The Pulpit Commentary — Revelation — Section 418

impressive vision just granted to the holy seer-a song as "of a great multitude in heaven" breaks upon the ear. It is a song of praise to God, ascribing to him the "salvation" wrought out for his people, and the "glory" of that salvation, and the "power" by which it has been accomplished-a song of praise for his "true and righteous judgments" upon "the great harlot," and the avenging of" the blood of his servants at her hand." And again and again loud " Hallelujahs" follow. The song is from the heavenly multitude rejoicing over the destruction of the kingdom and power of evil, and in its chorus is heard the voice of the universal Church r~preeented by" the elders," and of the whole creature-life by "the fou.r living creatures." Now a voice ia heard "from the throne" calling upon all the "servants" of the Lord, "the amall and the great," to "give praise to our God." Then is heard the voice-a mighty voice-as " of a great multitude, as the voice of many waters, as the voice of mighty thunders." It is still a song of triumph and a song of praise-" Hallelujah : for the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigneth." He has laid low his adversaries. He has taken to himself his mighty power. Babylon licks the dust. As a 'consummation, the song bursts into a marriage-song. 'l'he undying relation ·of Christ to his Church is herein anticipated; and our thought rests on the final blessedness o/ the <Jhurch as the bride of Ghrist. This condition is coincident with the destruction of the kingdom of evil. The harlotry of evil is at an end. The pure love of the pure and faithful bride, and her joyful union with the Lamb, form the antithetical idea. L THE CHURCH'S FINAL BLESSEDNESS I8 FOUND IN AN INDIBBOLUBLlli UNION WITH CHRIST. It is a union that never loses sight of the redemption that is by Christ Jesus. He is ever, in the Church's view, "the Lamb." Hitherto the union has been by faith, and subject to all the fluctuations of the frail heart. Now the bond is indis- soluble. It is eternal. It is a marriage which no death occurs to dissolve. II. FOB THIB THE CHURCH I8 PREPARED BY SANCTITY AND FIDELITY. The sa.notity is seen in that she•• hath made herself ready." She is arrayed in "fine linen, bright and pure," which symbolizes at once the pure spirit and faithful service: " the righteous acts of the saints." Ill 'l'HE ULTIMATE BLESSEDNESS OP THE SAINTS I8 THE OO0ASION OP JOY TO ALL. "Blessed are they that are bidden to the marriage supper of the Lamb." They who sang loud " Hallelujahs" because the harlot wa.s judged now find a spring of new blessedness in the purity, triumph, and felicity of the faithful saints-the bride, the Lamb's wife.-R. G. Vera. 11-21.-The holy war. There now opens to our view a'lother soene of warfare. It is brief, com1,reheusive, and decisive. It is a view of the heavenlies. 'l'he conflict is between the heavenly and the earthly powers. It is a" representation of the conquest of the kingdoms to Christ, which, like all his conquests, is accomplished by the power of the truth, wielded by a. faithful Vhurch, and rendered efficacious by the power of his Spirit." I. THE COMBATANTS ABE DISTINCTLY BROUGHT TO VIEW, 'l'bese are: I. One called" Faithful and True"-"the Word of God." He is distinguished by symbols which indicate his Divine power and authority. He is "KING OF KINGS, AND Lo,m' OF LORDS." His visage corresponds to earlier descriptions: "his eyes are a flame of fire; " "on his head are many diadems; " his name is unknown but to himself; his garment is sprinkled with blood ; from his mouth proceeds a sharp sword ; his feet tread the wine-press of the Divine wrath; he is seated on a white horse. 2. He leads forth a.n army also upon white horses, end clothed in "fine linen, white and pure." Thus is represented the Divine Captain, the Lord Jesus, leading forth his faithful ones to do battle against sin in its various guise11. 3. On the other hand is represented the contending foes: "the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies;'' Against these Christ and his faithful Church wage war: war against sin-foul, filthy sin- " the beast;" and against all the spirit of error and untruth, "the false prophet; n and agafost all the powers of evil which by them inspired domineer over the life of men, and they wage war against whatever stands in opposition to the idea of "tLe Christ ''-the King set upon the holy hill, of whom the psalmist sings. 'l'hey are the enemies, the "foes" of David's Son and Lord, which shall be made his "foot- 1tool" ~ THE REVELATION 011' ST. JOH~ THE DIVINE. [ea. :ni.. 1-!Ji..