Part 7 (1/2)

16. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat.

17. For the Lamb, which is in the midst of the throne, shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters; and G.o.d shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.

Vs. 13-17.--”One of the elders” asks John,--not for information, but to engage his attention,--”What are these, ... and whence came they?”

Ministers may often receive instruction from the members of the church.

This elder answers his own questions as the angel did to the prophet, (Zech. iv. 5, 6.) These are the ”great mult.i.tude,”--probably the same whose ”souls” John saw at the opening of the fifth seal, but now appearing in a new aspect: for it is evident that they had been engaged in war. This appears by the ”palms” of victory. They had been in ”great tribulation” prior to the peaceful reign of Constantine, by Satan's temptations, the spoiling of their goods, imprisonment of their persons, and the sacrifice of their lives,--”not loving their lives unto the death.” All these tribulations, however, could not separate them from the love of G.o.d. (Rom. viii. 37-39.) They had ”washed their robes,”--not in penitential tears, their own martyr-blood, their doing or suffering in the cause of Christ; but their robes were ”made white in the blood of the Lamb,” who was ”made of G.o.d unto them ... justification and sanctification.” (1 Cor. i. 30.) Could the human mind conceive the idea of rendering linen garments _white_ by was.h.i.+ng them in _blood_? Never, unless as suggested by the doctrine of Christ crucified, whose ”blood cleanseth from all sin.” (1 John i. 7.) ”Therefore are they before the throne of G.o.d,--without fault before his throne,” (ch. xiv. 5.) Delivered from the tempestuous storms of war, and the scorching heat of persecution; they are safe in the haven of eternal rest.

Not only are they for ever freed from the sensation of ”hunger or thirst;” but they shall drink of the ”living fountains of waters, proceeding from the throne of G.o.d and of the Lamb,” (ch. xxii. 1). ”In thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.” (Ps. xvi. 11.) While this company, brought out of great tribulation, to which they had been subjected in the centuries before the time of Constantine, are represented as in possession of eternal blessedness, the other company of the ”sealed” ones, are by this mark furnished with the gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit, to enter the lists with the Dragon in a much more trying and prolonged contest. The latter company, although _preceding_ the other, in the order of symbolic revelation; do really in the order of time, succeed them in continuation of the struggle with the powers of darkness. And here we make the general remark, That nearly throughout the Apocalypse the two parties whom we may call the powers of darkness and the children of light, often change their relative positions, and a.s.sume different aspects. And in this, there is nothing new, as appears, 2 Cor. xi. 14, 15; vi. 8, 9.

CHAPTER VIII.

Hitherto our observations have been brief, because interpreters are very generally agreed in their views of the first series, the seals, in this interesting book of prophecy. The first six seals, covering the time of heathen Rome's opposition to Christianity, and before the Devil succeeded in enlisting the nominal church of Christ in his interest, do not therefore furnish occasion for much controversy among expositors.

Besides, the seventh seal covers much more time than all the others. The first six refer to pagan Rome, and const.i.tute the first period, properly styled the PERIOD OF THE SEALS. The seventh seal, introducing the trumpets, is the second period, called the PERIOD OF THE TRUMPETS. In attempting to unfold their mystical import, greater amplification will be indispensable.

1. And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the s.p.a.ce of half an hour.

V. 1.--”Heaven” is the ordinary symbol of organized society, whether civil or ecclesiastical or both. ”Silence in heaven for half an hour,”

indicates public tranquillity, together with anxious and mute expectation of coming and alarming events. ”Half an hour,” a definite for an indefinite duration, as usual, imports that the repose hitherto enjoyed, shall shortly terminate. The respite which the saints enjoyed during the period succeeding the revolution indicated by the opening of the sixth seal, soon came to an end.

2. And I saw the seven angels which stood before G.o.d; and to them were given seven trumpets.

3. And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.

4. And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before G.o.d out of the angel's hand.

Vs. 2-4.--”Seven angels” appear to John as ministers ”standing before G.o.d,” ready to execute his commands. To them were given ”seven trumpets.” Here, as all along hitherto, there is allusion to the former dispensation. Under the Old Testament, trumpets were constructed by divine direction and to be used for diverse purposes. Of the manifold uses of this instrument, that which is here chiefly intended is, to ”sound an alarm.” (Joel ii. 1; 1 Cor. xiv. 8). Whilst all is suspense, and before the silence is broken by the sounding of the first trumpet, the wors.h.i.+p of G.o.d is exemplified after the usual manner. An angel, by his official place and work easily distinguished from those having the trumpets, holds in his hand a ”golden censer” that with ”much incense”

he might render acceptable ”the prayers of all saints.” As the angel who had the ”seal of the living G.o.d,” is distinguished from those that ”held the winds,” (ch. vii. 1;) so is he here, from those that had the trumpets. Here he appears as the Great High Priest over the house of G.o.d; and as ”the whole mult.i.tude of the people were praying without, at the time of incense;” (Luke i. 10;) so the service of G.o.d is thus emblematically represented as conducted according to divine appointment.

This Angel therefore is Christ himself. ”No man cometh unto the Father but by him.” He is the only Advocate with the Father; and through him ”we have access by one Spirit unto the Father.” (Eph. ii. 18.)

May we not inquire, without presumption, a little into the nature or purport of the ”prayers of all saints” at this time of ominous silence?

And what could so likely be the burden of their pet.i.tions as that of the cry of the souls under the altar, namely, the destruction of the Roman empire? Surely this has been the prayer of G.o.d's persecuted servants in all ages:--”Pour out thy fury upon the heathen,” etc. (Jer. x. 25; Ps.

lxxix. 6). However inconsistent with Christian charity superficial Christians may deem the law of retaliation; we shall find it often urged on our attention as exemplified in this book. It is absolutely essential to the divine government.

5. And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings and lightnings and an earthquake.

V. 5--The Lord Jesus, in carrying out the designs of the divine mind, and executing the commission which he received from the Father as Mediator, appears in various characters. Whilst as a priest he intercedes for his people, and by the incense from the golden censer renders their prayers acceptable before G.o.d; as a king he answers their prayers by terrible things in righteousness. (Ps. lxv. 5). This work of vengeance is vividly signified by scattering coals of fire on the earth.

From the very same altar, whence the glorious Angel of the Covenant had received fire to consume the incense, he next takes coals, the symbol of his wrath, and scatters them into the earth. These ”burning coals of juniper” produce ”voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake.” ”O G.o.d, thou art terrible out of thy holy places.” (Ps.

lxviii. 35; lxxvi. 12). ”The Lord our G.o.d is a jealous G.o.d.” Our merciful Saviour once put a strange and startling question to his disciples:--”Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay.”--For ends worthy of himself, the only wise G.o.d has unchangeably decreed that ”offences must needs come,” (Matt, xviii. 7;) and ”there must be also heresies” among professing Christians. (1 Cor.

xi. 19.). However, in the administration of providence, judgment without mercy awaits every nation to which the gospel is sent in vain. The voices, thunderings, etc., consequent upon the scattering of the coals, portended the calamities which would be inflicted upon men for their opposition to the gospel and cruel treatment of the saints, in answer to their prayers through the intercession of Christ.

6. And the seven angels, which had the seven trumpets, prepared themselves to sound.

V. 6.--The ”seven angels now prepare themselves to sound.” The first alarm, of course, will put an end to the ”silence.” It should be noted that while each seal, when broken, disclosed so much of the roll of the book as was concealed by it; the seventh leaves no part unrevealed. The whole contents are laid open. It is otherwise with the trumpets. The reverberations of one may not have ceased when the next begins to sound.