The Pulpit Commentary — Revelation — Section 303

it may we know its real character. Does the stamp oC the God-despising world become visible in our daily conduct, bearing, and words? Do these things show the '' mark uf the beut. "? If so, what loud call comes t.o us t.o have done with all such BO-called wisdom, lllld to give heed to our Saviour's words, "Beware of false prophets, whioh come to you in 1heep'a clothing, but inwardly," etc,1-S. 0. Vera. 1-10.-Safety m times of worldly oppression. The twelfth chapter, with which the thirteenth i.i to be connected, closes with an assertion of the wrath of " the dragon " towards "the woman." The Church of God is ever the object of Satanic wrath. In these t.wo chapters the enmity that the Church has to contend with is represented by three beasts, Much ingenuity has been expended already on the exposition of these dark words, and much more will be until in the light of history we see clearly what, in the words of prophecy, is but imperfectly seen. The first beast was distinctly declared to be "the old serpent, he that is called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world." The beast now spoken ot, the second, receives "his power, and his throne, and great authority " from the dragon. It is a power animated by the one spirit of evil- the adversary, the devil, It is the many powers so animated. It is an active brute force, and may specially refer to the antichristian pagan power (certainly to this as one of many). It arises from" the sea," the invariable symbol of the many peoples of earth- the restleSII world, the Hgitated state of human affairs. We cannot limit the application to any one power, or any seven, or any ten. We are dealing with symbol, not realism, l. HEREIN WE SEE THE BELIEVING CHURCH OPPOSED AND OPPRESSED BY GREAT KXTEBNA.L POWERS, We mnst not interpret these of mere kings of the earth, but of those many forms of worldly power which dominate over the life of man. Special prominence is given in this figure to the speaking of blasphemies against God, his Name, his tabernacle, and them that dwell therein. The utmost blasphemy of the Divine Name is in repudiating and opposing it. Every name by which the creature assumes the place of God is a name of blasphemy. Alas I how many such are around the humble believer I .A.nd he who stands in opposition to Christ and his faithful ones, usurping power over them by savage, beast-like persecution, surely he is branded with the name "blasphemy," II. THE EXTENT OF THE POWERFUL WORKING OF THESE EVILS is (1) very great: "'over every tribe, and people, and tongue, and nation;" but (2) it ia limited in time: "forty and two months." It is not "for ever.'' JIL SAFETY IS ASSURED TO HIM ONLY WHOSE NAHB 18 WRITTEN IN THB BOOK 01!' Llll'ii OF THE LAMB, The Lord defends his own even here, "What shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or anguish, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? .•• Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us." Thus is the Church to gather comfort in all times of exposure, temptation, persecution, or suffering from mighty worldly powers. Here is- here must be-the call for" the patience and the f~th of the sainta."-R. G. Vers. 11-17.-Subtle danger,. The Book of Revelation presents us with a vtew of the conflict between the varied kingdoms of this world and the undivided kingdom of our God and of his Christ, and it uniformly declares to us this one consolatory truth, that these kiugdoms shall become submissive to his kingdom. These kingdoms present themeelves iu the great world-drama as various powers standing more or less in active opposition to the dominion of Christ over the life of men-in opposition to truth, to right- eousness, and to God. "Another beast" arises, not from the sea, but "coming up out of the earth;" not from the world, in its heaving, disordered, tumultuous state, but from the solid earth-from the world in its settled order. It is not the power of rude violence, but as it were of meekness. "He had two horns like unto a lamb"-a smaller measure of power than pertains to the true Lamb, and smaller than is found on the seven-headed beast. But the character is complex. The speech is "as a dragon." It is foul, hellish, Satanic. He doeth great signs. "He decei veth them that dwell on the earth by reason of the aigna." The beast is distinguished by speech, This may indicate a connection with the intellect11&l and moral, not the physic&! or even the political, world, la it a representation of the vast intellectual powers of the world if, and when, inspired by the evil •pirit? la it" whldom "-the wisdQm of this world in its opposition t.o the wisdom e11. xm. 1-18.] TIIB REVELATION OF ST. JOHN TllE DIVINE. 8!8