Chapter XXVII (continued, part 46)
I%e Measwement of the Temple. EEVELATION XI. The Testimony of the Two Witnesaea.
whom the literal Jerusalem temple was not familiar. It was to be expected the term naos should not be found in the literal, but in the spiritual sense. In v. 19 naos is used in a local sense; cf. also ch. 14. 15, 17; 15.5, 8. a. But— Greek, "And." the court . . . withont—all outside the Holy place (d. 1). leave out— of thy measurement, lit., " cast out;" reckon as unhallowed, it—Eniphalital. II in not to be measured; whereas the holy place is. givenby God's appointment, unto the Gentiles—In the wider sense, there are meant here " the times of the Gentiles.'' wherein Jerusalem is "trodden down of the Gentiles," as the parallel, Luke 21. 24, proves; for the same word is used here [Greek patein], "tread under foot." Cf. also Psalm
which befall the holy city and the Church of God—the Bubject of the rest of the book.
Ver. 1-19. Measurement of the Temple. The two Witnesses' Testimony: Their Death, Re.suiirkction, AND Ascension : The Earthquake: The Third Woe: The Seventh Trumpet Ushers in Christ's Kingdom. Thanksoiving of the Twenty-four Elders. This eleventh chapter is a compendious summary of, and introduction to, tlie more detailed prophecies of the same events to come in chs. 12., 13., U., 15., 16., 17., 18., 19., 20. Hence we find anticipatory allusions to the subsequent prophecies ; ef. u. 7, "the beast that ascendetli out of the bottomless pit" (not mentioned before), with the detailed accounts, ch. 13. 1, U ; 17. 8; also v. 8, " the great city," with ch. 11. 8; 17. 1, 5; 18. 10. 1. and the angel stood—Omitted In A, Vulgate anil Coptic. Supported by B and Sj/riac. If
79. 1; Isaiah 63. 18. forty ... two months—(Ch. 13. 5.) The same period as Daniel's "time, times, and a half" (ch. 1%
14); and v. 3, andch. 12. 6, the woman a fugitive in the wilderness "a thousand two hundred and threescore days." In tlie wider sense, we may either adopt the year-day tlieory of 1260 years (on which, and the papal rule of 1260 years, see my Notes, Daniel 7. 25; 8. 14; 12. 11), or ratlier, regard the 2300 days (Daniel 8. 14), 1:335 days (Daniel 12. 11, 12). 1290 days, and 1260 days, as symbolical of the long perioa of the Gentile times, whether dating from the subversion of the Jewish theocracy at the Babylonian captivity (the kingdom having been never since restored to Israel), or from the last destruction of Jerusalem under Titus, ana extending to the restoration of the theocracy at the coming of Him "whose right it is;" the difl'erent epochv marked by the 2300, 1335, 1290, and 1260 days, will not fully cleared up till the grand consummation; but, mean while, our duty and privilege urge us to investigate them. Some one of the epochs assigned by many may be righl but as yet it is uncertain. The times of the Gentile mor archies during Israel's seven times punisliment, will prob ably, in the narrower sense (v. 2), be succeeded by tho much more restricted times of the personal Antichrist s tyranny in the Holy Land. The long years of papal misrule may be followed by the short time of the man of sin who shall concentrate in himself all theapostasy, persecition, and evil of the various forerunning Antichrists, An« tiochus, Mohammed, Popery, just before Christ's advent. His time shall be the recapitulation and open consummation of the "mystery of iniquity" so long leavening tiie world. Witnessing churches may be followed by witnessing individuals, the former occupying the longer, the latter, the shorter period. The three and a half (lliM days being three and a half years of 300 days each, during which the two witnesses propliesy in sackcloth) is the sacred number seven halved, implying the Antichristian world-power's time is broken at best; it answers to tlia threeanda hal/yenrs' period in which Christ witnesse<l for the truth, and the Jews, His own people, disowned Him, and the God-opposed world-power crucified llim (ct. Note, Daniel 9.27). The three and a half, in a word, marks the time in which the eartlily rules over the hei^venly kingdom. It was the duration of Antiochus' treading down of the temple and persecution of faitliful Israelites. Tlie resurrection of the witnesses after three and a half days, answers to Christ's resurrection after three days. The world-power's times never reach the sacred fulness of seven times 360, i. e., 2520, tliough they approach to It iu 2300 (Daniel 8. 14). The forty-two months answer to Israel's forty-two sojournings (Numbers 83. 1-50) in the wilderness, as contrasted with the sabbatic rest in (Janaan: reminding the Cliurch that here, in the world-wilderness, slin cannot look for her sabbatic rest. Also, three and a half
It be omitted, the reed will, in construction, agree witli "saying." So Wordsworth takes it. The reed, the canon of Scripture, the measuring-reed of tlie Church, our rule of faith, speaks. So in ch. 16. 7 the altar is personified
a.s speaking (,cf. Note theve). The Spirit speaks in the canon of Scripture (the word canon is derived from Hebrew kaneh, "a reed," the word here used ; and John it was who completed the canon). So Victorinus, Aquinas, and VitKinga. " Like a rod," viz., straight : like a rod oj iron (cli.
2.27), unbending, destroying all error, and tliat "cannot be broken." Ch. 2.27; Hebrews 1. 8, Greek, "a rod of Ktraightness," English Version, "a sceptre of rigliteousness;" this is added to guard against it being tliought that the reed was one "shaken by the wind." In tlie abrupt style of the Apocalypse, "saying" is possibly indef-
inite, put (or " one said." Still Wordsworth's viewagrees best with Greek. So the ancient commentator, Andreas OF C^sarea, in the end of the fifth century (cf. Note, v. .3, 4). the temple Greek naon (as distinguished from tlie Greek hieron, or temple in general), the Holy place, "the sanctuary." the altar—of incense; for it alone was in tlie tanctuary (Greek naos). The measurement of the Holy place seems to me to stand parallel to the sealing of the elect of Israel under the sixth seal. God's elect are symbolized by the sanctuary at Jerusalem (1 Corinthians 3. 10,
17, where the same Greek word naos occurs for "temple," as here). Literal Israel in Jerusalem, and with the temple restored (Ezekiel 40. 3, 5, wliere also the temple is measured with the measuring-reed, 41., 42., 43., 44.), shall stand at the head of the elect Church. The measuring implies at once the exactness of the proportions of the temple to be restored, and the definite completeness (not one being wanting) of the numbers of the Israelite and of the Gentile elections. The literal temple at Jerusalem shall be the typical forerunner of the heavenly Jerusalem, in which there shall be all temple, and no portion exclusively set apart as temple. John's accurately drawing the dislinotion in subsequent chapters between God's servants, and those who bear the mark of the beast, is the way whei'eby he fulfils the direction here given him to measure the temple. The fact that the temple is distingui.shed from them that worship therein, favours the view that the spiritual temple, the Jewish and Christian Church, Is not exclusively meant, but that tlie literal t-emple must also be meant. It sliall be rebuilt on tlie return of tli« Jews to their land. Antichrist sliall there put forward his blasphemous claims. The sealed elect of Israel, the head of the elect Cliurch, alone shall refuse his claims. These shall constitute the irue sanctuary which
ye.ars was the period of tiie heaven being shut up, and of consequent famine, in Elias' time. Thus, three and u half represented to liie Church the idea of toil, pilgrim-, age, and persecution. 3. 1 wtll give power—There is no "power" in the Greek, so that "give" must mean "give commission," or some such word, my two wilnrKHi.t— Greek, "the two witnesses of me." Tlie article itiiplies that the two were well known at least to John, proplietty —preach under the inspiration of tin' Spirit, denoiiiiclns; judgments against the apostate. They are desei ilied 1)> symlxil as "the two olive trees" and "the two candle-
ts here measured, t. e., accurately marked and kept by Go<i, whereas the rest shall yield to liis i)retensions. WojtDSWORTH objects that, in the twenly-fivc; passiiges of the Acts, wherein the Jewish temple is menlioiied, It is called Ateron, not n«o«, and so in the apostolic Epistles; but this is simply because no occasion for mentioning the
literal Holy place {Greek naos) occurs in Acts and tlie Epistles ; indeed. In Acts 7.48, though not diiev-tly. there does occur the term naos. Indirectly referring to iho Jerusalem temple Holy place. In addreiisiut; Gentile Christians, to
sticks," or lamp-stands, " HlaiiiXiu^ before the (joil ol the 575
Tlie Teslimony of Iht Two Witnegbes. REVELATION XI. Tlte BeasI from the Pit shall Kill them.
being called alsotte two candlesticks (the Old and New Testament churches: the candlestick in Zechariah 4. is bat one, as there was then but one Test4iraent, and one Churcn, the Jewish). The Church in both dispensations lias no light in herself, but derives it from the Spirit through the witness of the twofold word, the two olive trees : cf. ( jYote)
narth." The reference js to Zeobariali 4. 3, 12, where two individuals a.v^ iiieaiil, Joshua and Zerubbabel, who ministered to the Jewish Cliuicli, just as the two olive ti'ees emptied the oil out ol tliemselves into the bowl of the candleslicli. So in the final apostasy God will raise up two inspired witnesses to minister encouragement to tlie afHicled, tliougli sealed, remnant. As two candlesticljs are mentioned v. 4, l^ut only ode in Zechariuli 4., I thinlt
V. 1, whicli is connected witli this, the reed, the Scripture canon, being the measure of the Church: so Pkimasius X., p. 314: the two witnesses preach in sackcloth, marking the iguominous treatment which the word, like Clirisl Himself, receives from the world. So the twentyfour elders represent the ministers of the two dispensations by the double twelve. But i'. 7 proves that primarily llie two Testaments cannot be meant; for these shall never be "killed," and never "shall have finished their testimony" till the world is finished. 5. will Iiurt Greek, "wishes," or "desires to hurl them." flie . . , devoureth — (Cf. Jeremiali 5.14; 2:3. 29). out of tlielr mo«tl»—Not literally, but God makes their inspired denunciations ofjudgment to come lo pass and devour their enemies, if any man vi-IU Iturt tUem — Twice repeated, lo mark the imtnediate certainty of the accomplishment. In tills manner—so in like manner as he tries to liurt them (cf. ch. 1;^. 10). Uetribution in kind. 6. TIkese . . . power Greek, "authorized power." It rain not Greek (huetos brechee), "rain shower not,"
tlie twofold Church, Jewish and Gentile, may be meant
by the two caudlesticivs represented by the two witnesses: just as in ch.7. there are described first the sealed of Israel, tlieu those of all nations. But see Note, v. 4. The actions of the two witnesses are just those of Moses when witnessing lor God against Pharaoh (the type of Antichrist, the last and greatest foe of Israel), turning the waters into blood, smiting wilh plagues; and of Elijah
(the witness for God in an almost universal apostasy of Israel, a remnant of TWO, however, being lelt, as llie
114,|((J0 sealed, ch. 7.) causing Jire Ijy his word to devour the enemy, iind shutting heaven, so that it rained not for three years and six months, the very time (12oU days) during which the two witnesses prophesy. Moreover, the words "witness" and " prophesy" are usually applied to indi-
viduals, not to abstractions (cf. Psalm o2. Sj. De Bukuh
thinlis Elijah and Moses will again appear, as Malachi 4.
5, (i seems to imply (cf. Matthew 17. 11 ; Acts 3. 21). Moses
lit., " moisten not" (the earth), smite . . . with all plagues — Greek, " witli (lit., in) every plague." 7. ftnUIied tbeir testimony—The same verb is used of Paul's ending his ministry by a violent death, tlie beast tUat ast-ended out of the bottomless pit Greek, "tlie wild beast . . . the abyss." This beast was not mentioned before, yet he is introauced as "the beast," because he had already been described by Daniel (7. 3, 11), and he is fully so in the subsequent part of llie Apocalypse, viz., ch. 13. 1;
iiud Elijah appeared with Christ at the Transtiguralion, which foreshadowed His coming milleuuial kingdom. As to Moses, cf. Deuteronomy 34. 5, 6; Jude 9. Elias' genius and mode of procedure bears the same relation to the second coming of Christ, that John the Baptist's did
to the first coming. [Bengel.J Many of the early Church thouglit the two witnesses to be Enoch and Elijah. This would avoid the difficulty of the dying a second time, for
lliese have never yet died; but, perhaps, shall be the witnesses slain, yiili, the turning tlie water to blood, and the plagues U'- t>)i apply best to Moses (cf. ch. lo. ii, " the song of Moses"). The transfiguration-glory of Moses and Elias was not their permanent resurrection-state, which shall not be
17. 8. Thus, John at once appropriates the Old Testament prophecies; and also, viewing his whole subject at a glance, mentions as familiar tilings (thougli not yet so to the reader) objects lo be described hereafter by himself. It is a proof of the unity that pervades
till Christ sliall come to glorify His saints, for He has precedence before all in rising. An objection to this interpretation is, that those blessed departed servants of God would have lo submit to death (v. 7, 8), and this in Moses' case a second time, which Hebrews 9. 27 denies. See my
all Scripture, make war against tbem—alluding to Daniel 7. 21, where the same is said of tlie little horn that sprang up among the leu horns on the fourth beast. 8. dead bodies—So Vulgate, Syriac and Anukeas. But A, B, C, llie oldest MSS., and Coptic read the singular, "dead body." The two fallen In one cause are considered as one, the great city—Ji-'iyW times in the Revelation elsewhere used of Babylon (ch. 14. 8; Iti. 19; 17. 18;
S\'ole, Zechariah 4. 11, 12, on the two witnesses us answering lo " the two olive trees." The two olive trees are channels of the oil feeding the Church, and symbols of peace. The Holy Spirit is the oil in them. Christ's witnesses, in remarliable times of the Church's history, have generally appeared in pairs: as Moses and Aaron, the inbpired civil and religious authorities ; Caleb and Joshua ; E/.ekiel the priest and Uaniel the prophet; Zerubbabel and Joshua. In snckclotli—The garment of prophets,
18. 10, IB, 18, 19, 21). In ch. 21. 10 (Knglish Version as to the new Jerusalem), Ihe oldest MSS. omit "the great" before
city, so that it forms no exception. It must, therefore,
liave an anticipatory reference to the mystical Baliylon. wlilch Greek, "the which," viz., the cily ivhich. spiritually—in a spiritual sense. Sodom—The very term applied by Isaiah 1. 10 to apostate Jcru.salem (cf. E/.ekiel 10.
esjiecially when calling people lo mortiUcatlon of their
sins, and lo repentance. Tlieir very exterior aspiid accorded with their teachings: so Elijah, and Jolm who came in His spirit and power. The sackelotli of the witnesses isacatchword linking this episode umler the sixth trumpet, with the .vu« li/(if/; as sackcloth (In righteous retribution on tlie apostates who rejected (iod's witnesses) under the sixth seal (ch. 6. 12). 4. 8tnii<Ilii^ Ix'foi-e tlie
4S). Kgypt-the nation which the Jews' besetting stii was to lean upon, where . . . Lord was cruellled—This
Identities the city as Jerusalem, though the Eord was ci'U-
citled outside of the city. Kusiomus mciitiuns that the scene of Christ's crucilixion was enclosed within the city by Constiuitiiie ; so it will be probably at the time of llie
Klayiiig of the witnesses. The Beast [e. </., Napoleon und France's ell'ortsj has been long struggling for a footing iu Palestine; after his ascent from the bottomless pit he struggles much more. [Benoki>.J Some tme of the Napoleonic dynasty may obtain that footing, ami even be regarded as Messiah by tlm Jews, in virluc of Ills reslorIng them lo their own land ; and so may prove to be the
iioil of the eartli—A, li, C, Vulgate, tl!/riac, Coiitic, and Akdkkas read "Lord" for "God:" so Zechariah 4.11. Ministering lo (Luke 1. 19), and as In the sight of Him, who, though now so widely disowned on earth. Is Its rightful King, and shall at last be openly recognized as
Kucli (»'. l.")). The phrase alludes to Zechariah 4. 10, 14, "the two anointed ones tliat stand by the Lonl of the whole earth." The article "the" marks this allusion. They are "the two candlesticks," not that Ihey are the 'church, the one candlestick, but as Us representative
last .'Viitlchrlsl. The illlUculty is, how can Jerusalem be called " the great city," i. c, Babylon ? By her becoming the world's capital of idol at rous apostasy, such as Kanylou
originally was, and then Home has been; just as she is here <'alliHl also " .Sodom and Egypt." also our— A, B, C, OitlOHN, Anukea.s, iVcr., read, "also their." Where their Lord, also, as well as they, was slain. Cf. ch. 18. 24, where
Ityht-bearers {Greek, Phlllpplans 2. ]r>, phostrres), and niln-
isleilii^ for Its eiieouragement in a lime of apostasy. WouiiswoKTll's view Is worth consideration, whether It may not constitute a se('i)ndary sense : the two vitnesses,
the blood o/ Ai.l, slain on earth is said lo be found IN Bahy-
thi olive trees, are THE TWO Tkstamknts ministering Iheir
I.ON, justas In Matthew 'iit.Ji.), Jesus sailh that, " upon the Jews and J nuu.'SALUM " (cf. v. 37, 38) shall " come A1.1. the
leiO.mony to the Church of the old dispensation, as well as
to that of the new, whlcli explains the two witnesses
The Two Witnesses shall Rise again REVELATION Xi. aj(er Three D'lijg and </ HtdJ,
righteous Wood shed upon earth;" whence it follows Jerusalem shall be the last capital o( fhe woikl-aposta.sy, and so receive the last and worst visitation of all the judgments ever inflicted on the apostate world, the earnest of which was given in the Roman destruction of Jerusalem. In the wider sen/?e, in tlie Church-historical period, the Church being tlie sanctuary, all outside of it
(Matthew 28. 4), when also tlsere was a great earlhquake
(v. 2). snw— Greek, " beheld." li. Tliey—So A, C, Viilf/ate. But B, Coptic, Syriac, and Andreas read, " I heard." a clond— Greek, "the cloud;" which ma.v be merely the generic e.xprcssioii for what we .ire familiar with, as w« say "the clouds." But I prefer taking the article as definitely alluding to the cloud whicli received Jesus at His ascension. Acts 1. 9 (where there is no article, as there is no allusion to a previous cloud, such as there is here). As they resembled Him in their three and a half years' witnessing, their three and a half days lyingin death (though not for exactly the same time, nor put in a tomb as He was), so also in their ascension is tlie translation and transftguration of the sealed of Israel (ch. 7.), and theelect of all nations, caught upoutof the reach of the Antichris-
is the world, the great city, wherein all the martyrdoms of saints have taken place. ISahi/lon marks its idolatry, Egypt its tyrauuy, Sodom its desperate corruption, ,/«r«-
laletii its pretensions tosanctityon the ground of spiritual privileges, whilst all the vvliile it is the murderer of Clu ist in the person of His members. All wliich is true of Rome. So ViTRiNGA. But in tlie more definite .sense, JertiMi/fni
Is regarded, even in Hebrews (ch. lo. 12-U), as Mie world-
tiaii foe. In ch. 14. 14, 15, Ifi, He is represented jus sitting on a, white cloud, their enemies beiield them—and were tlius openly convicted by God for their unl)clief and persecution of His servants; unlike Klijah's ascension formerly, ill the sight of friends only. The Church caught Hp to meet the Lord in the air, and trans-Mfjiured in body,
cit.v wliicli believers were then lo go fortli from, in order to "seek one to come." 9. they—rather, " (somp) of the peoples." people Greek, " peoples." Ulmlreds— (ri-ec/:, "tribes;" all save the elect (whence it is not sai(i. The
peoples, &c., but [some] of the peoples, &<: ; or, .sonw of the
peoples, (Sc., may refer to those of the ttatioti-i, liv., icho at the lime shall hold jtossession of Pidestine and Jerusnlein). s!»alJ see—So Vulga/,c, Syriac, and Coptic. But A, B, C, Andreas, the present, "see," or rather (Oreek blepotislii), "look upon." The prophetic present. de«<l bodies HoVulfjale,
is justified by her Lord belbre the world, even asthe man-
cliild (Jesus) was "caught up unto God and His throne" from betore the dragon standing ready to devour lite woman't child as soon as horn. 1.1. "In that same {lit., the) hour." great eari hqnake—answering to the " great earthquake" under the si.vtli seal, just at the approach of the I^ord (ch.
Syriac, and Anukeas. But A, B, C, and Coptic, singular, as in V. S, " dead body." Three and a half days answer to the three and a half years (JVotes, v. 2, 3), the half of seven, the full ami perfect number, shall not snifer—So B,
6. 12). Christ was delivered unto His enemies on the fifth day of the week, and on the .s/z<7i was crucified, and on the sabbath rested; so it is under the sixtli seal and sixth trumpet that the last suffering of the Church, begun under the fil'tli seal and trumpet, is to be consummated, before she enters on her seventh day of eternal sabbath. Six is the number of the world-power's greatest triumph, but at the same time verges on severe, the Divine number, when its utter destruction takes place. Cf. 606 in cli. 13. 18, "the number of the beast." tenth part of tlie city fi ll—i. e., of " the great city" (ch.
Syriac, Coptic, and Andreas. But A, C, and Vulgate read, "do not suffer." In graves—So Vulgate and Prihasivs. But B, C, Syriac, Coptic, and Andreas, singtilar ; trnnslatc, "into a seijnlelire," lit., a monument. Accordingly, in righteous retribution in ki ml, the Jiesh of the Antichris-
tian hosts is not buried, hut given to all the fowls in midheaven to eat (ch. 19. 17, 18, 21). 10. they that dwell upon
. . . earth—those who belong to the earth, as its citizens, not to heaven (ch. 3. 10; 8. 13; 12. 12; 13. 8). shall-So Vid-
16. 19; Zecliariah ll. 2). Ten is the number of the uorUlkingdoms (ch. 17. 10-12), and the beast's horns (ch. 13. 1), and tliedragon's(ch. 12.3). Thus, in theChurch-historical view,
gaXe, Syriac, and Coptic. But A, B, C read the present; cf. Note, on "shall not suffer," v. 9. rejoice over them—Tlie Aniichristianity of the last days shall probably be under the nameof philosophical eulightenmentand civilization, but reall}' man's deification of himself. Fanaticism shall lead Antichrist's followers to exult in having at lust seemingly silenced in death their Christian rebukers. Like her Lord, the Ciiurch will have her dark passionweek follo\ved by the bright resurrection-morn. It is a curious historical coincidence that, at the fifth Lateran Council, May 5, 1514, no witness (not even tlie Moravians who were summoned) testified for the truth, as Huss and Jerome did at Constance; an orator ascended the tribunal before the representatives of Papal Christendom, and said. There is no reclaimant, no opponent. Luthek, on October 31, 1517, exactly three and a half years aft^srwards, posted up his famous thesis on the church at Wittenberg. Theobjection is, the years are years of3&5, notSOO, days, and Bo two and a half days are deficient; but siill the coincidence is curious ; and if this prophecy be allowed other fulfilments, besides the final and literal one under the last Antichrist, this may reasonably be regarded as one. send gifts one to another—as was usual at a joyous festival. tormeiite«l them—viz., with the plagues which they had power to inflict (f. 5, 6) ; also, by their testimony against the earthly. 11. Translaleati Oreek, "After the three <lays," &c. the Spirit of life—the same which breathed life into
it is hereby implied, that one of the ten apostate worldkingdoms fall. But in the narrower view a tenth of Jerusalem under Antichrist falls. The nine-tenths remain, and become when purified the centre of Christ's earthly kingdom, of men Greek, "names of men." Tlie men are as accurately enumerated as if their names were given, seven thousand Elliott interprets seven chiliads or provinces, i. e„ the seven Dut<;h United Provinces
lost to the papacy ; and " names of men," titles of digni-
ty, duchies, lordships, &c. Rather, seven thoiisayid combine the two mystical perfect and comprehensive numbers seven and thousand, implying the full and complete destruction of the impenitent. tl»e remnant—consisting of the Israelite inhabitants not slain. Their conversion forms a blessed contrast to ch. 16. 9; and above, ch. 9. 20,
21. These repenting (Zechariah 12. 10-14; 13. 1), become In the flesh the loyal subjects of Christ reigning over the earth with His transfigured saints, gave glory to th« God of heaven—which whilst apostates, and worshipping the beast's image, they had not done. God ol heaven—The apostates of the last days, in protended
scientific enlightenment, recognize no heavenly power, but only the natural forces in the earth which come under their observation. His receiving up into heaven the two witnesses who had power during their time on earth to shut heaven from raining (i>. 6), constrained His and their enemies who witnessed it, to acknowledge lh« God of heaven, to be God of the earth (v. 4). As in u. 4 Ho declared Himself to be God of the earth by His two wit-
Israel's dry bones, Ezeklel 37. 10, 11 (where see mi' Notes), " Breath came into them." The passage here, as there, is closely connected with Israel's restoration as a nation to
political and religious life. Cf. also concerning the same, Hosea 6. 2, where Ephralm says, " After two days will He revive us; in the third day He will raise us up, and we Rhall live in His sight." Into—so B and Vulgate. But A
nesses, so now He proves Himself to be God of heaven
also. 14. The seconfl woe-That under the sixth trumpet (ch. 9. 1'2-21), including also the prophecy, ch. 11. 1-13: Woe lo the world, joy to the faithful, as tlirir redrmption draweth nigh, tlic tliird woe cometli quiclily— It is not mentioned in detail for the present", until first there Is given a sketcli of the history of the origination, suflering, and falthfuluess of the Church in » time of apostasy and
reaila (Oreek en aulois), "(so as to be) in th(!m." stood npon their feet— the very words in Ezekiel 37. 10, which
p?<»ves the allusion to be to Israel's resurrection, in con-
tvast to " the times of the Gentiles " wherein these "tread under foot the holy city." great fear—such as fell on the
Buldlers guarding Christ's tomb at His resurrection
Hie Sounding of the Seventh Trumpet. KEVELATIOX XII. The Woman Clothed with the Sun.
thy anger is come." How petty man'.s impotent anger, standing here side by side with that of the omnipotent God ! dead ... be Judged—Proving > hat this seventh trumpet is at the end of all things, when the judgment on Christ's foes, and the reward of His saints, long prayed for by His saints, shall take place, the prophets—as, for instance, the two prophesying witnesses {v. 3), and those who have showed them kindness for Christ's sake. Jesns shall come to ell'ect by His presence that which we have looked for long, but vainly, in His absence, and by other means, destroy them which destroy the earth—Retributlon in kind (cf. ch. 16. 6; Luke 19. 27). Daniel 7. H-18, my Ifotes. 19. A similar solemn conclusion to that of the seventh seal, ch. 8. 5, and to that of the seventh vial, ch. 16. IS. Thus, it appears, the seven seals, the seven trumpets, and the seven vials, are not consecutive, but parallel, and ending in the same consummation. They present the unfolding of God's plans for bringing about the grand end under three difiereut aspects, mutually complementing each other, the temple—the sanctuary or Holy place {Greek naos), not the whole temple {Greek
persecution. Instead of the third woe being detailed, the grand consummation is summarily noticed, the thanksgiving of the twenty-four elders in heaven for the estab-
lishment of Christ's kingdom on earlh, attended with the destruction of the destroyers of the earth, 15. Sounded Willi his trumpet. Evidently " the last trumpet." Six
is close to seven, but does not reach it. The world-judgments are complete in six, but by the fulfilment of seven the world-kingdoms become Christ's. Six is the number of the world given over to judgment. It is half of twelve, the Church's number, as three and a half is half of seven, the Divine number for completeness. Bengel thinks the angel here to have been Gabriel, which name is compounded of £1, God, and Geber, mighty man (ch. 10. 1). Gabriel therefore appropriately announced to Mary the advent of the mighty God-man: cf. the account of the manchild's birth which follows (ch. 12. 1-6), to which this forms the transition, though the seventh trumpet in time is subsequent, being the consummation of the historical episode, chs. 12. and 13. The seventh trumpet, like the seventh seal and seventh vial, being tlie consummation, is accompanied diflferently from tlie preceding six: not the consequences whicli follow ou earth, but those in HEAVEN, are set before us, the great voices and thanksgiving of the twenty-four elders in heaven, as the half-hour's silence in heaven at the seventh seal, and the voice out of the temple in heaven, "It is done,'" at the seventh vial. Tills is parallel to Daniel 2. 4t, "The God of heaven shall set up a Aingrciom, wliich shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break to pieces all these kingdoms, and it siiall stand lor ever." It is the setting up of Heaven's sovereignty over the earth visibly, which, when invisibly exercised, was rejected by the earthly rulers heretofore. The distinction of worldly and spiritual shall then cease. There will be no beast in opposition to the woman. Poetry, art, science, and social
hieron). opened In heaven—A, C read the article, "the temple of God which is in heaven, was opened." the ark of his testament—or "... His covenant.'" As in the first verse the earthly sanctuary was measured, so here Ita heavenly antitype is laid open, and the antitype above to the ark of the covenant iu the Holiest place below is seen, the pledge of God's faithfulness to His covenant in saving His people, and punishing their and His enemies. Thus this forms a fit close to the series of trumpet-judgments, and an introduction to the episode (ch. 12. and 13.) as to His faith fulness to His Church. Here first His secret place, the heavenly sanctuary, is opened for the assurance of His people; and thence proceed His judgments in their behalf (ch. 1-1. 15, 17; 15. 5; 10. 17), which the great company in heaven laud as "true and righteous." This then is parallel to the scene at the heavenly altar, at the close of the seals and opening of the trumpets (ch. S. 3), and at the close of the episode (chs. 12.-15) and opening of the viaU
life will be at once worldly and Christian, kingdoms A, B, C, Vulgate read the singular, "The kingdom (sovereignty) of (over) tlie world is our Lord s and His Christ's." There is no good authority for English Version reading. The kingdoms of the world give way to tlie kingdom of (over) tlie world exercised by Clirist. The earth-kingdoms are many : His shall be one. The appellation "Christ," the Anointed, is here, where His kingdutn
(ch. 15. 7, 8). See Note at the opening of next chapter.
Ver. 1-17. Vision of the Woman, her Child, .^nd THE I'EKSECUTiNQ Dkagon. 1. This episode (chs. 12., 13.,
Is mentioned, appropriately for the first time used in Revelation. For it is equivalent to King. Though priests and prophets also were anointed, yet this term is peculiarly applied to Him as King, insomuch that "the Lord's anointed" is His title as King, in places where He
11., and 15.) describes in detail the persecution of Israel and the elect Church by the beast, which had been summarily noticed, ch. 11. 7-10, and the triumph of the faith-
ful, and torment of the unlaithlul. So also chs. 16.-20. are the description in detail of the judgment on the beast,
is distinguished from the priests. The glorified Son of man shall rule mankind by His traiisligured Church In heaven, and by His people Israel on earth: Israel shall be the priestly mediator of blessings to the whole world, reali/.lng them first, lie—Not emplialical in the Greek. Khali reigit for ever and wvr— Greek, " unto the ages of the ages." Here begins the millennial reign, the consummation of "the mystery of God" (ch. 10.7). 1<>. before God—B and <Si/n'ac read, "before the throne of God." But A, C, Vulgate, and Coptic read as JCnglish Version. Heats Greek, "thrones." 17. thanksfor the answer to our prayers (ch. fi. 10, II) In destroying them which destroy the earth (v. 18), thereby preparing the way for setting up the kingdom of thyself and thy saints, and art to come— Omitted In A, B, C, Vulgate, tiyriar, Cvi'Hian, and AnOUKAS. The consummation having actUiilly come, tliey do not address Him as they did when It was still luture, " Thou that art to come." Cf. v. IS, " Is come." Kiom the soundingof the seventh trumpet Ho Is to His jifople ,1ah, the ever-present Lord, wiio i.s, more peculiarly Hum .IkHOVAH " who is, was, and is to comi:'' tn,ken to tliee thy
ifcc, summarily noticed In cli. 11. 13, IS. The beast in v. 3,
&c., is shown not to be alone, but to be the Instrument In the hand of a greater power of darkiie.ss, Satan. That
this is so,appears from the time of ch. 11. being the period also In which the events of chs. 12. and 13. take place, viz.,
1200 days (v. 6, U; ch. 13.5; cf. ch. 11. 2,3). great— in size and significance, wontler — (.'/(cA, "sign:" significant
of momentous trutlis. In Ixeaven—not merely the sky, but the heaven beyond just nienlioned, ch. 11. lil; cf. v. 7-9. woman cloliked wltlt tlie sun . . . moon under her feet—The Church, Israel first, and then llio Gentile Church ; clothed with Christ, " the Sun ol riglUeousness." "Fair as the moon, clear as the sun." Clothed with the Suu, the Church is tlie beart^r of Divine superiiiVtural
Ifghl in tlie world. So the .seven churches (t. e., the Church universal, the woman) are represented as light-
bcurliig c((/i(/(i'*i«*.'i (cli. I;. On the other hand, the Jiioon, though standing above the sea and earth, is altogethej coiuucled with them, and is an earthly light: sea. earth, and moon represent the worldly element, in opposition
i;re»t power—" to thee" Is not In the Greek. Christ lakes
ti) the kingdom of God—heaven, the sun. The moon can-
to Him the kingilom aM His own of right. 18. the nationn were angry-Alluding to I'salm Ml). 1, LXX., "The Lord Is become King: let the peoples become angry." Their angi^r is combined with alarm (Kxodus 1."). U; 2 Kings 11). 2(), 2S, " thy rage against me is come up into mine
noldispi'i'se the dnrknesH and cliango Itlntoday: thus she represents the worlil-rellgion (heathenism) in reltv-
tlon to tlie supernatural world. The t/'liuivh has the moon, therefore, uiuler her feift ; but stars, as liettvenly lights, on her head. The devil directs his etn>rtll against the stars, the angels of tlie cluuchi's, about here-
ears, I will put my hook In thy nose," <Vc.). Translate,
after to shlno for ever. The twelve stars, the crown
tts the Greek Is tne same. "The natlous were angered, and
57s
The Woman Clothed with the Sun. KEVELATION XII. The Great Dragon Ready to Dtvow her Child.
around her head, are the twelve tribeS of Israel. [AuberlEN.] The allusions to Israel before accord with this : cf. ch. 11. 19. " the temple of God ;" " the ai k of His testament." The ark lost at the Babylonian captivity, and never since found, is seen in the " temple of God opened In heaven," signifying that God now enters again into covenant wich His ancient people. The woman cannot mean, literally, the virgin mother of Jesus, for she did not
the end, the fourth empire is divided into ten kingdoms); here, seven crowns (rather, "diadems," Greek, diademata, not stephanoi, " wreaths") are upon lUs seven heads. In Daniel 7. the Antichristian powers up to Clirist's second coming are represented by four beasts, whio".. nave among them seven heads, ». e., the first, seond and fourth beasts having one head each, the third, four hea lB. His universal dominion as prince of this fallen world .8 Implied by the seven diadems (contrast the "many dla« dems on Christ's head," ch. 19. 12, when coming to destroy him and his), the caricature of the seven Spirits of God> His worldly instruments of power are marked by the ten horns, ten being the number of the world. It marks his self-contradictions that he and the beast bear botii the number seven (the Divine number) and ten (the world number). 4. drew— Greek present, "drawetli," "drags down." H\s dragijing down the stars with hii totZ (lashed back and forward in his fury), implies his persuading to apostatize, like himself, and to become earthy, thos\> angels and .also once eminent human teachers who had formerly been heavenly (cf. v. 1; ch. 1. 20; Isaiah 14.
flee into tlis vildernossand stay there for 1200 days, wliilst the dragon persecuted tlie remnant of her seed (v. Vi-ll). (De Burgh.] Tlie sun, moon, and twelve stars, are emblematical of Jacob, Leah, or else Rachel, and the twelve patriarchs, t. e., the Jewish Church : secondarily, the Church universal, having under her feet, in due subordination, the ever-changing moon, which shines witli a borrowed light, emblem of the Jewish disjiensation, which
18 now in a position of inferiority, though supporting the woman, and also of the cliangeful things of tlus world, and having on her head the crown of twelve stars, the twelve apostles, who, however, are related closely to
Israel's twelve tribes. The Cliurch, in passing over into the Gentile world, is (1.) persecuted, (2.) then seduced, as beatlienism begins to react on her. Tliis is the key to the meaning of the symbolic woman, beas., harlot, and false prophet. Woman and beast form the same contrast as the
12). stood—" stands " [AlfordJ: perfect, Greek hesteken. ready to be delivered—" about to bring forth." for to devour, &c.—" that when she brought forth he might devour her child." So the dragon, represented by iiis agent Pharaoh (a name common to all the Egyptian kings, and meaning, according to some, crocodile, a reptile like the dragon, and made an Egyptian idol), was re.ady to devour
8cm, of man and the beasts in Daniel. As the Son of man comes from heaven, so the woman is seen in heaven {v. 1). The two beasts arise respectively out of the sea (cf. Daniel
7.3) and the earth (ch. 13.1,11): their origin is not of heaven, but of earth earthy. Daniel beholds the heavenly Bridegroom coming visibly to reign. John sees the woman, the Bride, whose calling is heavenly, in the world, before the Lord's coming again. The characteris-
Israel's males at the birth of the nation. Antitypically the true Israel, Jesus, when born, was sought for destruction by Herod, who slew all the males in and around Bethlehem. 5. man-child- &V(?eA:, "a son, a male." On the deep significance of this term, cf. Notes, v. 1, 2. rule— Greek (poimainein), " tend as a shepherd " (see Note, ch. 2.
tic of woman, in contradistinction to man, is her being subject, tlie surrendering of herself, her being receptive. This similarly is man's relation to God, to be subject to, and receive from, God. All autonomy of the human
27). rod of iron—A rod is for long-c<nitinued obstinacy, until tliey submit themselves to obedience [Bengel]: ch.
2. 27; Psalm 2. 9, which passages prove the Lord Jesus to be meant. Any interpretation which ignores this must be wrong. The male son's birth cannot be the origin of the Christian state (Christianity triumphing over heathenism under Constantine), which was not a Divine child of tlie woman, but had many impure worldly elements. In a secondary sense, the ascending of the witnesses up to heaven answers to Christ's own ascension, "caught up unto God, and unto His throne:" as also His rulina» the nations with a rod of iron is to be sliared in by believers (ch. 2. 27). What took place primarily in the case of the Divine Son of the woman, shall take place also in the case of those who are one with Him, the sealed of
spirit reverses man's relation to God. Womanlike recep-
tivity towards God constitutes faith. By it the individual becomes a child of God; thechildren collectively Avcvxewed as " the woman." Humanity, in so far as it belongs to God,
is the woman. Christ, the Son of the woman, is in v. 5 emphatically called "the MAN-child" iOreek, huios arrheen, "male-child"). Though born of a woman, and under the law for man's sake. He is also the Son of God, and so the husband of tlie Church. As Son of the woman. He is " Sou of man;" as male-child. He is Son of God, and Husband of tlie Church. All who imagine to have life in themselves are severed from Him, the Source of life, and, standing in their own strength, sink to the level of senseless beasts. Thus, the woman designates universally the kingdom of God ; the beast, the kingdom of the world. The woman of whom Jesus was born, represents the Old Testament conr/reijation of God. The woman's travail-pains (D. 2) represent tlie Old Testament believers' ardent longings lor the promised Redeemer. Cf. the joy at His birth (Isaiah 9. 6). As new Jerusalem (called also "the woman," or "wile," ch. 21. 2,
Israel (ch. 7.), and the elect of all nations, about to be translated and foreign with Hiin over the earth at His appearing. 6. woinanfled—Mary's flight with Jesus into Egypt is a type of this, where sl»c l»iv»!i—So C reads. But A, B add "there." aplace — tliat portion of the heathen world which has received Christianity profess-
edly, viz., mainly the fourth kingdom, having its seat in the modern Babylon, Rome, implying that all the heathen world would not be Christianized in the present order
of things, prepared of GoA—lit., "from God." Not by human caprice or fear, but by the deteiinined counsel and foreknowledge of God, the woman, tlie Church, fled
&-12) with its twelve gates, is the exalted and transHgured Church, so the woman with the twelve stars is the Cliurch militant, a. pnlned—Oree/c, " tormented" (basan-
into the wilderness, they should feed i^vv— Greek, " nour-
izorhene). Dk BuuGU explains this of the bringing in of the flrst-begotten Into the world again, when Israel shall at last welcome Him, and when " the man-child shall rule
ish her." Indefinite for "sheshould be fed."' The heathen world, the wilderness, could not nourish tlie Churcli, t>ut only afford her an outward slielter. Here, as in Daniel 4.
all nations with the rod of iron." But there is a i)lain contrast between the painful travailim/ of the woman here, and Christ's second coming to the Jewish Church, the believing remnant of Israel, "Before she travailed she brought forth . . . aMAN-CHiiyD," i.e., i\.\n\i»itwit/ii>ut ti-avaU-pangs, she receives (at His second advent), as if born
2(i, and elsewhere, the tliird person plural i-efers to tlie heavenly powers who minister Ironi God nourishment to the Church. As Israel had its time of first bridal love, on its
first going out of Egypt into llie wilderness, so the Chris-
tian Cliurch's wilderncss-tUneot first love was the apostolic
age, when It was separate from the Jf.gypteii this world, having no city here, but seeking one to come; having only a place in the wilderness prepared of God {v. G, 14). The
to her, Messiah and a numerous seed. 3. app<'ar«I— "was seen." wonder Greek, " aSun" [semeion]. red—So A and Vulgaie rvixtX. But B, C, and Coptic read, "of Ore." In eitlier case, the colour ot the dragon implies his fiery rage as a murderer from the beninninu. His representative.
harlot takes the world-city as her own, even as Cain was
the first builder of a cily, whereas the believing patriarchs lived in tents. Then apostate Israel was the harlot and the young Christian Church the woman ; but soon
Vie beast, corresponds, luiving seven heads and ten hnrns (the number of horns on the fourth beast of Daniel '. ch. 13.
spiritual fornication crept in, and tlie Church m ch. 17 Is 579
t. But there, ten crowns are on the ten horns (fv l)efore
Michael and his Amjels Fight REVELATION XII. with the Dragon, and Prevail
no longer the woman, but the harlot, the gireat Baln/lon,
heaven, though judicially decided already against Satan from the time of Christ's resurrection and ascension, receives its actual completion in the exejution of judgment by the angels who cast out Satan from heaven. From Christ's ascension he has no standing-ground Judicially against the believing elect. Luke 10. IS, "I beheld
wlilcli, however, has in it hidden the true people of God
(ch. 18. i). The deeper the Church penetrated into heathendom, the more she herself became heathenish. Instead of overcoming, she was overcome by the world. [AuherLEN.J Tims, the woman is "the one inseparable Church of the Old and New Testament" [HengstenbekgI, the stock of the Christian Church being Israel (Christ and His apostles being Jews), on which the Gentile believers have been graffed, and into which Israel, on her conversion, Bhall be graffed, as into her own olive tree. During the Whole Church-historic period, or " times of the Gentiles," wherein "Jerusalem is trodden down of the Gentiles," there is no believing Jewish Church, and therefore, only the Christian Church can be "the woman." At the same time there is meant, secondarily, the preservation of the Jews during this Church-historic period, in order tliat
(in the earnest of the future full fulfilment giveji in the subjection of the demons to the disciples) Satan as lightning fall from heaven." A.s Michael fought before with Satan about the body of the mediator of the old covenant (Jude 9), so now the mediator of the new covenant, by offering His sinless body in sacrifice, arms Michael with power to renew and finish the conflict by a complete victory. That Satan is not yet actually ani} flnallj/ cast oat of heaven, though the jndici(d sentence to that effedt received its latification at Christ's ascension, appears from Kphesians 0. 12, "spiritual wickedness in high (Greek, heavenly) p\ace^." This is the primary Church-historical sense here. But, through Israel's unbelief, Satan has had ground against that, the elect nation, appearing before God as its accuser. At the eve of its restoration, in the ulterior sense, his standing-ground in heaven against
Israel, who was once "the woman," and of whom the man-child was born, may become so again at the close of the Gentile times, and stand at the head of the two elec-
tions, literal Israel, and spiritual Israel, the Church elected from Jews and Gentiles withoutdistinction. K/,ekiel 20. 3o, 3fi, "I will bring you into the wildcrnes.i of the people ( Hebrpu; penplen), nnd there Willi plead with you
Israel, too, shall be taken from him, "the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem" j-eftuA-insr him, and casting him out from heaven actually and for ever by Michael, the prince, or presiding angel of the Jews. Thus Zechariah 3. 1-9 is strictly parallel, .loshua, the high priest, being representative of his nation Israel, and Satan standing at God's right hand as adversary to resist Israel's justification. Then, and not till then, fully (v. 10, "now," &c.) shall all things he reconciled unto Christ in iie.WEN (Colossians 1.
. . . like as I pleaded with your fathers in the wilderness of Egypt" (cf. mjXote there): not a wilderne-ts literally and lo'-ally, but spiritually a slate of diacipline and trial among the Gentile "pcople.i," during the long Gentile times, and one finally consummated in the last time of unparalleled trouble under Antichrist, in which the sealed remnant (ch. 7.) wlio constitute " the woman," are nevertheless preserved "from the face of the serpent" (v. H). thotisniicl two hiin<lre<l and threescore ilnys—.\nticip;itory of i". U, where the )>ersecution which caused her to
20), and there shall be peace in heaven (I^uke 19. 38), ngaiiist—A, B, C read, " with.'' 8. prevaUed not—A and Coptic read, "He prevailed not." But B, C read as English Version, neither—A, B, C read, "not even" {Oreek oude); a climax. Not only did they not prevail, but not ci'e?i their place ivas foutid any more in heaven. There are four gradations in the ever deeper downfall of .Satan : (1.) He is deprived of his heavenly excellency, though having still access to heaven as man's accuser, up to Christ's first coming. As heaven was not fully yet opened to man (John 8.
flee is mentioned in its place: ch. 11. gives the details of the persecution. It is most unlikely that the transition should be ma<ie from the birth of Christ to the last Anti-
christ, without notice of the long intervening Church-his-
torical period. Probably the 12(50 days, or periods, representing this long Interval, areREPAPiTUT^ATEDon a sliorter scale analogically during the la.st Antichrist's short reign. They are equivalent to three and a half years, which, as half of the Divine number ntn-cn, symbolize the seeming victory of the world over the Church. As they include the whole Oentile times of Jprnsalem's beinii trodden of the • &Vh/iVm, they must be much hmger than 12fi() years; for, above five and a half centuries more than I26() years have elapsed since .lerusnlem fell. 7. In Job 1. and 2., Satan appears among the .sons of God, pre.senting himself before God in heaven, as the accuser of the saints: again in Zechariah 3. 1, 2. Hut atchrisfs coming as our lledecmer, he/ell from heaven, especially when Christ sufTered, rose again, and ascended to heaven. When Christ appeared before God as our Advocate, Katan, the accusing adversary, could no longer appear before God against ns, hnt was cast Old jiidiciaUn (Hoina'ns 8. Xi, 31). He and his angels henceforth range through the air and the earth, after a time {viz., the interval between the ascension and the second atlvenl) about to be cast hence also, and bound In hell. That " heaven " here does not mean merely the air, but till' abode of angels, appears from t>. !l, 10, 12; 1 Kings
13), so it was not yet shut against Satan and his demons. The Old Testament dispensation could not overcome him.
(2.) From Christ.down to the millennium, he is judicially cast out of heaven as the accuser of the elect, and shortly before the millennium loses hl.s power against Israel, and has sentence of expulsion fully executed on him and his byMicha<d. His rage on earth is consequently the greater, his power being concentrated on it, especially towards the end, when "he knoweth that he hath but a short time" (v. 12). (3.) He Is bound during the millennium (ch.
20. 1-3). (-1.) .\fter having been loosed for a while, he is cast forever Into the lake of fire. 9. that old serpent Alluding to Genesis S. 1, 4. Devil—the Greek for "accuser," or "slanderer." Satan—the Hebrew for adversmT/, especially In a court of justice. The twofold designation, Greek and Hebrew, marks the twofold objects of his accusations and temptations, the elect Gent lies and the elect Ji'ws. world— (7>-r(»A-, " hal)i table world." 10. Jlovr—Now that .Satan has been cast out of heaven. Primarily ful-
filled in part at Jesus' resurrection and ascension, when He said (Matthew '28. 18), "All (lower f(/rccArroK.vKt, ' authority, 'as hero; see below] is given unto me In heaven and In earth;" connected with v.r>, "Her child vnxs catight np nnto (,'nd and to His throne." In tiie ulterior sense, It refers to the eve of Christ's second coming, when Israel Is about to he restored as mother-Church of (Christendom, Satan, who had resisted her restoration on the ground of her un worthiness, having been cast out by the Inslrumeui.- allty o"" Michael, Israel's angelic j)n>icc (Note, v. 7). Thus this Is p.arallel, and the necessary preliminary to tile glcirlous ev<>nt similarly expressed, eh. II. 1."). "The klnKdom of this world Is hecome (the very word here, Grrrk
!22. in-22. fliere wiim— (Irrck, "there came to pass," or "arose." wiir in henven—Whata seeming contradiction In terms, yet true! (Contrast the blessed result of Christ's triumph, laiUe 19. 38, " peace In heaven." Colosslans 1. 20, "made peace through the l)lood of His cross, by Him to reconcile all things unto Himself; wlii'ther . . . things in earth, or things in licarcn." MIelinel nnil IiIh nii^eSM . . . thctlrn^on . . . nnil ItU nnKoIti— It was fl I tl ugly ordered that, as the rehelllon arost? from unfaithful angels and their leader, so t hey should be encountered and overc^omo by faithful ang<'lsand tlieirarchangel. In heav<'n. On earth they are tlltlngly encountered, and shall overcome, as represented by the beast and false prophet, l)y the Hon of man and His armies of human salnts(cli. 1». 1 1-21). The con-
cgeriilo, ' Is I'onie,' ' hath come to pass') our Lord's and Ills
('hrlst's," the ri'sultof Israel's resuming her place, natm vatlon, Ac— Greek, "the salvation (viz., fully, finally, and
flict on earth, as In Daniel 40, has Its correspondent conflict Of angels In heavcMi. Michael Is peculiarly the jirlnce, or presiding ungel. of the Jewish nation, The conlllct li. 68C
victoriously accomplished, Helirews 11. 28; cf. Luke 8.6, yet future; hence, not till now do the blevccd raise the
The Dragon, Cast out of Ile.iven, REVELATION XII. Perseculeth and Pursueth the Woman,
fullest halleluiah for salvation to the Lamb. ch. 7. 10; 19. 1) the potver {Greek durinmis), and l/ie authority {Oi'fek exoiisia
power; in Ezekiel 17.3.7, Babylon and E<rypl: In early Church-history, Rome, whose standard was the eagle, turned liy God's providence from being hostile into a pi'Otectorof the Cliristian Church. As "wings" express remote parts of the eartli, the two wings may here mean the east and west divisions of the Roman empire, wilderness—the land of the heathen, the Gentiles: in contrast to Canaan, X,\\e pleasant and glorious land. God dwells in the glorious land; demons (the rulers of the heathen world, ch. 9. 20; 1 Corinthians 10.20), in tlie wilderness. Hence Babylon is called the desert of the sea', Isaiah 21. 1-10 (referred to also in ch. 14.8; 18. 2). Heathendom, in its essential nature, being without God, is adesolate wiVderMes*. Thus, the woman's flight into the wiiiieriiess is tlie passing of the kingdom of God from tlie Jews to be among the Gentiles (typified by Mary's flight with her child from Judea into Egj-pt). Tlie eagle-flight is from Egypt into the wilderness. The Egypt inoant is virtually stated (ch. 11. 8) to be Jerusalem, which has become spiritually so by crucifying our Lord. Out of her the Nov/ Testament Cliuroh flees, as the Old Testament Church out of tlie literal Egypt; and as the true Cliurch siilisequently is C!)lled to flee out of Babylon (the woman become an har-
legitimate power ; see above) of His C'liiist." nccusetl them before our God day ami iiiglit—Hence tlie need
th.it theoppressed Cliuicti, God'sown elect (like tlie widow,
con/inuall}/ coming, so a.>i even to weary t]\e uTijust, judye), Bliould cry day and vight unto Him. 11. they— Kiiipliiitic In the Greek. " Tliey" in particular. Tliey and tlioy aione. They were the persona wlio overcame, overcame—(Romans 8. .33, 34, 37 ; 16. a).) him—(1 John 2. 14, 1.).) It is tlie Ban:e victory (a peculiarly Johannean phrase) over .Satan and the world which the Gospel of Jolin describes in the
life of J.^sus, his Epistlein the lifeof eacli believer,and his Apocal/pse in tlie lifeof the Church. Ity— Greek [dia to haima; accusative, not genitive, as English Version would
rtjuire, ,^f. Hebrews 9. 12], "on accountof (on tlieground of) the blood of the Lamb;" "because of," &c,\ on accountof and liy virtueof its liavingbeen shed. Had thatblood not been shed, Satan's accusations would have been unanswerable; as it is, that blood meets every charge. Schottgen mentions the Rabbinical tradition that Satan accuses men
all days of the j'ear, except the day of atonement. TittMANN takes the Greek dia, as it often means, out of regard
to tlie blood of tlie Lamb; this was the impelling cause which induced tliein to undertake tlie contest/or the sake
lot, i. e., the Church become apostate). [Auberlen.] her place—the chief seat of the then world-empire, Rome. Tlie Acts of the Apostles describe the passing of the Church from .Jerusalem to Rome. The Roman protection was the eaglewing wliich often shielded Paul, the great Instrument of this transmigration, and Christianity, from Jewish opponents who stirred up tlie heathen mobs. By degrees the Church had "her place" more and more secure, until, under C'onstantine, tlie em pi re became Christian. Still, all this Church-historical period Is regarded as a wilderness-time, wlierein the Church is In part protected, in part oppressed, by the world-power, until just before the end the enmity of the world-power under Satan shall break out against the Churcli worse than ever. As Israel was in the wilderness forty years, and had forty-two stages in her journey, so the Church for forty-two months, tliree and a half years or times [lit., seasons, used for years in Hellenistic Greek (Mceris, the Atticist), Greek kairous, Daniel 7. 25; \2. 7], or 12t)0 days (v.
•/ it; but the view given above is good Greelv, and more
in accordance with the general sense of fScripture. by the word of their testimony Greek, "on account of the word of their testimony." On the ground of their faith-
ful testimony, even unto death, they are constituted vic-
tors. Their testimony evinced their victory over him by viitue of the blood of the Lamb. Hereby tliey confess themselves worshippers of the slain Lamb, and overcome the beast, Satan's representative; an anticipation of ch.
15. 2, "them tliat had gotten the victory over the beast"
(cf. ch. 1.3. 15, 10). unto Greek (achri)," even as far as." They carried their not-love of life as far as even unto
deatli. 13, Therefore — because Satan is cast out of heaven (v. 9). dwell—lit., " tabernacle." Not only angels and the souls of the just with God, but also the faitliful militant on eartti, who already in spirit tabernacle in heaven, having tlieir home and citizenship there, rejoice that Satan is cast out of their home. "Tabernacle" for dwell is used to mark that, though still on the earth, tliey In spirit are hidden "in the secret of God's tabernacle." They belong not to the world, and, therefore, exult in Judgment ha ving been passed on the prince of tliis world, the inhablterg of—.So Andreas reads. But A, B, C omit. The words, probably, were inserted from cli. 8. 13. is come down—rather as Greek (catebee), "is gone down;" John regarding the heaven as his standing-point of view whence he looks down on the earth, tinto you—earth and
6) between the overthrow of Jerusalem and tlie coming again of Christ, shpll be a wilderness-sojourner before she reaches her millennial rest (answering to Canaan of
old). It is possible that, besides tliis Cliurch-historlcal fulfilment, there may be also an ulterior and narrower fulfilment In the restoration of Israel to Palestine, Antichrist for seven times (short periods analogical to the longer ones) having power there, for the former three and a half times keeping covenant with the Jews, then breaking it in tlie midst of the week, and the mass of the nation fleeing by a second Exodus into tlie wilderness, whilst a remnant remains in the land exposed to a fearful persecution (the " 144,000 sealed of Israel," ch. 7., and 14. 1, standing with tlie Lamb, after the conflict is over, on Mount Zion; "the first-fruits" of a large company to be gathered to Him). [De Bchgh.] These details are very conjectural. In Daniel 7. 2.5; 12. 7, the subject, as perhaps here, is the time of Israel's calamity. That seven times do not necessarily mean seven years, \n whicli eacli day
'sea, with their inhabiters; those who lean upon, and essentially belong to, the earth (contrast John 3.7, Margin, with John 3. 31; 8. 2:3; Philippians 3. 19, end; 1 John
i. 5) and its «m-like troubled politics. Furious at his expulsion from heaven, and knowing that his time on earth is short until he shall be cast down lower, when Christ shall come to set up His kingdom (ch. 20. 1, 2), Satan concentrates all his power to destroy as many souls as he can. Though no longer able to accuse tlie
is a year, i. e., 2520 years, appears from Nebuchadnezzar's seven times (Daniel 4. 23), answering to Antichrist, the beast's duration. 1.5,16. fiooA— Greek, "river" (cf. Exodus 2.3; Matthew 2. 20^ and especially Exodus 14). The
elect In heaven, he can tempt and persecute on earth. The more light becomes victorious, the greater will be the struggles of the powers of darkness; wlience, at the
last crisis, Antichrist will manifest liimself with an intensity of iniquity greater than ever before, short <iii«€—
flood, or river, is the stream of Germanic tribes which, pouring on Rome, threatened to destroy Christianity. But the earth helped the woman, by swallowing up the flood. The earth, as contradistinguished from water, is the world consolidated and civilized. The German massed were brought under the influence of Roman civilization and Cliristianity. [Auberlen.] Perhaps it includes
Greek, "season" (kuiron): opportunity for his assaults. 13. PU'Sumlng from v. 6 the tiiread of the discourse, wliicli had been interrupted by the epi.sode, v. 7-12 (giving in the
Invisible world the ground of the corresponding connict between liglit and darkness In tlie visible world), tliis
verse accounts for her flight into the wilderness (v. U). 1*. were given—by God's determinate appointment, not by human chances (Acts 9.-11). two—Greek, " the two wings
also, generally, tlie help given by earthly powers (those
least likely, yet led liy God's overruling providence to give help) to the Church against persecutions and also
Cf the great eagle." Alluding to Exodus 19. 4: proving that the Old Testament Cliurcii, as well as the New Testamei t Church, Is Included in " tlie woman." All believers are incluUed (Isaiah 40. 30, 31). The great eagle is the world-
heresies, by which she has been at various times assailed
17. wroth with — Greek, "al." w*:nt— Greek, "went away." tlie remnant of her seed—distinct in some sense
&. Beast Eisetk out of the Sea, KEVELATION XIII. with Secen Heads and Ten Homt,
from the woman berself. Satan's first effort was to root out the Christian Church, so that tliere should be no visible profession of Christianity. Foiled in this, he wars
Rome, the ten would be accurately known, whereas twenty-eight different lists are given in so many int-erpreters, making in all sixty-five kingdoms ! L'^'yso in Da Burgh.] The seven he.ads are the seven world-monarchies, Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia, Greece, Home, the Germanic empire, under the last of which we live [Auberlen], and which devolved for a time on Napoleon, after Francis, emperor of Germany and king of Rome, had resigned the title in ISUti. Faber explains the healing of the deadly wound to be the revival of the Napoleonic dynasty afler its overthrow at Waterloo. That secular dynasty, in alliance with the ecclesiastical power, the Papacy (u. 11, &c.), being " the eighth head," and yet "of the seven" (ch. 17. 11), will temporarily triumph over the saints, until destroyed in Armageddon (ch. 19). A Napoleon, in this view, will be the Antichrist, restoring the Jews to Palestine, and accepted as their Messiah at
(ch. H. 7; 13.7) against the invisible Cliurch, viz., "those who keep the commandments of God, and have tlie testimony of Jesus" (A, B, C omit "Christ"). These are "the remnant," or rest 0/ her seed, as distinguished from her seed, "the man-child" (v. 5), on one liand, and from mere professors on the other. The Churcli, in her l)eauly and unity (Israel at llie head of Christendom, the whole forming one perfect Churcli), is now not manifested, but awaiting the manifestations of the sons of God at Christ's coming. Unable to destroy Christianity and the Chui"ch as a whole, Satan directs liis enmity against true Christians, the elect reninaji^ .• the others he leaves unmolested.
CHAPTEE XIII.
first, and afterwards fearfully oppressing them. Antichrist, the summing up and concentration of all tlie world evil that preceded, is the eighth, but yet one of tlie seven (ch. 17. 11). crowns— GrecA-, "diadems." name of biaspUcniy—So C, Coptic, and Andre.\s. A, B, and Vulgate read, "names," &.c.,viz., a name on each of the heads; blasphemously arrogating attributes belonging to God alone (cf. Note, ch. 17. 3). A characteristic of the little horn in Daniel 7. 8, 20, 21 ; 2 Thessaloniaus 2. 4. !4. leopai-d . . bear . . . lion—This beast unites in itself the God-opposed characteristics of the three preceding kingdoms, resembling respectively the leopard, bear, and lion. It rises up out of the sea, as Daniel's four beasts, and has ten horiu, as Daniel's fourth beast, and seven heads, as Daniel's four beasts had in all, viz., one on the first, one on the second, four on the third, and one on the fourth. Thus it represents comprehensively in one figure the uorld-power (which in Daniel is represented by four) of all times and places, not merely of one period and one locality, viewed
Ver. 1-18. Vision of the Beast that Came out of the Sea: The Second Beast, out of the Earth, ExekCisiNG THE Power of the First Beast, and Causing the Earth to Worship Him. 1. I stood—So B, K, and Coptic read. But A. C, Vulgate, and Sj/riac, "He stood." Standing on the sand of the sea. He gave his power to the beast that rose out of the sea. upon tiie saiiil of the sea— where the four winds were to be seen siricinu upon the grc<U sea (Daniel 7. 2). beast Greek, "wild beast." Man becomes "brutish" when he severs himself from Ood, the archetype and true ideal, in whose image he was first made, which ideal is realized by the man Christ Jesus. Hence, the world-powers seeking their own glory, and not God's, are represented as l}eaits ; and Nebuchadnezzar, when in self-deification he forgot that "the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men," was driven among tlie
beasts. In Daniel 7. there are /our beasts: here the one beast expresses the sum-total of the God-opposed worldpower viewed in Its universal development, not re-
as opposed to God ; just as the woman is the Church of all ages. This view is favoured also by the fact, that the beast is the vicarious representative of Satan, who similarly has seven heads and ten horiis: a general description of his universal power in all ages and places of the world. Satan appears as a serpent, as being the archetype of the beast nature (ch. 12. 9). " If the seven heads meant merely seven Roman emperors, one cannot understand why they alone should be mentioned in the original image of Satan, whereas it is perfectly intelligible if we suppose them to represent Satan's power on earth viewed collectively." [AtruEitLEN.] 3. one of—lit., "from among." wouikded
stricted to one manifestation alone, as Home. This
first beast expresses the world-power attacking the Church more from without; the second, which is a revival of, and minister to, the first, is the world-power as the false prophet corrupting and destroying the Cliurch from within, out of the sea — (Daniel 7. 3; cf. my
note, ch. 8. 8)—out of the troubled waves of peoples, viul-
titudes, nations and tongues. The earth (i'. 11), 011 the other hand, means the consolidated, onlered worUl of nations, with its culture and learning, swcit hcnds and t«n liorns—A, B, C transpose, "ten horns and seven heads." The ten horns are now put first (contrast tlie order, ch. 12. 3) because they are crowned. Tliey shall not be so till the last stage of the fourth kingdom (tlie Boman), which shall continue until tlie llftli kingdom,
. . . henle«l—Twice again repeated emphaticall.v (v. 12,14);
cf. ch. 17. 8, 11, " the beast that was, and is no!, and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit" (cf. v. U below); the Germanic empire, the seventh head (revived in l/ie eighth), as yet future in John's time (ch. 17. 10). Contrast the change whereby Nebuchadnezzar, being humbled from his selfdellying pride, was converted from his ftcKi'^-like form and character l<) MAN'8 form and true position towards Ood; syinboli/.eil by his eagle wings being plucked, and himself made toslaiul upon his feetas a (Daniel 7. I). Here, on the contrary, the beast's head Is not changed into a human head, but receives a deadly wouiul,t. e., the world-kingdom which this head represeiils does not truly turn to God, but for a time its God-oiiposed character remains paralyzed ("as it were slain;" the very words marking
Christ's, shall supplant it and destroy it ullerly ; this last Btage is marlted by the ten luesoi the two feetof the iiiiiige In Danler2. The seven implies the world-power setting up
Itself as God, and caricaturing the seven .Spirits of God; yet its true character as God-opposed is di^tected by the number ten ai;companying the seven. Dragon and beast both wear crowns, but the former on the heads, the latter on the horns (ch. 12.3; 13.1). Therefore, both lieiids and horns refer to kingdoms; cf. ch. 17.7, 10, 12, " kings ' representing the kingdoms whose heads they arc. The .wlvu kings, as i)( < iiiiarly powerful — the great powers of the world—are di«tiiiKUlsln;d from the tea, represenled liy the horns (simply called "kings," ch. 17. 12). ]n Daniel,
tlie beast's outward resemblance to the Lamb, " as It were slain," iVfrfct, ch. 5. 0. Cf. al.so the second beast's resemblance to (he Lamb, v. 11). Though seemingly slain (Greek
ten mean tlie last phase of the world-power, the fourth kingdom divided Into ten parts. They are coniUK'ted with the seventh head (ch. 17. 12), and are as yi t future. | A UHi<;it-