The Pulpit Commentary — Revelation — Section 184

who hold the preterist view believe the.t the spiritual sense; and it seems ·searoely the Christians who escaped the destruction credible that the' writer of the book; who of Jeruaalem are indicated by this expres- throughout insists on the fulfilment in the sion. The see.led areprob&bly those referred Christian religion of all thin~ · jewish; to by our Lord in Matt. xxiv. 22, 24, 31, as should in this plaoe, for no apparent rciulon~ " the elect." deliberately make a distinction ·between ·ver. 4.-And I heard the number of them Jew and Gentile. The terms· are ·con- which were ■ealed. The description of the stantly used to denote the spiritual Israel; actual operation of sealing is omitted (cf. the B'piritual Jerusalem, etc., except where Ezek. ix., where it is also omitted). And allusion is ma.de to some l,istorical fact, 1111 there were ■ealed an hundred and forty e.nd in eh. ii. 14; v. 5; xxii. 16; xv. S-(of. Jews; four thousand, Omit "and there were." eh. ii 9 and iii 9; Israel, oh. xxi.12; Jeru:- This number-the square of 12 multiplied salem, eh. iii. 12 and xxi. 2, 10; Babylon; by 1000-is typice.l of a large and perfect eh. xiv. 8; xvi. 19; xvii. 5; xviii 2, 10; 21 : ~umber. No one has ever said that the Sodom and Egypt, eh. xi. 8; Euphrata, oh, number should be taken litere.lly ; e.nd ix. 14; xvi. 12; Elion, oh. xiv. 1; Jezebel, there are evident reasons why it could not oh. ii. 20 ; David, eh. iii. 7; Gimtile,, eh. xt be so intended. We have, therefore, to in- 2). (2) The improbability of the omission quire what is its symbolical signification. of the tribe of Dan, if the lit.enil Iara.et The number 12 is always typical, in the were meant. (3) The general tesiitooriy Apocalypse and elsewhere, of a complete of ancient commentators, which is the new and perfect number. It is formed of 4 of those who appointed this passage for use multiplied by S. Four is generally repre- in the Liturgy on All Saints' Day. Some, ■entative of the created universe, and S of however, have considered that the hund):ed the Godhead (see eh. v. 9). 4 plus 3, that and forty-four thousand are distinct from, is 7; and 4 multiplied by 3, that is 12, indi- and not included in, the multitude of ver. 9. cate a perfect number-a number which in- They believe the furmer indicates the lion~ cludes and embraces everything. And thus vertcd from among the Jews, and the·latter 12 multiplied by 12 denotes the most ex- those saved from the Gentiles. Thus haustive and perfect completion. 'l'he num- Bengel, Diisterdieck, Ebrard, Grotius, etc. ber 1000 is generally used to denote a large But it may be remembered that in oh, xiv. and complete, bnt somewhat uncertain, num- S, 4, the hundred and forty-four thousand ber (cf. oh. xiv. I; xx. 2; xxi. 16, eto.). Thus redeemed from the ea1th and from among ~he square of 12 multiplied by 1000 has the men is not confined to Jews. By other aignilication of a large number not definitely commentators the nnwber ha1i'been thought lli.ed; but nevertheless perfect ; th!'t is to to denote converts in the age of" Coostan:- say, not omitting a single one of those who tiJie, etc. should be in~uded in the number. We are Ver. 5.-0f the tribe of Juda were 1181led therefore taught that at the judgment-day, twelve thousand. There a.re vario1ls lista"·of before the destruction of the world is allowed the tribes in the Old TBBtament, no two r,f to take ple.ce, a large number, consisting of which present the same names ih the •JW! tholle who have pro_ved themselves to be orde~. It ~es not see!» probable ~t any God's servants, will be preserved and set special design undei·lies the selection an<l apart ; and that, although the number may arrangement here. First, with regard be large, yet it will be perfect, not one of to the selection, we observe that Dan -and tho■e who are worthy to be selected being Ephraim are omitted, the number. being overlooked or forgotten. This number sub- completed by inserting Levi, Joseph, and sequently is increased, being included in Manasseh. Although Ephre.im and Manu- the "great multitude which no me.u could seh are sometimes inserted instead of number " of ver. 9, and which is formed by Joseph and Levi, and sometimes omitted, the whole company of the redeemed, Of all there seems only one example of a list in tht_ tribes of the children of Israel. The which e.ny one of the others is omitted, viz. Authorized Ver~ion here appears to give the that in Dent. xxxiii., where no mention is OOl'rect sense o.f was, "every." . The number made of Simeon. It has been thought that il! me.de up not necessarily by an equal Simeon w111:1 purposel;i: pll.Bsed over by Moses .number from each tribe, but by a number 'On account of Ws ill condWlt (see Gen. from the twelve tribes viewed as a whole. As xxxiv.)-conduct for which, unlike Levi. exphiined above, the number one thou~and, he afterwards mad.a no snffi.cient atonement. though signifying " completenel!jj," is not a This has led many commentators (Hengsten- definite number. Here, as elsewhere, it is berg, Wm·dsworth, etc.) to conclude· that ~ ■piritual hraeZ which is _signified. In Dan finds no place here because of the auppo:ti of this view, we may rema.rk: (1) idolatrous wo:rship of the tn"be (Jndg. :i:viii.). Tlie constant use in the Apocalypse of the Maily ancient writers (Bede, Andreas, etc,) ~ " larael," "Jew." "Jel'l1S8lem;• etc., in account, aomewhat 1imilarly, for the omi.. 20S THE REVELATION OF ST. JOHN THE DIVINE. [ou. vu. 1-17,