Mr. Lowman’s Scheme and Order of the Prophecies in the Apocalypse.
MR. LOWMAN’S SCHEME AND ORDER OF THE PROPHECIES IN THE APOCALYPSE. CHAP . I. INTRODUCTION. A. D.
1 - 19. A prophetic vision in the Isle of Patmos, representing Christ; his care of the Churches; promising a revelation; with cautions and exhortations suitable to the then state of the Church, and to its future state in after ages; to encourage patience and constancy in the faith.
FIRST PART of the Apocalypse, relating to the things that are, or to the then state of the Church.
95
II. Seven epistles to the seven Churches of Asia Minor, describing their present state. IV. SECOND PART of the Apocalypse, relating to the things which shall be hereafter; or to the state of the Church in the ages to come after the time of the vision; with cautions and exhortations suitable to it.
Scene of the visions: the throne of God; the consistory above and heavenly Church, representing God's power, majesty, authority, providence, and sure event of all his purposes.
A sealed book, containing a revelation of the state of the Church in after ages, given to the Lamb to open, or to Jesus Christ to reveal for the good of the Church by St. John.
Ver.
8.
Chorus of angels and saints or the whole heavenly Church, sings a psalm of praise to the Lamb.
VI. The revelation begins by opening the sealed book, which describes the future state of the Church in seven successive periods. SEVEN PERIODS.
First period, showing the state of the Church under the heathen Roman emperors, from about the year 95 to about the year 323; the seals of the book opened in order. 95
323
Seven Seals.
1. First seal represents a white horse; the rider with a crown, going forth to conquer, signifying the kingdom of Christ, or Christian religion, prevailing against the opposition of Jews and heathens.
2. Second seal represents a red horse; power given to the rider to take peace from the earth, signifying the first memorable judgment on the persecutors of Christianity in the destruction of the Jews under Trajan and Hadrian.
100
138
3. Third seal represents a black horse; the rider with a balance to measure corn, signifying great scarcity of provisions, near to famine, in the time of the Antonines. 138
139
4. Fourth seal represents a pale horse; the name of the rider Death, signifying great mortality and pestilence, wherewith the empire was punished in the reigns of Maximin and Valerian.
193
270
5. Fifth seal represents the souls of the martyrs under the altar; their reward and deliverance in a short time, signifying the severe persecution in the reign of Diocletian, with an encouragement to constancy suitable to such times of difficulty.
270
304
6. Sixth seal represents earthquakes, sun darkened, stars falling from heaven; signifying great commotions in the empire, from Maximin to Constantine the Great, 304
323 who put a period to the persecution of Rome heathen.
VII. Interval between the first and second periods, representing an angel sealing 144,000 with the seal of the living God; signifying great numbers forsaking the idolatrous worship of the heathen Roman empire, and embracing the profession of Christianity.
Ver. 9 Chorus of the heavenly Church blessing God for his salvation. One of the elders shows unto St. John the happiness of those who were faithful and constant to true religion in the great trial of so grievous persecution. PERIOD II.
VIII. Second period reveals the state of the Church and providence in times following the reign of Constantine, during the invasion of the empire by the northern nations; the rise and first progress of the Mohammedan imposture till the stop put to it in the western empire, which reaches from about the year 337 to 750. Seven angels receive seven trumpets to sound.
337
370
Seven Trumpets.
1. First trumpet represents hail and fire mingled with blood cast on the earth; signifying great storms of war to fall on the empire, and the blood that was shed in the reigns of the Constantine family, and their successors, till things were settled under Theodosius.
337
379
2. Second trumpet represents a mountain burning with fire, cast into the seas whereby it became blood; signifying the invasion of 379
412
Italy by the northern nations, and taking the city of Rome by Alaric.
3. Third trumpet represents a burning star falling upon the rivers, which became bitter; signifying the ravages in Italy, putting an end to the Roman empire, and founding a kingdom of Goths in Italy itself.
412
493
4. Fourth trumpet represents a part of the sun and moon darkened; signifying the wars in Italy between Justinian's generals and the Goths, whereby the exarchate of Ravenna was erected, and all remaining power and authority of Rome quite suppressed. 493
568
IX. 5. Fifth trumpet represents the bottomless pit opened, and locusts coming out of it; signifying the rise of the Mohammedan religion and empire, and the great progress of both, till a stop was put to them by a contention for the succession.
568
675
6. Sixth trumpet represents four angels loosed which were bound in the river Euphrates; signifying the reunion of the divided Saracen power, the invasion of Europe by them, and threatening the conquest of it, till defeated by Charles Martel.
675
750
PERIOD III.
X.
Third period of the vials reveals the state of the Church and providence in the times of the last head of Roman government, represented by the beast, for 1260 years to its final overthrow, from about the year 756 to about the year 2016. An angel or nuncius brings a little book, the remainder of the sealed book opened by the Lamb, and gives it to St. John to eat; signifying a farther revelation of what was to follow in order of time to the end of the world.
756
2016
Three general descriptions of this period:— XI. 1. First general description represents the temple measured, part given to the Gentiles, two witnesses prophesy in sackcloth 1260 days; signifying the corrupt state of the Church, and the constancy of some faithful witnesses to the truth, though under severe persecutions, during this whole period. XII. 2. Second general description represents a woman forced to fly into the wilderness for safety, and protected there 1260 days; signifying the persecution and preservation of the Church during the same period. XIII. 3. Third general description represents a monstrous wild beast rising out of the sea, with seven heads, ten horns, as many crowns, and titles of blasphemy, who was to continue forty and two months; signifying that new Roman power, which should use its authority to promote idolatrous worship, and to persecute all who would not submit to it, and should be supported by another power like unto its own form and constitution, during the same period. XIV. Chorus of the heavenly Church celebrates, in a hymn, the happiness of those who remain faithful and constant.
A nuncius or angel comes down from heaven to declare the certain and severe punishment of the enemies of truth and pure religion, in this period.
XV. Seven angels receive seven cups, full of the wrath of God; signifying that the enemies of truth and pure religion in this period shall be severely punished in the course of it; and that they shall be utterly destroyed in the end.
XVI. The oracle gives orders to the seven angels to pour out their vials or cups.
Seven Vials.
First vial poured on the earth; a grievous sore upon the worshippers of the beast; signifying the great commotions throughout the whole empire, under the family of Charles the Great, by which that family becomes extinct, and by which both the empire and crown of France are transferred to other families. 830
988
2. Second vial poured on the sea; it becomes as the blood of a dead man; signifying the great bloodshed of the holy war to recover Jerusalem from the Saracens.
1040
1190
3. Third vial poured on the rivers and fountains; they become blood; signifying the bloody civil wars between the Guelphs and the Gibbelines, the papal and imperial factions, when the popes were driven out of Italy into France.
1200
1371
4. Fourth vial poured on the sun, which has power given it to scorch men; signifying the long wars in Italy, Germany, France, and Spain, occasioned by a long schism in the papacy. Turks take Constantinople, and put an end to the eastern empire. Pestilential diseases occasioned by intemperate heat. 1378
1530
5. Fifth vial poured on the seat of the beast, or his throne; signifying the Reformation, and the confirmation of it by the principal states of Europe, not withstanding all opposition from the pope, and in opposition to the papal authority.
1560
1650
6. Sixth vial poured on the river Euphrates, makes way for the kings of the east. This seems in the order of the prophecies to be 1670
1850 yet future; but may likely mean some invasion of the pope's dominions from its eastern boundary or the Adriatic.
7. Seventh vial poured on the air, the seat of Satan's empire, describes the utter ruin of this persecuting idolatrous Roman government, or mystical Babylon at the end of this period.
1850
2016
XVII. Mentions an angel interpreter who fully explains the character of this idolatrous persecuting power, which should corrupt the Church, and persecute the faithful during this period.
XVIII. Another angel sent from heaven to confirm the utter and lasting destruction of this mystical Babylon, as a punishment for her idolatrous corruptions and persecutions.
XIX. Chorus of the heavenly Church sings the praise of God for his righteous judgments. A vision of Christ leading an army out of heaven, strongly represents the certain accomplishment of this prophecy.
PERIOD IV.
XX. An angel sent from heaven to shut up Satan in the bottomless pit, as in a secure prison, for one thousand years, during which time there will be a very happy state of the Church, in purity, peace, and prosperity.
PERIOD V.
XX. 7 After the thousand years of the Church's prosperity shall be expired, Satan will be loosed again for a little season; a new attempt will be made to revive the corruptions of the Church and a spirit of persecution, which shall end in the final destruction of Satan's power, and of all the enemies of pure and true religion. PERIOD VI.
Ver.
11.
The general resurrection and final judgment; the everlasting destruction of the wicked. PERIOD VII.
XXI. The seventh period concludes the whole prophecy, in a vision of a new heaven and a new earth; representing, in strong images, the extent, security, riches, and grandeur, of the heavenly Jerusalem; signifying the consummate happiness of the heavenly state. XXII. Thus the prophecies of this revelation issue in an eternal SABBATH, the future reward of all who remain faithful and constant in the true religion of Jesus Christ.
THE CONCLUSION.
Ver.
6.
Confirms the truth and certainty of these prophecies; warns against corrupting; exhorts to hope for the accomplishment of them; a useful spirit and temper, to give good men consolation in all their present afflictions, and to preserve them from the corruptions of religion, how prevailing soever in their own times, which is, THE USEFUL MORAL, AND PRINCIPAL
DOCTRINE, OF ALL THESE
PROPHECIES.