Things Which Must Come To Pass Hereafter

by J. Miller, Ayr | Category: Things Which Must Come To Pass Hereafter | May 1967

We have seen in our former article that the events connected with the opening of the sixth seal bring us to the great day of God's wrath, which is associated with the coming of the Son of Man to earth in judgement. In Revelation 7.1-8, we are taken back to a time before the many judgements fall upon the inhabitants of the earth, to the sealing of twelve thousand of each of the tribes of Israel. This sealing of the 144,000 of Israel is to the end that they may not suffer from those judgements as others will suffer. The locusts, which came up from the abyss (9.1-11), had the power of scorpions to hurt men, but were only to hurt such men as had not the seal of God upon their foreheads. Though such words are not found in connexion with other judgements of God, yet I think that this is a ruling in connexion with all. It would be double suffering for the servants of God, if they had to suffer the judgements of God like the wicked, and to suffer at the hands of men as well. We have only to think of the children of Israel in Egypt, that they did not suffer some of the judgements which came upon Pharaoh and his people. In connexion with the sealing of the tribes, we have the inclusion of Manasseh and Joseph (signifying Ephraim, no doubt); Joseph had the double portion of the birthright in the tribes. One of the tribes (Dan) is omitted, Israel being always twelve. Such matters, which we may count to be irregularities, are the result of some form of failure, either in the progenitor of the tribe or in the tribe itself.

The latter part of chapter 7 (9-17) takes us forward to the time of the great Tribulation, the second half of Deniel's seventieth week, which is yet future (Daniel 9.27). This will be referred to several times as we proceed to deal with coming events. Of this time the Lord said, "For then shall be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, nor ever shall be" (Matthew 24.21). Part of this great multitude which no man could number, out of every nation, and of all tribes and peoples and tongues, are seen under the altar in chapter 6.9-11, and they were given each a white robe and were to rest until their brethren should be killed as they had been. This scene is one of great magnificence and rejoicing. This martyred host are before the throne and before the Lamb. All the angels are standing round about the throne, and though the Greek word for "about" is not present in reference to the elders and the four living creatures, there is no doubt that "about the throne" applies also to them. These martyrs are said to have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Their robes are their habits or conduct, not themselves. The Lord by His sacrifice had cleansed them, but this washing has to do with what is outside. One of the sweetest things that is said about them, is that "God shall wipe away every tear from their eyes", for no doubt they had shed many tears during the days of their persecutions.

In chapter 8 the Lord opens the seventh seal, and then followed silence in heaven for about half an hour. Why this silence? The seven angels that stand before God were then given seven trumpets, but before they sounded their trumpets, another angel came and stood over the altar. He had a golden censer, and he was given much incense to add to the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar that is before the throne, and the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, went up before God. What we read of the Tabernacle and the Temple is much like this, for these were copies of the things in the heavens. Then the angel did what was never done in the Tabernacle or Temple: he filled the censer with fire from the altar and cast it upon the earth, and there followed thunders, voices, lightnings, and an earthquake.

The seven angels then prepared themselves to sound. The sounding of the seven angels brings us to the end of chapter 11, which is the same time as that referred to at the end of chapter 6, the time of the Lord's coming to earth, when the kingdom of the world shall become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ. The sounding of the first four angels results in serious judgements upon the earth and sea. The first four seals that the Lord opens, in chapter 6, result in the seriousness of war and its consequences, but here they are direct judgements of the Lord upon the earth and sea. The first sounded and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and the third part of the earth was burnt up, and the third part of trees and all the green grass was burnt. What a conflagration that will be in the forests of the world, and the burning of all the grass! Men will be reaping the consequences of their evil works. The second angel sounded, and a great burning mountain was cast into the sea, and the third part of the sea became blood. The result of this was that the third part of the living creatures in the sea died, and the third part of the ships was destroyed. The third angel sounded, and a great burning star called Wormwood fell from heaven on the third part of the rivers and fountains of water, and the third part of the waters became wormwood, and many men died from drinking the bitter waters. Then the fourth sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars. This resulted in the day not shining for the third part of it, and the night in like manner.

The soundings of the fifth, sixth, and seventh angels are, we are told, Woe, woe, woe, for them that dwell on the earth. As the fifth angel sounded, a star fell from heaven upon the earth. It would seem that the star represents an angel. There was given to him the key of the pit or shaft of the abyss and he opened this shaft or pit, and smoke like a great furnace went up out of the pit and darkened the sun and the air, and out of the smoke came forth locusts upon the earth. These locusts, unlike locusts in general, were not to hurt the grass or any green thing but only such men as had not the seal of God on their foreheads. They were not to kill such men but, having tails like scorpions and stings, they were to torment them for five months. A description is given of their appearance. The pain of such stings must be terrible, for men shall wish to die, but they cannot. This is the first woe.

The second woe follows with the sounding of the sixth angel. A voice from the horns of the golden altar said to the sixth angel that he should loose the four angels that were bound at the river Euphrates. These were prepared for the hour, and day, and month, and year, that they should kill the third part of men, for though the locusts of the first part of the chapter only tormented men with their poison, the horsemen of the second part, which were twice ten thousand times ten thousand, slew the vast numbers of men, the third of mankind. The horses of this plague are described to us, but they, as well as the locusts, are different from any horses that we have ever seen, for they had heads like lions, and out of their mouths proceeded fire and smoke and brimstone. The plagues described in chapter 9 will come when these judgements fall, but perhaps no explanation of this passage can now be given. Sad to say that the rest of men who were not killed repented not of their worship of demons, and of idols of gold, silver, brass, stone, and wood, nor of their murders, sorceries, their fornication, and their thefts. What debauchery and abominable wickedness will characterise the last days! But do we not see the tide of sins of all kinds rising in our own times?

In chapter 10 we are told of another strong angel who comes down from heaven, having a rainbow upon his head, his face like the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire. He placed his right foot on the sea and his left on the land, and he had in his hand a little book or scroll, and he swore by the Creator who liveth for ever that there would be time no longer. This cannot mean that time would cease. I am of the opinion that the word "delay", as given in the R.V. margin, gives the true meaning. What is said in the next verse (7) seems to confirm this: "But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel when he is about to sound, then is finished the mystery of God, according to the good tidings which He declared to His servants the prophets." What are those good tidings which were declared to the prophets? They are those given in 11.15-18, the meaning of these being, "The kingdom of the world is become the kingdom of our Lord, and of His Christ: and He shall reign for ever and ever". The scriptures of the prophets foretold the sufferings of Christ, and the glories that should follow. First the crown of thorns and then the many diadems, first the cross and then the throne. Then John went to the angel who held the little open book and asked it to be given to him, and the angel gave him the book and told him to eat it; it would be sweet in his mouth, but it would make his stomach bitter. As the result of eating the little book, he was told, "Thou must prophesy again over many peoples and nations and tongues and kings", which prophecy we suggest begins in chapter 12, and carries on to chapter 20. There is definitely a second prophesying by John in those chapters.

In Revelation 11.1, John says that there was given to him a reed like unto a rod, and he was told to rise and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein. He was, however, not to measure the court of the temple. That was given to the nations, and they would tread the holy city under foot for forty and two months. This is the first half of Daniel's seventieth week, that part of the week when the Jews will be allowed to sacrifice and offer the oblation. Although the prince that shall come will make a firm covenant with many for the whole of the week of seven years, the covenant will be broken in the midst of the week (Daniel 9.27). The temple mentioned here is, I judge, the same temple of God as is referred to in 2 Thessalonians 2.4, in which the man of sin, the son of perdition, will sit, setting himself forth as God. He is the man called the beast (Revelation 13.1). The system of which he will finally be the head is also called the beast. This temple is called the temple of God

because it will be built on the site of three temples which were there before: (1) the temple of Solomon; (2) the temple built by the Remnant which returned from Babylon; and (3) the temple as built by Herod. Though it is called the temple of God, I am not of the belief that it will be occupied by God.

Then we are told of God's two witnesses who will prophesy in Jerusalem for 1,260 days, the same period as the forty-two months (verse 2). It is generally believed that one of these witnesses is Elijah, and I see no reason to doubt this, for Malachi says, "Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible day of the Lord come" (Malachi 4.5). There are those who think that the other witness is Enoch, because, like Elijah, he did not die. Others think that the other witness is Moses, because the testimony being borne is primarily to the Jewish people, though it will quite evidently go out to all peoples, tribes, tongues, and nations, as, I think, verses 9 and 10 prove. These two men are called two olive-trees and two lampstands, for they have divine power within themselves for their days of testimony. They have power for self-defence against any one who would hurt them. Fire proceeded out of their mouth and devoured their enemies. They had miraculous power to shut the heaven that it should not rain, and also over the waters to turn them into blood, and to smite the earth with every plague as often as they desired. When their testimony is finished at the end of the 31/2 years, the beast, which comes up out of the abyss at the same time (13.3-5; 17.8-11), shall make war with them, and overcome them, and kill them. And their dead bodies lie in the street of Jerusalem, where also their Lord was crucified; the state of this city spiritually is like to Sodom and Egypt; what a state the holy city (verse 2) had got into! The dead bodies of the two witnesses lie in the street, and are not allowed to be buried for three and a half days, and earth's inhabitants rejoice and make merry and send gifts one to another, because the two prophets that tormented them were dead. But after these days the breath of life from God entered into them and they stood on their feet, and such as saw them were afraid. A great voice from heaven said to them, "Come up hither. And they went up into heaven in the cloud; and their enemies beheld them." At the same time "there was a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell", and 7,000 persons were killed, "and the rest were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven".

We now come to the end of the first prophesying of John, in the sounding of the seventh angel, which is the third woe; "then is finished the mystery of God according to the good tidings which he declared to His servants the prophets". These good tidings are that "The kingdom of the world is become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ: and He shall reign for ever and ever". At this the twenty-four elders fell upon their faces and worshipped God. At this time the nations were wroth, and God's wrath came (19.11-21), and it was also the time for the righteous dead to be raised and judged, and to give their reward to the prophets, and to the saints, and to them that fear God's name, the small and the great (Revelation 20.4-6). Verse 19 makes a reference to the Temple of God which is in heaven, and to the ark of the covenant, which, I judge, is the centre of angelic worship. The Tabernacle and Temple on earth were copies of this. To the heavenly Temple and its Holies we now have boldness to enter (Hebrews 10.19-22). The Lord Himself has entered, and now ministers there (Hebrews 8.1,2; 9.11,12).

J. Miller, Ayr | May 1967
Things Which Must Come To Pass Hereafter