Revelation · Chapter 19

V. 1. I heard a loud voice of a great multitude-Whose blood the great whore had shed.

Saying, Hallelujah-This Hebrew word signifies, Praise ye Jah, or Him that is. God named himself to Moses, EHEIEH, that is, I will be, Exodus 3:14; and at the same time, "Jehovah," that is, "He that is, and was, and is to come:" during the trumpet of the seventh angel, he is styled, "He that is and was," Revelation 16:5; and not "He that is to come;" because his long-expected coming is under this trumpet actually present. At length he is styled, "Jah," "He that is;" the past together with the future being swallowed up in the present, the former things being no more mentioned, for the greatness of those that now are. This title is of all others the most peculiar to the everlasting God.

The salvation-Is opposed to the destruction which the great whore had brought upon the earth.

His power and glory-Appear from the judgment executed on her, and from the setting up his kingdom to endure through all ages.

Verse 1. I heard a great voice of much people in heaven] The idolatrous city being destroyed, and the blood of the martyred saints being avenged, there is a universal joy among the redeemed of the Lord, which they commence with the word hy wllh Hallelu-Yah, praise ye Jah or Jehovah; which the Septuagint, and St. John from them, put into Greek letters thus: allhlouia, Allelou-ia, a form of praise which the heathens appear to have borrowed from the Jews, as is evident from their pæans, or hymns in honour of Apollo, which began and ended with eleleu ih, eleleu ie; a mere corruption of the Hebrew words. It is worthy of remark that the Indians of North America have the same word in their religious worship, and use it in the same sense. “In their places of worship, or beloved square, they dance sometimes for a whole night always in a bowing posture, and frequently singing halleluyah Ye ho wah; praise ye Yah, Ye ho vah:” probably the true pronunciation of the Hebrew hwhy, which we call Jehovah. See Adair’s History of the American Indians. Salvation] He is the sole author of deliverance from sin; the glory of this belongs to him, the honour should be ascribed to him, and his power is that alone by which it is effected.

Verses 1-3. And after these things — After this affecting representation of the certain destruction of Babylon, as the seat of the antichristian kingdom; I heard a great voice of much people in heaven — A great chorus, who, with united voices, began to praise God on the occasion, saying, Alleluia — That is, Praise ye Jehovah, or, He that is, and was, and is to come; a title which, of all others, is the most peculiar to the everlasting God. Salvation, glory, honour, and power be ascribed unto the Lord our God — To whom only they belong. The salvation spoken of is opposed to the destruction which the great whore had brought upon the earth: his power and his glory appear from the judgment executed on her, and from the setting up of his kingdom to endure through all ages. For true and righteous are his judgments — His judgments show him to be righteous, true, and faithful; for he hath judged the great whore — His punishment of mystical Babylon, for her pride, superstition, and idolatry, declares his righteousness; and his truth and faithfulness to his promises are illustriously manifested in his avenging the blood of his servants on her, who so cruelly put them to death for their faith in his word and constancy in his religion. And again they said, Alleluia — With their hearts inflamed with gratitude and joy. And her smoke rose up — Anabainei, rises up, for they seem to be the words of the same heavenly chorus which praised in the preceding language. As if they had said, Let our God be glorified, who in this last judgment hath put an end to this persecuting power for ever. It shall not henceforth, as formerly, rise up again to afflict his saints. This city shall lie waste from generation to generation, never to be restored. Mr. Daubuz observes: “The two alleluias in this part of the hymn correspond to the messages of the two angels, one of which proclaims the fall of Babylon, and the other shows its destruction to be perpetual.” The expression, her smoke rose up, &c., intimated that Rome should be made as signal a monument of divine vengeance as Sodom and Gomorrah had been. It is taken from Isaiah 34:9, 10, where by Edom the Jews understand Rome; and in the genuine editions of the Chaldee paraphrase it is, And the rivers of Rome shall be turned into pitch, and the dust thereof into brimstone, and the land thereof shall become burning pitch: — it shall not be quenched night nor day: the smoke shall go up for ever. And this tradition of the rabbins may receive some confirmation from this verse. Indeed, such an event must appear the more probable, when we consider that the adjacent countries are known to be of a sulphurous and bituminous soil: and that even at Rome there have been eruptions of subterraneous fire, which have consumed several buildings, according to Dion, (lib. 66.,) on one occasion, even a considerable part of Rome; so that the fuel seems to be prepared, and to wait only for the breath of the Lord to kindle it.

Verse 1. I heard a great voice of much people, songs in full choir, the songs of heaven and of earth, for both are now made one, saying, Alleluia, written as John expressed it in Greek. Praise ye the Lord, Jehovah, the first and the last. This is the grand overture to the song opened in Revelation 4:9-11, and now resumed in the sublime of triumph.

1. And after these things—We are carefully to note here, as at Revelation 18:1, these explicit declarations of consecutiveness. The jubilations of this coming paragraph are not to be confused with those of the last chapter, which are closed. The last chapter celebrates the overthrow of the city; this paragraph the destruction of the great whore. Hence we must not (as Dusterdieck) literally identify the harlot with secular and material Rome upon the Tiber. Much people—Much multitude of saints and angels. Alleluia—Greek form of the Hebrew hallelujah, praise Jehovah. Its euphony in English, together with its sublime import, has made it a vocal favourite with joyous Christians. Salvation… God—A rapturous exclamation; rightly translated by Stuart, “Hallelujah! the salvation, and glory, and power, of our God.” A trinal ascription to the Triune.

V. 2. For true and righteous are his judgments-Thus is the cry of the souls under the altar changed into a song of praise.

Verse 2. For true and righteous] His judgments displayed in supporting his followers, and punishing his enemies, are true-according to his predictions; and righteous, being all according to infinite justice and equity.

Verses 1-3. And after these things — After this affecting representation of the certain destruction of Babylon, as the seat of the antichristian kingdom; I heard a great voice of much people in heaven — A great chorus, who, with united voices, began to praise God on the occasion, saying, Alleluia — That is, Praise ye Jehovah, or, He that is, and was, and is to come; a title which, of all others, is the most peculiar to the everlasting God. Salvation, glory, honour, and power be ascribed unto the Lord our God — To whom only they belong. The salvation spoken of is opposed to the destruction which the great whore had brought upon the earth: his power and his glory appear from the judgment executed on her, and from the setting up of his kingdom to endure through all ages. For true and righteous are his judgments — His judgments show him to be righteous, true, and faithful; for he hath judged the great whore — His punishment of mystical Babylon, for her pride, superstition, and idolatry, declares his righteousness; and his truth and faithfulness to his promises are illustriously manifested in his avenging the blood of his servants on her, who so cruelly put them to death for their faith in his word and constancy in his religion. And again they said, Alleluia — With their hearts inflamed with gratitude and joy. And her smoke rose up — Anabainei, rises up, for they seem to be the words of the same heavenly chorus which praised in the preceding language. As if they had said, Let our God be glorified, who in this last judgment hath put an end to this persecuting power for ever. It shall not henceforth, as formerly, rise up again to afflict his saints. This city shall lie waste from generation to generation, never to be restored. Mr. Daubuz observes: “The two alleluias in this part of the hymn correspond to the messages of the two angels, one of which proclaims the fall of Babylon, and the other shows its destruction to be perpetual.” The expression, her smoke rose up, &c., intimated that Rome should be made as signal a monument of divine vengeance as Sodom and Gomorrah had been. It is taken from Isaiah 34:9, 10, where by Edom the Jews understand Rome; and in the genuine editions of the Chaldee paraphrase it is, And the rivers of Rome shall be turned into pitch, and the dust thereof into brimstone, and the land thereof shall become burning pitch: — it shall not be quenched night nor day: the smoke shall go up for ever. And this tradition of the rabbins may receive some confirmation from this verse. Indeed, such an event must appear the more probable, when we consider that the adjacent countries are known to be of a sulphurous and bituminous soil: and that even at Rome there have been eruptions of subterraneous fire, which have consumed several buildings, according to Dion, (lib. 66.,) on one occasion, even a considerable part of Rome; so that the fuel seems to be prepared, and to wait only for the breath of the Lord to kindle it.

Ver. 2. True and righteous are his judgments. The song of the seraphim, in the sixth of Isaiah, was excited by a view of the infinite purity of the divine nature; and here the argument of the song is founded on the equity of God in the long reign of antichristian tyranny, bloodshed immeasurable, and crimes without number.

2. Hath avenged—In accordance with the prediction of Revelation 17:16, 17, that she should be destroyed by the ten horns; her flesh be eaten, and her body burned. That was prophecy; this is jubilant history. At her hand—Quoted from 2 Kings 9:7. “That I may avenge the blood of my servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the Lord, at the hand of Jezebel.” Jezebel is type of this harlot. Note, Revelation 2:20. The preposition at, here, is in the Greek from. Alford well explains it: “The vengeance is considered as a penalty forced out of the reluctant hand.” This is preferable to Stuart’s rendering, “Hath avenged the blood of his servants [shed] by her hand.”

Verse 3. Her smoke rose up] There was, and shall be, a continual evidence of God’s judgments executed on this great whore or idolatrous city; nor shall it ever be restored.

Verses 1-3. And after these things — After this affecting representation of the certain destruction of Babylon, as the seat of the antichristian kingdom; I heard a great voice of much people in heaven — A great chorus, who, with united voices, began to praise God on the occasion, saying, Alleluia — That is, Praise ye Jehovah, or, He that is, and was, and is to come; a title which, of all others, is the most peculiar to the everlasting God. Salvation, glory, honour, and power be ascribed unto the Lord our God — To whom only they belong. The salvation spoken of is opposed to the destruction which the great whore had brought upon the earth: his power and his glory appear from the judgment executed on her, and from the setting up of his kingdom to endure through all ages. For true and righteous are his judgments — His judgments show him to be righteous, true, and faithful; for he hath judged the great whore — His punishment of mystical Babylon, for her pride, superstition, and idolatry, declares his righteousness; and his truth and faithfulness to his promises are illustriously manifested in his avenging the blood of his servants on her, who so cruelly put them to death for their faith in his word and constancy in his religion. And again they said, Alleluia — With their hearts inflamed with gratitude and joy. And her smoke rose up — Anabainei, rises up, for they seem to be the words of the same heavenly chorus which praised in the preceding language. As if they had said, Let our God be glorified, who in this last judgment hath put an end to this persecuting power for ever. It shall not henceforth, as formerly, rise up again to afflict his saints. This city shall lie waste from generation to generation, never to be restored. Mr. Daubuz observes: “The two alleluias in this part of the hymn correspond to the messages of the two angels, one of which proclaims the fall of Babylon, and the other shows its destruction to be perpetual.” The expression, her smoke rose up, &c., intimated that Rome should be made as signal a monument of divine vengeance as Sodom and Gomorrah had been. It is taken from Isaiah 34:9, 10, where by Edom the Jews understand Rome; and in the genuine editions of the Chaldee paraphrase it is, And the rivers of Rome shall be turned into pitch, and the dust thereof into brimstone, and the land thereof shall become burning pitch: — it shall not be quenched night nor day: the smoke shall go up for ever. And this tradition of the rabbins may receive some confirmation from this verse. Indeed, such an event must appear the more probable, when we consider that the adjacent countries are known to be of a sulphurous and bituminous soil: and that even at Rome there have been eruptions of subterraneous fire, which have consumed several buildings, according to Dion, (lib. 66.,) on one occasion, even a considerable part of Rome; so that the fuel seems to be prepared, and to wait only for the breath of the Lord to kindle it.

Ver. 3, 4. Alleluia: and her smoke rose up for ever and ever. What, and are the fires that burned the martyrs rekindled! What, must the beast, the whore, and the false teacher now take their turn! The martyrs have escaped; their feet stand on the sea of glass, the pavement which reflects the glory of the throne, praising God with harp and voice. But how will the beast escape? Like the Persian princes, who threw Daniel to the lions, they must themselves go to the lions. Amen: alleluia.

3. Again—A new outburst of praise after a pause. Rose up… ever—”The original imagery,” says Stuart, “is taken from the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. As they had already become a perpetual desolation, so should spiritual Babylon be.” We may note that the past tense, rose, makes it seem as if the for ever and ever had passed. The real meaning seems to be, that the smoke rose up with a for ever and ever, that is, a fixed perpetuity to it.

V. 4. And the four and twenty elders, and the four living creatures fell down-The living creatures are nearer the throne than the elders. Accordingly they are mentioned before them, with the praise they render to God, Revelation 4:9, 10; 5:8, 14; inasmuch as there the praise moves from the centre to the circumference. But here, when God's judgments are fulfilled, it moves back from the circumference to the centre. Here, therefore, the four and twenty elders are named before the living creatures.

Verse 4. The four and twenty elders] The true Church of the Lord Jesus converted from among the Jews. See Revelation 4:10; 5:14.

Verses 4, 5. The four and twenty elders and the four living creatures — After the preceding chorus had ended their hymn, the representatives of the Jewish and Christian Churches prostrated themselves before Jehovah, saying, Amen — So be it: let God be ever praised for the displays now made of his infinite perfections. And a voice came out of the throne — From the glory, or the oracle; this shows the great authority and solemnity with which this order was published; saying, Praise our God, &c. — The occasion and matter of this song of praise seem to be somewhat different from those of the foregoing hymn: that hymn was to celebrate the praises of God principally on account of his faithfulness and justice manifested in the punishment of a persecuting power, that had long oppressed Christ’s faithful servants. But this, as appears by what follows, is principally to praise God for the happy and glorious state of his church, about to take place in consequence of this punishment of its enemies; even that state of it, as appears, wherein it is said to live and reign with Christ a thousand years, and which is more particularly spoken of in the following chapter: for which wonderful display of the divine goodness all the truly pious are prepared by this hymn for solemnly and devoutly praising God.

Ver. 3, 4. Alleluia: and her smoke rose up for ever and ever. What, and are the fires that burned the martyrs rekindled! What, must the beast, the whore, and the false teacher now take their turn! The martyrs have escaped; their feet stand on the sea of glass, the pavement which reflects the glory of the throne, praising God with harp and voice. But how will the beast escape? Like the Persian princes, who threw Daniel to the lions, they must themselves go to the lions. Amen: alleluia.

4. To the song in heaven there now comes a profound response. It is from the twenty-four elders and from the four living ones, who commenced their session at chapter 6. The elders rise from their seats and prostrate themselves before the throne. They give their responsive amen, and a third utterance, to the alleluias of the great voice in heaven.

V. 5. And a voice came forth from the throne-Probably from the four living creatures, saying, Praise our God-The occasion and matter of this song of praise follow immediately after, Revelation 19:6, &c.; God was praised before, for his judgment of the great whore, Revelation 19:1-4. Now for that which follows it: for that the Lord God, the Almighty, takes the kingdom to himself, and avenges himself on the rest of his enemies. Were all these inhabitants of heaven mistaken? If not, there is real, yea, and terrible anger in God.

Verse 5. Praise our God, &c.] Let all, whether redeemed from among Jews or Gentiles, give glory to God.

Verses 4, 5. The four and twenty elders and the four living creatures — After the preceding chorus had ended their hymn, the representatives of the Jewish and Christian Churches prostrated themselves before Jehovah, saying, Amen — So be it: let God be ever praised for the displays now made of his infinite perfections. And a voice came out of the throne — From the glory, or the oracle; this shows the great authority and solemnity with which this order was published; saying, Praise our God, &c. — The occasion and matter of this song of praise seem to be somewhat different from those of the foregoing hymn: that hymn was to celebrate the praises of God principally on account of his faithfulness and justice manifested in the punishment of a persecuting power, that had long oppressed Christ’s faithful servants. But this, as appears by what follows, is principally to praise God for the happy and glorious state of his church, about to take place in consequence of this punishment of its enemies; even that state of it, as appears, wherein it is said to live and reign with Christ a thousand years, and which is more particularly spoken of in the following chapter: for which wonderful display of the divine goodness all the truly pious are prepared by this hymn for solemnly and devoutly praising God.

Ver. 5, 6. A voice came out of the throne, the place where all ancient oracles were delivered, saying, Praise our God. Now, on seeing the smoke, and heaven commanding the full swell of song, like responsive thunders it issued from the ransomed armies of the Lord.

And here we ask, in the calm of reflection, what else can be the issue between the bride of Christ and the whore of Babylon? Making at the same time a just distinction between pious catholics individually, and the ruling tyranny of Rome. The papacy itself is still the same, both at home and abroad. In the year 1824, many of our shipping being at Rio Janeiro, the sailors had worship on board their ships, but some on shore, being desirous to join them, petitioned the imperial ministers to have a place of worship in the city. The ministers wrote to the bishop in a favourable manner, adding, that in all places the protestants allowed the catholics the free exercise of their religion. The answer was, an absolute negative, with this rejoinder, “That if the false religion tolerated the true, it is no reason why the true religion should tolerate the false.”

5. Voice came out of the throne—Commentators differ as to whose was this voice, the throne. Stuart thinks it was the Messiah; and for the words our God, as from him, Stuart quotes as precedents John 20:17; Hebrews 2:11, and Revelation 18:4. Against this view Alford protests. We venture to ask, Why was it not the voice of the throne itself? In Revelation 7:13, we have, “A voice from the four horns of the altar;” and in 16:7 there is a voice from the altar, which Alford rightly interprets as the altar itself becoming vocal. This would add plausibility to Wordsworth’s attributing the words in Revelation 11:1, to the “reed,” which the literal wording of the Greek requires.

V. 6. And I heard the voice of a great multitude. So all his servants did praise him.

The Almighty reigneth-More eminently and gloriously than ever before.

Verse 6. The voice of a great multitude] This is the catholic or universal Church of God gathered from among the Gentiles.

The Lord God Omnipotent reigneth.] ebasileuse kuriov o qeov o pantokratwr. Many excellent MSS., most of the versions, with Andreas and Arethas, the two most ancient commentators on this book, add hmwn, our, after o qeov. and according to this the text reads emphatically thus: OUR Lord God, the Almighty, reigneth. What consolation to every genuine Christian that HIS Lord and God is the Almighty, and that this Almighty never trusts the reins of the government of the universe out of his hands! What therefore has his Church to fear?

Verses 6-8. And I heard, &c. — Upon this order from the oracle, the whole church, in obedience to it, began to praise God with loud voices; which might be compared to the sound of many waters, or of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia, for the Lord God omnipotent — The Almighty Maker and Upholder of universal nature; reigneth — Among men, more eminently and gloriously than ever before. Let us be glad, &c. — Cairwmen kai agalliwmeqa, let us rejoice and exult with transport, and ascribe to him the glory which is so justly due; for the marriage of the Lamb is come — Is near at hand, and will be speedily solemnized. His true church, his faithful servants, are now about to receive public and peculiar marks of his affection in a state of happiness and dignity suitable to their relation to him. The ancient prophets frequently express the favour of God to his people by the affection of a bridegroom to his spouse. See Isaiah 62:5; Hosea 2:19, 20; Zephaniah 3:17. And the Church of Christ in the New Testament is often represented under the same similitude of a bride. See Romans 7:4; 2 Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 5:25, &c. And as marriages used to be celebrated with great joy, this is a proper emblem to show the state of prosperity and happiness to which God will raise his church, after all its sufferings for the sake of truth and righteousness. And his wife hath made herself ready — Even while upon earth, being acquitted from all guilt, purified from all pollution, and adorned with all those graces and virtues which are most excellent in themselves, and most agreeable to him. As if he had said, She is not a harlot tainted with idolatry, but a spouse prepared for her heavenly husband. And to her was granted — By God, from whom all her good qualities proceed; that she should be arrayed in fine linen — Expressive of her purity and holiness; for the fine linen is an emblem of the righteousness of the saints — Including both their justification and sanctification. Thus St. Paul, (Ephesians 5.,) Christ gave himself for his church, that he might sanctify and cleanse it, and present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing.

Ver. 5, 6. A voice came out of the throne, the place where all ancient oracles were delivered, saying, Praise our God. Now, on seeing the smoke, and heaven commanding the full swell of song, like responsive thunders it issued from the ransomed armies of the Lord.

And here we ask, in the calm of reflection, what else can be the issue between the bride of Christ and the whore of Babylon? Making at the same time a just distinction between pious catholics individually, and the ruling tyranny of Rome. The papacy itself is still the same, both at home and abroad. In the year 1824, many of our shipping being at Rio Janeiro, the sailors had worship on board their ships, but some on shore, being desirous to join them, petitioned the imperial ministers to have a place of worship in the city. The ministers wrote to the bishop in a favourable manner, adding, that in all places the protestants allowed the catholics the free exercise of their religion. The answer was, an absolute negative, with this rejoinder, “That if the false religion tolerated the true, it is no reason why the true religion should tolerate the false.”

6. The responsive song has now come to a climax. First, there was a great voice from heaven; then, a repeat; third, a response from the elders; fourth, a response from the throne; and last, this universal voice as of waters and thunderings, in which the seer is drowned. Reigneth—Aorist, has reigned. That is, has acted the king—has decisively ruled in destroying the harlot; for that is the theme of all these responsive chants.

V. 7. The marriage of the Lamb is come-Is near at hand, to be solemnized speedily. What this implies, none of "the spirits of just men," even in paradise, yet know. O what things are those which are yet behind! And what purity of heart should there be, to meditate upon them! And his wife hath made herself ready-Even upon earth; but in a far higher sense, in that world. After a time allowed for this, the new Jerusalem comes down, both made ready and adorned, Revelation 21:2.

Verse 7. The marriage of the Lamb is come] The meaning of these figurative expressions appears to be this: After this overthrow of idolatry and superstition, and the discomfiture of antichrist, there will be a more glorious state of Christianity than ever was before.

Verses 6-8. And I heard, &c. — Upon this order from the oracle, the whole church, in obedience to it, began to praise God with loud voices; which might be compared to the sound of many waters, or of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia, for the Lord God omnipotent — The Almighty Maker and Upholder of universal nature; reigneth — Among men, more eminently and gloriously than ever before. Let us be glad, &c. — Cairwmen kai agalliwmeqa, let us rejoice and exult with transport, and ascribe to him the glory which is so justly due; for the marriage of the Lamb is come — Is near at hand, and will be speedily solemnized. His true church, his faithful servants, are now about to receive public and peculiar marks of his affection in a state of happiness and dignity suitable to their relation to him. The ancient prophets frequently express the favour of God to his people by the affection of a bridegroom to his spouse. See Isaiah 62:5; Hosea 2:19, 20; Zephaniah 3:17. And the Church of Christ in the New Testament is often represented under the same similitude of a bride. See Romans 7:4; 2 Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 5:25, &c. And as marriages used to be celebrated with great joy, this is a proper emblem to show the state of prosperity and happiness to which God will raise his church, after all its sufferings for the sake of truth and righteousness. And his wife hath made herself ready — Even while upon earth, being acquitted from all guilt, purified from all pollution, and adorned with all those graces and virtues which are most excellent in themselves, and most agreeable to him. As if he had said, She is not a harlot tainted with idolatry, but a spouse prepared for her heavenly husband. And to her was granted — By God, from whom all her good qualities proceed; that she should be arrayed in fine linen — Expressive of her purity and holiness; for the fine linen is an emblem of the righteousness of the saints — Including both their justification and sanctification. Thus St. Paul, (Ephesians 5.,) Christ gave himself for his church, that he might sanctify and cleanse it, and present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing.

7. The marriage of the Lamb—By the association of contrast the thought turns from the harlot to the pure and holy wife. Nevertheless, the immediacy of the time-words here is no proof that the marriage of Revelation 21:9 (and so the second advent) is literally close at hand. Even in our Lord’s day on earth (Matthew 21:1-10) that marriage was “ready,” and the invitations were sent forth. That is, men are now invited to the New Jerusalem, irrespective of time. And so the justification of the believer is a marriage supper, Revelation 2:20. And so, in different stages, both the sanctification of the Church and her glorification is a divine marriage.

Mr. Glasgow, however, calls attention to the fact that the marriage and the marriage supper are two entirely different things. He avers that in every instance in the New Testament the word gamov, wedding, refers, not to the marriage ceremony but to the feast, which was often some days after. The marriage at Cana was the marriage feast, not the actual wedding. Jesus, by his incarnation, became the bridegroom, (since John was the friend of the bridegroom,) as appears by John 3:29. So that while the marriage is on earth, the feast is in heaven. And so here the word is not bride, but wife; and in Revelation 21:9, the word “bride” is explained by “wife,” as if the marriage had passed, and the feast was to come. Is come—The union of the pure Church with Christ is frequently imaged as a marriage. Thus, to the Jewish Church Jehovah says: “I am married unto you.” Jeremiah 3:14. And in Isaiah 50:1, there is divorce in consequence of unfaithfulness. Yet the completion of the marriage of the Lamb, in its fullest sense, is after the great white throne of Revelation 20:11. For the actual final wife is the New Jerusalem, as shown by Revelation 21:9. And at Revelation 21:2, this New Jerusalem comes “down out of heaven prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.” And that is very decisive proof that, as the bride is the pure Church, so the harlot is an impure Church.

V. 8. And it is given to her-By God. The bride is all holy men, the whole invisible church.

To be arrayed in fine linen, white and clean-This is an emblem of the righteousness of the saints-Both of their justification and sanctification.

Verse 8. Arrayed in fine linen] A prediction that the Church should become more pure in her doctrines, more pious in her experience, and more righteous in her conduct, than she had ever been from her formation. The fine linen here spoken of is not the righteousness of Christ imputed to believers, for it is here called the righteousness of the saints-that which the grace and Spirit of Christ has wrought in them.

Verses 6-8. And I heard, &c. — Upon this order from the oracle, the whole church, in obedience to it, began to praise God with loud voices; which might be compared to the sound of many waters, or of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia, for the Lord God omnipotent — The Almighty Maker and Upholder of universal nature; reigneth — Among men, more eminently and gloriously than ever before. Let us be glad, &c. — Cairwmen kai agalliwmeqa, let us rejoice and exult with transport, and ascribe to him the glory which is so justly due; for the marriage of the Lamb is come — Is near at hand, and will be speedily solemnized. His true church, his faithful servants, are now about to receive public and peculiar marks of his affection in a state of happiness and dignity suitable to their relation to him. The ancient prophets frequently express the favour of God to his people by the affection of a bridegroom to his spouse. See Isaiah 62:5; Hosea 2:19, 20; Zephaniah 3:17. And the Church of Christ in the New Testament is often represented under the same similitude of a bride. See Romans 7:4; 2 Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 5:25, &c. And as marriages used to be celebrated with great joy, this is a proper emblem to show the state of prosperity and happiness to which God will raise his church, after all its sufferings for the sake of truth and righteousness. And his wife hath made herself ready — Even while upon earth, being acquitted from all guilt, purified from all pollution, and adorned with all those graces and virtues which are most excellent in themselves, and most agreeable to him. As if he had said, She is not a harlot tainted with idolatry, but a spouse prepared for her heavenly husband. And to her was granted — By God, from whom all her good qualities proceed; that she should be arrayed in fine linen — Expressive of her purity and holiness; for the fine linen is an emblem of the righteousness of the saints — Including both their justification and sanctification. Thus St. Paul, (Ephesians 5.,) Christ gave himself for his church, that he might sanctify and cleanse it, and present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing.

Ver. 8. To her it was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen — for the fine linen is the righteousness of the saints. The church is without spot or wrinkle, being washed and sanctified by water and the word. How would a jew understand these words? He would go to the prophets, and read, Let the skies pour down righteousness — Oh that thou hadst hearkened to my voice: then thy righteousness had been as the waves of the sea, and thy children as numerous as the sand upon the shore. Isaiah 45:8. 48:17. All these are covenant blessings, the gifts of God. In the Lord we have righteousness and strength; yea, everlasting righteousness.

V. 9. And he-The angel,

saith to me, Write-St. John seems to have been so amazed at these glorious sights, that he needeth to be reminded of this. Happy are they who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb-Called to glory.

And he saith-After a little pause.

Verse 9. Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper] This is an evident allusion to the marriage of the king’s son, Matthew 22:2, &c., where the incarnation of our Lord, and the calling of Jews and Gentiles, are particularly pointed out. See the notes there. Blessed are all they who hear the Gospel, and are thus invited to lay hold on everlasting life.

Verses 9, 10. And he (the angel) saith unto me, Write — Record this as an important truth, in which all that read this book in future ages will be greatly concerned; Blessed — Makarioi, happy; are they which are called unto the marriage-supper of the Lamb — Who shall be living at this time, and shall obey the invitation to this marriage-feast, and partake of all the privileges and blessings belonging to it. And he saith unto me, after a little pause, These are the true sayings of God — They are to be regarded by thee, and all that read them, as declarations infallibly true, and infinitely momentous. And — While he was speaking to me in this kind and condescending manner, being overawed by his majestic appearance, and in such a rapture and ecstasy at these discoveries that I knew not, or did not consider, what I did; I fell at his feet — Prostrated myself before him; to worship him — Or to do him homage, as though I had owed all these discoveries to him. And he said, See thou do it not — Greek, wra mh, See not, with a beautiful abruptness. It does not appear that St. John intended to pay religious worship to this angel; for he could not but know that he was only a creature, and that religiously to worship any creature, however exalted, would be flat idolatry. He seems only to have intended such civil respect and reverence as the Asiatics were wont to pay to superiors, and especially to persons in high rank; which indeed is frequently all that is meant by the word proskunew, here rendered to worship. Thus Ruth complimented Boaz with this kind of honour, when she fell on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, Ruth. 2:10. Thus Abigail also showed her respect for David: she fell before him on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, 1 Samuel 25:23. Indeed, the reason for which the angel forbids this high act of respect, seems to intimate that he did not understand it as an act of religious honour, for he mentions nothing concerning the sin or danger of idolatry, as implied in it: he only shows that it was improper the apostle should pay such respect to him, which he does, not by showing that it was unlawful to give such respect to any created being whatsoever, but because he was only a fellow-servant with the apostle, and a servant of his brethren, that had the testimony of Jesus. As if he had said, I am now employed as your fellow-servant, to testify of the Lord Jesus by the same Spirit which inspired the prophets of old. Worship God — Pay thine homage, in such expressions of it, to God alone, to whom alone thou owest these revelations. The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy — That is, the spirit of prophecy serves, in a glorious manner, to confirm Jesus’s divine mission, to all that know and duly observe the circumstances of it; and that which I now reveal to thee makes a considerable article of the proof: or, this ability of foretelling things to come is an argument or evidence of Christ’s speaking in and by me, as he does by thee.

9. He—Who? The last-mentioned antecedent is, Revelation 17:1, “one of the seven angels that had the seven vials.” And in Revelation 17:7, the same “angel said” all the rest of that chapter. And the same angel reappears after the millennium and after the final judgment, (Revelation 21:9,) and shows the bride the Lamb’s wife, namely, the New Jerusalem; the description extends to the end of that chapter. And the next and final Revelation 22:1, commences with, “And he showed me,” etc., referring to the same angel. Then, in verse 6 of that chapter, he evidently refers to the same angel-guide. Two remarkable points here present themselves. First, this same angel-guide crosses, officially, over the thousand years of chapter 20. Of course, in the panorama visible to the seer, the thousand years could not be optically presented, and could only be narrated. The continuity of the angel is, therefore, only the convenient continuity of the panorama. And as the seven-vial angels were contents of the seventh trumpet, so the proper inference is, that the peal of the seventh trumpet continues from the beginning of the twelfth chapter to the end of the Apocalypse; that is, from the first advent to the end of the millennium, and the opening of eternity. Second, the parallelism shown in our note on Revelation 17:3, between 17:1, 3, and Revelation 21:9, 10, shows not only that there is an intended contrast between the harlot, or old Babylon, and the wife, or New Jerusalem, but indicates that the immediacy of the marriage of the Lamb, indicated in verse 7 of this nineteenth chapter, is also very much a panoramic immediacy, and that it crosses over the millennium and reaches to the descending of the celestial city, which is the true wife. Hence it clearly follows, that the said immediacy does not prove a real nearness of the second advent and judgment. That is, the scene of verses 11-21 of this chapter is not Christ’s personal, literal, judgment-advent. Write, Blessed—Here is a blessedness, as in Revelation 14:13, worthy of record while the world stands. Called—A call resulting from the justifying faith of the invited guest. The same hand that seals the pardon of the sinner writes his name in the book of life, and calls him to share at the marriage supper. Stuart supposes it to be a great difficulty that the saints of last verse, who really constitute the bride, are here only invited guests. But while collectively the body of saints is the bride, yet individually each saint may be viewed as guest. True—Both genuine, as being truly God’s sayings, and true as uttering what is truth.

V. 10. And I fell before his feet to worship him-It seems, mistaking him for the angel of the covenant.

But he saith, See thou do it not-In the original, it is only, See not, with a beautiful abruptness. To pray to or worship the highest creature is flat idolatry.

I am thy fellowservant and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus-I am now employed as your fellowservant, to testify of the Lord Jesus, by the same Spirit which inspired the prophets of old.

Verse 10. I fell at his feet to worship him.] Great as this angel was, St. John could not mistake him either for Jesus Christ, or for God the Father; nor was his prostration intended as an act of religious worship. It was merely an act of that sort of reverence which any Asiatic would pay to a superior. His mistake was, the considering that he was under obligation to the angel for the information which he had now received. This mistake the angel very properly corrects, showing him that it was from God alone this intelligence came, and that to him alone the praise was due. I am thy fellow servant] No higher in dignity than thyself; employed by the same God, on the same errand, and with the same testimony; and therefore not entitled to thy prostration: worship God-prostrate thyself to him, and to him give thanks.

The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.] As this is a reason given by the angel why he should not worship him, the meaning must be this: I, who have received this spirit of prophecy, am not superior to thee who hast received the testimony of Christ, to preach him among the Gentiles; for the commission containing such a testimony is equal to the gift of the spirit of prophecy. Or, the spirit of prophecy is a general testimony concerning Jesus, for he is the scope and design of the whole Scripture; to him gave all the prophets witness. Take Jesus, his grace, Spirit, and religion out of the Bible, and it has neither scope, design, object, nor end.

Verses 9, 10. And he (the angel) saith unto me, Write — Record this as an important truth, in which all that read this book in future ages will be greatly concerned; Blessed — Makarioi, happy; are they which are called unto the marriage-supper of the Lamb — Who shall be living at this time, and shall obey the invitation to this marriage-feast, and partake of all the privileges and blessings belonging to it. And he saith unto me, after a little pause, These are the true sayings of God — They are to be regarded by thee, and all that read them, as declarations infallibly true, and infinitely momentous. And — While he was speaking to me in this kind and condescending manner, being overawed by his majestic appearance, and in such a rapture and ecstasy at these discoveries that I knew not, or did not consider, what I did; I fell at his feet — Prostrated myself before him; to worship him — Or to do him homage, as though I had owed all these discoveries to him. And he said, See thou do it not — Greek, wra mh, See not, with a beautiful abruptness. It does not appear that St. John intended to pay religious worship to this angel; for he could not but know that he was only a creature, and that religiously to worship any creature, however exalted, would be flat idolatry. He seems only to have intended such civil respect and reverence as the Asiatics were wont to pay to superiors, and especially to persons in high rank; which indeed is frequently all that is meant by the word proskunew, here rendered to worship. Thus Ruth complimented Boaz with this kind of honour, when she fell on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, Ruth. 2:10. Thus Abigail also showed her respect for David: she fell before him on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, 1 Samuel 25:23. Indeed, the reason for which the angel forbids this high act of respect, seems to intimate that he did not understand it as an act of religious honour, for he mentions nothing concerning the sin or danger of idolatry, as implied in it: he only shows that it was improper the apostle should pay such respect to him, which he does, not by showing that it was unlawful to give such respect to any created being whatsoever, but because he was only a fellow-servant with the apostle, and a servant of his brethren, that had the testimony of Jesus. As if he had said, I am now employed as your fellow-servant, to testify of the Lord Jesus by the same Spirit which inspired the prophets of old. Worship God — Pay thine homage, in such expressions of it, to God alone, to whom alone thou owest these revelations. The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy — That is, the spirit of prophecy serves, in a glorious manner, to confirm Jesus’s divine mission, to all that know and duly observe the circumstances of it; and that which I now reveal to thee makes a considerable article of the proof: or, this ability of foretelling things to come is an argument or evidence of Christ’s speaking in and by me, as he does by thee.

Ver. 10. I fell at his feet to worship him, assuredly to pay him divine honours, else why rebuke him by a broken phrase, wra mh, vide ne, see not. Else why was not Abraham rebuked for civil homage? Genesis 18:2. The angel that announced the fall of Babylon, had enlightened the earth with his glory. John might therefore be overpowered and dazzled with the glory. — Worship God. How then, oh papists, would he have rebuked you, on your knees at every shrine of the martyrs, and before every crucifix!

The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. The world say, that the best calculators are the best prophets. On this head, calculation is left for ages in the rear. All the leading events of our Saviour’s life, death, resurrection, and ascension, are foretold from four hundred to four thousand years before they occurred; how the jews would reject him, and how the gentiles would gather around the stem of Jesse. And what was never, in the eye of reason, likely to happen to a person so illustrious, about forty striking and tragic circumstances of his passion are painted with the exactitude of historic subjects. The prophets therefore must have been inspired by him, to whom futurity is without a veil.

10. Fell… to worship him—Compare the parallel passage, Revelation 22:8, 9. Our seer probably supposed his apocalypse closed, and would return worship for so great a boon. Thy fellow-servant—Fellow testifier to Jesus. He supplies the visible testimony, and John publishes it to the world. Thy brethren—Properly, the apostles who were the chosen witnesses of Christ. Note, Luke 1:2. Testimony of Jesus—Both Jesus’s testimony and the apostles’ testimony of Jesus. More the latter than the former. The testimony of Jesus—Possessed and delivered by the apostles. Is the spirit of prophecy—The same inspiration as revealed the truths of the ancient prophecy. Hence apostles and prophets are on a level, and the revealing angel was their fellow-servant.

III. THIRD AND LAST OVERTHROW—OF THE ARMIES OF ANTICHRIST, 11-20:3.

This last sublime victory is now to be achieved. The capital of antichrist was taken, 14-16; his harlot was destroyed, xvii; and now comes the final destruction of all the forces and champions opposed to truth and righteousness, preparatory to the introduction of the universal reign of holy peace. That these three great successive phases of historical progress evolve through centuries, is required by the whole structure of the apocalypse, based, as that is, on the imageries of Daniel’s visions. The three phases succeed in the order given, yet, no doubt, each preceding phase laps into its successor. This last—”the great moral battle of the world”—doubtless in a measure includes the preceding two, and carries the whole process of advancing knowledge, truth, and righteousness to the millennial culmination.

On this important passage we may note, 1. We do not agree with Alford in identifying the rider of the white horse here with that in Revelation 6:2. But it conclusively follows, that if that is symbolical, so is this. There is no more reason for supposing the personage is corporeally “present” in one case than in the other. 2. Nor is there any more reason for supposing a corporeal riding out of heaven on a literal live horse here, than to suppose a corporeal dragon in chap. 12, flung by Michael from the sky to the ground. That downfall is, no doubt, allusively drawn from the pre-terrene fall of the angels; just as this is drawn allusively from the real post-terrene second advent yet to come. The dragon is a real person, namely, Satan; yet this, his phenomenal apparition, is a symbol; just so the Messiah is a real person, while this, his phenomenal presentation, is a symbol. And so fallacious is Gebhardt’s argument, that the man-child’s ascension was real, and so, therefore, this descent of the same must be literal. The man-child was real, but his infantile snatching up, in chapter 12, was symbolical, based on his real ascension. See notes chap. 12. 3. The phantasy that this is a picture of Christ’s real coming to “judge the quick and dead,” is contradicted on the entire face of the passage, and by every detail of its particulars. It is not a judicial scene, but a military. It is not a court, but a battle. The leader is not here a judge in the judiciary sense, but a general and a conqueror. Can it be for one moment seriously believed that there will be literal horses in heaven, on which Christ and his saints will sit astride, and ride down to the earth? 4. What confirms this view is, that it is the last battle in a serial emblematic war; the last third of a regular symbolic campaign. The enemy’s capital has been captured, his harlot has been exposed and destroyed. But the chief leaders—the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet—with their armies, are yet in the field. This is simply a clear narrative, under due symbol guise, of their overthrow, arrest, and consignment to durance vile. 5. What settles this view finally and conclusively is, the fact that at the close of the battle and the imprisonment of the last great rebel, (Revelation 20:3-6,) we have the trophies of victory and the repose and full enjoyment of conquest. The world is cleared of rebels and devils; the imparadised martyr “souls” are enthroned with Christ in exaltation, and rule over its broad area; and for a symbolic thousand years not a traitor dares lift a warlike head. When, at the close of that period, the ancient rebel re-rebels, the world’s status is fixed forever. The grand judicature takes place, and the portals of eternity are opened. 6. This picture is, then, symbolical. The horses and the riders on horseback are the impersonations of the cause, and of the champions of truth, righteousness, and human happiness, headed by Him who is the Word of God, the Truth itself. His enemies are the agencies of evil, the obstructive forces to the Gospel, to human progress, to universal Christianization, peace, and civilization. But the leader in the advance is divine; heavenly auxiliaries form his retinue; the enemies are paralyzed, and victory crowns the day. If any one doubts whether this battle of right against wrong, of the true against the false, of Christ against antichrist, is really in hopeful progress, let him consider a few facts.

Three or four centuries ago this our American continent was covered with the howling forests, inhabited by savage pagans, with their horrid Satanic rites and diabolical cruelties. It is now being overspread with churches, schools, and universities. At that time the sea was navigated by a feeble craft, and liable to be overrun with piracies. Europe was wrapped in ignorance, the press was uninvented, Christendom was ruled by the absolute pope, and yet the Turks were threatening Vienna, with a great possibility of establishing Mohammedanism as the religion of the western world. Asia was ruled by pagan or Mohammedan, and locked against all Christian missions, had there been life enough in Christianity to send one. Africa was an unexplored pagan blackness. And thus two or three centuries ago the four quarters of the globe were covered with a solid midnight, save a few rays of twilight dawn in Europe. Picture as great a change for the better through our next three centuries, and say if the heavenly battle is not in progress! Thus is our Apocalypse the book of hope and triumph.

V. 11. And I saw the heaven opened-This is a new and peculiar opening of it, in order to show the magnificent expedition of Christ and his attendants, against his great adversary.

And behold a white horse-Many little regarded Christ, when he came meek, "riding upon an ass;" but what will they say, when he goes forth upon his white horse, with the sword of his mouth? White-Such as generals use in solemn triumph.

And he that sitteth on him, called Faithful-In performing all his promises.

And True-In executing all his threatenings.

And in righteousness-With the utmost justice.

He judgeth and maketh war-Often the sentence and execution go together.

Verse 11. A white horse] This is an exhibition of the triumph of Christ after the destruction of his enemies. The white horse is the emblem of this, and FAITHFUL and TRUE are characters of Christ. See Revelation 3:14.

In righteousness he doth judge and make war.] The wars which he wages are from no principle of ambition, lust of power, or extension of conquest and dominion; they are righteous in their principle and in their object. And this is perhaps what no earthly potentate could ever say.

Verses 11-16. And I saw heaven opened — This is a new and peculiar opening of it, in order to show the magnificent expedition of Christ and his attendants against his great adversary; and behold a white horse — Many paid little regard to Christ when he came meek and lowly, riding upon an ass: but what will they say or think, when he comes forth upon his white horse, with the sharp sword of his mouth? The white horse, on which Christ is represented as riding, was intended to denote his justice and holiness, and also that victory and triumph should mark his progress. And he that sat on him was called Faithful — In performing all his promises; and True — In executing all his threatenings; and in righteousness — With the utmost justice and equity; he doth judge and make war — Often the sentence and execution go together. His eyes were as a flame of fire — Gloriously bright and piercing. He is described in such characters as are appropriated to him in this book, and in the ancient prophets; and on his head were many crowns — In token of his numerous conquests, and the many countries now become the kingdoms of our God and of his Christ. And he had a name written upon them that no man knew but himself — The praise of his mediatorial undertaking being ineffable and incomprehensible, and his person mysterious and wonderful, Judges 13:18; Isaiah 9:6. Hence we read, Matthew 11:27, No man knoweth the Son but the Father. And he was clothed with a vesture of pure white, emblematical of his holiness; and dipped in blood — In token of his sufferings; or rather, as some think, of the blood of the enemies already conquered. See Isaiah 63:1, &c. And his name is called, The Word of God — Because he spoke every thing into being, and revealeth his Father and his Father’s will to mankind. In other words, he has this name because he is that glorious and Divine Person, said, John 1:1, 2, to have been in the beginning with God, and to be himself God; and who was the great medium of divine revelation in all ages. And the armies which were in heaven — The heavenly hosts; followed him — As being most willingly and entirely under his command; upon white horses — All the inhabitants of heaven being pure and holy. and all in a state of joy and triumph. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword — Signifying that his word is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword; that with it he should smite the nations — That he was now about to use it in a strict execution of justice on his enemies; and he shall rule them — Who are not slain by his sword; with a rod of iron — That is, if they will not submit to his golden sceptre; see on Psalm 2:9; and he treadeth the wine-press of the fierceness — Tou qumou, of the indignation; and wrath of Almighty God — Signified, probably, by the blood which stained his garments. The metaphor signifies that he shall subdue the proudest of his enemies with as much ease as men crush grapes by treading them under their feet. And — To the everlasting confusion of his enemies, and the perpetual joy of his friends and followers; he hath on his vesture and on his thigh — Or on the part of the vesture which was upon his thigh; a name written — Different from that mentioned above; KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS — To show that he was really possessed of a just dominion over all the princes and kingdoms of the earth; a dominion which the eastern monarchs, and after them the Roman emperors, unjustly attempted to acquire and establish, and a title which, with great vanity, they assumed to themselves. It was usual of old, for great personages in the eastern countries to have magnificent titles inscribed on, or affixed to, their garments.

Ver. 11-16. I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. Kings and commanders in chief have in this way been distinguished from time immemorial. He that sat upon the horse was called faithful and true: Revelation 3:14. He had eyes as a flame of fire, searching the dark devices of his foes. On his head were many crowns, because by him all kings reign, and princes decree judgment. He had a name, the incommunicable name, JEHOVAH, so often ascribed to him, a name above every name. A name which no man knew but he himself, who knows the Father.

He was clothed, as Isaiah had seen him, with a vesture dipped in blood, baptized, bespattered, like the heroes who fight in the throng of battle. Isaiah 63:1-6. And his name is called the Word of God. Psalm 33:6. Jonah 3:1. This is a name, rbd Devar, of constant occurrence in the targums of the elder rabbins for the Messiah; it occurs perhaps fifty times in their paraphrases and notes on the chronicles, for those old men were in effect christians. The authentic records of the temple gave the apostle John the highest support in the use of this sublime name, — Christ, the Word, the Wisdom, the Power of God.

Out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, with two edges, which cuts both ways, dividing between the soul and spirit, the joints and the marrow. He had a name written on his thigh, on the scabbard of his sword, King of kings, and Lord of lords. All judgment is committed unto him, forasmuch as he is the Son of man.

11. Heaven opened—The seer, expecting the apocalyptic exhibition closed at verse 9, is magnificently surprised as he looks upwards and beholds the visible firmament opening, and through its portals the divine array descending to the earth. White horse—Note on Revelation 6:2. Faithful and True—Being the faithful impersonation of truth. In righteousness—Thus he is living truth and righteousness. And in that cause does he judge and make war. Yes, he does judge, and is judge, in the broad Scripture sense of king; but this is not his judicial action. That appears in Revelation 20:11. Make war—He so overrules the wars of the world as to bring out the ultimate triumph of right.

V. 12. And his eyes are a flame of fire-They were said to be as or like a flame of fire, before, Revelation 1:14; an emblem of his omniscience. And upon his head are many diadems-For he is king of all nations. And he hath a name written, which none knoweth but himself-As God he is incomprehensible to every creature.

Verse 12. His eyes were as a flame of fire] To denote the piercing and all-penetrating nature of his wisdom.

On his head were many crowns] To denote the multitude of his conquests, and the extent of his dominion.

A name written, that no man knew] This is a reference to what the rabbins call the shem hammephorash, or tetragrammaton, hwhy YHVH; or what we call Jehovah. This name the Jews never attempt to pronounce: when they meet with it in the Bible, they read ynda Adonai for it; but, to a man, they all declare that no man can pronounce it; and that the true pronunciation has been lost, at least since the Babylonish captivity; and that God alone knows its true interpretation and pronunciation. This, therefore, is the name which no man knew but he himself.

Verses 11-16. And I saw heaven opened — This is a new and peculiar opening of it, in order to show the magnificent expedition of Christ and his attendants against his great adversary; and behold a white horse — Many paid little regard to Christ when he came meek and lowly, riding upon an ass: but what will they say or think, when he comes forth upon his white horse, with the sharp sword of his mouth? The white horse, on which Christ is represented as riding, was intended to denote his justice and holiness, and also that victory and triumph should mark his progress. And he that sat on him was called Faithful — In performing all his promises; and True — In executing all his threatenings; and in righteousness — With the utmost justice and equity; he doth judge and make war — Often the sentence and execution go together. His eyes were as a flame of fire — Gloriously bright and piercing. He is described in such characters as are appropriated to him in this book, and in the ancient prophets; and on his head were many crowns — In token of his numerous conquests, and the many countries now become the kingdoms of our God and of his Christ. And he had a name written upon them that no man knew but himself — The praise of his mediatorial undertaking being ineffable and incomprehensible, and his person mysterious and wonderful, Judges 13:18; Isaiah 9:6. Hence we read, Matthew 11:27, No man knoweth the Son but the Father. And he was clothed with a vesture of pure white, emblematical of his holiness; and dipped in blood — In token of his sufferings; or rather, as some think, of the blood of the enemies already conquered. See Isaiah 63:1, &c. And his name is called, The Word of God — Because he spoke every thing into being, and revealeth his Father and his Father’s will to mankind. In other words, he has this name because he is that glorious and Divine Person, said, John 1:1, 2, to have been in the beginning with God, and to be himself God; and who was the great medium of divine revelation in all ages. And the armies which were in heaven — The heavenly hosts; followed him — As being most willingly and entirely under his command; upon white horses — All the inhabitants of heaven being pure and holy. and all in a state of joy and triumph. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword — Signifying that his word is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword; that with it he should smite the nations — That he was now about to use it in a strict execution of justice on his enemies; and he shall rule them — Who are not slain by his sword; with a rod of iron — That is, if they will not submit to his golden sceptre; see on Psalm 2:9; and he treadeth the wine-press of the fierceness — Tou qumou, of the indignation; and wrath of Almighty God — Signified, probably, by the blood which stained his garments. The metaphor signifies that he shall subdue the proudest of his enemies with as much ease as men crush grapes by treading them under their feet. And — To the everlasting confusion of his enemies, and the perpetual joy of his friends and followers; he hath on his vesture and on his thigh — Or on the part of the vesture which was upon his thigh; a name written — Different from that mentioned above; KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS — To show that he was really possessed of a just dominion over all the princes and kingdoms of the earth; a dominion which the eastern monarchs, and after them the Roman emperors, unjustly attempted to acquire and establish, and a title which, with great vanity, they assumed to themselves. It was usual of old, for great personages in the eastern countries to have magnificent titles inscribed on, or affixed to, their garments.

Ver. 11-16. I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. Kings and commanders in chief have in this way been distinguished from time immemorial. He that sat upon the horse was called faithful and true: Revelation 3:14. He had eyes as a flame of fire, searching the dark devices of his foes. On his head were many crowns, because by him all kings reign, and princes decree judgment. He had a name, the incommunicable name, JEHOVAH, so often ascribed to him, a name above every name. A name which no man knew but he himself, who knows the Father.

He was clothed, as Isaiah had seen him, with a vesture dipped in blood, baptized, bespattered, like the heroes who fight in the throng of battle. Isaiah 63:1-6. And his name is called the Word of God. Psalm 33:6. Jonah 3:1. This is a name, rbd Devar, of constant occurrence in the targums of the elder rabbins for the Messiah; it occurs perhaps fifty times in their paraphrases and notes on the chronicles, for those old men were in effect christians. The authentic records of the temple gave the apostle John the highest support in the use of this sublime name, — Christ, the Word, the Wisdom, the Power of God.

Out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, with two edges, which cuts both ways, dividing between the soul and spirit, the joints and the marrow. He had a name written on his thigh, on the scabbard of his sword, King of kings, and Lord of lords. All judgment is committed unto him, forasmuch as he is the Son of man.

12. Eyes… fire—Note on Revelation 1:14. Dazzling to the view, searching and omniscient in their glance. No enemy can deceive him, no secret lurk from him, no fugitive escape him. Many crowns—In correspondence with his being (verse 16) king of kings and Lord of lords. Name… no man knew—So the Jewish high priest wore on his forehead the name of Jehovah, which none but the high priest might utter. Perhaps the present words mean that Christ is Jehovah. Otherwise the meaning may be, that there are depths—there is a secret—in the nature of Christ, which none can fathom save his self-conscious self.

V. 13. And he is clothed in a vesture dipped in blood-The blood of the enemies he hath already conquered. Isaiah 63:1, &c

Verse 13. He was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood] To show that he was just come from recent slaughter. The description is taken from Isaiah 63:2, 3, where Judas Maccabæus, or some other conqueror, is described.

The Word of God.] Written in the Targum, and in other Jewish writings, yyd armym meimera daiya, “the word of Jehovah;” by which they always mean a person, and not a word spoken. See Clarke’s notes on “John 1:1”, &c.

Verses 11-16. And I saw heaven opened — This is a new and peculiar opening of it, in order to show the magnificent expedition of Christ and his attendants against his great adversary; and behold a white horse — Many paid little regard to Christ when he came meek and lowly, riding upon an ass: but what will they say or think, when he comes forth upon his white horse, with the sharp sword of his mouth? The white horse, on which Christ is represented as riding, was intended to denote his justice and holiness, and also that victory and triumph should mark his progress. And he that sat on him was called Faithful — In performing all his promises; and True — In executing all his threatenings; and in righteousness — With the utmost justice and equity; he doth judge and make war — Often the sentence and execution go together. His eyes were as a flame of fire — Gloriously bright and piercing. He is described in such characters as are appropriated to him in this book, and in the ancient prophets; and on his head were many crowns — In token of his numerous conquests, and the many countries now become the kingdoms of our God and of his Christ. And he had a name written upon them that no man knew but himself — The praise of his mediatorial undertaking being ineffable and incomprehensible, and his person mysterious and wonderful, Judges 13:18; Isaiah 9:6. Hence we read, Matthew 11:27, No man knoweth the Son but the Father. And he was clothed with a vesture of pure white, emblematical of his holiness; and dipped in blood — In token of his sufferings; or rather, as some think, of the blood of the enemies already conquered. See Isaiah 63:1, &c. And his name is called, The Word of God — Because he spoke every thing into being, and revealeth his Father and his Father’s will to mankind. In other words, he has this name because he is that glorious and Divine Person, said, John 1:1, 2, to have been in the beginning with God, and to be himself God; and who was the great medium of divine revelation in all ages. And the armies which were in heaven — The heavenly hosts; followed him — As being most willingly and entirely under his command; upon white horses — All the inhabitants of heaven being pure and holy. and all in a state of joy and triumph. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword — Signifying that his word is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword; that with it he should smite the nations — That he was now about to use it in a strict execution of justice on his enemies; and he shall rule them — Who are not slain by his sword; with a rod of iron — That is, if they will not submit to his golden sceptre; see on Psalm 2:9; and he treadeth the wine-press of the fierceness — Tou qumou, of the indignation; and wrath of Almighty God — Signified, probably, by the blood which stained his garments. The metaphor signifies that he shall subdue the proudest of his enemies with as much ease as men crush grapes by treading them under their feet. And — To the everlasting confusion of his enemies, and the perpetual joy of his friends and followers; he hath on his vesture and on his thigh — Or on the part of the vesture which was upon his thigh; a name written — Different from that mentioned above; KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS — To show that he was really possessed of a just dominion over all the princes and kingdoms of the earth; a dominion which the eastern monarchs, and after them the Roman emperors, unjustly attempted to acquire and establish, and a title which, with great vanity, they assumed to themselves. It was usual of old, for great personages in the eastern countries to have magnificent titles inscribed on, or affixed to, their garments.

Ver. 11-16. I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. Kings and commanders in chief have in this way been distinguished from time immemorial. He that sat upon the horse was called faithful and true: Revelation 3:14. He had eyes as a flame of fire, searching the dark devices of his foes. On his head were many crowns, because by him all kings reign, and princes decree judgment. He had a name, the incommunicable name, JEHOVAH, so often ascribed to him, a name above every name. A name which no man knew but he himself, who knows the Father.

He was clothed, as Isaiah had seen him, with a vesture dipped in blood, baptized, bespattered, like the heroes who fight in the throng of battle. Isaiah 63:1-6. And his name is called the Word of God. Psalm 33:6. Jonah 3:1. This is a name, rbd Devar, of constant occurrence in the targums of the elder rabbins for the Messiah; it occurs perhaps fifty times in their paraphrases and notes on the chronicles, for those old men were in effect christians. The authentic records of the temple gave the apostle John the highest support in the use of this sublime name, — Christ, the Word, the Wisdom, the Power of God.

Out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, with two edges, which cuts both ways, dividing between the soul and spirit, the joints and the marrow. He had a name written on his thigh, on the scabbard of his sword, King of kings, and Lord of lords. All judgment is committed unto him, forasmuch as he is the Son of man.

13. A vesture dipped in blood—The allusion may be to Isaiah 63:1, 2, where a warrior comes from Bozrah, with garments “dyed,” that is, “sprinkled,” with blood. But here the word dipt, bebammenon, suggests that there may be an allusion to his own atoning blood. This view lies in close connexion with his gospel name next given, and with the white raiment of the armies, next verse. His name—Known to the world as his gospel name. Word of God—The incarnate expression to men of the divine nature. Hence a name of truth, of revelation, and of salvation. And so our John says in his Gospel, Revelation 1:14, “The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us… full of grace and truth.” The armies— Namely, of martyred, disembodied spirits; the souls once under the altar, Revelation 6:9-11; then, on Mount Zion, with the Lamb, Revelation 14:1-5: next, here; and finally, as the souls of Revelation 20:4. Fine linen—The righteousness of the saints, verse 18. White—The leader is arrayed in red; the armies are in white. They are whitened by his crimson. They bear no carnal armour; they are the white warriors for purity and peace.

Verse 14. The armies which were in heaven] Angels and saints over whom Jesus Christ is Captain,

Clothed in fine linen] All holy, pure, and righteous.

Verses 11-16. And I saw heaven opened — This is a new and peculiar opening of it, in order to show the magnificent expedition of Christ and his attendants against his great adversary; and behold a white horse — Many paid little regard to Christ when he came meek and lowly, riding upon an ass: but what will they say or think, when he comes forth upon his white horse, with the sharp sword of his mouth? The white horse, on which Christ is represented as riding, was intended to denote his justice and holiness, and also that victory and triumph should mark his progress. And he that sat on him was called Faithful — In performing all his promises; and True — In executing all his threatenings; and in righteousness — With the utmost justice and equity; he doth judge and make war — Often the sentence and execution go together. His eyes were as a flame of fire — Gloriously bright and piercing. He is described in such characters as are appropriated to him in this book, and in the ancient prophets; and on his head were many crowns — In token of his numerous conquests, and the many countries now become the kingdoms of our God and of his Christ. And he had a name written upon them that no man knew but himself — The praise of his mediatorial undertaking being ineffable and incomprehensible, and his person mysterious and wonderful, Judges 13:18; Isaiah 9:6. Hence we read, Matthew 11:27, No man knoweth the Son but the Father. And he was clothed with a vesture of pure white, emblematical of his holiness; and dipped in blood — In token of his sufferings; or rather, as some think, of the blood of the enemies already conquered. See Isaiah 63:1, &c. And his name is called, The Word of God — Because he spoke every thing into being, and revealeth his Father and his Father’s will to mankind. In other words, he has this name because he is that glorious and Divine Person, said, John 1:1, 2, to have been in the beginning with God, and to be himself God; and who was the great medium of divine revelation in all ages. And the armies which were in heaven — The heavenly hosts; followed him — As being most willingly and entirely under his command; upon white horses — All the inhabitants of heaven being pure and holy. and all in a state of joy and triumph. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword — Signifying that his word is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword; that with it he should smite the nations — That he was now about to use it in a strict execution of justice on his enemies; and he shall rule them — Who are not slain by his sword; with a rod of iron — That is, if they will not submit to his golden sceptre; see on Psalm 2:9; and he treadeth the wine-press of the fierceness — Tou qumou, of the indignation; and wrath of Almighty God — Signified, probably, by the blood which stained his garments. The metaphor signifies that he shall subdue the proudest of his enemies with as much ease as men crush grapes by treading them under their feet. And — To the everlasting confusion of his enemies, and the perpetual joy of his friends and followers; he hath on his vesture and on his thigh — Or on the part of the vesture which was upon his thigh; a name written — Different from that mentioned above; KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS — To show that he was really possessed of a just dominion over all the princes and kingdoms of the earth; a dominion which the eastern monarchs, and after them the Roman emperors, unjustly attempted to acquire and establish, and a title which, with great vanity, they assumed to themselves. It was usual of old, for great personages in the eastern countries to have magnificent titles inscribed on, or affixed to, their garments.

Ver. 11-16. I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. Kings and commanders in chief have in this way been distinguished from time immemorial. He that sat upon the horse was called faithful and true: Revelation 3:14. He had eyes as a flame of fire, searching the dark devices of his foes. On his head were many crowns, because by him all kings reign, and princes decree judgment. He had a name, the incommunicable name, JEHOVAH, so often ascribed to him, a name above every name. A name which no man knew but he himself, who knows the Father.

He was clothed, as Isaiah had seen him, with a vesture dipped in blood, baptized, bespattered, like the heroes who fight in the throng of battle. Isaiah 63:1-6. And his name is called the Word of God. Psalm 33:6. Jonah 3:1. This is a name, rbd Devar, of constant occurrence in the targums of the elder rabbins for the Messiah; it occurs perhaps fifty times in their paraphrases and notes on the chronicles, for those old men were in effect christians. The authentic records of the temple gave the apostle John the highest support in the use of this sublime name, — Christ, the Word, the Wisdom, the Power of God.

Out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, with two edges, which cuts both ways, dividing between the soul and spirit, the joints and the marrow. He had a name written on his thigh, on the scabbard of his sword, King of kings, and Lord of lords. All judgment is committed unto him, forasmuch as he is the Son of man.

V. 15. And he shall rule them-Who are not slain by his sword. With a rod of iron-That is, if they will not submit to his golden sceptre. And he treadeth the wine press of the wrath of God-That is, he executes his judgments on the ungodly.

This ruler of the nations was born (or appeared as such) immediately after the seventh angel began to sound. He now appears, not as a child, but as a victorious warrior. The nations have long ago felt his "iron rod," partly while the heathen Romans, after their savage persecution of the Christians, themselves groaned under numberless plagues and calamities, by his righteous vengeance; partly, while other heathens have been broken in pieces by those who bore the Christian name. For although the cruelty, for example, of the Spaniards in America, was unrighteous and detestable, yet did God therein execute his righteous judgment on the unbelieving nations; but they shall experience his iron rod as they never did yet, and then will they all return to their rightful Lord.

Verse 15. Out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword] See Clarke on “Revelation 1:16”. This appears to mean the word of the Gospel, by which his enemies are confounded, and his friends supported and comforted.

With a rod of iron] He shall execute the severest judgment on the opposers of his truth.

He treaded the winepress] As the grapes are trodden to express the juice, so his enemies shall be bruised and beaten, so that their life’s blood shall be poured out.

Verses 11-16. And I saw heaven opened — This is a new and peculiar opening of it, in order to show the magnificent expedition of Christ and his attendants against his great adversary; and behold a white horse — Many paid little regard to Christ when he came meek and lowly, riding upon an ass: but what will they say or think, when he comes forth upon his white horse, with the sharp sword of his mouth? The white horse, on which Christ is represented as riding, was intended to denote his justice and holiness, and also that victory and triumph should mark his progress. And he that sat on him was called Faithful — In performing all his promises; and True — In executing all his threatenings; and in righteousness — With the utmost justice and equity; he doth judge and make war — Often the sentence and execution go together. His eyes were as a flame of fire — Gloriously bright and piercing. He is described in such characters as are appropriated to him in this book, and in the ancient prophets; and on his head were many crowns — In token of his numerous conquests, and the many countries now become the kingdoms of our God and of his Christ. And he had a name written upon them that no man knew but himself — The praise of his mediatorial undertaking being ineffable and incomprehensible, and his person mysterious and wonderful, Judges 13:18; Isaiah 9:6. Hence we read, Matthew 11:27, No man knoweth the Son but the Father. And he was clothed with a vesture of pure white, emblematical of his holiness; and dipped in blood — In token of his sufferings; or rather, as some think, of the blood of the enemies already conquered. See Isaiah 63:1, &c. And his name is called, The Word of God — Because he spoke every thing into being, and revealeth his Father and his Father’s will to mankind. In other words, he has this name because he is that glorious and Divine Person, said, John 1:1, 2, to have been in the beginning with God, and to be himself God; and who was the great medium of divine revelation in all ages. And the armies which were in heaven — The heavenly hosts; followed him — As being most willingly and entirely under his command; upon white horses — All the inhabitants of heaven being pure and holy. and all in a state of joy and triumph. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword — Signifying that his word is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword; that with it he should smite the nations — That he was now about to use it in a strict execution of justice on his enemies; and he shall rule them — Who are not slain by his sword; with a rod of iron — That is, if they will not submit to his golden sceptre; see on Psalm 2:9; and he treadeth the wine-press of the fierceness — Tou qumou, of the indignation; and wrath of Almighty God — Signified, probably, by the blood which stained his garments. The metaphor signifies that he shall subdue the proudest of his enemies with as much ease as men crush grapes by treading them under their feet. And — To the everlasting confusion of his enemies, and the perpetual joy of his friends and followers; he hath on his vesture and on his thigh — Or on the part of the vesture which was upon his thigh; a name written — Different from that mentioned above; KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS — To show that he was really possessed of a just dominion over all the princes and kingdoms of the earth; a dominion which the eastern monarchs, and after them the Roman emperors, unjustly attempted to acquire and establish, and a title which, with great vanity, they assumed to themselves. It was usual of old, for great personages in the eastern countries to have magnificent titles inscribed on, or affixed to, their garments.

Ver. 11-16. I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. Kings and commanders in chief have in this way been distinguished from time immemorial. He that sat upon the horse was called faithful and true: Revelation 3:14. He had eyes as a flame of fire, searching the dark devices of his foes. On his head were many crowns, because by him all kings reign, and princes decree judgment. He had a name, the incommunicable name, JEHOVAH, so often ascribed to him, a name above every name. A name which no man knew but he himself, who knows the Father.

He was clothed, as Isaiah had seen him, with a vesture dipped in blood, baptized, bespattered, like the heroes who fight in the throng of battle. Isaiah 63:1-6. And his name is called the Word of God. Psalm 33:6. Jonah 3:1. This is a name, rbd Devar, of constant occurrence in the targums of the elder rabbins for the Messiah; it occurs perhaps fifty times in their paraphrases and notes on the chronicles, for those old men were in effect christians. The authentic records of the temple gave the apostle John the highest support in the use of this sublime name, — Christ, the Word, the Wisdom, the Power of God.

Out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, with two edges, which cuts both ways, dividing between the soul and spirit, the joints and the marrow. He had a name written on his thigh, on the scabbard of his sword, King of kings, and Lord of lords. All judgment is committed unto him, forasmuch as he is the Son of man.

15. There is but one sword in the armies, and that belongs to the leader. And it brandishes not from his hand, but from his mouth. The image blends the double thought of conversion and destruction. See note on 1:16. Here is verified the truth of our note on St. Paul’s (2 Thessalonians 2:8) “whom the Lord shall destroy with the spirit of his mouth.” Here it is the spiritual power going forth from the lips of the Word of God that overthrows the power of antichrist. At Revelation 20:9, 10, that same antichrist will be not only overthrown but destroyed “by the brightness of his coming.” Smite the nations—But not destroy. On the extent of these nations see note, Revelation 17:16. Rule them—Literally, shall shepherd them. He guards and controls them as the sheep of his pasture. But his crook is a powerful, or benevolently despotic, one. It is a rod (or sceptre) of iron—It rules with exactness, and those unyielding to its sway receive its destroying stroke. Treadeth the wine-press—The ruddy image of carnage and destruction.

V. 16. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh-That is, on the part of his vesture which is upon his thigh.

A name written-It was usual of old, for great personages in the eastern countries, to have magnificent titles affixed to their garments.

Verse 16. On his vesture and on his thigh a name written] Dr. Dodd has well observed on this passage, that “it appears to have been an ancient custom among several nations to adorn the images of their deities, princes, victors at public games, and other eminent persons, with inscriptions, expressing either the character of the persons, their names, or some other circumstance which might contribute to their honour; and to that custom the description here given of Christ may possibly have some allusion. “There are several such images yet extant, with an inscription written either on the garment, or on one of the thighs, or on that part of the garment which was over the thigh; and probably this is the meaning of the apostle. And as these inscriptions are placed on the upper garment, Grotius seems very justly to have explained the words epi to imation, by his imperial robe, that his power in this victory might be conspicuous to all. But as a farther confirmation of this sense of the passage it may not be improper here to describe briefly several remarkable figures of this sort, which are still extant.” This description I shall give from my own examination.

1. HERODOTUS, Euterpe, lib. ii. p. 127, edit. Gale, speaking of the actions of Sesostris, and of the images he set up in the countries which he conquered, has the following words: eisi peri iwnihn duo tupoi en petrhsi egkekolammenoi toutou tou androv, k. t. l. “Two images likewise of this man are seen in Ionia, on the way that leads from Ephesus to Phocæa, and from Sardis to Smyrna. The figure is five palms in height; in his right hand he holds a dart, in his left a bow, armed after the manner of the Egyptians and Ethiopians. On a line drawn across the breast, from one shoulder to the other, are these words, written in Egyptian hieroglyphics: ego thnde thn cwrhn wmoisi toisi emoisi ekthsamhn. ‘I obtained this country by these my shoulders;’“ i.e., by my own power.

2. In the Etruria Regalis of Dempster, in the appendix at the end of vol. ii., there is a beautiful female figure of brass, about twelve inches high, the hair gracefully plaited, and the head adorned with a diadem. She has a tunic without sleeves, and over that a sort of pallium. On the outside of the right thigh, close to the tunic, and probably on it, in the original, is an inscription in Etruscan characters. What these import I cannot say. Dempster has given a general explanation of the image in the appendix to the above volume, p. 108. The plate itself is the eighty-third of the work.

3. There are two other images found in the same author, vol. i., p. 91, tab. xxiv.; the first is naked, with the exception of a short loose jupe, or petticoat, which goes round the loins, and over the left arm. On the left thigh of this image there is an inscription in Etruscan characters. The second has a similar jupe, but much longer, which extends to the calf of the leg, and is supported over the bended left arm. Over the right thigh, on this vesture, there is an Etruscan inscription in two lines.

4. MONTFAUCON, Antiquite Expliquee, vol. iii., part 2, p. 268, has introduced an account of two fine images, which are represented tab. CLVII. The first is a warrior entirely naked, except a collar, one bracelet, and boots. On his left thigh, extending from the groin to a little below the knee, is an inscription in very ancient Etruscan characters, in two lines, but the import is unknown.

The second is a small figure of brass, about six inches long, with a loose tunic, which is suspended from the left shoulder down to the calf of the legs. On this tunic, over the left thigh, is an inscription (perhaps) in very ancient Latin characters, but in the Etruscan language, as the learned author conjectures. It is in one line, but what it means is equally unknown.

5. In the same work, p. 269, tab. CLVIII., another Etruscan warrior is represented entirely naked; on the left thigh is the following words in uncial Greek letters, kafisodwrov, and on the right thigh, aisclamiou, i.e., “Kaphisodorus, the son of Aischlamius.” All these inscriptions are written longitudinally on the thigh.

6. GRUTER, vol. iii., p. DCCCCLXXXIX, sub. tit. Affectus Servorum et Libertinorum inter se, et in suos, gives us the figure of a naked warrior, with his left hand on an axe, the end of whose helve rests on the ground, with the following inscription on the inside of his left thigh, longitudinally written, as in all other cases:—

A. POBLICIUS. D. L. ANTIOC.

TI. BARBIUS. Q. P. L. TIBER.

7. The rabbins say, that “God gave to the Israelites a sword, on which the ineffable name hwhy Yehovah was inscribed; and as long as they held that sword the angel of death had no power over them.” Shemoth Rabba, sec. 51, fol. 143, 2. Bemidbar Rabba, sec. 12, fol. 214, 2.

In the latter tract, sec. 16, fol. 232, 3, and in Rab. Tanchum, fol. 66, mention is made of the guardian angels of the Israelites, who were clothed with purple vestments, on which was inscribed vrwpmh שם shem hammephorash, the ineffable name. See more in Schoettgen.

8. But what comes nearer to the point, in reference to the title given here to Christ, is what is related of Sesostris by DIODORUS Siculus, lib. i. c. 55, p. 166, edit. Bipont, of whom he says: “Having pushed his conquests as far as Thrace, he erected pillars, on which were the following words in Egyptian hieroglyphics: thnde thn cwran oploiv katestreyato toiv eautou basileuv basilewn, kai despothv despotwn, sesowsiv.” This province, Sesoosis, (Sesostris,) KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS, conquered by his own arms. This inscription is conceived almost in the words of St. John. Now the Greek historian did not borrow the words from the apostle, as he died in the reign of Augustus, about the time of our Lord’s incarnation. This cannot be the same inscription mentioned above by Herodotus, the one being in Ionia, the other in Thrace: but as he erected several of those pillars or images, probably a nearly similar inscription was found on each.

9. This custom seems to have been common among the ancient Egyptians. Inscriptions are frequently found on the images of Isis, Osiris, Anubis, &c., at the feet, on the head, on the back, on the girdle, &c., &c. Eight of those ancient images in my own collection abound with these inscriptions.

1. Osiris, four inches and a quarter high, standing on a thrones all covered over with hieroglyphics exquisitely engraved.

2. Anubis, six inches high, with a tiara, on the back of which is cut LEGORNUQ, in uncial Greek characters.

3. The Cercopithecus, seven inches long, sitting on a pedestal, and at his feet, in the same characters, CADEO.

4. An Isis, about eight inches high, on her back DRUGO.

5. Ditto, seven inches, beautifully cut, standing, holding a serpent in her left hand, and at her feet ETAPUGI.

6. Ditto, five inches and a quarter, round whose girdle is PIEUCUDI; but part of this inscription appears to be hidden under her-arms, which are extended by her side.

7. Ditto, five inches high, hooded, with a loose stola, down the back of which are seven lines of Greek uncial characters, but nearly obliterated.

8. Ditto, four inches high, with a girdle going round the back immediately under the arms, the front of which is hidden under a sort of a stomacher; on the part that appears are these characters, CENLA. These may be all intended as a kind of abrasaxas or tutelary deities; and I give this notice of them, and the inscriptions upon them, partly in illustration of the text, and partly to engage my learned and antiquarian readers in attempts to decipher them. I would have given the Etruscan characters on the other images described above, but have no method of imitating them except by an engraving.

As these kinds of inscriptions on the thigh, the garments, and different parts of the body, were in use among different nations, to express character, conduct, qualities, and conquests, we may rest assured that to them St. John alludes when he represents our sovereign Lord with an inscription upon his vesture and upon his thigh; and had we not found it a custom among other nations, we should have been at a loss to account for its introduction and meaning here.

Verses 11-16. And I saw heaven opened — This is a new and peculiar opening of it, in order to show the magnificent expedition of Christ and his attendants against his great adversary; and behold a white horse — Many paid little regard to Christ when he came meek and lowly, riding upon an ass: but what will they say or think, when he comes forth upon his white horse, with the sharp sword of his mouth? The white horse, on which Christ is represented as riding, was intended to denote his justice and holiness, and also that victory and triumph should mark his progress. And he that sat on him was called Faithful — In performing all his promises; and True — In executing all his threatenings; and in righteousness — With the utmost justice and equity; he doth judge and make war — Often the sentence and execution go together. His eyes were as a flame of fire — Gloriously bright and piercing. He is described in such characters as are appropriated to him in this book, and in the ancient prophets; and on his head were many crowns — In token of his numerous conquests, and the many countries now become the kingdoms of our God and of his Christ. And he had a name written upon them that no man knew but himself — The praise of his mediatorial undertaking being ineffable and incomprehensible, and his person mysterious and wonderful, Judges 13:18; Isaiah 9:6. Hence we read, Matthew 11:27, No man knoweth the Son but the Father. And he was clothed with a vesture of pure white, emblematical of his holiness; and dipped in blood — In token of his sufferings; or rather, as some think, of the blood of the enemies already conquered. See Isaiah 63:1, &c. And his name is called, The Word of God — Because he spoke every thing into being, and revealeth his Father and his Father’s will to mankind. In other words, he has this name because he is that glorious and Divine Person, said, John 1:1, 2, to have been in the beginning with God, and to be himself God; and who was the great medium of divine revelation in all ages. And the armies which were in heaven — The heavenly hosts; followed him — As being most willingly and entirely under his command; upon white horses — All the inhabitants of heaven being pure and holy. and all in a state of joy and triumph. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword — Signifying that his word is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword; that with it he should smite the nations — That he was now about to use it in a strict execution of justice on his enemies; and he shall rule them — Who are not slain by his sword; with a rod of iron — That is, if they will not submit to his golden sceptre; see on Psalm 2:9; and he treadeth the wine-press of the fierceness — Tou qumou, of the indignation; and wrath of Almighty God — Signified, probably, by the blood which stained his garments. The metaphor signifies that he shall subdue the proudest of his enemies with as much ease as men crush grapes by treading them under their feet. And — To the everlasting confusion of his enemies, and the perpetual joy of his friends and followers; he hath on his vesture and on his thigh — Or on the part of the vesture which was upon his thigh; a name written — Different from that mentioned above; KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS — To show that he was really possessed of a just dominion over all the princes and kingdoms of the earth; a dominion which the eastern monarchs, and after them the Roman emperors, unjustly attempted to acquire and establish, and a title which, with great vanity, they assumed to themselves. It was usual of old, for great personages in the eastern countries to have magnificent titles inscribed on, or affixed to, their garments.

Ver. 11-16. I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. Kings and commanders in chief have in this way been distinguished from time immemorial. He that sat upon the horse was called faithful and true: Revelation 3:14. He had eyes as a flame of fire, searching the dark devices of his foes. On his head were many crowns, because by him all kings reign, and princes decree judgment. He had a name, the incommunicable name, JEHOVAH, so often ascribed to him, a name above every name. A name which no man knew but he himself, who knows the Father.

He was clothed, as Isaiah had seen him, with a vesture dipped in blood, baptized, bespattered, like the heroes who fight in the throng of battle. Isaiah 63:1-6. And his name is called the Word of God. Psalm 33:6. Jonah 3:1. This is a name, rbd Devar, of constant occurrence in the targums of the elder rabbins for the Messiah; it occurs perhaps fifty times in their paraphrases and notes on the chronicles, for those old men were in effect christians. The authentic records of the temple gave the apostle John the highest support in the use of this sublime name, — Christ, the Word, the Wisdom, the Power of God.

Out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, with two edges, which cuts both ways, dividing between the soul and spirit, the joints and the marrow. He had a name written on his thigh, on the scabbard of his sword, King of kings, and Lord of lords. All judgment is committed unto him, forasmuch as he is the Son of man.

16. On his vesture… thigh—On his vesture overspreading his thigh. King… lords—Great sovereigns, like those of Persia, who had kings and viceroys for their vassals, were accustomed to display this title. But none but He who here wears it is entitled to its universal extent. The arts and forces of war are now in the hands of our Christian civilization. This began to be the fact when Charlemagne subdued the savage Saxons, and brought the peace and unity upon which the modern civilized system has been based. It was the fact when Charles Martel drove back the tide of Mohammedan invasion. Christian preeminence is now slowly, yet with increasing rapidity, spreading Europeanism over Asia, and invading, from all sides, the “dark continent” of Africa. And the Protestant power is through every decade overmastering the forces of the papacy. Who does not know that a higher Christian civilization, either by war or peace, must overspread America within a century or two more? All this because Messiah shepherds the nations with a rod of iron.

V. 17. Gather yourselves together to the great supper of God-As to a great feast, which the vengeance of God will soon provide; a strongly figurative expression, (taken from Ezekiel 39:17,) denoting the vastness of the ensuing slaughter.

Verse 17. An angel standing in the sun] Exceedingly luminous; every part of him emitting rays of light. From this representation, Milton has taken his description of Uriel, the angel of the sun. Paradise Lost, b. iii. l. 648:—

“The Archangel Uriel, one of the seven

Who, in God’s presence, nearest to his throne

Stands ready at command and are his eyes

That run through all the heavens, or down to the earth

Bears his swift errands over moist and dry,

Over sea and land.”

All the fowls that fly] The carcasses of God’s enemies shall be food for all the fowls of heaven. This is according to a Jewish tradition, Synopsis Sohar, p. 114, n. 25: “In the time when God shall execute vengeance for the people of Israel, he shall feed all the beasts of the earth for twelve months with their flesh and all the fowls for seven years.” It is well known that both beasts and birds of prey are accustomed to frequent fields of battle, and live upon the slain.

Verses 17-19. And I saw an angel standing in the sun — And therefore conspicuous to all; and he cried with a loud voice to all the fowls of heaven — To intimate the slaughter and desolation which were soon to come upon the enemies of the church; saying, Come, gather yourselves together to the supper of the great God — To the great feast which his vengeance will soon provide; a strongly figurative expression, taken from Ezekiel 39:17, denoting the vastness of the ensuing slaughter. And I saw the beast — Appearing again, as at the head of the antichristian interest, see Revelation 13:1, &c.; and the kings of the earth — The ten kings mentioned Revelation 17:12, who aided and supported that persecuting power, and had now drawn other kings of the earth to them; and their armies gathered together — All the forces they could collect, all the enemies of truth and righteousness; to make war against him that sat on the horse — To oppose the progress of his gospel, and the enlargement of his kingdom. All beings, good and bad, visible and invisible, will be concerned in this grand contest.

Ver. 17-19. I saw an angel standing in the sun, and shining like him in splendour. And he cried, come, eat the flesh of all men, small and great, the prince and the peasant, the rich and the poor. What battle was this to be? Not an indecisive action, seeing the King himself commanded in person; and the Lord being a man of war, all the armies of heaven are in his train. It must therefore be a battle. Ah, no; not a battle, but a slaughter without resistance, a carnage, after the capture of the beast, which pursued the remnant. It was a war against the kings and the captains, who glutted their concupiscence with the spoliations of the apostate church. Therefore, in the most sober deliberations of my mind, it is a war of God’s fierce anger against the infidel world, as defined in the comments on the Gog and Magog of Ezekiel. It is a war against “Mesheck and Tubal,” the Turks of Asia; against the “Hamonah,” the children of Ham; and “the isles of the gentiles,” Chittim, the Greeks, or the infidels of France and other nations. It is a war of God’s wrath, when he will tread the winepress, as Isaiah has said. But who may abide the day of his coming?

17. And—A sublime taunt now upon the dark and puny enemies of advancing truth and righteousness. There will be, not a battle, but a feast for the birds of the air. The onward wheels of progress towards the millennium will crush all opponents on the track. Angel standing in the sun—A most splendid image. The sun is a large, luminous orb, in which the angel-form stands like a picture in a radiant circular frame. The sun is a favourite and goodly emblem. Its angel is on the side of the Prince of Light. Cried… to all the fowls—As lord of the firmament the birds of the air are his subjects, and obey his call; especially a call so welcome as this. Midst of heaven—The mid-heaven, space between heaven and earth, for all the fowls that fly. The supper—The principal meal of the day; banquet.

Verse 18. That ye may eat the flesh of kings] There shall be a universal destruction; the kings, generals, captains, and all their host, shall be slain.

Verses 17-19. And I saw an angel standing in the sun — And therefore conspicuous to all; and he cried with a loud voice to all the fowls of heaven — To intimate the slaughter and desolation which were soon to come upon the enemies of the church; saying, Come, gather yourselves together to the supper of the great God — To the great feast which his vengeance will soon provide; a strongly figurative expression, taken from Ezekiel 39:17, denoting the vastness of the ensuing slaughter. And I saw the beast — Appearing again, as at the head of the antichristian interest, see Revelation 13:1, &c.; and the kings of the earth — The ten kings mentioned Revelation 17:12, who aided and supported that persecuting power, and had now drawn other kings of the earth to them; and their armies gathered together — All the forces they could collect, all the enemies of truth and righteousness; to make war against him that sat on the horse — To oppose the progress of his gospel, and the enlargement of his kingdom. All beings, good and bad, visible and invisible, will be concerned in this grand contest.

Ver. 17-19. I saw an angel standing in the sun, and shining like him in splendour. And he cried, come, eat the flesh of all men, small and great, the prince and the peasant, the rich and the poor. What battle was this to be? Not an indecisive action, seeing the King himself commanded in person; and the Lord being a man of war, all the armies of heaven are in his train. It must therefore be a battle. Ah, no; not a battle, but a slaughter without resistance, a carnage, after the capture of the beast, which pursued the remnant. It was a war against the kings and the captains, who glutted their concupiscence with the spoliations of the apostate church. Therefore, in the most sober deliberations of my mind, it is a war of God’s fierce anger against the infidel world, as defined in the comments on the Gog and Magog of Ezekiel. It is a war against “Mesheck and Tubal,” the Turks of Asia; against the “Hamonah,” the children of Ham; and “the isles of the gentiles,” Chittim, the Greeks, or the infidels of France and other nations. It is a war of God’s wrath, when he will tread the winepress, as Isaiah has said. But who may abide the day of his coming?

18. Eat the flesh—The enumeration takes in the army ranks, kings, captains, that is, chiliarchs or commanders of a thousand, our colonels: mighty men, powerful fighters, and the entire cavalry, that is, doubtless, the whole army. To these are added all men; the men in italics is not in the Greek. It means all adherents to the side of old darkness. It is to be noted, very specially, that the living nations are not cut off by this massacre. In verse 15 it is said that he will smite, but not destroy, the nations; in Revelation 20:3 it is said Satan is shut down that he should not deceive the nations; and in Revelation 20:8, at close of the millennium, Satan does go forth to deceive the nations. It is demonstration then, that through this battle, and through the millennium, and until the great white throne of Revelation 20:11, there is an uninterrupted roll of the successive generations of the nations.

Flesh of kings—To show the rich variety of the supper, flesh is repeated at each enumerated rank; and the word flesh is, in fact, in the Greek, plural; thus taking in the individuals of every rank. Horses, and of them that sit on them—The cavalry, probably including the whole army, as both armies seem to be on horseback.

V. 19. And I saw the kings of the earth-The ten kings mentioned Revelation 17:12; who had now drawn the other kings of the earth to them, whether Popish, Mahometan, or pagan.

Gathered together to make war with him that sat upon the horse-All beings, good and evil, visible and invisible, will be concerned in this grand contest. See Zechariah 14:1, &c.

Verse 19. I saw the beast] See the notes on chapters xii., xiii., and xvii. {Revelation 12:1-13:18; 17:1-18}

Verses 17-19. And I saw an angel standing in the sun — And therefore conspicuous to all; and he cried with a loud voice to all the fowls of heaven — To intimate the slaughter and desolation which were soon to come upon the enemies of the church; saying, Come, gather yourselves together to the supper of the great God — To the great feast which his vengeance will soon provide; a strongly figurative expression, taken from Ezekiel 39:17, denoting the vastness of the ensuing slaughter. And I saw the beast — Appearing again, as at the head of the antichristian interest, see Revelation 13:1, &c.; and the kings of the earth — The ten kings mentioned Revelation 17:12, who aided and supported that persecuting power, and had now drawn other kings of the earth to them; and their armies gathered together — All the forces they could collect, all the enemies of truth and righteousness; to make war against him that sat on the horse — To oppose the progress of his gospel, and the enlargement of his kingdom. All beings, good and bad, visible and invisible, will be concerned in this grand contest.

Ver. 17-19. I saw an angel standing in the sun, and shining like him in splendour. And he cried, come, eat the flesh of all men, small and great, the prince and the peasant, the rich and the poor. What battle was this to be? Not an indecisive action, seeing the King himself commanded in person; and the Lord being a man of war, all the armies of heaven are in his train. It must therefore be a battle. Ah, no; not a battle, but a slaughter without resistance, a carnage, after the capture of the beast, which pursued the remnant. It was a war against the kings and the captains, who glutted their concupiscence with the spoliations of the apostate church. Therefore, in the most sober deliberations of my mind, it is a war of God’s fierce anger against the infidel world, as defined in the comments on the Gog and Magog of Ezekiel. It is a war against “Mesheck and Tubal,” the Turks of Asia; against the “Hamonah,” the children of Ham; and “the isles of the gentiles,” Chittim, the Greeks, or the infidels of France and other nations. It is a war of God’s wrath, when he will tread the winepress, as Isaiah has said. But who may abide the day of his coming?

19. And—Though the adverse armament and array seem to be fearfully great, the battle seems to be no battle. Make war—Nobody seems to be slain of the armies of heaven.

V. 20. The false prophet, who had wrought the miracles before him-And therefore shared in his punishment; these two ungodly men were cast alive-Without undergoing bodily death.

Into the lake of fire-And that before the devil himself, Revelation 20:10. Here is the last of the beast. After several repeated strokes of omnipotence, he is gone alive into hell. There were two that went alive into heaven; perhaps there are two that go alive into hell. It may be, Enoch and Elijah entered at once into glory, without first waiting in paradise; the beast and the false prophet plunge at once into the extremest degree of torment, without being reserved in chains of darkness till the judgment of the great day. Surely, none but the beast of Rome would have hardened himself thus against the God he pretended to adore, or refused to have repented under such dreadful, repeated visitations! Well is he styled a beast, from his carnal and vile affections; a wild beast, from his savage and cruel spirit! The rest were slain-A like difference is afterwards made between the devil, and Gog and Magog, Revelation 20:9,10.

Verse 20. And the beast was taken, and-the false prophet] See Clarke’s notes on “Revelation 17:8”, &c.

That worshipped his image.] The beast has been represented as the Latin empire; the image of the beast, the popes of Rome; and the false prophet, the papal clergy.

Were cast alive into a lake of fire] Were discomfited when alive-in the zenith of their power, and destroyed with an utter destruction.

Verses 20, 21. And — The issue was such as might be expected: Christ and his saints obtained a full and entire victory; a victory as complete as when the generals and all the chief officers of an enemy’s army are made prisoners of war, and the rest are cut to pieces in the field of battle. For the beast — The idolatrous persecuting power represented thereby; and the false prophet, that wrought miracles before him — That, by pretended miracles and false doctrine, had supported the apostacy; that is, the antichristian tyranny, and the corrupt clergy, were taken, were made prisoners, and condemned to suffer the most exemplary punishment by the hands of justice. These both were cast alive — Without undergoing bodily death; into the lake of fire, burning with brimstone — And that, it seems, before the devil himself, chap. 20:10. Here is the last of the beast and of the false prophet. After several repeated strokes of divine vengeance, they are represented as delivered to suffer the vengeance of eternal fire. They are plunged at once into the extremest degree of torment, without being reserved in chains of darkness to the judgment of the great day. Surely none but the beast and false prophet of Rome, the persecutors and deceivers of that antichristian kingdom, could have hardened themselves thus against the God they pretended to adore; or refused to have repented under such dreadful and repeated visitations. And the remnant — Those of inferior rank and power, who had aided and abetted the apostacy, and concurred in opposing the truth and religion of Christ; were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which proceeded out of his mouth — That is, with the word of Christ, like the common soldiers of a conquered army, who fall in the field of battle, and are left there unburied, a prey to the fowls of the air, which feed on them, and are filled with their flesh — Their substance being seized for other persons, and other uses. A most magnificent description this of the final overthrow of the beast and false prophet, and all their adherents. It has, in particular, one exquisite beauty, that, after exhibiting the two opposite armies, and all the apparatus for a battle, (verses 11-19,) then follows immediately (verse 20) the account of the victory, without one word of an engagement or fighting. Here is the most exact propriety; for what struggle can there be between Omnipotence and the power of all the creation united against it? Every description must have fallen short of this admirable silence. The intelligent reader will easily observe, that the description is not only incomparably sublime, but strongly figurative; and that, speaking in plain language, its design is to show, in the most expressive manner, the complete downfall of Popery, with all its delusive and destructive abominations, and the triumphs of the pure and genuine religion of Jesus; the true word of God will in the end prevail over every species of superstition and idolatry: all the powers of antichrist shall be completely subdued: and the religion of Rome, as well as Rome itself, be totally destroyed.

20. Capture of the adverse leaders. The beast and the false prophet—The latter the two-horned lamb, and so clearly an ecclesiastical deceiver. In the false prophet the entire pseudo-spiritual body (the image of xiii included) as the corrupt spokesmen of a corrupt Church are individualized as a single person. Lake… brimstone—Note on Revelation 20:14, 15. Alive— Not slain, like the remnant of next verse. As both these personages are allegorical, we may be at a loss, at first, what can be meant by their being cast into Gehenna. But the thought appears to be, that hell is the final receptacle of all that is essentially evil, whether persons, systems, or principles, whether personal or abstract; just as the bottomless pit, (Revelation 20:9,) is its source. It is not said (Revelation 20:10) that these two were tormented as the dragon is.

V. 21. Here is a most magnificent description of the overthrow of the beast and his adherents. It has, in particular, one exquisite beauty; that, after exhibiting the two opposite armies, and all the apparatus for a battle, Revelation 19:11-19; then follows immediately, Revelation 19:20, the account of the victory, without one word of an engagement or fighting. Here is the most exact propriety; for what struggle can there be between omnipotence, and the power of all the creation united against it! Every description must have fallen short of this admirable silence.

Verse 21. With the sword of him that sat upon the horse] He who sat on the white horse is Christ; and his sword is his word-the unadulterated Gospel.

REVELATION

Verses 20, 21. And — The issue was such as might be expected: Christ and his saints obtained a full and entire victory; a victory as complete as when the generals and all the chief officers of an enemy’s army are made prisoners of war, and the rest are cut to pieces in the field of battle. For the beast — The idolatrous persecuting power represented thereby; and the false prophet, that wrought miracles before him — That, by pretended miracles and false doctrine, had supported the apostacy; that is, the antichristian tyranny, and the corrupt clergy, were taken, were made prisoners, and condemned to suffer the most exemplary punishment by the hands of justice. These both were cast alive — Without undergoing bodily death; into the lake of fire, burning with brimstone — And that, it seems, before the devil himself, chap. 20:10. Here is the last of the beast and of the false prophet. After several repeated strokes of divine vengeance, they are represented as delivered to suffer the vengeance of eternal fire. They are plunged at once into the extremest degree of torment, without being reserved in chains of darkness to the judgment of the great day. Surely none but the beast and false prophet of Rome, the persecutors and deceivers of that antichristian kingdom, could have hardened themselves thus against the God they pretended to adore; or refused to have repented under such dreadful and repeated visitations. And the remnant — Those of inferior rank and power, who had aided and abetted the apostacy, and concurred in opposing the truth and religion of Christ; were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which proceeded out of his mouth — That is, with the word of Christ, like the common soldiers of a conquered army, who fall in the field of battle, and are left there unburied, a prey to the fowls of the air, which feed on them, and are filled with their flesh — Their substance being seized for other persons, and other uses. A most magnificent description this of the final overthrow of the beast and false prophet, and all their adherents. It has, in particular, one exquisite beauty, that, after exhibiting the two opposite armies, and all the apparatus for a battle, (verses 11-19,) then follows immediately (verse 20) the account of the victory, without one word of an engagement or fighting. Here is the most exact propriety; for what struggle can there be between Omnipotence and the power of all the creation united against it? Every description must have fallen short of this admirable silence. The intelligent reader will easily observe, that the description is not only incomparably sublime, but strongly figurative; and that, speaking in plain language, its design is to show, in the most expressive manner, the complete downfall of Popery, with all its delusive and destructive abominations, and the triumphs of the pure and genuine religion of Jesus; the true word of God will in the end prevail over every species of superstition and idolatry: all the powers of antichrist shall be completely subdued: and the religion of Rome, as well as Rome itself, be totally destroyed.

21. The remnant—The non-military adherents of antichrist. Slain—And so not cast into the lake of fire until after the day of judgment, Revelation 20:11-15. With the sword—One divine weapon does the whole work. Fowls… flesh—The great supper is served; the very substance of the enemies of truth and righteousness is borne to the four points of the compass by God’s aerial servitors. Of the triad of leaders the last and greatest remains to be disposed of. That part is, unhappily, severed from this by the wrong division of chapters.