XXVIII - 8(95) Excerpt
“Watchman,
what of the night?”
"The hour has come, the hour is
striking and striking at you,
the hour and the end!" Eze. 7:6 (Moffatt)
EXEGESIS OF
REVELATION
The Seven Last Plagues
(Part 4)
[Excerpt from wwn8(95)]
In the
pronouncement of the Third Angel a warning was given that if anyone worshiped
the beast or his image, that one "shall drink of the wine of the wrath of
God." (14:9-10) In the vision beginning with
Chapter 15, this wrath is described as being the Seven Last Plagues. (v. 1) The
format for the giving of this vision is the same as was the format of
Revelation 12 - a great wonder is seen in heaven - the screen upon which the
divine revelation is portrayed. (The Greek word for "wonder" in Rev.
12:1, and "sign" in Rev. 15:1 is the same)
These
plagues are defined as the seven last
plagues. The first reference to "plagues" in Revelation is in
connection with the sixth trumpet. (9:20) This would
indicate that the fulfillment of the "trumpets" in the time sequence
of the book of Revelation precedes the final wrath of God, and therefore, is
not a parallel prophecy. The second reference to "plagues" is noted
in reference to the Two Witnesses which are given authority "to smite the
earth with all plagues, as often as they will." (11:6) It is interesting
to note that in the Greek text, the word "wound" is used to translate
the "plague" received by one of the heads of the beast of Revelation
13. In verses 3 and 12, the phrase is "plague of death," while in
verse 14, it is "the plague of the sword." These previous plagues as
described under the sixth trumpet, and the wound received by the beast are
ministered by earthly forces, while the seven last are directly ordered by God,
and placed under seven angels who come from the Throne of God with their
mandate. (15:5-6)
Verses 2 - 4
are interpolated like Rev. 16:15, and serve as an interlude as does Rev.
19:1-4. In each of these interludes, we are taken back to the original vision
given to John when "a door was opened in heaven" and John was instructed
by "the first voice" to "Come up hither, and I will shew thee
things which must be hereafter." (4:1) He sees a throne
"set in heaven" upon which sat the Eternal Majesty. Around the
throne sat 24 elders, while before the throne were "seven torches of fire
burning" declared to be "the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all
the earth,"
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representing the omnipotence (horns) and omnipresence (eyes) of the Lamb. (4:5;
5:6; Hab. 3:4; Zech. 4:10) Also before the throne,
there is "a sea of glass like unto crystal." (4:6) In the midst of
the throne are four living creatures, and "a Lamb as it
had been slain." (4:6; 5:6)
The
interlude of Revelation 15:2-4 returns to the setting of the vision of the open
door with its sea of glass; but here it is "mingled with fire" rather
than merely being "clear as crystal." (Compare 4:6 with 15:2) Could
the "fire" be symbolic of the means by which the ones standing on the
sea of glass were victorious over the beast and his image and purified so as to
be fitted to be in the presence of God? (See Mal. 3:2-3; Luke 3:16)
There are
some parallels between this vision and the vision of Rev. 14:1-5, as well as
some distinct differences. Here it is stated that those who stand on the sea of
glass are victors "over the beast and over his image," while such a
conclusion concerning the 144,000 on
Another
question arises, how far back in time must we go to find victors over the
beast? Is the "beast" only that phase of the beast which had a wound
by the sword and did live? That is the emphasis used in previous identification
of the beast in connection with "his image." (13:12, 14) However, the
beast has "seven heads" which, depending on the interpretation given
to the seven heads, could reach back to
After
recording this interlude, John's attention is returned to the "seven
angels having the seven last plagues." He sees the open temple - "the
tabernacle of the testimony" - from which these angels are to come. This
is none other than the Most Holy Place of the Heavenly
Sanctuary wherein is the ark of the covenant with the Law of God. John has seen
this tabernacle before as the vision of the trumpets was concluded. (11:19) Another parallel between these two revelations is that God
in Chapter 11 is declared to have taken His "great power, and has
reigned," while in Chapter 15, "the temple was filled with smoke from
the glory of God, and from His great power." This assumption on the part
of God brings forth His wrath in judgment, and no "man" is able to
"enter the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were
fulfilled. (15:8) Intercession has ceased, for there is but "One mediator
between God and men, the Man, Christ Jesus." (I Tim. 2:5)
Next John
hears a voice described as "a great voice out of the temple." (16:1) It is a mandate from the throne. (See 16:17) To the seven
angels, the command is given - "Go your ways, and pour out the vials of
the wrath of God upon the earth." Little have we realized what the mercy
of God has been, and what the wrath of God against sin is.
We have tried to reconcile the God of the Old Testament with how we perceive
the God of the New Testament. In our finite perceptions we have not realized
the hatred God has toward sin, nor the significance of the separation that took
place when on the cross, Christ became verily sin for us, nor the full
significance of the fact that "in the midst of the throne" has
"stood a Lamb as it had been slain." (5:6) But when that Lamb steps
aside and when no longer His blood pleads for the sinful race, and the wrath of
God unmixed falls upon the unsheltered heads of the devotees of the beast and
his image, then will all know that the Eternal God is the same God as is
revealed in both the Old and New Testaments.
In noting
the plagues, it becomes obvious that no plague falls without a reason.
"The curse causeless shall not come." (Prov.
26:2) The warning was given to the final generation that to "worship the
beast and his image, and receive his mark" meant only one thing, the
unmixed wrath of God. (14:9-10) To those who received
this mark, the first angel directs his plague. "A foul and loathsome sore
came upon the men who had the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his
image." (16:2, NKJV) If the symbols as given in these chapters are to be
consistently interpreted, the image was created and worshiped by those
"who dwell on the earth" meaning the place from whence the second beast
arose. (13:11-12) The second plague is more difficult
of interpretation than would first appear. (16:3) Is
it the literal oceans that are here meant, or is "the sea" to be
understood as the place where arose the first beast? (12:12; 13:1) It is
singular in number. If "the sea" is to be symbolically understood,
what does the clause - "every living soul died in the sea" - mean?
The explanation given by "the angel of the waters" as to why this
plague is poured out states "they have shed the blood of saints and
prophets." Who are the
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"they"? The only plural antecedent would be the
collective, "sea," "rivers and fountains of waters."
The third
plague is the one plague of the seven which is repeated. (16:4) It is directed against the sources of the sea - "rivers
and fountains of waters." However, it does not state that "every
living soul" in the "rivers and fountains" dies; but the
pronouncement of the angel of the waters covers both plagues. The first beast
makes "war with the saints." (13:7) It could be assumed that blood
was spilt. The "image to the beast" issues a death decree but no
where is it indicated it was carried out. (13:15) The
intent is clear, there would be bloodshed. However, similar language as used by
the angel of the waters, "blood of saints and prophets," is used to
describe the "woman" of Revelation 17. (See verse 6) Can it be that
the same principle enunciated by Jesus for the generation which crucified Him,
will apply to the generation which issues the "death decree" against
"the remnant" of the woman's seed? (See Matt. 23:34-36)
Since the
death decree is issued not by the beast that came up out of the
"sea," but rather by "his image," and since the
"beast" did shed much innocent blood during the Dark Ages, does the
doubling of the plague of blood to drink, give an indication as to when the
"death decree" will be issued? If this indication is correct, the
"decree" comes after the close of human probation. Further,
from this point on in the detailing of the plagues, the wording used by John
becomes more reflective of that which is to be revealed than with that which
had been previously revealed. Confirming this assumption is the fact that one
of the seven angels of the seven last plagues becomes John's instructor
following the vision of the plagues. (See 17:1; 21:9)
The fourth
angel poured out his vial "upon the sun." (16:8) The
sun has been the object of worship from ancient times in most if not all pagan
religions. The Bible recognizes such worship as a denial of the God of heaven.
Job declared that "if I beheld the sun when it shined, or the moon walking
in brightness; and my heart hath been secretly enticed, or my mouth hath kissed
my hand: this also were an iniquity to be punished by
the judge; for I should have denied the God that is above." (Job 31:26-28)
Transferred into professed Christian religions through
Keenan in
his catechism asks the question, "Have you any other way of proving that
the [Roman] Church has power to institute festivals of precept?" Then he
answers - "Had she not such power, she could not have done that in which
all modern religionists agree with her; - she could not have substituted the
observance of Sunday, the first day of the week, for the observance of the
Saturday, the seventh day, a change for which there is no Scriptural
authority." (Doctrinal Catechism, p. 174)
The fifth
angel pours out his vial "upon the seat of the beast." (16:10) If the
"sea" in the second plague does represent the area from which the
"beast" arose, and as a result of the plague, every living soul died
in the sea," this "seat" could not be Rome, its original seat.
The prophecy in Daniel does cast some light on this problem. There a power
"shall plant the tabernacle of his palace between the seas in the glorious
holy mountain" (Dan. 11:45) which is
Resultant
from the plague, "the (beast's) kingdom was full of darkness; and they
gnawed their tongues for pain." This is an interesting use of words,
"darkness" associated with the "tongue." The victorious
144,000 do not have in their mouth "a deceitful tongue." (Zeph. 3:13; Rev. 14:5) Spiritual darkness comes from
deception and the corruption of the Word, for the entrance of the Word giveth light. (Ps. 119:130) This plague strikes the seat of
the beast from whence came spiritual "darkness" during probationary
time. Now the medium - the tongue - by which that darkness was conveyed is plagued with pain. The next plague - the sixth -
is poured upon "the great river
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beast and
upon them which worshipped his image" activity during probationary time.
The description of this activity which brings the sixth plague follows in
verses 13-14, 16, verse 15 being parenthetical.
To
understand the import of what took place during the last remnant of time, one
must understand the imagery of the sixth plague - the river
Even as literal
The conclave
at the Mount of the Congregation is religious in nature, motivated by the
spirits of devils emanating from the dragon, beast, and false prophet. (16:13) They gather together for "the war (Gr. polemos) of the great day of God Almighty."
(16:14) In the explanation given concerning the
"whore" it states that these powers "make war with the
Lamb." (17:14)
The plague
itself is something which dries up the river, in other words, the support of
the people and multitudes. What could cause those who once supported the woman
to turn upon her? (17:16) The seventh plague involves
a great earthquake and hail. (16:18, 21) Another scripture indicates that, just
prior to the earthquake and hail, the
The purpose
of this plague is to prepare the way for "the kings of the east."
(16:12) Again the "type" needs to be
invoked. Cyrus, who overthrew
When the
seventh angel pours out his vial into the air, "a great voice out of the
temple of heaven, from the Throne" declares - "It is done." A
series of events involving the earth are pictured to John as following this
declaration from the Throne. A great earthquake,
The seventh
plague itself is described as hail, every stone being "about the weight of
a talent." (16:21) It is said to be
"exceeding great." This can be understood only as literal language.
While men "blasphemed God," those who have been looking at the
transgression of earth's inhabitants from heaven's perspective declare,
"Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy
judgments." (16:7)
The first
section of the book of Revelation closes with similar language as is found in
this 16th Chapter. Under the seventh angel of the Trumpets, and the Third Woe
are described events when God takes unto Himself, His great power and reigns.
(11:15-19) These must be considered as parallel with
the time of the seven last plagues.