Notes on the New Testament, Explanatory and Practical: Revelation. Albert 1798-1870 Barnes
The decline of the Turkish power; the rapid extension of the gospel in the East; the rallying of the strength of Paganism, Mahometanism, and Romanism—represented by the three frogs that came out of the mouth of the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet: the preparation of those powers as if for some great conflict, and the decisive struggle between the church and its foes, as if the issue were staked on a single battle—in Armageddon.The seventh vial, ver. 17–21. The complete and final overthrow of the Papal power, as if in a tremendous storm of hail, lightning, and thunder, accompanied with an earthquake.A particular description of the judgment on this formidable Antichristian power, under a new image of a harlot (Chap. xvii.) in the form of an explanatory Episode.Introduction to the Episode; the vision of the woman sitting on many waters, ver. 1–3.A particular description of the Antichristian power referred to, under the image of an abandoned and gaily-attired woman, ver. 3–6.A particular explanation of what is designed to be represented by the image of the scarlet-coloured woman, ver. 7–18:—(a) The angel promises to explain it, ver. 7.(b) A symbolical representation of the design of the vision, ver. 8–14.(c) A more literal statement of what is meant, ver. 15–18. The whole designed to characterize Papal Rome, and to describe the manner of its rise and the means of its ultimate destruction.A description of the effect of that judgment in pouring out the seventh vial on that formidable Antichristian power, under the image of a rich and luxurious city; a further explanatory Episode, Ch. xviii.A vision of an angel coming from heaven, ver. 1–3.A warning voice calling on the people of God to come out of the mystical Babylon, and not to partake of her sin and her doom, ver. 4–8.Lamentation over her fate:—(a) By kings, that had lived delicately with her, ver. 9, 10.(b) By merchants that had been enriched by her, ver. 11–17.(c) By mariners that had trafficked with her, ver. 17–19.Rejoicing over her fate, ver. 20.The final destruction of the mystical Babylon—the Papal power—represented by a millstone cast by an angel into the sea, ver. 21–24.A further episodical representatation of the effects that would result from the fall of the powers that opposed the reign of the Son of God and the introduction of the Millennium, with an account of the final destruction of these powers, Chap. xix.A hymn of the heavenly hosts in view of the destruction of the mystical Babylon, ver. 1–7:—(a) A voice of many people in heaven, shouting Hallelujah, ver. 1, 2.(b) The sound echoed and repeated as the smoke of her torment ascends, ver. 3.(c) The four and twenty elders, and the four living creatures unite in the song, ver. 4.(d) A voice heard commanding them to praise God, ver. 5.(e) The mighty shout of Hallelujah echoed and repeated from unnumbered hosts, ver. 6, 7.The marriage of the Lamb as the reason of this increased joy, ver. 8, 9.John, overcome with this scene, and filled with rapturous joy in view of the final triumphs of the church, prostrates himself before the angel to worship him, ver. 10.The final conquest over the beast and the false prophet, ver. 11–21:—(a) A description of the conqueror—the Son of God—as he goes forth to victory, attended by the armies of heaven, ver. 11–16.(b) An angel is seen standing in the sun, calling on all the fowls of heaven to come to the great feast prepared for them in the destruction of the enemies of God, ver. 17, 18.(c) The final war, ver. 19–21. The beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gather together for the battle; the beast and the false prophet taken, and cast into the lake that burns with fire and brimstone; the remainder of the enemies of the church slain. The last enemy of the church on earth is destroyed, and the way is prepared for its universal triumph.The Millennial period and the final judgment, Ch. xx.The binding of Satan, ver. 1–3.The Millennium, ver. 4–6. Thrones are placed as if there were to be a judgment; the spirit of the martyrs and saints is revived again as if they were raised from the dead, and lived again on the earth; Satan is confined, and the church enjoys a state of repose and prosperity, for the period of a thousand years.The release of Satan for a little time. ver. 7, 8. After the thousand years are expired, he is permitted to go forth again among the nations, and to awaken a new form of hostility to Christ and the church.The final overthrow, subjugation, and punishment of Satan and those opposing hosts, and the final triumph, therefore, of the church, ver. 9, 10.The final judgment on all mankind, ver. 11–15. All the dead are raised; the sea gives up its dead; Death and Hades give up their dead, and a solemn and just judgment is pronounced on all mankind, and the wicked are consigned to the lake of fire.
6 The final condition of the righteous—the state of future blessedness, Chap. xxi.; xxii. 1–5.A vision of the new heavens and new earth, as the final abode of the righteous, chap. xxi. 1.That blessed future abode represented under the image of a beautiful city descending from heaven, chap. xxi. 2–4.A particular description of the city, as the final abode of the righteous; its general appearance, its walls, its gates, its foundations, its size, its light, its inmates, &c., chap. xxi. 9–27; xxii. 1–5
7 The epilogue, or conclusion, Chap.. xxii. 6–20.A solemn declaration that the things revealed in this book are true, ver. 6, 7.The effect of those revelations on John, ver. 8, 9.A command not to seal up what had been revealed, ver. 10.The unchangeable condition of the righteous and the wicked in the future state, ver. 14, 15.The blessedness of those who have a right to enter into the Holy City, ver. 15.Jesus declares himself to be the author of all these revelations, ver. 16.The free invitations of the gospel to all men, ver. 17.A solemn injunction not to change anything that had been written in this book, ver. 18, 19.The assurance of the Saviour that he would come quickly, and the joyous assent of John to this, and prayer that it might occur, ver. 20.The benediction, ver. 21.
THE
REVELATION OF ST. JOHN THE DIVINE.
CHAPTER I.
ANALYSIS OF THE CHAPTER.
This chapter contains a general introduction to the whole book, and comprises the following parts:—
I. The announcement that the object of the book is to record a revelation which the Lord Jesus Christ had made of important events which were shortly to occur, and which were signified by an angel to the author, John, ver. 1–3. A blessing is pronounced on him who should read and understand the book, and special attention is directed to it because the time was at hand when the predicted events would occur.
II. Salutation to the seven churches of Asia, ver. 4–8. To those churches, it would seem from this, the book was originally dedicated or addressed, and two of the chapters (ii. and iii.) refer exclusively to them. Among them evidently the author had resided (ver. 9), and the whole book was doubtless sent to them, and committed to their keeping. In this salutation, the author wishes for them grace, mercy, and peace from “him which is, and which was, and which is to come”—the original fountain of all light and truth—referring to the Father; “from the seven Spirits which are before the throne”—referring to the Holy Spirit (see Note on ver. 4), by whom all grace is communicated to men; and from the Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the revelation is imparted. As it is his revelation, as it is designed peculiarly to glorify him, and as it predicts the final triumph of his religion, the author appends to this reference to him a special ascription of praise, ver. 5–8. He refers to the great work which he had done for his people in redeeming them, and making them kings and priests to God; he assures those to whom he wrote that he would come in glory to the world again, and that all eyes would see him; and he represents the Redeemer himself as applying to his own person a title—“Alpha and Omega,” “the beginning and the ending”—which indicates his exalted nature, and his supreme authority.
III. The commission of the writer, or his authority for thus addressing the churches of Asia, ver. 9–20. His authority to do this is derived from the fact that the Lord Jesus had appeared to him personally in his exile, and had directed him to reveal what he saw in vision, and to send it to those churches. The statement of this commission is made as impressive as it well could be. (a) The writer was an exile—banished to a lonely island on account of the common faith, ver. 9. (b) On the day of Christian rest—the day set apart to the memory of the Saviour, and which he sacredly observed in his solitude as holy time—when in the