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4 And they worshipped the the beast, saying, Who is like

dragon which gave power unto the beast and they worshipped when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is;" Rev. xvii. 8. Whether the wonder was excited at the greatness of the empire, its marvellous progress, or whether it arose from the condition of the beast that was, and is not, and yet is, is somewhat doubtful. The empire itself was doubtless the wonder of all the world.

unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?

The

which was famous for letters and the arts; and may, therefore, be said to have swayed the world. She was preeminent in the art of war. ablest generals were in her service; and if she had not the largest armies at her command, she had those that were sufficiently numerous, and that for a long time contended successfully with the armies of all other 4. Worshipped the dragon.. The parts of the world. Can we be surdragon was worshipped; that is to prised, then, that "all the world wonsay, the people reverenced the power dered after the beast"? and said, represented by him. ¶ Worshipped" Who is like unto the beast? Who is able to make war with him"? A clear distinction, it seems to us, is observable between the beast and the dragon, although they are alike in certain very essential particulars. The world does not say, Who is like unto the dragon? who is able to make war with the dragon? The dragon represented the spiritual, not the sword-bearing, power. The dragon did not make war as the beast did. The contest which the dragon and his angels carried on was not on earth, but was seen in the air, among the stars. It was metaphorical, or spiritual. It was with Michael and his angels, the imaginary_guardians of the faithful Christians. The dragon was worsted, and was thrown down from the height of his power. Christianity gained the ascendency in the empire. We see, then, a plain distinction between the dragon and the beast; the former, it would seem, referred to the spiritual power, or heathenism; the latter represented the secular power of the state.

the beast. They reverenced also the power represented by the beast. Both powers were the objects of adoration; but the beast was the warlike power; not like the dragon, in a spiritual contest; but Rome secular had immense armies at her command. ¶ Who is like unto the beast? — Well might the wondering multitude say, "Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?" But after all, the confidence in the power of the empire was too great, for great as the empire was, it did finally fall. And we read in the chapter we are considering, that one of the heads of the beast was "wounded to death," ver. 3, "by a sword," ver. 14; and we are told (ver. 10) that "he that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword." Rome, with its terrible arm, was not unconquerable. There was a time, however, when she appeared to be so. Within the space of a little more than a hundred years, she made herself the mistress of the world. Her dominion extended from the islands of the Atlantic on the west, to the river Euphrates on the east, and from the Mediterranean on the south, almost indefinitely towards the north pole; at least, so as to include all civilized countries. She embraced all that part of Europe and Asia

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5. A mouth speaking great things and blasphemies. - The phraseology of Daniel is preserved all along in this chapter. This "mouth speaking great things and blasphemies" is a method of speech borrowed from that prophet. See Dan. vii. 8: "I considered the horns, and behold, there came up among them another little horn, before

5 And there was given unto | power was given unto him to him a mouth speaking great continue forty and two months. things and blasphemies; and

6 And he opened his mouth

whom there were three of the first power of their enemies, whether it horns plucked up by the roots: and may have been longer or shorter. behold, in this horn were eyes like The revelator, who will be found a the eyes of a man, and a mouth speak- most obsequious imitator of Daniel ing great things." - Also verse 11, "I in his metaphors, quotes the method beheld then because of the voice of of speech from him. But the revelathe great words which the horn spake: tor, preserving the general idea, still I beheld even till the beast was slain, varies his phraseology, and uses "forand his body destroyed, and given ty and two months" and "twelve hunto the burning flame." And again, dred and sixty days," which evidently verse 25: "And he shall speak great enough are of similar force and interwords against the Most High, and pretation with the time, times, and shall wear out the saints of the Most half a time, or year, years, and half a High, and think to change times and year. One year, two years, and a laws." Daniel, like the revelator, was half of a year, are exactly forty-two speaking of the Roman empire un-months, and forty-two months of thirty der the figure of a beast; and the rev-days each, (as the Jews reckoned,) are elator evidently quotes the prophet's just twelve hundred and sixty days. language. Did not the Roman rulers And when Daniel says, at the close of utter great things against the Most his prophecy, "Blessed is he that waitHigh? Did not the beast have upon eth and cometh to the thousand, three his heads the name of blasphemy? hundred and five and thirty days," Forty and two months. This beast the meaning is, Blessed is he that was to continue forty and two months.liveth to the days beyond the season Many speculations, very wise, we of the prostration of the saints. In have no doubt, in the opinions of their respect to the destruction of the Jews, authors, have been offered in regard the Christians were assured "the day to the time intended by this phrase. of the Lord should come as a thief in We have already stated, that, in our the night;" 1 Thess. v. 1, 2. The earjudgment, it was a mere metaphor of ly Christians were prohibited from time, to signify the season of the inquiring too particularly into those church's depression, and of the exulta- matters. "It is not for you to know tion of her enemies. It is far from the times or the seasons which the being certain that the various phrases, Father hath put in his own power;" "a time, and times, and dividing of Acts i. 7. The precise day and hour time," Dan. vii. 25; "a time, times, of Christ's coming they were not to and a half," xii. 7; Rev. xii. 14; know, but they were to keep always "forty and two months," Rev. xi. 2; ready for it, for it should surely come xiii. 5; and "twelve hundred and in that generation, and to many it sixty days," Rev. xi. 3; xii. 6; all would come unexpectedly, like "a signify the same time, or even the thief in the night." This was all the same length of time. The expression Christians were to know in regard to originated with Daniel, and was used the time. It is manifestly certain, by him (vii. 25) to signify the sea- then, that none of the sacred writers son of the predominance of the oppos- meant to foretell the exact number ing power against the saints of the of days. Most High. Now, let the reader take a hint from this fact. The time, times, and half a time, is the season of the depression of the saints and the

6. Blasphemy against God. - Rome blasphemed God. Hence we read that upon the seven heads of the beast was "the name of blasphemy," verse

in blasphemy against God, to | to make war with the saints, and blaspheme his name, and his to overcome them: and power tabernacle, and them that dwell was given him over all kindreds, in heaven. and tongues, and nations.

7 And it was given unto him

8 And all that dwell upon

1, and that he had "a mouth speak- make war against him that sat on the ing great things and blasphemies," horse, and against his army. And verse 5. Rome blasphemed the name the beast was taken, and with him the of God, and his tabernacle, and those false prophet that wrought miracles that dwelt therein, or in heaven, which before him, with which he deceived means the same thing. The taber- them that had received the mark of nacle of God was with men ; and they the beast, and them that worshipped who were brought to know, and love, his image. These both were cast and serve him, dwelt in his taber-alive into a lake of fire burning with nacle, or in heaven. Hence Paul brimstone. And the remnant were said to the Hebrew Christians, "Ye are come unto Mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels," &c.; xii. 22. By those who dwelt in heaven," is meant those who have entered the spiritual kingdom of Jesus Christ. We have no doubt that the early Christians were obliged to endure all manner of reproaches and blasphemies. Some of the Roman emperors arrogated to themselves honors, and were called by names, which belonged to God alone. In this way they blasphemed God.

slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh;" xix. 19-21. This was the final overthrow of the beast. It was not permitted that he should always make war upon the church.

8. All that dwell upon the earth shall worship him. This is but a reiteration of the fact stated in verses 3 and 4. But during this very general devotion to the power of Rome, both in religion and government, there were some who did not join in it, viz., those whose names are "written in the book of life of the Lamb." have already expressed our opinion of the phrase "book of life," in the notes on Rev. iii. 5, to which we refer. A few additional particulars are here added. It was an ancient custom to speak of the names of the

We

7. Make war with the saints, and overcome them. He was permitted to make war with the saints; he was permitted to overcome them. It was allowed for wise and holy purposes. The language above quoted is the language of Daniel, which he used in regard to the Roman beast. "I be-faithful as being written in a book; held, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them;" vii. 21. But he prevailed against them only for a time; and during that time his power was very wide;

and when one was ejected, or cut off, his name was said to be blotted out. See Exod. xxxii. 31-33: "And Moses returned unto the Lord, and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold. Yet now, if thou wilt, forgive their sin and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast writ

it extended over "all kindreds, and tongues, and nations." See Rev. xi. 7; xii. 17. In the sequel he was to fall. His triumph could not be long. The revelator says, in a sub-ten. sequent passage, "And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to

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And the Lord said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book." Book is used metaphorically for re

the earth shall worship him, the book of life of the Lamb slain whose names are not written in from the foundation of the world.

membrance. See Psa. lvi. 8: "Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book?" or remembrance. See also Mal. iii. 16: "Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another and the Lord hearkened, and heard it and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name." The figure occurs also in Daniel, from which the revelator borrows so frequently: "There shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book;" xii. 1. From Phil. iv. 3, (and this is the only place in which the phrase "book of life" occurs, except in the Apocalypse,) we should conclude it meant the roll of Christian believers. To blot one's name out of the book of life, was to consider him no longer as a faithful disciple, but to set him apart from the true and the good. The names of the faithful are written in the book of life, the roll of those who enjoy eternal life; the names of the unfaithful are not there. If a Christian fall away, bis name having been there, is said to be blotted out. Such is the general tenor of the language used about the book of life; the whole is metaphorical. Lamb, slain from the foundation of the world. By the Lamb is unquestionably meant Jesus, who is so often mentioned in the Apocalypse under that figure; and he is said to have been slain "from the foundation of the world," either because his death took place at the very beginning of the gospel dispensation, or, what is more probable, because that sacrifice was determined in the mind of God from the beginning of the world, (kosmos,) Rev. xiii. 8, or, in the ages of old, (chronois aioniois,) Rom. xvi. 25.

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A comparison of all the passages in which this phrase occurs would seem to show, that it signifies past time indefinitely, as if we should say, "before all time," or, "from all past time," or from the ages of old, as in Rom. xvi. 25, referred to above. The truths of the gospel had remained a mystery, or been kept secret from the foundation of the world, or all past time; Matt. xiii. 35: the kingdom had been prepared for the believers from the foundation of the world, or all past time; Matt. xxv. 34: the blood of all the prophets shed from the foundation of the world was to be required of that generation of the Jews which slew Christ; Luke xi. 50; i. e., the blood of all that had been slain; for Matthew has it, "all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel, unto the blood of Zacharias, son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar;" Matt. xxiii. 35: Jesus was loved of the Father before the foundation of the world; John xvii. 24: and believers were chosen in him before the foundation of the world; Eph. i. 4; that is, before time_begun, in the eternal councils of the Father. In Heb. iv. 3, the works of God, at the creation, are said to have been from the foundation of the world; and if it had been necessary for Christ, like the high priest, to have been sacrificed every year, then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world, Heb. ix. 26, or from the beginning. Christ was a Lamb, without spot or blemish, preördained before the foundation of the world, i. e., before all time, in the eternal councils of the Father; 1 Pet. i. 20; and this is the precise phraseology employed in the Apocalypse, and which Peter seems almost to have quoted from it; Rev. xiii. 8. See, also, xvii. 8. These are all the passages in the New Testament in which the phrase apo or

9 If any man have an ear, | Here is the patience and the let him hear. faith of the saints.

10 He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword, must be killed with the sword.

pro kataboles kosmou occurs. The word katabole (foundation) occurs in one other connection only, Heb. xi. 11. 9. If any man have an ear.- - This denotes the importance of the communication to all. It is of similar import with the words of the poet:

"Let every mortal ear attend."

As the art of printing was not then known, and few persons could obtain the manuscript books in existence, the greater part were obliged to listen to the reading of others. The words will bear the construction, "If any man have an inclination to listen, let him hear." A "heart to perceive" is a heart able and willing to perceive; "eyes to see" are eyes ready and willing to see; and "ears to hear" are ears open and inclined to hear; Deut. xxix. 4. In some the heart is fat and the ears heavy; Isa. vi. 10; and they "turn away their ears from the truth;" 2 Tim. iv. 4; Acts vii. 57. See the notes on Rev. ii. 7, 11. The words in the case before us may refer to what precedes, or what follows, or both.

10. Must be killed with the sword. — Suffering as the Christians did under the cruelty of the Romans, it became necessary to give them the assurance, that however powerful their enemies then were, a change was near. The conquerors of all the world should themselves at last be conquered. The successful warriors should be overcome. Jesus had said, "All they that take the sword shall perish with the sword;" Matt. xxvi. 52; they incur the great risk of perishing in that manner. But some writers think that something more definite than this is intended in the passage before us. Professor Stuart, for instance, says:

11 And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.

"There is, in this whole passage, a most palpable allusion to Nero ;" and it has more life and energy when we suppose him to have been still living. The writer foretells what must inevitably be the doom of such a tyrant. In fact, Nero exiled himself from Rome, and intended to make his escape into distant countries, but he was arrested in his retreat, and fell by his own sword, or by that of his assailants. Here is the patience and faith of the saints—i. e., the ground or cause of their patience and faith. Had it not been for this assurance, they would have sunk under their sufferings perhaps ; but knowing that their tribulations were not always to continue, their patience and their faith were preserved. See Heb. vi. 12.

11. Another beast. This is therion, a spiteful, cruel animal, like the first beast, and not like the zoa, the four beasts, or living creatures, round about the throne. And here follows another distinction. This is not a beast with seven heads and ten horns; but he has "two horns like a lamb." He has a very mild and amiable aspect; but there is murder in his heart. He has some affinity to the firecolored dragon. He spake as a dragon. And he had also some affinity to the beast, and is truly called another beast. But we shall learn more of him as we proceed. It is particularly to be observed, notwithstanding his outward lamb-like appearance, that his communications were manifestly dragon-like. He spoke for the dragon, to aid his cause, as well as that of the seven-headed beast. He came up out of the earth. The dragon was first seen in heaven; xii. 3; i. e., in the firmament; but he was out of his place; he had no business there; and

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