VI. THE VISION OF THE SEALS. — The relation of Christianity to great universal evils. The extinction of war, disease, death, persecution will not be immediate; the mission of Christianity is not to abolish them at once and by compulsion, but to undermine them; for her work is not coercion, but convi... [ Continue Reading ]
AND I SAW WHEN THE LAMB (the diminutive form of Lamb is still used)... — The words “and see” are doubtful. They are found in some MSS. and omitted in others: the authority for their omission and for their retention is about equally divided. Under these circumstances we may fairly be guided by the co... [ Continue Reading ]
CONQUERING, AND TO CONQUER. — Better, _conquering, and that he might conquer._ One version has, “and he conquered.” All commentators seem to be agreed that this rider represents victory. The emblems — the crown and white horse — are obviously those of victory. The crown _(stephanos)_ is the crown of... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHEN HE HAD OPENED... — Better, _And when he opened the second seal, I heard the second living being, saying, Come. And there came forth another horse, red; and to him that sat on him was given to take peace from the earth, and that they_ (i.e., the inhabitants of the earth) _shall kill one anot... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN HE HAD OPENED. — Better, _When he opened._ The words “and see” are to be omitted here, as in the other seals. _And I saw, and behold a horse, black, and he that sat on him having a balance in his hand. And I heard as it were a voice in the midst of the four living beings, saying, A choenix of w... [ Continue Reading ]
THE FOURTH SEAL._ — And when He opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living being, saying, Come. And I saw, and behold, a horse, pallid_ (or, _livid), and he that sat upon him his name was Death, and Hades was following with him; and there was given to them power over the fourth p... [ Continue Reading ]
I SAW UNDER THE ALTAR... — Read, _when He opened_, and, instead of “were slain,” &c., _had been slain because of the Word of God, and (because of) the testimony which they held._ The seal indicates that the mission of the Christian Church can only be carried out in suffering. An altar is seen, and a... [ Continue Reading ]
(9-11) THE FIFTH SEAL differs from the four earlier seals. It is not introduced by the voice of the living beings, and the cry “Come.” The voice which is now heard is not the cry of the groaning world, but of the oppressed and troubled Church. In the fourth seal the climax of world-sorrow seemed to... [ Continue Reading ]
HOW LONG...? — Better. _Until when. O Master_ (the word is the correlative of “servant,” see Revelation 6:10) _the Holy and True, dost Thou not judge and avenge our blood from_ (on) _those who dwell on the earth?_ By a dramatic figure the persecuted and slain ones are represented as crying for retri... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHITE ROBES WERE GIVEN... — The victims, however, are not forgotten. _There was given to them (each) a white robe._ The white robes, the glistening apparel of the saints (comp. Revelation 3:4), shall be theirs; each shall receive it. They are robes of righteousness (Revelation 19:8); they are ro... [ Continue Reading ]
(_12-14_) _AND I BEHELD..._ — Better, And I saw when He opened the sixth seal, and (omit “lo!”) a great shaking took place, and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon all became as blood, and the stars of the heaven fell to the earth, as a fig-tree casts its winter figs when shaken... [ Continue Reading ]
(12-17) THE SIXTH SEAL. — The seals follow the lines laid down by our Lord in Matthew 24. There He tells His disciples that wars (Revelation 6:6), famines and pestilences (Revelation 6:7), and persecutions (Revelation 6:9) are to be expected; these are necessary features in the history of the world.... [ Continue Reading ]
(15-17) _AND THE_ _KINGS..._ — Translate,_ And the kings of the earth, and the magnates, and the commanders of hosts, and the wealthy, and the strong, and every man, bond and free, hid themselves (going) into the caves and into the rocks of the mountains; and say to the mountains and to the rocks, F... [ Continue Reading ]
WHO SHALL BE (or, _is)_ ABLE TO STAND? — The thought is derived from Malachi 3:2, which spoke of a coming of the Lord. Every advent of Christ is the advent of One whose fan is in His hand, and who will thoroughly purge His floor. Whether it be His advent in the flesh, He tested men; or whether one o... [ Continue Reading ]