Chapter IV: The Frogs

In opening our subject in the last lecture, I said that there were three questions to be considered: 1. Has the present state of Turkey been foretold in prophecy? 2. Does it teach us any lessons respecting our spiritual position? and 3. Does it throw any light on the blessed hope of our Lord’s return? The first of these questions we examined in the last lecture, and surely it was proved that in the symbol of the drying up of the Euphrates we have a most remarkable symbolic prophecy of the exhaustion of the Ottoman power. To-day we are to pass on to the second question: Is our own spiritual position affected by the exhaustion of Turkish power? Now I can quite understand the thought that has no doubt occurred to many of you, that the two things can have no possible connexion with each other, for there seems to our mind to be no possible connexion of even the most remote character between the Turkish Empire and our own spiritual life. We may well say, ‘What have we to do with the Turks, or the Turks with us in our own daily, private walk with God?’ It may surprise some of you when I say that, although no man can explain the reason of the connexion, I believe it to be very intimate, and that the religious life of modern Christendom is in a most remarkable manner bound up with the decline of the Turkish Empire.

To understand this we must remember that the great prophecy in the book of Revelation is arranged in periods. Each seal, each trumpet, and each vial, represents a period. So there is one particular period of history foretold under the figure of the sixth vial, and all the events predicted under that vial we should expect to appear at about the same time in history. Whether we can trace any connexion or not, the events of each vial are linked together in respect of time; so that if there are two events under any one vial, when we see the one we ought to look out for the other, and when one takes place we have every reason to believe that the other is at hand. Now there are two events, apparently quite distinct in themselves, which are thus connected with each other under the sixth vial—the drying up of the Euphrates, and the appearance of certain most dangerous and seductive spirits, going forth to gather men together for the battle of Almighty God. If, therefore, it be a fact, as I firmly believe it to be a fact, that the Euphrates is now being dried up, then it follows as a sure and certain consequence that the unclean spirits are soon, if not already, going forth to do their deadly work. The two things go on according to the prophecy within the same prophetic period, and therefore if we see the one, as believers in the word of God, we ought to be on the lookout for the other. We are thus brought to the conclusion, that whenever the Euphrates shall be drying up, there will be a time of great spiritual seduction; or, in other words, that the exhaustion of the Turkish Empire will be accompanied, or quickly followed, by a remarkable development of mischievous spiritual power. This, then, must be our subject in this lecture, and we will study (if God permit) first the danger, and then the caution. May God grant that the result may be that we may be like those few men of Sardis who had not defiled their garments, and who will walk with the Lord Jesus in white, for they are worthy!

I. The danger.

This is described in Rev. xvi. 13, 14. ‘And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are the spirits of devils working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of the great day of God Almighty.’

All students of prophecy are well aware how much has been written in exposition of these two verses, and what different explanations have been given of these three seductive spirits. I have not time this morning to discuss any of them, but there are three things perfectly clear, and it will be sufficient for us to study them.

(1.) The subtlety of the danger.

The passage does not describe three empires, or three churches, or three great societies, or three organizations of any kind whatever, but three spirits. Now a spirit is something subtle and unseen. Its presence is not perceived; its voice is not heard; its touch is not felt. It comes and goes, but it leaves no footsteps in the sand. It seems, therefore, a great mistake to explain this prophecy by different systems that are conspicuous to the eye, and we must be careful lest, by so doing, we should be thrown off our guard with reference to our real danger. There may be no false system presented to us, and we may be perfectly safe with reference to any definite form of evil, such as infidelity or popery, but there may be any one, or indeed all three, of these deadly spirits imperceptibly breathing poison into our souls. It is this subtlety of spiritual action that makes it so pre-eminently dangerous. If it were all open and before the eye we should know how to avoid it.

(2.) The variety.

There is not one spirit only, but there are three acting together. We are taught, therefore, that at the time of the drying up of the Euphrates we must be prepared for subtle and seductive power of various forms and characters. If there were only one spirit the danger might assume only one form: but as there are three spirits acting together we should be on our guard against every possible combination. We are not merely to look out for three distinct and separate forms of error, but, as all three act together, they may combine in every conceivable variety. One may act on one mind, two on another, and all three on a third, and so produce the most remarkable and inconsistent combinations. Suppose, _e.g._, that the first was Infidelity, the second Worldliness, and the third Popery. Remember, I do not say that they are, but suppose they were. In some cases you might have avowed Atheism; in some, a life so absorbed in the world that a man does not even take the trouble to be an infidel; and in others pure and unadulterated Romanism. But, besides that, you might find every possible combination. Sceptical opinions might be combined with Romish ritual, and high ceremonial with worldliness of life. Indeed, there is scarcely any form of seductive error that you might not develope by combining in different proportions those three most dangerous spirits. Thus it follows that, though a person may be well on his guard against one, he may be gradually entangled by the other two; and though he may be on the watch against all in their distinct and separate forms, he may be drawn out of a straight path by a beautiful combination of the three, in which, according to St. Paul’s illustration, Satan has transformed himself into an angel of light.

(3.) The result of the action of these spirits in conflict. Verse 14,—‘For they are the spirits of devils working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of the great day of God Almighty.’

Their special object appears to be to gather together the kings to the battle of the great day of God Almighty: and in studying the prophecy it is impossible to forget the political difficulties that have already arisen from the decline of Turkey. But we must not limit the prophecy to kings, for the warning voice of verse 15 clearly applies to us all. Kings are not the only persons who find it necessary to watch and keep their garments. These spirits, then, are predicted as gathering men together for battle. When they are abroad truth and error will be thrown into antagonism. The Lord Jesus Christ will be collecting His forces, and Satan his: there will be on both sides the mustering of the host. Those that are on the side of the Lamb will rally round His banner, ‘called, and chosen, and faithful;’ and those that are under the influence of any of the seductive spirits will throw themselves into the ranks of open opposition. The characteristic of the day will be, not sloth or indifference, but zeal, eagerness, and conflict.

Now no one can have watched the progress of men’s minds during the last half century without observing that this has been most remarkably the case. There cannot be a doubt as to the fact that, while the Turkish power has been declining, the powers of good and evil throughout Christendom have been awakening into life. The two processes have gone on side by side. Turkey has been drying up, and almost every state in Europe has been aroused to religious conflict. Many amongst us have been able to trace the vast change that has taken place during our own lifetimes. I can see myself an immense difference between the state of things when I first commenced my ministry, forty years ago, and the state of things now. Then the characteristic of the day was stagnation, but now it is conflict. Then our warfare was against cold, dull, dead, stolid indifference; but now error in every shape is in full activity, and we require to be armed at all points against every species of attack. Then all that unconverted men desired was to be left undisturbed in the deep sleep that had settled down on their souls. But they are all awake now, and the cry is, ‘To arms!’ Many, alas! are on the wrong side. Far too many have fallen under the fatal influence of these seducing spirits; but, whether on the wrong side or the right, they are awake. They are up, and hurrying to their post. The time for sleep is over; the bugle has sounded, the ranks are forming, the struggle has begun, and the time is come when those who know their Saviour must be prepared to stand with a holy decision on His side.

II. And now you can see the overwhelming importance of the warning of this verse: ‘Blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.’ You can see that the exhaustion of Turkey is a conspicuous signal from God to arouse all Christendom to watchfulness. We cannot see the three unclean spirits coming forth, but we can see Turkey decaying; and that is God’s visible signal that the invisible spirits are at work. If ever, therefore, there was a time for especial watchfulness it is now. If ever there was a time when our young people require to be cautioned, and warned, and helped and guided, it is now. And you will observe that the warning is given to those who have some garments. It is not spoken to the heathen, or unconverted worldlings; but to those who have, what I may term, some sort of Christian clothing. I have not time to discuss what that clothing is. It may be their baptismal robe, that which they put on when they were baptized into Christ. It may be the robe of their Christian profession, that which they wear habitually in daily life; or it may even be that spotless robe washed white in the blood of the Lamb, in which alone they can stand before God, the wedding garment of the perfect righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ. In whatever sense we understand the expression, the solemn and sacred warning from God to every one of us, both old and young, is the same; viz. that we watch and keep our garments, lest we walk naked, and they see our shame. We see the Euphrates drying up, and therefore we know that the evil spirits are abroad. We know, _i.e._, that there are subtle, deadly influences all around us, of various kinds and characters, whose object is to draw us away from the simplicity that is in Christ, to strip us of our garments, and to enlist us on the wrong side of the struggle. We may not be aware of their stealthy approach; and we are not likely to be so, for we are certain not to see them. We need not necessarily be shocked by their suggestions, for, though they be unclean spirits, they can clothe their temptation in the form of beauty. But, whether we detect them or not, we may be sure they are at work, and in full activity. They are moving with stealthy steps in the midst of us. They are approaching our minds in secret, disturbing prayer, suggesting doubts, weakening faith, poisoning thought, alienating love, and so labouring by subtle, mental influence, to detach us from Christ. And only think what the result would be if they were to succeed; nothing less than this, that we should walk naked and they would see our shame! It is not clear who is meant by the ‘they’ that are to see the shame. It may be the world at large, or it may be the very spirits that have done the mischief, looking on with a fiendish smile on the misery and nakedness of the poor wretch whom they have ruined. But it matters not who sees it; that will make very little difference. To be naked before God, that is enough. He is sure to see it, and the dreadful horrors of such a position far exceed any power of human imagination. You remember how St. Paul spoke of it in 2 Cor. v. 3: ‘If so be that being clothed’ (clothed, _i.e._, with the resurrection body) ‘we shall not be found naked.’ Clothed, but yet naked. Risen, but not covered. Alive with all the realities of the body, and all the faculties of the mind, memory, and conscience; but with the poor soul naked, without a claim, without an excuse, without an atonement, without a plea, without a Saviour, without any hope for all eternity of either concealment or forgiveness. The thought is too dreadful to be borne. Oh, may God in mercy grant that not one of us, and not one whom we love, may be found naked in that day! And oh! what an inexpressible joy it is for the child of God, however weak, however unworthy, however unable to cope with all the seductions of those wicked spirits, to fall back on the sure promise of his blessed Saviour: ‘They shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand.’ He can keep us, and we may be sure He will. Let us throw ourselves then into His hand to be clothed, to be kept, to be watched over, to be held fast, that so, preserved in Christ Jesus, and clothed in His spotless robe, we may never be found naked, but may when He comes be presented ‘faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy.’