Notes On The Apocalypse by David Steele

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The two judgments of the _harvest_ and _vintage_, are obviously an
allusion to a natural order in the climate of Judea. Not only did the
barley and wheat-harvest precede the time of gathering grapes, but some
space elapsed between these labors of the husbandman. The usual order is
observed here.

17. And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also
having a sharp sickle.

18. And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over
fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle,
saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine
of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe.

19. And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the
vine of the earth, and cast it into the great wine-press of the wrath of
God.

20. And the wine press 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.

Vs. 17-20.--As the ministry of the "third angel," (v. 9,) was final, as
to pronouncing the deserved doom of all the adherents of the
antichristian system, so in the symbols of the _harvest_ and _vintage_,
we have the execution of that sentence exhibited. The nations of
Christendom, having drunk the wine of the mother of harlots, and of her
daughters too, and having exhausted the patience of the Lord Jesus,
refusing to repent, while he warned them by his servants the three
angels of reform,--"rising early and sending them," were at length
"ripe" for his sharp sickle. Long had he expostulated with them, saying
to them, while addressing his church,--"The nation and kingdom that will
not serve thee (O Zion,) shall perish; yea, those nations shall be
utterly wasted." (Isa. lx. 12.)--The desolating judgments of the
reigning Mediator, having brought those nations to "hate the whore,"
they become the willing and zealous agents of her destruction, as
appears, (ch. xvii. 16.)

The "gathering of the clusters of the vine of the earth,"--is a concise
emblematical representation of that tremendous work of punishing the
apostate church, to be exhibited in greater detail in the following
chapters.

The "angel coming out of the temple,"--represents the gospel ministry as
usual. His "having a sharp sickle" may import his more immediate agency
in this than in the preceding work of the harvest." Christ himself
judged the nations,--had the "sharp sickle;" but in reckoning with
impenitent ecclesiastical communities, he will honor his faithful
servants. As in "measuring the temple,"--the Mediator held the
instrument in his own hand under the Old Testament, (Zech. ii. 1,) but
under the New Testament gave it into the hand of John, the
representative of a gospel ministry, (ch. xi. 1,) so that transaction
may illustrate the symbols here.

The other angel "coming from the altar, who had power over fire," is
also symbolical of the ministry. The sickle in the hand of the former
angel, is for gathering the grapes; while the connexion of the latter
angel with the "altar," imports that a sacrifice is about to be offered,
as customary, to appease divine justice.--The "vine of the earth" is
plainly contrasted with the true vine. (Ps. lxxx. 1; Jer. ii. 21.) This
is a vine of Sodom with clusters of Gomorrah, (ch. xi. 8; Deut. xxxii.
32, 33.) It is the symbol of an apostate church, the chief heresy of
which is a practical rejection of the atonement of Christ; for it is
certain that vindictive justice is an attribute of God, and that he will
demand satisfaction from those impenitent sinners who despise his mercy
in the gospel offer, and "tread under foot the blood of the covenant
wherewith Christ was sanctified." (Heb. x. 29.) A heavier doom awaits
all such than to "die without mercy," which was the penalty for those
who "despised Moses' law." No sacrifice is appointed for the man or the
church that sins presumptuously. (Num. xv. 30, 31.) To all such, "_our_
God is a consuming fire." (Heb. xii. 29.)--The one angel calls upon the
other,--encourages his companion, to execute the judgment of God.
"Thrust in thy sharp sickle."--Under the superintendence of the
Mediator, his servants by their prayers and their sermons have an active
part in this work of judgment. From the mouth of the witnesses proceeded
fire to devour their enemies, (ch. xi. 5.) This is the last work of
judgment in which they will be honoured. Joining their victorious
predecessors who overcame the antichristian combinations "by the blood
of the Lamb and the word of their testimony," (chs. vi. 9, 10; xii. 11,)
these undaunted servants of the Lord are honored by him as instrumental
in the infliction of the final judgments symbolized by the seventh
trumpet and the seventh vial,--the third and _last woe_.--The
"wine-press" is the symbol of the "wrath of God," and its location
"without the city," denotes that the churches of the apostacy are
excommunicated,--"reprobate silver, because the Lord hath rejected
them."

We are not told here by whom the grapes are trodden; but this is the
work of the Lord Jesus himself, who in the days of his flesh on earth
forewarned his impenitent foes that he would thus deal with them in his
wrath. "Those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over
them, bring hither, and slay them before me." (Luke xix. 27; Isa. lxiii.
3; Rev. xix. 15.)--The blood in depth is to the "horse-bridles," and in
extent "a thousand and six hundred furlongs,"--200 miles! Although this
language is hyperbolical, it is intended to signify "a time of trouble,
such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time; and
at that same time God's people shall be delivered, every one that shall
be found written in the book." (Dan. xii. 1; Rev. xiii. 8.)--Thus it
appears that church and state, having combined in the antichristian
apostacy, are severally visited with the unmingled wine of the wrath of
God. All the saints shall have obeyed the call,--"Come out of her, my
people;" and mystic Babylon shall then be utterly destroyed. Whether
Palestine, the Pope's patrimony, or some other territory be understood
by the "1600 furlongs," is matter of vague conjecture by all expositors,
and is to be verified only by the fulfilment of the prediction.

CHAPTER XV.

This chapter introduces the third and last series of symbols under which
the prospective history of the church militant is given, to strengthen
the faith and animate the hopes of her suffering and heroic children.
The warfare of the witnesses for the crown rights of Immanuel, which
have been usurped by his enemies, has been symbolized under the seals,
(chs. vi.-ix.,) and under the trumpets, (chs. xi. xii.;) and the
symbolic narrative is yet under the vials to be greatly amplified,
especially their last and greatest conflict, briefly represented in the
latter part of the preceding chapter, (vs. 9-18.) Whether or not the
vials, to which this fifteenth chapter is introductory, be all
comprehended under the _seventh trumpet_, as the trumpets are all
comprehended under the _seventh seal_, is a question upon which
respectable expositors differ. It is indeed obvious that the breaking of
the last seal, lays open the whole of the book, consequently the angels
holding the vials would come into view. John, however, is obliged to
"write" _consecutively_ some visions which he saw as it were at _one
view_. Thus he was "about to write what the seven thunders uttered,"
(ch. x. 4,) but was prohibited. That was not the proper time or place;
but it is there intimated, (v. 7,) that "in the days of the voice of the
seventh angel," the import of the "seven thunders" would be disclosed.
Then would the "mystery of God be finished, as he had declared to his
servants the prophets." (Joel iii. 2, 12, 13; Micah iv. 3; Zech. xii.
2-4; 2 Thess. ii. 8.) Some of the most learned and sober divines, who
wrote on the Apocalypse during the peninsular war waged by the first
Napolean, contemplating the anarchical and bloody scenes of the French
Revolution, and the subsequent tyranny and blood connected with the
successful wars of the Gallic usurper, thought they heard in the
commotions of European nations the sound of the seventh trumpet, and saw
the plagues inflicted as symbolized by the vials. And thus it is that
local events, which excite the political feelings, the prejudices and
partialities of even good men, are hastily interpreted as a fulfilment
of prophecy. It does not appear, however, that those events were either
of sufficient magnitude or geographical extent to answer the tremendous
symbols of either _harvest_ or _vintage_. Did the French revolution, the
American revolution, or the wars of Napolean First, influence the
civilized world or affect the church of God, as Popery and Mahometanism
have done? No, the comparison is preposterous. Hence it is most probable
that Christendom has not yet heard the alarming sound of the seventh
trumpet.

1. And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven angels
having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of
God.

V. 1.--"Another sign in heaven."--All the visions were seen by the
apostle in the same place, (ch. i. 1; xii. 1.) The word translated
"sign" here is the same as "wonder" in the twelfth chapter, which for
greater clearness to the English reader ought to have been rendered by
the same word.--The symbol or sign consists of "seven angels having the
seven last plagues,"--the _last_ to be inflicted on the Antichrist, but
not absolutely the last penal inflictions on the enemies of God; for
"Gog and Magog" are in like manner to be destroyed, and there is
_eternal_ wrath.

Upon the "Lamb's taking the book," and before he had opened the first
seal, songs of joy burst forth from saints and angels, (ch. v. 8, 9.) So
it is here. Before the angels proceed to execute their commission, the
redeemed of the Lord, anticipating the effects of these judgments, give
expression to their joy.

2. And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire; and them that
had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his
mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having
the harps of God.

3. And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of
the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty,
just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints!

4. Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only
art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy
judgments are made manifest.

Vs. 2-4.--The "sea of glass," or transparent sea, (as in ch. iv. 6,)
refers us to the brazen sea before the throne of God in the temple. In
this sea the priests were to wash themselves, (Exod. xxx. 18, 19,) and
in water drawn from it the sacrifices were to be washed also. (Lev. i.
9, 13.)

As the brazen sea typified the blood of Christ, that "fountain opened
for sin and for uncleanness," (Zech. xiii. 1,) so this "sea of glass" is
the symbol of the same thing; for the Lord washes away the filth of the
daughters of Zion, and purges the blood of Jerusalem from the midst
thereof by the spirit of judgment, and by the spirit of burning. (Isa.
iv. 4.) This happy company were victorious by the blood of the Lamb,
"over the beast, his image, his name and number;" having clean escaped
from them who live in error, both in civil and ecclesiastical relations.
Holding the eucharistic "harps of God," they are the same company as
those on Mount Zion with the Lamb, (ch. xiv. 1, 2.) There, their song
was called _new_; here it is more fully described. There it was said,
"no man could learn that song" but themselves, here we have the matter
of the song epitomised. It is constructed of two parts, "the song of
Moses and the song of the Lamb." As the children of Israel at the Red
Sea celebrated the praises of God's justice in the overthrow of their
enemies the Egyptians, so do these with united voice express their
admiration and praise in anticipation of the final and awful end of
these cruel, idolatrous and persecuting mystical Egyptians, (ch. xi. 8,)
"saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and
true are thy ways, thou King of saints." They do also declare their
faith in the universal dominion of their King; that "all nations shall
come and worship before him." And to this day none but the witnesses are
prepared either with intelligence or affection to "learn" or use this
song. We have the subject matter of both parts of this triumphant song,
framed by the Holy Spirit and incorporated in the Book of Psalms, (as
Ps. ii. 8; xviii. 37-45; xlv. 3-6; cx. 1, etc.) The fortunes of God's
covenant people till the ingathering of the Jews, with the fulness of
the Gentiles, may be found in Moses' song, (Deut. xxxii. 1-43,) and the
"song of the Lamb" is found in chapter v. 9-13.

5. And after that I looked, and behold, the temple of the tabernacle of
the testimony in heaven was opened:

6. And the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven
plagues, clothed in pure and white linen, and having their breasts
girded with golden girdles.

Vs. 5, 6.--John looked again, and saw the "temple opened," that the
seven angels might have egress to enter upon their heavenly mission.
Their clothing resembled the garments of the priests under the law,
"white linen and golden girdles," representing the holiness or moral
purity of their work. They shed the blood of the victim, so to speak,
without soiling their garments; but the Lord Jesus, whose work of
judgment this is, "stains all his raiment," (Isa. lxiii. 3,) "for the
day of vengeance is in his heart," (v. 4.)

7. And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden
vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever.

V. 7.--"One of the four beasts,"--_animals_, the symbol of the gospel
ministry, as we found, (ch. iv. 6.) Not all the ministry were employed
in this action, but _one_ only. That is, some few, a fractional part,
possessing more insight into the "sure word of prophecy," and endowed
with larger measure of heroic spirit by the Lord Jesus, co-operated with
holy angels in this work of judgment. "He gave the vials into the hand
of the angels." By their preaching, their prayers and their example,
faithful ministers, unseduced by the blandishments of corrupt power, and
undismayed by the bloody edicts of the beast,--"in nothing terrified by
their adversaries," denounce the judgments represented by these vials,
upon the impenitent enemies of the Lord and his Anointed. For an
illustration of this symbolic action of giving the vials of divine wrath
to the appointed agents, reference may be had to Jer. xxv. 15-26; li. 7.

8. And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from
his power, and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven
plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled.

Vs. 8.--"The temple filled with smoke," represents the darkness of these
dispensations, the horror and dismay which seizes upon the votaries of
Antichrist. But during the time of executing these judgments, the
progress of the gospel will be retarded,--"no man being able to enter
into the temple." It is intimated, moreover, that these judgments will,
as it were, clear away the "smoke," and render the temple once more
luminous. So we may conclude by comparing the 4th and 8th verses. In the
4th verse the witnesses declare their faith thus,--"All nations shall
come and worship before thee." But this is a description of the
millennial state of the world. (Ps. lxxii. 11.)

CHAPTER XVI.

All preliminaries being now arranged, the seven angels receive their
commission by a "great voice out of the temple." It is the "voice of the
Lord, full of majesty." (Ps. xxix. 4.)--As the _seals_ and _trumpets_
were not coincident, but successive, so it is doubtless with the
_vials_. No two begin to be poured out at the same time. One follows
another in orderly succession.

Several questions of difficult solution, arise in the minds of devout
and humble students of the Apocalypse, respecting the series of the
vials. Are the vials cotemporary with the trumpets? Seeing that the
seventh seal included all the trumpets, does analogy require that all
the vials be comprehended under the seventh or last trumpet? Or, do the
seven vials come under the last three trumpets, distinguished as they
are by the character of woe-trumpets? (ch. viii. 13.) Other questions
may here be propounded; but these seem to be the most obvious and
important, in fixing the time of the events predicted.

The breaking of the seventh seal unquestionably laid open the whole of
the book, including all the trumpets and vials,--all future events till
the end of the world; but it does not follow, for instance, that the
awful scene of the final judgment is to be cotemporary with any of the
trumpets, (ch. xx. 11, 12.) The seventh seal, therefore, discloses
important events, which are to come to pass subsequently to both
trumpets and vials. The fact that both trumpets and vials are disclosed
by the opening of the last seal, admits of their being cotemporaneous.

From the striking resemblance between the effects of the trumpets and
those of the vials, (ch. viii. 7-12; xvi. 2-12,) they might seem to be
cotemporary. This, however, is not the case, for the objects of the
judgments are different, that of the trumpets being more formally the
civil empire, while that of the vials is the ecclesiastical empire;
each, however, greatly affecting the other, because of their unholy
union against the cause of Christ. Perhaps it may be most consonant to
the mind of the Spirit to view the vials as agreeing in time with the
three woe-trumpets. Keeping in view the definite period of Antichrist's
domination in church and state, 1260 years, and the probability of its
drawing to a close, the remaining part would seem too short for the
period of the vials. As the series of the vials, like those which in
vision preceded them, is successive, the application of them all to the
French Revolution is simply preposterous.[12] That event answered not to
the symbol either in extent or duration. Nor indeed is there
satisfactory evidence in the actual condition of the Christian world,
notwithstanding the fond imagination of learned and good men, that the
voice of the seventh angel has yet been heard by Christendom.

1. And I heard a great voice out of the temple, saying to the seven
angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon
the earth.

V. 1.--"Earth" has here the usual meaning,--the whole territory and
population of the Roman empire, those only and always exempted, who are
true to the cause of Immanuel. The angels of destruction cannot hurt
those who are under the protection of his blood. (Exod. xii. 23.) They
may not "come near any man upon whom is the mark." (Ezek. ix. 6; Rev.
xiv. 1.)

2. And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there
fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the
beast, and upon them which worshipped his image.

3. And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea; and it became
as the blood of a dead man: and every living soul died in the sea.

4. And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains
of waters; and they became blood.

5. And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord,
which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus:

6. For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast
given them blood to drink; for they are worthy.

7. And I heard another out of altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty,
true and righteous are thy judgments.

Vs. 2-7.--"And the first went."--However disagreeable the service, as we
are ready to suppose, this holy agent at once obeys the divine command.
The best of men hesitate and remonstrate when called to difficult and
disagreeable work. So it was with Moses, and with Jeremiah. (Exod. iv.
10; Jer. i. 6.) But all these heavenly messengers in succession, execute
their respective tasks without gainsaying. It is the will of our common
Lord that his disciples should emulate their example, that they should
"know, obey and submit to his will in all things as the angels do in
heaven." (Ps. ciii. 20, 21.)--The judgments upon the antichristian
enemies which have been briefly represented in the close of the 14th
chapter by a _harvest_ and _vintage_, are in this chapter more
extensively exhibited by the seven vials. A resemblance to the first
four trumpets may be observed in the effects of the first four vials,
and besides, these plagues resemble those inflicted on Egypt. If by her
crimes, especially by idolatry and cruelty to the people of God papal
Rome has copied the manners of Egypt and Babylon, it is but just that
she should be visited with like punishment.--The first vial selects as
victims those who "had the mark of the beast and worshipped his image;"
and this is true of the succeeding plagues, although the fact be not
repeated. The object of this vial is the "earth" in a more restricted
sense than in the first verse. The "earth" in the first verse comprises
all the parts of a system, "earth, sea, fountains, sun and air,"
mentioned in the following verses.--The "noisome and grievous sore,"
refers to one of the plagues of Egypt. (Exod. ix. 9-11.) The _earth_ was
the object affected also by the first trumpet; (ch. viii. 7;) but as
Antichrist had not then arisen, this plague cannot agree in time with
the first trumpet, though it might with the fifth or sixth trumpet; for
while these trumpets were demolishing the eastern member of the Roman
empire, making way for the development of Mahomet's imposture, the
"little horn" of Daniel, and Paul's "man of sin," was revealed in the
west. But the "two witnesses" were coincident in origin with Antichrist,
and were empowered by the Lord Christ "to smite the earth with all
plagues as often as they would," (ch. xi. 6.) The "grievous sore" is to
be understood metaphorically, not literally; for so the construction of
the Apocalypse requires. It may import the festering of unmortified
corruption among the votaries of Antichrist, intensified by the faithful
application of the divine law by the witnesses.--The object of the
second vial is the "sea," the same as that of the second trumpet, (ch.
viii. 8, 9.) The allusion is to Exod. vii. 20, 21. Intestine commotions,
with war, blood and death, seem to be symbolized. The horns of the beast
were often turned against one another; for the bestial kingdom was
"partly broken." The toes in Nebuchadnezzar's image did not "cleave one
to another." (Dan. ii. 42, 43.)--The object of the third vial is the
"rivers and fountains of waters," (ch. viii. 10; Exodus vii. 19.) These
symbols may signify the several kingdoms of the empire, tributary by
their wealth and traffic to the great city. And as the witnesses
continued to prophesy, giving increased point and publicity to their
testimony, and as the Turks were making encroachments upon the
territories of nominal Christian princes in the west, extensive wars and
great slaughter were the results. These awful judgments are followed by
the plaudits of two angels. The eternal Jehovah is recognized as the
Author of these judgments. The Mediator may here be understood, (ch. i.
8;) (John v. 22, 27.) The "angel of the waters" may be the same who
poured out the vial. He gives to the Lord the glory of his
justice:--"Thou art righteous." He also approves the "law of
retaliation:"--"For they are worthy." The other angel "out of the altar"
speaks on behalf of the martyrs, (ch. vi. 9, 10,) recognizing the
faithfulness of God:--"True and righteous are thy judgments."

8. And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was
given unto him to scorch men with fire.

9. And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of
God, which hath power over these plagues; and they repented not to give
him glory.

Vs. 8,9.--The object of the fourth vial is the "sun," (ch. viii. 12.)
"Power was given him,"--the angel. The two witnesses are represented as
armed with "fire, which proceedeth out of their mouth, devouring their
enemies," (ch. xi. 5.) As the formal object of all the vials is the
ecclesiastical, rather than the civil empire, and the sun is the symbol
of the chief dignitary, perhaps this vial strikes more directly upon the
"man of sin." The expression in the introduction to the vials, (ch. xv.
4,)--"thou only art holy," seems to be a testimony against the
antichristian "name of blasphemy,"--"His Holiness." By the Reformation,
symbolized by successive angels of the fourteenth chapter, those valiant
men tormented the Pope and his vassals, so that they raged and
blasphemed more and more, but "repented not to give God the glory." So
it was at the sounding of the sixth trumpet, (ch. ix. 20, 21.)

10. And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast;
and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for
pain,

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