League, are
representative scholars of the world, scientific thinkers, leaders,
teachers, who have given us a new universe, a new conception of God, a
new idea concerning the origin and nature of man. They are not seeking
to support or to undermine anything. They are seeking for the truth as
the only sacred thing on earth.
"I would like to consider what this book is about over which all this
controversy is raging. It is really not one book, but sixty-six small
volumes. They were written during a period of nearly a thousand years,
in different countries, by different people. The first book was written
about eight hundred years before Christ. The first five books of the
Bible were written between five and six hundred years before Christ. The
historical books tell us about the day of Judges, then of Kings, the
wars of Israel, until the time of captivity. Then the book of Job,
purely anonymous, and no one knows who wrote it. Then the book of the
Psalms, the hymn-book of the people of Israel, and the books of the
prophets. It would be more proper to call them preachers, for they make
no effort to foretell anything, but merely told the people that if they
followed certain lines of conduct certain things would happen.
"No book was placed in the Bible by anything that claimed to be divine
authority. No law concerning the Biblical canon was ever issued by the
church earlier than the sixteenth century and that changed nothing; it
simply recognized what had come to be a fact. These books drifted
together and came to be bound as one, by force of gravity, by common
consent, and there are one or two books in the New Testament which
scholars could miss without feeling any the poorer.
"Nobody, then, is assaulting the Bible, for the simple reason that the
Bible as such has never made any claim. The Bible does not claim to be
inspired; it does not claim to be infallible. No writer of one book is
authorized to speak for the author of any other book. One verse is
sometimes referred to as meaning something. The writer of the last book
in the Bible utters a curse against anybody who should presume to add to
or take from the words of that book. He does not say that the book is
infallible; he simple curses anybody that interferes with it, as
Shakespeare uttered a curse against anybody who interfered with his
bones. I suppose that God might have given us an infallible book, if he
had chosen, and if he had given us such a book he would have made us
sure that it was infallible."
"If I were compelled to believe that God holds me responsible for Adam's
sin and that the immense majority of the world is doomed to everlasting
torment, and that only a selected few here and there are to enter
eternal felicity, I might bow my head and accept it, but I could not
rejoice in it. It is barbarous. Men who try to make us accept such
dogmas are the real infidels of the world, and it is infidelity which
they are creating--infidelity a hundred times worse than that which they
call by the name. If you would blot out every Bible in the world to-day
you would not even endanger its life, nor would you destroy religion."
From _The Toledo News-Bee_, May 14, 1904.
All these allied powers of wickedness in conflict with the few of God's
saints who serve him acceptably, constitute the battle of
Armageddon--that battle of the last great day. It is not a literal
collecting of armies nor a literal conflict, but a fierce battle between
truth and error. The outward indications are that the enemies of God
will triumph; but let us remember that it is destined to "end in the
victory of Him unto whom triumph belongs." Fire will come down from God
out of heaven and devour them. This symbol is doubtless taken from the
circumstance of Elijah where he commanded fire to come down and destroy
his enemies; and it will be as with such an overthrow that the powers of
wickedness shall meet their doom in that last great day of God Almighty.
11. And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from
whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was
found no place for them.
12. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and
the books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the
book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which
were written in the books, according to their works.
13. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and
hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were
judged every man according to their works.
14. And death and hell were cast, into the lake of fire. This is
the second death.
15. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was
cast into the lake of fire.
This series of events, as far as it pertains to the doom of evil men,
ends properly with verse 10, where the combined powers of wickedness are
represented as being cast into the lake of fire. This last event,
however, is in the present scene more fully described. It is fitting
that the judgment scene should be more fully described; for with this
chapter we have the last special history of the powers of evil given.
Many times we have been led up to the time of the final overthrow of all
the powers of wickedness, but the manner in which that great event
occurs has not been perfectly detailed.
Here we have another illustration of that principle of symbolic language
laid down in the beginning--that objects and events whose nature forbids
their symbolization appear under their own names or titles and their
description must of necessity be literal. The appearance of the great
God must be considered an actual event; for, as clearly shown, he can
not be symbolized, neither can he appear as the symbol of some other
object, from the fact that there is no other object of analagous nature
of which he could stand as the representative. The resurrection of
itself is an event of such a peculiar nature as to forbid its
symbolization. What is there analagous to it which could here be
employed? There are, perhaps, analagous changes in the vegetable and
animal kingdoms; but symbols drawn from that quarter would indicate some
political change instead. Paul may, indeed, speak of the decay and the
growth of seeds to _illustrate_ the resurrection; but the decay of a
seed does not _symbolize_ the death of a saint, neither does its
germination _symbolize_ his resurrection. Nor is there any change that
can do it. There is the same necessity of speaking of the resurrection
in its literal meaning as there was of representing the spirits of the
martyrs under their own appropriate titles.
The earth and the heaven fleeing away from before God's presence so that
no place is found for them, must be understood as describing the literal
dissolution of this world when Christ comes; for it is clear from the
Scriptures that such an event will occur at that time. Peter says that
"the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which
_the heavens shall pass away_ with a great noise, and the elements shall
melt with fervent heat, _the earth also_ and the works that are therein
_shall be burned up_." 2 Pet. 3:10. Nothing can be found to symbolize
perfectly such a mighty event; hence it appears as a literal description
of the final catastrophe of this old world.
It is evident that there are symbols connected with this appearance of
God, as truly as there were symbols connected with Christ in his
appearance in chap. 19. The _throne_ is a symbol of judgment and of
supreme sovereignty, its dazzling whiteness indicating the impartiality
and justice of the proceedings. The _books_, likewise, are symbols. We
are not to suppose that there are literal books in heaven, in which
Christ or some angelic secretary notes down all the affairs of earth.
The language and the symbols of Scripture are accommodated to the human
understanding, hence books are used as a symbol to denote that the
character and the actions of men are all as perfectly known and
remembered as if they had been recorded in the archives of heaven. The
_book of life_, in which the names of the faithful are often said to be
inscribed, denotes that God knows all his chosen people. In the
following chapter it is called the Lamb's book of life.
This scene, then, as a whole, is a sublime description of the
resurrection and the final judgment of all men and the dissolution of
the earth on which we now live. That the righteous will be judged at
this time is shown by the fact that the book of life, in which the names
of the righteous only are recorded (Chap. 21:27; Exod. 32:33), will also
be opened; and verse fifteen implies that the names of some during this
judgment scene were found recorded in that book. The wicked receive
their eternal portion by being cast into the lake of fire; while the
reward of the righteous is described in the remaining part of this
series, contained in the two following chapters.
CHAPTER XXI.
And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and
the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
2. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from
God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
3. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the
tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and
they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them,
and be their God.
4. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there
shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither
shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed
away.
The events of this chapter are a continuation of the series of prophecy
considered in the preceding one, only describing an entirely different
phase--the final reward and eternal home of God's people. We have traced
many series of prophecies through the long weary pathway of centuries,
only to find the termination of the powers of wickedness in the lake of
fire at the end of time or their overthrow otherwise set forth under
appropriate symbols; but in no instance has the final reward of God's
people after the judgment been fully described. That glorious event of
the future was referred to in chap. 7 as the final in-gathering of the
redeemed "of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues." The
description however, was incomplete. Since the eternal abode of the
wicked is referred to often, the subject would seem incomplete without a
description of the final glories and triumphs of the redeemed in their
future and eternal home. Though their earthly pilgrimage is fraught with
sorrow, death, pain, wretchedness, and misery, by the hands of their
violent oppressors, yet they shall witness the complete overthrow of all
their enemies in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, and they
themselves shall be rewarded eternally; for "God shall wipe away all
tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow,
neither crying, neither shall there be any more pain; for the former
things are passed away." It is fitting that such a sublime theme should
be reserved as the grand climax of the book of Revelation.
With the dissolution of the earth on which we live, which event has just
been described, it is evident that the many lines of prophecy leading up
to that great event are no longer under special consideration, but that
a new theme subsequent to the judgment scene is introduced with the
words of the Revelator immediately following--"I saw _a new heaven and a
new earth:_ for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away;
and there was no more sea." The heaven, earth, and sea that passed away
certainly refers to the earth that now is and to the aerial heaven
surrounding it; therefore the new heaven and the new earth brought to
view must signify the future and eternal home that Jesus went to
prepare. We could not consistently make the one literal and the other
symbolical. This accords perfectly with the teaching of the apostle
Peter where he says: "The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the
night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and
the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works
that are therein shall be burned up.... Nevertheless we, according to
his promise, look for _new heavens and a new earth_, wherein dwelleth
righteousness." 2 Pet. 3:10-13.
The holy city of God, the New Jerusalem, is next introduced. Since this
meets its fulfilment in the new order of things subsequent to the
judgment scene, it must have special reference to the future abode of
the saints in the new earth. Many of the symbols here describing the New
Jerusalem, and even New Jerusalem itself, are often used to set forth
the church of God in the New Testament dispensation. The church on earth
and the church of God in heaven are in one important sense the same
thing, as they constitute but one family (Eph. 3:15); yet in another
sense there is a difference, and the proper distinction must be observed
even when the same symbols or titles are used to describe or designate
both phases. A similar two-foldness is seen in many lines of truth. In
Heb. 12:22, 23, we are represented as dwelling in the city of God in
this dispensation; yet verse 27 of this chapter and the fourteenth of
the following chapter plainly show our entrance into the city at the
end. The Scriptures represent God as dwelling on earth in his church,
which, of course, is considered in a spiritual sense; but his actual
throne and place of abode is in heaven. A new creation brought about by
Christ in his first advent is set forth by various texts; still, it
remains a fact that a new creation will actually be brought to view
after the present world is no more and that the same will be our eternal
home. We obtain spiritual life through Christ now, hence have right to
the tree of life; yet in another sense our access to the tree of life is
at the end and we then enter in through the gates into the city. Chap.
22:14. Hence it is proper to speak of the city of God as both present
and future, by observing the proper distinction, just as the Scriptures
speak of the church in a twofold sense as being both on earth and in
heaven, or of the spiritual kingdom in the present and the eternal
kingdom in the end. It is Scriptural to speak of God's throne as being
on earth in the midst of his saints in a spiritual sense and also of its
being located in heaven. The tree of life is a present realization
spiritually and also a future reality. We dwell in the city of God
now--in the suburbs, as it were--but we shall "have a right" to it in
the future state when we are ushered into the very heart of the great
metropolis and stand before the actual throne of the Deity, in the
presence of his August Majesty.
In the New Testament dispensation the heavenly elements of the New
Jerusalem have descended to earth in the form of the new covenant, and
God's people obtain a foretaste of heaven's glory and are made pure even
as Christ is pure, and are therefore represented as having "come unto
Mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem"
(Heb. 12:22, 23); and God dwells with them in a very important sense. 2
Cor. 6:16. They are one with the redeemed above, and together they
constitute one "family in heaven and earth," all loving the same Father,
adoring the same King, drinking from the same fountain of life eternal,
and all basking in the same divine light that beams from the throne of
God. In another sense, however, there is a difference between them; for
they are separated by the line of mortality, one phase being located on
earth and the other in heaven. But when at the last day the redeemed of
earth have access to the tree of life in its perfect sense, there will
be henceforth only one phase to the New Jerusalem, or church of God,
which will be in its relation to the new earth, as specially described
in the prophecy under consideration, when "_all things_" are made new
and "the former things are passed away."
5. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all
things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true
and faithful.
6. And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the
beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of
the fountain of the water of life freely.
7. He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be
his God, and he shall be my son.
8. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and
murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and
all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with
fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
The declarations contained in these verses proceed from God himself and
announce the fact that he hath now fulfilled all that he designed. His
promises to his faithful children are brought to pass, as well as his
threatening to his foes. All things are made new and the former things
are passed away. Not only has the strife, the commotion, and the sin in
the old order of things passed away, but the new creation, wherein
dwelleth righteousness, has been introduced, the grand long-looked-for
era of eternal blessedness to the saints. Oh, halleluiah! "And he said
unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful."
"And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning
and the end." When the seventh angel of chap. 16:17 poured out his vial,
the voice of God from the throne said, "It is done," signifying that the
last judgments were complete. Here again the same voice is heard as
before, referring to the same thing--the accomplishment of God's great
purposes. The enemies of the church have been overthrown, her long
period of warfare has ended, and the eternal day of Zion's glory has
come. Then follow his blessed promises held out to the faithful, and
also the reward to the wicked. These are to be understood as referring
to these classes, not at the day of judgment, but when the Revelation
was given to John and therefore to us. "I will give unto him that is
athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. He that overcometh
shall inherit all things [in the margin, _these things_]: and I will be
his God, and he shall be my son." "This is the reward in reserve for
those who endure through this period of trial and overcome at last. They
shall drink of living waters, which will be sweet and refreshing indeed
to those who have toiled through this fight; and they shall inherit
these things--these new heavens and earth. God shall be their God, and
they his sons. Oh, what an honor! what a destiny in reserve for the
faithful! with what glorious anticipations may the believer look forward
to the revelations of that day, and with Paul say, 'If by any means I
may attain unto the resurrection of the dead.'
"What warning also to the wicked! The same voice that utters the
promise, pronounces also the threatening. 'The fearful, and unbelieving,
and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and
idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which
burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.' God says,
'These words are true and faithful.' They came from him who sat upon the
throne, the Alpha and Omega. He has put his everlasting seal to them,
and pledged his veracity to their truth." Dear reader, will you accept
the word of Him who can not lie and choose to suffer affliction with the
people of God until our Lord shall come to call his ransomed home? Or
will you decide to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season, only to be
resurrected at the last great day to "shame and everlasting contempt"?
There is no intimation of future salvation for the transgressor. The
lake of fire still stands as the symbol of eternal destruction, and into
it the fearful and unbelieving and wicked of every name are cast.
9. And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the
seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me,
saying, Come hither, I will show thee the bride, the Lamb's
wife.
10. And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high
mountain, and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem,
descending out of heaven from God,
11. Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone
most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;
12. And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at
the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are
the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel:
13. On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the
south three gates; and on the west three gates.
14. And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them
the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
15. And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the
city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof.
16. And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as
the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve
thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of
it are equal.
17. And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and
four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the
angel.
18. And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the
city was pure gold, like unto clear glass.
19. And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished
with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was
jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the
fourth, an emerald;
20. The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh,
chrysolyte; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a
chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst.
21. And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate
was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as
it were transparent glass.
22. And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and
the Lamb are the temple of it.
23. And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to
shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb
is the light thereof.
24. And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the
light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and
honor into it.
25. And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for
there shall be no night there.
26. And they shall bring the glory and honor of the nations into
it.
27. And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that
defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a
lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.
We have here a magnificent description of the New Jerusalem,
representing the home of the redeemed. The various symbols employed in
its description must of course he understood as symbolical. We have no
means of knowing just what our future home will be like; but that it
will be a place of wondrous beauty and transcendent glory is shown by
the fact that everything which is considered grand and glorious in this
world is here chosen to represent the home of the redeemed. The symbols
selected to describe it are objects of such priceless worth, even
exceeding royal splendor, that we pause in astonishment and exclaim,
"What must the reality be?" The conditions upon which entrance to this
city may be obtained (ver. 27; chap. 22:14) show clearly that our future
and eternal home is the chief burden of this vision and not merely our
spiritual inheritance in this world.
"In approaching Jerusalem, the traveller is not aware of its proximity,
until, ascending an eminence, the glorious city bursts upon his
astonished vision, when he is ready to exclaim with the
Psalmist--'Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth is Mount
Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great king.'" Psa.
48:2. John was carried to "a great and high mountain," from which
commanding point of view he was enabled to survey in all its boundless
extent the surpassing glories of the New Jerusalem. Never did
imagination conceive anything approaching the sublimity and grandeur of
the scene here described by the pen of inspiration. It was "a great
city"--how great we shall soon discover--the _holy_ Jerusalem,
descending out of heaven from God.
The ancient city of Jerusalem was regarded as sacred because in it God
had recorded his name, and it contained his holy temple, his place of
residence on earth. Thither the tribes of Israel went up to worship;
"Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship." So, also, this New
Jerusalem was "_the holy city_," an antitype of the former. It is
described as "having the glory of God, and her light was like unto a
stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal." "The
glory of God" was that visible manifestation, called the Shekinah, which
Jehovah made of himself in the tabernacle of his ancient people. The
following facts concerning it will give us an understanding of its
signification as connected with the New Jerusalem:
"Jehovah was the accepted King and Lawgiver of his people Israel, and he
had his tabernacle among them, where he abode by his presence, where he
might be approached and consulted, and make communications of his will.
That visible presence was 'the glory of God' or the Shekinah; and the
Jews regarded it with the highest possible veneration, as the embodiment
of the Deity. The sacred writers often speak of it in the same terms as
of Jehovah himself. They refer to this when they speak of _seeing God_.
'Then went up Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the
elders of Israel, _and they saw the God of Israel_.' Ex. 24:9, 10. 'I
saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his
train filled the temple.' Isa. 6:1. And again in verse 5: 'For mine eyes
_have seen_ the King, the Lord of hosts.' The spiritual essence of God
can not, of course, be revealed to mortal vision, yet there was a
manifestation of the Deity which was made visible to the eyes of men,
and which Moses and Isaiah speak of as _seeing God_. It is spoken of as
the _presence_ and _face_ of Jehovah. 'And he said, _My presence_ shall
go with thee, and I will give thee rest.' Ex. 33:14. 'And the Lord spake
unto Moses _face to face_, as a man speaketh unto his friend.' Ex.
33:11."
The New Jerusalem that John saw descending from God--which denotes its
heavenly origin--had "the glory of God: and her light was like unto a
stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal." It
dazzled as the purest diamond. In verse 23 we are informed that it
illuminated the whole city so that there was "no need of the sun,
neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the _glory of God did lighten
it, and the Lamb is the light thereof_." In ancient times "the glory of
God" filled the _tabernacle_, the place of his abode; but here it filled
_the whole city_. In that tabernacle the Shekinah was the manifestation
of the divine glory of Jehovah. In the New Jerusalem Jesus Christ, who
is "the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person,"
illuminates the entire city of God. Oh, halleluiah!
In olden times the cities were surrounded with walls, designed as a
defense against all enemies. The more important the city, the higher and
stronger were the walls built. Having walls, it was necessary also to
have gates to furnish ingress and egress to the inhabitants. These gates
were in charge of faithful guardians, who had authority to open and to
close them according to the regulations of the city. In accordance with
this idea the city of God is represented as having "a wall great and
high." This wall represents the security of Zion, whose inhabitants
within can rest in peace and safety. The three gates on each side
represent the free and easy access into the city from every quarter.
Anciently, it was customary to give names to the gates of a city, just
as we now do to our streets. The gates of this holy city were named
after the twelve tribes of the children of Israel, which embraced all
God's ancient covenant people, and which denotes the perfection and
completeness of our heavenly home as including all the spiritual Israel.
"And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names
of the twelve apostles of the Lamb." The twelve foundations, or rather
the twelve courses of stone in the foundation, are more fully described
hereafter. The names of the twelve tribes were on the gates to denote
that the city was composed of God's true and complete Israel, and the
names of the twelve apostles are on the foundation to denote that this
contains the church which was "built upon the foundation of the apostles
and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone." Eph.
2:20. The system of truth that they preached to the world forms the
doctrinal basis of the church of God, they having received it from
heaven "by inspiration of God," and their names all appear; and together
they constitute one harmonious, solid foundation upon which the church
shall stand forever.
The dimensions of the city as measured by the angel are next given as
twelve thousand furlongs, or one thousand five hundred miles. By the
statement that the length, the breadth and the height are equal, some
have supposed that the city was one thousand five hundred miles high. To
quote the words of a certain commentator: "The language, however, will
bear another meaning, which is far more natural. It is not that the
length and breadth and height were severally equal to _each other_, but
_equal with themselves_; that is the length was everywhere the same, the
breadth everywhere the same, and the height the same. It was perfect and
symmetrical in all its proportions. This is confirmed by the fact
distinctly stated, that the wall was one hundred and forty and four
cubits high, or two hundred and sixteen feet, a proper height for a
wall; while it is said only that 'the length is as large as the
breadth.'" This writer reckoned but eighteen inches for a cubit, whereas
some figure twenty-two. A city one thousand and five hundred miles high
with a wall only two hundred and sixteen or two hundred and sixty four
feet high, would be altogether out of proportion.
The wondrous dimensions of this city set forth the fact that our future
home far exceeds in grandeur and extent everything that is looked upon
as glorious upon earth. Who ever heard of a city one thousand and five
hundred miles square? We have had empires so large, but no such cities.
In this representation the city does not encompass the entire earth as
she in one sense really does, because it would be impossible thus to
represent her and at the same time she be represented as a city within
the earth, into which the nations bring their "glory and honor." The
ancient city of Babylon with its beautiful hanging-gardens, the very
triumph of human skill, and the city itself lying in a foursquare, being
fifteen miles on each side, was unsurpassed in human loveliness. But the
city of God is represented as _fifteen hundred_ miles square, which
dimensions are out of all proportion with anything existing on earth;
hence its beauty and magnificence must be ascribed to God only.
"And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure
gold like unto clear glass." The jasper is the same crystal gem before
mentioned. What a wondrous wall it must have been! It was not made of
such common material as granite, freestone, or marble, which can make
the most imposing structures that human pride can rear, and which are
fit for the residence of lofty kings; but it was of jasper, clear as
crystal. Think of the wall of this holy city being nearly three hundred
feet high and stretching around the city six thousand miles, all built
of the purest diamond! No stretch of the human imagination can properly
compass such a vision. In rearing earthly structures men seek such
material as combine durability, cheapness, beauty, and ease of being
wrought. Look at this wall! For _durability_, it has the most
indestructible material that can be found on earth. For _beauty_, the
language of man can not even convey a meagre description of its amazing
loveliness. For _cheapness_--God's riches were inexhaustible, hence it
was not necessary to take this into consideration. For _ease of being
wrought_--think of the vast amount of labor it requires to cut and shape
even one large diamond, it being said to require in some cases years of
incessant toil; yet God could afford to build the wall of this city of
such material. Oh, wonders of God's handiwork! How inexpressibly
glorious! This, my dear reader, symbolizes the priceless worth of our
eternal home, secured through the atonement. Study the plan of
redemption. There is nothing equal to it in the universe. "What is a man
profited, if he gain the whole world, and _lose his own soul_?"
Men become greatly agitated over the announcement of the discovery of
gold in the Klondyke, in the Australian continent, in California, and
with feverish excitement they abandon their homes and rush headlong to
the reputed El Dorado, fearing neither famine, storms, deserts, nor the
icy northern blasts. But all the gold ever mined from the bowels of the
earth is insignificant and forms no comparison with the representation
of this city. Its streets and mansions were built, not of common cement,
lumber, nor even granite and marble, but _of pure gold_.
The twelve courses of stone in the foundation of the wall have already
been mentioned. It is here particularly described. One might suppose
that, according to human custom, rougher material would be selected for
the foundation. Not so, however. The most brilliant and costly gems were
chosen to lay these courses. Nothing cheap nor common had anything to do
in the construction of this marvelous city. It was altogether beyond the
reach of men to imitate: it was God's own handiwork; and we can not but
admire its wondrous beauty. It is unnecessary to give a minute
description of the gems of which these foundation-courses were composed.
They were the most beautiful and costly of which men possess any
knowledge. In appearance they represent various colors of the most
delicate shades. Royal persons wear even the smallest of these gems upon
their persons and imagine themselves richly adorned; but in this city of
God they appear in such abundance that they are even selected to form
the basis, or foundation, of the wall. "And the twelve gates were twelve
pearls; every several gate was of one pearl." We have rich necklaces of
pearl; but where is the individual that was ever blessed with such a
profusion of wealth that he could ornament the gates of a city with
pearls? The gates of the New Jerusalem, however, were not merely
ornamented or studded with pearls--that were a very small thing for
her--but each gate was of one solid pearl. To conceive the immensity of
this representation we must consider the size of the gates required to
accommodate the multitudes constantly entering and departing from a
city. To be in proportion to the wall they would have to be of immense
size, and also of prodigious strength in order to resist the assaults of
enemies, as they would be the first places attacked. The gate of the
temple called Beautiful, mentioned in the Book of Acts, which was in the
wall surrounding the temple, is said to have been seventy-five feet high
and sixty in width, built of Corinthian brass. Yet immense as they were,
those in the New Jerusalem were each of one solid pearl. Oh, beautiful
city of God, the home of the saints!
The most prominent object within the walls of the ancient Jerusalem was
the magnificent temple on Mount Zion. It was the chief ornament and
glory of the city. In the New Jerusalem, however, no temple is seen.
Alas! is not this a great defect? What is Jerusalem without a temple
where the tribes may go up and worship before the Lord? Oh, they need no
temple in this glorious city of God; for there is one there greater than
the temple: "the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it."
This doubtless sets forth the fact that the worship of God is pure and
spiritual and of free access to all. Under the old dispensation the high
priest alone, and he but once a year, was permitted to enter the sacred
precincts of the Deity as limited to the inner sanctuary of the temple.
Now God's people need no mediating priest to offer up a special
sacrifice that the will of God might be known; but all are kings and
priests who offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus
Christ (1 Pet. 2:5); yea, as saith the prophet, "they _shall all know
me_ from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord."
Jer. 31:34. No temple is needed that the Shekinah of the divine presence
may take up its abode between the cherubim in the most holy place, but
"the glory of the Lord" fills the entire city. It can not be confined to
a given locality. "The Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of
it," and they constitute the glory of the New Jerusalem as did the
temple on Mount Zion that of the old.
"The nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it." Can
any one conceive the grandeur and the sublimity of the scene when a
light that eclipses the sun and the moon is reflected from streets and
mansions of gold, or comes streaming through a wall composed of the most
brilliant gems of different hues, with gates of solid pearl? No wonder,
then, that the poet has denominated it "the beautiful light of God"! The
gates are open continuously, for they are not closed by day, and "there
shall be no night there." But "there shall in no wise enter into it
anything that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or
maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of Life."
This, my dear reader, is the reward of the New Testament church, "the
church of God."
CHAPTER XXII.
And he showed me a pure river of water of life, dear as crystal,
proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.
2. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the
river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of
fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the
tree were for the healing of the nations.
3. And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and
of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him:
4. And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their
foreheads.
5. And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle,
neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light:
and they shall reign for ever and ever.
The description of the New Jerusalem continues in the first five verses
of this chapter. By the "river of the water of life" is doubtless meant
full salvation, which as a mighty flowing stream issues "out of the
throne of God and of the Lamb." To this fountain of living waters an
invitation is now given to all to come and partake to their
satisfaction. "The Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that
heareth say, Come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life
freely." Verse 17. As a defense to God's people in this world salvation
is represented as a great wall surrounding them (Isa. 26:12); but as a
source of joy, holiness and happiness, it is a living stream whereof all
may partake. While this symbol meets an appropriate fulfilment in the
present dispensation, yet salvation will also be the eternal possession
of the saints in the world to come, when "they shall hunger no more,
neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any
heat. For the Lamb, which is in the midst thereof, shall feed them, and
shall _lead them unto living fountains of waters_; and God shall wipe
away all tears from their eyes." Chap. 7:16, 17.
In a most appropriate place, upon the banks of the river, grew "the tree
of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every
month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations."
The tree of life in the garden of Eden was a symbol of man's immortality
or incorruption, or rather the _means_ of it; for after his fall it was
securely guarded and he driven from the garden, "lest he put forth his
hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever"
(Gen. 3:22) and thus frustrate the decree of God just uttered--that he
should return unto dust and corruption. In the New Jerusalem, however,
that tree of life blooms again and bears fruit abundantly, yea
continuously, as symbolized by "every month," and no cherubim with
flaming sword are placed to guard all approach to it. The privilege is
open; for it is added immediately, "There _shall be no more curse_."
This, then, symbolizes the removal of spiritual death and the
impartation of everlasting life in this world and immortality in the
next. The tree of life grew on both sides of the river. On this side of
the line of mortality we have access to it in one important sense, while
those in the future world are preserved also by its healing benefits.
The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit abide in this city. God reveals
himself, not to a few chosen priests only through the Shekinah of his
presence, but to all his servants--"they all see his face." As in the
ancient tabernacle he manifested himself by "the glory of the Lord," or
the Shekinah, which was represented as "seeing his face"; so, also, the
"glory of the Lord" abides in the New Jerusalem, filling the entire city
with the holy manifestation of the divine presence. His people are
"sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise," by which they possess the
name of their Father--not the name of the beast nor of his image, but
_the name of the Father_.
"And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither
light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall
reign forever and ever." This city has no need of natural or artificial
light, "for the Lamb is the light thereof." Chap. 21:23. The light of
the sun stands connected with the light of a candle and both are
represented as unnecessary, which denotes that "there shall be no night
there," but one clear eternal day.
6. And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and
the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to show unto
his servants the things which must shortly be done.
7. Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the
sayings of the prophecy of this book.
The language of symbols is discontinued. With the description of the New
Jerusalem closes the grand panoramic scene of this book. Wondrous indeed
have been the events of earth prophetically outlined, but we have the
assurance that "these things are faithful and true." A continuous
political and ecclesiastical history of that portion of the earth made
the subject of Apocalyptic vision, from the dawn of Christianity until
the last day, was here written down in advance. After the permanent
division of the empire, which occurred under Valens and Valentinian[16]
in A.D. 364, it was necessary that the political and the ecclesiastical
history of the empire should be divided in the prophecy. This
inspiration has done. The downfall of the Western empire is clearly
predicted in the symbols under the first four trumpets; but the eclipse
is afterwards lifted, and the same Western empire again appears in
Imperial form under the control of the Papacy. After giving their power
and strength unto the beast during the Dark Ages, the horns afterward
turn against the Papacy and rob her of all her temporal authority and
power, thus pointing us clearly to the history of modern Europe, in
which the prophecy has been actually fulfilled. They themselves end at
the judgment of the last day. Thus, the political history of the Western
empire is carried through to the end. The Eastern division of the empire
is also made a subject of prophecy, and its overthrow is described under
the sixth trumpet. This was effected by the second woe, or the rise of
the Ottoman power, and that woe is represented as continuing until after
the death and the resurrection of the two witnesses and terminating
shortly before the end of time. Therefore the political history of the
Eastern empire, which has been under the power of the Turks for
centuries, is outlined until the end. The ecclesiastical history of the
Eastern empire is also given, its most prominent feature being the rise
and the development of that pest of Mohammedanism, which rests like a
dark cloud over that fair country until this day. In the Western
division the rise of the Papacy, its continuation, the rise of
Protestantism and its duration, are all clearly outlined, reaching down
to these last days. Then the scene is suddenly enlarged and is carried
beyond the limits of the earth--the Apocalyptic earth--into "the whole
world," when the powers of wickedness are combined in spirit to
antagonize the reformation of holiness and truth which God is using to
gather his faithful ones together in preparation for the coming of the
Son of God to judgment. In view of these wonderful events of the last
days, how comforting the words of the text before us--"Behold, _I come
quickly:_ blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this
book"!
[Footnote 16: Some historians give A.D. 395 as the date of the permanent
division of the empire. The government of the Eastern and Western
divisions was separate from the accession of Valens and Valentinian, in
364, until during the reign of Theodosius the Great, when the West,
through the jealous rivalries of different competitors for the throne,
had fallen into great disorder. Theodosius twice interposed to right
matters and finally took the government into his own hands for the space
of four months, in 395, when he died, after arranging for the division
of the empire between his two sons Arcadius and Honorius.]
8. And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had
heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the
angel which showed me these things.
9. Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy
fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them
which keep the sayings of this book: worship God.
The mind of the apostle was so enraptured with the visions he beheld
that he could not but adore and worship; but the angel that had been the
chosen instrument to reveal these prophecies refused his act of homage
and instructed him to "worship God." Created intelligences are not
worthy of such respect; to God alone all honor and praise belongs. Jesus
Christ our Redeemer is God--God over all, blessed forever. As such he is
worthy of the homage supreme of all our hearts, the praises of all our
lips.
10. And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy
of this book: for the time is at hand.
11. He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is
filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let
him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy
still.
12. And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to
give every man according as his work shall be.
13. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first
and the last.
14. Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may
have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the
gates into the city.
15. For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and
murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.
The popular opinion is that this book of the Revelation is sealed; but
John received the direct command, "_Seal not_ the sayings of the
prophecy of this book." The majority of the teachers of Babylon to-day
are fulfilling Isaiah 29:9-11, and that is the reason why it has become
to them a sealed book. God makes known the blessed truths of the
prophecies of this book to his own beloved children, who walk before him
in sincerity and truth. A blessing is pronounced upon us if we keep
them. His coming is near at hand, and his reward is with him to render
unto every man according as his work shall be. No offers of salvation
will be extended when Christ appears to give us access to the tree of
immortal life and an abundant entrance into the eternal city beyond; but
it will then be said, "He that is unjust, _let him be_ unjust still: and
he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous,
let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still."
"Dogs" are left without. This term as applied to a person is one of
great reproach. It is so among us, and much more so among the Jews, by
whom that animal was regarded as unclean. It signifies evil workers.
Evil characters of every class will have no part in the heavenly realm,
but will be cast into the lake of fire. It will be the perfection of
misery to be banished forever from the presence of God and the
companionship of all that is good and holy. "Blessed are they that do
his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of Life, and may
enter in through the gates into the city."
16. I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these
things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of
David, and the bright and morning star.
17. And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that
heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And
whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
The statements of these verses have been considered heretofore, hence
there is no necessity of further comment on them in this connection.
18. For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the
prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things,
God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this
book:
19. And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of
this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of
life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are
written in this book.
Here is the most solemn warning against any one who should presume to
corrupt the prophecies of the Revelation by adding to or taking away
from them. Nor was such a warning needless. This book contains the long
history of God's church, and also the history of all her persecutors,
painted in colors of deepest infamy, and the final doom that awaits
them. These enemies were to ride in triumph over the earth during a long
career of centuries, when the children of God should be trodden down
beneath their feet, as it were, while they boasted themselves as being
the true church, the anointed of heaven. These Revelations were to be
handed down to succeeding generations through these very persecutors.
The great whore of Babylon had her likeness taken and then committed to
her for preservation. Would she not falsify them? Nearly all the early
records of the church have been corrupted by the church of Rome. For
ages it has been a doctrine of that institution that pious fraud was
consistent and even commendable when practised to further the influence
of that church. Yea, she has proclaimed openly and unblushingly that if
her cause could be promoted by deception and lies they were perfectly
justifiable; and her practise has been consistent with her teachings. In
view of the fact that God's Word was to pass through the depths of this
"mystery of iniquity," it is not surprising that we find annexed to this
concluding portion of Holy Writ the awful anathema: "If any man shall
add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are
written in this book: and if any man shall take away from the words of
the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book
of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written
in this book."
20. He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come
quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.
21. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
What importance is attached to the second coming of Christ! Over and
over again it is stated distinctly. It is the grand climax unto which
all the series of events in this book leads.
"Are you ready, waiting for the Lord?
See, the signs proclaim him near;
In the awful thunders of his Word,
Now his coming steps we hear.
"Now are many running to and fro,
Spreading holiness around;
And the evening light begins to glow,
Soon we'll hear the trumpet's sound.
"Hark! the solemn warning unto all,
Judgment's coming, oh, how soon!
Flee, O man, at Mercy's final call,
Heaven trembles at your doom.
"Christ is coming, oh, the heavenly sight!
Our Beloved can't delay,
For his bride is robed in snowy white,
Ready for the marriage-day."
Amen. "Even so come, Lord Jesus." Then will appear the great "Alpha and
Omega, the beginning and the ending." In the beginning he "created the
heaven and the earth." In the end, John said, "I saw a new heaven and a
new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away;
and there was no more sea." In the beginning Satan entered the domain of
God's people to deceive and destroy. In the end he is cast out, and will
deceive the nations no more. In the beginning sickness, pain, sorrow,
and wretchedness found entrance to the world. In the end "God shall wipe
away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more sorrow, nor
crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are
passed away." In the beginning the people of earth were placed under the
iron hand of death, who has claimed his teeming millions. In the end, "I
saw the dead, small and great, stand before God.... And the sea gave up
the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead
which were in them ... and death and hell were cast into the lake of
fire." In the beginning was a blooming garden containing the tree of
immortal life. In the end we find the tree of life again "in the midst
of the Paradise of God." In the beginning a curse was placed upon this
earth. In the world to come "there shall be no more curse: but the
throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it." In the beginning the
first Adam lost his universal dominion over the earth. In the end we
find Jesus Christ, the second Adam, crowned King of kings and Lord of
lords, and reigning in triumph and glory forever. In the beginning man
was barred from the tree of life and driven from the garden of Eden. In
the end, "Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have
right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the
city."
INDEX
A
Aachen, 326.
Abaddon, 162.
Abubekr, first caliph, 155.
Aegean Sea, 36, 46.
Africa, conquered by Saracens, 160.
Ahab, 53.
Alani, 145.
Alans, 146, 215.
Alaric, invades Italy, 136-141, 149.
Ala-Shehr, 63.
Albi, council of, 339.
Albigenses, 113, 161, 196, 270, 342.
Aleppo, 165.
Alexander I., 172.
Alexander the Great, 320.
Alexander VI., Pope, 346, 347.
Alexandria, 109, 110.
Alison, A., quoted, 307-315.
Ammianus Marcellinus, quoted, 188.
Amiens, 140.
Ammon, 330.
Anabaptists, 292.
Anglo-Saxons, 215.
Anthony, founder of monasticism, 189, 190.
Antioch, 104, 109, 110.
Antioch Epiphanes, 230.
Antipas, 49.
Apollo, 241.
Apollyon, 162.
Aquinas, Thos., 340, 341.
Arabia, 330; conquered by Saracens, 160.
Arras, 140.
Arcadius, Roman emp., 137, 138, 440, n.
Argos, 137.
Armageddon, 332.
Armenia, 330; conquered by Turks, 165.
Arnout, Mme., quoted, 310.
Asbury, Bishop, 368.
Assyria, 330.
Astolphus, k. of Lombards, 352, n.
Athanasius, 190.
Athens, 137.
Attalus, 139.
Atkins, Robert, quoted, 365.
Attica, 137.
Attila, 142, 145, 146, 149.
Atys, 407.
Augsburg, 191.
Augsburg Confession (A.D. 1530), 191, 247, 252, 253.
Augustine, 96.
Augustines, Order of, 246, 251.
Augustulus, Roman emp., 148.
Augustus Cæsar, first Roman emp., 222.
Aurelian, Roman emp., 189.
Aurelius, Marcus, Roman emp., 46, 98.
Austerlitz, battle of, 322.
Avignon, 327; removal of Papal chair to, 305, 306;
council of, 339.
B
Babylon, taken by Cyrus, 166, 329, 331;
great edifices of, 432.
Babylonian empire, 330, 397.
Bacchus, 407.
Bagdad, founded (A.D. 762), 160, 165.
Balaam, 49, 50.
Balak, 50.
Barak, 332.
Barnes, Dr., quoted, 359.
Baronius, quoted, 345.
Barrows, John Henry, quoted, 409, 410.
Basil, council of, 340.
Bayazid, Sultan, 61.
Bedford jail, 36
Beethoven, 88.
Behiston rock, noted inscription on, 18, n.
Belisarius, general of Justinian, 148, 236, 351, n.
Bellarmine, Cardinal, quoted, 341, 342.
Benedict IX., Pope, 345, 346.
Bernard, 197; quoted, 199.
Beziers, council of, 339.
Boetia, 137.
Bohemia, 244, 339.
Bologna, 327.
Bonaparte, Jerome, 321.
Bonaparte, Louis, 321.
Bonaparte, Joseph, 321.
Bonaparte, Napoleon, 172, 317, 320-325, 327.
Boniface IV., Pope, 240.
Bonney, Chas. Carroll, quoted, 408, 409.
Borgia, Roderick, 346, 347.
Bosphorus, 171.
Bouchard, M., 18, n.
Buddha, 409.
Bunyan, John, his imprisonment, 36, n., 293.
Burgundians, 215.
Burgundy, 215.
Burke, quoted, 303.
Butler, quoted, 222, 223, 224, 230, 231.
C
Cadiz, 324.
Cæsar, 320.
Cæsar Augustus, Roman emp., 222.
Calcedon, council of, 110.
Calvin, John, reformer, 252
Calvinists, 252, 291.
Campbell, Alexander, quoted, 359, 360.
Canoosa, 111.
Canterbury, See of, 112, n.
Carlovingian dynasty, 325, 326, 350-352.
Carrier, 310, 311.
Cassini, quoted, 200.
Cathari, 196.
Catherine de Medici, 118.
Catherine the Great of Russia, 172.
Chaldea, 330.
Chalons, 146.
Charlemagne, 236, 305, 320, 325;
restores the Western empire, 325, 326, 350-352;
patriciate of, 350, 351, also n.
Charles Martel, 161, 325.
Charles V., k. of France, 307.
Charles IX., k. of France, 118.
Chase, Chas. Wingate, quoted, 405.
Chaumette, 308, 309.
Christians,
persecutions of, 97, 295;
by the Roman emperors (ten seasons of), 98, 116, 230, 231;
by the Papacy, 113, 116-118, 196-200, 243, 295, 338-344;
by Protestants, 252, 291-294.
Christian Science, 410, 411.
Chrysostom, 96.
Cicero, 222.
Claudius, quoted, 199.
Clement of Rome, 95.
Cologne (wrongly spelled Colonge in text), 197.
Constance, council of, 244, 245, 339, 345.
Constantine the Great, 189, 231, 241.
Constantinople, 158;
captured by the Turks (A.D. 1453), 169;
council of, 109, 344.
Constitutionalists, 314.
Consular power, 214, also n., 351.
Copenhagen, 324.
Corinth, 137.
Council, first of church, 231.
Councils, general, of church, 109, 231, 321, 339, 340, 345, 346.
Covenanters, Scotch, 293, 294.
Creasy, quoted, 324.
Crellius, 292.
Croesus, k. of Lydia, 56.
Crusades, 166.
Cyprian, 107.
Cyrus the Great, his capture of Babylon, 166, 329, 331.
D
Dacia, 137.
D'Alembert, 297-303.
Dalmatia, 136.
Damascus, 165.
Daniel, prophecies of, 235-238.
Danton, 310.
Dantonists, 315.
Darwin, 411.
D'Aubigne, quoted, 96, 185, 191, 192, 195, 208, 209, 244, 245, 247, 253,
276, 277.
Decemvirate, 214, also n., 351.
Decius, Roman emp., 98.
Decretals of Isodore, 344.
Demetrius, 43.
Demetrius Cantemir, quoted, 170.
Diana, 241;
temple of at Ephesus, 42, 64.
Diderot, 297-808.
Dictator, office of, at Rome, 214, n.
Diocletian, Roman emp., 48, 98, 230.
Dionysis, 407.
Diotrephes, 102, 103.
Donatists, 342.
Domitian, Roman emp., 36, 98.
Domnus, 189.
Dow, Lorenzo, quoted, 278, 360.
Dowling, quoted, 187, 188, 189, 190, 196, 241, 243.
Duke of Alva, 118.
Du Guesclin, 307.
Dupin, quoted, 344.
Dwight, Pres., quoted, 303.
E
Easter, 105.
Eastern Empire, See _Roman Empire_.
Eastern Question, 172, 173.
Edgar, quoted, 340.
Edict of Nantes, 118, 295.
Egbert, quoted, 196, 197.
Egypt, conquered by Saracens, 160.
Elba, Island of, 323, 324.
Ephesus, fate of, 45, 64, 68; temple at, 42.
Eudoxia, 143.
Euphrates, 164, 166; turned by Cyrus, 166, 329, 331.
Eusebius, quoted, 188, 189.
Evervinus, quoted. 197-199.
F
Farrara, 327.
Feldkirchen, 247.
Fisher, Geo., quoted, 103, 189.
Fletcher, John, quoted, 277.
Formosus, Pope, 345.
Foster, Bishop R.S., quoted, 368-370.
France, invaded by Saracens, 161.
Francis I., of France, 307.
Franks, 146, 215.
Frederick of Saxony, quoted, 247-249.
Frederick II., k. of Prussia, 297.
French Revolution, 305-315, 324, 352.
Freron, quoted, 313, 314.
Friedland, battle of, 322.
Fuller, quoted, 340.
G
Gallienus, Roman emp., 187
Gallus, Roman emp., 98.
Gascoigne, 215.
Gates, Theophilus R., quoted, 278-283.
Geneva, 252.
Genseric, k. of Vandals, 25, 142, 143, 149.
Germania, 139.
Gepidæ, 145.
Gibbon, quoted, 64, 136-138, 142, 143, 145, 158, 351.
Gibbons, Cardinal, quoted 343, 344.
Gieseler, quoted, 103.
Girondists, 315.
Gnostics, 410.
Gobet, 308.
Goddess of Reason, 209, 401.
Goths, 136, 141.
Greek Empire (Eastern Empire), See _Roman Empire_.
Green, B.A., quoted, 412, 413.
Gregory VII., Pope, 111, 184, 242.
H
Haeckel, 411.
Hamlet, 307.
Handel, 88.
Hartley, quoted, 361.
Heads, seven, of dragon and Papal beasts,
signifying seven forms of government,
214, also n., 235, 349, 350.
Hebert, 308, 309.
Henry VIII., k. of England, 292.
Henry IV., k. of France, 307.
Henry IV., emperor of Holy Roman empire, 111.
Henry, k. of Navarre, 118.
Hera, 154.
Hermus, 56.
Herod Agrippa, 240.
Herodotus, 166, 329.
Heruli, 145, 148, 215, 236.
Hieroglyphics, 18, 19, n.
Hilarion, 189.
Hildebrand, See _Gregory VII_.
Hilton, John, quoted, 246, 247.
Hiram Abiff, 407.
Holbach, Baron, 300.
Holland, 321.
Holy Roman Empire, 325, 326, 351;
dissolved (A.D. 1806), 327.
Honorius, Roman emp., 136, 138, 139, 440, n.
Honorius, Pope, 344, 346.
Hopkins, quoted, 362.
Horn, the little, of Daniel 7,
a symbol of the Papacy, 235-238, 350, 357.
Horn, of the goat, symbol of Alexander, 20.
Horns, ten, of the Dragon and Papal beast,
signifying ten kingdoms, 14, 215, 235, 236, 349.
Horns, three, plucked up before the little horn,
236, 350, 351.
Horns, four, of the goat,
symbolizing four divisions of Alexander's empire, 20.
Hugenots, 118.
Hugenot wars, 252.
Hungary, 169, 215.
Huns, 141, 145, 146, 215.
Huntington, Lady, 369.
Huss, John, 62, 244, 245, 249, 339.
I
Iconium, 165.
Ignatius, his epistles, extracts from, 104.
Illuminati, 297-303, 404.
Illyricum, 137.
Indulgences, 250, 251.
Imperial power, 214, also n.
Innocent III., Pope, 111, n., 339.
Innocent XI., Pope, 118.
Institorus, Henry, quoted, 246.
Interdicts, 111, also n., 112, also n.
Ionia, 64.
Isodore, false Decretals of, 344, 345.
Islam, See _Mohammedanism_.
J
Jena, battle of, 322.
Jerome, 36, 96.
Jerome of Prague, 62, 339.
Jerusalem, captured by Saracens, 110.
Jezebel, 53.
John XI., Pope, 345.
John, k. of England,
his quarrel with Innocent III., 112, n.
Johnson, B.W., quoted, 357-359.
Judson, quoted, 171, 172, 321.
Jupiter, 241.
Justinian, Roman emp., 148, 351, n.
K
Kinkade, Wm., quoted, 359.
Klondyke, 433.
Koran, 158, 406.
Kurtz, quoted, 95, 96.
L
Laodicea, fate of, 64, 67, 68.
Lateran, councils of, 329, 339, 340.
Lavaur, council of, 339.
Leo III., Pope, 325.
Leo X., Pope, 250.
Lepelletier, 308.
Liszt, 88.
Lombards, 196.
Lombards (barbarians), 215, 236, 350.
Lombardy, 351.
Lord, Mr., quoted, 100.
Louis XII., k. of France, 307.
Louis, XIV., k. of France, 118, 295, 307.
Lucretia, 347.
Luther, Martin, reformer,
62, 244, 246, 247, 249, 251,
252, 342; quoted, 361.
Lutherans, 252, 291.
Lydia, 56, 64.
M
Machiard, 215.
Mackey, quoted, 405.
Mackintosh, Sir James, quoted, 323, 324.
Mæcenas, 222.
Mæsia, 215.
Mahomet, See _Mohammed_.
Manes, 298.
Manicheans, 342.
Mantz, Felix, 292.
Marat, 308, 310, 311.
Marathon, battle of, 191.
Marcellus, Pope, 341.
Marcus Aurelius, Roman emp., 46, 98.
Marengo, battle of, 191, 322.
Marie Antoinette, q. of France, her execution, 306.
Marozia, 345.
Marsh, quoted, 186.
Martin, Pope, 339.
Mary Tudor, 117.
Maximus, Roman emp., 98, 143.
Mecca, 154.
Megara, 137.
Megiddo, 332.
Melanchthon, Philip, 247.
Mentz, 140.
Mesopotamia, 330.
Metropolitan, office of, 105, 106.
Military Tribunes, 214, also n.
Milman, quoted, 95.
Milner, Joseph, quoted, 190, 191.
Mithras, 407.
Moab, 330.
Mohammed, 61, 154-162, 389.
Mohammedanism, 25, 61, 134, 154-173, 331, 341.
Moldavia, prince of, 170.
Momoro, 309.
Momyllus Augustulus, Roman emp., 148.
Montanism, 105.
Monasticism, rise of, 189, 190.
Montesquieu, 300.
Morea, 170.
Moscow, 322, 324.
Mosheim, quoted, 94, 105, 106, 109.
Mozart, 87.
Murat, 321.
Myers, quoted, 293.
Mysia, 49.
Mythra, mysteries of, 298.
N
Nantes, 310; edict of, 118, 295.
Naples, 324.
Napoleon, See _Bonaparte_.
Narbonne, council of, 339.
National Convention of France, 307, 317.
Nero, Roman emp., 98, 311.
Nerva, Roman emp., 36.
Ney, Marshal, 322.
Niagara Falls, 87.
Nicaea, council of, 109, 231.
Nicolaitans, 44, 49, 50.
Nicholas, 172.
Nicolas, 44.
Notre Dame, 309.
O
Odoacer, 148, 236.
Oppede, 117.
Oriental Philosophy, 410.
Origen, 107.
Osiris, 407.
Ostrogoths, 141, 145, 148, 215, 236, 351, n.
Othman, See _Ottoman_.
Otto the Great, 326
Ottoman, 61, 169.
Ottoman empire, 64, 165, 173, 441.
Oxford, council of, 339.
P
Pactolus, 56.
Pache, 308.
Paderewski, 88.
Paganism, 97, 214-232, 331, 388-390.
Palestine, conquered by Saracens, 160;
invaded by Crusaders, 166.
Pannonia, 215.
Papacy, first steps to apostasy,
102, 184, 185; growth of its power,
103-107, 108, 110, 111, 184, 236-243, 352, n.;
Pope styled Universal Bishop, 110, 184;
blasphemous titles of, 242, 243, 264, 337;
its war against the saints, See _Christians,
persecutions of;_ at its height, 111,
also n., 184, 236, 305, 326, 236-243;
temporal power of, 184, 236, 305, 326, 336, 352, n.;
removal of Papal chair to Avignon, 305, 306;
spiritual supremacy lost at the Reformation,
191, 249-251;
revolt of the temporal princes, 255, 355;
end of its temporal power, 255, 327, 328;
decree of Papal infallibility, 243, 346.
Papal States, See _Papacy, temporal power of._
Patmos, 36.
Patriarch, office of, 109, 110.
Patriciate, 350, 351, also n.
Paul of Antioch, 188, 189.
Paulus, 344.
Pavia, battle of, 191.
Pepin, Carlovingian king, 236, 305, 326, 350.
Pergamus, fate of, 64, 68.
Persecutions, See _Christians, persecutions of._
Persia, conquered by Saracens, 160.
Petrus Lombardus, 96.
Peucer, 292.
Philadelphia, remarkable preservation of, 61-64, 68.
Philip Augustus, 111.
Philosophists, 297-303.
Phocas, Roman emp. 184.
Phocis, 137.
Pius IV., Pope, 327.
Platina, 345.
Pliny, 222, 226.
Poland, 169.
Polycarp, 46.
Pontifex Maxima, 222, 239.
Poor Men of Lyons, 198.
Popes, power of, See _Papacy_.
Portugal overrun by Saracens, 160.
Prague, 244.
Proles, Andrew, quoted, 246.
Protestantism, rise of, 191, 252, 254;
its false miracles, 259-261;
its persecutions, See _Christians,
persecutions of._
Proetextatus, 188.
Puritans, 293.
R
Ravenna, 148, 351, 352, n.;
exarchate of, 351, n.
Reformation, the, 249-252;
predictions of by medieval Christians, 243-249.
Regal power, 214, also n.
Reign of Terror in France, 306-315.
Revival of Learning, 249.
Rheims, 140.
Roberts, Bishop, quoted, 364.
Robespierre, 307, 309, 313.
Rodgers, Hester Ann, 368.
Romagna, 327.
Roman Empire, forms of, See _Heads, seven_, and _Horns, ten_;
Christianity the State religion under Constantine, 116, 231;
division of under Valens and Valentinian, 440;
overrun by barbarians, 25, 125, 136-141, 142, 143, 145, 146, 148;
fall of Western division (A.D. 476), 133, 148, 236, 440;
fall of Eastern division (A.D. 1453), 167, 169, 172, 440, 441.
Rome, 109, 138, 139, 143.
Rosetta stone, 18, n.
Rosseau, 300.
Rubenstein, 88.
Rutter, quoted, 186.
S
St. Anthony, 189, 190.
St. Aquinas, quoted, 340.
St. Bartholomew, massacre of, 117.
St. Dennis, 307.
St. Petersburg, 172.
Salutaris Vibius, 42.
Saracens, 26, 61, 110, 156-163.
Sardinia, 143.
Sardis, capital of Lydia, 56;
fate of, 58, 64, 68.
Savage, Minton J., quoted, 413-415.
Saxons, See _Anglo-Saxons._
Saxony, 244, 250, 251.
Schweinitz, 248.
Scott, 0., quoted, 363.
Scythia, 136, 139.
Septimus Severus, Roman emp., 98, 224.
Sergius, Pope, 344, 345, 346.
Sickles, Daniel, quoted, 405.
Siddartha, 409.
Sienna, council of, 340.
Simpson, quoted, 362.
Sisera, 332.
Smyrna, preservation of, 48, 64, 68.
Socrates, 409.
Spain, overrun by Saracens, 160.
Sparta, 137.
Spires, 140, 191;
diet of, 191, 253.
Spiritualism, 411, 412.
States-General, of France, 306.
Strasburg, 140.
Suevi, 215.
Sultanies, Turkish, names of, 165.
Sunium, 137.
Symbols, See _Hieroglyphics_.
T
Tables of Laws, Roman, 214.
Talmage, T. DeWitt, quoted, 363, 412.
Temple of Reason, 309.
Tertullian, 107;
quoted, 134, 224-226.
Tetzel, 250, 251.
Theodoret, 96.
Theodoric, 148, 236.
Theodosius the Great, Roman emp., 136, 440, n.
Thermopylae, 137.
Thrace, 137.
Thuanus, quoted, 200.
Thyatira, fate of, 64, 68.
Tiberius Cæsar, Roman emp., 66.
Tilsit, 172.
Tmolus, Mount, 56.
Toledo, council of, 339, 346.
Toloso, council of, 339.
Torgaw, 291.
Tournay, 140.
Tours, 161;
council of, 339.
Trajan, Roman emp., 98, 104, 222.
Trent, council of, 96.
Tribunes, 214, also n.
Tripoli, 143.
Triumvirate, 214, also n., 351.
Turenne, 307.
Turin, 199.
Turings, 215.
Turks, See _Ottoman empire._
U
Universal Bishop, Pope styled, See _Papacy._
Urban II., 96.
V
Valens, Roman emp., 440, also n.
Valentinian, Roman emp., 143, 440, also n.
Valerian, Roman emp., 98.
Vandals, 25, 142, 143, 215.
Vanosia, 347.
Vatican, council of, 346.
Vaudois, 196.
Venaissin, 327.
Venus, 241.
Vicarius Filii Dei, blasphemous title of the Pope, 264.
Victor Emmanuel, 255, 328.
Victor III., Pope, 345.
Vienna, attacked by Turks, 169;
congress of, 323.
Visigoths, 138, 141, 146, 215.
Voltaire, 297-302, 305, 306, 401.
W
Waddington, quoted, 94, 186, 346, 347.
Wagram, battle of, 322.
Waldenses, 113, 117, 161, 196, 200, 270, 339, 342.
Warburton, quoted, 404.
Waterloo, battle of, 324.
Weishaupt, Dr. Adam, 300, 302, 403.
Wesley, John, 368.
Western Empire, See _Roman Empire_ also _Charlemagne_
and _Holy Roman Empire._
Westphalia, 321.
Wicks, Thos., quoted, 297-303, 321, 323.
Wittemberg, 248, 249;
university of, 251.
Wurms, 140.
Wycliffe, 61, 340, 344.
X
Xerxes, 321.
Y
Yellowstone Park, 87.
Yosemite Valley, 87.
Yuruks, 58.
Z
Zend-Avesta, 406.
Zoroaster, 406.
Zurich, 292.
Zwingle, Ulrich, reformer, 252.
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