Bible Commentary (1871–1879 Edition) (continued)
Interpretation of the Seien Heads, KKVJ-LATION XVII. and that of the Ten Ho:-^.
Rome is a represeulative of the seven -lieiided worldpower of which the dragon has been, and is the prince. Tlie "seven kinss" aie hereby distinguished from the "ten kings" (u. 12): the former are what the hitter are not, "mountains," great seats of the world-powor. Tlie seven universal God-opposed monarchies are Egypt (tlie
"goeth intc perdition," and is applied to au individual viz., Judas, in the only other passage where the phrase occurs (John 17. 12). He is essentially a child of destruction, and hence he has but a little time ascended out of the bottomless pit, when he "goes into perdition" (r. 8,11). "Whilst the Chui-ch passes through death of the flesh to glory of the Spirit, the beast p.asses through the glory of the flesh todeath." [Auberlen.] Is of the seven—rather "springs o!/« o/ the seven." Tlie eighth is no merely ono of the seven restored, but a new power or person proceeding out of the seven, and at the same time embodying al! the God-opposed features of the previous seven concentrated and consummated ; for whicli reason there are said to be not eight, but only seven heads, for the eighth is the embodiment of all tlie seven. In the birth-pangs which prepare the "regeneration" there are wars, earthquakes, and disturbances [Auberlen], wherein Antichrist takes his rise (" sea," ch. 13.1; Mark 13.8; Luke 21.9-11). He does not fall like the other seven (v. 10), but is destroyed, going to his ovin perdition, by the Lord in person. 13. ten kings . . . received no kingdom as yet ; but' receive power as kings . . . -vvitli tlie beast—Hence and from v.
first world-power which came into collision with God's people), Assyrij, Bal)ylon, Greece, Medo-Persia, Rome, the Germa lic-Slavonic empire (the clciy of the fourth kingdom mixed with its iron in Nebuchadnezzar's image, a fifth HI vterial, Daniel 2. :«,34, 4'2, -13, symbolizing this last head). These seven might seem not to accord with the sevcvi heads in Daniel 7. 4-7, o/ie head on the first beast (Bai ylon), one on the second (Medo-Persia), Jour on the third (Greece; viz., Egypt, Syria, Thrace with Bithynia, and Greece with Macedon): but Egypt and Greece are in
lists. Syria answers to Assyria (from which the name Syria is abbreviated), and Thrace with Bithynia answers to the Gotliic-Germanic-Slavonic hordes which, pouring down on Rome from the North, founded the Germanic-Slavonic empire. Tlte ivoman sitting on the seven hills implies the Old and New Testament Church conforming
14, 16, it seems that these ten kings or kingdoms, are to be contemporaries with the beast in its last or eighth form, to, and resting on, tlie world-power, (. e., on all the seven world-kingdoms. Abraham and Isaac dissembling as to their wives through fear of the kings of Egypt foreshaiiowed this. Cf. Ezekiel 16. and 23., on Israel's whoredoms with Egypt, Assyria, Babylon; and Matthew 7, 24; 21. 10- viz.. Antichrist. Cf. Daniel 2. 34, 44, "the stone smote the . image upon his feet," i. e., upon the ten toes, which are in t'. 41-44, interpreted to be "kings." The ten kingdoms are not, therefore, ten which arose in the overthrow of Rome (heathen), but are to rise out of the last state of the fourth kingdom under the eighth head. I agree with Alford that the phrase "a kings," inipliesthat they reserve their kingly rights in their alliance with the beast, wherein "they give their power and strength unto" him (v. 13). Thej have the name of kings, but not with undivided kingly power. [WoRDSWOR-rH.] See Auberi-en's not so probable view, JSote, v. 3. one hour-a definite time of short duration, during which "the devil is come down to the iiihabiters of the earth and of the sea, having great wrath, because he knowelh that he hath but a short time." Probably the three and a half years (ch. 11.2, 3; 13.5), Antichrist is in existence long before the fallof Babj Ion; but it is only at its fall he obtains the vassalage of the ten kings. He in the first instance imposes on the Jews as the Messiah, coming in his own name; then persecutes those of them who refuse his blasphemous pretensions. Not until tlie sixth vial, in the latter part of his reign, does lie associate the ten kings with him In war with the Lamb, having gained them over by the aid of the spirits of devils working miracles. His connection with Israel appears from his sitting " in the temple of God" (2 Thessalonians 2. 4), and as the antilypical "aliomlnation of desolation standing In the Holy place" (Daniel 9.27; 12. 11; Matthew 24. 15), and " in the city where our Lord was crucified" (ch. 11. 8). It is ivmarkable (hat Iren.bus, //opr.,
12, 23-26, on the characteristics of the New Testament Church's harlotry, viz., distrust, suspicion, hatred, treachery, divisions into parties, false doctrine. 10. there are
—translate, "they (the seven heads) are seven kings." Ave . . . one Greek, "the five . . . the one:" the first five of the seven are fallen (a word applicable not to forms of government passing aivay, but to the fall of once powerful empires : Egypt, Ezekiel 29. and 30.; Assyria and Nineveh, Nahum 3. I-l!); Babylon, ch. 1S.2; Jeremiah
50. and 51.; Medo-Persia, Daniel 8.-3-7,20-22; 10.13; 11.2; Greece, Daniel 11.4). Rome was "the one" existing in cit. .lohn's days. "Kings" is the Scripture phrase for kingdoms, because these kingdoms are generally represented in character by some one prominent head, as Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar, Medo-I'ersla by Cyrus, Greece by Alexander, (Sc. the other is not yet come —Not as Alfoub, inaccurately representing AuherliKN, the Christian empire beginning with Constantine but, the Gernianic-iilavonic empire beginning and continuing in its beast-like, i. e., heathen Antichristian character for only "a short space." The time wlien It is
(jiid of it "it is not" (r. 11), is the time during which
' IS "wounded to dcalh,"and has the "deadly wound"
"li. 13.3). The external Christianiziition of the migrating
'lordes from the North which descended on Rome, is the wotmti to the beast answering 'to the earth swallowing up Jie Jloiid (heathen tribes) .sent by the liragon, Satan, to tlrown the woman, the Church. The emphasis palpably
5. 25, and St. Cvitii. oj' Jerusai.icm (Kukkinus, Hist., 10.37), projihcsied that Antichrist should have his seat at Jerusalem, and should restore the kingdom of the Jews. Julian the apostate, long alter, look part with the Jews, and aUled In building their temple, herein being Antichrist's forerunner. 13. one mind—one «(>»i/i»»('H/. shall give—So Copiic. But A, B, and iSi/riac, "give." strength — Gre(^k, "authority." Tlie.v become his dependent allies
Is <m "a short space," which therefore conujs first in the Greek, not on "he must continue," as if liis conlinnanee for some [considerable] time were implied, as Al^- KOKD wrongly thinks. The time of external Christliinlzatioii (whilst the beast's wound continues) has lasted for upwards of fourteen centuries, ever since Conslimtlne. Rome and the Greek Church have jiartially lunh'd the wound b.v image-worship. 11. benst that . . . Js not. his beastly character being kept down by outward Christianization of the state until ho starts up to life again as "the eighth" king, his "wound being healed"
(i). 14). Thus Antichrist sets up to bo King of kings, but scarcely has ho put forth his claim when the true IClNO OF KINGS appears and dashes him down In a moment to destruct ion. 14. Tl>ese slinll . . . war witli (he Iainb —In league with the beast. This Is a summary anticipation of ch. 19. 19. This shall not be till niter they have
(ch. 13. 3), Antichrist manHi'sted in fullest and most intense opjfositlon to God. The llic Is emphatlcal In the Greek. //'', peculiarly and pre-eminently: answering to " the little horn" with eyes like the eyes of a man, and first I'Xccuted Judgment on the harlot {v. 1.5, Iti). Iord at lords, Ac—anticipating ch. 19. 16. art—not In the Greek. Therefore translate, "And they that are with lllm, called chosen, and faithful (shall overcome them, Viz., the beast and his alllinl kings)." These ha vi> been with Clirkst la heaven unseen, biU now appear witli ilim. l.'j. (Ver. 1, Isaiah 8. 7.) An impious parody of Jehovah who 'sittolh upon the flood." [Ai.I'oud.] Also, contrast the "many waters" eh. 19. 6, "Alh'luia." The "peoples," *e., here nianc the universality o' the spiritual foruloatlou of Ul« tt mouth speaking great things, before whom tliree of the ten horns ivere plueked up b// the roots, and to whom the whole ten "give thilr power and strength" (v. 12, 13,
]7). That a /XTTOJirti! Antichrist will stand at the head of the Antichristian kingdom, Is likely from the aniilogy of Antiochus Epipliano.i, the Old Testament AnMchrlst, 'the little horn" In Daniel H. O-l'i; also, "the man of sin, ion of perdition" (2 Thessaloiilans 2. 3-8), answers hero to