Графични страници
PDF файл
ePub

66

on them, and the flesh of all men, both free "and bond, both small and great." Then follows the battle and the result or the battle in their entire destruction." And I saw the "Beast, and the Kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against "him that sat on the horse, and against his

66

66

army and the Beast was taken, and with "him the false prophet that wrought miracles "before him, with which he deceived them "that had the mark of the beast, and them "that worshipped his image. These both "were cast alive into a lake of fire, burning "with brimstone. And the remnant were "slain with the sword of him that sat upon "the horse, which sword proceedeth out of "his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with

66

their flesh."-It is also to be observed that the scene of this battle is pointed out in Rev. xiv. 20, where it is said that "the wine-press

66

66

was trodden without the City, and blood

came out of the wine-press, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand "and six hundred furlongs" or throughout the whole extent of the Holy Land.

Upon which descriptions of the battle of Armageddon, I will at this time make no other remark, than that in Rev. xix. 17-18, we find one of the many instances of the divine art and

contrivance of the Apocalyptic History, or of the interlacing of its parallel parts with each other; for here the explanation of the angel relating to the Trumpet History, or to the Eastern Roman Empire, on the territory of which the great battle of Armageddon is to be fought, is interwoven with the parallel explanation (Rev. xvii. 1 to xix. 10), given by the angel relating to the Sealed Book, or Western Empire, on the territory of which the judgment upon Babylon is to be executed, by the mutual references of Rev. xvii. 14, and xix. 17-18: and as the one

66

passage, These shall make war with the "Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them" is evidently interjected for the purpose of reference, and is distinct both as to time and place from the history of the judgment upon the Papacy into which it is introduced; so I conceive that the other passage, relative to the preparations made by the imperial Sun of the Western Empire, is to be considered as introduced for a like purpose, and as being distinct, both as to time and place, from the account of the battle, with which it stands connected.

The 1260 years of the Papal Beast being past, and the period in which the battle of Armageddon is fought being that of the Infidel Beast, it is the latter, under whom the kings of

the earth are gathered together to this battle, (as stated in Rev. xvii. 12, xix. 19) which is spoken of when it is said that "the Beast was "taken, and cast alive into the lake of fire." But as it is necessary to mention the twohorned Papal Beast of Rev. xiii., who here also meets his final destruction, to avoid the necessity of the repetition of the term "the Beast," as referring to the two different objects, Infidelity and the Papacy, we find that this latter is now first called by a new name, The false "Prophet," accurately descriptive of his character; and as an explanation of the term, it is added, that he "wrought miracles before him,” (the ten-horned Beast,) "with which he decei"ved them that had received the mark of the Beast, and them which worshipped his

[ocr errors]

66

66

image;" which makes it evident that "The "false Prophet" is only another name for the two-horned (Papal) Beast of the earth, of Rev. xiii. 11-18, where a similar description is given of him.-And upon the wording of this explanatory passage it is to be observed, that though the scarlet-coloured Beast of the bottomless pit, properly, only represents infidelity, or the infidel king; yet, as carrying the ten horns, it may be, and is here, used as a symbol of the Roman Empire generally, in the presence of whom the (Papal) false prophet did work his

lying miracles, principally, it is true, during the period of the 1260 years, but doth indeed still continue to work them, though the empire is now in its infidel period.

Another and no less minute account of the battle of Armageddon is given in the prophecy of Ezra, where it is made the subject of a separate vision, as follows. "I dreamed a "dream by night: and lo, there arose a wind "from the sea, that it moved all the waves "thereof. And I beheld, and lo, that man "waxed strong with the thousands of heaven: "and when he turned his countenance to look, "all things trembled that were seen under him. And whensoever the voice went out of his mouth, all they burned that heard his voice, "like as the earth faileth when it feeleth the "fire. And after this I beheld, and lo, there "was gathered together a multitude of men, out of number, from the four winds of the

66

[ocr errors]

66

heaven, to subdue the man that came out of "the sea. But I beheld, and lo, he had

[ocr errors]

66

[ocr errors]

graved himself a great mountain, and flew up upon it. But I would have seen the re

gion or place whereout the hill was graven, " and I could not. And after this I beheld, and lo, all they which were gathered together to subdue him were sore afraid, and

66

66

[ocr errors]

yet durst fight. And lo, as he saw the vio

[ocr errors]

"lence of the multitude that came, he neither

66

66

lifted up his hand, nor held sword, nor any "instrument of war: but only I saw that he "sent out of his mouth as it had been a blast "of fire, and out of his lips a flaming breath, "and out of his tongue he cast out sparks and tempests, and they were all mixed together, "the blast of fire, the flaming breath, and the great tempest; and fell with violence upon the multitude which was prepared to fight, " and burned them up every one, so that upon a sudden of an innumerable multitude nothing was to be perceived, but only dust and smell of smoke,"-which is thus interpreted.

66

66

66

66

66

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

66

66

66

66

66

This is the meaning of the Vision: whereas thou sawest a man coming up from the midst of the sea: the same is he whom the

Highest hath kept a great season, which by his own self shall deliver his creature:

and whereas thou sawest, that out of his "mouth there came as a blast of wind, and fire, and storm; and that he held neither

66

66

66

sword, nor any instrument of war, but that the rushing in of him destroyed the whole "multitude that came to subdue him; this is "the interpretation."

66

66

Behold, the days come, when the Most High will begin to deliver them that are

« ПредишнаНапред »