Key to the Revelation

Front matter

LIBRARY

OF THE

Theological Seminary,

Preface

The Revelation has been esteemed, to a great degree, a sealed book. But God's giving it to man, vi^ith urgent directions that it should be studied, understood, and improved, seems a sure pledge that it was not always to remain sealed. That this sublime closing part of our Holy Bible, — which should be viewed as the collecting of all the golden rays of the wonders of Divine grace to a kind of burning point., — may be understood, and devoutly improved, is much to be desired. Whenever it shall be presented in an unclouded view (should this in time be the case) ; its simplicity, probably, will excite surprise ! Intellect, erudition, and a patient attention to the nature of its language, and the analogies of prophecy, are no doubt indispensable to a correct investigation of this mystical book. But these are not all ; a man may possess them, and yet be as far from the true knowledge of the Apocalypse, as the natural man is from understanding the things of the Spirit ofGod;— and as the world by its wisdom is from knowing God. To these, must be added not only a new heart, but also a peculiar unction of soul in the spirit of the prophecies, and a devout feeling of the following sentiments, — " Not by might, nor by power ; but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts !" " Not by words which man's wisdom teacheth ; but which the Holy Ghost teacheth, comparing spiritual things with spiritual." The strong wind, the earthquake, and the fire, are presented to us as destitute of the presence of God. But the " still small voice" was effectual, — the Lord was there! Happy, if its influence might be shed through our souls. God will so work that ail the glory shall be his. See 1 Cor. i. 18-81.

Very early in my ministry I felt a desire to understand the Revelation (as may be seen in a dissertation which I then wrote, and have inserted, on its appropriate text, in A2

VI PREFACE.

this work, chap. xiv. 6, 7. page 247). My leading studies, and preaching, for more than 42 years, have been on the great doctrines and duties of the gospel ; and but little have I ever preached peculiarly on prophecies. But a convenient portion of my whole -ministry I have delighted in devoting to reading and studies on the prophecies, especially on the Revelation. After 18 years of my ministry, I formed the outlines of my present sentiments on the Revelation, which I submitted to the eye of many most able divines in New-England, and had the pleasure of their approbation. These outlines I afterward proceeded to fill up in a course of Lectures on the whole book. Eight years ago I supposed them finished, and exhibited them to some who expressed a desire to read them in print ; but the publishing of them I deferred, that I might further watch the signs of the times, and re-examine the work. I now, with the advice of many, give them to the public with only this apology, that the subject is of great interest : — that the public attention should be excited to it ; — and I feel my right, in common with others, to " show also mine opinion."

Relative to the style of this work ; — I assure the critic, that had it been written on a subject generally understood, and written to please as well as to instruct the literary world ; I should deem my repetitions, and often renewed references, with the commonness of the style, unpardonable. But when I recollect the difficulty which [ have found in attempting to grasp and retain the sense of the difliicult parts of this book ; and that the great body of common people will find it no less difficult ; I determined to sacrifice all attempt at elegance of composition to the most simple and perspicuous method of instruction.

I will just add ; — the evidence of the divine authority of the Apocalypse (to the eye of faith and intelligence) arising from the fulfilment of its predictions, and of its composition, is as clear^ as that God formed the starry heavens. The disk of the unclouded sun does not more clearly testify that its Creator is God !

THE AUTHOR.

Boston, Julj/ 1, 1833.

Contents

PAGE

LECT. I. — The origin and nature of figurative language . 12

The divisions of the Revelation, 17

Introduction

Our Saviour assures us, at the introduction of this sacred book, that " Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein ; for the time is at hand." Rev. i. 3. We find here our warrant, and our great encouragement, as well as duty, to study the Revelation with devout and diligent attention. — I would contribute my mite to the correct performance of this duty, too generally neglected.

In this introduction, I purpose to give a concise view of the origin and nature of the figurative language which abounds in it, and in most of the prophetic writings of the Bible ; then note the divisions found in the Revelation ; and exhibit the duty^ benefits, and encouragements, which urge to a devout and diligent study of the Apocalypse.

What, then, are the origin and nature of figurative language? This kind of language is a representing of one thing by another ; things less known, by things better known ; and sometimes the reverse. Things spiritual are often denoted by things natural ; as in the bread and wine of the Holy Supper.

This kind of language had its origin in early times, and in the want of a literal language. It came easily into use from necessity (which is the mother of invention) ; and, from the analogies which were found to exist between different things, it was found to be easy and natural to take the properties of one thing to represent those of another. People of very limited knowledge of words, wishing to communicate their ideas (such as they were), attempted to do it by such means as they found within their power ; and those were, figures bor- B rowed from things with which they had some acquaintance, and between which, and the things they wished to express, they discovered (or imagined they discovered) a similarity. Figures thus adopted soon became familiar, and were received as the names of the things thus expressed. PVom tliis beginning, men proceeded to compound and improve their figures, as they wished to denote additional qualities or circumstances ; and hence, in time, arose the Egyptian hieroglyphics, and probably the characters used by the Chinese.

This kind of language had a natural and simple origin, like the following: A child sees and desires an object, but knows not the name of it. He reaches out his hand for it, and, if he can say any thing, he calls it by the name of something which he knows, and between which and this thing he imagines he perceives a resemblance. And, till he is better informed, he will, probably, continue to call it by this name. Jn such kind of simplicity did figurative language originate. And it was not discontinued after the invention and improvement of letters. It then became more definite, as literal definitions could be given of it, and as language improved.

The ancient Egyptians took pleasure in expressing and recording their mental conceptions in figures, which ^vere at once curious, and mysterious. And they retained and refined this use of figures, after they made improvement in literature ; as did also tlie other nations of the East. What was at first adopted from necessity, was afterward retained and refined, to embellish their language. Men of the first eminence deliglited in this use of their figures ; and they often exercised their own and each other's invention with questions involved in this kind of mystery. Hence originated riddles, designed both to please and to instruct. The Greeks, and then the Romans, caught this manner of imbodying their ideas in the language of figures.

It might then have been expected that Israel, after having resided four hundred years in Egypt, in the dawn of their national existence, would adopt a liberal use of this kind of language ; and that the style of their prophets, especially, would abound with it. For, although

DITRODUCTION. 15

the prophets wrote by inspiration, yet they were led to record their inspired conceptions in the language with which they were familiar. Their prophecies especially might be expected to abound in this kind of language ; for they were designed to be vailed in various degrees of mystery, at least for a time. And they were designed to be such as to require the devout and patient investigations of men versed in the language and analogies of prophecy. Hence the passage is appropriate — " I will open my mouth in parables ; I will utter dark sayings of old."

This kind of language is capable of being much more easily understood than many imagine. Literal language is unintelligible till rendered familiar by improvement and use ; and even then it is imperfect. The same word often imports different things and actions ; and the true sense in any given place must be learned from the object of the writer, — the exegesis of the discourse ; and, with this consideration, added to due attention to figurative language, it may be rendered familiar. And it is so, even among people uncultivated. The natives of our continent abound in this kind of diction, of which they form the most ready and perfect conceptions. And we easily understand their figurative communications, in their various talks to our people ; and not only so, but we are arrested with the strength and beauty of their communications, much more than we should be with the literal and simple expressions of their ideas.

Figures known in the sacred writings, are derived from the following sources.— The visible heavens, with the planetary system. — The regions of the air, where winds, storms, lightnings, and thunder are generated. — The earth, water, fires, earthquakes, minerals, metals, stones. — The vegetable world ; trees, grain, plants. — The sea, with its waves, billows, and depths. — Cities in peace, and in arms. — Wars, leaders, armies, battles, conquests, and captivities. — Houses, with their furniture ; temples, prisons, courts, judicial proceedings. — Roads, highways, mountains, deserts, rivers, brooks, springs of water. — The human body ; its sustenance, ornaments, olothing ; its diseases ; its senses, of seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, and feeling. — Domestic relations, and blessings. — Utensils of life — actions of men — times and seasons. — The animal creation ; and the feathered tribes. — ^Reptiles, and insects. — Monsters of the earth ; and fishes, and monsters of the sea. — Also assumed forms from the invisible world.

Figures from these sources, with various combinations of properties, natural and unnatural, occasionally superadded, abound in the word of God ; and more especially in the prophecies.

The same figure sometimes relates to secular, and sometimes to ecclesiastical things. When the former is the case, the heavens (for instance) mean the system of an empire. " The heavens departed as a scroll !'* or, an empire was subverted. " The powers of the heavens shall be shaken !" or, the political world shall be rent. The sun, in that case, denotes the highest government of a nation. Its being turned to darkness, denotes the ruin, or deep perplexity of the supreme civil authority. The stars then denote the subordinate rulers of a nation. Their falling from heaven, means their fall in some revolution. And the moon being turned to blood, denotes tremendous slaughters.

When ecclesiastical things are the object ; the heavens (meaning the visible heavens) denote the visible church on earth. The sun then is God, or Christ the Sun of Kighteousness. The moon then denotes the elements of this world. " The moon was under her feet." The stars then denote the ministers of Christ ; the morning star, Christ himself. "I am the bright and morning star." A falling star is an apostate teacher. Light is holiness ; and darkness siii. Dews, showers, and rain are the kind influences of the Spirit of God. And God's raining upon the wicked snares, means his providentially confounding them in their wickedness.

Another thing is to be remembered, — that while the language of prophecy is figurative, the figures are continually interspersed with language that is literal. As the particles and conjunctions in the sentence are literal, various things predicated of the figurative subjects that are presented are no less literal. For instance ; it does not follow, that because " the rivers and fountains of water," in the third vial, are not literally so — but are nations; therefore the blood into which they are said to be turned, in that vial, is not real blood, but something else denoted by blood. The blood does there mean real blood, into which those nations are, in a measure, turned in wars ! as the angel of the waters exclaims, '•' They have shed the blood of saints — and thou hast given them blood to drink, for they are worthy." Wisdom here is profitable to direct, and will direct the candid improved mind.

A few instances of Bible figures shall here be added. A beast is a figure of an empire that is hostile to the church. And as there can be but one supreme power in that empire or region at the same time ; so there can be but one beast in the same region at the same time. Let this be well remembered. A horn of that beast is a figure either of its strength, or of some leader in it, as Alexander was the notable horn of the he-goat from the west ; or a horn is an emblem of some branch of that power. Add to such a beast an unnatural number of horns or heads, or accommodate him with wings, and you have a compound figure. And unnatural properties may be added to any amount, to denote additional properties in the power denoted. The Babylonish empire was denoted by a lion, as in Dan. vii. ; and eagles' wings are added, to denote the velocity of its conquests. The Grecian empire was a leopard, with four wings, to denote still greater velocity in its conquests ; — and four heads, to denote four parts, into which the empire was divided. The terrible beast from the sea, with great iron teeth, was the secular Roman empire, as will be seen.

This may sufllice for this part of the subject, as light will arise upon it throughout the following pages.

The divisions of the Revelation should be noted* These will be found to be seven seals, seven trumpets, and seven vials, as will be shown in their place. But the Savior gives to John a division of this book thus ; *' Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter." The first here noted was the vision and scene of the 3%

IQ, LECTURE I.

first chapter. The second was the seven epistles to ?he seven churches then in Asia Minor. The third (" the things which shall be hereafter") it is of importance to ascertain. The words of the Savior give us latitude among all events then future, in which the church should have an interest, and which can be shown fitly to accord with the figures of the prophecy.

No one can claim a right to select several only of the great events then future, to the exclusion of other events of equal or greater magnitude. A man who will do this, must surely give others equal latitude, unless he would set himself up as an oracle. " The things that shall be hereafter^^'' we should surely think must include all the most capital events in the church, or contiguous to her, in which she would have a deep interest, and which might well accord with the figure predicting them.

Could, then, " the things which should be hereafter," when John had this vision, be likely to be restricted to several events only, or several kinds of events, as some have imagined ? Would they be restricted to the overturning of the Jewish nation, and the destruction of paganism in the Roman empire 1 Must the seven seals, the seven trumpets, and the seven vials, be construed as all alluding only to those events of early times ? And may one decide that little or no notice is, in the Revelations, taken of the rise, progress, and destruction of popery, and of Mohammedanism, those prime and vast pillars of Satan's kingdom 1 no notice taken of the Reformation in the sixteenth century, that plunging of the dragon from his papal heaven ? no notice taken of his subsequent persecutions of the Protestants, v\'hen hundreds of thousands were destroyed by Jesuitical influence ? no notice taken of the flight of our pilgrim fathers to this new world, and planting here a cause of salvation which was to convert the world ? no notice taken of the flight of the ])resent missionary angel round the earth to preach the gospel to all nations ? none, of the terrors of the French revolutions of 1789, and its twenty-five years of most terrific wars, and the subversion of the predominant power of the papal see ! no notice taken of the present subversion of the Turks ! and no notice of the utter destruction of all that is antichristian, when God assures us in the Old Testament he will " gather the nations, and assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them his indignation, even all his fierce anger, and the whole earth shall be devoured with the fire of his jealousy ; and he will then turn to the people a pure language, and all shall call upon the name of the Lord, and shall serve him with one consent." Those two events are abundantly given in this same connexion in the old prophets. Who can tell then, but they are among the " things which shall be hereafter ?" The seventh vial is called, " the battle of that great day of God Almighty !" alluding to the predictions of the event found in the ancient prophets; as though it had been said, that great day so well known in prophecy ! This event, then, must surely have occupied a place in the description of " the things which shall be hereafter."

The vials known as " the seven last plagues," must surely be viewed as having their effect in the overthrow of the Mohammedan, the papal, and the infidel powers in the last days, and just before the millennium ; — even though a modern critic be of a different opinion.* I shall remain confident that "the things which shall be hereafter," to be written by John, were the line of the most interesting events, in the protection of the church, and in the overthrow of her enemies, through the then future ages of the Christian era. I have never heard an objection, nor an argument against this being the fact, which I could view as possessing even the least weight. And all arguments from analogy, and from the common sense of the case, are fully in favor of it. Why should but several things be noted : and all things else, equally important, and even of greater importance, be neglected?

One thing is found in the prophetic part of the Revelation of essential interest in its correct exposition. It is this, that the prophetic part is found in two great and general divisions ; each having a plan peculiar to hself. After a notable preparation, in the fourth and fifth chap-

* See Ichhorn.

ters, for an unfolding of the events of futurity, prophecies in the first division commence, in the sixth chapter, with the opening of the first seal, giving an event near the commencement of the Christian era. It thence moves onward through a period of about two thousand years, and closes in the end of chapter xi., in presenting the battle of the great day of God, under the seventh trumpet, and the millennial kingdom of Christ. A second general division then commences, like the first, with a plan peculiar to itself, — commencing with the Christian era, and passing onward, as did the first division, through the whole Christian era, giving under new figures some things noted in the first division, and others not there noted. When it reaches the Millennium, where the first division closes, and gives the battle of the great day of God, and the Millennium ; it thence proceeds to give a description of that happy period ; of an apostacy at the close of it ; of the general judgment; and of heaven.

The truth of these two general divisions is manifest to the eye of the intelligent reader.

The seventh trumpet, closing the first division, is most manifestly the same event with the seventh vial closing the reign of Antichrist, in the second division. Compare the two passages, chap. xi. 14, to the end, with chap. xvi. 17, to the end, and you will see they give the same event, in figures essentially and almost precisely the same ; and the two events stand in the very same connexion with the Millennium, which both alike introduce : and both alike allude to the Old Testament predictions of their events. The trumpet is, " as God hath revealed to his servants the prophets" (chap. x. 6, 7) ; and the vial is said to be " the battle of that great day of God Almighty," alluding to the same predictions of it in the prophets ; — that day so well known ! (chap, xvi. 14.) These two events being the same, and each description of the same event being the close of its septenary, in its general divisions, — show that they belong to two distinct divisions, however they do, in this fall of Antichrist, meet in unison.

There is found in these two general divisions every mark of duality of plans. Their events commence in

INTRODTJCTION. 21

about the same period, and terminate in the same period ; and they pursue their objects, each in its own plan, in an independent set of figures, as will be seen. They thus contain every essential mark of two divisions.

When I first discovered that these two general divisions exist in the prophetic part of the Revelation, T supposed it had never before been by any one discovered ; and I wondered it had not been, and improved. When I obtained Scott's Bible, I turned to the passage, and was pleased and confirmed in my views, in finding he had noted it. He says, " The prophecies of this book naturally divide themselves into two TpartsT And he adds, "Inattention to this has occasioned much perplexity in many attempts to explain those predictions." And, conversing not long since with Professor Stuart, of Andover, on the general principles of expounding the Revelation, and being very happy to find a good general agreement of our views ; I asked him, if he had discovered this general division in the prophetic part of the Revelation ? He replied that he had ; and that it was most fully evident that such a division commenced with the twelfth chapter.

This duality of courses over the same period, affords a most happy facility in the exposition of the book. Place the two courses of the divisions side by side ; and place by them, as a third column, the history of the church, internal and external, during the same period ; and these, with the knowledge of the prophetic figurative language of the Revelation, together with the aid furnished in the prophecy of Daniel, of which a portion of the Revelation is but an inspired exposition, — and a pious intelligent expositor is happily prepared for his work.

With such data, God has kindly furnished us ; and no part of it should be overlooked, undervalued, or misimproved.

Such an expositor is not now fettered with the old idle theory, that as the seventh seal contains all the trumpets ; so the seventh trumpet must be construed as containing all the vials. This cannot be, and is not correct : for the trumpets and the vials belong to two different general divisions of the prophetic part of the book. But the greatness of the event, the battle of that great day of God, occasions it to be given as the last in the grand septenary of each of these divisions. The two general divisions strike here in unison, in the seventh trumpet, and the seventh vial.

With the facility afforded by the view of these two general divisions, the commentator is not now reduced to a necessity of cutting the prophecies of this book in pieces ; — treating things which are synchronical, as being many centuries apart ; and things many centuries apart, as being one and the same ; connecting things which have no connexions ; and destroying the chronology of most of the events in the book. It is in no small degree painful, to see how much of this is done by men learned in books and letters, not excepting an Ichhornl Every expositor, destitute of the knowledge and improvement of these two general divisions, is trammelled, and utterly unprepared for his work, even if he had, besides, all the learning of a Raphael.

The other divisions of this book will be shown in their places. The six first seals give a course of judgments on pagan Rome, from the last quarter of the first century, till about the close of the first quarter of the fourth century. The four first of the trumpets then commence a following course of judgments on the Christian empire, after the revolution under Constanline from paganism ; — fulfilled in the northern invasions on the empire, till the dethroning of its last emperor Momylus. The first of the three wo trumpets then sounded, in the rise of Mohammedism. The second, in the rise of the grand supporter of it, — the Turkish empire. The third will destroy Antichrist. And the vials of the seven last plagues, in the second division, will occupy the space between the second and the third wo trumpets ; the seventh of which, and the third wo trumpet will be the same, as has been seen.

1 now proceed to consider the duty, benefits, and encouragement of a devout and diligent study of the Revelation. These are found in the text ; " Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep the things that are written therein ; for the time is at hand." AVe observe,

1. Our Lord Jesus Christ demands tliis duty, as well as encourages it. The language of our text, and the giving of the Revelation, imply a demand of the duty. And seven times, in this book, is the same found in these words, "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saiih unto the churches." Four times, when new scenes of Providence open, it is commanded, " Come, and see !" And, annexed to deep prophecies, is the divine command, " Whoso readeth, let him understand." Shall man object, and say, the attempt is in vain ?

2. The fact, that a great section of the Bible consists in prophecies of events then future, tacitly enforces this duty. Little is the objector to the study of the prophecies aware how great a part of the Bible he virtually condemns ; and to how great a degree his so doing, impeaches the wisdom, and undervalues this great mercy of God.

But, if a part of the prophetic Scriptures may be neglected, where shall the line be drawn ? All events now future are known to man only by prophecy. It is here alone that we learn a resurrection, — a judgment before the bar of God, — the conflagration of the world, — the certainty, and the eternity of future retributions of bliss and wo ! May the prophecies of these events be neglected ? If not, who dares to plead for a neglect of those which assure us of the Millennium ; of the battle of that great day of God ; of the destination of the Jews ; of the vials of the last plagues ; and of the events of the Revelations ?

3. Much of the ancient preaching of a Saviour then to come, was in types and figures not less dark than are most of the prophecies of the Revelation. Israel had their preaching of Christ, in the brazen serpent, — in the water from the rock, — in the sea of brass, — the candlestick,— the sacrifices, — the burning of incense, — and the clusters of temple emblems, — " shadows of good things to come !" And would not the very objection, now often made against the study of the Revelation, that it is deep and difficult, have Iain with equal weight, at least, against the duty of attempting to discover their Messiah in those ancient figures 1 The affirmative is most manifest. We are assured that " the rock which followed them, was Christ." They had no express information relative to this, nor to any other type of Christ. But they were " shut up to the faith," to find here their Redeemer, or perish. Nor had they one-eighth part of the facilities which we now enjoy, relative to the construing of such figurative prophecies.