without fault before the throne unto them that dwell on the of God. earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, 6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach 7 Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to therefore, refers back to viii. 13, where we read of an angel flying through the midst of heaven. The angel mentioned in the verse before us, flew in the midst of heaven, and hence is called another, in reference that he may see good? Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile. Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it;" Psa. xxxiv. 12-14. When Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, he was struck with his honesty and sin-to the former. In the midst of cerity, and said: "Behold an Israelite heaven; -i. e., he proceeded in the indeed, in whom is no guile!" John most public manner, having the everi. 47. But the most remarkable pas- fasting gospel. ¶ Everlasting gospel. sage, and the one which it is the most -The gospel is "an everlasting covnecessary we should quote in connec-enant, ordered in all things and sure," tion with this subject, is 1 Pet. ii. 22, 2 Sam. xxiii. 5, and hence is called where, speaking of Jesus, the apostle the "everlasting gospel." "The says: "Who did no sin, neither was grass withereth, the flower fadeth: guile found in his mouth." We have but the word of our God shall stand but little doubt that the Apocalypse forever;" Isa. xl. 8. ¶ Every nation, was written before the epistle of Pe- and kindred, &c.. -The gospel having ter, and that Peter had seen it, and been preached to the Jews, and havlearned this phraseology from it. We ing been rejected by the great body have mentioned other instances of of that nation, the apostles turned to Peter apparently quoting from the the Gentiles with the heavenly mesApocalypse. Without fault. sage; Acts xiii. 46-49; xxviii. 28. Similar language often occurs in the This preaching the gospel to the GenNew Testament. Zacharias and tiles is described by the angel "havElizabeth "were both righteous be- ing the everlasting gospel to preach fore God, walking in all the com- to them that dwell on the earth, and mandments and ordinances of the to every nation, and kindred, and Lord blameless;" Luke i. 6. See, tongue, and people." This must be also, Eph. v. 27; Phil. ii. 15; 2 Pet. intended to describe the preaching of iii. 14; Jude 24. O that Christians Christ to the Gentiles, who were might all live up to these descriptions! called upon to fear God, and give Before the throne of God. To do glory to him, for the hour of his judga thing before God, or before the ment had come. throne of God, is to do it seriously, heartily, solemnly, as if standing in the very presence of God. To be without fault before the throne of God, signified to be faultless in the sight of God, in his estimation, or judgment. "Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father," Jas. i. 27, means a religion that was pure and undefiled in his sight. 6. Another angel. - No angel had been spoken of previously in this connection. The word another here, 7. Fear God. That is, reverence him. Fear does not here signify terror, nor any feeling inconsistent with the purest worship of God, because it is joined with worship, and with giving glory to God. It is not therefore slavish fear; but that true filial fear, or reverence, which is the beginning of wisdom. It is perfectly consistent with love; but the holy passion of love cannot exist towards an object which we dread. "There is no fear in love; but perfect love him for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth, is not made perfect in love;" 1 John iv. 18. The hour of his judgment is come. Mark the fact, that the hour of his judgment came simultaneously with the preaching of the gospel. The same angel that goes out to preach the everlasting gospel to them that dwell on the earth, also proclaims that the hour of God's judgment is come; and at the same time that the judgment is come, he calls on men to worship God that made heaven and earth, &c. What judgment can this be except the judgment of the world by Jesus Christ under the gospel reign? It is referred to in xv. 4: "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." Was there any judgment set up simultaneously with the opening of the gospel, or the setting up of Christ's kingdom in the world? Most certainly there was. Let the reader re-peruse what we have said on this subject, xi. 18, and let him observe carefully what we shall say on xx. 12, 13. Suffice it to say here, that if the sacred writers reveal any fact with distinctness, it is this, viz., that the books were opened and that the judgment of the nations was begun when the kingdom of Christ commenced. The events were simultaneous. So Paul, in his address to the Athenians, (which we quote,) speaks of the two events as simultaneous: "God that made the world, and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed anything, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; and hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; that they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us; for in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device. And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men everywhere to repent: because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness, by that man whom he hath ordained: whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead;" Acts xvii. 24-31. There are striking points of resemblance between the passage now quoted and the passage we are considering, viz., verses 6, 7. First, observe the subject of the preaching of the gospel to the Gentiles. The angel flying through the midst of heaven is commissioned to preach the gospel to "every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people;" ver. 6. Paul says God "commandeth all men everywhere to repent." Second, observe the fact, that God is announced as the Creator of all things. The revelator calls on men to "worship him that made heaven and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters." Paul says: "God made the world, and all things therein." Third, observe the fact, that the judgment and the proclamation of the gospel are joined as it respects time. The revelator says the hour of God's judgment is come, in connection with the proclamation of the gospel. Paul says: "God commanded all men everywhere to repent, [i. e., he said, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven, or the gospel, is at hand,] because he hath appointed a day in the which he will judge the world in righteousness." Fourth, that made heaven, and earth, | of waters. and the sea, and the fountains 8 And there followed another observe this judgment is by the Lord Jesus Christ. The revelator represents it to be under the reign of Christ; for it was at the same time with the proclamation of the everlasting gospel; and Paul says God "will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained, whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead." This is clearly a reference to Jesus Christ; and he said, "For judgment I am come into this world;" John ix. 39. The day God had appointed in the which he would judge the world in righteousness by Jesus Christ, was the gospel day, referred to by Paul in the words, "Now is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation;" 2 Cor. vi. 2. Lastly, observe the motive which is advanced in each case why men should repent of their errors and sins, and worship God. The revelator says: "Fear God, and give glory to him, for the hour of his judgment is come;" and Paul says: "God commandeth all men everywhere to repent, because he hath appointed a day in the which he will judge the world," &c. &c. From all these facts, there can be no dispute, that both the apostle Paul and the revelator were speaking of the call to the Gentiles, to turn from their idols, their errors and their sins, and worship God, the Creator of all things, because the hour, or time, of his judgment had come, - the time in which he would judge men in this world [John ix. 39] by the great principles of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. This judgment is not a personal judgment; Christ is not visibly present; the mediatorial throne is not an outward, tangible throne; it is a judgment by the principles of Christ, which is now going on wherever the gospel is known. "He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him; the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day;" John xii. 48; [or gospel day, for that is called the last day; Isa. ii. 2; Micah iv. 1; 2 Tim. iii. 1; Heb. i. 2; 1 Pet. i. 5, 20; 2 Pet. iii. 3; 1 John ii. 18; Jude 18.] In certain cases, where it is said Christ shall judge men, it means his principles shall judge them, Christ being put metaphorically for the principles of his gospel, as Moses is put for the principles of the law. "There is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust. For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me. But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?" John v. 45—47. Here evidently Moses is put for his principles. He accused the Jews by what he had said in his writings. Again: "They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them;" Luke xvi. 29. "If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead;" 31. Once more: "For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath-day;" Acts xv. 21. It must be evident to all that Moses is here put metaphorically for his principles. 8. Another angel. -Different from the one mentioned ver. 6. Both these are to be ranked among the angels of proclamation. See our classification under Rev. v. 2. ¶ Babylon is fallen, is fallen. — All the power of the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet, was combined to arrest the spread of the gospel. But notwithstanding all they had the power to do, the gospel flourished. The church on mount Zion [viz., the Jewish converts to Christianity] remained firm in their devotion to the Lamb, and the gospel was sent out, and prospered wondrously among the Gentiles. The spread of it could not be arrested. On the other hand, the angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, | she made all nations drink of is fallen, that great city, because the wine of the wrath of her was to happen to the church, both in its Jewish and Gentile branches; and he commences at ver. 8 [now before us] to describe what was about to hap pen to her enemies throughout the empire. This fall of Rome is to be understood in a somewhat different sense from the fall of Jerusalem. There was not such an utter devastation that not one stone was left upon another. It partook more of the powers that opposed it were doomed to fall. The revelator shouts over the fall of Babylon. Babylon was a great city, the capital of Babylonia, or Chaldea. It was to this place that the Jews were carried away captive by Nebuchadnezzar. See the 137th Psalm. In consequence of this event, the name Babylon became symbolical, among the Jews, for a state of suffering and calamity, as Sodom was symbolical of a place of great wicked-character of a moral fall, as we learn ness; and hence Jerusalem was spiritually called Sodom and Egypt; Rev. xi. 8. As in this place where Sodom is named, we know that Jerusalem is intended, so here where Babylon is named, Rome is intended. The Jews believed, from the time of the seventy years' captivity, that Babylon would be destroyed, in consequence of their detention in bondage. When that city fell, therefore, they esteemed it a judgment of God. Isaiah sung: "Babylon is fallen, is fallen; and all the graven images of her gods he hath broken unto the ground;" xxi. 9. And Jeremiah takes up the same strain: "Babylon is suddenly fallen and destroyed: howl for her; take balm for her pain, if so be she may be healed;" li. 8. Thus we see where the revelator found the language he employs, "Babylon is fallen, is fallen." That Babylon is put for Rome in the Apocalypse, is placed beyond all doubt by what we find in the 17th chapter, where we are told that the woman Babylon, who sat upon the Roman beast, with seven heads and ten horns, [evidently the Roman Empire,] was "that great city which reigneth over the kings of the earth;" a description that would apply to no city on the earth at that time except Rome. Rome was "that great city," or empire, which had "made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication." In the first of this chapter, viz., from verses 1-7, the revelator had shown what from chap. xviii. 2: "And he cried fornication. 9 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the not wise;" Prov. xx. 1, and xxiii. 29; but in the other, "wine maketh glad the heart of man;" Psa. civ. 15, and we are told to give it to "him that is ready to perish;" Prov. xxxi. 6. Wine, like other medicines, if used judiciously, will be beneficial; if otherwise, it will be injurious, perhaps fatal. We see now why wine is made a metaphor for the influence of wicked men, as in the passage before us; it is because of its destructive qualities when taken in excess. It is said of the wicked: "For their vine is of the vine of Sodom, and of the fields of Gomorrah: their grapes are grapes of gall, their clusters are bitter their wine is the poison of dragons, and the cruel venom of asps;" Deut. xxxii. 32, 33. May not this description be justly applied to the wine of which Rome made the nations drink? The figure of the revelator in the verse before us seems to have been taken from Jeremiah. "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 the nations are mad;" li. 7. Such, evidently, was the passage which suggested the metaphor to the revelator's mind. He uses it repeatedly; see xvii. 2, 4. ¶ Of the wrath of her fornication. Wrath here is put for the inflammatory nature of the wine, as if the phraseology had been, drink of the inflammatory wine of her fornication. If strong drink is raging, its qualities may well be described by wrath. Fornication, as we have repeatedly shown, is used metaphorically for idolatry. See our remarks on ver. 4 of this chapter. Purity in worship is represented as chastity, virginity; whereas the worship of idols is described by opposite terms. Rome made the nations drink of the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, 10 The same shall drink of inflammatory, raging wine of her wickedness. She infuriated them by her example, and stimulated them by her power. Re 9. Third angel. — This again is one of the angels of proclamation. The first is mentioned ver. 6; the second ver. 8. ¶ Worship the beast and his image. The beast here is the sevenheaded beast, and his image the same as referred to xiii. 15. Worshipping the beast and his image means nothing more than paying allegiance and devotion to the beast himself. ceive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand. - This is a reference to what is said xiii. 16, that the beast, which represented the false prophets, or teachers of the pagan religion, caused all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, i. e., all whom he could terrify into acquiescence, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads. See the notes on that verse. The heathen nations, by whom the Jews were surrounded, were in the habit of receiving incisions, or marks, upon their bodies, to denote the class of idolaters to which they belonged, or the idol whom they adored. The Jews were forbidden to follow their custom. "Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the Lord;" Lev. xix. 28. Horne says, of the heathen: "A more frequent, and, indeed, very general custom, was the carrying of marks on their body in honor of the object of their worship. To this day, all the castes of the Hindoos bear on their foreheads, or elsewhere, what are called the sectarian marks, which not only distinguish them in a civil, but also in a religious point of view, from each other. Most of the barbarous nations lately discovered have their faces, arms, breasts, &c., curi |
