THE SEVEN LAST PLAGUES.
By John Nevins Andrews
ARE these plagues all future, or are the most of them in the past? 1. They are not poured out till after the third angel of Rev. xiv, 9-12, utters his warning voice. For the first vial is poured out on the very persons threatened by the third angel, viz., those who have the mark, and those who worship the image. Compare Rev. xiv, 9, 10, with xvi, 1. The third angel threatens those who worship the image and receive the mark, that they should drink the unmingled wrath of God. This wrath is filled up in the seven last plagues. The threatening cannot be given after the thing threatened has already been inflicted. Wherefore it follows that the seven last plagues are not poured out before the third proclamation of Rev. xiv, but after it. 2. The third angel's message must pertain to the last generation, (1) Because it not only follows in the prophecy, the proclamation “The hour of his judgment is come,” but the Spirit of God has numbered the series so that there is to be order in the fulfillment. (2.) Because it is immediately followed by the view of the Son of Man ready to reap the harvest of the earth. (3.) Because the wrath which it threatens has no element of mercy in it—it is unmingled wrath poured out into the cup of God's indignation—and the very persons who hear the warning and reject it, are to drink the plagues. The plagues being poured out on the living wicked, and that too when no element of mercy is mingled in the bitter draught, it follows that the third angel with his words of fearful warning brings human probation to a close, and ushers in the time of trouble such as never was. The third angel, therefore, is the last of all God's messengers of mercy, and the seven last plagues do certainly and unmistakably follow his warning voice. 3. These plagues are called the seven LAST plagues. Has there been a series of plagues preceding these? There has been such a series. The seven trumpets represented terrible judgments of God upon wicked men. The judgments that made up this series are called plagues. When six of these trumpets had been blown, and their judgments had been felt by the wicked inhabitants of earth, we read that those who were left who had not been killed by THESE PLAGUES repented not of their wickedness. Rev. ix, 20, 21. So another series of plagues must come upon men, even the seven LAST plagues which fill up God's wrath. There is a remarkable similarity in the order of events when the trumpets are blown, and the vials are poured out. Compare Rev. viii and ix, with chap. xvi. But the one is a partial judgment in each case, while the other makes no exemption. They do not run parallel. The vials contain the seven last plagues. They follow the trumpets and fill up the wrath of God. 4. The plagues are poured out after the opening of the temple of God in Heaven. Rev. xv, 5-8. This opening of the temple of God is an event under the sounding of the seventh angel, Rev. xi, 15-19. It is the opening of the most holy place; for the ark is seen. The opening of this part of the heavenly temple indicates the final work of our High Priest. See Rev. xvi. These things bring out distinctly two facts of importance. 1. That the plagues are not poured out till the seventh angel sounds. 2. That they followed the conclusion of Christ's work as High Priest. 5. The seven last plagues constitute the third woe. It is to be observed that in connection with the sounding of the fifth and sixth angels there is a full account of the first and second woes. Rev. ix. But when the seventh angel sounds we have only this general statement that “thy wrath is come,” and the time to “destroy them which destroy the earth.” Rev. xi, 18. In Rev. xv, however, this very scene is again referred to and enlarged upon. The temple is opened. The wrath of God which comes under the seventh angel is presented more definitely to our view. It is filled up in the seven last plagues. The angels come out of this temple and pour them out upon the earth. The seven last plagues do therefore constitute the third and last woe. And they are poured out after the work of mercy is closed. Are not these things so? Is not the third angel's proclamation given expressly to warn the world of the coming plagues? Can we with any propriety place their solemn warning in the past?