The Pulpit Commentary — Revelation — Section 202

truth's sake. Thus in the midst of the earthly raging power is the persecuted Church of God assured, in all ages, of a final, a certain, and an ample reoompense.-R. G. Vers.1-3.-.A sketch of an impending judgmmt "And after these things," etc. The t.ext points t.o a judgment that is overhanging the world, entrusted t.o angels for its execution, and who are restrained in their work by a special messenger from heaven on account of _the godly tenants of the earth. This is a view of the passage which scarcely admits of any data for a different OJ)inion. From the words we see- L THI!: WORLD EX.POSED TO JUDGHENT. It is represented as exposed t.o "the (our winds of the earth." Winds are the symbols of judgment. Thus in J er, xlix. 36, 37 we read, "And upon Elam will I bring the four winds from the four quartars of heaven, and will scatt~ them toward all those winds; and there shall be no nation. whither the outcasts of Elam shall not come. For I will cause Elam t.o be dismayed before their enemies, and before them that seek their life : and I will bring evil uwn them, even my fieroe anger. saith the Lord ; and I will send the sword after them, till I have consumed them." And in the prophecy of Danfr•l (vii. 2) we have these words, "I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the four winds of the heaven strove upon the great sea." The four winds indicat.e the 11,fliversality of the judgment. They were to come from the four points of the compaBB-north, south, east, west. Whether this universal judgment refers to the destruction of Jerusalem, or some other judicial event that is passed, or points to some future period of retribution in the hist.ory of the world, I stay not to inquire. One thing is certain, that there is & universal judgment impending over this earth. It hangs over "every comer of the earth." Its wiqda will rush in fearful t.ornadoes from all the points of the compass. Conscience. provi- , dence, and the Bible all point t-0 this universal judgment. . IL THE JUDGHENT ENTRUSTED TO ANGELS. The words speak of "four ang:els, t.o whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea." Angels are the ministers of God. He employs them to execut.e hie judgment.s. 1. They appeared amidst the terror, of Mount Sinai. Dcut. xxxiii. 2, "The Lord came from 1:iiDai, and rose up from Seir unto them ; he shined forth from Mount Paran, and he came with ten thousands of saints·: from his right hand went a fiery Law for them." Again in Ps. lxviii. 17 we re.ad, "The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels: the Lord is among them, as in Sinai, in the holy place." 2. They appeared with our &viour in the destruction of Jerusa"lem. (Matt. xxiv. 30, 31.) 3. Angels have lJeenfreq_'-'ffitlg engaged, in executing Divine judgTMnt on this earth. They acted in connection with the..,destruction of Sodom, and an angel dealt out judgment to the Egyptians in the destruction of their firstbom (Exod. xii, 22). An angel wreaked vengeance ou. the people of Jerusalem on account of the sin of David (2 Sam. xxiv. 16, 17). A,n angel destroyed the mighty army of Sennacherib (2 Kings xix. 35). 4:. .Angela an, represented as active in the firi.al, day of retribution. (Matt. xiii. 39-41 ; xxv. 31,; 1 Thess. iv. 16; 2 Thess. L 7-9.) III. THE ANGELS RESTRAINED BY A MEDIATOR. "And I saw another angel ascend- ing from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given t.o hurt the earth and the sea, saying, Hurt ~ the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God ln their foreheads." Observe: 1. The glorious origin of this angel. He ascended." fro~ the east;" from the fountain of glory-the east, whence the stars appear, and the glorious sun comes forth to flood the world with light. 2.. The Divine cred6nlial, of this angel "Having the seal of the living God." 3. 'l'he great earnestness of this angel. rr Cried with a loud voice." Who is this angel? Who is represented in this particular case I know not, But I know that the great angel of the coven&D,1; answers well this description. He came from the orient depths of glory with Divine credentials and with great earnestness, in order to stay the angels of retribution from executing their terrible commission. Our great Redeemer holds back the band of the destroying angel, and the burden of his intercession is, " Hnrt not the earth, neither the sea." To Christ we owe the postponement of the judgment. IV. THE_llEDIATOR RESTRAINING BE0AUBE HIS WORK 18 UNFINISHED. Why does thia intercessory angel, rising from the glorious east, interpose to prevent the judicial &Dgels from discharging their dread commission.? Because there was a work to b,, JlBVKLA.TIOllf, Q S26 THE REVELATION OF ST. JOHN THE DIVINE. [cs. vu. 1-1'1.