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Eureka

AN EXPOSITION OF THE APOCALYPSE
Sixth Edition, 1915
By Dr. John Thomas (first edition written 1861)

 

 

Chapter 5

Section 2 Subsection 3

III. THE SEVENTH SEAL Apoc. viii


 
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This seal covers the whole period from A.D. 325 to A.D. 1905, an interval of 1580 years. It therefore contains the judgments specially allotted to the seven trumpets, seven vials, and seven thunders.

It treats of the development of the imperialized Laodicean Apostasy into "the powers that be" of the Greco-Latin habitable under the forms of the Beast of the Sea, the Beast of the Earth, (Apoc. xiii) the scarlet-colored beast and drunken woman (Apoc. xvii. 1-6), the image of the Beast, (Apoc. xiii. 14-18; xv. 2), and of the relation of these powers to the fugitive woman and to the remnant of her seed "who keep the commandments of the Deity, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ" (Apoc. xii. 17). They are prevailed against (Apoc. xiii. 7; xi. 2; Dan. vii. 21); but the Ancient of Days comes to their relief; the tide of adversity is turned; the Saints become victorious; the Apostasy incorporated in the Names and Denominations of "Christendom," is abolished; and they take possession of the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven (Dan. vii. 27) of Daniel’s Four Beasts.    

ARENA OF THE SEVENTH SEAL

 

"The Earth and the whole Habitable" (Apoc. xvi. 14). Territory of Nebuchadnezzar’s Image.

INDUCTION OF THE JUDGMENTS OF THE SEVENTH SEAL

 

Though cast out of the third of the Heaven, as indicated by his Tail drawing the third of the stars of the heaven, and casting them into the earth (Apoc. xii. 4), the Dragon still retained power in "the earth and sea" of the Greco-Latin Polity (Apoc. xii. 12,13,15,16; vii. 3). His power there was a "woe" to their indwellers, not excepting those who professed the faith of Jesus. Retribution, however, followed in his entire exclusion from the Heaven. A.D. 324; upon which the Sealing of the 144,000 servants of the Deity, and the period of "Silence" about half an hour, began. Further retribution was suspended during the silence; but this being ended, the prayers of all the saints which ascended during the silence as a cloud of incense from the Golden Altar of the Tabernacle of the Testimony before the Deity, was answered by "voices, and thunders, and lightnings, and earthquake" (Apoc. xii. 8; viii. 3,4), which preceded the Preparation of the Seven Trumpeters to sound against the earth and sea (Apoc. viii. 6).    

FIRST SECTION OF THE SEVENTH SEAL

 

The four winds of the earth for the injury of the earth, sea, and trees (vii. 1).

PREPARATION FOR SOUNDING

 

Seven angels having the seven trumpets prepare themselves to sound (viii. 6).    

BLOWING OF THE FOUR WINDS, OR FIRST FOUR TRUMPETS

ACT I -- FIRST WIND-TRUMPET

Apoc. viii. 7

 

The hurting of the earth by hail and fire mingled with blood; by which a third part of the trees, and all green grass is burned up.

ARENA -- The third part of the Fourth Beast habitable.

A.D. 395.

 

ACT II -- SECOND WIND-TRUMPET

viii. 8,9

 

The hurting of the sea by a great mountain burning with fire being cast into it; by which the third of the sea became blood; the third of its living creatures died; and the third of its ships was destroyed.

ARENA --The third part of the sea of the Greco-Latin empire.

A.D. 429.

 

ACT III -- THIRD WIND-TRUMPET

viii. 10,11

 

The poisoning of the third of the rivers and fountains of waters with a deadly bitterness, by the great blazing star, Wormwood, falling from the heaven into them, and causing the death of many.

ARENA -- The third of the rivers and fountains of the empire.

A.D. 450.

 

ACT IV -- FOURTH WIND-TRUMPET

viii. 12

 

The darkening of the third of the luminaries of the Greco-Latin Catholic firmament by smiting them; so that the day and the night of their system were without ruling lights, and, therefore, shone not the third of them.

A.D. 476.

NOTE

 

The judgments of these Four Winds culminate in the development of the Seventh Head, which "continues a short space" (Apoc. xvii. 10), and of the Ten Diademed Horns of the Beast that rises out of the sea (Apoc. xiii. 1); in the "wounding as it were to death" of its Sixth Head (Apoc. xiii. 3); and in the consequent cession by the Dragon of his power, throne, and authority (Apoc. xiii. 2) over the affected third part, which, before the blowing of these winds, was a constituent of his dominion.

TIME OF EVENTS

 

From A.D. 395 to A.D. 554, the end of the darkened day and night in the third of them, being equal to a period of 159 years. [The final date of this period is corrected by note in Vol. III, ch. xiii, sec. 2].    

SECOND SECTION OF THE SEVENTH SEAL

Apoc. ix

 

The first two woe trumpets.

ACT I -- FIFTH TRUMPET OR FIRST WOE

Apoc. ix. 1-11

 

A star falls from heaven into the earth, to whom is given the key of the pit of the abyss, which he opens, and from its furnace a smoke issues that darkens the sun and air. Out of the smoke locusts go forth into the earth with scorpion power to torment "those men who have not the seal of the Deity upon their foreheads," during five months, and to injure them other five. Their king is styled the Angel of the Abyss; in Hebrew, Abaddon; in Greek, Apollyon.

TIME OF EVENTS.

From A.D. 632 to A.D. 932 = 300 years.

 

ARENA -- The territory of the Dragon upon which "the sun" shone before being darkened by the smoke.

ACT II -- SIXTH TRUMPET OR SECOND WOE

EASTERN PART

Apoc. ix. 13-21

 

Still in response to the prayers of all saints, a voice from the four horns of the golden altar of incense commands the four messenger powers, confined by the great river Euphrates, to be loosed. They are prepared for successful aggression against the Byzantine empire during the hour and day and month and year, that, at the end of this period, they may slay with political extinction the power of the men who ruled the Eastern Third of the Roman orb, and worshipped demons and images, and were murderers, and sorcerers, and fornicators, and thieves; and had not been smitten by the judgments of the wind trumpets.

TIME OF EVENTS

From April 29, 1062, to May 29, 1453 = 391 years 30 days.

 

WESTERN PART

Apoc. xi. 1-13

 

The fugitive woman in the wilderness and the remnant of her seed, as the nave of the Deity, the altar and the worshippers therein, measured by John. These are the holy city, and posterior to their measurement, are trodden under foot forty and two months by the Lion-Mouthed Gentiles of the unmeasured outer court; that is, until the Ancient of Days comes.

But "the earth helps the woman" from the time of her flight into the wilderness of the two wings of the Great Eagle, where she is protected for a time, times, and half a time (Apoc. xii. 16,14). To "the earth," as the two witnesses against the woman’s persecutors, power is given to maintain their testimony in sackcloth 1260 days. In the exercise of their mission, they smite the earth with all plagues as often as they will. At length the Lion-Mouthed Beast of the Sea effects their subjugation and political extinction. But after three days and a half they stand upon their feet again, and ascend to the heaven in sight of their enemies. At this crisis, an earthquake overthrows a tenth of the city, "Babylon the Great;" titular distinctions within the sphere of the convulsion are abolished, and many of those who rejoice in them slain; the rest are terror stricken, and give glory to the God of heaven.

During the testifying of the witnesses the Ten Horns, the two horned beast of the earth, and the image of the wounded sixth head of the beast, appear upon the arena.    

TIME OF EVENTS

From A.D. 312 to A.D. 1794, a period of 1482 years.

 

THIRD SECTION OF THE SEVENTH SEAL

 

So much of the seventh trumpet or third woe as is comprised in the first six vials to the advent of Christ as a thief (xvi. 15).    

 

ACT III -- SEVENTH TRUMPET OR THIRD WOE

Apoc. xi. 14; viii. 13.

 

The judgments of this last woe extend to the end of the Seventh Seal, or victory of the saints over the beast, his image, his mark, and number of his name (Apoc. xv. 2). In the days of the voice of this woe when its calamities shall be complete, the mystery of the Deity will be finished, as he hath declared the glad tidings to his servants the prophets (Apoc. x. 7). The Eloah of the heavens will then have set up the kingdom (Dan. ii. 44) promised to them that obey him (James ii. 5); so that the kingdoms of this world will all have become Yahweh’s and His Anointed’s (Apoc. xi. 15), who reigns for the aions of the aions.

But before this glorious and blessed consummation, Yahweh Ail-Shaddai, the Ancient of Days, comes in (Zech. xiv. 5), upon the world as a thief in the night (Apoc. xvi. 15). This is indispensable, because it is his personal mission to accomplish it (Isa. xl. 10). At his coming the nations will be in a state of anger among themselves, with distress and perplexity; men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the habitable (Luke xxi. 25).

In the midst of this the saints are raised from the dead to their judgment; after which all of them who are approved and chosen are recognized by the Lamb as constituents of the 144,000, and follow him whithersoever he goes (Apoc. xiv. 1-4). Being approved, judgment is given to them for execution upon many peoples, nations, tongues, and kings (Apoc. x. 11); in the rendering of which there issue from them lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail, every stone being about the weight of a talent (Apoc. xi. 19; xvi. 21).    

ARENA -- The whole habitable of Daniel’s four Beasts.    

FIRST SIX SPECIAL DIVISIONS OF THE SEVENTH TRUMPET,

OR THIRD WOE.

ACT I -- FIRST VIAL

Apoc. xvi. 2

 

The pouring out of wrath in the form of a noisome and grievous sore upon that part of the earth inhabited and ruled by those having the mark of the beast, and who worship his image.    

ACT II -- SECOND VIAL

Verse 3

 

The pouring out of wrath upon the apocalyptic sea, making it as the blood of a corpse; so that every living soul therein died.

ACT III -- THIRD VIAL

Verses 8,9

 

The outpouring of wrath by which the rivers and fountains of waters of the beast’s dominion are turned into blood, in righteous retribution for the cruelties of his Lion Mouth, perpetrated in that section of his empire upon the saints and prophets whom he had subjugated and killed. This vial gives their "destroyer" (Apoc. xi. 18) blood to drink.    

ACT IV -- FOURTH VIAL

Verses 4,7

 

The outpouring of wrath upon the sun of the beast’s dominion; and power is given to a constituent of that luminary to scorch with great heat the blasphemers of the Deity’s name; yet they repent not to give him glory.

ACT V -- FIFTH VIAL

Verses 10,11

 

The outpouring of wrath upon the throne of the Beast, which fills his kingdom with darkness. The rulers and their adherents gnaw their tongues for pain, and blaspheme the Deity of heaven because of their pains and their sores; and they repent not of their deeds.    

ARENA OF THE FIRST FIVE VIALS

 

The Horn-kingdoms of the Beast of the Sea, the Beast of the Earth, and the States of the Image of the Sixth Head, commonly styled "the States of the Church."

TIME OF EVENTS

From A.D. 1795 to A.D. 1819, a period of 24 years.

 

ACT VI -- SIXTH VIAL

Vers. 12-16

Part 1

Ver. 12

 

Outpouring of wrath upon the great river Euphrates, by which its water is dried up, that the way of the kings of a Sun’s risings may be prepared.

Part 2

Vers. 13,14

 

Three Froglike, unclean, wonder-working spirits of demons issue forth from three principal governments -- from the Mouth of the Dragon, the Mouth of the Beast, and the Mouth of the False Prophet -- to the powers of the earth and of the whole habitable -- to gather them for the war of the great day of AIL-SHADDAI -- the Seven Horns and Seven Eyes of the Lamb, the Seven Spirits of the Deity sent forth into all the earth (Apoc. iv. 5,6); the Spirit incarnate in Jesus and his brethren, the Saints.

Part 3

Ver. 16

 

While the frog-like spirits are working, "the Lord the Spirit" (2 Cor. iii. 17,18) comes into the world as a thief in the night. He descends from heaven having great power -- the key of the abyss and a great chain (Apoc. xviii. 1; xx. 1) for the work of enlightening the earth with his glory (Apoc. xviii. 1). Having been clothed with a cloud (Apoc. x. 1 Heb. xii. 1) of witnesses, he stands on Mount Zion in the midst of the 144,000 -- his companions and coworkers -- the mystical Son of Man, whose voice is as the voice of a multitude (Dan. x. 6); as the sound of many waters (Apoc. i. 15). His head is encircled with the rainbow of the covenant; his face is as the sun, and his goings forth as pillars of fire. Thus prepared, he stands ready for action with his right foot upon the sea, and his left upon the earth, and a little open scroll in his hand, upon which are inscribed, "the lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and earthquake, and great hail," to be ministered by those who are honored to take the scroll and to eat it up (Apoc. x. 9; xi. 19).

Now is the judgment of the nations -- the Hour of judgment, in which they are invited to fear the Deity and to give glory to him (Apoc. xiv. 6,7). Proclamation is made by the One Body, now anointed and glorified, and of which Jesus is the Head, that "there shall be no longer delay" in the finishing of the mystery of the Deity. They sing a new song before the throne; and confidently aver that they shall reign as kings and priests of Deity upon the earth (Apoc. xiv. 3,9); to accomplish which are the judgments of the Little Open Scroll given to the Saints (Dan. vii. 22).

Part 4

Verse 16

 

The advent, or "manifestation of the sons of the Deity," having transpired, the angel of the sixth vial gathers the kings of the earth and of the whole habitable into the place styled in Hebrew, Armageddon. This gathering is effected by the events of the seventh vial.

TIME OF EVENTS

From A.D. 1821 to the overthrow in Armageddon

continued

 

 


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