Revelation 6

Chap. VI. Ver. 1—8. The first four seals opened.-We God,” it proves that part of the redeemed church is meant by this emblem, and not angels, whose worship is next described in very different language.] fore the altar the offerings of meal, or of incense.”? These should not be confounded with the modern vials of apothecaries —Full 1s.— Wood- Ver. 5. A pair of balances.—Doddridve has it ‘‘ scales.”—But Woodhouse renders it, ‘a yoke;" and so it is rendered in all other places of the New Tespersecution of the church under Dioclesian and Maximian, from A. D. 270 to 304, which lasted longer, and was far more bloody, than any or all by which

Notes on the verses

—Bagster.—Having every one of them—i. e. of the elders—harps, &¢.— Woodhouse remarks, “ The harps, as well as the vials of incense, seem to belong to the elders only, not to the cherubim, to whose form they cannot accommodate, and ‘vhose figures were not seen distinctly. Besides, the masculine pronoun (ekastos) ‘every one,’ directs this interpretation.’ Witsius has the like remars.—And golden vials.—“ The vial of the Old Testament appears to have been ery of patera, or basin, in which were deposited behouse, ‘ incense.” CuHap. VI. Ver. 1. One of the four beasts—Rather, “living creatures,” ag before; and so throughout the chapter, except in ver. 3. ‘ Ver. 2. A white horse.—VThat the nature and character of public events may be represented by different coloured horses, see (Zechariah 1:8-11); vi. 2, 3. 6, 7. The rider on the first horse certainly rej: resents Christ, as in (Revelation 5)xix, 1-14,. tament, except this; but the word (Zugos) is often used by the LXX. in the eanse of balances or scales; as for instance, in (Proverbs 16:11). (Isaiah 40:12, 15); xivi. 6. If, however, we were to render the word in the primary sense of ‘ a yoke,” we should consider it as a symbol of slavery, which would be quite as consistent with what follows. Ver. 6. A measure—Gr. chenix; the value of which is not exactly ascertained, farther than that it was the usual daily allowauce of provision for a slave; while a penny, or Roman Denarius, (equal to about 15 cents,) was the usual daily pay of a labouring man.

So that this may intimate the world being reduced to a state of bodily and mental slavery, as well as to one o poverty and want. See (Ezekiel 4:16). A Denarius is said to have been the ordinary price of a bushel of wheat, equal to eight times the chanix.— Hurt not the oil and the wine.—‘This seems to intimate, that the scarcity would fall heavier upon the necessaries of life, than on its luxuries: that the rich would take care of themselves, and neglect the poor. Ver. 8. Hell.—Gr. Hades, or the invisible state. See (Revelation 1:18), and note. ——With hunger, and with death.— Woodhouse, “ By famine, and by pestilence.” To the xaine effect, Doddridge ——With the beasts—Gr. (therion) * wild beasts’’—a very different word from that we have rendered “ living crea- Ver.

9. Them that were slain.—Doddridge, ‘ slaughtered.” Ver. 10. Avenge our bluod.—(This seal seems a prediction of the terrible it was preceded, whence it was called “ the era of the mattyrs.””]—Bag: ter. Ver. 11. A little season.—Doddridge, ‘‘ while.’’ Woodhouse, “ yet a time.” Ver. 12. A great earthquake, &c.—Rather, says Newton, a great concussion, comprehending heaven as well as earth. See Haggai ii. 6, 21. By such metaphors, as Sir I. Newton has observed, the prophets are accustomed to describe great revolutions among the empires of the world; and in very similar language our Lord himself predicted the destruction of Jerusalem, as well as the final renovation of the earth itself. See (Isaiah 34)

10. Joel iv. 10. (Matthew 24:29). [This was an emblem of great revolutions in the civil and religious f | state of the world, attended by vast commotions of every kind; and _represents the total subversion of the oe power by the victories of Constantine, and by his accession to the imperial throne, and_the entire and universal change which took place at that **ne, from A. D. 304 to 323. The great lights of the heathen world were eclipsed and obscured,—the heathen emperors and Cesars were slain, the heathen priests and augurs extirpated, and heathen officers and magistrates removed, the heathen temples demolished, and their revenues appropriated to better uses.]—Bagster. Ver. 13. The stars of heaven fell.—Doddridge, ‘ The stars fell from hea- Ci when exposed to the heat of fire.

“e7" 14. Asa bebe ae — of parchment, which rolls up of itself, eseae The eredt men.—Doddridge, ‘‘ grandees.",— Every bondman.— Doddridge ** Jave°— In the dens.—Doddridge a aa Ver. 8. Of the tribe of Joseph.—lt is remarkable, that the names of Dan and Ephraim are omitted in. this list, and those of Levi and Joseph inserted in their stead, which, it is a was occasioned by both those tribes being particularly addicted to idolatry. a! mes ii. The four beasts.—Rather, “living creatures,” as before, (Revelation 4)and v. Ver. 14. Out of great tribulation.— Woodhouse, “ out of the great tribula- Ver. 15. Day and night—i. e. continually, as the Jewish worship was continued ——in his temple.—Compare (Revelation 21)

3, 4; xxii. 1, &e. Ver. 16. Neither shall the sun light.— Woodhouse, “ strike on them”—— Nor any heat.— Woodhouse, ‘‘ burning.” ‘These expressions evidently refer to that fatal disorder, the swn-stroke, so common in hot countries. See note on (2 Kings 4:20).