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judgment. This trumpet, through the several stages of its seven vials, conducts us, to the very time of the end when the whole antichristian faction will be overthrown, and to the commencement of that happy period during which Christ will figuratively reign upon earth with his saints. Hence, from the great variety of important matter which it contains, a very considerable portion of the Apoca lypse is exclusively devoted to it.

This portion, according to the vulgar division, includes the fifteenth and the sixteenth and the seventeenth and the eighteenth and the nineteenth chapters; all of which, save the descriptive and retrospective part of the seventeenth, constitute jointly one prophecy of the events comprehended under the seventh trumpet and the third woe. Hence, if I be right in my chronological arrangement, the portion of the Apocalypse thus marked out extends, from the year after Christ 1789 when the seventh trumpet began to sound, down to the year after Christ 1865 or to the expiration of a single year after the end of the latter three times and a half when the effusion of the seventh vial will have been completed.

Yet, as the seventh seal comprehends much more than any one of the six preceding seals, and as the seventh trumpet comprehends much more than any one of the six preceding trumpets; so the seventh

See above book ii. chap. 4. §. L. 3.

vial, or the vial in which the mystery of God is finished, comprehends much more than any one of the six preceding vials'.

Accordingly, to the seventh vial belong, not only the five last verses of the sixteenth chapter, but likewise the seventeenth and the eighteenth and the nineteenth chapters, with that exception in regard to the seventeenth chapter which has already been noticed.

The period of the seventh vial, which coincides with Daniel's time of the end and which chronologically occupies the probably single natural year immediately consecutive to the expiration of the latter three times and a half, comprehends the completion of that great judicial controversy of Jehovah, which issues in the harvest and the vintage of God's wrath and in the final overthrow of the irreclaimable antichristian faction.

(2.) When these matters shall have been accomplished, the figurative binding of Satan takes place: and then commences a period of extraordinary blessedness and holiness, which St. John limits to a term of one thousand years, and to which Daniel appends a supplemental term of 335 years.

During this happy season, the infernal serpent, now irresistibly coerced by the Almighty, is no

In making this remark, it will of course be understood, that I speak not of time, but of verbal matter as propounded in the volume of the Apocalypse.

2 Rev. xx. 1-6. Dan, xii. 12. B b

VOL. I.

longer able to deceive mankind: and, all wickedness being thus discouraged and abashed, sincere religion and genuine piety are universally predomi

nant.

(3.) At the close of the Millennium, Satan is liberated from his allegorical fetters: and, being thus once more exempted from controul, he immediately goes forth to deceive the nations, then settled in the four quarters of the earth 1.

His machinations produce a very general corruption and, at length, a daring confederacy, against the Lord and his saints, is fully matured and organised. Unawed by the recollection of former judg ments, the impious associates make a direct attack upon the beloved city and upon the remnant of God's people: but, while they are compassing the of the saints, fire comes down from heaven and devours them 2.

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(4.) The period, which is thus occupied, partly with the gradual corruption of the once holy millennians, partly with the formation of a second antichristian confederacy, partly with its war against the saints, and partly with its final destruction, will comprehend the term of 335 years; such being the excess of Daniel's 1335 years above St. John's 1000 years: but, what exact space of time will elapse between the overthrow of the Magogian confederacy and the literal day of judgment, we are no where positively informed.

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In a parallel prophecy, which similarly treats of the war and destruction of Gog and Magog, Ezekiel gives us reason to believe, that the one will not quite immediately succeed the other: and, respecting the final day of retribution, our Lord himself assures us, that of that day and hour knoweth no man, no not the angels of heaven, but his Father only 1.

(5.) Respecting the proper arrangement of the two last chapters of the Apocalypse, there has been a considerable diversity of opinion.

Some persons imagine them to be only a more enlarged account of the millennian period of blessedness; St. John, according to their theory, reverting to a topic, which hitherto he had only discussed after a summary manner while others, following the regular course of apocalyptic chronology, suppose, that, since they are arranged consecutively to the final judgment both of the quick and of the dead, they can only relate, though in a strain highly figurative and allegorical, to the eternal felicity of the glorified saints in heaven.

I know not any better method of settling this point, than by a recurrence to Mr. Mede's invaluable principle of synchronisation: a principle, which, from its very nature, is no less effective in the detection of a fancied synchronism than in the establishment of a true synchronism.

' Ezek. xxxix. 9, 12, 14, 22. Matt. xxiv. 36. See Frazer's Key to the Proph. p. 458.

To the principle in question, then, let us resort: and, unless I greatly mistake, it will fully and invincibly settle the matter now under litigation.

During the millennian period, notwithstanding the circumstance of its being a season of unexampled terrestrial holiness and happiness, death still continues to prevail. For death, we are told by the prophet, is not annihilated, or (in the language of St. Paul) death is not swallowed up in ultimate victory, until the final universal judgment of the dead, both small and great, shall have been accomplished'. This final universal judgment, however, chronologically succeeds the destruction of Gog and Magog and the destruction of Gog and Magog chronologically succeeds the millennian period *. Therefore death is not annihilated until after, both the close of the millennian period, and the destruction of Gog and Magog: whence, accordingly, the individuals, who compose the confederacy of Gog and Magog, are expressly said to taste of death, being devoured by fire from heaven 3. If, then, death be not annihilated until after the close of the Millennium; it clearly must prevail during the period of the Millennium.

But, in the beatific period celebrated in the two last chapters of the Apocalypse, we are specially taught, that THERE SHALL BE NO MORE DEATH *.

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