Revelation 16:17-21

THE SEVENTH VIAL.

"And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came. great voice out of the temple or heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done. And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was. great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great. And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath."--16:17-19.

I have shown that these vials each represent calamities that befall the Papal power and follow in succession. The number seven, is the perfect number. The seventh vial which completes the perfect number must be the grand consummation of the catastrophes of Rome. It is in harmony with the fitness of things that it should bring her utter destruction. Hence it is followed by commotion and mighty upheaval of the powers of the earth, such as had never before been known. The results are presented in detail. We learn, 1. That the great city, Babylon, fell. It was broken into fragments. Chapter 16:19. It fell with violence, as. millstone cast into the sea and disappeared forever. Chapter 17:21. The beast, the symbol of the Romish power, was taken and cast alive into the lake of fire, from whence there is no return to trouble the nations. Chapter 19:20. 2. The false prophet which shared the alliance of the beast (chapter 16:13) also shares its fate. Chapter 19:20. The dragon, "the kings of the earth," gathered to make war against him who sat on the horse, were also discomfited. The cities of the nations fell. Chapter 16:19. Of three powers allied in wickedness two are utterly destroyed. They are consigned to the eternal prison-house where doors open to receive, but from whence none come forth. They disappear forever. Rome and Mahomet disappear from history. These anti-Christian powers cannot be reformed. It is folly to think of recalling an apostate church to the purity of the gospel. It waxes worse and worse. Its end is destruction. Every false church and every false religion, incapable of reformation, must be destroyed.

The third power, the dragon, is not at this period cast into the lake of fire. His time has not, yet come. He represents. spirit that assumes various forms. At one time he is imperial Rome; later he has assumed the form of the secular dominion of the Papacy; later still he represents Russia and the allied despotisms of the earth. He is ever Satan, the adversary, the old serpent, the devil, but to accomplish his work assumes Protean forms. At the end of this great conflict, his power is broken. He has not passed out of existence forever, but is bound. For. long period he ceases to exercise power upon the earth, and there is ushered in after the fall of the beast and false prophet the golden age of our race, the glorious period sung by ancient prophets, the MILLENNIUM.