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Additional Comments |
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| 1 And I heard a great voice out of the sanctuary saying to the seven messengers, 'Go away, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God to the earth;' |
A great voice – The united rejection by the nominal ministers of the message of Truth presented to them by Pastor Russell, especially when they gathered to hear him in Pittsburgh in 1878.
Out of the temple – The nominal temple.
The seven angels – Picturing the living saints during the time of our Lord's Second Advent. Compare to Eze. 9, where there are six men associated with the seventh, "the man clothed in linen with the writer's inkhorn at his side."
Go your ways – We do not want you preaching your message of Truth in our systems. That message will disrupt the system of false religious teaching we have built up over the years to keep the people in blind obedience to Babylon.
Pour out the vials – A vial is a smaller portion than a bowl. These plagues are troublesome individually, but when combined they form a mixture that is deadly to the false systems indeed.
The wrath of God – "I ... am a jealous God." Exo. 20:5; Nah. 1:2.
Upon the earth – Organized society under religious restraint. R498
Pour out the vials .. upon the earth – This is very interesting! Note that the Revelator describes here that all seven of the plagues are to be poured out on the earth! Then notice (vs 2) that the first is poured into the earth. This is another way the Lord is indicating that He marks the beginning as the fulfillment. As soon as the first one is poured out, the "plagues" are considered to have been poured out, even though, at this point, there are still six more to come. |
| 2 and the first did go away, and did pour out his vial upon the land, and there came a sore bad and grievous to men, those having the mark of the beast, and those bowing to his image. |
First Plague See R498
The earth – Organized society under religious restraint.
Upon the men which had the mark of the beast – This is noteworthy because it makes it clear that by the time the First Plague is poured out, the Mark of the Beast has already been placed in the forehead (intellectual understanding) of those in the nominal churches. Since these were clearly in operation in Br. Russell's day (see Aiii:2) it should be clear that this part had already at least begun its fulfillment back then.
See additional comment vs. 1. |
| 3 And the second messenger did pour out his vial to the sea, and there came blood as of [one] dead, and every living soul died in the sea. |
Second Plague See R498 |
| 4 And the third messenger did pour out his vial to the rivers, and to the fountains of the waters, and there came blood, |
Third Plague See R499
Upon the rivers – The great river Euphrates in vs. 12 pictures the support (primairly the people) given to mystic Babylon. So here we suggest that the rivers (not just the one great river, but many rivers) also represent the support of the people. But there is a difference. This would seem to involve those peoples who were not directly a part of Christendom but were closely related to it.
The title of Christendom ("Christ's Kingdom") had long been applied to the nations of Europe whose people believed that it was indeed the kingdom of Christ. Other countries (most notably the United States) were not directly a part of this union of church and state that comprised Christendom but were, neverthless, closely associated with it – guilty by association.
It is to these people, as well as those of Christendom, that the 'rivers' of verse 4 would seem to apply.
Fountains of waters – The sources of the water. This refers to the source of the doctrines. That source is supposed to be the Bible but it has been polluted by the false doctrines of Christendom. |
| 5 and I heard the messenger of the waters, saying, 'righteous, O Lord, art Thou, who art, and who wast, and who shalt be, because these things Thou didst judge, |
The angel of the waters – Pastor Russell, the Messenger of the Truth (waters).
Thou art righteous .. because thou hast judged thus – This is the same message as those who sing the Song of Moses and the Lamb (Rev. 15:3-4) |
| 6 because blood of saints and prophets they did pour out, and blood to them Thou didst give to drink, for they are worthy;' |
Shed the blood of saints – See additional comments Rev. 6:10.
Blood to drink – Remember that this is forbidden to the saints. Acts 15:29. |
| 7 and I heard another out of the altar, saying, 'Yes, Lord God, the Almighty, true and righteous [are] Thy judgments.' |
The altar – The Brazen altar. See additional comments Rev. 6:9.
These verses (5-7) are so close in language to Rev. 6:10 as to be considered as the direct answer to the question there being asked. |
| 8 And the fourth messenger did pour out his vial upon the sun, and there was given to him to scorch men with fire, |
Fourth Plague R499
- - First Thoughts - - -
Fourth Angel – Another part of the Harvest Truth message.
The sun – The Gospel Light. Why would there be plague on the Truth of the Gospel? To understand this we must remember that it is the truth that is presented. What makes it a plague or a blessing is the manner in which it is received. When the saints receive this (Isa. 6:5-8) it humbles and cleanses them, makes them ready for divine service. When received by Babylon, it contradicts their false teachings and practices, showing them before all that they are indeed false. Therefore to them it is a plague.
Power was given unto him – Him should be "it" – Rotherham, i.e., power was given to the plague contained in the fourth vial.
To scorch men with fire – Fire is a symbol for destruction. As mankind in general became more aware of their liberties (from the sounding of the antitypical Jubilee Trumpet) they became more at odds with the established powers of church and state. – R499:14 |
| 9 and men were scorched with great heat, and they did speak evil of the name of God, who hath authority over these plagues, and they did not reform to give to Him glory. |
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| 10 And the fifth messenger did pour out his vial upon the throne of the beast, and his kingdom did become darkened, and they were gnawing their tongues from the pain, |
Fifth Plague R509
Gnawed their tongues for pain – They eat their own words. For an evident fulfillment of this see R3647.
That this is continued for many years is demonstrated by the 2nd Vatican Council where many of the old church teachings were let go of.
Consider the following from Wikipedia:"Pope John Paul II made many apologies. During his long reign as Pope, he apologized to Jews, Galileo, women, people convicted by the Inquisition, Muslims killed by the Crusaders and almost everyone who had allegedly suffered at the hands of the Catholic Church over the years." |
| 11 and they did speak evil of the God of the heaven, from their pains, and from their sores, and they did not reform from their works. |
Blasphemed the God of heaven – Continued to misrepresent the Kingdom of God. They still claimed that their bishops were the direct spiritual descendants of the Apostles and that the Pope was the head of the church. |
| 12 And the sixth messenger did pour out his vial upon the great river, the Euphrates, and dried up was its water, that the way of the kings who are from the rising of the sun may be made ready; |
Sixth Plague R509:22-511:1
Euphrates – The people giving their support to the "great city" Babylon. Just as the literal ancient city of Babylon was supported by the literal waters of the Euphrates river.
The water thereof was dried up – Indicating the loss of support by the masses of the people. This had taken place prior to 1914. See R5449
This is also a clear reference to the historical record of how the literal city of ancient Babylon was overthrown. The walls of that city were impenitratable, but the city was built over the Euphrates river which was blocked by gates. The Persian army dug a trench and diverted the waters of the river (drying up the Euphrates) and were then able to enter the city under the walls via the now dried up riverbed.
Kings of the East – From the sunrising, i.e., the church. R2498, R4699
It is interesting how this mirrors the fall of literal Babylon. For it was the kings of the east (the kings of the Medes and the Persians) who now took control of Babylon. – Babylon was in what is today (2009) Iraq. Persia and Media were both in what is modern day Iran which is east of ancient Babylon.
It is verse 12 that gives us the timing for plague 7. As this points us back to the literal fall of Babylon (and the 7th plague describes the fall of symbolic Babylon) it behooves us to look back at that event to see just what is the relationship between the literal and the symbolic. Please see Topic: Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin as it has a direct bearing upon the understanding of plagues 6 and 7. |
| 13 and I saw [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, three unclean spirits like frogs |
Three unclean spirits – Three unclean or perverted doctrines.
Like frogs – see Dx:1-Dxi:1
We remember back in Rev. 1:1 that these symbolic visions were to be delivered to the John class by Jesus' "angel (messenger.)" Not only do we recognize that this a book of signs (i.e. symbolic) but also, if we wish to understand what these signs mean, we must pay attention to the angel (messenger) whom the Lord chose to explain to us the meaning of these signs, i.e., the Seventh Messenger.
Pastor Russell explains the meaning of the three unclean spirits in R510:5.
That spirits represent doctrines, please see 1 John 4:1-3.
Out of the mouth of the dragon – Proclaimed by the civil power.
Out of the mouth of the beast – Proclaimed by the Papacy.
Out of the mouth of the false prophet – Proclaimed by organized Protestantism. – SM234:2
Note how the following (the dragon, beast and false prophet), correspond to the message God gave in Dan. 5:25-28 by the hand writing on the wall of Babylon.
The Dragon – The civil power of the Roman Empire (at the time of this prophecy's fulfillment known as Christendom.) This corresponds to MENE. It is Christendom's time that is specifically 'numbered' by God. It is numbered to 2520 years.
The beast – Papacy. Corresponding to TEKEL, claiming to be the rule in Christ's stead with its head (the pope) as the vicegerent of Christ. But this is weighed in the balances and found to come up short.
False prophet – Protestant federation. Corresponding to UPHARSIN or Peres, 'divided.' Not only was Protestantism founded by 'dividing' from 'the mother church,' additionally the protestant federation itself was clearly divided into many different creeds, each claiming to be the correct one. |
| 14 for they are spirits of demons, doing signs which go forth unto the kings of the earth, and of the whole world, to bring them together to the battle of that great day of God the Almighty; |
The spirits – Doctrines, teachings.
Of devils – Not the teachings of Christ at all but a twisted perversion of the truth.
Working miracles – R510:8
Go forth unto – These false teachings have a particular direction. They do not go just anywhere.
Unto the kings of the earth – The kings of the symbolic earth, i.e., organized society under religious restraint. This has a clear reference to the nations of Christendom for they were indeed under religious restraint.
And of the whole world – Not only is Christendom to be gathered but also nations who are not part of Christ's Kingdom falsely so-called. This would include, for example, The United States.
To – For the following purpose.
Gather them together – To gather 'the kings of the earth and of the whole world.' Joel 3:2; Zeph. 3:8; Zech. 14:2
The battle of that great day of God Almighty – This battle is the Lord's battle. – (Can you guess who wins?)
The world will not recognize the Battle until it is about over. B140:2
R5951:5 – Last paragraph of R5950 – Sep. 1916. |
| 15 'lo, I do come as a thief; happy [is] he who is watching, and keeping his garments, that he may not walk naked, and they may see his unseemliness,'
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I come as a thief – Here our Lord is clearly addressing His people. Not those who merely claim to be His people, but those who are of the spirit-begotten class. 'Remember, I told you before about the manner of my return, that it would be invisible to the natural eye, – I come as a thief'.
Blessed is he that watcheth – Another reminder of the importance of paying attention to the time features of God's plan. If one is not paying attention to the time features, he has ceased to watch and cannot be of the class here mentioned as being 'blessed'.
And keepeth his garments – 'And guards his raiment' – Weymouth. Not only is it important to be a watcher, but also it is at least equally important to keep the robe of Christ's righteousness clean and unspotted from the world.
Lest he walk naked – This would be the single most dangerous position for any of the Lord's people. It would mean that they once had on the robe of Christ's righteousness (and been begotten to a new nature,) and have now taken off that robe. These would be placing themselves in danger of the second death!
They see his shame – Others will know (in some fashion) that this has been done. An individual who has reached this condition will no longer be pure in the eyes of God and this impurity will eventually make itself manifest to all around him. This is indeed to his shame. |
| 16 and they did bring them together to the place that is called in Hebrew Armageddon. |
He – Our Lord, the same one who spoke in vs. 15.
Gathered them – The kings of the earth and of the whole world as stated in vs. 14. Thus when plague seven strikes the world calls it "World War."
Armegeddon – The present great war in Europe is the beginning of the Armageddon of the Scriptures. SM676:2
R5516:11
R5829:13
R5852:11
R5854:1 |
| 17 And the seventh messenger did pour out his vial to the air, and there came forth a great voice from the sanctuary of the heaven, from the throne, saying, 'It hath come!' |
Seventh Plague R511
The air – The power of spiritual control, ecclesiasticism.
A great voice – 1 Thess. 4:16.
Out of the temple – Should read "from the temple." Strong's 575.
It is done – The Times of the Gentiles are finally over! It is now time to finish this work by pouring out this 7th and last plague. This is the final blow. This plague will complete God's wrath upon the nations. From this we should understand that the 7th plague, Armageddon, is not a "flash in the pan." This has a great work to accomplish. However, we need to remember that when God puts a part of His plan into action, He counts it as complete from the beginning (Rom. 4:17). Since this part of God's plan is now put into motion, there is no power in the universe that can stop it. Thus He counts it as complete from the moment it is begun, i.e., Aug. 1, 1914, even though it take many years to complete its work. |
| 18 and there came voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and a great earthquake came, such as came not since men came upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake so great! |
There were voices – See Expanded Bible Comments
Thunderings – Controversies.
Lightenings – Flashes of light, diffusions of knowledge.
A great earthquake – Not just any earthquake but a great one. The Communist (Bolshevik) revolution. This revolution overtook more than one-third of the world's population. – The Soviet block, China, Cuba and other nations.
Such as was not since men were upon the earth – This is so unlike other revolutions as to stand alone. While similar to the French Revolution, which may be considered as its Type (Rev. 11:13), it is much greater in its scope.
This phrase "since men were upon the earth" limits the period of time to look. It is not from the beginning of human existance but rather from the time when the symbolic earth (organized society under religious restraint) was created. Further, we do not think this applies to just any religion but rather to the so-called "Christian" religion, i.e., symbolic Babylon, Christendom. Thus the earliest time to look for this comparison is from the days of Constantine the Great who was the first to unite the civil power of Rome with the church.
This revolution eventually involves all nations, though at the beginning it certainly involves all the nations of Christendom. |
| 19 And it came the great city into three parts, and the cities of the nations did fall, and Babylon the great was remembered before God, to give to her the cup of the wine of the wrath of His anger, |
The great city – Symbolic Babylon, Christendom (especially its government, for in bible symbology a city is always a government). Compare Rev. 17:18.
Divided into three parts – The same three parts that comprised the city (government of Christendom) as indicated in plague #6, i.e.,
1. The Dragon (civil power)
2. The Beast (Papacy)
3. The False Prophet (Organized Protestantism.)Please note this was the Pastor's thought expressed in R511
The cities of the nations – This should read "the city of the nations" or "the city of the Gentiles." The city of the nations was Christendom (so-called "Christ's Kingdom.")
Fell – This helps us to see the second part of her fall. "Babylon is fallen is fallen..." Rev. 18:2. The first part of the fall was in 1878. This, in 1914, is the second part of the fall.
"World War I broke Europe's waning self-confidence in the merits of its own civilization and, because it was fought between Christian nations, weakened worldwide Christianity [Churchianity]. The seizure of power by a formally atheist government in Russia in 1917 brought negative pressure on Christendom and sharpened the social and working class conflicts of western Europe and the United States. During the following 40 years the Protestant churches in Europe suffered inestimable losses in adherents and formal influence."
Great Babylon – The Papacy – Rev. 17:5.
Please see D25:1-D26:1. – Note: When reading please remember that "now" and "the present" refer to when the Volume was written, 1897.
Came in remembrance before God – The time had come for God to balance the scales of Justice. Thus He "remembered" her.
The cup – A cup is larger than a vial. The thought here is that each of the seven "vials" of God's wrath contains the truth that plagues Babylon. It is the combination of all seven "vials" that makes up the "cup" of God's teaching that brings about Babylon's complete ruin.
The wine – Doctrine, teaching.
The fierceness of His wrath – The fullness of the seven last plagues, "for in them is filled up the wrath of God." Rev. 15:1
From this we should get the understanding that it is the teachings of God (the Truth) that plagues Babylon and brings about her destruction. Isa. 55:11. |
| 20 and every island did flee away, and mountains were not found, |
Every island fled away – Islands picture republics. During the 7th plague even the republics will "flee away." Today (2007) in Europe (the primary site of old Christendom) every country is either a constitutional monarchy (which is basically a republic with a powerless figure-head king, like Great Britain) or a republic.
"Nowadays a parliamentary democracy that is a constitutional monarchy is considered to differ from one that is a republic only in detail rather than in substance. In both cases, the titular head of state—monarch or president—serves the traditional role of embodying and representing the nation, while the government is carried on by a cabinet composed predominantly of elected Members of Parliament." – Wikipedia
The mountains were not found – By the time the republics (islands) flee away, the kingdoms (mountains) have already disappeared. We are already in the time when the mountains (kingdoms) are not found. – R511
"Today [March 2016] slightly more than a quarter of constitutional monarchies are Western European countries, including the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Belgium, Norway, Denmark, Spain, Luxembourg, Monaco, Liechtenstein, and Sweden." – WikepediaWhile we do not think these are all the original kings, it is interesting to note, there are exactly 10 nations in the above list. |
| 21 and great hail (as of talent weight) doth come down out of the heaven upon men, and men did speak evil of God because of the plague of the hail, because its plague is very great. |
Great hail – The hard truth of God's Word. Psa. 18:13
We note (looking at the above picture) that hail (hard water, hard truth) is built up from the inside out by a series of rings, as if to remind us that Truth is built "precept upon precept; line upon line."
Out of heaven – The true heaven, the Kingdom of Christ. Remember that this is the seventh plague which began with the ending of the Times of the Gentiles, the point in time when the "overturning" of the crown is finished and God has given it to "him whose right it is" Eze. 21:27 and He began to "dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel." Psa. 2:9 |