A Brief Commentary on the Apocalypse Part 16

in ? ? ? ? ? ? _Romiith_; so likewise 400 10 10 40 6 200 = 666 ? ? ? ? ? ? _Roma.n.u.s_; and also 300 6 50 70 40 200 = 666 the Greek ? a t e ? ? ? ? _Latinos_, 30 1 300 5 10 50 70 200 = 666.

in each of which the exact mark is contained.

"It therefore evidently appears, that each name is both a mark and a number; a mark, when viewed as made up of so many letters, therefore called the mark of his name; a number, when viewed as made up of so many numerals, then called the number of his name. But when considered merely as a name, derived from _Romiith_, a Roman, or _Romulus_, the founder of Rome, a name common among men, it may then be properly called the _mark, or number of a man_."-_Fleming's Rise and Fall of Papacy._

To receive the mark of the beast, would be an acknowledgment of subjection to it. The connection of the beast and its image was so intimate, that submission to the one, was virtual submission to the other. To submit to the rites of the church modelled after the wild beast, to profess its faith, and to honor its authority, would be a reception of its mark. And all persons were compelled to do this, and give evidence of submission to its authority on the peril of their lives.

7. Those who should refuse the mark of the beast, were to be prohibited from buying and selling. The Lateran Council under Pope Alexander II., pa.s.sed an act forbidding any to harbor heretics in their houses or to trade with them. The Synod of Tours pa.s.sed a law that no one should a.s.sist them, "no, not so much as to exercise commerce with them in _selling_ or _buying_."(5)-_Elliott._ In 1179, the third Lateran Council sentenced certain heretics, "their defenders and harborers, to an anathema, and forbid, under an anathema, that any should presume to keep them in their house, or on their lands, sustain them, or transact any business with them."-_Lord._ "It was just the same fearful penalty of interdict from buying and selling, traffic and intercourse, that had been inculcated long before by the Pagan Dragon's representative Diocletian, against the early Christians."-_Elliott._

So exact a correspondence between the wild beast and the Western kingdoms, the two-horned beast and the Eastern empire, and the image to the wild beast and the Roman Hierarchy, makes the symbolization of this chapter very intelligible. These three agencies will severally continue till the end of the world. The latter will be destroyed by the brightness of Christ's coming (2 Thess. 2:8), and the two former will then be taken and "cast alive into the lake of fire," 19:20.

The vision would have been defective without a representation of the end of those who refuse to wors.h.i.+p the beast, or its image, or to receive their mark, and who, although warred against and overcome by the beast, should maintain their integrity to Christ. Accordingly the revelator has a view of:

The Redeemed on Mount Zion.

"And I looked, and behold a lamb stood on the mount Zion, and with him a hundred and forty-four thousand, having his name and the name of his Father written on their foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven, like the voice of many waters, and like the voice of loud thunder: and the voice which I heard was like that of harpers playing with their harps: and they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four living beings, and the elders: and no one could learn the song except the hundred and forty-four thousand, who were redeemed from the earth. These are they, who were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they who follow the Lamb wherever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, the first fruit to G.o.d and to the Lamb.

And in their mouth no lie was found for they are faultless."-Rev.

14:1-5.

The Lamb is shown by the connection to be Christ,-here called by one of his metaphorical names.

The Mount Zion, doubtless, symbolizes the place where, in the regeneration, the Lord will reign with his saints-_i.e._ in the new earth.

"The Lord shall reign over them in Mount Zion," Micah 4:7.-"And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to G.o.d by thy blood out of every kindred and tongue, and people, and nation, and hast made us kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth," 5:9,10.-"And I saw a new heavens and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were pa.s.sed away.... And I heard a great voice out of heaven, saying, Behold the tabernacle of G.o.d is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall, be his people, and G.o.d himself shall be with them and be their G.o.d," 21:1-3.

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 appear in glory,"

_Ib._ 102:16. "For the Lord hath chosen Zion; he hath desired it for his habitation. This is my rest forever; here will I dwell; for I have desired it," _Ib._ 132:13, 14. "For the Lord shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the Lord; and joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving and the voice of melody.... Therefore the redeemed of the Lord shall return and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and mourning shall flee away." Isa. 51:3-11. "Awake, awake, put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city; for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncirc.u.mcised and the unclean.... How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, 'Thy G.o.d reigneth!' Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing: for they shall see eye to eye when the Lord shall bring again Zion. Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem: for the Lord hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem." _Ib._ 52:1-9. "And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the Lord." _Ib._ 59:20.

The standing of the Lamb on Mount Zion, symbolizes an epoch when Christ shall a.s.sume a corresponding relation to his people. He there appears in person; and "when Christ who is your life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory," Col. 3:4. It will not be till he shall have judged "the quick and the dead at his appearing," (2 Tim. 4:1), that "the redeemed from among men" will "follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth."

The 144,000, who are with Christ, correspond with the number which are sealed, "of all the tribes of the children of Israel," (7:4); and they are doubtless the same persons, who, under the sixth seal, are designated, among all denominations of Christians, by the mark of the living G.o.d. They are there shown to be the G.o.dly, who shall be alive on the earth at Christ's coming and shall then be changed, and, with the risen dead, caught up to meet him in the air.

The sealing process there symbolized, is here shown to be the inscribing of the Father's name on their foreheads. The subjects of the beast and its image, receive its mark; but the children of G.o.d and the Lamb, are designated instead, by the name of the Father.

The voice from heaven as the voice of many waters, with the voice of harpers, is the singing of the new song which none but the 144,000 could learn. Those who are translated at Christ's coming, will be favored above all, save two, who will have lived on the earth, insomuch as they will have been redeemed from the earth without being subjected to death.

These sing in the presence of the four living creatures and the elders, who symbolize those who also are redeemed from among men and will reign on the earth, 5:8-10. Consequently those must symbolize the resurrected dead, with whom the 144,000 will be ushered into the Lord's presence, 1 Thess.

4:16, 17. The two bodies of the redeemed, are therefore both represented with the Lord on Mount Zion.

Their not being defiled with women, probably implies that they were not guilty of idolatry, which is represented by that figure, Ezek. 16:15. They had not submitted to the wiles of the woman seated on the scarlet-colored beast, (17:3); had not wors.h.i.+pped the beast or its image (14:9), and had been true to their Divine Sovereign.

They follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. All the redeemed will doubtless thus follow the Lamb, for of all the "great mult.i.tude which no man could number, of all nations and kindreds, and people, and tongues,"

who stood before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed "with white robes, and palms in their hands," (7:9)-it was said: "The Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of water," 7:17.

Those who are redeemed from among men, are called the "first fruits unto G.o.d and to the Lamb." They are not necessarily first fruits of the redeemed, to distinguish them from others of the redeemed, but are first fruits of the race: "Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of _first fruits_ of his creatures," James 1:18.

By his resurrection from the dead, Christ became "the first fruits of them that slept," 1 Cor. 15:20. And at his coming there is to be a "first resurrection" (20:6), when the bodies of the saints will "be fas.h.i.+oned like unto his glorious body" (Phil. 3:21), and thus become the first fruits with their risen Head. Those who come up at the second resurrection will not attain to that beatific state.

They are faultless, and without guile. They are not perfect by reason of any inherent goodness in themselves; for "all we like sheep have gone astray ... and the Lord laid on him the iniquity of us all," Isa. 53:6.

The redeemed church will be faultless, because its members will be sanctified and cleansed by the blood of Christ. Such will const.i.tute "a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing ... holy and without blemish," Eph. 5:27. While "the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light" of the New Jerusalem, and shall "bring their glory and honor into it," there "shall in no wise enter into it anything that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life," 21:24-27.

"There awaiteth at the end Such a home, and such a Friend, Such a crown, and such a throne, Such a harp of heavenly tone, Such companions, such employ, Such a world of hallowed joy!"-_Bunyan._

The Angel of the Everlasting Gospel.

"And I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting good news to preach to those dwelling on the earth, and to every nation, and tribe, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, Fear G.o.d and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and wors.h.i.+p him who made the heaven, and the earth, and the sea, and fountains of water!"-Rev. 14:6, 7.

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 announcement of the angel.

The message they bear is that of the everlasting gospel e?a??e????, (_evangelion_)-which is, literally, the good news, the glad tidings; that which brings "life and immortality to light," 2 Tim. 1:10. It is a message which foreshadows the resurrection and coming judgment at Christ's appearing; and is therefore called "the gospel of the kingdom," (Matt.

4:23);-the good news of the glorious kingdom of the Son of G.o.d.

It is the preaching of the _everlasting_ gospel which is thus symbolized.

It is no _new_ gospel; for, "the Scripture foreseeing that G.o.d would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham,-saying: In thee shall all nations be blessed," Gal. 3:8. And not Abraham alone, but all the fathers "did eat the same spiritual meat, and did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that rock was Christ," 1 Cor. 10:3, 4. Of this gospel the Jewish nation and a few proselytes, were for ages the sole recipients. "Unto them were committed the oracles of G.o.d." Rom. 3:2. To them pertained "the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of G.o.d, and the promises," Rom. 9:4.

But the time had been foretold when the Gentiles should come to their light, and kings to the brightness of their rising, Isa. 60:3.

With the coming of Christ, and his rejection of that nation, the gospel, was no longer to be confined within its former narrow limits. The Savior said to his disciples: "Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world," Matt. 28:19, 20.

"Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be d.a.m.ned," Mark 16:15, 16. "Then opened he their understanding that they might understand the Scriptures, and he said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, to rise from the dead the third day: and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem," Luke 24:45-47.

The fulfilment of those predictions and commands could not be more beautifully and appropriately symbolized, than by an angel flying "in the midst of heaven having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people." It could be no other gospel: for Paul testified: "Though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed," Gal. 1:8, 9.

In accordance with the divine command, to preach the gospel to all the nations, beginning at Jerusalem, the apostles began their mission; and when the Jews rejected their message, they turned to the Gentiles, and went everywhere preaching the word "according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, but now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting G.o.d, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith," Rom. 16:25, 26.

The first converts to the faith, comprised "Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia, Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes, Cretes and Arabians," Acts 2:9-12. When the Jews contradicted and blasphemed, "Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of G.o.d should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles," Acts 13:46. Afterwards Paul, in writing to the Colossians, refers to the gospel as that "which was preached to every creature which is under heaven," Col. 1:23.

This gospel was to be preached to those who dwell on the earth, and also to all nations. The symbolic earth of the Apocalypse, being generally admitted to be the Roman empire under a quiet government, its fulfilment would require an early introduction of the gospel there. Accordingly we find, within thirty years after the crucifixion of Christ, a flouris.h.i.+ng church existing in the metropolis of the Roman empire, to which Paul addressed one of his most able letters. In it, he thanks G.o.d that their "faith is spoken of throughout all the world," Rom. 1:8. The apostle had then "fully preached the gospel of Christ" from Jerusalem "round about [the coast of the Mediterranean] unto Illyric.u.m," (Rom. 16:19);-a country on the Adriatic, or Gulf of Venice. He afterwards visited Rome, and is supposed to have preached the gospel as far west as Spain. The apostles spread Christianity throughout the Roman empire. Palestine, Syria, Natolia, Greece, the islands of the Mediterranean, Italy, and the northern coast of Africa, contained societies of Christians in the first century.

In the second century societies existed, and Christ was wors.h.i.+pped, among the Germans, Spaniards, French, Celts, and Britons, and many other nations in Europe, and almost throughout the whole east. In the fourth century Christianity had become the prevailing religion of the empire.

In later times the gospel which began to be preached at Jerusalem, has been extended to more distant countries, and is still finding its way to every tribe and people that have not before heard its joyful sound. Thus has the light of the gospel nearly encircled the globe, having been, in one age or another, proclaimed in every known country-fulfilling the words of the Saviour: "And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world, for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come,"

Matt. 24:14. "And the gospel must first be published among all nations,"

Mark 13:10. It would not follow from these predictions that it must be preached at the _same time_ to all nations, any more than the light of day s.h.i.+nes on all parts of the earth at once: but all must have been illumined by it before the end.

In accordance with this view, those who are finally redeemed to G.o.d "out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation" (5:9), are those who will "have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb" (7:14), in consequence of this universal extension of the gospel.

The command to fear and give glory to G.o.d, and to wors.h.i.+p the Creator of all things implies that it was to be proclaimed to wors.h.i.+ppers of false G.o.ds, and was not a mere proclamation addressed to _actual Christians_.

The Gentiles to whom the apostles preached _were_ actual wors.h.i.+ppers of such, and needed to be taught the wors.h.i.+p of the _true_ G.o.d. While Paul was at Athens, his spirit was stirred within him when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry. "Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superst.i.tious. For as I pa.s.sed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription: TO THE UNKNOWN G.o.d. Whom therefore ye ignorantly wors.h.i.+p, him declare I unto you. G.o.d that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is the Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands," Acts 17:22-24. "Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led," 1 Cor. 12:2. "For they themselves show us of what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to G.o.d from idols, to serve the living and true G.o.d: and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come," 1 Thess.

1:9, 10.