A Brief Commentary on the Apocalypse Part 18
Before the destruction of the old world by the deluge, Noah was secure in the ark. Before the destruction of Sodom, Lot is removed to a place of safety. So before the destruction of the vine of the earth, the righteous are caught up to the Lord in the air, where they are symbolized, in the following chapter, as:
The Victors on the Sea of Gla.s.s.
"And I saw another sign in heaven, great and wonderful, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for by these, the wrath of G.o.d is completed. And I saw as it were a transparent sea mingled with fire; and those who had obtained the victory over the wild beast, and over his image, and over the number of his name, standing on the transparent sea, having harps of G.o.d. And they sing the song of Moses the servant of G.o.d, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and wonderful are thy works, O Lord G.o.d Almighty; just and true are thy ways, king of nations! Who should not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy; for all nations will come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are manifested." Rev. 15:1-4.
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 G.o.d'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 G.o.d, the manner of which act is subsequently shown in a separate vision.
The "sea of gla.s.s," must represent an elevation above the earth. For those stationed there had gotten the victory over the beast and his image, had escaped the wrath to be poured on those who worshipped those powers (14:9), had been gathered when the harvest of the earth was reaped (14:16), being then caught up to meet the Lord in the air (1 Thess. 4:17), and now, the cl.u.s.ters of the vine of the earth having been gathered and cast into the wine-press of the wrath of G.o.d (14:19), they rejoice above the fires of earth, witnesses of the manifestations of G.o.d's judgments.
They have come out of all their tribulations, and evidently synchronize with the palm-bearing mult.i.tude (Rev. 7:9), the hundred and forty-four thousand on Mount Zion (14:1), and the mult.i.tude in heaven who sing Alleluia over the judgment of the great harlot, 19:1.
"The song of Moses," was that sung by the Israelites when the Egyptians had perished in the waters of the Red Sea, and they were safely encamped on its further sh.o.r.e. The Lord had triumphed gloriously over the enemies of Israel, had buried the horse and his rider in the sea, and was about to plant his people in the mountain of his inheritance,-in the place which he had made for them to dwell in,-in the sanctuary which he had established, Ex. 15:1-21. The a.n.a.logy requires that when this corresponding song is sung, the ransomed of the Lord shall have correspondingly witnessed the overthrow of the adversaries of Jehovah, and shall themselves have escaped from the perils of the many waters which had threatened to engulf them.
The judgments of G.o.d being manifested on the nations of the unG.o.dly, there are none remaining, only "the nations of them which are saved," 21:24. As these will all walk in the light of the new Jerusalem, those on the sea of gla.s.s may well sing:
"Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord G.o.d Almighty!
Just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints!
Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name?
For thou only art Holy: For all nations shall come and worship before thee; For thy judgments are made manifest."
In accordance with the foregoing view, this synchronizes with the "new song" sung by those who are redeemed from every nation, kindred, tongue and people (5:9), who are afterwards seen standing with the Lamb on Mount Zion, 14:3.
The Angels with the Seven Vials.
"And after this, I looked, and the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened; and the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues, clothed in pure white linen, and girded around the b.r.e.a.s.t.s with golden girdles. And one of the four living beings gave to the seven angels, seven golden bowls filled with the wrath of G.o.d, who liveth for ever and ever. And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of G.o.d, and from his power, and no one was able to enter the temple till the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed." Rev. 15:5-8.
"And I heard a loud voice out of the temple saying, to the seven angels, Depart, and pour out the bowls of the wrath of G.o.d on the earth." Rev. 16:1.
"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 G.o.d's purposes.
The "seven angels," are the ministers of the divine vengeance,-the rect.i.tude of their character and the dignity of their office, being symbolized by their "white robes" and "golden girdles."
The period of time symbolized by the pouring out of the vials, must be anterior to the second advent; for in the a.n.a.logous instances of G.o.d's judgments, he visits his enemies with plagues previous to the deliverance of his children. Thus were the ancient Egyptians visited, before the Israelites escaped from their power, Ex. 5-11.
The deliverance of the vials to the angels by one of the four "living creatures," indicates that the intelligences in the divine presence, which are thus symbolized, are cognizant of G.o.d's design, and acquiesce in his purpose to visit the subjects of his wrath with these plagues.
By these being called "the vials of G.o.d's wrath," we learn that their infliction is not corrective, but judicial;-that they are not agents of mercy, but of vengeance.
The filling of the temple with the smoke of G.o.d's glory, to the exclusion of all persons during the pouring out of the vials, shows that during that period, there will be no intercession with G.o.d for him to refrain from the execution of the purposes thus symbolized. They are inevitable; and there will be no supplication for their suspension. When Moses had finished the type of the "Holiest of all," a "cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle," Ex.
40:34, 35. It was only when Moses could enter the tabernacle, that he could there commune with G.o.d face to face, Ex. 33:9, 11.
The voice from the temple to the seven angels, shows that the acts commanded are the subjects of divine appointment,-the angels simply designating the commencement of the several judgments.
The First Vial.
"And the first went away, and poured out his bowl on the earth; and there came an evil and sore ulcer on the men who had the mark of the beast, and on those worshipping his image." Rev. 16:2.
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 things a.n.a.logous, are mental maladies. Therefore the results symbolized must be noxious principles and opinions, which fill the mind with rancor and hate,-producing strife, alienation and contention.
The _epoch_ here symbolized, in the very unanimous opinion of most judicious writers, corresponds with the commencement of the agitations which preceded the outbreak of the first French revolution, about A. D.
1785. Commencing in France, and extending with more or less virulence throughout the ten kingdoms, there was excited an intense uneasiness of the people respecting their relation to their rulers. They regarded themselves as insupportably oppressed and degraded, and were exasperated to madness against their respective governments. This, under the next vial, resulted in the overthrow of the French monarchy, and in attempted revolutions in other kingdoms.
The Second Vial.
"And the second angel poured out his bowl on the sea; and it became like the blood of a dead person; and every living creature in the sea died." Rev. 16:8.
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, by them, of their rulers and superiors.
The epoch symbolized, would therefore correspond with the actual outbreak of the French revolution, to which the agitations produced by the previous vial had goaded on the excited people. In their riots and insurrections, history records the destruction of large numbers of the populace; and these exterminated the members of the royal family, and all persons of rank and influence. A million of people, according to Alison, perished in the civil war of La Vendee alone; and thousands of the n.o.bility and persons of distinction were ruthlessly slaughtered throughout France, whose rivers were discolored with the blood of the slain.
The Third Vial.
"And the third poured out his bowl on the rivers and on the fountains of waters; and they became blood. And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Thou, who art, and wast holy, because thou hast inflicted these judgments; for they have poured out the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink: they are worthy! And I heard one from the altar, saying, Even so, Lord G.o.d Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments!" Rev. 16:4-7.