THE APOCALYPSE, &c. PART VI. SECTION I. The Vision preparatory to the seven Vials. 1 ΚΑΙ εἶδον ἄλλο μετ σημεῖον ἐν τῷ ἐρανῷ, μέγα καὶ θαυμαςὶν, ałyinus inlà, ixorτας πληγὰς ἑπτὰ τὰς ἐσχάτας, ὅτι ἐν αὐταῖς ἐτελέσθη ὁ θυμὸς τῇ Θεῖ. 2 Καὶ εἶδον ὡς θά λασσαν θαλίνην μεμένην πυρί καὶ τὰς νικῶνίας ἐκ τῇ θηρία, καὶ ἐκ τῆς εἰκόνος απ τῶ, καὶ ἐκ τῇ ἀριθμό τῇ ὀνόματος αὐτῷ, ἐδῶτας ἐπὶ τὴν θά λασσαν τὴν ὑαλίνην, ἔχονίας κιθάρας το 3 Θεό. Καὶ ᾄδεσι τὴν αθήν Μωσέως δέλε τῇ Θεῶ, καὶ τὴν ᾠδὴν τῇ ἀρνίω, λέγονίες Μεγάλα καὶ θαυ CHAPTER XV. & CHAP. XVI. VER. 1. 1 And I saw another sign in Heaven, great and wonderful: seven angels having the seven last plagues: for in them was completed the wrath of God. 2 And I saw, as it were, a sea, glassy, mingled with fire, and those who had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over the number of his name, standing upon the glassy sea, having harps of God. 3 And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the of the Lamb; song saying, "Great and "wonderful are thy "works, O Lord, the 1 And I saw another sign in heaven great and marvellous, seven angels having the seven last plagues, for in them is filled up the 2 wrath of God. And I saw as it were a sea of glass, mingled with fire; and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sca of glass, having the 3 harps of God. And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints. 4 Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy for μόνος όσιος, ὅτι πάλα τὰ ἔθνη ἠξησι xxxvńsseniiπιόν σε' ὅτι τὰ δια καιώματα σε ένα 5 νερώθησαν. Kai μὰ ταῦτα εἶδον, xvoignovads The σκηνής το μαξιξία 6 ἐν τῷ ἐρανώ. Καὶ ἐξῆλθον οἱ ἐπισ αγγελοι οἱ ἔχονίες τὰς ἑπτὰ πληγὰς [ἐκ τῶ ναῦ, ἐνδε δεμένοι λίνον καθαςόν λαμπρόν, καὶ περιε ζωσμένοι περὶ τὰ σήθη ζώνας χρυσάς. 7 Καὶ ἐν ἐκ τῶν τεσσάτων ζώων ἔδωκε τοῖς ἐπία ἀγέλοις ἐπισ φιάλας χευσᾶς, γεμίσας το θυμά To Die To Carlos εἰς τὰς αἰῶνας τῶν 8 αἰώνων. Καὶ ἐγε μίσθη ὁ ναὸς καπνό in ThS COSAS TO Θεῦ, καὶ ἐκ τῆς δυνάMews abrô x duels ηδύνατο εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὸν ναὸν, ἄχει τε λεσθῶσιν αἱ ἑπια πληαὶ τῶν ἑπτὰ 1 dihar. Kai eσα φωνής μεγάλης ἐκ τε ναῦ, λεγέσης τοῖς ἁπλὰ ἀγέλοις Υπάγετε, καὶ ἐκχέαλε τὰς ἑπτὰ φιάλας TË Jus TË O2 is "For, all the nations "shall come and wor 66 "ship thee; for thy righteous judgments "have been made ma 5 "nifest." And after this, I looked, and there was opened the temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony 6 in Heaven. And the seven angels, who had the seven plagues, came out [of the temple] clothed in pure, resplendent linen, and girt about their breasts with golden girdles. 7 And one of the four living-creatures gave unto the seven angels seven golden Vials, full of the wrath of God, who liveth for S ever and ever. And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no one was able to enter into the temple, until the seven plagues of the seven angels should be 1 completed. And I heard a loud voice out all nations shall come and worship bec thee; for thy judg ments are made mari 5 fest. And after that I looked, and Lebold the temple of the ta bernacle of the testmony in heaven was 6 opened: And the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues, cloathed in pure and white linen, and having their breasts girded with gol 7 den girdles. And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels, seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for everand 8 ever. And the temple was filled with smoak from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the tem- plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled. 1 And I heard a great voice out of the tem ple, saying to the se of God upon the Ver. 1. Another sign in heaven-seven angels; &c.] The scene of the vision continues the same, heaven and earth in view, and the angels, who are the actors, passing between both. The present exhibition is preparatory. Such a general representation had preceded the seven Seals, and the seven Trumpets; this precedes the seven Vials. We are now in the midst of the warfare carried on by the Church of Christ, under his auspices, to resist the formidable efforts of the combined enemies. It is a silent warfare, operating chiefly in the human heart. But heaven is now seen interposing visibly to repress the pride and arrogance of the antichristian usurpers. And as seven angels, by sounding the alarm, had foreshewn the several shocks of battle, which the Church should sustain from her enemies: so seven angels, by pouring forth seven Vials, express the vengeance of the Almighty, poured out on the triumphant worldly powers, checking their career, imbittering their success, and finally overwhelming them in destruction. They are to be accounted, as the word wann expresses, so many blows or strokes; visitations of Divine Providence on unrepentant sinners. Such fell on Pharaoh and the hardened Ægyptians, who, persisting in their obstinate opposition, were overwhelmed in the Red Sea. The number seven implies a complete visitation*. "When I begin, I will also make an end, saith "the Lord t." So, with the last of these Vials, "the "wrath of God will be completed." And it is in allusion to this completion, that they are called "the "last plagues;" for they do not seem to extend to the very last times of final judgment, but to end with the beast and false prophet finally and completely subdued; with whose action therefore they seem cotemporary. Note, ch. i. 4. + 1 Sam. iii. 12. Ver. Ver. 2. A sea, glassy, mingled with fire; &c.] This glassy sea has been already displayed as standing before the throne of God, where it was seen to represent the purifying blood of the Redeemer; the price of human redemptiou, in which alone the vestments can be washed white; by which alone the Christian can be presented pure before God. But the Redeemer has two characters, conformably to the offices assigned him on earth; the one of meekness, in which he came to suffer; the other of exaltation, in which he returns to rign, and to pour out vengeance on his enemies. We are now arrived at that point of the prophetic history, in which this vengeance begins to be poured out. We therefore see the glassy sea mingled with fire; its waves flashing flame; symbolically expressive of anger and vengeance t. Here we see collected, as in an appropriate situation, those who, during the usurpation of Antichrist, had contended for the faith; and suffering, had gained that victory, which is only to be acquired "by the blood of the Lamb." The purification of the priests for the service of the earthly temple was in the brazen sea; these, who are to minister before the God of heaven, are purified by the heavenly sea; by the blood of the Redeemer. And many of them, having poured out their own blood in his cause, and after his example, now begin to enjoy the triumph which was promised them under the fifth Seal §. They are now to be "avenged." Ib. Of the beast.] in 78 dup18, not," says Dr. S. Clarke, over the beast, but from out of the midst of the beast for, by this expression is implied, not only their conquest, but the difficulty of it, by a few persons, ad hering hering stedfastly to the true Religion, in the midst of idolatrous and corrupt nations. Ver. 3. The Song of Moses.] These holy sufferers no longer cry under the altar for the delayed vengeance of their just God. The promised time is comet. They now see, as they express in their song,-their triumphant song, like that of Moses after the destruction of Pharaoh‡, × the great and wonderful works of God, who has led them to victory by sufferings; subduing the proud arm of flesh, and bringing all nations to an acknowledgment of his just and wonderful power §. The nations had been early invited to worship in the name of Christ; they had forsaken their ancient idolatry, and had come to his courts but the Temple was shut; there was none to teach them the truth" as it is in Jesus." A great part of the nations, who have been turned from their idols, through the operation either of the papal or mahometan religions, do not even now worship in truth. But when the final vengeance upon the beast and false prophet, which is here promised, shall be completed, the Temple will be opened, and the nations shall "worship in the beauty of holiness," "with an holy wor"ship." This seems to be the reason, why the nations are introduced in this song, (v. 4); and for this cause I prefer the reading vwv before that of wvwv in this verse. It seems supported also by the best authorities . Ver. 5. The temple of the tabernacle of the testimony.] The holy place, the local habitation of the Almighty, was thus called T. There the cloud and the glory appeared, when the Lord was wroth with the congregation **. Ver. 6. Clothed in pure resplendent linen.] "The "fine linen is the righteousness of the Saintstt. The Exod. xv. See also Jer. x. 7. tt Ch. xix. 8. external |