The Great River Euphrates.
Revelation 16:12-2112And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared. 13And 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. 14For 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 that great day of God Almighty. 15Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame. 16And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon. 17And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done. 18And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great. 19And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath. 20And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. 21And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great. (Revelation 16:12‑21).
We are now approaching a deeply interesting portion of the drama of the last days. Hitherto in these vials, and the same may be said of the trumpets (Rev. 8, 9), the Western enemies of God and His people have been specially in view. But a large part of the prophetic Word is occupied with the future of the Eastern nations (see Daniel, Ezekiel, Isaiah), and this it is that comes prominently before us in the sixth vial, as it did in the sixth trumpet.
The Sixth Vial.
“And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of (from —R.V.) the east might be prepared” (verse 12)
The Euphrates holds an important place geographically in the Scriptures. It was one of the four heads into which was divided the river that flowed through Eden (Gen. 2:1414And the name of the third river is Hiddekel: that is it which goeth toward the east of Assyria. And the fourth river is Euphrates. (Genesis 2:14)). So this affords all the indication that God thought necessary to give of the situation of what men call “the cradle of humanity.” Some there are who would place the garden anywhere but where Scripture clearly has stated it to have been. And yet we may understand the wisdom of God in not fixing for us the exact position of the garden, for prone to idolatry as man is, what pilgrimages of curiosity and superstition might not have been instituted for pecuniary purposes, even under the name of religion!
But the Euphrates had an importance with reference to the seed of Abraham (Gen. 15:1818In the same day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates: (Genesis 15:18)). It was the boundary eastward of the promised land, showing how much vaster was the territory allotted to Israel than many suppose. Euphrates is often mentioned in Scripture, and frequently as “the great river.” Apart from the two places where it is found in the Apocalypse lessons of great spiritual importance may be learned therefrom, but this must be left for the present.
The importance of the Euphrates in our chapter is this, that it is the boundary line between the East and the West. We are told that the Roman Empire never extended beyond the Euphrates, and verse 12 of our chapter shows that the great river is a barrier that stands in the way of the kings from the East. There is every indication today that these kings are beginning to look Westward. This has often been pointed out in the Advent Witness. This very day, as we write, the newspaper placards have in bold letters—
Asia Threatens Europe.
The Eastern nations are now awaking from the slumber of ages; the march towards Europe and Palestine of the kings of the East will soon begin; God in His providential dealings with the earth is preparing their way. Our passage tells us how this preparation will take place. The water of the great river Euphrates will be dried up.
Possibly this may figuratively be accomplished by the building of railways, projects which now fill the air for Persia, India, and China. But there is no necessity to take it figuratively. This very week the daily press has recorded that a river has disappeared— “dried up” is the very expression used—during the earthquakes that have been taking place in Mexico. Rationalists of course may see any amount of difficulty here as elsewhere in the Word of God. But like their Sadducean protagonists they “err, not knowing the Scripture, nor the power of God” (Matt. 22:2727And last of all the woman died also. (Matthew 22:27)). To the simple believer neither a literal resurrection from the dead, nor a literal drying up of Euphrates presents any difficulty. Did not God roll back the waters of the Red Sea to cause His people to go dry shod out of Egypt? But the Egyptians essaying to do it were drowned. Whether a similar catastrophe may not overwhelm a multitude of these Eastern hordes we cannot say.
“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 that great day of God Almighty.”
Without dogmatizing as to exact details in connection with the events of the final crisis immediately preceding Christ’s Millennial reign of peace it would seem that the attack of Gog upon the land of Palestine (Ezek. 38, 39) and this battle of the great day of God Almighty are closely related. Startling events are about to take place. Military leaders in all countries, East and West, are aware of it. In spite of Locarno, Geneva, Lausanne, and all such pacific attempts there never was a time when mightier preparations were made amongst the nations for their mutual extermination. What with poison gases sand bombing raids upon defenseless cities truly we may say “the spirits of devils, working miracles” are abroad in all lands.
Though we may see all these things preparing, yet the removal of the Church must precede their full development. Some may hesitate in accepting this, but we believe that the rapture described in 1 Thessalonians 4. may at any moment take place. A Jewish testimony will then immediately commence. Interesting as the study might be we shall not attempt to fit in the different prophetic events recorded in the Scriptures. We take them in their broad outline. Palestine, or rather “the land of Israel,” a very much wider and more extended area, will then become the prominent scene of earthly happenings.
We reserve to another occasion a detailed exposition of these remarkable chapters in Ezekiel. The whole world is to be set ablaze by the power of Satan. At Pentecost the Spirit of God was working mightily for man’s salvation through the preached Word, accompanied by signs and miracles of the Holy Ghost. That Spirit is still working, in spite of being grieved and quenched. But under the sixth vial, as we have seen, the devil will be at work stirring up strife and war fever such as has never been know before.
If men today spouting at street corners and in all places of public resort, inflaming men’s passions one against the other, can sway the masses in seething sedition, what will it be when directly inspired by Satan? Not only the kings of the East, but the kings of the whole world twill be involved, thus emphasizing the universal character of the upheaval.
“Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame” (vs. 15)
A solemn note of warning is this—a parenthesis in the vials, as has already been noted in the seals and trumpets. Saints there will be on the earth—Jewish saints, and also from amongst the Gentile nations (Rev. 7)— saints whose one and only hope lies in the setting up of the Kingdom. Persecuted and oppressed beyond all power of words to describe, they will be looking for Christ’s coming, not into the air to catch them away to heaven, but to the earth to judge their enemies, and to establish them in earthly blessing. For the saints of this dispensation Christ will come as the Bridegroom to introduce them to their celestial abode; for the world at that day He will come as a thief.
Not for a moment do we wish to minimize the importance of prayerful watchfulness on the part of God’s people in this dispensation. Abundant exhortations do we find in the Word to this end. But exegetically both here and in Luke 21:34-3634And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. 35For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. 36Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man. (Luke 21:34‑36) the saints referred to are those who will be on the earth after the Church period is ended, and who will be passing through the tribulation crisis that will terminate by the appearing in the clouds of heaven of the Son of man. Conversions will be taking place at that time of terrible trial. Special light will also be given to faithful men at that time who will be able to instruct others with the consolation of God’s holy Word (see Daniel 11:33,33And they that understand among the people shall instruct many: yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by captivity, and by spoil, many days. (Daniel 11:33) etc.).
Armageddon.
“And he (‘they’—R.V.) gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon” (vs. 16).
Textual critics, a very different race from “higher” critics, are not agreed whether “he” or “they” is the proper reading in this verse. If one may venture an opinion along exegetical lines may we suggest that “he” is the more likely? While it is true that the unclean Satanic spirits inflame the political leaders of that time and gather them together, yet all is really under God’s control and the time will then have come for the completion of God’s purposes concerning Israel and the nations. If Armageddon and Ezekiel 38 are identical, verse 16 of that chapter bears a striking analogy to verse 16 of Revelation 16— “it shall be in the latter days, and I WILL BRING THEE against My land.”
Everything helps to direct the thoughts to Palestine—the very expression “in the HEBREW tongue” suggests this. And where will Armageddon be fought? The word means “the hill of Megiddo,” and Megiddo is a well-known district in Palestine. It has been called “the classic battleground of Scripture” (G. A. Smith). It is a part of the mountain range of Mount Carmel. It has ever held an important part in the wars of Canaan in the past and is destined to do so in the future.
It is a most significant fact that Haifa, the neighboring seaport is putting on a feverish activity, and a great harbor is being built, and railway communications are in process of rapid construction connecting the Mediterranean with Mesopotamia and the great oil fields. The eyes of all nations are now being directed to that very district where “the battle of that great day of God Almighty” will be fought.
The Seventh Vial.
The golden vials “full of the wrath of God” have one after another been poured forth upon the earth, and now we come to the last one―
“And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne saying. It is done” (vs. 17).
This seems a judgment more penetrating than any that had preceded. At one time we took it symbolically, as a judgment that would fall, permeating everything that is essential to man’s social well-being and which none could escape. But there may also be a literal fulfillment. The air is an element that is coming more and more into prominence.
Fallen man has been turning his faculties, God-given faculties, along lines of invention well-calculated to bring humanity to the verge of extinction. The recent air maneuvers over London have left the uncomfortable feeling that had it been real war a vast population would have been destroyed by poison gas emanating from bombs dropped from the air.
A Mighty Earthquake.
“And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great” (vs. 18).
These judgments complete the series prior to the advent of the Son of man in flaming fire, so that a voice out of heaven from the throne of God can cry—IT IS DONE.
All this is accompanied by the most awe-inspiring portents from heaven, and a widespread upheaving of all that seemed secure on earth.
“And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. And great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath” (vs. 19).
These days are rapidly approaching, and when they come nothing that has ever been known in the shape of earthly disaster will in the smallest degree compare to them for horror. In the universal collapse of all civil political and religious order, three things seem specially prominent “The great city,” or Rome itself, the center of the revived Roman Empire.
“The cities of the nations,” that is, the centers of political activity outside the Roman Empire, for instance in the Far East.
“Great Babylon,” Satan’s imitation of the Bride of the Lamb, that vast system of religious worldliness, and intolerant and cruel persecution of God’s people. For her the fierceness of God’s wrath is reserved. Furthermore, the influence of these things spreads to the remotest parts, “every island” being affected, and the “mountains,” too, which symbolize all that is great and powerful in the world.
“And there fell upon men a, great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was very great” (vs. 21).
The thoughts of men are being prepared for such things, they are even preparing them themselves. The bombs of destruction now being carried by fighting air planes reach, we are told, to a ton in weight. In the government of God men will be allowed to let loose these weapons of destruction upon one another, weapons which they themselves have called into being.
There will be a downpour of wrath from heaven upon men, which will only harden men’s hearts, and lead them to blaspheme the God Whose very existence they profess to deny.
It is a solemn thing to see men in these days lightly and thoughtlessly throwing the Bible away, preferring Satan’s delusions to the sober truth of God. In the days which are to follow the removal of the Church to heaven God will Himself send them strong delusion that they shall believe a lie (2 Thess. 2).