416 X. Rev. The vision of four angels restraining the winds. SECT. X. The increase of the Christian church, which was to succeed the opening of the seals, is represented by the vision of twelve thousand sealed out of each tribe of Israel; and then follows a view of the glory and happiness of those who should courageously endure persecution while it continued. Rev. VII. throughout. REVELATION VII. 1. REV. VII. 1. ND after these things, it pleased God to AND after these give me a representation of the increase four angels standing I saw which his church should receive, after the com- on the four corners vii. 1 motions which had been shadowed out by those of the earth, holding visions which were introduced by the openthe four winds of the earth, that the wind ing the seals. Accordingly, I saw four angels should not blow on standing at the four corners of the earth; that the earth, nor on the is, the north, the south, the east, and the west; sea, nor on any tree. and they appeared as holding the four cardinal winds of the earth in their hands, that the wind might not blow upon the earth, nor upon the sea, nor upon any tree; but that there might be the most entire and complete calm, to represent the peaceful state of things, which should succeed the tumultuous and distressing revolutions which had been intimated to me above. voice to the four an 2 (Compare Jer. xlix. 36, 37.) And I saw an- 2 And I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun, other angel ascendto intimate the progress the gospel should ing from the east, having the seal of make from the east to the west; having in his the living God: and hand the seal of the living God, in order to im- he cried with a loud press a mark upon those whom he was gra- gels, to whom it was ciously determined to distinguish as his own given to hurt the property, and who should be inclined to dedi- earth and the sea; cate themselves to his service. And he cried with a great voice to the four angels, to whom power was given over the winds, at present to restrain them, but afterwards to loose them with great violence, and by them to injure, in a 3 terrible manner, the earth, and the sea; Say- 3 Saying, Hurt ing, Injure not, by the missive vengeance not the earth, neicommitted to you, the earth, nor the sea, nor trees, till we have ther the sea, nor the the trees, until we have sealed the servants of sealed the servants our God in their foreheads; that distinguishing of our God in their them by that seal, you may know how to moderate the force of the storm, where their safety foreheads. 4 and comfort is concerned. And I then heard 4 And I heard the The vision of the servants of God sealed. and there were sealed an hundred and forty the children of Israel. a 417 Rev. number of them the number, of those that were sealed in all, one SECT. which were sealed; hundred and forty four thousand, who were sealed in an equal number, out of every tribe of the and four thousand, children of Israel. And I heard them men- vii. 5 of all the tribes of tioned in the following order; of the tribe of 5 Of the tribe of Judah, as the most noble and glorious, distinJudah were sealed guished by its regal dignity, and its peculiar twelve thousand. Of relation to Christ according to the flesh, the tribe of Reuben [were] sealed twelve thousand. And of the thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben, though that were so much detribe of Gad were graded by Jacob, and comparatively so small, sealed twelve thou- when the people were numbered in the wil were sealed twelve sand. derness, [were] sealed twelve thousand too. Of the tribe of Gad, whose territories in Canaan lay contiguous to those of Reuben on the other side Jordan, [were] also sealed twelve thou6 of the tribe of sand. And, from thence, the angel appeared 6 Aser were sealed to pass over to the northwest boundary of the the tribe of Neph. land, and to the shore of the Mediterranean thalem were sealed sea, which was the lot of the tribe of Asher, of twelve thousand. Of which there [were] also sealed twelve thousand. the tribe of Manas; And of the neighbouring tribe of Naphtali, twelve thousand. whose inheritance lay east of the former, [were] twelve thousand. Of ses were sealed twelve thousand. Of sealed twelve thousand. And of the tribe of Manasseh, whose land lay next to the east of Naphtali [were] sealed the same number, that 7 Of the tribe of is, twelve thousand. And of the tribe of Simeon, 7 Simeon were sealed though it had its inheritance taken out of that the tribe of Levi of Judah, and so might seem less considerable, were sealed twelve there [were] sealed as many as of the former, thousand. Of the even twelve thousand. And of the tribe of his brother Levi, though his posterity were scattered among the other tribes, and had no land that was properly their inheritance, [were] sealed twelve thousand likewise. And of the tribe of Issachar, to which the angel then passed, [were] tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve thousand. a Of the tribe of Judah, &c.] I freely acknowledge, that it is very difficult to me to assign the reason of that order in which the tribes are placed, or the reason, why one of the tribes is omitted; the latter of which appears much more important than the former. However this is plain, that when Levi was mentioned for one tribe, it was necessary, that, since twelve only were to be mentioned, one should be omitted. Some indeed have imagined, that Dan was omitted, to ex press how detestable idolatry is in the sight of God; as the tribe of Dan was the first that fell into idolatry after their settlement in Canaan. Compare Judges xviii. 30, 31. Dr. Hammond assigns another reason, namely, that long before that time, the tribe of Dan was destroyed, or brought very low, say the Jews; and indeed it is not numbered among the rest of the tribes, 1 Chron. ii. and following chapters. See Ham. in loc 418 X. Rev. After which event, the saints ascribe praise to God; twelve thousand. Of Of the were sealed twelve SECT. sealed twelve thousand. And of the tribe of 8 Of the tribe of Zebulun, which lay contiguous to that of Issa- Zabulon were sealed char to the north, [were] also sealed twelve thou the tribe of Joseph vii. 8 sand. And of the tribe of Ephraim, the other were sealed twelve son of Joseph, and by far the most considerable thousand. of his descendants, [were] sealed twelve thou- tribe of Benjamin sand too, he not being in that respect at all dis- thousand. tinguished from Manasseh his brother. And to conclude, of the tribe of Benjamin, Jacob's youngest son, [were] sealed twelve thousand. And thus upon the whole, the number of one hundred and forty four thousand was completed. Nor did I presume to inquire why Dan was not introduced among his brethren, on 9 this occasion. Thus did God represent 9 After this I beto me, the extraordinary growth of the Christ- held, and lo, a great multitude which no ian church, which seemed to be matter of man could number, inexpressible joy to the inhabitants of the of all nations, and heavenly world. For after this, I saw, and be- kindreds, and peoheld a great multitude, who made a thronged ple, and tongues, stood before the assembly, which no one could number, and ap- throne, and before peared to have come out of every nation, and the Lamb, clothed tribe, and people, and language; the blessed fruit with white robes, of preaching the gospel over all the world; and and palms in their they then appeared to me, as standing before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed in long white robes, and having branches of palms in their hands, to signify the victory they should gain over all their enemies, and the state of holiness and joy to which they should be finally conducted, notwithstanding all the formida ble opposition through which they should be 10 called to pass. And I heard them crying with a loud voice, in token of the intenseness of their devotion, and saying, Let all the glory of this great salvation which we have obtained, be ascribed to our God who sits upon the throne, and from thence has graciously regarded us, and exalted us to such dignity and b Multitude whom no one could number, &c.] Some have supposed, that the hundred and forty four thousand were Jews, and that these were the Gentile church. But it appears to me, that the sealing these thousands, expresses the progress of the gospel under Constantine; and that the innumerable multitude here spoken of, were the spirits of good men departed out of this world, and now with God in glory and especially those who had weathered the a hands; 10 Anderied with loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon difficulties and persecutions, during the first centuries of Christianity, when the civil power was generally active against it; and when, I think it highly probable, that many persecutions might have raged in various parts of the world, whose histories are not come down to us. And perhaps the holding the winds, which is mentioned ver. 1, may denote the peace in Constantine's time. even they who came out of great tribulation: 419 X. Rev. the throne, and unto happiness, mean and miserable as we once SECT. the Lamb. were; and let it be also ascribed to the grace and blood of the Lamb, who gave himself to be 11 And all the an- slain for our redemption. And all the angels vii. 11 gels stood round about the throne, and stood round about the throne, and encompassed about the elders, and also, at the same time, the twenty four elders, the four beasts, and and the four living creatures, and, in token of fell before the throne the humblest reverence, they fell down on their on their faces, and worshipped God, faces before the throne, and worshipped God, 12 Saying, Amen: Saying, Amen: thus let it be, let the blessing, 12 Blessing and glory, and the glory, and the wisdom, and the thanksand wisdom, and thanksgiving, and giving, and the honour, and the power, and the honour, and power, strength, [be] ascribed to our God for ever and and might, be unto ever, amen: may all creatures for ever bless, our God for ever and and give thanks to him, as originally and es ever. Amen. saying unto me, What are sentially possessed of supreme glory, complete wisdom, of irresistible and almighty power, and therefore worthy of all honour, though exalted above all praise. We acknowledge him to be so, we rejoice that he is so, and wish that universal nature may join with us in so reasonable, and so delightful an homage, and pro13 And one of the nounce the solemn amen. And one of the eld- 13 elders answered, ers answered, saying to me, As for those who are these clothed with white raiment, and make such a which are arrayed splendid appearance, who are they, and whence in white robes; and do they come? And I, supposing by his ques- 14 14 And I said un- tion that he asked in order to quicken my atto him, Sir, thou tention to what he had to tell me concerning knowest. And he them, said to him, Sir, I conclude thou knowest, said to me, These are they which came though I do not. And he said to me, It is true; out of great tribula- and I would have thee observe, for thine own tion, and have wash- encouragement, and that of thy brethren, and ed their robes, and those who may arise after thee, that these are the blood of the they who are come out of much tribulation,which whence came they? made them white in Lamb. they have endured in the cause of true relig Made them white in the blood of the Lamb.] It looks too much like an obstinate resolution by no means to acknowledge the efficacy of Christ's blood to our salvation, for any to maintain, that the blood of the Lamb here signifies blood shed for his sake, when it is said in words so much resembling these, chap. i. 5, who loved, us VOL. 6. 54 and washed us from our sins, in his own blood. And chap. v. 9, thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood. The texts produced to palliate the other forced and unnatural interpretation, when consulted, will appear little to the purpose. They are chiefly Col. i. 24, and Heb. xi. 26. 420 X. Rev. vii. 15 Reflections on the happiness of those who are sealed. the SECT. tion and glory, not to the blood they have themselves offered, but to that most precious blood of his, which he permitted to be shed for their sakes. Therefore, being thus redeemed to 15 Therefore are God by him, and having been enabled to ap- they before throne of God, and prove their fidelity to their Divine Master, in serve him day and the midst of the greatest extremities, they now night in his temple: receive a rich equivalent for all they have suf- and he that sitteth fered; for they are before the throne of God, and on the throne shall dwell among them. they perform Divine service to him day and night in his temple; and he who sitteth upon the throne, pitches his tabernacle, as it were, upon them, and displays the tokens of his presence all 16 around them. They shall hunger no more, 16 They shall hunneither shall they thirst any more, for ever; nor ger no more, neither shall the scorching rays of the sun fall upon ther shall the sun thirst any more; neithem, nor any other inconvenient and disagree- light on them, nor 17 able heat; For the Lamb, who is in the midst any heat. which is in the midst of the throne, shall himself, as it were, own the 17 For the Lamb with the most reviving consolations, after all ters and God shall verse IMPROVEMENT. How inexpressibly happy are the thousands of those who are 4-8 sealed, those whom God has marked out for his own, and in that character, has taken them under his special protection. Whatever storms and tempests may arise, they are in no danger of being forsaken; they shall be preserved inviolably safe, and their happiness is secure. They shall be brought at length to join 9 with the innumerable multitude, who surround the throne, and ascribe, as all Israel must do, Salvation to God who sitteth on the throne, and to the Lamb. And O! that the salvation of Israel were come out of Sion, that their praises might sound sweeter here on earth, and that myriads of new voices might unite in the 12 harmonious concert. Those songs of heaven let us begin below, and say, Amen: blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiv10 ing, and honour, and power, and might, be to our God, for ever and ever amen! If through his grace, we can call him our God, how cordially should we join in this sublime ascription! |