is ready for this awful infliction of judgment. The Holy Ghost is the other angel who cries loudly to Him, "Thrust in Thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe." This is, on a larger scale, what had been the judgment of Israel as the vine. God looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes. He looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry (Isa. v. 1-7). The sins of the two vines are parallel also. (See the remainder of that chapter).

This judgment of the vine of the earth does not appear to be identical with that at Jerusalem, described in chap. xix. They are probably the two parts of one whole. That one is at Jerusalem: in this one, the sickle goes through the world. I think it is especially the period of anarchy immediately consequent upon the destruction of Gog and his hosts. As belonging to the period between the 1260 and 1290 days, it should be treated in detail in the next portion of this great subject, viz., the manner of the restoration of the Jews.

This concludes another series of visions clearly illustrating our own days. We have entered upon the fall of Rome, we shall soon see a revival of persecuting power in the Latin kingdoms. Within twenty-five years from this time we have reason to hope that the rapture of the saints will take place. May we all remember the Lord's warning, and keep our garments unspotted from the world.

THE JOY OF PARADISE FOR THE CONCLUSION OF THE TIME OF JUDGMENT.

THE 15th chapter of the Apocalypse gives us a most instructive vision of the close connection of the saints in paradise with the affairs of earth. It is another of those visions of the heavenly state and joy so calculated to strengthen the faith and brighten the hopes of the suffering children of God:-" And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God. And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire; and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God. And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are Thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are Thy ways, Thou King of nations. Who shall not fear Thee, O Lord, and glorify Thy name? for Thou only art holy for all nations shall come and worship before Thee; for Thy judgments are made manifest” (Rev. xv. 1-4).

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In Revelation xii. 1, 3, there were two wonders (onμeîa, signs) in the symbolical heaven. Here there is a third one a vision of fiery trials preparing crystal purity. Masses of people are seen as a sea under these conditions: "But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt” (Isa.

lvii. 20). That was the fallen condition of even the people of God. Here they are a sea of glass mingled with fire―i.e., the fiery trials of life making the Lord's people partakers of His holiness (Heb. xii. 10). The final condition is a sea of glass unto crystal, and before the Lord's throne (Rev. iv. 6). Here, although still in the fire, they are called a sea of glass in the anticipation of faith.

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Near that transition-sea is a sign great and marvellous - seven angels having the seven last plagues. By them the wrath of God is fully poured out; after them shall be the state of millennial blessedness.

As John looked at that sea, he saw over and upon it the victors of all preceding times. These had gained the victory over the beast and his image,-i.e., secular and ecclesiastical opposition to God in all times. Egypt, Nineveh, Babylon, were all one with Rome in imposing Pagan corruptions upon the peoples under their power. It was the one wicked spirit who acted in them all; therefore, the victors are represented as singing the song of Moses and of the Lamb. They praise God, not as the God of Israel, but as the omnipotent ruler of all. He is, therefore, celebrated as the King of nations; they now see the approaching kingdom of " All peace: nations shall come and worship before Thee, for Thy judgments [Sikaióμara, righteousnesses or ordinances] are made manifest."

The Omnipotent One here is Jesus, and one title is especially instructive and encouraging: "Thou only art holy' (otos, benignantly holy). This word is the

Hebrew, TD, "sure mercies," as we learn from comparing Acts xiii. 34 with Isaiah lv. 3. We have a most interesting application of the word in Hebrews vii. 26 :— "Such an High Priest became us, who is holy" (öolos, benignantly holy), "harmless," &c. "Ayios, holy, is the holiness which abhors sin; ooios, is equally pure, but it also compassionates, cleanses, and fills with goodness.

Having seen this vision, John was prepared for another:-" And after that I looked, and, behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened" (ver. 5). The tabernacle of the testimony (or witness) was the Mosaic tabernacle.

Its ναός,

or holy place, was the court of the priests; the antitype of this is the paradise of the saints made perfect (Heb. xii. 23). From out of this tabernacle came the seven angels of the vials of wrath :-"And the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues, clothed in pure and white linen, and having their breasts girded with golden girdles. And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever (ver. 6, 7).

I think it probable that these angels represent redeemed saints in glory: "Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud upon their beds. Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand; to execute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people; to bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; to execute upon them the judgment written: this

honour have all His saints. Praise ye the Lord" (Ps. cxlix. 5-9). In what manner they administer those judgments is not revealed to us. It is one of the four beasts who gives to them the seven vials of the wrath of God. We have already seen that the four beasts represent the regal dignity of the Church of God. Then shall the kingdoms of this world become the Lord's. Thus one of them was probably the representative of the Roman Empire, upon which was to be poured out God's wrath.

When this was done, the cloud of glory filled the temple :-" And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from His power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled" (ver. 8). It would seem as if this cloud of glory was intended to perfect the brightness of the saints in glory. In Revelation vii. 14, their robes were white (Xeuxòs); here they are λaμπρоя, bright. They have the linen garments of the priestly office and the golden girdle of royal dignity.

There is much that is suggestive in the thought of this brightness so filling the temple of paradise as to fit those blessed saints for immediate contact with Jesus in the New Jerusalem. We read of a similar manifestation of glory at the setting up of the Mosaic tabernacle in Exodus xl. 34, and in 1 Kings viii. 10, 11, in Solomon's temple, and in the future temple in Ezekiel xliv. 2. This was, then, the heavenly preparation for the outpouring of the seven last plagues.