Part 17 (1/2)

12. And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.

13. These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.

14. These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them; for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings; and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.

Vs. 12-14.--”The ten horns” signify ”ten kings” or regal or civil sovereignties, into which the empire was to be part.i.tioned after John's time, and which we have seen was effected by the first four trumpets, (ch. viii. 7-12.)--These ”received power _one hour_ with the beast,”--rather, at _one time_, or cotemporaneously with the beast; for they are his horns, and are of ”one mind, giving their power and strength,” all their resources, to him. These shall make war with the Lamb,” the Mediator, headed by the dragon, and instigated by the beast and his image, (ch. xii. 7; xiii. 7.)

15. And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the wh.o.r.e sitteth, are peoples, and mult.i.tudes, and nations, and tongues.

V. 15.--”The waters,” controlled by ”the wh.o.r.e,” are the mult.i.tudes whom the apostate church of Rome commands to volunteer in the wars of the kings against the Lamb.

16. And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the wh.o.r.e, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.

V. 16.--What a surprising change! yet how natural! (2 Sam. xiii. 15.) The punishment is that which was adjudged in the case of a priest's daughter. (Lev. xxi. 9.)--The ”ten horns,” here, are to be understood generally, not universally, (ch. xviii. 9; xix. 19.) Some of those princes that have contributed most to the aggrandizement of the Romish church, and been most devoted to her religion, as the ruler of France, ”the eldest son of the church,” their ”catholic majesties” of Austria, Spain, Portugal,--may be among the first in executing divine judgments on Babylon.--”Make her desolate and naked, eat her flesh;” that is, withdraw the lands, endowments, etc., which enriched her monasteries and fattened her bishops, priests, etc.

17. For G.o.d hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of G.o.d shall be fulfilled.

V. 17.--Here we are led into the secret cause of the wonderful change in the policy of the horns: ”G.o.d hath put into their hearts.” They just do to the ”great wh.o.r.e, whatsoever G.o.d's hand and counsel determined before to be done.” (Acts iv. 28. See also Exod. vii. 3; Gen. xiv. 8; l. 20; Ps. cv. 25.)

18. And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.

V. 18.--This ”woman is the great city;” not literally the city of Rome; but the imperial ecclesiastical jurisdiction, to whose authority intoxicated kings and their subjects bowed in slavish submission; and whose b.l.o.o.d.y decrees they had executed for 1260 years upon many of their best subjects and fellow-creatures.

CHAPTER XVIII.

1. And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened, with his glory.

2. And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.

3. For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.

Vs. 1-3.--After the apostle had described Babylon in the preceding chapter, he ”saw another angel.” This seems to be the Lord Christ, the same as in ch. x. 1. He ”confirmeth the word of his servants,” (ch. xiv.

8;) that ”Babylon the great has fallen,” and is adequately punished for her crimes, which are enumerated, v. 3.

4. And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.

V. 4.--The phrase, ”my people” indicates that the speaker is not a created angel whose warning is here given with a ”voice from heaven.”

This call of the Lord Jesus has been addressed to his elect, ever since the revelation of the ”man of sin.” It has been obeyed but partially hitherto: but upon the sounding of the seventh trumpet, his Holy Spirit will give the call unusual efficacy.

5. For her sins have reached unto heaven, and G.o.d hath remembered her iniquities.

6. Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double, according to her works: in the cup which he hath filled, fill to her double.

7. How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart. I sit a queen; and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.