The Pulpit Commentary — Revelation — Section 262

oommunity to God or to the ruler (ef. Gen. fticted UJ.IOll men in consequence of theft xxvlii. 22; Lev. nviL 82; Numb. xviii. 21; sins (ob. lL 18-21). · This is insuflloient to 1 Sam. viii. . 15, 17). It seems probable lead men t.o avert the :llnal judgment ,_,,. that this was the idea intended to be con- timely repentance. We have then a furtber veyed, viz. that God was now exacling his description of God's long-suffering, and ihtl due, that men who bad refused to recognize rejection of hie mercy, aooompa.uied by an what was due from them to God were now assurance of the safety of the faithful (eh. :,c. fomed to reoognize his sovereignty by the 1-xi. 10). This brings us to the end of the exaction for punishment of a tithe, and as world {eh. xi. 11-14), just as the sixth an evidence that all are under his sway. seal led to the same termiDBtion (eh. vii. But, it may be objeeted, are not all the 12-17), and both are followed by the wicked punished at the judgment? This seventh, which gives a reference to the verse rea.lly seems to hint e.t a possibility eternal peace of heaven. And, behold, the of some course by which, even at the le.st third woe cometh 4.uickl:,. Omit "and." moment, a chance of escape may be presented It Is not said, in the oase of the other to men. Ilut it does not distinctly state "woes," that they come qv,icklv, In his this; it seems, indeed, purposely to leave description of the preservation and gloritl.- the fate of tlie rest of the ungodly untold. cation of the Church nuder the form -0f the All it does assert is that God comes to the "witnesses," the writer had been led to wicked aa a Conqueror or a King, and anticipate in some degree what folloWB exaota what is due to himself. Bnt, further, under the seventh trumpet. Thus the why are _,. tlwruand men slain? Again seventh comes qv,ieklv. When events have interpreting symbolically, 361Jen involves progressed so far that the faithful Church the idea of completeness (see on eh. i. 4; is BBCended to heaven with 1!,er Lord, then v. 1, etc.). A thousand signifies a l&rge immediately follows the eternal rest set number, though not an infinitely large forth under the seventh trumpet. But this number, for which we have "thousands of period is described as " the third woe," thousands," etc. This number, therefore, because it is the period of the 11.nal punish- informs lJfl that God's vengeance overt,tkes ment of the wicked ; and it is the judgme11t a large number, and that that number is of the un~ly which is the theme of the complete, none escaping who deserve to be trumpet-visions, although mention is in- it,:ehtded. Perhaps thi& is mentioned as a cidentally made of the preservation and p1._ution against any )IOBSibility of mistake reward of the jUBt. This is the time fore- in the interpretation of the " tenth plll't." told in eh. x. 7. Just as in the case of the It is aa thQugh St, John would say, " In seals, the peri.od of the seventh seal is that hour God exaoted vengeanoe, demand- recorded but not described, so here, in the ing what was due to hia justioe; but do not case of the seventh trumpet, its advent is imagine that that vengeanc" reached only a recorded, and its nature is indicated in ver. small part of mankind. It was far-extending 18, but no further description is given of and complete, though I do not attempt to the woe; only a slight reference t.o the de:line its exact limits, which 011.nnot be bliss of those who are secure in heaven, known until the judgment-day itself shall Thus St. John does not attempt a complete reveal everything." And the remnant were picture of either the blessings of heaven or aft'righted, and gave glory to the God ot the woes of hell. heaven. The rllllt gave gl-Ory, being, perhaps Ver.15.~And the seventh angel sounded; (though not necessarily), repentant (of. and there were ~ea.t voioea in heaven, say- ·Josh. vii. 19; John ix. 2-1; eh. iv. 9; ing. The participle "saying" is mascu- xiv. 7; xvi. 9). Possibly we have here a line, 11.l•yrnl't'<S, in A, B ; the feminine, hint of God's uncovenanted mercies ( 1>ide h.e-yov<T"', is read in K, 0. P. Though the .aupra), though there is nothing sufliciwtly latter would be more correct, grammatically, definite to encourage men to postpone the yet irregular construction in such cases is day of repentance. No meution i~ made of not uncommon in the Apocalypse. The the ultimate fate of "the remnant." "The 110ice11 were possibly those of the angels God of heaven," in contrast to things of the rejoicing in the triumph of the kingdom world, upon which their affections had of God. Or perhaps they proceeded from been hitherto set (cf. eh. xvi. 11). In these the four living beings, since the elders lll'e two places alone of the New Testament is next mentioned (ver. 17) as offering the this expression found ; but It js not un- praises of the redeemed Church which the:, common in the Old Testament (cf. Ezra i. represent. At the opening of the seventh 2: Neh. i. 4; Dan. ii. 18). seal there was silence in heaven; here, at Ver. H.-rha second woe is past. The the sound of the seventh angel's trumpet, full description of this woe occupies oh. ix. voice• are beard " in heaven," but there ia 18-xi H. The account describes the silence as to the fate of the wicked, with uat~l ,pjfituaJ punishment which i11 in- wµom ~e 1rumpet-viaio111 hAve beep. chielly ~ '.Mm ltEVJllLATIOM''Oll! ST. JOHN 'l'llE DIVINE. [011. xt.1-tt,