The Pulpit Commentary — Revelation — Section 309

ship of the first bi>e.st-the world. Alford noting tl1e universal nature of the assertion •ery appropriately refers to Ps. xv. I, 2, ( of. on ver. 6). •• Lord, who shall a.bide in thy tabernacle? Ver 8.-And there followed another who shall dwell in thy holy hill? He that angel, se.ying ; and aMther, a second angel, walketh uprightly, and worketh righteous- followed. That is, of course, the second of n881l, and epeaketb the truth in his heart." the three who here make their appearance For they a.re without fe.ult before the throne in close connection. Each new acene is of God ; they are without blemiB/i.. The unfolded by its own spooial messenger, following phrase is omitted by nearly every Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great oity, authoritt. The word l,.µ.r!,µos, " without because she made all nations drink of the blemish, ' reminds us of the "Lamb without wine of the wrath of her fornication ; blemish" (of. I Pet. i. 19; Heb. ix. H). Thus fallen, fallen is Babykm the great, which again they rooeive appropriate reward. made, etc. The second " is fallen " is While on earth they kept themselves un- omitted in ~••, O, etc., but is inserted in defiled; now they are, like the Lamb, free A, P, some cursives, versions, and Fathers. from blemish {see on ver. 4). Omit "city." Babylon is the type of the Ver. 6.-And I 1aw another angel :liy in world-power. Like so much of the Apo<'a- the midst of heaven. "Another" is omitted Jypse, the image is supplied by the Book of in some manuscripts, but should ·probably be Daniel. There the kingdom is spoken of IUI inserted. "In mid-heaven," as in eh. Ti.ii. . great (Dan. iv. 30; of. also Isa. xiv.). Jn 13, eto. Raving the everlasting gospel to its oppression of the Jewish nation, Babylon preaoh 'llllto them that dwell on the earth, is a type of the world-powel' which perse- and to every ne.tion, e.nd kindred, and cutes the Church of God. At the time tongue, and people ; hamng an eternal gospel when St. John wrote, this power was pre- • • • every nation and tri'be and tongue and eminently possessed and wielded by Rome, peopfa. Probably (though not certainly) e.nd that empire may thus be intended aa "the gospel" in the ordinary sense, which the immediate antitype of Babylon. But is the aignifl.cation of the e:s:pression the description is e.lso .applicable to the throughout the New Testament, though persecuting power of the world in all ages, the word is not found elsewhere in St. and its denial of and opposition to God. John's writings. The idea of this and the Babylon is representative of the world, as following verses is to portray the certainty Jerusalem is of the true Chmch of God. of coming judgment. As a preliminary to Alford observes, "Two things are mingled: this, the gospel is proola.imed to the whole (1) the wine of her fornication, of which all world, in accordance with our Lord's words nations have drunk (eh, xvii. 2); and (2) in Matt. xxiv. H. The gospel is eternal in the wine of the wrath of God, which he its unalterable nature (of. Gal. i. 9), and 1hsll give her to drink (ver. 10 and eh. xvi. in contrast to the powe? of the beast, which 19). The latter is the retribution for the ie eet for destmction (of. eh. xiii. 7). The former ; the f111mer turna into the latter ; fourfold enumeration shows the universal they are treaWB tUJ oae and the same." The nature of the proclamation of the gospel description seoma !:\\:en from Jer. Ii. 7, 8, (of. eh. v. 9, etc.) in reference to the world. "Babylon hath been a golden cup in the Ver. 7.-Saying with a loud voice. AE"'f"'"• Lord's hand, that made all the earth "11&ying," in nominative, though agreeing drunken: the nations have drunken of her with the accusative 1£n~Ao,,," angel." The wine; therefore the nations ar8'mad. Baby- " great voioo" is characteristic of all the lon is suddenly fallen and destroyed." Again heavenly utterances (ver. 2; eh. xi. 12, 15, is the figure of fomlcatwn. used to depict et.c.). J!'ear God, and give glory to him. idolatry e.nd general unfaithfulneBB towards Th118 the angel proclaims the gospel in God (see on ver. 4). • opposition to the second beast, who bids Ver. 9.-And the third angel followed tho1!8 that dwell on the earth to make an them, aa.ying with a loud voice; and ari,otMr, image to the first beast (of. eh. xiii H). a third angel, etc. (see on ver. 8). (On" loud Compare the efi'oot of the coming judgment, voice," see on ver. 7.) U any man worship described in eh. xi. 13, For the hour of his the beast and his image. Here those who judgment iii come. Thie is the reason given worship the beast and those who worship for the fear mentioned. That it has effecl; his image are regarded as one class, whioh is seen by eh. xi. 13. Is come; that is to they pre.ctioally are (but see on eh. xiii. 14). say, is at hand. And worship him the.t This is the fOfflication referred to in ver. 8, made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the retribution for which follows in vcr. 10. the fountains ot waters. A.a remarked And reoeive his me.rk in his forehead, or in above, the angel thua dirootly opposes the his hand; a mt1t'k; hut doubtleBB the mark invitation of the second beast to pay homage of the beast alluded to in eh. xiii. 16 (which to the first beast. Again we have the four- see), In Ais /orehead, etc. (see on eh. xiii. fold enllillml.tion of object& of creation, de- 16). m. xrv. 1-20.] THE REVELATION OF ST. JOHN THE DIVINE. 849