Hitherto our observations have been brief, because interpreters are very
generally agreed in their views of the first series, the seals, in this
interesting book of prophecy. The first six seals, covering the time of
heathen Rome's opposition to Christianity, and before the Devil
succeeded in enlisting the nominal church of Christ in his interest, do
not therefore furnish occasion for much controversy among expositors.
Besides, the seventh seal covers much more time than all the others. The
first six refer to pagan Rome, and constitute the first period, properly
styled the PERIOD OF THE SEALS. The seventh seal, introducing the
trumpets, is the second period, called the PERIOD OF THE TRUMPETS. In
attempting to unfold their mystical import, greater amplification will
be indispensable.
1. And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven
about the space of half an hour.
V. 1.--"Heaven" is the ordinary symbol of organized society, whether
civil or ecclesiastical or both. "Silence in heaven for half an hour,"
indicates public tranquillity, together with anxious and mute
expectation of coming and alarming events. "Half an hour," a definite
for an indefinite duration, as usual, imports that the repose hitherto
enjoyed, shall shortly terminate. The respite which the saints enjoyed
during the period succeeding the revolution indicated by the opening of
the sixth seal, soon came to an end.
2. And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were
given seven trumpets.
3. And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden
censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer
it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before
the throne.
4. And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the
saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand.
Vs. 2-4.--"Seven angels" appear to John as ministers "standing before
God," ready to execute his commands. To them were given "seven
trumpets." Here, as all along hitherto, there is allusion to the former
dispensation. Under the Old Testament, trumpets were constructed by
divine direction and to be used for diverse purposes. Of the manifold
uses of this instrument, that which is here chiefly intended is, to
"sound an alarm." (Joel ii. 1; 1 Cor. xiv. 8). Whilst all is suspense,
and before the silence is broken by the sounding of the first trumpet,
the worship of God is exemplified after the usual manner. An angel, by
his official place and work easily distinguished from those having the
trumpets, holds in his hand a "golden censer" that with "much incense"
he might render acceptable "the prayers of all saints." As the angel who
had the "seal of the living God," is distinguished from those that "held
the winds," (ch. vii. 1;) so is he here, from those that had the
trumpets. Here he appears as the Great High Priest over the house of
God; and as "the whole multitude of the people were praying without, at
the time of incense;" (Luke i. 10;) so the service of God is thus
emblematically represented as conducted according to divine appointment.
This Angel therefore is Christ himself. "No man cometh unto the Father
but by him." He is the only Advocate with the Father; and through him
"we have access by one Spirit unto the Father." (Eph. ii. 18.)
May we not inquire, without presumption, a little into the nature or
purport of the "prayers of all saints" at this time of ominous silence?
And what could so likely be the burden of their petitions as that of the
cry of the souls under the altar, namely, the destruction of the Roman
empire? Surely this has been the prayer of God's persecuted servants in
all ages:--"Pour out thy fury upon the heathen," etc. (Jer. x. 25; Ps.
lxxix. 6). However inconsistent with Christian charity superficial
Christians may deem the law of retaliation; we shall find it often urged
on our attention as exemplified in this book. It is absolutely essential
to the divine government.
5. And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar,
and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings and
lightnings and an earthquake.
V. 5--The Lord Jesus, in carrying out the designs of the divine mind,
and executing the commission which he received from the Father as
Mediator, appears in various characters. Whilst as a priest he
intercedes for his people, and by the incense from the golden censer
renders their prayers acceptable before God; as a king he answers their
prayers by terrible things in righteousness. (Ps. lxv. 5). This work of
vengeance is vividly signified by scattering coals of fire on the earth.
From the very same altar, whence the glorious Angel of the Covenant had
received fire to consume the incense, he next takes coals, the symbol of
his wrath, and scatters them into the earth. These "burning coals of
juniper" produce "voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an
earthquake." "O God, thou art terrible out of thy holy places." (Ps.
lxviii. 35; lxxvi. 12). "The Lord our God is a jealous God." Our
merciful Saviour once put a strange and startling question to his
disciples:--"Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell
you, Nay."--For ends worthy of himself, the only wise God has
unchangeably decreed that "offences must needs come," (Matt, xviii. 7;)
and "there must be also heresies" among professing Christians. (1 Cor.
xi. 19.). However, in the administration of providence, judgment without
mercy awaits every nation to which the gospel is sent in vain. The
voices, thunderings, etc., consequent upon the scattering of the coals,
portended the calamities which would be inflicted upon men for their
opposition to the gospel and cruel treatment of the saints, in answer to
their prayers through the intercession of Christ.
6. And the seven angels, which had the seven trumpets, prepared
themselves to sound.
V. 6.--The "seven angels now prepare themselves to sound." The first
alarm, of course, will put an end to the "silence." It should be noted
that while each seal, when broken, disclosed so much of the roll of the
book as was concealed by it; the seventh leaves no part unrevealed. The
whole contents are laid open. It is otherwise with the trumpets. The
reverberations of one may not have ceased when the next begins to sound.
Thus, several may be partly cotemporary. Again, it may be questioned
whether mankind are to be considered in civil or ecclesiastical
organization as the formal object of the judgments indicated by the
trumpets. Some expositors view the one, and some the other, as the
object, and the contention has been sharp among them. We humbly suggest
that neither is the formal object without the other, simply because the
_same individuals_ constitute the complex _moral person_. The
correctness of this view is largely illustrated and abundantly confirmed
in the subsequent part of the Apocalypse. Provinces, nations, empires,
are no farther worthy of notice in prophecy than as they affect the
destiny of the church and illustrate the immutable principles of the
moral government of God. He is known by the judgments which he
executeth, and nations must be taught that "the heavens do rule." (Dan.
iv. 26.) Although the church and the state are, by divine institution,
distinct, not united; they are nevertheless co-ordinate, and always
exert a reciprocal influence for good or for evil. It has been the
policy of Satan to confound this distinction; and alas! with too much
success in the apprehension of many. There are not wanting divines who
boldly assert, that even among the Jews, under the Old Testament,--"the
church was the state, and the state was the church!" We may have
occasion to notice hereafter, that this gross error and antichristian
dogma, is yet entertained in relation to divinely organized society
under the present New Testament economy!
The "voices, thunderings and earthquakes" resulting from the scattering
of the coals,--are the harbingers and precursors of coming calamities
upon Christendom at the sounding of the trumpets. And these may be
emblematical of the contentions, strife and divisions which accompanied
the rise and prevalence of the heresy of Arius and the apostacy of the
emperor Julian, during the time of comparative public tranquillity from
Constantine to Theodosius. The church and the state, as one complex
system, we have considered as the object of the judgments to be
inflicted under the trumpets. These had, in fact, become incorporated,
if not identified, under the reign of Constantine and his imperial
successors. But assuming the correctness of the phraseology of secular
historians and Christian expositors, when in a _popular sense_ they
speak of the Roman empire as the object of penal inflictions; we by no
means agree with the latter class of writers, when they _limit_ the
empire to the geographical boundaries as it existed at the time of this
prediction. This mistake, if not detected here, will materially affect
and control our views of the whole subsequent part of the Apocalypse.
Who would not discover the impropriety and absurdity of treating of
events now transpiring within the empire of the United States, as if
falling out within the limits of the original thirteen as they existed
in 1776? But the Roman empire yet exists, and we have sufficient
evidence that it will continue till the time of the sounding of the
seventh trumpet, (ch. xi. 15.) _Political bias_ has prevailed with one
class of expositors to exempt the British empire from the stroke of
God's wrath, symbolized by both the trumpets and vials. Others, from
similar predilections, would exempt the United States and British
Provinces from these plagues. Whilst a third class, giving fall scope to
the hallucinations of mere imagination, aver their conviction that
republican America is the special and doomed object of all these
plagues!--Hence, the necessity of caution, sobriety, reverence for
divine authority, reliance on the teaching of the Holy Spirit, whom the
Saviour has promised to his humble disciples to "guide them into all
truth, and to show them things to come." (John xvi. 13.) That the
student of prophecy,--especially of the Apocalypse, may realize the
fulfilment of this promise, it is indispensably necessary that he be
absolutely untrammeled by all antichristian politics. Such cases are
very rare, (ch. xiii. 3.)
During the reign of Constantine, that monarch had transferred the
capital of the empire from the "city of seven hills" to another locality
and founded another metropolis, which as the future seat of imperial
rule, and to immortalize himself, he called after his own name,
Constantinople. This ambitious enterprise itself virtually divided the
empire, preparing the way for its total dismemberment by the trumpets.
And now the "seven angels prepared themselves to sound," for all things
are ready. The interceding Angel at the "golden altar" has prevailed to
obtain a period of tranquillity whilst preparatory steps are in progress
towards the next series of events; but that time shall be no longer, or
respite from impending judgments, is significantly intimated by the
symbolical Angel casting his "golden censer" from his hand, and hurling
it into the earth. Then without farther delay,
7. The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled
with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of
trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.
V. 7.--"The first angel sounded." The object of this judgment is the
_earth_, the population of the empire in general. The judgment itself
is, "hail and fire mingled with blood,"--desolating wars, like
successive storms of hail mingled with lightning, "hailstones and coals
of fire." (Ps. xviii. 12.) The effect is, a consumption of a third part
of the "trees and grass," people in high and low degrees. Green trees
and grass are the ornaments and products, of a land: and when the earth
is an emblem of nations and dominions, trees and grass may represent
persons of higher and lower rank.
The careful student of the Apocalypse will discover a striking analogy
between the effects of the trumpets and vials as the latter are
presented in the sixteenth chapter. This first trumpet therefore
produces an effect upon the social order of Christendom, which will
continue till the pouring out of the first vial. As the Roman empire in
its twofold division is the general object of all the trumpets; so the
first four are directed towards the western, and the next two against
the eastern member.
The infidel historian Gibbon has unwittingly recorded the fulfilment of
these predictions, as Josephus has done those of our Lord respecting the
destruction of Jerusalem. Unconscious that he was bearing testimony to
the truth of prophecy, Gibbon used with his classic pen the very
allegorical language of the inspired apostle. Respecting the incursion
of the barbarous Goths, as led by Alaric their chief into the fertile
plains of southern Europe, he describes their alarming descent as a
_"dark cloud_, which having collected along the coasts of the Baltic,
burst in _thunder_ upon the banks of the upper Danube." He who directed
Balaam and Caiaphas to utter predictions, doubtless could direct
Josephus and Gibbon to attest the truth of prophecy; and this may be one
of the many ways in which "he makes the wrath of man to praise
him."--The Goths, the Scythians and Huns, first under Alaric and
afterwards under Attila, those savage warriors from the northern
regions, invaded the provinces of the Roman empire in both sections,
carrying all before them like an irresistible tornado,--with fire and
sword utterly destroying cities, temples, princes, priests, old and
young, male and female,--thus "burning up trees, and green grass."
8. And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning
with fire was cast into the sea; and the third part of the sea became
blood:
9. And the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had
life, died; and the third part of the ships were destroyed.
Vs. 8, 9.--"The second angel sounded." The object of this judgment, is
the _sea_. As a great collection of waters, this symbol is explained,
(ch. xvii. 15.) "Peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues,"
indicate the population in an agitated and disorganized or revolutionary
condition. The judgment is a "burning mountain," a tremendous
object,--consuming and being itself consumed. The mountain is a symbol
of earthly power civil or military, and sometimes ecclesiastical.--"Who
art thou, O great mountain?" (Zech. iv. 7.) The Almighty says to the
king of Babylon,--"Behold, I am against thee, O destroying mountain ...
I will roll thee down from the rocks, and will make thee a burnt
mountain." (Jer. li. 25; Ps. xlviii. 2.)
The consequence of this judgment is, the third part of the sea became
blood, the fish perished, and the shipping was destroyed. Similar
language, illustrating these figurative expressions, had been used by
the prophets to represent divine judgments denounced against Egyptian
power. (Ezek. xxix. 3, etc.) In the eighth verse is contained the
explanation of the symbolic language,--"Behold I will bring a sword upon
thee, and cut off man and beast from thee."
History verifies this part of the Apocalyptic prediction. Only two years
after the death of that northern "scourge of God," Attila, who boasted
that "the grass never grew where his horse had trod;" Genseric set sail
from the burning shores of Africa; and, like a burning mountain launched
into the sea, accompanied by a vast army of barbarous Vandals, suddenly
landed his fleet at the mouth of the river Tiber. Disregarding the
distinctions of rank, age or sex, these licentious and brutal plunderers
subjected their helpless victims to every species of indignity and
cruelty. Hence the hostility to arts and science, the tokens of refined
civilization,--indiscriminate devastation of life and property
perpetrated by the savage warriors, has given rise to the word
"Vandalism."
10. And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from
heaven, burning as it were a Lamp, and it fell upon the third part of
the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters;
11. And the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of
the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because
they were made bitter.
Vs. 10, 11.--The object of the third trumpet is the waters as
before,--the population of the empire, but not in collective form as a
_sea_; rather in a state of separation or disconnected, as "rivers and
fountains." Some apply this symbol of a "falling star" to Genseric, but
this is incongruous. On the contrary, he was a victorious prince,--a
_rising_ star. It is more consonant to the truth of history and the
chronological series of prophecy, to apply this symbol to the downfall
of Momyllus the last of the Roman emperors, who was deposed by Odoacer
king of the Heruli, called in derision Augustulus,--the diminutive
Augustus. Doubtless the allusion here is to the king of Babylon:--"How
art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, (day-star,) son of the morning!
How art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!"
(Isa. xiv. 12.) A star may indeed signify either a civil or
ecclesiastical officer, but the scope and context determine all these
judgments to the enemies of the church, and those of her illustrious
Head. It is the "vengeance of his temple." We have already found a star
the emblem of a gospel minister, and we shall hereafter find it employed
in that sense; but it does not seem to refer in the present connexion to
any apostate. The name of this star,--"Wormwood," embittering the
waters, is a lively emblem of the miseries experienced by the people, in
the use of the remaining temporal comforts which the preceding
calamities had left.
12. And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was
smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the
stars; so as the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone not
for a third part of it, and the night likewise.
V. 12.--The design of all the trumpets is to point out the utter
destruction of the Roman empire,--Daniel's "kingdom of iron." (Dan. ii.
40.) For although from the time of Constantine it assumed the Christian
name, it nevertheless continued to be a beast. Of this we shall have
cumulative evidence as we progress. The first trumpet began to demolish
the fabric of antichristian power; and by the fourth the western
division was overthrown. For although the northern barbarians under the
first, the southern Vandals under the second, and the successors of
both, prevailed to bring down the last of the Caesars, yet the ancient
frame of government still subsisted. The political heaven, though
shaken, was not yet wholly removed, while the Senate, Consuls and other
official dignitaries continued to shine as political luminaries in the
firmament of power. But as the last of the Caesars fell from power in
the year 476, so the last vestige of imperial dominion in the west was
removed in 566, when Rome, the queen of the nations, was by the emperor
of the east reduced to the humble condition of a tributary dukedom. Most
of the saints had their residence at this time in the nations of western
Europe and northern Africa, where they were grievously afflicted by the
Arian, Pelagian and other heresies; as also exposed to persecution by
the civil powers, whom those heresiarchs moved to oppress the orthodox:
consequently, the righteous judgments of God fall first upon that member
of the empire. The eastern section, however, is destined to become the
special object of the judgments indicated by the succeeding trumpets.
However interpreters differ in details when explaining the effects
produced by the sounding of the first four trumpets, they very generally
harmonize in the application of them to the western section of the Roman
empire. The luminaries of heaven are darkened, or fall, or are
extinguished, while the earth, the sea and the rivers are
correspondently affected. Now, these are the well known allegorical
representations of divine judicial visitations of guilty communities, as
we find in the prophetic writings. See, for example, the case of
Babylon, "the beauty of the Chaldees' excellency" (Isa. xiii. 1, 10;)
also Egypt,--(Ezek. xxxii. 7, 8.)
13. And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven,
saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabitants of the
earth, by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels,
which are yet to sound!
V. 13.--Before the fifth angel sounds, a note of warning is given by the
ministry, of another angel distinct from the seven with the trumpets. He
pronounces a "woe" thrice repeated, upon the inhabitants of the earth,
indicating that heavier judgments and of longer duration are about to be
inflicted. This announcement was intended to excite attention and awful
expectation. This angel's message of "heavy tidings" may be viewed in
quite interesting contract with that of a subsequent angel,--"flying
through the midst of heaven," (ch. xiv. 6.) How different, yet
harmonious, is the ministry of those heavenly messengers!
The first four trumpets, as we have seen, demolished the western
division of the Roman empire. About the middle of the sixth century this
work was brought to completion. Here, for greater clearness, we may be
allowed to anticipate by digressing a little. Assuming now, what shall
afterwards appear to be correct, that the Roman empire is Daniel's
fourth universal monarchy, and Paul's "let," or hinderance, to the
revealing of the "Man of Sin;" since the first four trumpets have
dismembered that great power, revealing the "ten toes,--ten horns," or
kingdoms; we would expect now to hear of the destruction of that "Son of
perdition." But it is not so. That is to be effected by the vials, (ch.
xvi.) As the general and grand design of the Apocalypse is to illustrate
the divine government, exhibiting the moral world as affecting, or
affected by the Christian religion, it seemed good to the Divine Author
that the destinies of the eastern section of the Roman empire yet
standing, where many of his saints reside, shall come under review.
Ecclesiastical history treats familiarly of a _Greek,_ as well as a
_Latin_ church and empire. As the trumpets cover the whole time from the
opening of the sixth seal till the final overthrow of the whole fourth
monarchy; (Dan. vii. 26; Rev. xi. 15,) it follows that the eastern
section must be the object of a part of them. Accordingly, the remaining
part of the second period,--the _Period of the Trumpets,_ includes the
first two of the three, emphatically and significantly styled
"woe-trumpets."