Chapter VI: Introduction (5)

┌
I. GENERAL │ I. The title and design of the book, chap. i. 1‒3.
INTRODUCTION, │
CHAP. I. │ II. Dedication to the seven churches of Asia,
│ chap. i. 4‒8.
│
│ III. Vision of the Redeemer, chap. i. 9‒18.
│
│ IV. Commission to write to the seven churches,
│ chap. i. 19, 20.
└
┌
II. EPISTLES TO │ I. Epistle to the church at Ephesus, chap.
THE SEVEN │ ii. 1‒7.
CHURCHES OF │
ASIA, CHAP. │ II. Epistle to the church at Smyrna, chap.
ASIA, CHAP. │ ii. 8‒11.
II. III. │
│ III. Epistle to the church at Pergamos, chap.
│ ii. 12‒17.
│
│ IV. Epistle to the church at Thyatira, chap.
│ ii. 18‒29.
│
│ V. Epistle to the church at Sardis, chap.
│ iii. 1‒6.
│
│ VI. Epistle to the church at Philadelphia,
│ chap. iii. 7‒13.
│
│ VII. Epistle to the church at Laodicea, chap.
│ iii. 14‒22.
└
┌
III. PREPARATORY│ I. The scene laid in heaven, chap. iv. 1, 2.
VISION, │
CHAP. IV. │ II. The vision of God, of the elders, and of the
│ living creatures, ch. iv. 3‒8.
│
│ III. The worship rendered to God, chap. iv. 9‒11.
└
┌
IV. THE EXTERNAL│ I. The Sealed book, containing the record of
RELATIONS OF │ these events, in the hand of him that sat on
THE CHURCH―― │ the throne. The Lamb of God only could open
THE RELATION │ it. The joy in heaven that one was found who
TO SECULAR │ could open the seals, chap. v.
AFFAIRS―― │ ┌
POLITICAL │ II. The opening │ 1. The opening of the first seal,
CHANGES AND │ of the seals │ chap. vi. 1, 2.
REVOLUTIONS, │ │ _The white horse._――Peace,
AS BEARING │ │ prosperity, and triumph,
ON THE │ │ fulfilled in the state of
CHURCH, CHAP. │ │ the Roman empire from the
V.‒XI. 1‒18. │ │ death of Domitian, A.D. 96,
│ │ to the accession of Commodus,
│ │ A.D. 180.
│ │
│ │ 2. The opening of the second seal,
│ │ chap. vi. 3, 4.
│ │ _The red horse._――Bloodshed,
│ │ discord, civil strife;
│ │ fulfilled in the state of the
│ │ Roman empire from the death
│ │ of Commodus, A.D. 193, and
│ │ onward.
│ │
│ │ 3. The opening of the third seal,
│ │ chap. vi. 5, 6.
│ │ _The black horse._――Calamity,
│ │ distress, want, trouble;
│ │ fulfilled in the Roman empire,
│ │ in the scarcity of food that
│ │ prevailed; the excessive
│ │ taxation; the special order
│ │ not to destroy the olive-yards
│ │ and vineyards; the sources
│ │ of revenue, in the time of
│ │ Caracalla, A.D. 211, and
│ │ onward.
│ │
│ │ 4. The opening of the fourth seal,
│ │ chap. vi. 7, 8.
│ │ _The pale horse._――The reign
│ │ of death, in the form of
│ │ famine, pestilence, disease;
│ │ fulfilled in the Roman empire
│ │ in the bloodshed, famine, and
│ │ pestilence that prevailed in
│ │ the time of Decius, Gallus,
│ │ Æmilianus, Valerian, and
│ │ Gallianus, A.D. 243‒268.
│ │
│ │ 5. The opening of the fifth seal,
│ │ chap. vi. 9‒11.
│ │ _The martyrs._――Fulfilled in
│ │ the Roman empire in the
│ │ persecutions, particularly
│ │ in the time of Diocletian,
│ │ A.D. 284‒304; the last of the
│ │ efforts in the Pagan world to
│ │ extinguish the Christian name.
│ │
│ │ 6. The opening of the sixth seal,
│ │ chap. vi. 12‒17.
│ │ _Consternation and alarm as if
│ │ the world was coming to an
│ │ end_; fulfilled in the Roman
│ │ empire in the threatening
│ │ invasions of the Goths in the
│ │ neighbourhood of the Danube,
│ │ pressed on by the Huns, and
│ │ producing universal alarm and
│ │ consternation, A.D. 365, and
│ │ onwards.
│ │
{lvii} │ │ Intermediate vision between
│ │ the opening of the sixth and
│ │ seventh seals. A view of the
│ │ persecution of the church,
│ │ and the glory of the saints
│ │ in heaven, designed to sustain
│ │ the mind in the midst of so
│ │ much gloom, and to furnish
│ │ the assurance that innumerable
│ │ multitudes of men would be
│ │ brought to glory, chap. vii.
│ │
│ │ (a) The impending storm of
│ │ wrath that seemed to threaten
│ │ universal destruction is
│ │ suspended in order that the
│ │ servants of God might be
│ │ sealed, chap. vii. 1‒3.
│ │
│ │ (b) The sealing process,
│ │ indicating the preservation
│ │ of the church in these times
│ │ of danger, and the influences
│ │ that would designate and save
│ │ the true people of God in all
│ │ time to come, chap. vii. 4‒8.
│ │
│ │ (c) A vision of an immense
│ │ host before the throne,
│ │ gathered out of all people and
│ │ all lands, chap. vii. 9‒12.
│ │
│ │ (d) A view of the martyrs who
│ │ would be saved; a view
│ │ designed to give comfort in
│ │ the trials that would come
│ │ upon the people of God in this
│ │ world, chap. vii. 13, 14.
│ │
│ │ (e) A view of the happiness of
│ │ heaven, where all suffering
│ │ will cease, and all tears be
│ │ wiped away, chap. vii. 15‒17.
│ │
│ │ 7. The opening of the seventh
│ │ seal, chap, viii.‒xi. 1‒18.
│ │ Seven trumpets given to seven
│ │ angels to sound, and the
│ │ preparatory arrangements for
│ │ sounding, chap. viii. 1‒6.
│ │ Two series of events
│ │ referring to the West and
│ │ the East in the downfall of
│ │ the Roman empire:――
│ │
│ │ A. THE WEST――to the fall of the
│ │ Western empire――four trumpets.
│ │
│ │ (1) The first trumpet sounded,
│ │ chap. viii. 7.
│ │ The invasion of the Roman
│ │ empire by Alaric, king of
│ │ the Goths, A.D. 395‒410.
│ │
│ │ (2) The second trumpet sounded,
│ │ chap. viii. 8, 9.
│ │ The invasion of the Roman
│ │ empire by Genseric, king of
│ │ the Vandals, A.D. 428‒468.
│ │
│ │ (3) The third trumpet sounded,
│ │ chap. viii. 10, 11.
│ │ The invasion of the Roman
│ │ empire by Attila, king of
│ │ the Huns, the “Scourge of
│ │ God,” A.D. 433‒453.
│ │
│ │ (4) The fourth trumpet sounded,
│ │ chap. viii. 12, 13.
│ │ The final conquest of Rome
│ │ and the Western empire by
│ │ Odoacer, king of the Heruli,
│ │ A.D. 476‒490.
│ │
│ │ B. THE EAST――to the fall of the
│ │ Eastern empire――two trumpets,
│ │ chap. ix.
│ │
│ │ (5) The fifth trumpet sounded,
│ │ chap. ix. 1‒12.
│ │ The Mahometans, or Saracens.
│ │
│ │ (6) The sixth trumpet sounded,
│ │ chap. ix. 13‒19.
│ │ The Turkish power.
│ │ The interval between the
│ │ fall of the Eastern empire
│ │ and the sounding of the
│ │ seventh trumpet, chap.
│ │ ix. 20; xi. 13:――
│ │
│ │ (a) The result of these
│ │ judgments, chap. ix. 20, 21.
│ │ They produce no change in
│ │ the moral condition of the
│ │ world; fulfilled in the
│ │ state of the Papal world
│ │ after the conquest of
│ │ Constantinople, and before
│ │ the Reformation.
│ │
│ │ (b) An angel is seen descending
│ │ from heaven with emblems
│ │ of majesty, joy, and peace,
│ │ chap. x.; fulfilled in the
│ │ Reformation:――
│ │
│ │ (α) The angel with the rainbow
│ │ on his head, and his face
│ │ like the sun, a proper
│ │ symbol of the Reformation
│ │ as a work of peace, and
│ │ accompanied with light and
│ │ knowledge, chap. x. 1.
│ │
{lviii} │ │ (β) The little book in his
│ │ hand, a symbol of the
│ │ principal agent in the
│ │ Reformation――_a book_――the
│ │ Bible, chap. x. 2.
│ │
│ │ (γ) His crying with a loud
│ │ voice, symbolical of the
│ │ Reformation as arresting
│ │ the attention of the
│ │ nations, chap. x. 3.
│ │
│ │ (δ) The seven thunders――the
│ │ anathemas of Papal Rome――the
│ │ thunder of the seven-hilled
│ │ city, chap. x. 3.
│ │
│ │ (ε) The purpose of John
│ │ to record what the seven
│ │ thunders had uttered, and
│ │ the command not to write;
│ │ the mistake which the
│ │ Reformers were in danger
│ │ of making, by regarding
│ │ the doctrine of the Papacy
│ │ as the truth of God, chap.
│ │ x. 4.
│ │
│ │ (ζ) The solemn oath of the
│ │ angel that the time
│ │ predicted would not then
│ │ occur, but would occur in
│ │ the time when the seventh
│ │ angel should sound, chap.
│ │ x. 5‒7; fulfilled in the
│ │ anticipations of the
│ │ Reformers that the world
│ │ was about to come to an
│ │ end, and the reign of Christ
│ │ about to commence, and
│ │ the assurance of the angel
│ │ that this would not _then_
│ │ occur, but that a long and
│ │ important interval must take
│ │ place.
│ │
│ │ (η) The command given to John
│ │ to go and take the little
│ │ book from the hand of the
│ │ angel, chap. x. 8; fulfilled
│ │ in the delivery of the Bible
│ │ again to the church.
│ │
│ │ (θ) The command to eat it, and
│ │ the consequences――sweet in
│ │ the mouth, and bitter to the
│ │ belly, chap. x. 9, 10; the
│ │ effect of the pure word of
│ │ God on the soul indicated
│ │ by the one; the bitter
│ │ consequences, in persecution
│ │ and opposition, that would
│ │ result from the attempt
│ │ to make the truth known to
│ │ the world, indicated by the
│ │ other.
│ │
│ │ (ι) The assurance that he
│ │ would yet prophesy before
│ │ many people, and nations,
│ │ and tongues, and kings,
│ │ chap. x. 10; fulfilled
│ │ in the restoration of
│ │ _preaching_ in the church,
│ │ founded on the Bible, and in
│ │ the immediate and ultimate
│ │ influence of the Bible in
│ │ making the gospel known to
│ │ the world.
│ │
│ │ (c) The measuring of the holy
│ │ city, chap. xi. 1, 2;
│ │ the determining of what
│ │ constituted the true
│ │ church at the time of the
│ │ Reformation.
│ │
│ │ (d) The two witnesses, chap.
│ │ xi. 3‒13. Those who bore
│ │ faithful testimony to the
│ │ truth in all the corruptions
│ │ of the church; their trials
│ │ and their triumph; fulfilled
│ │ in the succession of true
│ │ and sincere Christians
│ │ whom God raised up from
│ │ time to time to testify to
│ │ the truth. They would be
│ │ persecuted, and many of
│ │ them would be put to death;
│ │ they would seem to be
│ │ finally silenced, and
│ │ would be treated with great
│ │ indignity, as if their
│ │ dead bodies should remain
│ │ unburied; they would,
│ │ however, come to life again,
│ │ that is, at the time of the
│ │ Reformation they would rise
│ │ and testify against the
│ │ corruptions of the Papacy,
│ │ and would triumph _as if_
│ │ they ascended visibly and
│ │ gloriously to heaven.
│ │
│ │ (7) The sounding of the seventh
│ │ trumpet. The final triumph
│ │ of the church, and the
│ │ establishment of the kingdom
│ │ of God in the overthrow
│ │ of all its enemies, chap.
│ │ xi. 14‒18. This ends the
│ │ first series of visions; and
│ │ this expresses in general
│ │ terms what is drawn out
│ │ more in detail in the next
│ │ series of visions, Part V.,
│ │ embracing more particularly
│ │ the rise and progress of
│ │ Antichrist.
│ └
└
{lix} ┌
V. THE CHURCH │ ┌
INTERNALLY―― │ I. General │ 1. A new vision of the temple
THE RISE OF │ Introduction │ of God opened in heaven, chap.
ANTICHRIST, │ to this │ xi. 19.
AND THE │ series of │
EFFECT │ visions, │ 2. A representation of the church,
OF THAT │ Chap. │ under the image of a beautiful
FORMIDABLE │ xi. 19; │ woman, chap. xii. 1.
POWER ON │ xii. │
THE INTERNAL │ │ 3. The particular thing designed
HISTORY OF │ │ to be represented――the church
THE CHURCH, │ │ about to increase and to fill
TO THE │ │ the world, chap. xii. 2.
TIME OF THE │ │
OVERTHROW │ │ 4. The deadly hostility of Satan
OF THAT │ │ to the church, and his purpose
GREAT POWER, │ │ to destroy it, represented by
AND THE │ │ a great red dragon waiting to
TRIUMPHANT │ │ destroy the man-child, chap.
ESTABLISHMENT │ │ xii. 3, 4.
OF THE │ │
KINGDOM OF │ │ 5. The ultimate safety of the
GOD, CHAP. │ │ church, represented by the
XI. 19; │ │ child caught up to heaven,
XII.‒XX. │ │ chap. xii. 5.
│ │
│ │ 6. The fact that the church would
│ │ be a long time obscure and
│ │ hidden――represented by the woman
│ │ fleeing into the wilderness,
│ │ chap. xii. 6.
│ │
│ │ 7. A scenic representation of
│ │ the great contest going on
│ │ in the universe about the
│ │ church――represented by a
│ │ conflict in heaven between
│ │ Michael, the protector of the
│ │ church, with his angels, and
│ │ Satan, the great enemy of the
│ │ church, with his angels, chap.
│ │ xii. 7.
│ │
│ │ 8. The ultimate discomfiture of
│ │ Satan, represented by his being
│ │ overcome and cast out of heaven,
│ │ chap. xii. 8, 9.
│ │
│ │ 9. A song of victory in view of
│ │ this triumph, chap. xii. 10, 11.
│ │
│ │ 10. The fact that Satan would be
│ │ allowed, for a limited time,
│ │ to persecute the church, chap.
│ │ xii. 12, 13.
│ │
│ │ 11. The church in the wilderness,
│ │ chap. xii. 14‒17.
│ │ (a) The church would be
│ │ driven into obscurity,
│ │ like a woman fleeing into
│ │ a desert――representing the
│ │ condition of the church while
│ │ the Papacy should have the
│ │ ascendency, ver. 14.
│ │
│ │ (b) The church would still
│ │ be preserved, though in
│ │ obscurity――represented by the
│ │ woman nourished by some unseen
│ │ power, ver. 14.
│ │
│ │ (c) Satan would still rage
│ │ against the church――represented
│ │ by the dragon pouring forth a
│ │ flood of waters to overwhelm
│ │ the woman, ver. 15.
│ │
│ │ (d) The church would be
│ │ protected, as if the
│ │ earth should open its
│ │ mouth to swallow up the
│ │ water――representing the
│ │ interpositions from an
│ │ unexpected quarter in
│ │ delivering the church from
│ │ its perils, ver. 16.
│ │
│ │ (e) The wrath of Satan against
│ │ the remnant――representing
│ │ the attempts of the Papacy
│ │ to cut off individuals when
│ │ open and general persecution
│ │ no longer raged, ver. 17.
│ └
│ ┌
│ II. The two │ 1. The first beast, representing
│ beasts, │ the Roman _civil_ or _secular_
│ representing │ power that sustained the Papacy
│ the great │ in its career of persecution,
│ persecuting │ chap. xiii. 1‒10.
│ power in │
│ the church, │ 2. The second beast, representing
│ Chap. xiii. │ the Papal _ecclesiastical_
│ │ power, giving life to the
│ │ former, and perpetuating its
│ │ influence on the earth, chap.
│ │ xiii. 11‒18.
│ └
│ ┌
│ III. A │ 1. A vision of the redeemed in
│ representation│ heaven, triumphant and
│ designed, │ rejoicing, ver. 1‒5.
│ under a │
│ gospel │ 2. The ultimate spread of
│ succession │ the through all the world,
│ of symbols, │ ver. 6, 7.
│ to cheer │
│ and sustain │ 3. The fall of Babylon, the great
│ the church │ Antichristian power, ver. 8.
│ in its │
│ present and │ 4. The final overthrow of
│ prospective │ all the _upholders_ of
│ trials, with │ that Antichristian power,
│ the assurance │ ver. 9‒12.
│ of its final │
│ triumph, and │ 5. The blessed state of those who
│ the ultimate │ should die in the Lord in any
│ destruction │ time, whether of persecution
│ of all its │ or peace, ver. 13.
│ foes, Chap. │
│ xiv. │ 6. The consummation of all
{lx} │ │ things――the final triumph of
│ │ the church, and the overthrow
│ │ of the wicked, ver. 14‒20:――
│ │
│ │ (a) The great harvest of the
│ │ world by the Son of God――the
│ │ gathering in of the righteous,
│ │ ver. 14‒16.
│ │
│ │ (b) The final overthrow and
│ │ destruction of the wicked,
│ │ ver. 17‒20.
│ └
│ ┌
│ IV. Preparation │ 1. A new wonder is seen in heaven;
│ for the final │ seven angels appear, having the
│ judgment on │ seven last plagues, to fill up
│ the beast and │ or complete the wrath of God,
│ his image, │ ver. 1.
│ Chap. xv. │
│ │ 2. Those who in former times had
│ │ suffered from persecution by the
│ │ power represented by the beast,
│ │ but who, in the midst of trial
│ │ and temptation, had maintained
│ │ their faith steadfast, now
│ │ appear to celebrate with a
│ │ song of victory the prospective
│ │ downfall of the great foe,
│ │ ver. 2‒4.
│ │
│ │ 3. Arrangements made for executing
│ │ the wrath of God. The temple
│ │ is open in heaven; seven angels
│ │ come out having the seven last
│ │ plagues; one of the four living
│ │ creatures gives command to them
│ │ to go and execute the divine
│ │ purpose, presenting seven golden
│ │ bowls full of the wrath of God;
│ │ the temple is forthwith filled
│ │ with smoke, preventing all
│ │ access to the mercy-seat, and
│ │ indicating that the divine
│ │ purpose was inexorable,
│ │ ver. 5‒8.
│ └
│ ┌
│ V. The │ 1. The first vial, ver. 1, 2. The
│ execution of │ first blow struck on the Papacy
│ the purpose, │ in the French Revolution.
│ Chap. xvi. │
│ │ 2. The second vial, ver. 3. The
│ │ scenes of blood and carnage in
│ │ that Revolution.
│ │
│ │ 3. The third vial, ver. 4‒7.
│ │ The calamities brought by
│ │ the French invasions upon the
│ │ countries where the most bloody
│ │ persecutions had been waged――the
│ │ north of Italy.
│ │
│ │ 4. The fourth vial, ver. 8, 9. The
│ │ overturning of the governments
│ │ that sustained the Papal power,
│ │ in the wars consequent on the
│ │ French Revolution.
│ │
│ │ 5. The fifth vial, ver. 10, 11.
│ │ The direct assault on the Papal
│ │ power; the capture of the pope
│ │ himself, and the temporary
│ │ entire subjugation of Rome by
│ │ the French arms.
│ │
│ │ 6. The sixth vial, ver. 12‒16.
│ │ The decline of the Turkish
│ │ power; the rapid extension of
│ │ the gospel in the East; the
│ │ rallying of the strength of
│ │ Paganism, Mahometanism, and
│ │ Romanism――represented by the
│ │ three frogs that came out of the
│ │ mouth of the dragon, the beast,
│ │ and the false prophet: the
│ │ preparation of those powers as
│ │ if for some great conflict, and
│ │ the decisive struggle between
│ │ the church and its foes, _as
│ │ if_ the issue were staked on a
│ │ single battle――in Armageddon.
│ │
│ │ 7. The seventh vial, ver. 17‒21.
│ │ The complete and final overthrow
│ │ of the Papal power, _as if_ in
│ │ a tremendous storm of hail,
│ │ lightning, and thunder,
│ │ accompanied with an earthquake.
│ └
│ ┌
│ VI. A │ 1. Introduction to the Episode;
│ particular │ the vision of the woman sitting
│ description │ on many waters, ver. 1‒3.
│ of the │
│ judgment │ 2. A particular description of the
│ on this │ Antichristian power referred to,
│ formidable │ under the image of an abandoned
│ Antichristian │ and gaily-attired woman,
│ power, under │ ver. 3‒6.
│ a new image │
│ of a harlot │ 3. A particular explanation
│ (Chap. xvii.) │ of what is designed to be
│ in the form │ represented by the image of
│ of an │ the scarlet-coloured woman,
│ _explanatory │ ver. 7‒18:――
│ Episode_. │
│ │ (a) The angel promises to
│ │ explain it, ver. 7.
│ │
│ │ (b) A symbolical representation
│ │ of the design of the vision,
│ │ ver. 8‒14.
│ │
│ │ (c) A more literal statement of
│ │ what is meant, ver. 15‒18. The
│ │ whole designed to characterize
│ │ Papal Rome, and to describe
│ │ the manner of its rise and
│ │ the means of its ultimate
│ │ destruction.
│ └
│ ┌
{lxi} │ VII. A │ 1. A vision of an angel coming
│ description │ from heaven, ver. 1‒3.
│ of the │
│ _effect_ of │ 2. A warning voice calling on
│ that judgment │ the people of God to come out
│ in pouring │ of the mystical Babylon, and
│ out the │ not to partake of her sin and
│ seventh vial │ her doom, ver. 4‒8.
│ on that │
│ formidable │ 3. Lamentation over her fate:――
│ Antichristian │
│ power, under │ (a) By kings, that had
│ the image of │ lived delicately with her,
│ a rich and │ ver. 9, 10.
│ luxurious │
│ city; a │ (b) By merchants that had been
│ further │ enriched by her, ver. 11‒17.
│ _explanatory │
│ Episode_, │ (c) By mariners that had
│ Ch. xviii. │ trafficked with her,
│ │ ver. 17‒19.
│ │
│ │ 4. Rejoicing over her fate,
│ │ ver. 20.
│ │
│ │ 5. The final destruction of
│ │ the mystical Babylon――the
│ │ Papal power――represented by a
│ │ millstone cast by an angel into
│ │ the sea, ver. 21‒24.
│ └
│ ┌
│ VIII. A further │ 1. A hymn of the heavenly hosts
│ _episodical │ in view of the destruction of
│representatation_│ the mystical Babylon,
│ of the │ ver. 1‒7:――
│ effects that │
│ would result │ (a) A voice of many people in
│ from the fall │ heaven, shouting Hallelujah,
│ of the powers │ ver. 1, 2.
│ that opposed │
│ the reign of │ (b) The sound echoed and
│ the Son of │ repeated as the smoke of her
│ God and the │ torment ascends, ver. 3.
│ introduction │
│ of the │ (c) The four and twenty elders,
│ Millennium, │ and the four living creatures
│ with an │ unite in the song, ver. 4.
│ account of │
│ the final │ (d) A voice heard commanding
│ destruction │ them to praise God, ver. 5.
│ of these │
│ powers, │ (e) The mighty shout of
│ Chap. xix. │ Hallelujah echoed and
│ │ repeated from unnumbered
│ │ hosts, ver. 6, 7.
│ │
│ │ 2. The marriage of the Lamb as
│ │ the reason of this increased
│ │ joy, ver. 8, 9.
│ │
│ │ 3. John, overcome with this scene,
│ │ and filled with rapturous joy
│ │ in view of the final triumphs of
│ │ the church, prostrates himself
│ │ before the angel to worship him,
│ │ ver. 10.
│ │
│ │ 4. The final conquest over the
│ │ beast and the false prophet,
│ │ ver. 11‒21:――
│ │
│ │ (a) A description of the
│ │ conqueror――the Son of God――as
│ │ he goes forth to victory,
│ │ attended by the armies of
│ │ heaven, ver. 11‒16.
│ │
│ │ (b) An angel is seen standing
│ │ in the sun, calling on all the
│ │ fowls of heaven to come to the
│ │ great feast prepared for them
│ │ in the destruction of the
│ │ enemies of God, ver. 17, 18.
│ │
│ │ (c) The final war, ver. 19‒21.
│ │ The beast and the kings of the
│ │ earth and their armies gather
│ │ together for the battle; the
│ │ beast and the false prophet
│ │ taken, and cast into the
│ │ lake that burns with fire
│ │ and brimstone; the remainder
│ │ of the enemies of the church
│ │ slain. The last enemy of the
│ │ church on earth is destroyed,
│ │ and the way is prepared for
│ │ its universal triumph.
│ └
│ ┌
│ IX. The │ 1. The binding of Satan, ver. 1‒3.
│ Millennial │
│ period and │ 2. The Millennium, ver. 4‒6.
│ the final │ Thrones are placed _as if_
│ judgment, │ there were to be a judgment;
│ Ch. xx. │ the spirit of the martyrs and
│ │ saints is revived again _as if_
│ │ they were raised from the dead,
│ │ and _lived_ again on the earth;
│ │ Satan is confined, and the
│ │ church enjoys a state of repose
│ │ and prosperity, for the period
│ │ of a thousand years.
│ │
│ │ 3. The release of Satan for a
│ │ little time. ver. 7, 8. After
│ │ the thousand years are expired,
│ │ he is permitted to go forth
│ │ again among the nations, and to
│ │ awaken a new form of hostility
│ │ to Christ and the church.
│ │
│ │ 4. The final overthrow,
│ │ subjugation, and punishment
│ │ of Satan and those opposing
│ │ hosts, and the final triumph,
│ │ therefore, of the church,
│ │ ver. 9, 10.
│ │
│ │ 5. The final judgment on all
│ │ mankind, ver. 11‒15. All the
│ │ dead are raised; the sea gives
│ │ up its dead; Death and Hades
│ │ give up their dead, and a solemn
│ │ and just judgment is pronounced
│ │ on all mankind, and the wicked
│ │ are consigned to the lake of
│ │ fire.
│ └
└
{lxii} ┌
VI. THE FINAL │ I. A vision of the new heavens and new earth, as the
CONDITION │ final abode of the righteous, chap. xxi. 1.
OF THE │
RIGHTEOUS――THE │ II. That blessed future abode represented under the
STATE OF │ image of a beautiful city descending from heaven,
FUTURE │ chap. xxi. 2‒4.
BLESSEDNESS, │
CHAP. XXI.; │ III. A particular description of the city, as
XXII. 1‒5. │ the final abode of the righteous; its general
│ appearance, its walls, its gates, its foundations,
│ its size, its light, its inmates, &c., chap.
│ xxi. 9‒27; xxii. 1‒5
└
┌
VII. THE │ I. A solemn declaration that the things revealed in
EPILOGUE, OR │ this book are true, ver. 6, 7.
CONCLUSION, │
CHAP. │ II. The effect of those revelations on John,
XXII. 6‒20. │ ver. 8, 9.
│
│ III. A command not to seal up what had been
│ revealed, ver. 10.
│
│ IV. The unchangeable condition of the righteous and
│ the wicked in the future state, ver. 14, 15.
│
│ V. The blessedness of those who have a right to
│ enter into the Holy City, ver. 15.
│
│ VI. Jesus declares himself to be the author of all
│ these revelations, ver. 16.
│
│ VII. The free invitations of the gospel to all men,
│ ver. 17.
│
│ VIII. A solemn injunction not to change anything
│ that had been written in this book, ver. 18, 19.
│
│ IX. The assurance of the Saviour that he would come
│ quickly, and the joyous assent of John to this,
│ and prayer that it might occur, ver. 20.
│
│ X. The benediction, ver. 21.
└

{31} THE
REVELATION OF ST. JOHN THE DIVINE.