Chapter XXVII (continued, part 47)
for " wounded"). It remains tJie beast still, lo rl.se again in another form (v. 11). The llrst six heads were heatlieiiish, Egypt, .\ssyrla, Haliyloii, Persia, (}reece, llonie; I he new seventh world-power (the I'agaii German hordes pouring down oil t;iirlstianlzed Rome), whereby Satan hud hoped
1,KN.| Tin: mistake of those who Inleriiret the beast Id be
BoFni! e.xclusively, and the ten horns to nu aii kingdoms Which have taken the place of Homo In J'huope already,
Is, the fourth kingdom in the linage has two legs, repieKentlng the eastern as well us tiiu westcu-n empire; tiio ten toes are not upon tins one foot (the west), as tiiesi' Interpretations require, but on the two (east iiiid west) together, so that any theory which makes the ten kingdoms belong to the wi:sl alone must err. II the ten kingdoms meant were those which sprung uj) on the overthrow of 68U
to stllle Christianity (eh. 11.1"), lli), became itself Chris* Hani zed (answering to the beast's, (»,v 1/ tvere, ilendlg wound:
it was stain, and it is nnl, ch. 1?. II). Its a.went out of the hot-
tdinle.is pit answers to the henling of its ileadli/ u'ound cti
17.8). No essential change Is noticed In 1 lanlel as ell'ected by Chrlslianity upon the fourth kingdom ; it remnins es-
sentially God-opposed to the last. Thu beast, healed of Its
A Beast Riseth <yvi of the Sea. EEVELATION XIII. Another Cometh up out of the Earth,
But A reads, " if any (is for) being (lit., to be) killed," &e. As of old, so now, those to be persecuted by the beast In various ways, have their trials severally appointed them by God's fixed counsel. English Version is quite a ditTereut sense, i'(2., a warning to the persecutors that they shall be punished with retribution in kind. Here—J^erein.- in bearing their appointed sufferings lies the patient endurance . . . of the saints. This is to be the motto and watchword of the elect during the period of the worldkingdom. As the first beast is to be met by patience and faith (v. 10), the second beast must be opposed by true wisdom (v. 18). 11. another beast—" the false prophet." out of the earth—out of society civilized, consolidated, and ordered, but still, with all its culture, of earth earthy: as distinguished from "the sea," the troubled agitations of various peoples out of which the world-power and ita several kingdoms have emerged. "The sacerdotal persecuting poiver, Pagan and Christian ; the pagan priesthood making an image of the emperors which they compelled Christians to worship, and working wonders by magic and omens; the Romish priesthood, the inheritors of pagan rites, images, and superstitions, lamb-like in Christian professions, dragon-like in word and act" [Alford, and so the Spanish Jesuit, Lacunza, writing under the name Ben Ezra]. As the first beast was like the Lamb in being, as it were, wounded to death, so the second is like the Lamb in having two lamb-like horns (its essential difference from the Lamb is marked by its having two, but the Lamb seven horns, ch. 5. 6). The former paganism of the world-power, seeming to be wounded to death by Christianity, revives. In Its second beast-form it is Christianized beatiiendom ministering to the former, and having earthly culture and learning to recommend
temporary and external wound, now returns, not only from the sea, but from the bottomless pit, whence it draws new Autichristian strength of hell {v. 3, 11, 12, 14; ch. 11.
7; 17. S). Cf. the seven evil spirits taken into the temporarily dispossessed, and the last state ivorse than the first, Matthew 12. 43-15. A new and worse heathenism breaks In upon the Christianized world, more devilish than the old one of the first heads of the beast. The latter was an apostasy only from the general revelation of God in nature and conscience; but this new one is from God's revelation of love in His Son. It culminates in Antichrist, the man of sin, the son of perdition (cf. ch. 17. 11); 2 ThesBalonians 2. 3; cf. 2 Timothy 3. 1-4, the very characteristics of old heathenism (Romans 1. 29-32). [Aubbrlen.] More than one wound seems to me to be meant, e. g., that under Constantine (when the Pagan worship of the emperor's image gave way to Christianity), followed by the healing, when image-worship and the other Papal errors were introduced into the Church ; again, that at the Reformation, followed by tlie lethargicform of godliness ivithout thepower, and about to end in the last great apostasy, whicli I iden-
tify with the second beast (d. 11), Antichrist, the same Beventh world-power in another form, wondered nfler —followed witli wondering gaze. 4. whlcli gave—A, B,
C, Vulgate, Syriac, and Andreas read, "because he gave." power— G)"ee/.-, "the authority" which it had; i<« authority. Who Is like unto tlie beast 1 — The very language appropriated to God, Exodus 15. 11 (whence, in the Hebrew, the. Maccabees took their name; the opponents of the Old Testament Antichrist, Antiochus); Psalm 35. 10; 71.19; 113. 5; Micah 7. 18; blasphemously {v. 1, 5) assigned to the beast. It is a parody of the name "Michael" (cf. ch. 12. 7), meaning, "Who is like unto God?" 5. blasphemies— So Andkeas reads. 6 reads "blasphemy." A, " bl.asphemous things" (cf. Daniel 7.8; 11.25). power —"authority;" legitimate poiver [Greek exousia). to continue— Gree/c, " to act," or " work" (poiesai). B reads, "to make war" (cf. v. 4). But A, C, Vulgate, Syriac, and Andreas omit "war." fofty . . . two months
it. Tiie second beast's, or false prophet's rise, coincides in time with the healing of the beast's deadly wound and
its revival (ch. 13. 12-14). Its manifold character is marked by the Lord, Matthew 24. 11, 24, "Many false prophets shall rise," where He is speaking of tlie last daj's. As the former beast corresponds to the first four beasts of Daniel, so the second beast, or the false prophet, to the
(Notes, ch. 11. 2, 3; 12. 6.) G. opened . . . mouth—The nsual formula in the case of a set speech, or series of speeches. Ver. 6, 7 expand v. 5. blasphemy—So B and Andreas. A, C read "blasphemies." and them—So Vulgate, Coptic, Andreas, and Primasius read. A, C omit "and:" "them that dwell (lit., tabernacle) in heaven," mean not only angels, and the departed souls of the righteous, but believers on earth who have their citizenship in heaven, and whose true life is hidden from the Antichristiau persecutor in the secret of God's tabernacle. Note, ch. 12. 12; John 3.7. 7. power Greek, "authority." all kindreds . . . tongues . . . nations Greek, "every tribe . . . tongue . . nation." A, B, C, Vulgate, Syriac, Andreas, a ntl Primasius add "and people," after "tribe" or " kindred. ' all that dwell upon the earth—being of earth earthy; in contrast to "them that dwell in heaven." whose names are not written—A, B, C, Syriac,
little horn starting up among the ten horns of the fourth beast. This Antichristian horn has not only the mouth of blasphemy (v. 5), but also " the eyes of man" (Daniel 7.
8): the former is also in the first beast (v. 1, 5), but tlie latter not so. "The eyes of man" symbolize cunning and intellectual culture, the very characteristic of " the false prophet" (v. 13-15; ch. 16. 14). The first beast is physical and political; the second a spiritual power, the power of knowledge, ideas [the favourite term in the French school of politics], and scientific cultivation. Both alike are beasts, from below, not from above; faithful allies, worldly Antichristian wisdom standing in the service of the worldly Antichristian power: the dragon is botii lion and serpent: might and cunning are his armoury. The dragon gives his external power to the first beast (v.
2), his spirit to the second, so that it speaks as a dragon (v.
Coptic, and Andreas read singular, "(every one) whose (Greek hou; but B, G^-eek hon, plural) name is not written." Lamb slain from the foundation of the world The Greek order of words favours this translation. He was slain in the Father's eternal counsels: cf. 1 Peter 1. 19,
11). The second, arising out of the earth, is in ch. U. 7, and
17. 8, said to ascend out of the bottomless pit : its veiy culture and world-wisdom only intensify its infernal character, the pretence to superior knowledge and rationalistic philosophy (as in the primeval temptation. Genesis 3.5,
20, virtually parallel. The other way of connecting the words is, " Written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb slain." So in ch. 17. 8. The
7, "their eyes [as here] were opened") veiling the deifica-
tion of nature, self, and man. Hence spring Idealism, Materialism, Deism, Pantheism, Atlieisni. Antichrist
shall be the culmination. The Papacy's claim to tlie double power, secular and spiritual, is a sample atul type
elect. The former is in the Greek more obvious and sim-
ple. "Whatsoever virtue was in the sacrifices, did operate through Messiah's death alone. As He was 'the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world,' so all fttonements ever made were only ertectual by His blood." JBlSHOi' PEAiiSON, Creed.] 9. A general exhortati(m. Christ's own words of monition calling solemn attention. 10. He that leadeth Into captivity—A, B, C, and Vulgatr lead, " if any one (be) for captivity." shall go into captivity Greek present, "goeth into captivity." CI. J>Meuiah 15. 2, whicli Is alluded to here. X, B, C read simply, " be goeth away," and omit " into captivity." But A and Vulgate support the words, he that kllleth with the •word, must be killed with the sword—So B, C read.
of the twofold beast, tiiat out of the sea, and that out of the
earth, or bottomless pit. Antichrist will be the climax, and
final form. Primasius of Adrumetum, in the sixth century, says, "He feigns to be a lainl) that ho may
assail the Lamb—the body of Christ." 1^. power— (VreeA, "authority." before him—" in his presence ;" as ministering to, and upholdiug him. "Tlie iion-exl.slcnce of the beast embraces the whole Germanic Christian period.
Tlie healing of tlie wound, and return of the beast, U represented (in regard to its /inai Antichrlstiun manifes-
tation, though including also, meanwhile, its liealing and return under Popery, which Is baptized healheniom] in
An Image is Made of Ike Former Beast, REVELATION XIII. and Men Worship and Receive Us Mark.
bodilj'." Rome's speaking images and winking picturet of the Virgin Maiy and the saints are an varnest of the future demoniacal miracles of the false prophet in making the beast's or Antichrist's image to speak. 16. to r«5» celve a mark—^i^, " that they should give them a mark; such a brand as masters stamp on tiieir slaves, and moiiarchs ou their subjects. Soldiers voluntarily punctured tlieir arms with marks of tlie general under whom they served. Votaries of idols branded themselves with the idol's cipher or symbol. Thus Anliochus Epiphanes branded the Jews with the ivy leaf, the symbol of Bacchus
that principle which, since 1789, has manifested Itself in beasl-lilie outbrealis." [Auberlen.] wlilcli dwell tUerein—the earthly-minded. The Cluircli becomes the
luirlot: the world's political power, tlie Auticlirlstian beast;
tlie world's wisdom and civilization, Uie false prophet.
Clirist's three offices are thus perverted: the first beast
is tlie false kingship; the harlot, the false pries/Aooi/,- tlie second beast, the false propfiet. The beast is tlie bodily,
tlie false prophet the intellectual, the harlot the spiritual power of Anlichristianitj'. [Auberlen.] The Old Testa-
rne)il Church stood under the power of the beast, the neatlieu world-power: the Middle-Ages Church under that of the harlot: in modei'n times the false prophet predominates. But in the last days all these God-opposed powers which have succeeded each other shall co-operate, and raise each other to tlie most terrible and intense power of tlieir nature: the false prophet causes men to worshi}) the
(2 Maccabees 6. 7; 3 Maccabees 2. 29). Contrast God's seal and name in the foreheads of His servants, ch. 7. 3; 14. 1 ; 22.
4; and Galatians 6. 17, " I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus," i. e., I am His soldier and servant. The mark in the right hand and forehead implies the prostration of bodily nad intellectual powers to tlie beast's domination. " In the forehead by way of profession ; in the liand with respect to work and service." [Augdstine.) 17. And—So A, B, and Vulgate read. C, Ireu^US, 316, Coptic, and Syriac omit it. might buy Greek, " may be able to buy." the mark, or the name Greek, " the mark
beast, and the beast carries the harlot. These three forms of apostasy are reducible to two: the apostate C/iurch and the apostate world, pseudoChristianity and Autic/iristiaiiHy, the harlot and the beast; for the false prophet is also a beast; and the two beasts, as difTereut nianilLSta-
(viz.), the natne of the beast." The mark may be, as in the case of tl^e sealing of the saints in the forehead, not a visible mark, but symbolical of allegiance. So the sign of the cross in Popery. The Pope's interdict has often shut out the excommunicate from social and commercial intercourse. Under the final Antichrist this shall come to pass ill its most violent form, number of his nameImplying that the name has some numerical meaning. 18. wisdom—the armoury against the second beast, aa patience and faith against the first. .Spiritual wisdom is needed to solve tlie mys^pry of iniquity, so as not to be beguiled by it. count . . . for—The "for" implies the possibility of our calculal iug or counting tlie beast's number, the number of a man— t. e., counted as men generally count. So the phrase is used in ch. 21. 17. The number is the number of a man, not of God; he shall extol himself above the power of the Godhead, as the man of sin. [.Vquinas.] Though It Is an imitation of the Divine name,
tioiis of the same beast-lilie principle, stand in coiilradistinetion to the harlot, and are finally judged together, whereas separate judgment falls on the harlot. [AuberLEN.J deadly woimd Greek, "wound of death." wouilers—Greek, "signs." so that so great that, iiinketii Ojl-v— Greek, " maketh even fire." This is the very miracle which the two witnesses perform, and which Klijah long ago had performed; this tlie beast from the bottomless
pit, or the false prophet, mimics. Not merely tricks, but miracles of a demoniacal kind, and by demon aid, like those of the Egyptian magicians, shall be wrought, most calculated todeceive ; wrought " after the working ( Grak, energy) of Satan." 14. deeelvetU them tliat dwell ou
tike cartli—the earthly-minded, but not llie elect. Even a miracle is not enougli to warrant belief in a professed revelation, unless that revelation be in liarmoiiy witli God's already revealed will, by tike lueauii of (liose miracle>«—rallier as Greek, "on account of ihecause of; in consequence of) those miracles." whieli lie liad power to do— Greek, "which were given liim to do." In the siglit of tite beast— " before him" (y. 12). wlilcU—A, B, C read, " who;" marking, perhaps, a personal Antichrist, liaxi—8o B and Andreas read. But A, C, and Vulgate read, "hath." 15. he had power Greek, "it was given to him." to give Utn— Greek, "breath," or "spirit." Image—Nebuchadnezzar set up in Dura a golden image to be worshipped, probal)ly of himself; for his dream had been interpreted, "Thou art this head of gold;" the three Hebrews who refused to worship tlie linage were cast Into a l)urning furnace. All this typifies the lastapostasy. VlilNV, in Ills letter to Trajan, stales that he ct)nsigiHd to punishment those Cliristiaus who would not worship the^mperor's image v/ilVi Incense and wine. Ho .Julian, the apostate, set up his own image with the idols of tlie heathen gods In the Koriim, that the Christians in doing reverence to It, miglit seem to worship the idols. So Charlemagne's image was set up for homage; and the Pojje adored the new emperor (DuriN, vol. li, p. iL'tii. Napoleon, the successor of Charlemagne, designed arii!r he had first lowered the Pope by removing hini to Fontalnbleau, then to " make an Idol of him " [Meuiorial de NuiiUe
it is only human, six hundred threescore and six—
and Vulgate write the numbers lu full in the Greek. But B writes merely the three Greek letters standing for numbers, Ch, X, St. C reads 616, but Irenjeus, 328, opposes this and maintains 666. Iren.«us, in the second century, disciple of 1'olycarp, John's disciple, explained tins number as contained in the Greek letters of Lateinos (L being
30; A, I : T, 3110; E, 5; I, 10; N, 50; O, 70; S, 200). The Latin
is peculiarly the language of the Church of Koine in all her ollicial acts; the forced unity of language In ritual being the counterfeit of the true unity ; the premature and spurious anticipation of the real unity, only to be realized at Christ's coming, when all the earth shall speak "one language" (Zephanlah 3. 9). The last Antlclirist may have a close connection with Rome, and so the name Ldteino.i (()()(>) may apply to him. The Hebrew letters of amount to 666 [BuNSEN] ; a type of the faUe jrophet, whosi! characteristic, like Balaam's, will bo high spii ltual knowledge perverted to Satanic ends. The number six is the world-number ; in 066 It occurs in units, tens and hundreds. It Is next neighbour to the sacred seven, but
Is severed from It by an Impassable gull. It islhe number
of Ihe luorld given over to judgment ; Hence there is a pause belween the sixth and seventh seals, autl Ihe sixth and seventli trumpets. The Judgments on the world are complete In six; by the fulfilment of seven, the Ulngdoms of the world become Christ's. As twelve Is the number of the Cliurch, so six, Its half, symbolizes Ihe world-klngdoui broken. The raising of the six to lens and humlreds (higher powers) Indicates that the l east, notwitlistandlng his progression to higher powers, can only rise to greater ripeness lor judgment. Thus 666, the judged world-power, contrasts with the M4,(X)0 sealed and transilgured ones
ileli'>ie]; keeping the I'ope near him, he wouhl, through the I'ope's inlluence, have directed the religious, as well as ihe polilical world. The revived Napoleonic ilynasly may. In some one representative, realize the |)roJi'<!t, l)econilng the beast supported by the false jirophel (perliaps Mome openly Inlidel suijplanter of the I'apaey, undi r a Bpirilual guise, alter the harlot, or aposlate Churcli, who
Is (list I n<'t li'oni I hi; se(^ond beast, has been sli'l|i|ieil ami Judged by the beast, eh. 17. l(i) ; he then might have an
liiuige set up In his honour as a test of secular and splrl tual alleghmce. »i»eak—" Ealso doctrine will give a splrl t-
(Ilur Church number, twelve, squariHl aiul multiplied by
10(10, I he number symbolizing the world pervaded by God;
Uul, philosophical ap|)earance to the idollsli apol heosis (jf the creaturely p( isonllleil by Antichrist." [.\
ten, the world -number, raised to the i)ower of Ihree, the number of (iod). [AUBKRLEN.] 'VUcmdrklGreekcharai/ynai and name are one and the same. The llrsl two radloAl
iieki.hn. J Jrkomk, on Daniel 7., says. Antichrist shall he "one of thehutuvin rtvce lu whom tlie whole of Satan shall dwell 584
Tli€ Lcmh Seen on 3fount Zion, KEVELATION XIV. with His Company. Tlieii Song,
letters of Christ (Oreek Christos), Ch and R, are the same as tlietlisttwo of cfuiragma, and were tlie imperial monogram of Cliristian Rome. Anllclirist, personating Christ, adopts a symbol like, but not agreeing witli, Clirist's monogram, Ch, X, St ; whereas tlie radicals in "Cla ist"
of the saints, the harve.it {v. 15) from all nations. Not aa Alfoud, "tlie harpers and song are in heaven, but th» 144,000 are on earth." recJeemed—W., " purchased." Not even the angels can learn th;U song, lor tin y know not experimentally what it is to have "come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes white in the blood of the Lamb" (ch. 7. 14). 4. virgins—spn ilually (Matthew
t,re C/i, K, St. Papal Rome has similarly suljsiitnled the standard of Hlb Keys, for the standard of llie Cross. So on the Papal coinage (the image of power, Matthew 22. 2U). The two tirnt letters of "Christ," C/t, iS, represent seven hundred, the perfect number. Tlie Ch, X, tit represent an Imperfect number, a triple Jallinnttway (ap(}stasy) from tepteaary perfection. [Wordsworth.]
25. 1); in contrast to the apostate Cliurcii, Bal^ylon (r. 8), spiritually "a harlot" (ch. 17. 1-5; Isaiah 1.21; contrast 2 Corinthians 11.2; Ephesians 5.25-27). Their not being defiled with women, means they were not led astray from Christian faithfulness by tlie tempters wlio jointly constitute the spiritual " harlot." follow «Jie JLaiub whithersoever he gocth—in glory, being especially near His person ; the fitting reward of their following Hiin so fully on earth, redeemed—" purchased." being tJie—rather, "as a first-fruit." Not merely a " first-lruit" in tiie sense In which all believers are so, but Israel's Hi,OOU elect are the first-fruit, the Jewish and Gentile elect Cliurch is the harvest; in a further sense, the whole of the transfigured and translated Church which reigns with Clirist at His coining, is the first-fruit, and the consequent general ingatliering of Israel and the nations, ending in the last judgment, is the full and final harvest. 5. guile—So Andreas in one copy. But A, B, C, Origen, and Andreas in other copies read, "falsehood." Cf. with English Version reading Psalm 32.2; I.saiah53. 9; John 1. 47 for—So B, Syriac, Coptic, Origen, and Andreas read. ButA, Comit. witliout fault— Gree/r, " blameless :" Id respect to the sincerity of their fidelity to Him. Not absolutely, and In themselves blameless; but regarded as such on the ground of His righteousness in whom alone they trusted, and whom they faitliluily served by His Spirit in them. The allusion seems to be to P.salm 15. 1, 2. Cf. I!. 1, "stood on Mount Sioti." before the throne of God—A, B, C, Syriac, Coptic, Origen, and Andreas omit tliese words. The oldest Vulgate MS. supports them. 6. Here begins the portion relating to the Gentile world, as the former portion related to Israel. Before the end the Gospel is to be preached for a witness unto all nations: not that all nations shall be converted, but all nations shall have had the opportunity given them of deciding whether thej' will be for, or against, Christ. Those thus preached to are "they that dwell (so A, Coptic, and Syriac read. But B, C, Origen, Vulgate, Cyprian, 312, read,
Ver. 1-20. The Lamb Seen on Zion with the 1H,()00. Their Song. The Gospel Proclaimed before the End bv one Angel: The Fall of Babylon, hy Another: The Doom of the Beast-Worshippers, by a Third. The Blessedness of the Dead in the Lord. The Harvest. The Vintage. In contrast to the beast, false prophet, and apostate Church (ch. 13.), and introductory to the announcement of judgments about to descend on them and the world {v. 8-11, anticipatory of ch. IS. 2-(i), stand here the redeemed, "the Divine kernel of human-
ity, the positive fruits of the history of the world and the Church." [.\UBERLEN.] Chs. U.-IG. describe the preparations for tlie Messianic judgment. As ch. li. begins witn the m,UOO of Israel (cf. ch. 7. 4-8, no longer exposed to trial as then, but now triumphant), so ch. 15. begins with those who have overcome from among the Gentiles (cf. cli. 15. 1-5 with ch. 7. 9-17); the two classes of elect forming together the whole company of transfigurejl saints wlio shall reign with Christ. 1. a—A, B, C, Coptic, and Origen read, "the Lamb." Lainb . . . on . . . Sion—having left -His position "in the midst of the throne," and now taking His stand on Hion. l»ls Father's name—A, B, C read, "Ilis name and His Father's name." In Greek, "upon." God's and Christ's name here answers to tlie seal "upon their foreheads" in ch. 7. 3. As the H4,(X)0 of Israel are " the first-lruits" {v. i), so " the harvest" {v. 15) is the general assembly of Gentile saints to be translated by Christ as His first act In assuming His kingdom, prior to His Judgment (ch. 16., the last seven vials) on the Antichristlan world, in executing which His saints sliall share. As Noah and Lot were taken seasonably out of the judgment, but exposed to the trial to the last moment [De BurghJ, so those who shall reign with Christ shall first
'sit,' cf. Matthew 4. Ifi; Luke 1.79, having their seltled home) on the earth," being of earth eartliy: this last season of grace is given them, if yet they may repent, before "judgment" (v. 7) descends : if not, they will be left without excuse, as the world wliich resisted the preaching of Noah in the 120 years "whilst the long-sutlering of God waited." "So also the prophets gave the people a last opportunlty-of repentance before the Buhyhjniau destruction of Jerusalem, and our Lord and His apostles before the Roman destruction of the hol.y city." [Aubi;bLKN.] The Greek for "unto" {epi, in A, C) means lit., "upon," or "over," or "in respect to" (Mark 9.12; Hebrews 7. 13). So also "TO every nation" (Greek, epi, in A, B, C, Vulgate, Syriac, Origen, Andreas, Cyprian, and I'RIMASIUS). This, perhaps, implies that the Gospel,
suflTer with Him, Ijeing delivered out of the judgments, but not out of the trials. The Jews are meant by " the saints of the Most High :" against them Antichrist malces war, changing their times and laws; for true Israelites cannot Join in the idolatry of the beast, any more tliaii true Christians. The common affliction will draw closely together, in opposing' the beast's worship, the Old Testament and New Testament people of God. Thus the wa.y Is paved for Israel's conversion. This last utter
tcattering of the holy people's power leads them, under the Spirit, to seek Messiah, and to cry at His approach, "Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord." a. from — GreeA;, "out of." voice of mnuy waters— as Is the voice of Himself, such also is the voice of His people. I heard the voice of harpers— A, B, C, and Origen rea<l, " the voice which I heard (was) as of harpers." 3. tmng—Greek, "sing." as it were—.So A,
tliougli diffused over the globe, shall not come savingly vnto any save the elect. The world is not to be evangelized till Christ sliall come: meanwhile, God's purpose is " to take out of the Gentiles a people for Ills name," to be witne8.ses of the efiectual working of Ills .Spirit during the counter-working of "the mystery of inlQulty." everlasting Gospel—the Gospel which announces the glad tidings at the everlasting kingdom of Christ, about to ensue immediately after the "Judgment" on Antichrist, announced as Imminent In v. 7. As the formei angel "fiying through the midst of heaven" (ch. S. lb) announced "woe," so this angel "fiying In tlie midst of heaven" announced .^oi/. The three angels making this
C, and Vidgate read . It is AS it were a new song ; for it
Is, In truth, as old as God's eternal purpose. But B,
Byriac, Coptic, Origen and Andreas omit these words,
nevi' song—(Ch. 5. 9, 10.) The song is that of victory after
conflict witli the dragon, beast, and false propliet: never sung before, for such a cou.llct had never been fought before; therefore netv: till now tlie kingdom of Christ on earth had been usurped; they sing tlie new song in anticipation of His taking possession of His blood-bouglit kingdom with His saints, four beasts—rather as Greek, "four living creatures." The harpers and singers evidently Include the 114,000: so the parallel proves (ch. 15. 2, », where the same act Is attributed to tfie general company
last proclamation of the Gospel, t he fall of Babylon (v. J), the harlot, and the Judgment on the beasl-worshlppers (v.
0-11), the voice from heaven respecting the blessed dead
(!'. 13), the vision of the Son of man on the cloud (v. 11) the harvest (v. 15), and the vintage (v. 18), form the compeodl685
The Fall of the City Babylon. REVELATION XIV. The Harvest of the Wwrld.
ous summary, amplified in detail in the rest of the book.
a little season," their eternal rest, or cessation from tolls (3 Thessalonians 1. 7, Greek anesis, relaxation after hardships. Hebrews 4. 9, 10, 4a66ato>no/ rest; and Greek catapausis, akin to the Greek here), is close at hand now. They are blessed in being about to sit down to the marriage' supper of the Lamb (ch. 19. 9), and in having pai-t n the
7. Fear God—the forerunner to embracing the love of God manifested in the Gospel. Repentance accompanies
faith, give glory to him—and not to the beast (cf. ch. 13.
4; Jeremiah 13. 16). the hour of his judgment—"Tlie hour" implies the definite time. "Judgment," not the general judgment, but that upon Babylon, the beast, and his worshippers (v. 8-12). worship him that made heaven—not Antichrist—who"sitteth in the temple of God, showing Himself that He is God" (cf. Acts H. 15). Bca . . fountains—Distinguished also in ch. 8. 8, 10. 8. another—So Vulgate. But A, B, Syriac, and Andreas add, "a second;" "another, a second angel." Babylon Here first mentioned ; identical with the harlot, the apostate Church; distinct from the beast, and judged separately. Is fallen—Anticipation of ch. 18. 2. A, Vulgate, Syriac, and Axdreas support the second " is fallen." But B, C, and Coptic omit it. that great city—A, B, C, Vul-
first resurrection (ch. 20. 6), and in having right lo the treec^
life (ch. 22. 14). In v. 14-16 follows the explanation o'" whj they are pronounced " blessed" now iu particular. Jz., tJu Son of man on thecloud is just coming to gather them in as the harvest ripe for His garner. Write—to put it on jf.cord for ever. Yea, salth *the Spirit—Tho words of G >1 the Father (the " voice from heaven") are echoed back ana confirmed by the Spirit (speaking in the Word, ct A 7; 22.17; and in the saints, 2 Corinthians 5. 5; 1 Peter 4 14). All "God's promises in Christ are yea" (2 Corinthians I.
20). unto me—Omitted in A, B, C, Vulgate, Syriac, and Coptic, that they may—The Greek includes also the idea. They are blessed, in that they shall rest from their toils (so the Greek), and—So B and Andreas read. But A. C, Vulgate, and Syriac read "for." They rest from their
gate, Syriac, and Coptic omit "city." Then translate, "Babylon the great." The ulterior and exhaustive fulfilment of Isaiah 21. 9. because—So Andreas. But A, C, Vulgate, and Syriac read, "which." B and Coptic omit it. Even reading "which," we must understand it as giving the reason of her fall, all nations—A, B, C read, "all tlie nations." the wine of the wrath of her fornication
toils, because their time for toil Is past ; they enter on the blessed rest, because of their faith evinced by their works which, therefore, "follow with (so the Greek) them.'- Tlieir works are specified because respect is had to the coming judgment, wherein every man shall be "judged according to his works." His works do not go before the believer, nor even go by his side, but follow him at th« sam« time that they go with him as a proof that he is Clirist's. 14r. croivn Greek (stephanon), garland of victory; not His diadem as a king. The victory is described in detail, ch. 19. 11-21. one sat.—"one sitting" (Greek cathemenon homoion) is the reading of A, B, C, Vulgate, and
the wine of the wrath of God, the consequence of her forni-
cation. As she made the nations drunk with the wine of her fornication, so she herself shall be made drunk with the wine of God's wrath. 9. A, B, C, and Andreas read, "another, a third angel." Cf. with this verse ch. 13. 15, 16. 10. The same Greek, "he also," as the just and inevitable retribution, wine of . . . wrath of God—(Psalm
75. 8.) wlthortt mixture—whereas wine was so commonly mixed with water tliat to mix wine is used in Greek for to pour oiti wine; this wine of God's wrath is undiluted; there is no drop of water to cool Its heat. Naught of grace or hope is blended with it. This terrible threat may well raise us above the fear of man's threats. This unmixed cup is already mingled and prepared for Satan and the beast's followers, indignation Greek (orges), "abiding wrath." But the Groek for "wrath" above (.Greek thumou) is boiling indignation, from (Greek thuo) a root meaning to 6oi7,- this is temporary ebullition of anger; tliat Is lasting [Ammonius], and accompanied with a purpose of vengeance [Origkn on Psalm 2. 5J. tormented ... In the presence of the . . . angels-(Psalm J'J. 14; 58. 10; 139.
Coptic. 15. Thrust In-^Greek, "Send." The angel does not command the "Sou of man" (v. 14), but is tlie mere messenger announcing to tlie Son the will of God the
J'^ather, in whose hands are kept the times and the seasons. thy sickle—Alluding to Mark 4.29, where also it is "send-
the sickle." The Son sends His sickle-bearing angel to reap the righteous when fully ripe, harvest — the harvest crop. By the AoiuesZ-reaplng the elect righteous are gathered out; by the vintage the Antichristian oll'enders are removed out of the earth, the scene of Christ's coming kingdom. The Son of man Himself, with a golden crown, is Introduced In the AaJi>es<-gathering of the elect, a mere angel in the t)i>!^«(;c (v. 18-20). Is ripe—
lit., "is dried." Ripe for glory. 16. thrust in— Greek, "cast." 17. out of the temple ... in heaven—(Ch, 11.
21; Isaiah 66. 21.) God's enemies are regarded by the saints as their enemies, and when the day of probation
19.) 18. from the altar—upon which were oH'ered the incense-accompanied prayers of all saints, which bring down in answer God's fiery judgment on tlie Church's
is past, their mind shall be so entirely one with God's, that they shall ri'joice in witnessing visibly the Judicial vindication of (iod's righteousness in sinners' punishment. 11. for ever and ever— GreeA:, " unto ages of ages." lie rest day nor night—Contrast the very dillerent sense In which the same Is said of the four living creatures in heaven, "They rest not day and night, saying. Holy, holy, holy,"&c.; yet they do "rest" in another sense; they rest from sin and sorrow, weariness and weakness,
foes, the fire being taken from the altar and cast upon the earth, fully ripe Greek, "come to their acme;" ripe for punishment. 19. "The vine" is what is the sulyect of Judgment because its grapes are not what God looked for considering Its careful culture, but "wild grapes" (Isaiah
5). The apostate world of Christendom, not the world of heathendom, who have not heard of Christ, Is the object of judgment. Cf. the emblem, ch. 19. 15; Isaiah 63.2,3; Joel 3. 13. ao. without the city—Jerusalem. The scene of the blood-shedding of Christ and Ills people shall be also tho scene of God's vengeance on the .Vntlchi isllaa
trial and temptation (v. 13); the lost have no rest from sin and Satan, terror, torment, and remorse. I'Z. Here, Ac. Resumed from cli. 13. 10, where see the Note. In the fiery ordeal of persecution which awaits all wlio will not worship the beast, tlie f<iith and palifincc of the followers of
loo. Cf. the " horsemen," ch. 9. 16, 17. blood—answering
God and Jems shall be put to tho test, and proved, patience Greek {hupomene), patient, persevering endurance. The second "hero" Is omitted In A, B, C, Vulgate, Syriac,
to tho red wine. The slaughter of the apostates Is what
is hero spoken of, not their eternal punishment, even unto the horse-bridles— of the avenging "armies of heaven." by the space of a thousand . , , six hundred furlongs— "a thousnn<l six hundred lurlongs off." [W.Kelly.] Sixteen hundred Is a s(iuare number ; 4 by
Coptic, n.tu\ PuiMASUJS. Translate," Hvre Is the endurance of the saints, who keep," &c. the faltit of .Jesus—tho faith which has Jesus for Its object. 13. Kncouragcmcnt to cheer those persecuted under the beast, messedIn resting from i/ieir toils, and, in the case of tlie saints Just before alluded to as |>ersecuted by the beast. In resting from persecutions. TlieIr full blessedness is now "from iiencel'orlh," i. e., from tiii.stimb, when the Judgment on the beast, and the harvest-gatherings of the elect are Imminent. 'J'lie time so earnestly longed for by former martyrs Is now all but come; the full number of their fellowservants Is on the verge of completion; they have no looger to "rest (tho same Grtak as here, atiapausis) yet for
4 by 100. Tho /o«r quarters, north, south, east, and west, of the Holy Land, or else of the world (tho coiiipleioness and universality of tho world-wide destruction being hereby Indicated). It does not exactly answer to the length of Palestine as given by Jkkome, 160 Itomau miles. BicNfiEL thinks the valley of Kedroii. between Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives, Is meant, tho torrent In that valley being about to be discoloured with blood to the extent of 1600 furlongs. This view accords with Joel's
2%e Last Seveii Vials of Plagues. EEVELATION XV. The Song of 3Ioses and the Lamb,
baptism In trials corresponds. The elect after their trials (especially those arising from tlie boast) shall be taken up before the vials of wrath be poured on tli" beast and his kingdom. So Noah and liis family were taken out of the doomed world before the deluge; Lot was taken out of Sodom before its destruction; the Christians escaped by a special interposition of Providence to Pella before the destruction of Jerusalem. As the pillar of cloud and
prophecy t hat the valley of Jehoshaphat is to be the scene of the ovurthrow of the Autichristian foes.
Ver. 1-8. The Last Seven Vials of Plagues: Song OF THE Victors over the Beast. 1. tiic seven la«t pinguea Greek, "seven plagues which aie the last." Is
filled up—ia., " was finished," or "consummated:" the prophetical past for the future, the future being to God as though it wei-e past, so sure of accomplishment is His word. This verse is the summary of tlie vision that follows: the angels do not actually receive the vials till v. 7; but here. In V. 1, by anticipation they are spoken of as having them. There are no more plagues after these until the Lord's coming in judgment. The destruction of Babylon (ch.l8.)
fire interposed between Israel and the Egyptian foe, so that Israel was safely landed on the opposite shore before the Egyptians were destroyed ; so the Lord, coming with clouds and in flamingyi?-e, shall first catch up his elect people " in the clouds to meet Him in the air," and then shall with fire destroy the enemy. The Lamb leads the song in honour of the Father amidst the great congregation. This
is the "new song" mentioned ch. U. 3. The singing vic-
Is thfe last: then in ch. 19. He appears, a. sea of glass Anawf'ring to the molten sea or great brazen laver before the mercy-seat of tlie earthly temple, for the purification of the priests; typifying the baptism of water and the Spirit of all who are made kings and priests unto God. mingled w!tU Are—Answering to the baptism on earth uiUh fire, i. e., fiery trial, as well as with the Holy Ghost, which Clirist's people undergo to purify them, as gold is purified of its dross in the furnace. tUem tlint had gotten the victory ovev— Greek, "those (coming) off from fthe conflict with) the beast-conquerors." over the number of his name— A, B, C, Vulgate, dyriac, and Coptic, omit the words in English Version, " over his mark." 2Vie mark. In fact, is the number of his name which tiie faitliful refused to receive, and so were victorious over it. stand on the sea. of glass Alford and De Burgh explain "on (the shore of) the sea:" al the sea. So the preposition (Greek) epi, with t\ie accusative, is used for at, ch. 3. 20. It has a pregnant sense : "standing" implies rest, &reek epi with tlie accusktive implies motion towards. Thus tlie meaning is, Having come to the sea, and now standing at
tors are the 144,000of Israel, " the first-fruits," and the general " harvest " of the Gentiles, servant of God—(Exodus 14. 31; Numbers 12. 7; Joshua 22 The Lamb is more: He is the Son. Great and marvellous are Thy works, &c.—Part of Moses' last song. The vindication of the justice of God that so He may be glorified, is the grand end of God's dealings. Hence his servants again and again dwell upon this in their praises (ch. 16. 7 ; 19. 2; Proverbs 16. 4 ; Jeremiah 10. 10; Daniel 4. 37). Especially at the Judgment (Psalm 50. 1-6; 145. 17). saints—There is no M.S. authority for this. A, B, Coptic and Cyprian read, " of the nations." C reads " of the ages," and so Vulgate and Syriac. The point at issue in the Lord's controversy with the earth is, whether He, or Satan's minion, the
beast, is "the King of the nations ;" here at the eve of the Judgments descending on the kingdom of the beast, the
transfigured saints hail Him as " the King of the nations "
(Ezekiel 21. 27). 4. Who shall not— Greek, " Who is there but must fear thee?" Cf. Moses' song, Exodus 15. 14-16, on the fear which God's Judgments strilce into the foe. theo —So Syriac. But A, H, C, Vulgate and CYPr.lAN reject "thee." all nations shall come—Alluding to Psalm 22,
It. In ftlalthewH. 26, where Christ walks on the sea, the Greek oldest MSS. have the genitive, not the accusative as here. Allusion is made to the Israelites standing on the shore al the Red <Sea, after having passed victoriously through it, and after the Lord had destroyed the Egyptian
27-31 ; cf. Isaiah 66.23; Jeremiah 16. 19. The conversion of
all nations, therefore, shall be when Chi ist shall cnme, and not till then ; and the first moving cause will be Christ s manifested judgments preparing all hearts for receiving. Christ's mercy. He shall effect by His presence what wehave in vain tried to etfect in His absence. The present preaching of the Gospel is gathering out the elect remnant; meanwhile "the mystery of iniquity" is at work, and will at last come to its crisis, then shall Judgment descend on the apostates at the harvestend of this a/j<B (Greek, Matthew 13. 39, 40) when the tares shall be cleared) out of the earth, which thenceforward becomes Messiah's^ kingdom. The confederacy of the apostates against Christ becomes, when overthrown with fearful judgments, the very means In God's overruling providence of preparing the nations not joined in the Antichristian league to submit themselves to Him. are—/it., "were:'' the prophetical past for the immediate future, judgment— Greefc, "righteousness." 5. So ch. 11. 19; cf. cli. 16.
foe (type of Antichrist) in it. Moses and llie Israt•lil»^s' Boug of triumph (Exodus 15. 1) has its antitype in tlio saints' "song of Moses and the Lamb " (v. 3). .Still English Version is consistent with good Greek, and the sense will then be. As the sea tj'pifles the troubled state out of which the beast arose, and which is to be no more in the blessed world to come (cli. 21. 1), so the victorious saints stand on
it, having itunder their feet (as the woman had ther/ioo/i, ch.
12. 1, see Note); but it is now no longer treacherous wherein the feet sink, but solid like glass, as it was under the
feet of Christ, whose triumph and power the saints now share. Firmness of footing amidst apparent instability
Is thus represented. They can stand, not merely as victorious Israel ai the Red Sea, and as John upon the sand of the shore, but upon the sea itself, now firm, and reflecting their glory as glass, their past conflict shedding the brighter lustre on their present triumph. Their happiness
17. "The tabernacle of the testimony" appropriately here comes to view, where God's faithfulness in avenging His people with judgments on their foes is about to be set
is heightened by the retrospect of the dangers through which they have passed. Thus this corresponds to cli. 7.
forth. We need to get a. glimpse within the Holy place
14, 15. harps of God—In the hands of these heavenly vir-
to "understand" the secret spring and' the end of God's Tlghteous dealings, behold—Omitted hy A, Syriac,
gins, infinitely surpassing the timbrels of Miriam and the Israelitesses. 3. song of Moses . . . and , . . the Lamb —The New Testament song of the Lamb (i..e., the song which the Lamb shall lead, as being "the Captain of our salvation," just as Moses was leader of the Israelites, the song in which those who conquer through Him [Romans
and Andreas. It is supported only by Vidgale, Coptic, and Primasius, but no MS. «. having—So B reads. But A,
C, read "who have:" not that they bad them yet (cf. v. 7), but they are by anticipation described according to their
office, linen—So B reads. But A, C, and Vulgate, "a. stone." On the principle that the harder reading is the one least likely to be an Interpolation, we should read, "a stone pure(an(i Is omitted in A, B, 0, and Anukkas), brilliant" (so the Greek): probably the diamond. With En-
8. 37] shall Join, ch. 12. 11) Is the antitype to the triumphant Old Testament song of Moses and the Israelites at the Red Sea (Exodus 15). The churches of the Old and New Testament are essentially one in their conflicts and triumphs. Tlie two appear Joined In this phrase, as they are in the twenty-four elders. Similarly, Isaiah 12. fore-
glish Version, cf. Acts 1. 10; 10. 30. golden girdles—resemt)llng the Lord In this respect (ch. 1. 13j. 7. one of the fonr beasts— Grcc/c, " living creatures." The presentation of the vials to the angels by one of the living-, creatures, Implies the ministry of the Church as the medium for manifesting to -angel* the ijlories of redempUou
tells the song of the redeemed (Israel foremost) after the econd antltyplcal exodus and deliverance at the Egyptian Sea. The passage through the Red Sea under the pil-
lar of cloud was Israel's baptism, to which the believer's
The Ar.gels Pour out their Vials of Wrath. REVELATION XVI. The Plagues that Follow thereupon.
(Epbesiaiis 3. 10). vials—"bowls:" a broad shallow eiip or bowl. Till' breadth of the vials in their upper part would tend to cause their contents to pour out all at once, implying the overwhelming auddenness of tlie woes, fall of . . . -wratli—How sweetly do the viaU full of odours,
for this clan.se read, "(which art and wast) holy.'' The Lord is now no longer He that shall come, for He it amus in vengeance; and therefore the third of the three nausea found in ch. 1.4,8; and 4. 8, is here and in ch. 11. 17 omitted. Judged thus— " these things." "Thou didst inM ctthis Judgment." O. (Ch. 11. 18, end ; Genesis 9. 6; Isaiah 4^. 26.) An anticipation of ch. IS. 20, 24; cf. ch. 13. 15. For—A, B, C, and Andreas omit. 7. another out of—Omitted la A, C, Syriac, and Coptic. Translate then, "I heaid the altar [personified] saying." On it the prayers of sainta are presented before God : beneath it are the souls of the martyrs cr.ving for vengeance on the foes of God. 8. angel—So Cfcj>^c and Andre.4S. But A, B, C, Vulgate >\uii Syriac omit it. upon-Not as in v. 2, 3, "into." sun whereas by the fourth trumpet the sun isdarkened (ch. S.
i. e., the incense-perfumed prayers of the saints, contrast with these ! 8. temiile . . . <I11«1—Isaiah 6. i : cf. Exodus
4)' .34 ; '1 Chronicles 5. 14, as to the earthly tem);le, of which
tiiis is the antitype, the glory of Go<l «ml . . . poivcr then fully manifested, no man was able to «>ntrv . , . tne temple—because of God's presence in His nianilested glory and power during the execution of these judgments.
Ver. 1-21. The Sevem Viam and the CoxsECiFENT Plagues. The trumpets shook the world-kingdoms in a longer process; the vials destroy with a swift and sudden overthrow the kingdom of the beast in particular who had invested himself with the world-kingdom. The Hebrews thought the Egyptian plagues to have been in-
12) in a third part, Jiere by the fourth vial the sun's bright scorching power is intensified, power was given nntn him—i-ather, " unto it," the sun. men Greek, " the men,'' ns.. those who had the mark of the beast (r. 2). 9. men Greek, " the men." repented not to give him glory—(ch.
9. 20.) Affliction, if it doe.s not melt, hardens the sinner.
flicted with but an interval of a month between them severally. [Bexoel, referring IoSedek Olam.] .-Vs Moses took ashes from an eUrthly common furnace, so angels, as priestly ministers in the heavenly temple, take holy
Cf. the better result on others, ch. 11. 13; 14. 7; 15. 4. IV. angel—Omitted by A, B, C, Vulgate, and Syriac. But Oipticuntl Andreas support it. seat— Greek, "throne of the beast:" setup in arrogant mimicry of God's tlirone
the dragon gave his throne to the beast (cli. 13. 2). darkness—parallel to the Egyptian plague of darkness, Pharaoh being the type of Antichrist (cf. ch. 15. 2. 3, notes; cf, the fifth trumpet, ch. !). 2). gnawed their tongues for pnin Greek, "owing to the pain" occasioned l)y the previous plagues, rendered more appalling by the darkness. Or, as "gnashing of teeth" is one of the accompaniments of hell, so this "gnawing of their tongues" is through rage at the baffling of their hopes and the overthrow of their kingdom. They meditate revenge and are unable toell'ect
fire in sacred vials or bowls, from the heavenly altar to jpur down (cf. ch. 8. 5). The same Iieavenly altar which would have kindled the sweet incense of praj-er bringing down blessing upon earth, by man's sin kindles the
fiery descending cur.se. Just as the river Nile, which ordinarily is the source of Egypt's fertility, became l)lood and a curse through Egypt's sin. 1. a s*"*"* voice—i'i2., God's. These seven vials (the detailed expansion of llie
vintage, ch. U. lS-20) being called "the last," must l)elong to the period just when the term of the beast's power has expired (wlience reference is made in them all to ttie wor.shippers of the beast as the objects of the judgments^ close to llie end or coming of the .Sim of man. The first four are distinguished from the last three, just as in the case of the seven seals and the seven trumpets. The first four are more general, affecting the earth, Ihesea, springs, and the sun, not merely a portion of these natural bodies, as in llie case of the trumpets, but the whole of them ; the
it; hence tlieir frenzy. [Gkotius.J Those in angnish, mental and bodily, bite their lips and tongues. 11. ^ores —This shows that each fresh plague was accompanied with the continuance of the preceding plagues: there waa an accumulation, not a mere succession, of plagues, repented not—(Cf. V. 9.) 1'3. angel—So Coptic and /Vndkeas. A, B, C, Vulgate and Syriac omit, kings of the Knst— Greek, "the kings who are from the rising of the sun." Reference to Euphrates similarly occurs in the sixth trumpet. The drying up of the Euphrates, I think, is to be taken figuratively, as Babylon Itself, which is situated on it. Is undoubtedly so, ch. 17. % The waters of the Eupitrates (cf. Isaiah 8. 7, 8) are spiritual Babylon's, i. e.. the apostate Church's (of which Home is the chief, though not exclusive representative) spiritual and teinporai powers. The drying up of the waters of Babylon expresses the same thing as the ten kings stripping, eating, and burning the whore. The phrase "way may be prepared for" is that applied to the Lord's coming {isi\\{i)l 40.3; Matthew 3. 3; Luke 1. 76). He shall come from th«
last three are more particular, atl'ecling the throne ot tlie beast, llie Euphrates, and the grand consummation. Some of these particular judgmeiilsare set forth in detail In chs. 17.-20. out of tlie temple—U and Hyriac omit. But A, C, Vulgritc unA Andueas support the words. tl»c vials—So tlijriuc and Coptic. But A, H, C, Vtilgate and Andreas read, "the .seven vials." wpnn— Greek, "Into."'
9i. went— Greet:, " wentaway." poured out—So the angel cast Are into the earth previous to the series of trumpets
(ch. 8. 5). upon—So Coptic. But A, B, C, Viilgale and Syriac read, "into." gore upon tlie men—antitype to the sixth Egyptian plague. "Noisome," lit., evil (cf. Deuteronomy '2S. '27, .'?5). The very same Greek word is used in the XjXX. as iicre, Greek helko.i. The reason why the sixth Egyptian plague Is the first here. Is because it was directed against the Egyptian magicians, Jannes and Jambres, so that they could not stand before Moses; and so hero the plague is sent upon those who in the beast-
J<;fi,»« (Matthew 24. 27; E/.ekiel 43. 2, " the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the East"): not alone, for His elect transfigured saints of Israel and the Gentiles shall accompany Him, who are "kings and priests unto God" (ch. 1. 6). As the Antlchrlstian ten kings accompany the beast, so the saints accompan.v as kings the King of kings to the last decisive coiillict. 1)E Bi;roh, Ac, take It of the Jews, who also were designed to be a kingdom of priests to God on earth. They shall, doulitless, become prlt^st-klngs In the flesh to the nations In the tlesh at His coming. Abraham from the East (If Isaiah 41.2,8,9, refers to Him, and not Cyrus) conquering the I'haldean kings Is a type of Israel's virlorions restoration to the priest-klngdom. Israel's exodus after the last Egyptian plagues typifies Israel's restoration after the spiritual Babylon, the apostate Church, has been smitten. Israel's promotion to the priest-klngdom after Pharaoh's downfall, and at the Lord's descent al Slnal to establish the tlieocracy, tyjiilles the restored kingdom of Israel at the Lord's more glorious descent, when Antichrist shall bedestroyed utterly. Thus, besides the trnusflgured saints, Israel secondarll.v m;\,v be meant by " ttl» kings from the Eiist" who shall accompany the "King of
' worsliip ha<l practised sorcery. As they submitted to the mark of the beast, so they must bear tlie mark of the avenging God. Contrast ch. 7. ,') ; Ezeklel 9. 4, 0. "Grl(>vous," distressing to the sufrerers. men witlelt Iinil tlie niajrk of the beast—Therefore this first vial is subsefjuenl to the period of the beast's rule. 3. angel-So liand AnDREA.s. liut Aj C, and Vnlgnte omit It. n\wn— Greek, "Into." became as . . . blood—a nswerl iig to another Eg.vpllan plague, of a dead man—putrefying, living •out-So 15 and Andkkas. But A, V,, and Syriac, "soul of
life" (cf. Genesis 1. ;«; 7. 21, 22). In the sea-So B and .\Ndueas. But A, C, and Ni/riac read, "(as respects) the things In the sea." 4. (Exodus 7.20.) angel—So Si/riae, Coptic and Andkeam. But A, B, O, and Vulgate omit It. 5. angel of the waters i. e., presiding over the waters. n liord—Omitted by A, B, V,, Vulgate, Syriac, Coptic and •NDiiUAS. and Shalt be—A, B, C, Vulgate , n.\\t\ ANnuEAS
Jht Vials of ^'rath Poured Out. RKVLLATIOjN' X\i. TJie Gathering to Battle at Armageddon.
the saints to whom Christ has appointed a kingdom, and who are "children of light." God in permitting Satan's miracles, as in the case of the Egyptian magicians who were His instruments in hardening Pharaoh's heart, gives the reprobate up to judicial delusion preparatory to their destruction. As Aaron's rfid was changed into a serpent, so were those of the Egyptian magicians. Aai'on turned the water into blood; so did the magicians. Aaron brought up frogs; so did the magicians. With the frogs their power ceased. So tliis, or whatever is antitypical to it, will be t^e last ett'ort of the dragon, beast, and false prophet, batti*—Greet, " war :" the final con-
kings" returning "from the way of the East" to reign over His ancient people. As to tlie drying up again of tlie
it'o^ers opposing His people's assuming tlie kingdom, cf. Isaiah 10. 20; 11.11,15; Zechariah 10. iJ-U. The name Israel (Genesis 32. 28) implies a prince with God. Cf. Micah 4. 8 as to the return of the kingdom to Jerusalem. Durham, 200 years ago, interpreted the drying up of the Euphrates to mean the wasting away of the Turkish power, which has heretofore held Palestine, and so the way being prepared
tor Israel's restoration. But as Babulon refers to the apostate Church, not to Mohammedanism, the drying up
Vf the Euphrates (answering to Cyrus' overthrow of literal Babylon by marching into it through the dry cliannel of the Euphrates) must answer to the draining ofl' of the apostate Church's resources, the Roman and Greek corrupt Church having been heretofore one of the greatest barriers by its idolatries and persecutions in the way of
flict for the kingship of the world described ch. 10. 17-21. 15. The gathering of the wor'd-kings with the beast against the Lamb is the signal lor Clirist's coming; therefor^ He here gives the charge to be watching for His comiiig and clothed in the garments of justification ami .sanctification, so as to be accepted, thief—(Matthew 24.43; 2 Peter 3. 10.) tliey—saints and angels. sKaiiii-—
Israel's restoration and conversion. The kings of the enrt/i who are earthly (v. 11), stand in contrast to the kinysfrom
the E<tsl who Ave heavenly. 13. tUe dragoit—Satan, who
lit., " unseemll.. <!ss" {Greek, aschemosunce) : Grcet/c, 1 Corinthians 13.5: a ^.'ifferent word from the Greek, ch.3. 18 (Greek, aischunee). *6. lie—rather, " they (the three unclean spirits) gathered them together^" If English Version be retained, "He" wi." refer t-.i G-'oof who gives them, over to the delusion of ti.s." three unclean spirits; or else the sixth angel (v. Ai.^agedclon Hebrew, liar, a mountain, and Megiddo in Mo.iasseh in Galilee, the scene of the overthrow of the Canaanite kings by God's miraculous interposition under Deborah and Barak; the same as the great plain of Esdraelon. Josiah, too, as the ally of Babylon, was defeated and slain at Megiddo; and the mourning of the Jews at the time just before God shall interpose for them against all the nations confederate against Jerusalem, is compared to tlie mourning lor Josiah at Megiddo. Megiddo comes from a root, gadad, " cut oil," and means slaughter. Cf. Joel 3. 2, 12, 14, where " the valley of Jehoshaphaf (meaning in Hebrew, "judgment of God")
gives his power and throne (ch. 18. 2) to the heajst. false p»-ophet—<listiact from the harlot, the apostate Church
\' which Rome is the chief, though not sole, representa-
V\ <'e), cli. 17. 1-3, IG; and identical with the second beast, ch.
V. 11-15, as appears by comparing ch. 19. 20 witli ch. 13. 13;
> t'.mately consigned to the lake of tire witli the lirst
twr. st; as is also the di'agon a little later (eh. 20. 10). Tire
/vj.'gon, the beast, and the false prophet, " the mystery of
.n'liuity," form a blasphemous Antitrinity, the counter-
'eit of "the mystery of godliness" God manifests in
Christ, witnessed to by the Spirit. The dragon acts the cart of God the Father, assigning his authority to his representative the beast, as the Father assigns His to the Son. They are accordingly jointly worshipped; cf. as to Jhe Father and Son, John 5. 23: as the ten-horned beast has its ten horns crowned with diadems (Greek, ch. 13. 1), so Christ has on His head many diadems. Whilst the
false prophet, like the Holy Ghost, speaks not of himself, but tells all men to worship the beast, and confirms his testimony to the beast by miracles, as the Holy Ghost at-
is mentioned as the scene of God's final vengeance on the God-opposing foe. Probably some great plain, antitypical to the valleys of Megiddo and Jehoshaphat, will be the scene. 17.. angel—So Andreas. But A, B, Vulgate and
tested similarly to Christ's Divine mission, uucleaii
iac omit it. into—So Andreas t GVeeA; eii). ButA, B, "upon" (Greek cpi). great-So B, Vulgate, Syriac, Coptic and Andreas. But A omits, of heaven—So B and Andreas. But A, Vulgate, Syriac, and Coptic omit. It ia done—" It is come to pass." God's voice as to the final consummation, as Jesus' voice on the cross when the work of expiation was completed, "It is finished." 18. voices
spirits like frogg—the antitype to the plague of frogs sent on Egypt. The presence of tlie "unclean spirit" in
the land (FaU-stinej is foretold, Zechariah 13.2, in connec-
tion with idolatrous prophets. Beginning with infidelity as to Jesus Christ's coming in the flesh, men shall end in the grossest idolatry of the beast, the incarnation of all
that is self-deifying and God-opposed in the worldpowers of all ages; having rejected lliin that came in the Father's name, they shall worship one l hat comes in
. . . tikimders . . . liglttnings—A has the order, "lightnings . . . voices . . . thunders." This is the same close as that of the seven seals and the seven thunders; but with the diflference that they do not merely form the conclusion, but introduce the consequence, of the last vial,
his own, though really the devil's representative; as
fix)gs croak by night in marshes and quagmires, so these unclean spirits in the darkness of error leach lies amidst
viz., the utter destruction of Babylon and then of the Antichristian armies, eartlnquake-which is often preceded by a lurid state of air, such as would result from the vial poured upon it. men were—So B, Vulgate, Syriac, and Andreas. But A and Coptic read, "A man was." so mighty— 6'?eeA:, "siu^h." 19. tlie great cl»y—l:lie capi tal and seat of the apostate Church, spiritual Babylon, (of which Rome is the representative, if one literal city be meant). The city in ch. 11. 8 (see JVote), is probably dis-
the mire of filthy lusts. They talk of liberty, but it is not Gospel liberty, but license for lust. There being tliree, as
also 4cte?», in the description of the last and worst state
of the Jewish nation, implies a parody of the two Divine numbers, three of the Trinity, and seven of the Holy Spirit
(cl>. 1. *). some observe that three froys were the original arms of F'rance, a country which has been the centre of
Jntidelity, socialism, and false spiritualism. A, B, read, " ns it were frogs," instead of "like fiogs," which is not supported by AISS. Theunclean spirit out of the moutli of
tinct, 1112., Jerusalem under Antichrist (the beast, who is distinct from the harlot or apostate ('liuich). In ch. U. Vi only a tenth falls of Jerusalem, whereas here the city (Bal)ylon) " liecame (G'reefe) Into three parts " by the earthquake. cHlcs of the nations—other greatcitics in Uague wit h spiritual Babylon, great. . . came in remembrance — Greek, " Babylon the great was remembered " (ch. IS. 5).
ihe d;«ffo« symbolizes the proud infidelity which opposes God and Christ. That out of the beast's mouth is the
spirit of the world, which in the politics of men, whether
lawless democracy or despotism, sets man above (iod. That out of the mouth of the faUe prophet is lying spiritualism and religious delusion, which shall take the place
It is now that the last call to escape from Babylon is given
>>f tlie harlot when she shall have been destroyed. 14. tlevll»— Greek, "demons." working mlrntlm— (/reek, "signs." go forth ui»to— or "for," i. e., to tempt them to
to God's people in her (ch. 18. 4). flcrccness—the biiiting
orcr outburst of His wrath (Greek Ihiimou orgees), cf. .Vr;^*',
ch. M. 10. !iO. Plainly parallel to ch. (i. 14-17, and by anticipation descriptive of the last judgment, the mountnlna —rather as Greek, "there were found no mountains." 'il.
the battle with Christ, the kings of the eartii Mn«l—A,
3, .V//rtV/c, and Andkeas omit "of the earth and," which
.sUuse Is not in any M.S. Trnnslate, " Kings of the whole
fell— (/reefc, "desceiiils." npon men— Greek, " the men.' wan— Greek, "is." men-not those struck who died, but
aabitable world," who are "of this worM," in contrast to "the kings of (Irom) the East" (the sunrising), v. 12, viz.,-
The Vision of the Great Harlot, REVELATION XVII. Babylon, the 3Tot her of all Abomination*.
jecfs; such Is the picture here of Christendom ripe for judgment." [Auberlen.] The seven heads in the view of many are the seven successive forms of government of Rome: kings, consuls, dictators, decemvirs, military tribunes, emperors, the German emperors [Wordsworth], of whom Napoleon is the successor (v. 11). But see the view given, JS^oies, v. 9, 10, which I prefer. The crowns formerly on the ten horns (ch. 13. l)have nowdisappeared, perhaps an indication that the ten kingdoms into which the Germanic-Slavonic world [the old Roman empire, including the East as well as the West, the two legs of the image with five toes on each, i. e., ten in all] is to be divided, will lose their monarchical form in the end [Auberlen] ; but see ti. 12, which seems to imply crowned kings. 4. The colour scarlet. It Is remarkable, is that reserved for popes and cardinals. Paal II. made it penal for any one but cardinals to wear hats of scarlet; cf. Coercmoniala Jiom., 3 sect. 5, c. 5. This book was compiled more than 310 years ago by Marcellus, a Romish archbishop, and dedicated to Leo X. In it are enumerated five dilTereui articles of dress of scarld colour. A vest is mentioned studded withpearls. The Pope's mitre is oigoldaml precious
the rest. Unlike the result in the case of Jerusalem (eh.
11. 13;, wliere "the remnant . . . affrighted . . . gave glory to the God of heaven."
Ver. 1-18. The Harlot Babylon's Gaud : The Beast on which she rides, having seven heads and ten Horns, shall be the Instrument of Judgment on Her. As ch. 16. 12 stated generally the vial judgment about to be poured ou the harlot, Babylon's power, as chs.
17. and IS. give the same in detail, so cli. 19. gives in detail the judgment on the bea$tanA the falsejmphet, summarily alluded to in ch. 16. 13-15, in connection with tlie Lord's coming. 1. »ii«t<i me—A, B, Vulgate, Syriac, and Coptic omit, many—.So A. But B, "the many waters" (Jeremiah 51. 13); V. 15, below, explains the sense. The whore
is the apostate Cliurch, just as the woman (ch. 12) is the Church whilstfaithful. Satan havi ng failed by violence, tries
too successfully to seduce her by the allurements of the world; unlike her Lord, she was overcome by this temptation ; hence she is seen sitting on the scarlet-coloured beaxt, no longer the wife, but the harlot; no longer Jerusalem, but spiritually Sodom (ch. 11. 8). 3. dniiik witVi— Greek,
stoites. These are the very characteristics outwaidly which Revelation thrice assigns to the harlot or Babylon. So Joachim, an abbot from Calabria, about a. d. 1200, when asked by Ricliard of England, who had summoned him to Palestine, concerning Antichrist, replied that " he was born long ago at Rome, and is now exalting himself above
' owing to." It cannot be Pagan Rome, but Papal Rome,
if a particular seat of error be meant,, but I incline to think that the judgment (ch. 18. 2) and the spiritual fornication (ch. 18. 3), though finding their culmination in Rome, are not restricted to it, but comprise the whole apostate Church, Roman, Greek, and even Protestant, so
all that is called God." Roger Hoveden, ^ufiri. Chron.,
1. 2, and elsewhere, wrote, "The harlot arrayed in gold is the Churcti of Rome." Whenever and wherever (not in Rome alone) the Cliurch, instead of being "clothed (as at
far as it has been seduced from its " first love " (ch. 2. 4) to
Christ, the heavenly Bridegroom, and given its aflfections
to worldly pomps and idols. Tlie woman (ch. 12. 1) is the congregation of God in its purity under the Old and New Testament, and appears again as the Bride of the Lamb,
first, ch. 12. 1) with the sun" of heaven, is arrayed In earthly meretricious gauds, compromising the truth of God tlirough fear, or flattery, of the world's power, science, or wealth, she becomes the harlot seated on the beast, and doomed in righteous retribution to be judged by the beast
the transfigured Clnirch prepared for the marriage feast. The woman, the invisible Cliurch, Is latent in the apos-
(v. 16). Soon, like Rome, and lilie the Jews of Clirist'aand the apostles' time leagued with the heathen Rome, Rha will then become the persecutor of the saints (v. 6). In« stead of drinking her Lord's "cup" of suffering, she has "a cup full of abominations and filthinesses." Rome, In her medals, represents herself holding a cup with th» self-condemning inscription, " Sedet super univcrsum." Meanwhile the world-powerglves up its hostility and accepts Christianity externally; the beast gives up Its Godopposed character, the woman gives up her Divine one. They meet half-way by mutual concessions; Christianity becomes worldly, the world becomes Christianized. The gainer is the world, the loser is the Church. The beast
tate Church, and is the Church militant; the Bride is the Church triumphant. 3. the wilderness—Contrast her in
ch. 12. 6, H, liaving apluce in the wilderness-vrovld, but not a home; a sojourner here, looking for tlie city to come. Tsow, on the contrary, she is contented to liave lier por-
tion in this moral wilderness, upon a scarlet . . . benst —The same as in ch. 13. 1, wlio there is descrilicd as here, "having seven heads and ten horns (tlierein betraying that he is representative of the dragon, ch. 12. 3), and upon his heads names (so the oldest MSS. read) of blaspliemy ;"
of. also V. 12-H, below, with ch. 19. 19, 20, and cli. 17. 13, It,
16. Rome, resting on tlie world-i)Ower, and ruling it by the claim of supremacy, is the cliief, though not the exclusive, representative of this symbol. As the dragon is
for a time receives a deadly wound (ch. 1.3.3), but Is not
really transfigured ; he will return worse thiui ever (v. 11-
fiery -rerf, so the beast is blood-red In colour; Implying its
blood-guiltines.i,aud also deep-dyed sin. TbacarM Is also the symbol of kingly authority, full—all over; not merely "on his heads," as in ch. 13. I, Ibr Its opposition to God Is now aiiout to develop itself In all its iiitiMislty. Under the harlot's superintendence, the world-powci outs