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CHAPTER XIX.

THE TRIUMPH OF THE GOSPEL CHURCH.

The scenes of this chapter are such, as it might be expected would succeed the subversion of the greatest spiritual despotism of the earth. A mighty power has fallen, which was adverse to the happiness of man and the glory of God; and these scenes of triumph and rejoicing are the universal shout of exultation over the fallen power of this great adversary.

1. And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; salvation, and glory, and honor, and power, unto the Lord our God;

2. For true and righteous are his judgments; for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand.

3. And again they said, Alleluia. for ever and ever.

And her smoke rose up

4. And the four and twenty elders, and the four beasts, fell down and worshiped God that sat on the throne, saying, Amen, Alleluia.

5. And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great.

6. And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.

7. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.

VOL. II.-6*

8. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.

9. And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage-supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.

The prophet heard the voice of much people in heaven! meaning the general acclamation of praise and thanksgiving of the Church of God. The true church is constantly referred to in these prophecies, when connected with acts of worship, or giving glory to God. This great voice ascribes the overthrow of the great corrupter of the earth, to the judgments of God-for he hath judged the great whore which did corrupt the earth with her fornication.

Superstition and its natural effect, idolatry, had been by this fallen church palmed upon the people for the religion of Christ for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived.

And the alleluia of their rejoicing was reiterated, and her smoke rose up for ever and ever.

This implies a perpetually-recurring memorial of the final overthrow of this church of sorcery and deception. This memorial will, probably, be some periodical celebration which Protestant Christians all over the world will institute for the purpose of rendering simultaneous and universal thanks for the deliverance of the church from the power and delusion of the antichristian Romish hierarchy. This idea seems to be favored by the fourth verse. The four-and-twenty elders and the four beasts, the representatives of the four grand divisions of the earth, unite in one solemn act of worship to God, saying, amen-an approving response of the whole church to the judgments by which great Babylon has been overthrown, adding, alleluia !-an ascription of praise to God for the happy effects of his judgments.

The institution of some such festival as is intimated above, occurring at stated periods, like those did amongst the old Jewish Church, seems probable also from the language of the

fifth, sixth, and seventh verses. A voice is heard from the throne, saying, Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great-meaning that all ranks and condition of men should be embraced in the great jubilee. This voice from the throne may be regarded as such a jubilistic occasion, and the sixth verse expresses the united praise of earth in the celebration of it.

The prophet seems to find some difficulty in selecting something by which he may adequately express the grandeur of the universal shout of praise which will go up from the jubilee. He says: I heard the voice of a great multitude. But, as if that did not reach it, he immediately adds, and as the voice of many waters. But still the comparison falls short of the reality. Not even the ceaseless roar of earth's mighty cataracts can give an adequate idea of it. He then refers to the deafening thunders as they burst and reverberate over the earth, shaking its very foundations, and says such will be the shout of that universal jubilee, when the people of God, in all the earth, shall lift up their voice, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. This is the Church of Christ; and how simple and beautiful is the description of her appearance, arrayed in fine linen, clean and white! Contrast this dress with that in which the woman is seen, seated on the scarlet-colored beast, (chap. xvii. verse 4,) and we shall readily perceive the difference between the Church of Christ and the church of this world.

9. And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage-supper of the Lamb. And he saith

unto me, These are the true sayings of God.

10. And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellow-servant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God; for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

Who are they that are called to the marriage-supper of the

Lamb? All who have renounced the faith and communion of the great corrupter of religion, who have embraced the doctrines of the gospel church, and have no fellowship with the spiritual Babylon. To all such proclaim that they are blessed; encourage them not to cast away the hope because of any present difficulties, but confide in the promises of God, for they cannot fail; for these are the true sayings of God. This glorious union between Christ and his church on the earth, here spoken of under the similitude of a marriage, will truly and certainly come to pass.

The happy period is gradually approaching. As the errors and superstition of false religion fall and disappear, the truth and purity of the religion of Christ rise higher, and extend their influence and power over the kingdoms of the world. In this way the Lamb's wife is making herself ready for the joyful event of her marriage.

Astonished at these divine revelations, the prophet very naturally felt inclined to pay divine honors to his illustrious instructor, and fell at his feet to worship him; and beyond a doubt, if there ever was an occasion when a man might be excused for worshiping any other being than his Creator, this was such an occasion. But the proposed worship was instantly forbidden-see thou do it not worship God.

The apostate church, whose fall, under the name of Babylon the Great, is exulted over in this chapter, commenced her separate and distinct history in the worship of images. It was this idolatry that caused the revolt of Gregory I., and erected the Western Church into an independent hierarchy.

The words of the heavenly admonitor to the prophet are a stern rebuke to this idolatry. Worship God; not an image nor a saint, not the Virgin, nor the most exalted angel, but worship God. This is the great law of true Christian worship, and any departure from it in the least degree, in spirit or in form, is idolatry. See thou do it not; for I am thy fellow-servant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus. Is it possible this illustrious personage, who could point out

and explain to the prophet the scenes of his vision; was he once a child of earth, a suffering mortal, an heir of death? Yea, verily; and no less a change than this will pass upon all those whose resurrection bodies shall be made like unto the glorious body of their Lord and Saviour.

This is one of the glories to which Christianity points its subjects in the future world, as amongst the happy results of their warfare on earth. What matters it then if trials, afflictions and poverty be the Christian's lot on earth:

"If, Lord, thou count him meet,

With that enraptured host to appear
And worship at thy feet."

11. And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True; and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.

12. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew but he himself:

13. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.

14. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.

15. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the wine-press of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.

16. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

The 11th verse commences a description of what may be regarded as a triumphal procession of the Church of Christ, after the overthrow of her adversary, the great Babylonian power. In a former chapter, the prophet in one of his visions, speaks of the temple being opened in heaven. That is, the gospel church had prevailed so far as to be established in Christendom, and the exercise of Protestant worship was

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