book v., § xii., referring to the landing of the Spaniards in Mexico,

will illustrate this:――“During this interview [an interview between Cortes and the ambassadors of Montezuma], some painters in the train of the Mexican chiefs had been diligently employed in delineating, upon white cotton cloths, figures of the ships, the horses, the artillery, the soldiers, and whatever else attracted their eyes as singular. When Cortes observed this, and was informed that these _pictures_ were to be sent to Montezuma, in order to convey to him a more lively idea of the strange and wonderful objects now presented to their view _than any words could communicate_, he resolved to render the representation still more animated and interesting, by exhibiting such a spectacle as might give both them and their monarch an awful impression of the extraordinary prowess of his followers, and the irresistible force of their arms.”

2. A symbol may be as definite in its signification as the arbitrary character which constitutes a letter with us, or the arbitrary character which denotes a syllable or a word with the Chinese. There is some reason to believe that the letters in most languages were at first pictures or symbols; but whether this is true or not, it is easy to conceive that such _might_ have been the case, and that as definite ideas might have been attached to the symbols employed as to the arbitrary marks or signs. Thus, it is easy to suppose that a circle, a lion, an eagle, a horse, a banner, an axe, a lamb, might have been so employed {liv} as always to denote the same thing, in the same way as the letters of the alphabet do, and thus, consequently, the number of symbols employed might have been very numerous, though still retaining their definite character.

3. The truth of these remarks has been illustrated by the recent investigations of the symbolical language or hieroglyphical signs in Egypt. On the celebrated Rosetta stone, an inscription was found in three compartments of the stone, in three different languages――the first in hieroglyphical or symbolical language, the language used by the priests; the second in _enchorical_ or _demotic_ language――the language in common use among the Egyptian people; and the third in Greek. It was conjectured that the inscription in each language was the same, and that consequently there might be a key for explaining the symbols or the hieroglyphics so common in Egypt. Acting on this suggestion, Champollion was enabled to read the inscription in the Egyptian language, and to determine the meaning of the symbols in so common use in the ancient inscriptions, and the symbolical language of Egypt became as intelligible as other ancient forms of record――as it was undoubtedly when it was at first employed. Each of the symbols had a well-known signification, and was adapted to convey a definite idea. An account of this stone, and of the symbols of Egypt generally, may be seen in Gliddon’s _Ancient Egypt_, chap. i. The symbols employed by the Hebrew prophets may have had, as used by them, as definite a meaning, and may be as susceptible of as clear an interpretation now, as the symbols employed in Egypt, or as any other language. The only real difficulty in interpreting them may have arisen from the fact that they referred to future events (see Notes on Rev. xvi. 12); the employment of such methods of writing was in accordance with the genius of the Orientals, and gave great poetic beauty to their compositions.

4. It should be added, however, that peculiar care is necessary in the interpretation of writings of this character. There is much room for the indulgence of the imagination, and facts have shown that in almost nothing has so much indulgence been given to the fancy as in the interpretation of such books as Daniel and the Apocalypse. Indeed, the explanations of these books have been so loose and wild, as, with many, to bring the whole science of interpretation of the prophecies into contempt, and to produce the very common impression that a rational and consistent exposition of such books as Daniel and the Apocalypse is impossible. A better mode of interpretation, it is hoped, however, is to prevail――a mode in which there will be more careful attention to the true meaning of symbols and to the proper laws of symbolic language. The true method may not have been reached, and many errors may occur before it shall be reached. For many ages the meaning of the Egyptian hieroglyphics was entirely unknown. Thousands of conjectures had been made as to the method of reading those symbols; vast ingenuity had been exhausted; the hope was sometimes entertained that the clue had been discovered, but it was at last felt that all those proposed methods were fanciful, and the world had settled down in despair as to the possibility of deciphering their meaning. The accidental discovery of the Rosetta stone, and the patient labours of De Sacy, Akerblad, Tychsen, and especially of Champollion, have changed the views of the world on that subject, and the hieroglyphics of Egypt have become as intelligible as any other language. It is possible that the same may be true in regard to the meaning of the symbols of the sacred prophets; and that although those of Daniel and John may {lv} have seemed to be as obscure as those of Egypt, and although the most wild and extravagant opinions may have been entertained in regard to their meaning, yet the time may come when those books shall take their place among the well-understood portions of the Bible, and when the correspondence of the predictions couched under these symbols with the events shall be so clear, that there shall be no lingering doubt on any mind that they are a part of the divine communications to mankind. Whether this attempt to explain one of those books will contribute anything to a better understanding of the true meaning of the symbolical language employed by the prophets, must be submitted to the judgment of the reader.

§ V.――_The Plan of the Apocalypse._

The book of Revelation may be regarded as divided into seven portions, embracing the following general points:――The introduction, chap. i.; the epistles to the seven churches, chap. ii., iii.; the preparatory vision, chap. iv.; the relation of the church to the external world, embracing the outward or secular aspect of things as bearing on the church, chap. v.‒xi. 1‒18; the internal state of the church, embracing the rise and destiny of Antichrist――or, the internal history of the church until the overthrow of that formidable power and the permanent and triumphant establishment of the kingdom of Christ, the last temporary apostasy, and the general judgment, chap. xi. 19; xii.‒xx.; the final condition of the righteous in their state of triumph and glory, chap. xxi., xxii. 1‒5; and the epilogue or conclusion, chap. xxii. 6‒21. This plan, as pursued in this attempt to explain the book, may be seen more in detail in the ANALYSIS on the following pages.

{lvi} ANALYSIS OF THE BOOK OF REVELATION OF ST. JOHN. SHOWING THE DESIGN AND ARGUMENT OF THE BOOK

SHOWING THE DESIGN AND ARGUMENT OF THE BOOK

┌ I. GENERAL │ I. The title and design of the book, chap. i. 1‒3. INTRODUCTION, │ CHAP. I. │ II. Dedication to the seven churches of Asia, │ chap. i. 4‒8. │ │ III. Vision of the Redeemer, chap. i. 9‒18. │ │ IV. Commission to write to the seven churches, │ chap. i. 19, 20. └ ┌ II. EPISTLES TO │ I. Epistle to the church at Ephesus, chap. THE SEVEN │ ii. 1‒7. CHURCHES OF │ ASIA, CHAP. │ II. Epistle to the church at Smyrna, chap. ASIA, CHAP. │ ii. 8‒11. II. III. │ │ III. Epistle to the church at Pergamos, chap. │ ii. 12‒17. │ │ IV. Epistle to the church at Thyatira, chap. │ ii. 18‒29. │ │ V. Epistle to the church at Sardis, chap. │ iii. 1‒6. │ │ VI. Epistle to the church at Philadelphia, │ chap. iii. 7‒13. │ │ VII. Epistle to the church at Laodicea, chap. │ iii. 14‒22. └ ┌ III. PREPARATORY│ I. The scene laid in heaven, chap. iv. 1, 2. VISION, │ CHAP. IV. │ II. The vision of God, of the elders, and of the │ living creatures, ch. iv. 3‒8. │ │ III. The worship rendered to God, chap. iv. 9‒11. └ ┌ IV. THE EXTERNAL│ I. The Sealed book, containing the record of RELATIONS OF │ these events, in the hand of him that sat on THE CHURCH―― │ the throne. The Lamb of God only could open THE RELATION │ it. The joy in heaven that one was found who TO SECULAR │ could open the seals, chap. v. AFFAIRS―― │ ┌ POLITICAL │ II. The opening │ 1. The opening of the first seal, CHANGES AND │ of the seals │ chap. vi. 1, 2. REVOLUTIONS, │ │ _The white horse._――Peace, AS BEARING │ │ prosperity, and triumph, ON THE │ │ fulfilled in the state of CHURCH, CHAP. │ │ the Roman empire from the V.‒XI. 1‒18. │ │ death of Domitian, A.D. 96, │ │ to the accession of Commodus, │ │ A.D. 180. │ │ │ │ 2. The opening of the second seal, │ │ chap. vi. 3, 4. │ │ _The red horse._――Bloodshed, │ │ discord, civil strife; │ │ fulfilled in the state of the │ │ Roman empire from the death │ │ of Commodus, A.D. 193, and │ │ onward. │ │ │ │ 3. The opening of the third seal, │ │ chap. vi. 5, 6. │ │ _The black horse._――Calamity, │ │ distress, want, trouble; │ │ fulfilled in the Roman empire, │ │ in the scarcity of food that │ │ prevailed; the excessive │ │ taxation; the special order │ │ not to destroy the olive-yards │ │ and vineyards; the sources │ │ of revenue, in the time of │ │ Caracalla, A.D. 211, and │ │ onward. │ │ │ │ 4. The opening of the fourth seal, │ │ chap. vi. 7, 8. │ │ _The pale horse._――The reign │ │ of death, in the form of │ │ famine, pestilence, disease; │ │ fulfilled in the Roman empire │ │ in the bloodshed, famine, and │ │ pestilence that prevailed in │ │ the time of Decius, Gallus, │ │ Æmilianus, Valerian, and │ │ Gallianus, A.D. 243‒268. │ │ │ │ 5. The opening of the fifth seal, │ │ chap. vi. 9‒11. │ │ _The martyrs._――Fulfilled in │ │ the Roman empire in the │ │ persecutions, particularly │ │ in the time of Diocletian, │ │ A.D. 284‒304; the last of the │ │ efforts in the Pagan world to │ │ extinguish the Christian name. │ │ │ │ 6. The opening of the sixth seal, │ │ chap. vi. 12‒17. │ │ _Consternation and alarm as if │ │ the world was coming to an │ │ end_; fulfilled in the Roman │ │ empire in the threatening │ │ invasions of the Goths in the │ │ neighbourhood of the Danube, │ │ pressed on by the Huns, and │ │ producing universal alarm and │ │ consternation, A.D. 365, and │ │ onwards. │ │ {lvii} │ │ Intermediate vision between │ │ the opening of the sixth and │ │ seventh seals. A view of the │ │ persecution of the church, │ │ and the glory of the saints │ │ in heaven, designed to sustain │ │ the mind in the midst of so │ │ much gloom, and to furnish │ │ the assurance that innumerable │ │ multitudes of men would be │ │ brought to glory, chap. vii. │ │ │ │ (a) The impending storm of │ │ wrath that seemed to threaten │ │ universal destruction is │ │ suspended in order that the │ │ servants of God might be │ │ sealed, chap. vii. 1‒3. │ │ │ │ (b) The sealing process, │ │ indicating the preservation │ │ of the church in these times │ │ of danger, and the influences │ │ that would designate and save │ │ the true people of God in all │ │ time to come, chap. vii. 4‒8. │ │ │ │ (c) A vision of an immense │ │ host before the throne, │ │ gathered out of all people and │ │ all lands, chap. vii. 9‒12. │ │ │ │ (d) A view of the martyrs who │ │ would be saved; a view │ │ designed to give comfort in │ │ the trials that would come │ │ upon the people of God in this │ │ world, chap. vii. 13, 14. │ │ │ │ (e) A view of the happiness of │ │ heaven, where all suffering │ │ will cease, and all tears be │ │ wiped away, chap. vii. 15‒17. │ │ │ │ 7. The opening of the seventh │ │ seal, chap, viii.‒xi. 1‒18. │ │ Seven trumpets given to seven │ │ angels to sound, and the │ │ preparatory arrangements for │ │ sounding, chap. viii. 1‒6. │ │ Two series of events │ │ referring to the West and │ │ the East in the downfall of │ │ the Roman empire:―― │ │ │ │ A. THE WEST――to the fall of the │ │ Western empire――four trumpets. │ │ │ │ (1) The first trumpet sounded, │ │ chap. viii. 7. │ │ The invasion of the Roman │ │ empire by Alaric, king of │ │ the Goths, A.D. 395‒410. │ │ │ │ (2) The second trumpet sounded, │ │ chap. viii. 8, 9. │ │ The invasion of the Roman │ │ empire by Genseric, king of │ │ the Vandals, A.D. 428‒468. │ │ │ │ (3) The third trumpet sounded, │ │ chap. viii. 10, 11. │ │ The invasion of the Roman │ │ empire by Attila, king of │ │ the Huns, the “Scourge of │ │ God,” A.D. 433‒453. │ │ │ │ (4) The fourth trumpet sounded, │ │ chap. viii. 12, 13. │ │ The final conquest of Rome │ │ and the Western empire by │ │ Odoacer, king of the Heruli, │ │ A.D. 476‒490. │ │ │ │ B. THE EAST――to the fall of the │ │ Eastern empire――two trumpets, │ │ chap. ix. │ │ │ │ (5) The fifth trumpet sounded, │ │ chap. ix. 1‒12. │ │ The Mahometans, or Saracens. │ │ │ │ (6) The sixth trumpet sounded, │ │ chap. ix. 13‒19. │ │ The Turkish power. │ │ The interval between the │ │ fall of the Eastern empire │ │ and the sounding of the │ │ seventh trumpet, chap. │ │ ix. 20; xi. 13:―― │ │ │ │ (a) The result of these │ │ judgments, chap. ix. 20, 21. │ │ They produce no change in │ │ the moral condition of the │ │ world; fulfilled in the │ │ state of the Papal world │ │ after the conquest of │ │ Constantinople, and before │ │ the Reformation. │ │ │ │ (b) An angel is seen descending │ │ from heaven with emblems │ │ of majesty, joy, and peace, │ │ chap. x.; fulfilled in the │ │ Reformation:―― │ │ │ │ (α) The angel with the rainbow │ │ on his head, and his face │ │ like the sun, a proper │ │ symbol of the Reformation │ │ as a work of peace, and │ │ accompanied with light and │ │ knowledge, chap. x. 1. │ │ {lviii} │ │ (β) The little book in his │ │ hand, a symbol of the │ │ principal agent in the │ │ Reformation――_a book_――the │ │ Bible, chap. x. 2. │ │ │ │ (γ) His crying with a loud │ │ voice, symbolical of the │ │ Reformation as arresting │ │ the attention of the │ │ nations, chap. x. 3. │ │ │ │ (δ) The seven thunders――the │ │ anathemas of Papal Rome――the │ │ thunder of the seven-hilled │ │ city, chap. x. 3. │ │ │ │ (ε) The purpose of John │ │ to record what the seven │ │ thunders had uttered, and │ │ the command not to write; │ │ the mistake which the │ │ Reformers were in danger │ │ of making, by regarding │ │ the doctrine of the Papacy │ │ as the truth of God, chap. │ │ x. 4. │ │ │ │ (ζ) The solemn oath of the │ │ angel that the time │ │ predicted would not then │ │ occur, but would occur in │ │ the time when the seventh │ │ angel should sound, chap. │ │ x. 5‒7; fulfilled in the │ │ anticipations of the │ │ Reformers that the world │ │ was about to come to an │ │ end, and the reign of Christ │ │ about to commence, and │ │ the assurance of the angel │ │ that this would not _then_ │ │ occur, but that a long and │ │ important interval must take │ │ place. │ │ │ │ (η) The command given to John │ │ to go and take the little │ │ book from the hand of the │ │ angel, chap. x. 8; fulfilled │ │ in the delivery of the Bible │ │ again to the church. │ │ │ │ (θ) The command to eat it, and │ │ the consequences――sweet in │ │ the mouth, and bitter to the │ │ belly, chap. x. 9, 10; the │ │ effect of the pure word of │ │ God on the soul indicated │ │ by the one; the bitter │ │ consequences, in persecution │ │ and opposition, that would │ │ result from the attempt │ │ to make the truth known to │ │ the world, indicated by the │ │ other. │ │ │ │ (ι) The assurance that he │ │ would yet prophesy before │ │ many people, and nations, │ │ and tongues, and kings, │ │ chap. x. 10; fulfilled │ │ in the restoration of │ │ _preaching_ in the church, │ │ founded on the Bible, and in │ │ the immediate and ultimate │ │ influence of the Bible in │ │ making the gospel known to │ │ the world. │ │ │ │ (c) The measuring of the holy │ │ city, chap. xi. 1, 2; │ │ the determining of what │ │ constituted the true │ │ church at the time of the │ │ Reformation. │ │ │ │ (d) The two witnesses, chap. │ │ xi. 3‒13. Those who bore │ │ faithful testimony to the │ │ truth in all the corruptions │ │ of the church; their trials │ │ and their triumph; fulfilled │ │ in the succession of true │ │ and sincere Christians │ │ whom God raised up from │ │ time to time to testify to │ │ the truth. They would be │ │ persecuted, and many of │ │ them would be put to death; │ │ they would seem to be │ │ finally silenced, and │ │ would be treated with great │ │ indignity, as if their │ │ dead bodies should remain │ │ unburied; they would, │ │ however, come to life again, │ │ that is, at the time of the │ │ Reformation they would rise │ │ and testify against the │ │ corruptions of the Papacy, │ │ and would triumph _as if_ │ │ they ascended visibly and │ │ gloriously to heaven. │ │ │ │ (7) The sounding of the seventh │ │ trumpet. The final triumph │ │ of the church, and the │ │ establishment of the kingdom │ │ of God in the overthrow │ │ of all its enemies, chap. │ │ xi. 14‒18. This ends the │ │ first series of visions; and │ │ this expresses in general │ │ terms what is drawn out │ │ more in detail in the next │ │ series of visions, Part V., │ │ embracing more particularly │ │ the rise and progress of │ │ Antichrist. │ └ └ {lix} ┌ V. THE CHURCH │ ┌ INTERNALLY―― │ I. General │ 1. A new vision of the temple THE RISE OF │ Introduction │ of God opened in heaven, chap. ANTICHRIST, │ to this │ xi. 19. AND THE │ series of │ EFFECT │ visions, │ 2. A representation of the church, OF THAT │ Chap. │ under the image of a beautiful FORMIDABLE │ xi. 19; │ woman, chap. xii. 1. POWER ON │ xii. │ THE INTERNAL │ │ 3. The particular thing designed HISTORY OF │ │ to be represented――the church THE CHURCH, │ │ about to increase and to fill TO THE │ │ the world, chap. xii. 2. TIME OF THE │ │ OVERTHROW │ │ 4. The deadly hostility of Satan OF THAT │ │ to the church, and his purpose GREAT POWER, │ │ to destroy it, represented by AND THE │ │ a great red dragon waiting to TRIUMPHANT │ │ destroy the man-child, chap. ESTABLISHMENT │ │ xii. 3, 4. OF THE │ │ KINGDOM OF │ │ 5. The ultimate safety of the GOD, CHAP. │ │ church, represented by the XI. 19; │ │ child caught up to heaven, XII.‒XX. │ │ chap. xii. 5. │ │ │ │ 6. The fact that the church would │ │ be a long time obscure and │ │ hidden――represented by the woman │ │ fleeing into the wilderness, │ │ chap. xii. 6. │ │ │ │ 7. A scenic representation of │ │ the great contest going on │ │ in the universe about the │ │ church――represented by a │ │ conflict in heaven between │ │ Michael, the protector of the │ │ church, with his angels, and │ │ Satan, the great enemy of the │ │ church, with his angels, chap. │ │ xii. 7. │ │ │ │ 8. The ultimate discomfiture of │ │ Satan, represented by his being │ │ overcome and cast out of heaven, │ │ chap. xii. 8, 9. │ │ │ │ 9. A song of victory in view of │ │ this triumph, chap. xii. 10, 11. │ │ │ │ 10. The fact that Satan would be │ │ allowed, for a limited time, │ │ to persecute the church, chap. │ │ xii. 12, 13. │ │ │ │ 11. The church in the wilderness, │ │ chap. xii. 14‒17. │ │ (a) The church would be │ │ driven into obscurity, │ │ like a woman fleeing into │ │ a desert――representing the │ │ condition of the church while │ │ the Papacy should have the │ │ ascendency, ver. 14. │ │ │ │ (b) The church would still │ │ be preserved, though in │ │ obscurity――represented by the │ │ woman nourished by some unseen │ │ power, ver. 14. │ │ │ │ (c) Satan would still rage │ │ against the church――represented │ │ by the dragon pouring forth a │ │ flood of waters to overwhelm │ │ the woman, ver. 15. │ │ │ │ (d) The church would be │ │ protected, as if the │ │ earth should open its │ │ mouth to swallow up the │ │ water――representing the │ │ interpositions from an │ │ unexpected quarter in │ │ delivering the church from │ │ its perils, ver. 16. │ │ │ │ (e) The wrath of Satan against │ │ the remnant――representing │ │ the attempts of the Papacy │ │ to cut off individuals when │ │ open and general persecution │ │ no longer raged, ver. 17. │ └ │ ┌ │ II. The two │ 1. The first beast, representing │ beasts, │ the Roman _civil_ or _secular_ │ representing │ power that sustained the Papacy │ the great │ in its career of persecution, │ persecuting │ chap. xiii. 1‒10. │ power in │ │ the church, │ 2. The second beast, representing │ Chap. xiii. │ the Papal _ecclesiastical_ │ │ power, giving life to the │ │ former, and perpetuating its │ │ influence on the earth, chap. │ │ xiii. 11‒18. │ └ │ ┌ │ III. A │ 1. A vision of the redeemed in │ representation│ heaven, triumphant and │ designed, │ rejoicing, ver. 1‒5. │ under a │ │ gospel │ 2. The ultimate spread of │ succession │ the through all the world, │ of symbols, │ ver. 6, 7. │ to cheer │ │ and sustain │ 3. The fall of Babylon, the great │ the church │ Antichristian power, ver. 8. │ in its │ │ present and │ 4. The final overthrow of │ prospective │ all the _upholders_ of │ trials, with │ that Antichristian power, │ the assurance │ ver. 9‒12. │ of its final │ │ triumph, and │ 5. The blessed state of those who │ the ultimate │ should die in the Lord in any │ destruction │ time, whether of persecution │ of all its │ or peace, ver. 13. │ foes, Chap. │ │ xiv. │ 6. The consummation of all {lx} │ │ things――the final triumph of │ │ the church, and the overthrow │ │ of the wicked, ver. 14‒20:―― │ │ │ │ (a) The great harvest of the │ │ world by the Son of God――the │ │ gathering in of the righteous, │ │ ver. 14‒16. │ │ │ │ (b) The final overthrow and │ │ destruction of the wicked, │ │ ver. 17‒20. │ └ │ ┌ │ IV. Preparation │ 1. A new wonder is seen in heaven; │ for the final │ seven angels appear, having the │ judgment on │ seven last plagues, to fill up │ the beast and │ or complete the wrath of God, │ his image, │ ver. 1. │ Chap. xv. │ │ │ 2. Those who in former times had │ │ suffered from persecution by the │ │ power represented by the beast, │ │ but who, in the midst of trial │ │ and temptation, had maintained │ │ their faith steadfast, now │ │ appear to celebrate with a │ │ song of victory the prospective │ │ downfall of the great foe, │ │ ver. 2‒4. │ │ │ │ 3. Arrangements made for executing │ │ the wrath of God. The temple │ │ is open in heaven; seven angels │ │ come out having the seven last │ │ plagues; one of the four living │ │ creatures gives command to them │ │ to go and execute the divine │ │ purpose, presenting seven golden │ │ bowls full of the wrath of God; │ │ the temple is forthwith filled │ │ with smoke, preventing all │ │ access to the mercy-seat, and │ │ indicating that the divine │ │ purpose was inexorable, │ │ ver. 5‒8. │ └ │ ┌ │ V. The │ 1. The first vial, ver. 1, 2. The │ execution of │ first blow struck on the Papacy │ the purpose, │ in the French Revolution. │ Chap. xvi. │ │ │ 2. The second vial, ver. 3. The │ │ scenes of blood and carnage in │ │ that Revolution. │ │ │ │ 3. The third vial, ver. 4‒7. │ │ The calamities brought by │ │ the French invasions upon the │ │ countries where the most bloody │ │ persecutions had been waged――the │ │ north of Italy. │ │ │ │ 4. The fourth vial, ver. 8, 9. The │ │ overturning of the governments │ │ that sustained the Papal power, │ │ in the wars consequent on the │ │ French Revolution. │ │ │ │ 5. The fifth vial, ver. 10, 11. │ │ The direct assault on the Papal │ │ power; the capture of the pope │ │ himself, and the temporary │ │ entire subjugation of Rome by │ │ the French arms. │ │ │ │ 6. The sixth vial, ver. 12‒16. │ │ The decline of the Turkish │ │ power; the rapid extension of │ │ the gospel in the East; the │ │ rallying of the strength of │ │ Paganism, Mahometanism, and │ │ Romanism――represented by the │ │ three frogs that came out of the │ │ mouth of the dragon, the beast, │ │ and the false prophet: the │ │ preparation of those powers as │ │ if for some great conflict, and │ │ the decisive struggle between │ │ the church and its foes, _as │ │ if_ the issue were staked on a │ │ single battle――in Armageddon. │ │ │ │ 7. The seventh vial, ver. 17‒21. │ │ The complete and final overthrow │ │ of the Papal power, _as if_ in │ │ a tremendous storm of hail, │ │ lightning, and thunder, │ │ accompanied with an earthquake. │ └ │ ┌ │ VI. A │ 1. Introduction to the Episode; │ particular │ the vision of the woman sitting │ description │ on many waters, ver. 1‒3. │ of the │ │ judgment │ 2. A particular description of the │ on this │ Antichristian power referred to, │ formidable │ under the image of an abandoned │ Antichristian │ and gaily-attired woman, │ power, under │ ver. 3‒6. │ a new image │ │ of a harlot │ 3. A particular explanation │ (Chap. xvii.) │ of what is designed to be │ in the form │ represented by the image of │ of an │ the scarlet-coloured woman, │ _explanatory │ ver. 7‒18:―― │ Episode_. │ │ │ (a) The angel promises to │ │ explain it, ver. 7. │ │ │ │ (b) A symbolical representation │ │ of the design of the vision, │ │ ver. 8‒14. │ │ │ │ (c) A more literal statement of │ │ what is meant, ver. 15‒18. The │ │ whole designed to characterize │ │ Papal Rome, and to describe │ │ the manner of its rise and │ │ the means of its ultimate │ │ destruction. │ └ │ ┌ {lxi} │ VII. A │ 1. A vision of an angel coming │ description │ from heaven, ver. 1‒3. │ of the │ │ _effect_ of │ 2. A warning voice calling on │ that judgment │ the people of God to come out │ in pouring │ of the mystical Babylon, and │ out the │ not to partake of her sin and │ seventh vial │ her doom, ver. 4‒8. │ on that │ │ formidable │ 3. Lamentation over her fate:―― │ Antichristian │ │ power, under │ (a) By kings, that had │ the image of │ lived delicately with her, │ a rich and │ ver. 9, 10. │ luxurious │ │ city; a │ (b) By merchants that had been │ further │ enriched by her, ver. 11‒17. │ _explanatory │ │ Episode_, │ (c) By mariners that had │ Ch. xviii. │ trafficked with her, │ │ ver. 17‒19. │ │ │ │ 4. Rejoicing over her fate, │ │ ver. 20. │ │ │ │ 5. The final destruction of │ │ the mystical Babylon――the │ │ Papal power――represented by a │ │ millstone cast by an angel into │ │ the sea, ver. 21‒24. │ └ │ ┌ │ VIII. A further │ 1. A hymn of the heavenly hosts │ _episodical │ in view of the destruction of │representatation_│ the mystical Babylon, │ of the │ ver. 1‒7:―― │ effects that │ │ would result │ (a) A voice of many people in │ from the fall │ heaven, shouting Hallelujah, │ of the powers │ ver. 1, 2. │ that opposed │ │ the reign of │ (b) The sound echoed and │ the Son of │ repeated as the smoke of her │ God and the │ torment ascends, ver. 3. │ introduction │ │ of the │ (c) The four and twenty elders, │ Millennium, │ and the four living creatures │ with an │ unite in the song, ver. 4. │ account of │ │ the final │ (d) A voice heard commanding │ destruction │ them to praise God, ver. 5. │ of these │ │ powers, │ (e) The mighty shout of │ Chap. xix. │ Hallelujah echoed and │ │ repeated from unnumbered │ │ hosts, ver. 6, 7. │ │ │ │ 2. The marriage of the Lamb as │ │ the reason of this increased │ │ joy, ver. 8, 9. │ │ │ │ 3. John, overcome with this scene, │ │ and filled with rapturous joy │ │ in view of the final triumphs of │ │ the church, prostrates himself │ │ before the angel to worship him, │ │ ver. 10. │ │ │ │ 4. The final conquest over the │ │ beast and the false prophet, │ │ ver. 11‒21:―― │ │ │ │ (a) A description of the │ │ conqueror――the Son of God――as │ │ he goes forth to victory, │ │ attended by the armies of │ │ heaven, ver. 11‒16. │ │ │ │ (b) An angel is seen standing │ │ in the sun, calling on all the │ │ fowls of heaven to come to the │ │ great feast prepared for them │ │ in the destruction of the │ │ enemies of God, ver. 17, 18. │ │ │ │ (c) The final war, ver. 19‒21. │ │ The beast and the kings of the │ │ earth and their armies gather │ │ together for the battle; the │ │ beast and the false prophet │ │ taken, and cast into the │ │ lake that burns with fire │ │ and brimstone; the remainder │ │ of the enemies of the church │ │ slain. The last enemy of the │ │ church on earth is destroyed, │ │ and the way is prepared for │ │ its universal triumph. │ └ │ ┌ │ IX. The │ 1. The binding of Satan, ver. 1‒3. │ Millennial │ │ period and │ 2. The Millennium, ver. 4‒6. │ the final │ Thrones are placed _as if_ │ judgment, │ there were to be a judgment; │ Ch. xx. │ the spirit of the martyrs and │ │ saints is revived again _as if_ │ │ they were raised from the dead, │ │ and _lived_ again on the earth; │ │ Satan is confined, and the │ │ church enjoys a state of repose │ │ and prosperity, for the period │ │ of a thousand years. │ │ │ │ 3. The release of Satan for a │ │ little time. ver. 7, 8. After │ │ the thousand years are expired, │ │ he is permitted to go forth │ │ again among the nations, and to │ │ awaken a new form of hostility │ │ to Christ and the church. │ │ │ │ 4. The final overthrow, │ │ subjugation, and punishment │ │ of Satan and those opposing │ │ hosts, and the final triumph, │ │ therefore, of the church, │ │ ver. 9, 10. │ │ │ │ 5. The final judgment on all │ │ mankind, ver. 11‒15. All the │ │ dead are raised; the sea gives │ │ up its dead; Death and Hades │ │ give up their dead, and a solemn │ │ and just judgment is pronounced │ │ on all mankind, and the wicked │ │ are consigned to the lake of │ │ fire. │ └ └ {lxii} ┌ VI. THE FINAL │ I. A vision of the new heavens and new earth, as the CONDITION │ final abode of the righteous, chap. xxi. 1. OF THE │ RIGHTEOUS――THE │ II. That blessed future abode represented under the STATE OF │ image of a beautiful city descending from heaven, FUTURE │ chap. xxi. 2‒4. BLESSEDNESS, │ CHAP. XXI.; │ III. A particular description of the city, as XXII. 1‒5. │ the final abode of the righteous; its general │ appearance, its walls, its gates, its foundations, │ its size, its light, its inmates, &c., chap. │ xxi. 9‒27; xxii. 1‒5 └ ┌ VII. THE │ I. A solemn declaration that the things revealed in EPILOGUE, OR │ this book are true, ver. 6, 7. CONCLUSION, │ CHAP. │ II. The effect of those revelations on John, XXII. 6‒20. │ ver. 8, 9. │ │ III. A command not to seal up what had been │ revealed, ver. 10. │ │ IV. The unchangeable condition of the righteous and │ the wicked in the future state, ver. 14, 15. │ │ V. The blessedness of those who have a right to │ enter into the Holy City, ver. 15. │ │ VI. Jesus declares himself to be the author of all │ these revelations, ver. 16. │ │ VII. The free invitations of the gospel to all men, │ ver. 17. │ │ VIII. A solemn injunction not to change anything │ that had been written in this book, ver. 18, 19. │ │ IX. The assurance of the Saviour that he would come │ quickly, and the joyous assent of John to this, │ and prayer that it might occur, ver. 20. │ │ X. The benediction, ver. 21. └

{31} THE REVELATION OF ST. JOHN THE DIVINE.