We are definitely told who are to suffer the scourge of the first plague. It is those who have received the mark of the Beast and who worship his Image. Those who receive the succeeding plagues are not so distinctly mentioned, but they are easily discovered by the trend of the record. To escape these plagues it is important to know upon whom they will fall; and as great importance attaches itself to the time of their coming, this also should be ascertained; for the record of these plagues makes connection with other events, which, when examined, indicate the nearness of their approach.
Because men would enforce upon God's people a mark which Babylon, apostate Christianity, has adopted, but which God has forbidden, the first angel comes from the temple to mark those men with a grievous sore. While the sore was preying with deadly effect upon the lawless, the second angel started from his position in front of the temple. “And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man.” Now will all lands be awakened to realize that heaven has a controversy with the earth. As these plagues are not universal, all men may not have witnessed the deadly effects of the first plague upon the objects of God's wrath. It will not be so after the outpouring of the second. As the sea washes the shores of all continents, no country can longer remain ignorant that the day of God's “vengeance has come, and the year of recompenses for the controversy of Zion.”
Why this plague? Against whom has God sent this calamity? Surely, it can not be against the sea; for why should God punish an inanimate substance? Neither is it against the souls of life within the waters of the deep. That these innocent creatures should be destroyed is not the purpose of the plague. Their death is recorded simply to show the imparted deadliness of the waters.
It is Babylon whom this plague affects. Her ships sail all seas and visit all shores. And “in one hour so great riches is come to naught. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off, and cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city. . . . Alas, alas that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour she is made desolate. Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her.” Rev. 18: 17-20.
Babylon, whose plagues were to come in one day, has been reveling in the luxury of all lands. And Babylon has shed the blood of saints and prophets. Now she can gaze upon a sea which has become as the blood of a dead man. She can witness this condition of the sea consuming her traffic. Evidently few ships will leave the shore. Communication by cable may be continued, but few cargoes can be interchanged. Terrible suffering must surely follow. With the sea full of blood; the pangs of thirst will begin to be felt; with no food but the insufficient home supply in many lands, distress by hunger will be felt.
Yet no better condition is to prevail on land. Another stroke is to follow. Five angels are yet before the temple. While men, driven from the sea, are huddled upon the land, “the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood. And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus. For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy.”
How gladly would every one now be among the righteous! For this plague, falling upon the land-locked nations, does not strike the saints. It is specifically mentioned that this calamity is prepared for those who have shed their blood. The saints, then, must be excluded. But blood must all the slayers drink; since they have poured out the blood of the saints, blood from the vial is poured out upon them. They have given the earth blood to drink; now the earth gives them blood to drink.
The address spoken by the angel to God, ushers us into the living issue. The plague is aimed at those who have shed the blood of saints and prophets. The angel calls them “they.” If we can discover—and the word of God is always clear—who “they” are, we can at once open to view the scenes of this wicked work. The expression would seem to mark them as already well known. In the preceding narrative of this chapter there are only two agencies to whom the term “they” could refer. These are the seven angels of verse 1, and in verse 2 the men who had received the mark of the Beast, and who worship his image. Now it would be folly to say that the angel called himself and his co-angels “murderers of saints and prophets.” Only one party remains who could meet the case—even the men who had received the mark of the Beast.
In our examination of the first plague, the testimony of the Scriptures revealed the mark of God to be his Sabbath day, and the mark of the Beast a counterfeit sabbath. Now if those who shed the blood of saints and prophets are they who have received the mark of the Beast, then the observers of a false sabbath will be found to be the guilty ones. Does the further record of the plague confirm or contradict this? Should it contradict, then we may breathe easy, and once more begin our search. But if it confirms, then evidence is doubly riveted that by the testimony of present events probation's close is near at hand, and that the plagues are about to begin. May all give close attention to the angel's words.
“For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets.” Who are these saints whose blood, spilt like Christ's, has incurred this guilt? The angel knew; for standing with the six others at the opening of Revelation 15, he had received his commission. Together they had just turned from witnessing the scenes of chapter 14. He had just heard God's final approval pronounced: “Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” He saw that commandment-keeping marked these people as saints. He also heard the divine threatenings which preceded this approval, and these threats he heard uttered against those who had just pronounced death upon the ones refusing to receive the mark of the Beast—that false commandment. Then how well he recognized the saints, whose blood it was decreed to shed, as those who obeyed God's commandments. And how well he knew that “they” who would shed this blood were the advocates of a false sabbath. They were guilty not so much because they had recognized this false command, but because of their destroying zeal. For such the third plague is prepared.
The saints, then, were commandment-keepers. But who were the prophets? These also the angel of the waters knew. He had beheld that anxious struggle enacted in Revelation 12. There he saw that “the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” And knowing what a co-laborer announced in Revelation 19: 10, that “the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy,” he finds among these commandment-keepers whom the dragon would persecute, “prophets.”
Those who in the eyes of God are His saints and prophets, seek to keep His commandments. “They” upon whom the angel pours out this vial are determined that death shall be the portion of these saints and prophets. Having rejected the collected light of time, they urge on their blind purposes just before the outpouring of the plagues. Therefore the decree of death against the approved people of God merits the accumulated guilt of ages. But as the three Hebrews were snatched from the burning furnace, so will Christ appear, to translate these faithful ones. It was no fault of Nebuchadnezzar that the three Hebrews did not perish. His guilt was deep. He had neglected the previous entreaties of God; so blinded he became that his opposition even attempted the death of the righteous. How like is the case of these! How sad their darkness! how deep their guilt! They have let pass unheeded the lessons of ages, and have done no better than the wicked of former times. So do they sanction the deeds of Cain and all like him, and come in to close the column of time's added guilt. They would even shed the blood of saints and prophets.
Who, then, would deny the justness of the third plague? So terrible is it that the angel seems urged to justify this judgment, and he proclaims it “true and righteous.” But terrible as is the plague, the guilt is more terrible. Who shall escape if acting with these God-dishonoring processions? If the danger of participating was far removed, all might be at ease. But the battle is now going on. Behold the multitudes trampling under foot God's command. See the terrible half-hearted Christianity everywhere prevailing. Consider the beckoning signs swiftly and surely unmasking events, and revealing the destined end of prophecy.
The marshaling of the kings on the shores of the East is certain evidence that the struggle is here. For did not John say that one of the only three agencies causing this mustering array was a spirit from the mouth of the Beast? The world knows, and the people see, that the Eastern complication of nations is the great problem of statesmen, and the topic of news agencies. Yet this is none other than evidence that the Beast is still here, and that the evil spirit from his mouth is pushing the work. Now will the Beast thus engaged forget the great task of enforcing his mark?—No.
The vigorous way in which he carries his campaign in other quarters warns us that the struggle is on. Everywhere the papacy is re-ascending to his sway. In England the prodigious growth of convents, and the yearly increase of ten thousands of confessors, heard in the English Church; France returning from infidelity to the bosom of Catholicism; the conversion of the gifted Swedish poet, August Strinberg, and other gifted and prominent men; with other numerous and multiplying signs, all signify the great movement toward Rome.
And the question of enforcing Sunday by law, so violently agitated a few years ago, will soon be revived. Lincoln, Neb., is not a city unknown in the United States. Yet it was here that on a recent Sunday the writer heard a conspicuously advertised lecturer call for the enforcement and wide enactment of Sunday laws. The movement must succeed. For if the spirits had influence enough over the kings to gather them to the East, they will have enough influence over these same kings to secure the enforcement of the mark of the Beast.
What do these evidences foreshadow? As surely as they shall pass into the movements opposed to God, so surely will they bring the plagues. The result of present events, interpreted by men, may not be clearly seen. But in the light of God's word, they nevertheless read out the coming end. It is not for present prosperity to blind the eyes; this time of peace is given only for unobstructed work. The evidences of the approaching struggle are trumpet blasts, calling for present decision, for consecration now. When the struggle begins, unhappy will be the state of these who now allow the time of peace to pass unimproved. And the evidences of the nearing struggle are the reminders of the approaching plagues. They will surely come, for the Scripture can not be broken.
B. G. WILKINSON.
EDITORS' NOTE: This is the fifth in the series of eight studies on The Plagues. The next article will be “The Fourth and Fifth Plagues.” Your friend should read these articles. Invest twenty-five cents in a two-months' subscription for him. If you can invest fifty cents to send these eight articles to TWO friends, so much the better. We can furnish the back numbers. You may pay the postage stamps if you wish.
