The Pulpit Commentary — Revelation — Section 360

Ven. 12-16.-TM mth bowl. In the prophetic parables of this book there ls, es ~e haYe ~fore remarked, a manifest moral progression, although the varied attempts to indicate in detail an exact historic progression, with datea assigned., has resulted, and must result, in repeated and disappointing failure. We should also note that at about this part of the book many of the historical interpreters stop short, and giYe eonsiderable scope to conjecture. But while on their method we always find ourselves '' &t sea," if we adhere to the plan of exposition we have thus far adopted, no extreme difficulty will present itself, since all falls in with the general tenor of the Word of God. In this paragraph there are two distinct parts, in each of which the imagery is drawn from Old Testament history. We have here indicated: 1. A great providential preparation for the overthrow of huge and mighty forms of evil. We ~ee in this paragraph that the sixth angel poured out his bowl upon the p;reat river, the river Euphmtell; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way might be IJ1ade ready for the kings that come from the sunrising, i.e. from the east.1 In olden time there had been a great city, Babylon. It was doomed. It was to fall by means of '' the man from the east''..(Isa. xli. 2, 25; :xlvi. 11). There was a river that rari through Babylon- the river Euphrates; Long outside the city gates the invader waited. The bed of the river was dried up, through the river itself being turned into another channel. Thus the way of the man from the· east was prepared, and he entered in and took the city; While in this paragraph we haYe a prophetic parable, in those ennts we have the historic parable on which the prophetic pne is based. "Babylon the great" (what that is we haYe yet to see) is doomed. And as of old the way was prepared for the destruetion of "'great Ba.~lou," so will there be preparations (perhaps prolonged onet1) for the downfall of this mystic Babylon. We have here: 2. A great onrush of ihe host.a of evil for a mighty conflict, which will be to their own downfall. The seer further descries a new outbreak, and apparently a simultaneous one, on the part of the three enemies of the Ohurch already named-the dragon, the first beast, the second beast (the latter here named "the false prophet"). Out of their mouth go forth "three unclean spirit&, as it were frogs," i.e. loathsome and detestable; these, we ar& told, are the spirits of demons, doin~ wonders (cl. Matt. xxiv.; 2 Thess. ii.). The e:ffeot of these seducing agencies will be to gather together to their culmination the forces hoatile to the Most High. This daring, aggregate attempt will be the final one,, for it will be one that shall end in most utter defeat. Again we are thrown back for illwitration on ancient incident a.nd on lamHiar name. This final struggle. is at Har-Magedon, or the mountain of Megiddo, "which more, perhaps, than any other apot, is celebrated in the history of Israel as a scene of judicial and decisive (l(lllflict." :t Here was there a decisive conflict between Deborah and Sisera. Here Josiah was slain (2 Kings xxiii 29; also cf. Zech. :xii. 11). Here Ahaziah died of hia woun<ls. But mainly, on the mountain of Megiddo, i.e. Mount Carmel, took place that decisive contrast between Jehovah md Baal, which forced conviction on the people, and ended in the destruction of the epurious prophets and priests. A notable name, indeed, for suggesting disaster and overthrow. And by no more significant. Hymbolism could the truth be suggestea-n-z is hastffling to its own dejeat. We are not t.o think simply of literal warfare. The sacred seer gives us only " the 9utward sign, U.e corporeal type. Under Christianity we can only aee the broad line which • See both Dr. Milligan and Dr. Carpenter concerning the phrase, " the kings from .the . nnriaing." Their Yiews thereon are widely divergent. The meaning of it,' -!J', CBD only be--"the inatrumental agent. by whom, under God, great Babylon mmt fali • Pone,,· Christian Prophecy,' p. 311. a. XVI. 1-21.J THE REVELATION OF ST. JOHN TH& DIVINE. 401