The Seven Last Plagues of Rev. 16.
By JOS. CLARKE.
The first plague, the noisome and grievous sore, has this peculiarity: that it is inflicted upon those who have received the mark of the beast; while the last six seem to have a more general application. And all the plagues have another peculiarity, which is, that they are sent upon men after the vacating of the temple in Heaven, that is, the sanctuary; and that during this time of the plagues, the temple, or the sanctuary, is filled with smoke, and no man could enter the temple during this period of time. These points are clearly laid down, and should be well understood and appreciated. The mark of the beast is enforced by the two-horned beast (see Rev. 13: 11-17), and the subject of the warning of the third angel (see Rev. 14: 9-13) is the mark which the sufferers of the first plague have received previous to the infliction of this plague; and the temple in Heaven being shut and vacant, and filled with smoke, during the time of the plagues (Rev. 15: 8), plainly indicates that probation has ceased, previous to the plagues. What the mark of the beast will be, has been so often proved that it seems unnecessary to advert to it, or prove it; yet we will briefly say, that it will be in some way connected with the false system of Sabbatizing, at present popular in moral and religious circles throughout Christendom. Indeed, it is a system held in doubt by many of its own advocates. The seal of God, as Creator of heaven and earth, is contained in the fourth commandment; and the happy conclusion of the experience of such as assist in sealing the decalogue, by restoring this statute to its primitive meaning, and placing it in the list of Jehovah's laws, are all found in the 15th chapter of Revelation, while the unutterable agony and sorrow of the advocates of the false system of Sabbatizing are briefly alluded to in the 16th and 18th chapters of Revelation.
JOS. CLARKE.