" § 27 b. Ch. XIII. Enlargement concerning the Two BEASTS. The First Beast. 1 AND "he stood upon the sand of the sea; and "I saw a beast * rising up out of the sea, "having ten horns and seven heads *, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads names of blasphemy *. 2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority. 3 And I saw * one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed; and all the world wondered after the beast. 4 And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast?" and who is able to make war with him? 5 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to "act forty and two months. 6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, "and them that dwell in heaven in his tabernacle *. 7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. 8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. 9 "He that hath * an ear, let him hear. 10 He that leadeth into captivity "goeth * into captivity he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints. * : § 28. Ch. XIII. The Second Beast. * * 11 And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a Lamb, and he spake as a Dragon. 12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast, "in his sight, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. 13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, 14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he "hath power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, "who hath * the wound by "the sword, and " doth * live. 15 And he "hath power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. 16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to "give themselves * a mark in their right hand, or in their "forehead *: 17 and that no man may be able to buy or sell, "unless he hath the mark, the name of the beast,* or the number of his name. 18 Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred "sixty* six. * * + See above, § 22 (a) (b). * See below, § 30, § 31, § 43. § 29. Ch. XVII. Further Enlargement. THE WOMAN sitting on THE BEAST. She is the Harlot City, the City on Seven Hills, BABYLON THE GREAT. * : " 1 AND there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will show unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon the many waters, 2 with whom the kings of the earth committed* fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication. 3 So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman "sitting* upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of " the * names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. 4 And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations; and "I saw the* filthiness of her fornication, 5 and upon her forehead a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF THE HARLOTS AND "THE* ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. 6 And I saw the woman "intoxicating herself* with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration. 7 And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns. 8 The beast that thou sawest, was, and is not, and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names 'are* not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and "will appear*. 9 Here is the meaning which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth. 10 And "they are seven kings: the five * * are fallen, "the one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space. 11 And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is " from * the seven, and goeth into perdition. 12 And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet, but receive power as kings the same * hour with the beast. 13 These have one mind, and * give their strength unto the beast. their power and 14 These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them, for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful. 15 And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues. 16 And the ten horns which thou sawest "and the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and "shall burn her utterly * with fire. 17 For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled. 18 And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth. " * * § 30. Ch. XV. Further Enlargement. Prophetic Vision of the future triumph over the Beast. The Seven Angels with the Seven Vials, to be poured out on the EMPIRE of the BEAST. * * 1 AND I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven angels, having "seven plagues, which are the last *, for in them is filled up the wrath of God. 2 And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire, and "those who have overcome the beast and his image, and his mark, and the * number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, having harps of God. 3 And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, "O Lord God the Almighty: just and true are thy ways, thou King of "the Nations. 4 Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all "the * nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments "have been* made manifest. 5 And after that I looked, and, behold, the "innertemple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened: 6 And the seven angels came out of the "inner-temple*, having the seven plagues, clothed in pure and white linen, and having their breasts girded with golden girdles. 7 And one of the four "living creatures* gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever. 8 And the "inner-temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the "inner-temple*, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled. § 31. Ch. XVI. The pouring out of the first five Vials, on the EMPIRE of the BEAST. * 1 AND I heard a great voice out of the "inner-temple* saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth. 2 And the first went and poured out his vial upon the earth; and "it became a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which "have* the mark of the beast, and upon them which "worship* his image. 3 And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man: and every "soul alive which was in the sea, died.* 4 And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood. 5 And I heard the angel of the waters say, "Righteous art Thou*, Lord, which art, and wast, "holy art thou*, because thou hast judged thus, 6 for they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink ; * they are worthy. 7 And I heard the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments. 8 And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire. 9 And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath "the* power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory. 10 And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was " filled with darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for "the* pain, 11 and blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds. § 31. Chap. VI. The Sixth Seal. 12 And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the "whole* moon became as blood; 13 And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind. 14 And the heaven departed as a scrowl when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. § 32. Chap. VI. The rout of the Kings of the Earth. 15 And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and " the chief captains, and the rich men, and the mighty men, and every bondman and freeman, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; 16 And "they say to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: 17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and "who is able to stand? § 33. Ch. VII. The Four Angels. Preparation for the accomplishment of the number of the Elect. 1 AND after "this I saw four angels standing "at the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that "no wind should blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree. 2 And I saw another angel ascending from the "sunrising, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, 3 saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. HARMONY § 34. Ch. IX. The Second Woe. 12 "The first* woe is past; * behold, there come two woes more *. § 35. Ch. IX. The Sixth Trumpet, or SECOND WOE; the Loosing of the Four Angels bound at Euphrates, the river of THE GREAT CITY. Their Army. t 13 And "after this * the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar before God, 14 saying to the sixth angel, "Thou, that hast the trumpet, loose the four angels which "have been bound at * that great river, Euphrates. 15 And the four angels were loosed, which had been prepared for "the hour and the * day, and month, and year, for to slay the third part of men. 16 And the number of the army of the horsemen were two "myriads of myriads: I heard the number of them. 17 And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having breastplates of fire, and of jacinth, and brimstone: and the heads of the horses "are* as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths "issueth * fire and smoke and brimstone. 18 By these three "plagues was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which "issueth * out of their mouths. 19 For their power is in their mouth, and in their tails*; for their tails "are* like unto serpents, and "have* heads, and with them they do hurt. § 36. Ch. IX. Impenitence, 20 And the rest of the § 37. Ch. XI. The Reed: the Rod: the to 1 AND there was given me a reed like unto a rod: * saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein. 2 "And the court which is without the temple "cast out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles and the holy city shall they tread forty and two months. 3 And I will grant to my two witnesses, "to prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. 4 These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth. 5 And if any man "desireth hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man "desireth to hurt them, he must in this manner be killed. 6 These have "the authority to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy : and have "authority * over "the * waters, to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth, "as often as they will*, with all plagues *. 7 And "while they are accomplishing their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them. 8 And their dead "body shall lie in the "broadway* of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also "their Lord was crucified. 9 And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead "body * three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in "a monument *. 10 And they that dwell upon the earth rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that "dwell on the earth. § 38. Ch. XI. The Revival of the Two Witnesses; their triumph: the SECOND WOE. 11 And after "the three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered "in * them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them. 12 And "I heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven "on the cloud; and their enemies beheld them. 13 And "in that* hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven. 14 The second woe is past. § 38 b. Preparations for the THIRD WOE. * Behold, the third woe cometh. These Visions (in § 35, § 37, § 38, cp. § 42,) represent, first the suppression, and then-on the decline of the power of the GREAT CITY-the free and general diffusion of the SCRIPTURES. See Lectures vii, and viii. 86] |