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PREFACE.
PREFACE.
The Apocalypse should be regarded as a peculiarly interesting portion of scripture: a blessing being promised those who read, hear, and keep the things which are written therein. It has been subjected to so many contradictory interpretations, that any attempt to comprehend its meaning is often regarded with distrust; and the impression has become very prevalent, that it is a “sealed book,” —that its meaning is so hidden in unintelligible symbols, that very little can be known respecting it; and
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ELEMENTS OF PROPHETIC INTERPRETATION.
ELEMENTS OF PROPHETIC INTERPRETATION.
3. The Usus Loquendi , is the usual mode of speaking. When applied to the Scriptures, it denotes the general scriptural use of words. 4. To learn the meaning of scriptural terms, their general use must be ascertained, by comparing their contexts in the several places of their occurrence. 5. Prophecy is the prediction of a future event. The term sometimes denotes a book of prophecies (Rev. 22:18); and sometimes a history.—2 Chron. 9:29. 6. Consecutive Prophecy gives the succession of future event
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The Title of the Book.
The Title of the Book.
“The very title of John's predictions, Apocalypse, implies the unveiling or ‘ revelation ’ of the mystic and hidden sense of the prophetic oracles, previously uttered by his inspired predecessors.” — Prof. Bush. “The Αποκαλυψις, from which we have our word Apocalypse, signifies, literally, a revelation , or discovery , of what was concealed , or hidden .” — Dr. Clarke. The work of the apostles was “to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which, from the beginning of the world,
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The Benediction.
The Benediction.
Those who teach that the Apocalypse is a “sealed book,” most clearly contradict the testimony of Christ respecting it. To discourage the study of it, is to treat with neglect, and to despise what God has spoken in these last days by his Son, Heb. 1:2; of whom it is said: “See that ye refuse not him that speaketh; for if they escaped not who refused him who spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven,” Heb. 12:25. Those who thus neglect it, ca
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John's Salutation to the Churches.
John's Salutation to the Churches.
The seven churches to which John sends salutation, were those of Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea, 1:11. The Asia, in which they were situated, was a province in Asia Minor, distinct from Pontus, Gallatia, and Bithynia; which also were in Asia Minor, 1 Pet. 1:1, and Acts 2:9. Of the province of Asia, Ephesus was the capital, and was the principal place of John's residence. The seven cities which contained those churches, were situated in a kind of amphithea
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Christ's Annunciation.
Christ's Annunciation.
This gives a clue to the date of the Apocalypse. It was written when John was in the Isle of Patmos: “It is the general testimony of ancient authors, that St. John was banished into Patmos in the time of Domitian, in the latter part of his reign, and restored by his successor, Nerva. But the book could not be published till after John's release, and return to Ephesus, in Asia. Domitian died in 96, and his persecution did not commence till near the close of his reign.” — Dr. Clarke. “ Domitian ,
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Vision of Christ.
Vision of Christ.
The voice, by a metonymy, is used for the person speaking. He turned to see the glorious personage by whom the trumpet-tones were uttered. Being turned, he saw the commencement of those great panoramic presentations, by which the events of the future were revealed to him, and the significance of which were explained by an angelic interpreter. The “seven golden candlesticks,” symbolize “the seven churches” (1:20), to which John was commanded to write. By this, and other symbols which are divinely
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Epistles to the Seven Churches.
Epistles to the Seven Churches.
The seven churches are not, themselves, seen in vision; they were symbolized by seven golden candlesticks. Consequently, these are seven literal churches that are addressed, and not allegorical, as some teach. The symbolic portions of the Apocalypse, are the descriptions of what John saw, and the attendant utterances. What was addressed to the ear by way of explanation and instruction, does not come under the laws of symbolization. As churches, in all ages, are often in the several conditions as
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Vision of the Deity.
Vision of the Deity.
The revelator had before heard a voice speaking to him, (1:10); and turning to look, he beheld the risen Saviour. He then writes the epistles which the Saviour dictated to the churches; and again he turns his eyes to the place where the voice spake to him. The opening of a door in heaven, appears to be no part of the “things which must be hereafter;” and is, therefore, no symbol. It was doubtless an appearance of an aperture in the sky above, through which the revelator saw the vision. It indica
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The Sealed Book.
The Sealed Book.
The written book, must symbolize God's purposes, which were about to be unfolded on the loosening of the seals. Its being written within and without, indicates the fulness of its contents, the completeness of the record:—God's purposes being fully and unalterably formed. In like manner Ezekiel was shown “a roll of a book ... written within and without,” symbolizing the “lamentations, mourning and woe” (Ezek. 2:9), which were soon to overtake Israel. A sealed book is one whose contents are hidden
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The First Seal.
The First Seal.
The voice is evidently addressed to the personage on the white horse, or to the agencies thus symbolized. It is the signal for their appearance on the stage of action. The symbol is that of a victorious warrior, armed with weapons of conquest,—success being indicated by the crown given him. As there is no analogous order, except in the religious world, Mr. Lord very properly regards it as a symbol of the body of religious teachers, those faithful soldiers of the cross, who, from the middle of th
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The Second Seal.
The Second Seal.
This symbol, like the former, is that of a mounted warrior, and must also symbolize a body of religious teachers. The color of the horse, indicates that the doctrine and character of the body symbolized will have lost the original purity of the church, and become more sanguinary; which is also indicated by the great sword given him. The warfare under this seal is not against outside enemies; for they kill each other. This, then, indicates an era when the church shall be disquieted, and her peace
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The Third Seal.
The Third Seal.
This foreshadows a period of great scarcity and cruel exactions. Applying it to the only department of society which is analogous to civil life, and the famine symbolized, is like that predicted by Amos: “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine into the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord: and they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east; they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the
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The Fourth Seal.
The Fourth Seal.
The Christian church alone being analogous to the civil power, it is within its pale that the fulfilment of this symbol is to be looked for. During this period, violence is substituted for famine; and men are compelled to apostatize, which results in spiritual death. The Papacy having the power to enforce her decrees, Christians had to embrace her faith, or be handed over to the secular power for punishment. They produced death by compelling men to apostatize, by withholding from them the word o
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The Fifth Seal.
The Fifth Seal.
This symbolized a period intervening between the time of the martyrdom, of those whose souls are seen in vision, and another time of persecution to follow. Consequently, the symbol represents the disembodied spirits of those who had already been slain. They symbolize the souls of martyrs who counted not their lives dear unto themselves for the sake of Christ; and being faithful unto death, were in expectation of a crown of life. Says Mr. Lord: “The term τα πτωματα is used in the prophecy to deno
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The Sixth Seal.
The Sixth Seal.
The laws of symbolization require that symbols should not be representatives of their own order when there is any analogous order to be representatives of. In other places in the Apocalypse, these symbols are used, under circumstances where it is impossible to regard them as symbols of their own order. And here, as the kings of the earth call on the rocks and mountains to fall on them after the heaven has departed as a scroll and every mountain and island is moved out of its place, it is necessa
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The Sealing of the Servants of God.
The Sealing of the Servants of God.
The symbols here presented, were seen immediately subsequent to the exhibition of the preceding ones. This alone would not prove that the events symbolized follow in order, but it is indicated by their being a continuation of the symbolization under the sixth seal, and before the opening of the seventh. In the sixth chapter, the great men and rich men, as well as bond-men, are aware of the proximity of the day of the Lord, and seek for a refuge from the face of the Lamb. The next events in conse
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The Palm-bearing Multitude.
The Palm-bearing Multitude.
This great multitude of white-robed palm-bearers, must include those who, under the preceding seal, anxiously inquired how long was to be deferred the avenging of their blood on those who dwell on the earth. That epoch had now arrived; and they come forth arrayed in the white robes then given them. The palm-branches in their hands, are emblems of victory. They symbolize the subjects of the first resurrection, caught up to meet the Lord in the air. That they are gathered from every land and every
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The Seventh Seal.
The Seventh Seal.
The epoch of this seal, is sometimes regarded as anterior to that of the trumpets; and those are often supposed to be included in the events of this seal; but no conclusive reason has ever been given for removing it from its obvious position as the closing one, of a series of successive periods, commencing with the gospel, and extending to the end of the world. If the first six are successive in their respective order, analogy would require that the seventh be thus considered. Under the sixth se
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The Seven Trumpets.
The Seven Trumpets.
The green grass of the earth, the trees, &c., are distinguished from “those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads” (9:4), and must therefore symbolize the people of God in the third part of the empire. As all the green grass is burnt up, while only one-third of the trees suffer, the latter cannot include one-third of all the trees in the empire, but only one-third in the parts affected,—the grass indicating the more weakly, and the trees the more hardy classes of Christia
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The Woman and Dragon.
The Woman and Dragon.
The woman, according to the use of the symbol in other places, must be a representative of the church. As the harlot on a scarlet-colored beast (17:3), is a symbol of a corrupt and apostate church, so a virtuous woman is a chosen symbol of the true church. The “Jerusalem which is above is the mother” of all true Christians (Gal. 4:26); she is also “the bride, the Lamb's wife” (21:9); and “the remnant of her seed ,” are those “which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Ch
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The War in Heaven.
The War in Heaven.
The churches,—which on the persecution subsequent to the Pentecostal season were scattered abroad, and went everywhere preaching the word (Acts 8:4),—afterwards had rest, and were multiplied, Ib. 9:31. They were thus enabled again to act a conspicuous part, as symbolized by the contest between Michael and the dragon. The contest symbolized, is a religious one; for the dragon is overcome “by the word of their testimony,” v. 11. Michael and his angels, then, must symbolize the body of Christ,—the
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Rejoicings of the Victors.
Rejoicings of the Victors.
The loud voice is heard in the symbolic heaven from which the Dragon had been cast. By the displacement of the Pagan hierarchy, and the substitution of Christianity under Constantine, the adherents of the latter succeeded to the place of the former, and rejoiced over them. A loud voice symbolizes the utterance of the thoughts and feelings of an interested multitude. The nature of the voice indicates the nature of the utterance—whether it be one of expectation, fear, warning, or instruction. This
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The Flight of the Woman.
The Flight of the Woman.
The rejoicing of Christians, according to this symbolization, is afterwards followed by renewed triumphs of the Pagans over them. The hatred of the Pagan worshippers to Christianity, is strikingly evinced; but it is manifested in a manner different from the former contest. When the church sought only to overcome by “the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony,” it was owned of Christ; but as it became proud and worldly, and cared more for popular favor than for purity of faith and
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The Ten-Horned Beast.
The Ten-Horned Beast.
Its heads and horns synchronize with those of the dragonic monster, which had preceded it, and disappeared from the view of the revelator. And they doubtless symbolize the same forms of government. See pp. 145-148 . The ten crowns encircling its horns, indicate that an era is foreshadowed, when the sovereignty of the kingdom shall have been transferred from the forms of government symbolized by the heads,—which had before been encircled by the crowns,—to that represented by the horns. There is g
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The Mouth of the Beast.
The Mouth of the Beast.
The mouth of the beast, must symbolize the agency by which utterance is given to the great things and blasphemies which are spoken by it. Its likeness to the mouth of the lion, shows its resemblance to the Babylonian worship of the dead. Moses was “not eloquent,” —he was “slow of speech and of a slow tongue,” and the Lord said to him, Aaron “shall be thy spokesman unto the people: and he shall be, even he shall be to thee instead of a mouth ,” Ex. 4:10, 16. As Aaron was a mouth to Moses, so did
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The Two-Horned Beast.
The Two-Horned Beast.
The coming up of another beast must symbolize the rise of another government. As the two-horned beast exercises its power before (ενωπιον) i.e. in the presence , of the first beast, it is a contemporary power, and must necessarily symbolize a kingdom outside of the territory of the ten-horned beast. Within that territory it would be one of the horns of that beast; but a separate beast requires a separate territory. As it arises out of the earth, while it is outside of the territory occupied by t
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The Image of the Beast.
The Image of the Beast.
This new creation is not another beast, but the image of one. An image is only the likeness of something. As the beast symbolizes a political power, its image must symbolize some analogous power of a different nature; and this likeness can only be found in a religious government. 1. The beast which received its death-wound (v. 14), was the form of government to which the image was made, i.e. , the imperial. Of this the Roman hierarchy was a perfect counterpart. It was an ecclesiastical governmen
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The Redeemed on Mount Zion.
The Redeemed on Mount Zion.
The names of Mount Zion, and Jerusalem, were both used to denote the city which the Lord chose above all the goodly places of earth to put his name there. It is proper to designate the heavenly city, the new Jerusalem, by all the names which were applied to the old. The king is to be set upon the holy hill of Zion— “Walk about Zion, and go round about her: tell the towers thereof. Mark ye well her bulwarks, consider her palaces,” Psa. 48:12, 13. “When the Lord shall build up Zion, he shall appea
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The Angel of the Everlasting Gospel.
The Angel of the Everlasting Gospel.
The era symbolized by the flight of this angel, has been applied, by different writers to the epoch of the Reformation, to that of modern missions, &c. The view here taken, is that it synchronizes with the preaching of the gospel to the Gentiles. The angel flying through the midst of heaven, doubtless symbolizes a body of men conspicuous for their position, energetic in their movements, extensive in their operations, and urgent in their proclamation,—whose teachings correspond with this
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The Angel announcing the Fall of Babylon.
The Angel announcing the Fall of Babylon.
This angel, like the former, must symbolize a body of religious teachers. The former resulted in the spread of Christianity. This announces the fall of a corrupt hierarchy. Babylon being regarded as a symbol of the Roman church, her fall must be understood to be her loss of power, as mistress of the kings of the earth; and synchronizes with her displacement from her position on the beast, as symbolized in the 17th chapter. The epoch of her fall, and consequently of the flight of this angel, is t
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The Wrath-denouncing Angel.
The Wrath-denouncing Angel.
The cry of this angel synchronizes with the “voice from heaven” (18:4), and follows the discovery of the corruptions of Romanism.—See the exposition of that Scripture, p. 307 . The worship of the beast consisted in a regard for it, equivalent to saying, “Who is like unto the beast? and, Who is able to make war with him?” 13:4. To worship, is to manifest homage and respect. To worship any inferior object, is to bestow on it the confidence and affection which is due only to God. It is to trust in
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The Harvest of the Earth.
The Harvest of the Earth.
The announcement that here are they who keep the commandments of God, implies that, at the epoch symbolized, they are to be the subjects of special notice. By the voice from heaven, they are shown to include all of the dead who have died in the Lord; and their being blessed from thenceforth, indicates that they will at that epoch enter upon their eternal reward. The “rest” of the righteous, is at the advent of Christ:— “To you who are troubled, rest with us when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed
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The Reaping of the Vine.
The Reaping of the Vine.
The wicked also are gathered by the instrumentality of angels: said the Saviour, “As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; and shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth,” Matt. 13:40-42. In the parable of the tares, the Saviour said, “Let both grow together un
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The Victors on the Sea of Glass.
The Victors on the Sea of Glass.
This appears to close the vision commencing with the sixth verse of the 14th chapter, and to be independent of the remaining portion of the 15th chapter. These “seven angels,” in the subsequent vision, discharge the contents of the vials of God's wrath; but the epoch here presented is evidently subsequent to that fulfilment; for the imitation of the “Song of Moses,” must follow the infliction of the judgments which call forth that song of rejoicing. They had here completed the wrath of God, the
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The Angels with the Seven Vials.
The Angels with the Seven Vials.
“The temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven,” must symbolize heaven itself. It corresponds with the tabernacle “after the second veil,” —called “the holiest of all,” where the tables of the covenant were deposited by the command of Moses, Heb. 9:1-5. There, the “cherubims of glory” over-shadowed the mercy-seat,—a type of the presence-chamber of the Almighty. Consequently, when it is symbolized as being opened in heaven, the angels who come out are divinely commissioned executors of
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The First Vial.
The First Vial.
The “earth,” in the Apocalypse, symbolizes a quiet and settled government (13:11), in distinction from one politically agitated, which is symbolized by waters, 13:1; 17:15. Those who receive the contents of the first vial, being the worshippers of the “beast” and its “image” (13:15), it is certain that the governments on which it is poured, are subservient to the church of Rome and within the boundaries of the ten kingdoms. The effect of the vial is “a noisome and grievous sore;” and the only th
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The Second Vial.
The Second Vial.
The first vial having excited political agitations in previously quiet governments, they are now more fitly symbolized by the “sea” than by the “earth.” And on such the second vial is poured. As the sea symbolizes a people agitated and disquieted, the living things in it, must symbolize those who live on and are sustained by the people. Consequently, the waters becoming blood, and the death of the things living in the waters, symbolize the shedding of the blood of the people, and the slaughter,
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The Third Vial.
The Third Vial.
Mr. Lord justly remarks that “Rivers and fountains of waters, are to a sea, what smaller exterior communities and nations are to a great central people.” As the French nation was the sea, the “rivers and fountains” symbolize contiguous or more remote communities surrounding it. These are said to have become blood, without its being specified that the living things in them perished, as in the sea. Accordingly, while the greater portion of Europe continued, with little interruption, for twenty yea
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The Fourth Vial.
The Fourth Vial.
The influence of the sun on the earth and sea, is analogous to that of a government on the subjects of its rule. As the right degree of light and heat is conducive to vegetation, and the excessive action of the sun's rays will scorch and destroy; so a genial government is a blessing to the people, while its arbitrary and tyrannical acts are often insupportably oppressive. With the overthrow of the French monarchy under the second vial, there arose new rulers in France, who usurped despotic power
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The Fifth Vial.
The Fifth Vial.
The beast, here spoken of, is the same seven-headed, ten-horned wild beast that ascended out of the sea (Rev. 13:1), symbolizing the Roman empire in its divided form. Consequently the seat or throne of the beast would be the ruling power which exercised and controlled the government of these kingdoms. Just previous to this epoch, Napoleon had reached the summit of his power; and the subversion of his throne, with the restoration of the Bourbon dynasty in 1814 and 1815, is evidently here symboliz
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The Sixth Vial.
The Sixth Vial.
This symbol resembles a like prediction respecting ancient Babylon: “A drought is upon her waters, and they shall be dried up,” (Jer. 50:38); and “I will dry up her sea, and make her springs dry,” Jer. 51:36. Ancient Babylon was situated on the river Euphrates, which contributed to the wealth and greatness of the city, and was a means of its defence. The kings of Media and Persia, from the east of Babylon, subjugated it by diverting from the city the waters of the river, and entering by its unpr
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The Unclean Spirits.
The Unclean Spirits.
The “dragon,” “beast,” and “false prophet,” being regarded as symbols: the first, of the Roman empire previous to its subversion by the northern barbarians; the second of the ten kingdoms which subsequently arose; and the third, of the eastern Roman empire—now the Mohamedan power; the mouths of each, from which the frog-like spirits emerge, are next to be considered. To the wild beast was given “a mouth, speaking great things and blasphemies,” the power of which was “to continue forty and two mo
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The Admonition.
The Admonition.
Thus will the day of the Lord come, as a thief, on those who are careless and indifferent to its approach; but it will not thus overtake those who watch, and keep their garments. Because so many will be deceived by the strange performances of the spirits of demons, and their miracles so delude the multitude, Christ's coming will be to them sudden and unexpected. Therefore the greater necessity for watchfulness. While this is a predicted means for lulling the world to sleep, it is given to the Ch
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The Success of the Spirits.
The Success of the Spirits.
Before the coming of the Lord, and as a preparation for that event, the nations are to be thus gathered. Armageddon is the name of a valley at the foot of Mount Megiddo, famous for its bloody slaughters. It fitly symbolizes the final gathering of the nations. The enemies of God will marshal for the final conflict. The powers of darkness will fancy themselves on the verge of victory; and then will be poured out:...
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The Seventh Vial.
The Seventh Vial.
The atmosphere is not limited, like a river, or portion of the earth, to a given locality, but encircles the globe. Consequently the effect of the vial poured out on the air, would be universal, and not local like the effects of the previous vials. The air is the region of storms. These symbolize the expression of conflicting opinions, and violent outbursts of passion; which may be the commencement of that “great battle,” for the preparation of which the unclean spirits went forth under the sixt
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The Judgment of the Harlot.
The Judgment of the Harlot.
The Roman hierarchy had been frequently referred to in the preceding visions; but an institution, so interwoven with the history of the nations, required a more full and minute symbolization. The subject of this vision is announced to the revelator, by one of the angels who had the seven vials;—very probably, the seventh. The harlot is identified as one “that sitteth upon many waters.” Ancient Babylon was thus addressed: “O thou that dwellest upon many waters, abundant in treasures, thine end is
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A Woman on a Scarlet-Colored Beast.
A Woman on a Scarlet-Colored Beast.
That the woman and city symbolize the same, is shown by the declaration that she is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth, v. 18. She is also thus indicated by the name of “Babylon,” on her forehead, and the golden cup in her hand: “Babylon hath been a golden cup in the Lord's hand, that made all the earth drunken: the nations have drunken of her wine; therefore are the nations mad,” Jer. 51:7. In like manner has the church of Rome intoxicated the nations. “The scarlet-colo
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The Fall of Babylon.
The Fall of Babylon.
This announcement of the fall of the city, synchronizes with the same symbolization in the 14th chapter: “And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication,” 14:8. The angel, proclaiming her fall, doubtless symbolizes a body of men, who shall give utterance to corresponding declarations. The epoch of this utterance is shown by the identity of this angel with that of Rev. 10:1-3.
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The Voice From Heaven.
The Voice From Heaven.
So long as the true character of the apostate church was unperceived, she would contain many good, as well as a multitude of bad members. The voice from heaven, indicates an epoch when there should be a widely extended and marked separation between these two classes. Till the time of that separation should be indicated, the children of God would be justified in continuing members of her communion; but not subsequently. The condition of Babylon, at the time of her fall, indicates that the separat
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The Destruction of Babylon.
The Destruction of Babylon.
The punishment of Babylon is proportioned to her wickedness, and is to be inflicted partially by the kings of the earth, and partially by other agencies. The kings were to hate, and burn her with fire, (17:16); and were also, when they should see the smoke of her burnings, to bewail and lament for her, 18:9. The former passage indicates their agency in her impoverishment, and has been fulfilled in the confiscation of her property in France and England, the spoliation of churches and religious ho
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Rejoicing Over Babylon's Destruction.
Rejoicing Over Babylon's Destruction.
It is also at the epoch anticipated by “the souls of them that were slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held,” who, from under the altar, on the opening of the “fifth seal,” “cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?” 6:9, 10. The epoch which they anticipated not having then arrived, “white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should re
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The Marriage of the Lamb.
The Marriage of the Lamb.
The marriage of the Lamb is at the epoch when “the kingdoms of this world are to become our Lord's and his Christ's” —when the Lord God Almighty takes to himself his great power and reigns, 11:15, 17. Therefore, in connection, are heard the mighty thunderings, saying, “Alleluia; for the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth,” 9:16. This scripture, then, corresponds with that in Matt. 24:30, 31, when “they shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory; and he shall sen
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The King and his Armies.
The King and his Armies.
According to the significance of symbolic language, Christ is here represented as coming personally. The heavens open and he appears in resplendent majesty, in accordance with the predictions respecting his second advent. When the clouds of heaven had received the ascending Saviour, the shining ones who stood by said to the gazing disciples, “This same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven,” Acts 1:11. “And they shall see th
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The Final Conflict.
The Final Conflict.
The contest being between the Lord and his armies on the one part, and the wicked nations on the other, the angel seen standing in the sun and performing an important act in connection with the Lord's army, must represent one of his attending angels; for the acts to be performed are to be by their instrumentality: “In the end of this world, the Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; and shall cast them
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The Binding of Satan.
The Binding of Satan.
The angel descending from heaven, must be a representative of his own order; for at this epoch there are no other orders of beings for him to be a representative of. He therefore symbolizes the angels who are commissioned to “gather out of his kingdom all things that offend,” Matt. 13:41. The “key,” “pit,” and “chain,” symbolize the instruments of restraint and confinement to which Satan is to be subjected; and his being bound and confined symbolize his restraint. The “Dragon” is expressly calle
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The Cleansing of the Earth.
The Cleansing of the Earth.
“Man shall be restored in that time, namely, in the days of the Messiah, to that state in which he was before the first man sinned.” — R. Moses Nachmanides in Duet. § 45. “Although all things were created perfect, yet when the first man sinned, they were corrupted, and will not again return to their congruous state till Pherez ( i.e. , the Messiah ) comes.” “There are six things which shall be restored to their primitive state, viz.: the splendor of man, his life, the height of his stature, the
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The Kingdom given to the Saints at the resurrection of the just.
The Kingdom given to the Saints at the resurrection of the just.
“Thrones” are symbols of power. As the saints are to reign with Christ on the renewed earth, in obedience to the invitation: “Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world,” (Matt. 25:34); their being inducted into the kingdom is symbolized by their being seated on thrones. Thus they sing in the “new song,” addressed to Christ: “Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood, out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation
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The Wicked Raised, and Satan Loosed
The Wicked Raised, and Satan Loosed
Verses 11-15 contain the record of the symbolization John saw, of what was to transpire at the end of the thousand years; while verses 7-10 appear to be explanatory of events which would then be fulfilled. This explanation, previous to the exhibition of the symbolization, is appropriate in the connection, and makes more forcible the fact that “the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished.” As the rest of the dead live not till the end of the thousand years, they co
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The New Creation.
The New Creation.
The sea is now “no more,” in the same sense that the first heavens and earth are passed away—all having disappeared in the conflagration, and given place to the “restitution of all things spoken of by the mouth of all the holy prophets,” Acts 3:21. Whether the new creation will comprise both sea and dry land, as was first created (Gen. 1:10), is not here decided; but there is no reason to suppose that this characteristic of the original creation will be forever obliterated. The new Jerusalem des
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The Tabernacle of God with Men.
The Tabernacle of God with Men.
The utterances of the “great voice out of heaven” are not what John saw, but are what he heard; and are therefore to be interpreted, not by the laws of symbols, but by those of tropes and literal language. The “tabernacle of God with men” is explained in the same connection to be his “dwelling with them.” “When our Saviour was incarnate, and vouchsafed to dwell amongst the children of men, the same phrase is used by this same author, Eskeenoose (John 1:14), ‘The Word was made flesh, and tabernac
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The New Jerusalem.
The New Jerusalem.
Objects of great interest, of which only a passing glance was permitted in previous visions, are again and again presented, until their relative glory is sufficiently manifested. Thus the new earth was considered worthy of being the subject of a special vision; and now the Bride, the Lamb's wife, although before referred to, is again made the subject of a special vision, under the symbol of a city, explained to be the bride. The descent of the city, to harmonize with corresponding scriptures, ha
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Final Admonitions.
Final Admonitions.
With the representation of the city, the symbols of the Apocalypse are terminated. What follows are the words of Christ. The import of these is guarded by his declaration that they are “true and faithful.” There is a reality and definiteness in them, which will not admit of their being added to, or taken from. So that any attempt to fritter away their meaning, will be followed by the curses written in the book, and a loss of the blessings therein promised. The command not to seal this prophecy,
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