The apostle is ordered to measure the temple. Two prophets are promised, to teach mankind. They are put to death, and in three days and a half after, they are raised to life, and ascend to heaven. A great earthquake follows. The seventh Angel sounds the trumpet. The elders give thanks to God. --- Me... [ Continue Reading ]
_The holy city they shall tread under foot forty-two months. [1] That is, Gentiles and Jews shall be permitted to persecute the Church and the faithful servants of God; but only for a short time, expressed by forty-two months, as elsewhere by twelve hundred and sixty days, and also by a time, and ti... [ Continue Reading ]
My two witnesses....shall prophesy twelve hundred and sixty days. It is a very common interpretation, that by these two witnesses must be understood Henoch [Enoch] and Elias [Elijah], who are to come before the end of the world. It is true this is what we read in several of the ancient Fathers, inso... [ Continue Reading ]
_These are the two olive-trees, flourishing with works of piety and mercy, and the two candlesticks shining with faith and good works. (Witham)_... [ Continue Reading ]
And if any man would hurt them, &c. These two verses seem to signify both the miracles which God many times wrought by the prayers of his martyrs, as he had done frequently in the time of Elias [Elijah] and the exemplary punishments with which from time to time he chastised those by whom they were p... [ Continue Reading ]
_The beast, &c. God, for the greater good and glory of his servants, permits the devil by antichrist, and such like instruments, to torment them, and put them to death; and yet by dying they conquer, to the eternal confusion of their persecutors, who shall behold them going up to heaven, to be there... [ Continue Reading ]
Their bodies shall lie in the streets. It is what has often happened to the bodies of the martyrs, and may happen to Henoch [Enoch] and Elias [Elijah], for three days and a half, for a short time. --- The great city. Some understand any city where Christians are persecuted. Others by the following w... [ Continue Reading ]
_The inhabitants of the earth shall rejoice, &c. The persecutors rejoice and make merry for a while, when they seem to get the better of the Christians. Dioclesian caused pillars to be erected to him, as if he had destroyed the Christian religion; and when, by his cruelties he saw the faith of Chris... [ Continue Reading ]
_ The spirit of life from God entered into them, &c. It is an allusion to a vision in the prophet Ezechiel, chap. xxxvii. (Witham)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_A great earthquake. By which may be signified the consternation that fell upon the persecutors of Christians, when by God's visible chastisements, seven thousand (i.e. many of them) perished miserably; others were struck with fear, others converted. (Witham)_... [ Continue Reading ]
These visions belong to the second woe, and the third woe is at hand. (Witham) --- _Second woe; the persecution of antichrist. --- Third woe, or the day of judgment, is near at hand. (Pastorini)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_The seventh Angel, &c. The saints and blessed spirits and heaven are represented praising God with loud voices, at the approaching of the kingdom of God; some understand at the end and consummation of the wicked world, after the destruction of antichrist, when the blessed shall reign in heaven: but... [ Continue Reading ]
_The temple of God was opened....the ark of his testament was seen; which P. Alleman applies to the cross that appeared in the air to Constantine. Such applications may be probable, but cannot be called certain. (Witham)_... [ Continue Reading ]