The compiler of this little hand-book is largely indebted to the ablest of Apocalyptic expositors.
The simplicity and grandeur of the Book of Revelation have been greatly obscured, and its difficulty increased by the constant tendency to literalize its symbols.
The earliest and simplest form of written language consisted chiefly of symbolic figures or hieroglyphics, which represented ideas, as letters, at a later period, represented sounds. Thus a sword or a bow would denote warfare; an olive branch, peace; a chain, captivity; and so on. Language of this kind is forcible, simple, exact and uniform in its signification.
Any natural object used for the purpose of bringing before the mind another object; any image which embodies an idea, or which contains within itself a representation of something else, is termed a symbol, “a grouping together of moral qualities by means of one being or several,” by which a complete idea is formed of the thing symbolized. Thus, for example, with the beast (Rev. 13) it is hardly possible to understand the symmetrical arrangement of seven heads and ten horns; whereas, we understand easily seven forms of government for the beast, and his power represented by ten kings.
Stafford
Formerly attributed to W. Scott, but compiled by A. H. Burton from J. N. Darby’s writings.