Part 1 (1/2)
The Revelation Explained.
by F. Smith.
PREFACE.
The subject of prophecy should be of interest to every Bible student.
Its importance can not be overestimated. By it we are enabled to ascertain our true position in this time-world. From the early dawn of creation, Inspiration has foretold with certainty the great facts connected with the history of G.o.d's chosen people. By this means alone, the divinity of Jesus Christ and the truth of our holy religion has been established in many minds; for it is not in the power of mortals thus to vaticinate future events. With such surprising accuracy have these predictions been fulfilled that even infidels ofttimes bear witness to their truthfulness. ”Behold the former things are come to pa.s.s, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them.” Isa.
42:9. ”For I am G.o.d, and there is none else; I am G.o.d, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done.” Isa. 46:9, 10.
The Revelation is a rich mine of prophetic truth. The history of the current dispensation is there delineated in advance so perfectly that we can not but attribute its authors.h.i.+p to Him who knoweth the end from the beginning, and worketh all things after the counsel of his own will. It was written for the special benefit of the people of G.o.d, and we should give it prayerful consideration.
In the preparation for this work, I have gleaned historical information from all the general and ecclesiastical histories, encyclopedias, etc., within my reach, and only regret that I had not access to a still greater number. However, knowing that large books are seldom read, I determined in advance not to write an extensive work, but to condense the subject matter as much as possible, and, therefore, I have been obliged to omit much valuable material previously gathered. For this reason many lines of prophetic truth penned by others of the sacred writers have been pa.s.sed over in silence, even though relating to the same events as certain symbolic visions in the Revelation.
I have availed myself of all the helps and the commentaries within my reach in the study of this important subject. However, I have but seldom referred to the opinions of expositors. In most cases their explanations are not based upon any established rule of interpretation, and the definite laws of symbolic language are usually overlooked or disregarded. Ordinary readers of the Revelation have always supposed that the only course for them was to take the opinion of some learned expositor and to believe on _his authority_; and when they have found that equally learned and judicious men sustained the most opposite views, they have been bewildered amid conflicting opinions and have decided that, when such men were at issue, it was useless for them to investigate. While, therefore, I have made every available use of their opinions, it was only for the purpose of forming my own and of enabling myself so to unfold the nature of the symbols that every one might see for himself the propriety of the interpretation given.
The present knowledge that has been attained of this prophetic book is largely the result of the combined efforts of all who have labored to unfold its meaning. No one has had the honor of first understanding all its parts, and very few have failed to contribute something, more or less, to its true interpretation. Therefore I have endeavored as much as possible to gather up the good from the labors of my predecessors and to combine it with the results of my own study and research. The Exposition of Mr. Lord has had an important bearing on this work. For many beautiful thoughts concerning the nature and the use of symbols, in the chapter on the nature of symbolic language, I must acknowledge special indebtedness to the Lectures of Thomas Wickes on the Apocalypse, delivered many years ago, although I have ofttimes arrived at quite different conclusions in their interpretation throughout the Revelation.
Much appreciated a.s.sistance has been derived from the works of other commentators as well.
There is considerable disagreement among historians themselves regarding certain historical points, but their differences are of minor importance so far as the present work is concerned. When such points were involved, I have simply endeavored to follow the best authorities. Lengthy or important quotations from other writers have been duly credited where they appear, hence no special mention is necessary in this place. Minor extracts are merely enclosed within quotation-marks.
The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, 6 Vols., Philadelphia, 1872, is the edition of Gibbon's Rome from which quotations are made.
To a.s.sist in simplifying the subject and in placing it before the reader in a concise, comprehensive manner, a number of useful diagrams have been added; for they serve about the same purpose in the study of a subject so complicated as do maps in the study of geography. I would especially call attention to the large ”Diagram of the Revelation,”
where the various lines of prophetic truth are outlined in parallel series, enabling the reader to comprehend at once where the symbolic narrative returns to take up a new line of thought covering the same period of time. In these diagrams, however, no attempt has been made to set forth every phase of thought connected with the subject; only the main features have been outlined.
Feeling directed by the Lord to undertake this work and realizing the greatness of the task, I have earnestly sought for divine wisdom and guidance, and I humbly acknowledge his gracious a.s.sistance in its prosecution; and while I can not indulge the hope that human fallibility has been overcome, yet I firmly believe that a careful reliance upon the Holy Spirit has been an effectual means of avoiding error and unfolding many of the hitherto mysterious prophecies of this wonderful book. To his worthy name I ascribe all praise and glory. The future, doubtless, will witness a still greater development of this subject; for men of G.o.d more worthy and possessing greater abilities will arise, who, beginning where we have left off, will continue its investigation and throw upon it additional light as yet unrevealed.
That the Lord will bless The Revelation Explained to the good of his church upon earth and grant it a place, however small, in the cause of present truth, is my earnest prayer.
Yours in Christ, F.G. Smith.
_Grand Junction, Mich., June 26, 1906_.
Nature of Symbolic Language.
Before proceeding with the interpretation of this wonderful book, it will be necessary for us to pause and make inquiry concerning the nature of the language employed in its prophecies and concerning the mode of its interpretation. It will be seen at a glance that it is wholly unlike the common language of life; and it will be useless for us to undertake to ascertain its signification unless we understand perfectly the principles upon which it is founded.
The question may be asked, ”Is the language intelligible at all?”
Considering the variety of interpretations placed upon it by expositors and the opinions generally held respecting it, we might conclude that it is not. The majority of the people look upon these prophecies as ”a ma.s.s of unintelligible enigmas,” and are ready to tell the student of Revelation that this book ”either finds or leaves a man mad.” But are we to look upon its language as being applied at a venture, without any definite rule, capable of every variety of meaning, so that we can never be quite _sure_ that we have its correct interpretation?
Commentators generally unite in attaching a definite meaning to certain symbols, and they tell us that these can not be applied otherwise without violating their nature. They may not give us their reasons for thus applying them (in fact, they generally do not), yet it is evidently a.s.sumed that such reasons do exist. Now, if reasons actually exist why a definite signification must be applied to the symbol in the one case, why do they not exist in another case, and in all cases? If any law exists in the case at all, it is a uniform one, for a law that does not possess uniformity is no law; otherwise, it would be an unintelligible revelation, and the only possible thing left for us to do would be to attempt to solve it like a riddle--guess it out. It would be as if the writer were to use words with every variety of meaning peculiarly his own attached, without informing the reader what signification to give them in a given instance. No man has a right thus to abuse written or spoken language; and we may take it for granted that the G.o.d of heaven would not make such an indiscriminate use of symbolical language when making a revelation to men. There is no other book the wide world around in which language is as carefully employed as in the Bible; and we can rest a.s.sured that when G.o.d gave this Revelation to Jesus Christ ”to _show_ unto his servants things which must shortly come to pa.s.s,” he made choice of proper symbols whose meaning can be definitely evolved, provided we can but ascertain the great underlying principles upon which their original selection was based.
In the ordinary communication of our thoughts we employ arbitrary signs and sounds to which we have universally agreed to fix a definite meaning. Thus, our entire spoken language is made up of a great variety of sounds or words with which by long practise we have become familiar.
We call a certain object a horse, not because there is any similarity between the sound and the animal designated, but because we have agreed that that sound shall represent that object. So, also, we have agreed that the characters h-o-r-s-e shall represent the same thing; and by the use of twenty-six characters, called the alphabet, placed together in various combinations, we are able to write our entire spoken language.
The incidents connected with the introduction of written language among a barbarous people are worthy of remark in this connection. That thought can be conveyed to persons at a distance by the use of certain cabalistic characters seems to them incredible, and when compelled to believe it, they look upon the person that can accomplish such wonders as embodying something supernatural. These things I mention merely to call attention to the fact that spoken and written language is a curious and wonderfully complicated affair. This is brought forcibly to our minds when we hear persons conversing in a foreign tongue, or when we pick up a book the characters of which are wholly unlike those of our own language. To us an English book is full of instinctive beauty, every letter or mark possessing a definite meaning that is instantly conveyed to our minds, because we have become familiar with them by diligent study and practise.
There are other ways of transferring thought besides the complicated system just mentioned--ways which are much more natural and simple.
Thus, a simpler way to represent a certain object would be to draw a picture of it; or, better still, to represent a certain character or quality by exhibiting, not the object itself, but an a.n.a.lagous one whose peculiar character that property is; for examples: the quiet, peaceful, gentle disposition of a child, by a lamb; a man of cunning, artful, deceptive disposition, by a fox; or a cruel, bloodthirsty, vindictive tyrant, by a tiger, etc. This is hieroglyphical or symbolic language.