Thoughts on the Revelation.
CHAPTER XIV. (CONCLUDED.)
VERSES 13-16. And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth; Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; and their works do follow them. And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle. And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle and reap, for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped. Events grow solemn as we near the end. It is this fact which gives to the third angel's message, now going forth, its unusual degree of solemnity and importance. It is the last scene to transpire, the last warning to go forth, prior to the coming of the Son of man. We are fast passing over a line of prophecy which culminates in the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven in flaming fire, to take vengeance on his foes, and to reward his saints. Not only so, but we have come so near its accomplishment, that the very next link in the chain is this crowning and momentous event. And time never rolls back. As the river does not flinch and fly as it approaches the precipice, but bears all floating bodies over with resistless power, and as the seasons never reverse their course, but summer follows in the path of the budding fig-tree, and winter treads close upon the falling leaf, so we are borne onward and onward, whether we will or not, whether prepared or not, to the unavoidable and irreversible crisis. Ah! how little dream the proud professor or the careless worldling, of the doom that is impending. And how hard for even those who know and profess the truth to realize it as it is! John is commanded by a voice from Heaven to write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth; and the response of the Spirit is, "Yea, that they may rest from their labors, and their works do follow them." From henceforth must signify from some particular point of time. What point? Evidently from the commencement of the message in connection with which this is spoken. But why are they blessed? There must be some special reason for this. We see at once that they escape the time of fearful peril, which the saints are to encounter, near the close of their pilgrimage; and while they are blessed in this respect, in common with all the righteous dead, they have an advantage over them in being doubtless that company spoken of in Dan. xii, 1, who are raised to everlasting life at the standing up of Michael. Thus escaping the perils through which the rest of the 144,000 pass, they rise and share with them in their final triumph here, and occupy with them their pre-eminent place in the kingdom. In this way we understand their works follow them: They are held in remembrance to be rewarded at the judgment. Verses 17-20. And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle. And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe. And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great wine-press of the wrath of God. And the wine-press was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the wine-press, even unto the horses' bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs. It will be noticed that in this line of prophecy three angels precede the Son of man on the white cloud, and three are introduced after that symbol. There is here a little variation from strict chronological order; for we understand that the events accomplished by the three last angels, take place, not subsequently to the coming of the Son of man, as they are introduced in the prophecy, but right in connection with that event. We understand that six literal angels are engaged in the scenes here described. The first three have charge of the three special messages, or are said to symbolize a body of religious teachers. The three last cannot symbolize such movements; since of these we have one angel praying to another to thrust in his sickle; which if taken symbolically would present the incongruous scene of one body of saints praying to another to execute vengeance on the wicked. The gathering of both righteous and wicked is here represented: the righteous under the usual figure of wheat harvested for the garner of heaven, see Matt. iii, 12; xiii, 38-43; and the wicked under the no less usual figure of the ripe and bloated clusters of the vine of the earth, cast into the wine-press of vengeance. The angel which cries for vengeance on the wicked, comes forth from the altar: showing that the ministrations of mercy are now at an end. He has power over fire: signifying probably some special judgment committed to his hands. The wine-press is trodden without [or outside of] the city. What city? There is nothing in this scripture to inform us; but when we look at other prophecies describing the same scene, we at once learn what city is referred to. The reader is requested to look carefully at Joel iii, 1, 2, 9-16; Rev. xvi, 14; xix, 16, &c. From these scriptures we learn, 1. That there is to be a gathering of all nations to one place: not of course every individual of the nation, but at least a large portion of all nations. 2. That the place of gathering is to be Jerusalem. 3. That there the Lord comes down to tread the wine-press in his fury, and give the wicked to the slaughter. It was without the city where Jesus suffered. Heb. xiii, 12. It is appropriate that that spot should be the scene of his triumph. And this is doubtless the time when "they also which pierced him," having, if we may so express it, a retributive resurrection for this very occasion, shall behold him in his kingly glory, and wail because of him. Chap. i, 7. Verses 1-8. And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God. And I saw as it were a sea of glass, mingled with fire; and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God. And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvelous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints. Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy; for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest. And after that I looked, and behold the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened. And the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues, clothed in pure and white linen, and having their breasts girded with golden girdles. And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth forever and ever. And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled. The xvith chapter, entire, is but an introduction to the most terrific judgments of the Almighty, that ever have been, or are to be, visited upon this earth in its present state, namely, the seven last plagues. The most that we here behold is a solemn preparation for the outpouring of these unmixed vials. Verse 6 shows that they are poured out subsequently to the last ministrations in the sanctuary; for the temple was opened before they go forth. They are given in charge to seven angels, and these angels are clothed in linen pure and white, a fit emblem of the purity of God's righteousness and justice in the infliction of these judgments. They receive these vials from one of the four beasts. These beasts were decided (see thoughts on chap. iv,) to be a class of Christ's assistants in his sanctuary work. How appropriate, then, that these should be the ones to deliver to the ministers of vengeance, vials to be poured upon those who have slighted Christ's mercy, abused his long suffering, heaped contumely upon his name, and crucified him afresh in the treatment of his followers! While the seven angels are performing their fearful mission, the temple is filled with the glory of God, and no man can enter therein. This shows that the work of mercy is closed, and there is no ministration in the sanctuary during the infliction of the plagues; hence they are manifestations of the wrath of God, without any mixture of mercy. But in this scene the people of God are not forgotten. The prophet is permitted to anticipate a little, and behold them as victors upon the sea of glass as it were mingled with fire, or sparkling and refulgent with the glory of God, singing the song of Moses and the Lamb. Thus like the bright sun bursting through the midnight cloud, some scene is presented, or some promise given to the humble followers of the Lamb, in every hour of temptation, as if to assure and re-assure them of God's love and care for them, and of the certainty of their final reward. Verily the words of the prophet are among the true sayings of God: "Say ye to the righteous that it shall be well with him," but, "woe unto the wicked! it shall be ill with him." Isa. iii, 10, 11.