CHAPTER XII.

THE LAST GREAT PERSECUTION;

ов

A CONTINUATION OF THE CONCLUDING SCENES OF

THE SIXTH TRUMPET.

This event noticed by Daniel-Likewise in Rev. vii., as the great Tribulation-Here it is particularized—In the Time when it will commence; when the 1260 years are finishing-Its Instrumentality, the beast of the bottomless pit, or by infidels—Its actings developed in the French revolution-The reign of terror-Its present existence shown-Its war with the Lord's witnesses, or persecution of His church—Our strength to endure it from God —Its locality, or the place where it will happen-Considered to be England-Why compared to Sodom-to Egypt-to Jerusalem-The time it is to last, three years and a half—What is meant by the death of the witnesses—This time an incomplete period-To what the other half has a reference—The great rejoicing it will occasion, and the reason thereof.

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CHAPTER XII.

THE LAST GREAT PERSECUTION.

I HAVE thought it right, with regard to the great and deeply interesting event of which the particulars are symbolically detailed in the above four verses, to make it the subject of a separate chapter. My chief reason for doing this, is, because it appears capable of the clearest demonstration, that it speaks of a tragedy near at hand; of a tragedy in which the people of the present generation will very shortly be either the dreadful actors or the unhappy victims, and, therefore, because it is to us so indescribably important.

It was hinted at in general terms, in considering the latter part of Daniel's "Great Vision," where it is intimated that at the "time of the end many shall be purified, and made white, and tried ;" and that "the wicked shall do wickedly."+ It has likewise been pointed at in a very striking manner, in considering the seventh chapter of the Revelation

* See Diss. ch. xii. 327; xiv. 378.

+ Dan. xii. 9, 10.

where it is called THE GREAT TRIBULATION, out of which the whole rescued church is said to have come from "all nations, and kindreds, and peoples, and tongues." In both these notices, brief as they are, there is enough to satisfy us that something of a very dreadful nature, regarding the peace and happiness of the church of Christ, will take place. To be purified, made white, and tried, and that through the wicked doings of the wicked; likewise to be rescued from a superlatively great tribulation, in which the servants of God shall have hungered and thirsted, and been grievously tormented-might prepare us to expect the worst that could happen. We have now, in the prophecy before us, very full particulars, even both as to the time when this persecution will commence; by what instrumentality; its duration; what will be its nature; its locality; its consequences; and its issue: in the study of which particulars we shall find that the worst will happen, and very soon happen; but that the best, the very best, will immediately follow.

FIRST. The time it will commence is thus expressed: "And when they shall be finishing their testimony," that is, at the time when the 1260 years of the Lord's witnesses are concluding. In our translation the words are "And when they shall have finished their testimony;" but the most eminent commentators, including the names of Mede, Whiston, Cressneer, Newton, Halifax, Woodhouse, Cuninghame, Bicheno, Gauntlett, Dr. Moore, and

others, all agree to render it according to the first translation, when they shall be about to finish their testimony, or when they shall be finishing their testimony. Even Mr. Faber, in the first edition of his valuable work on prophecy-which I consider, on many disputed points, far more correct, and less warped by system than the subsequent one, gives it, "And when they shall draw near the close of their testimony."* And it cannot be otherwise; because the whole tribulation is described to be over, and the Lord's witnesses finally and triumphantly rescued, before it is said, "the second woe is past ;" and consequently before it can be said the 1260 years are past. Therefore it must happen according to the original Greek text, when they shall be finishing their testimony, and not after they have finished it ; for that is impossible. For before the seventh seal is opened, consequently before the mighty angel appears with the little opened book, it is said their sufferings are at an end," they shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more, neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat, because the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters; and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes."+ In fact, if this were not the case, they would be in sackcloth, or in a state of mourning, depression, and sorrow, after the 1260 years were past; but it is to be for this length of time, and no longer; therefore this

*Faber's Dis. Vol. II. p. 91. Ed. 1808. + Rev. vii. 16, 17.

event must form the concluding scene, while the witnesses are finishing their testimony; that is, it will be the last act of the drama.

SECOND. The instrumentality by which this persecution will be effected.

"The Beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit, shall make war against them." (ver. 7.)

This is the first mention of a beast in the book of Revelation. It is a symbol taken from Daniel, signifying a cruel and tyrannical power, ruling by the impulse of natural brutish passions, and persecuting the church of God.* By its first appearance here, we are to understand that some such new power or domination will at this time appear to perform the assigned work, rising, not like the four beasts of Daniel, from the strivings of the great sea, or a troublesome state of affairs, or from great commotions, but from the "bottomless pit;" from Satanic depths, from HELL, as this expression has elsewhere been explained to signify.† I wonder not that former commentators have been at a loss what to understand by the beast so described. Natural reason could never have imagined a distinct determinate power arising in the world, the principles of which should be so utterly diabolical, that it should be characterized as being direct from the abode of the devils. The doctrines of Mahomet are indeed † Ch. vi. p. 7.

* See Diss. ch. ix. p. 204.

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