If the calamities of the last Vial appear somewhat equivocal as to the objects on whom they fell, its victims being rather such as had been, than such as continued to be supporters of Antichrist; there can be no question as to the objects of the present Vial, its judgments falling directly on the throne of the beast. And such judgments they certainly have been as are wholly unparalleled in history, whether they be viewed morally or politically. For the event here alluded to can be no other than that terrible explosion the French revolution. Whatever room there may have been for reprehension in the conduct of this fearful struggle against superstition and tyranny, it cannot be viewed by the liberal and enlightened otherwise than as a natural consequence of the long reign of darkness and delusion which had preceded it, and as a gigantic effort of the human mind to burst its fetters and obtain its emancipation. The evils of this great convulsion, moral, political, and religious, have strikingly fulfilled the prophecy, and fallen upon the throne of the beast; for they have been almost exclusively visited upon those countries where the Romish faith predominated, as Italy, Austria, Spain, Portugal, and France. It is however in a spiritual sense alone, that the true Christian can be said to have enjoyed complete exemption from the moral evils visited upon the Romish church during this momentous crisis. THE SIXTH VIAL. CHAPTER XVI. Verse 12 And the sixth poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the East might be prepared. 13 And I saw from the mouth of the dragon, and from the mouth of the beast, and from the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits, as it were frogs. 14 For they are spirits of demons, working wonders, which go forth upon the kings of the whole region, to gather them together for the battle of that great day of the Almighty God. 15 Behold, I come as a thief, blessed is he who watcheth, and preserveth his garments, that he may not walk naked, and they see his shame. 16 And they gathered them together unto the place which is called in Hebrew Armageddon. 1800 1850. The history extending to the East as well as the West, now intimates the downfal of the Ottoman Empire; the great barrier that prevents the dissemination of Christianity among the Eastern nations. The nature of these three spirits may be inferred from their origin. From the dragon proceeds irreligion; from the beast, worldly ambition; from the false prophet, false religion, (Mahommedism). These will be leagued together for the support of their worldly interests, and in opposition to those of true religion; but will receive a signal overthrow. And this defeat, though foretold and looked for, will yet be more sudden than is expected. Whether the final conflict be spiritual or political, or both, the event alone can determine. The drying up of the Euphrates, (in evident allusion to the dominion established by the Euphratean horsemen under the Sixth Trumpet), is a metaphor that appears singularly appropriate to the gradual manner in which the Ottoman Empire is now dwindling away. And as the Eastern and Western Apostacy arose at the same time, so it here appears that they are destined to fall together. There can scarcely be a doubt, that the third party to the league announced in verse 13, applies to the imposture of Mahomet, and to the Turks. THE SEVENTH VIAL. CHAPTER XVI. Verse 17 And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the uir; and there came a loud voice from the temple in heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done. 18 And there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as never was from the time that men were upon the earth, such an earthquake, so great. 19 And the great city became divided into three parts; and the cities of the nations fell, and the great Babylon was remembered before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his anger. 20 And every island fled away, and the mountains were not to be found. 21 And a great hail, weighty as a talent, falleth from heaven upon the men. And the men blasphemed God from the plague of the hail, for exceedingly great is the plague thereof. The fulfilment of this Vial being future, forbids a more particular interpretation than the one offered above. To attempt this would be needless, if not presumptuous. The subject is continued and enlarged upon in the succeeding chapters, according to the plan before repeatedly pursued; and the events which appear not far distant will probably soon render the fulfilment clear and satisfactory. THE ANGEL'S INTERPRETATION. CHAPTER XVII. Verse 1 And there came one of the seven angels who had the seven vials, and spake with me, saying, Come hither. I will show thee the judgment of the great harlot, who sitteth upon the many waters. 2 With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunken with the wine of her fornication. 3 And he carried me away in the spirit into a wilderness. And I saw a woman seated on a scarlet coloured wild beast, which was full of names of blasphemy; having seven heads and ten horns. 4 And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and richly adorned with gold, and precious stones, and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand, full of abominations and the impurities of her fornication. 5 And upon her forehead a name written, A mystery, the Great Babylon, the Mother of Harlots, and of the abominations of the earth. 6 And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus. 7 And I wondered, beholding her, with great astonishment. And the angel said unto me, Wherefore dost thou wonder? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of him that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and the ten horns. 8 The wild beast which thou beholdest, was, and is not, and is The gaudy attire and meretricious ornaments of this woman, form a striking contrast to those of the other woman, who was adorned with the heavenly luminaries, emblems of light and truth. Instead of the crown of stars on her head, this woman has a mysterious name on her forehead, to blind and mislead the world. Not literal but spiritual drunkenness and bloodshed (slaying the life in Christ), are to be understood. The angel's interpretation forms the basis of that which is generally given; and is the authority for applying the contents of the Little Book to the Latin Empire and the Romish church. The Latin kingdom, founded by Latinus, had existed, and had tion. about to ascend from the bottomless deep, and to go into destrucAnd the inhabitants of the earth shall wonder, (they whose names are not written in the book of life, from the foundation of the world), beholding the beast, that he was, and is not, although he is. 9 Herein is the mind that hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, where the woman is seated upon them; and are seven kings. 10 Five of them have fallen, (and) one of them is; the other is not yet come: and when he is come, he must remain a little. 11 And the wild beast which was and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into destruction. 12 And the ten horns which thou didst see are ten kings, who have not yet received dominion; but receive power as kings, one hour with the beast. 13 These have one counsel, and give their power and their authority to the beast. 14 These shall war with the Lamb; and the Lamb shall overcome them, for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings), and they who are with him, called and chosen, and faithful. 15 And he saith unto mer The waters which thou didst see, where the harlot is seated, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and languages: 16 And the ten horns which thou didst see, and the wild beast, these shall hate the harlot, and shall make her desolate and naked; ceased to exist independently, when blended with the Roman; and was destined to rise again, and revive with the spirit of idolatry, under the Romish or Latin church; and be admired by all who do not recognise in her the features of Antichrist. The seven heads of the beast are here declared to have a twofold signification, being seven mountains, and seven kings, or forms of government. Five of these had fallen, one was in existence, and the last yet to come at the time the prophecy was delivered. The last, or seventh head, was really the eighth, being a short time patriciate, before it became imperial. The ten horns of the beast are also declared to be ten kingdoms, which were not yet in existence at the time of the prophecy. These kingdoms, which are independent states, form by their union the Latin empire. They are hostile to the true church of Christ, but in this spiritual warfare they will be finally vanquished and overthrown, by the Lamb and his followers, or the true Christians. The waters are declared to signify the nations over which the dominion of the idolatrous church was foretold to extend, And these same kingdoms are destined to become hostile to this church, and eventually to overthrow and abolish it. F |