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In chapter 11 the prophet makes the beast to ascend out of the bottomless pit without developing its history. Now be begins afresh, and although it is a fresh taking up of the thing, at the same time it is, as it were, the sequel. Having given the history of the world in general, he reserved the beast for a particular history; but when he comes to that, he takes his sources in heaven (Satan).
It will be noticed that chapters xii.—xiv. go together. In chapter xii., we have the great elements, the bringing on the scene the principal actors, and all that relates directly to the power of Satan; in chapter 13 the instruments of that power in the world. Chapter 14 gives the ways of God, who intervenes in the midst of all that.
Chapter 12:1: “clothed with the sun” is with supreme power. Verse 10: it is the beginning of the kingdom—not that it is yet established on the earth; but because he who hinders is cast out from heaven. His power, although not yet destroyed, is thrown into a more limited circle. It is no longer an influence from heaven. Satan on the earth is obliged to show himself such as he is. As long as he is in heaven, he can exercise a deceitful influence; once upon the earth, he is obliged to unmask himself. “Our brethren” are those who on earth were yet aspiring to heaven. The Church is already in heaven. Chapter xiii. Here we are in history. The beast rises out of the sea, not out of the bottomless pit, because it is a question of the history of the instruments, and not of the sources of power. It resembles the characters of the first three beasts of Dan. 7; and it is the fourth. It is (ver. 8) a resurrection beast; it is important to notice this, in order to recognize it. Verse 5: “continue forty and two months;” God will permit him to act during that time. It always seems to me that the “little horn” of Dan. 7 resembles much more this first beast, than the second. Verse 8: “All that dwell upon the earth;” one must always distinguish them in this moral character of being settled down here, in contrast with those who by faith belong to heaven. Verse 10: God will not have force and violence; He will have the patience of faith.
Verse 11: “Another beast.” Christianity is not the Lamb; for the Lamb is Christ personally. I have an idea that it is a power of the earth, a power which rises up from among the Jews, when all is organized, when the first beast is already there. The word “earth” is one to which one must pay great attention, in order to have the interpretation, because in Hebrew and in Greek it means the organized earth, or else Judea. See this second case in Isa. 24
It had “two horns” so as to resemble “a lamb.” For my part, I think that it is a false Christ in Judea, who will be the Messiah of the Jews and the agent of the Roman empire to persuade the Jews to submit to the beast. Verse 13: here he is acting as a prophet, and giving signs or wonders, as proof that he is sent by Jehovah. Is it not said in 2 Thess. 2 that he owns no God? The answer is, “Yes;” but the difficulty is completely removed by the testimony of Dan. 11, where we see that he does not “regard any god,” while at the same time be honors his god Mauzzim. Outwardly before the Jews, he will have a god; inwardly, he has none. In 2 Thess. 2 it is, to my mind, religious and moral.
Chapter 14 is the intervention of God in the midst of all these things. “An hundred forty and four thousand” are those who have suffered with Christ from the hands of the wicked Jews, like the remnant with David. Before the temple is built, the true David reigns in Zion, and those who have suffered with Him, reign with Him. They have a share in royal grace. They are not in heaven; but they sing the song of heaven. I do not know whether they are raised from the dead or changed. There are seven things in this chapter—verse 1, first; verse 6, second; verse 8, third; verse 9, fourth; verse 13, fifth; verse 14, sixth; and verse 17, seventh.
In the fifth section—the time when one ceases to be put to death for the Lord—it is “the dead,” particularly their character—the diers, so to speak. This is the close of martyrdom. The diers in the Lord are blessed from that moment: they enter into the blessing which they have been waiting for. Hence it is finished—nothing remains but the coming of the Son of man. They are blessed from this time. I do not say that they die from henceforth. In the sixth it is the harvest or judgment where distinction is made; in the ninth, the vintage, where everything is trodden down. At His coming, He smites everywhere; but where all has not been against Him (“the isles"), He distinguishes, whilst in Edom, where the gathering together of the wicked ones takes place, all is trodden down.
Chapters 15 & 16 are altogether separate. It is the wrath of God. This is not the same as the wrath of the Lamb. It is God acting in public government, and not Christ executing judgment in person. At the same time, it is unmingled judgment, because the saints who suffered under the beast are not ingathered and in glory.
Chapter 16 is the vials. We have here, as for the trumpets, the earth, the sea, the rivers, the sun. Fourth vial: the sun becomes more scorching. Men would have this beast: they must know what it is. Sixth vial: the Euphrates. All the sources of prosperity are smitten. Verses 12, 13: the plagues fall upon the men who worship the beast and did not repent. Now the sixth vial prepares the last great catastrophe. Verse 13: “the dragon” is the open energy and hostility of Satan; “the beast” is the Roman Empire in its state of blasphemy, having again come up out of the bottomless pit; and “the false prophet” is he who pretended to be the sent one of God. In verse 16, we find ourselves again with Hebrew landmarks—Armageddon. It is, as in Judg. 5, the gathering together of the kings to make war against God. Verses 17, 18: “into the air;” because it is universal. What a solemn word— “It is done.” We have not yet the judgment of the beast. Up to this, it is only what happens around; the judgment of the beast is another thing. “The earth” is where they have not received “the love of the truth,” then God sends them “strong delusion, that they should believe a lie.” They unite with the rebellion of men under the government of God, and undergo direct judgment. They are smitten alive; whereas, “the nations,” where Christianity has not had its seat, undergo the judgment in a less terrible manner. The Apocalypse brings us to the point where the apostasy of the Church has led the world; it is an apostate concentration. It ends in this way on the earth. On the other hand, this book shows us also the end of all things for good by the rapture of the saints to heaven. To sum it all up, blessing is on high, judgment below.
Chapters 17 & 18. It is not the beast in its particular history, but, now, its relationship with the harlot.
Chapter 17:1: “upon many waters” means by the side of the waters. She has direct power over the beast, and her influence extends even over nations. Verse 3: for the Spirit, this world is a wilderness. The beast has the royal color, but the harlot is much more adorned. Verse 5: “abominations of the earth,” or idols. It is a mystery; it is not a clear thing, as if it were a city. If there were Nebuchadnezzar at Babylon, it would not be a mystery. One must seek here one or more characters. She is the cause of every persecution and of all the blood which has been shed. Verse 8: the beast re-appears with a diabolical character. Verse 9: “mountains” are seats of authority in stability. Verse 11: this eighth king is the beast itself; but it is, at the same time, one of the old forms which reappears (consuls, decemvirs, emperors—one knows not what; but it is “of the seven.") Verse 12: “they reign for the same time with the beast. The ten horns belong to the beast; they are not the barbarians of the middle ages. Verse 17 means the horns, which destroy the harlot, not the kings of the earth,” for they lament. (Chap. xviii. 9.) We have here the end of Christendom; Christianity had ceased before this. These horns are indeed kings; but they are powers and kings at the same time. If the king falls, the power—the people—is always there.
Chapter 18 verses 4-6. Two things are said to the saints: first, to come out of Babylon in order not to partake of her sins, nor of her judgment; secondly to smite her. This warning, though placed in the account after the judgment of Babel, is addressed to the saints before the judgment.
Chapter 19:10. We must distinguish the prophetic Spirit from the Spirit sent from heaven. In the first case, it is the Spirit who declares things beforehand; in the second, it is the Spirit given after a work accomplished in redemption, as a seal of that work. This is important to distinguish, because the testimony of Jesus is not always the gospel.
From verse 11 to chapter 20:3, is the warrior judgment. What follows is rather the sessional judgment. Verse 11: the armies which accompany Him are the saints. (Chap. 17:14.) As to “heaven opened,” it is interesting to remark that, until Christ, heaven could not be opened. We find four times heaven opened in the New Testament. First, at the time of the baptism of Jesus (Luke 3:21, 2221Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened, 22And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased. (Luke 3:21‑22)); secondly, during the days of the Son of man, according to John 1:5151And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man. (John 1:51) (this will be fully accomplished in the millennium; but already on the earth, His person called for that, Luke 22:4343And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. (Luke 22:43)); thirdly, at the death of Stephen, for the reception on high of the redeemed man; fourthly, in judgment (Apocalypse 19.). Verse 15: “Out of his mouth;” “The word that I have spoken” to you, “the same shall judge,” &c. Verse 10, those are the two which go first into the lake of fire. Others will be cast in somewhat later. (Matt. 25)
Chapter 20. As for Satan, he is cast into the bottomless pit, because he is again to come out and deceive the nations afresh. In verse 4, besides the general expression, which says that they are on thrones, there are two classes named. Otherwise it might have been feared that these persons, those of the last half week, the last raised from the dead, would not be found with the others; they are introduced here, in order that we may see their place. Christ, who comes like lightning, does not pass away like lightning. He sits down to judge. In verses 7-9, it is to be remarked that the saints do not suffer; there is a complete separation. That which belongs to God is gathered to the Lord who is there; but when “the camp of the saints” is surrounded, fire comes down out of heaven. Verse 10: Satan, once cast down, never goes up again to heaven. In verse 11, “I saw a great white throne:” it is always sessional; but Christ is alone. There are no other thrones here, because it is a question of the dead; we shall not judge the dead. One must, moreover, pay attention to this, that Christ does not come for the judgment of the dead. He is already there, when the moment arrives. Verse 13. This is to say, that all the rest of the dead were there.
Chapter 21:1-8. These verses continue the history. The Lamb is not named in these eight verses; it is not a mediatorial system. It is God “all in all.”
In chapter 21:9, we go back a little. It is one of the seven angels who shows the New Jerusalem to John. This remark may show that we have not here a continuation of the history. There is also the contrast of the two cities. It needs a measure of spirituality to lay hold of the figures here. The city descended out of heaven; the origin of the Church is heavenly. It is always twelve, because it is always a question of men, though it be in glory. “Gold” is divine righteousness. One sees the meaning of this symbol by the mercy-seat of gold which received the blood. As to “precious stones,” I do not know whether I could explain more than the light of God diversified in His saints; as, for instance, the light of the sun in a prism. God is light and the Church is the perfect prism, in which the light of God brings out in detail all the beauties of His glory. I find this varied expression of the perfection of God, first, in the creature (in creation); secondly, in Christ, in the priesthood; thirdly, in glory for the Church. It is God's essential perfection, not manifesting itself essentially; but in a center which shows its various beauties. All these figures furnish us with real ideas, which it is good to lay hold of. This is made very evident by the fact, that this varied glory has its history in creation, in grace, and in glory. The “gates” are twelve pearls; the beauty of the Church appears directly. There was no temple therein; God is the temple of it; His proper glory insures His majesty. The city has God Himself for its light; but the city is itself the light of the nations. (Ver. 23, 24.) In verse 26, they bring their gifts “to” it and not “into” it. Instead of each one worshipping his net (Hab. 1:1616Therefore they sacrifice unto their net, and burn incense unto their drag; because by them their portion is fat, and their meat plenteous. (Habakkuk 1:16)), they will own the God of glory, honoring Him and presenting to Him their gifts (in His city on this earth), as of old they offered oblations to Jehovah before His altar on the earth.
Chapter 22:3. All the ripe fruit which the life of Christ produces we eat of in heaven: all that is manifested (the leaves) will be administered in grace and healing on the earth. On the earth now, the Church should be the manifestation of all this glory.
In this chapter there are three times, “I come quickly.” Verse 7 is a warning for those who are in connection with the things said in this book—those who are found in the circumstances to which the prophecy applies. Verse 12. This is much more general; the consequence will be universal. In verse 16, Jesus no longer prophesies; He introduces Himself afresh. Then as soon as He announces Himself in His character for the Church, viz., His person and His coming, the cry of the bride is— “Come.” This (ver. 17) is the complete picture of the Church in the absence of Christ. Four things are there: first, the Holy Ghost; secondly, the waiting for Christ, knowing what He is for it; thirdly, some weak ones, who have not yet entered into the affections of the bride, but at the same time belonging to Christ, and therefore invited to join their voices to its own. Fourthly and lastly, the Church, the depositary of living waters, possessing the Holy Spirit in the absence of Christ, invites those from without to come and quench their thirst.
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