Revelation 14:1

Here is another vision, or, another branch of the former. And methought I saw the Lamb, that is, Christ, on mount Sion, in the Christian church, and with him all those constant, pure Christian Jews, ch. vii, openly and constantly professing the truth.

[a] I looked, and, lo, a Lamb—] The sum of this ensuing vision, and the propriety of it to this part of the story, is here fit to be set down as preparative to the interpretation of it; and it is this: The state of heathen Rome being set down in the former chapter as it was in Domitian’s time, that time of persecuting of Christianity, and reviving of heathenism, (that had lost a little of its lustre,) here is now a general view given of all that is more largely set down in the sixteenth, seventeenth, and eighteenth chapters, that is, of all from Domitian to Constantine, or the prediction in gross of what is there particularly executed; just as the sixth chapter was the representation of the several degrees by which the Jews’ polity came to its dissolution, and the premising in short what was afterwards to be acted on the Jews in the following chapters. And as there the total destruction of the Jewish state is chiefly insisted on, from ver. 12 to the end, so here in this, the period of the Roman idolatrous power, and the destruction thereof by an immense effusion of blood, is described, from ver. 14 to the end; but preparatory to that, a description of the pure, constant, primitive Christians, in the first five verses; an angel declaring happy tidings to the whole Christian church for the time to come, and requiring them to walk in a religious fear, and to give glory to God, because he would now appear and judge their persecutors, vv. 6, 7. Then another angel foretelling the destruction of heathen Rome, ver. 8, and another, the bitter punishments and utter ruin of apostatizing, complying Christians, vv. 9, 10, 11; then a declaration from heaven, that most sore persecutions should fall upon the church immediately before this happy change, so that they should be happy who were well dead, and were come to enjoy their reward, and not left to undergo so sore a trial, ver. 13. And this to point at the time of persecution under Diocletian, Maximian Herculius, Maximian Armentarius, Maximinus, Maxentius, Licinius, which was long and most sharp.

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And again methought I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, &c., that is, the gospel preached aloud among the Gentiles, and a multitude of Gentile Christians (see ch. vii. 9.) a rejoicing together.

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And these, methought, were singing of praise to God, (sitting, as he was before represented, ch. iv. 2,

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These are they which had kept pure from all the heretical Gnostic corruptions of uncleanness, &c. (see note [n] ch. ii,) and that held out constant against all terrors of persecutions, and so were rescued from the sins of that wicked age, the pure primitive Christians,

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That never fell off to any false idolatrous or heretical practice, but served God blameless.

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And methought I saw another angel, none of those before mentioned, flying or hastening about the world, carrying good news with him, happy tidings for the time to come, to all nations, Jews and Gentiles, viz. to the Christians of all;

[b] everlasting gospel] That the word εὐαγγέλιον signifies good news, and by a figure only is appropriated to the gospel, (as being most eminently such,) is sufficiently known. And therefore here in all probability it must be taken in the native sense, and denote simply good tidings. And what they are appears ver. 7, where the words of this good news are, The day of God’s judgments are come, the former words, Fear God, and give him praise, being the preface to it. Which though they are a sad proclamation of judgment, and ill news to the impenitent, yet they are a special piece of good news to the pious, constant confessors, that fear God, and confess and give him praise, that is, courageously confess him, whatsoever the danger be, (for so δοξάζειν Θεόν, to praise God, signifies, 1 Pet. iv. 16.) Now for the addition of αἰώνιον to εὐαγγέλιον, that sure must signify this good news to be such, as not only the present but future ages were concerned in. Thus was this (here mentioned) the freeing of the Christian church from public universal persecution of the heathen power, which was to be afforded at the time pointed at in this vision, that is, at the fall of Babylon, ver. 8. For after that the heathen persecution was taken off by Constantine, there never came any such universal persecution, but that in one place or other Christians have had the benefit and liberty of assemblies. And

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And thereupon admonishing all now to stand out firmly and constantly, to adhere to the true God and the Christian faith, in opposition to the heathen idolatry, which should now shortly be destroyed.

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And as ver. 7. it was foretold that idolatry should suddenly be destroyed, so presently another angel, methought, brought news that it was done, that that whole impure city of Rome heathen, (under the title of Babylon, (see note [a] ch. xviii,) that old heathen,

idolatrous city, that had lain so heavy upon the people of God, a numerous, populous city, and in each of

these respects fitly expressing this,) was, that is, should speedily be destroyed, for advancing the hea-

[c] Babylon is fallen] That by Babylon heathen Rome is signified in these visions shall be shewed at large, note [a] on ch. xviii. Here only it will be observable, first, why it is called the city, the great, (for so ἡ πόλις ἡ μεγάλη, is best rendered,) viz., first, in respect of her dominion, see ch. xvii. 18, that great city which reigneth over the kings of the earth; and accordingly it was generally known by that title of urbs dominatrix, regno superba, sanctorum debellatrix, &c., “the imperial city, proud of her dominion, the subduer and destroyer of the saints.

—— regina tui pulcherrima mundi,

in Rutilius Numatian. “the beautiful queen of thy world.” So in Cicero it is lux orbis terrarum, “the light of the world;” ἄστρον τι κοινὸν τῆς ὅλης οἰκουμένης, in Marcianus Heracleota, “the common star of the whole world;” regina et domina, in Julius Frontinus, “the queen and ruler of the world.” Secondly, for the large circuit of the city, to which purpose this testimony of Athenaeus is worth observing, lib. 1, Ἐπιλείποι δ’ ἂν γε οὐχ ἡμέρα μία ἐξαιριθμούμενον τὰς ἐν τῇ Ῥωμαίων οὐρανοπόλει Ῥώμῃ ἀριθμούμενας πόλεις, ἀλλὰ πᾶσαι αἱ κατὰ τὸν ἐνιαντὸν ἀριθμούμεναι, διὰ τὸ πλῆθος, “If I should reckon the cities that are numbered in Rome, that heaven-city of the Romans, not only one day would fail me, but as many days as make up a year, the number of them is so great.” Secondly, why this title of Babylon is here adapted to it, viz., to keep a special decorum, observable in these visions, in representing the Christian church by the ancient Jewish. This is observable in many lesser particulars, but most eminently in this description of her persecutors. There were three most remarkable calamities that fell upon the seed of Israel; the bondage in Egypt, the captivity in Babylon, the persecution of Antiochus. And the like is prophesied in this book to befall Christians. First, miseries by Jewish persecution, and therefore Jerusalem is called Egypt, Rev. xi. 8; the second by Roman idolatry, which is therefore called Babylon here, and chapters xvii. and xviii; and the third, when the devil is let loose by Gog and Magog, Rev. xx. 8, which are most perfectly parallel to Antiochus, (see the paraphrase there.) And there is little reason of doubting but these allusions were intended, and there is great decorum and method therein, which ought to be carefully attended.

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[d] the wine of the wrath—] That χολή and θυμός are all one, that they both promiscuously signify those intoxicating poisoning mixtures which were put into wine, hath been shewed in note [f] on Matt. xxvii. And agreeably to that notion, οἶνος θυμοῦ is applied in this chapter to signify two things, abominable sin, and intolerable punishment. The former of them, in the 8th verse, is joined with πορνείας, fornication, and it is the same in effect which it would be if the words had been οἶνος ἐσμυρνισμένος τῆς πορνείας, a myrrhate (bitter poisonous) cup of fornication. Then for punishment it is here used, ver. 10, being spoken of God, οἶνος τοῦ θυμοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ, not as if θυμός signified wrath, (any more than the same word could signify so, ver. 8, where it is applied to fornication,) but again as θυμός and χολή are all one, and as they signify all those poisonous bitter mixtures put into wine; and so οἶνος τοῦ θυμοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ is God’s myrrhate cup of punishments, which he there threatens to pour out on them, expressed again in that that follows, κεκερασμένον ἀκράτου, mixed unmixed; ἄκρατος being the word to signify wine not mingled with water, merum, strong wine, or red wine, (as πλεν, which is rendered ἄκρατος, unmixed, psalm lxxv. 9, signifies,) and κεκερασμένος, mixed with these inebriating spices, meant by θυμός, which the Septuagint in that place of the psalmist, psalm lxxv. 9, express by πλήρης κεράσματος, full of mixture: and then both these put thus together are very proper to express the cup of maledication, (see note [f] on Matt. xxvii,) and consequently the curses and fierce punishments of God. Thus, ch. xvi. 19, οἶνος θυμοῦ τῆς ὀργῆς αὐτοῦ, the bitter wine of his wrath, not the wine of the anger of his wrath. Many the like phrases we find scattered in authors; κόνδυ πικρίας, in c Eustathius, a cup of bitterness; κύπελλον ὀλίθρου, in Manasses, a cup of destruction; and again, συμφορῶν ὑπερχειλῆ τὸν σκύφον, a cup of afflictions above brim full, and ἀψινθιάζοντα πικρὸν ἐκίρασε κρατήρα, a bitter cup of the taste of wormwood; and τὸ τοῦ θυμοῦ ποτήριον, in d Nicetas Choniata. See Gaulmin on Eustathius, p. 35.

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[e] from henceforth] The word ἀπάρτι (be it so read, or ἀπ’ ἄρτι, in two words) signifies, saith Euthymius, within a short time, not long after, quickly; see note on Matt. xxiii. 39, and Matt. xxvi. 64. In both which (as here) the ancient Latin reads amodo, within a while. This verse belongs to that which went immediately before, ver. 12, ὧδε ὑπομονὴ τῶν ἁγίων ἐστί, here is the patience of the saints, to signify a time of persecution, (see ch. xiii. 10.) And to that nothing can be more proper than this, that they are to be accounted happiest that die soonest, that within a while are taken out of this life, from having their part in the evil to come, Isa. lvii. 1. So Eccl. iv, upon mention of the oppressors and strength on their side, and the no-comforter, ver. 1, it follows, wherefore I praised the dead which are already dead, &c., ver. 2. And to this belongs the answer of the Spirit in the words following, they shall have rest from their κόποι, that is, from those persecutions which attend them here, (see note [c] on Heb. iii.) and which only death can give them an end of.

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[f] a golden crown] That the στίφανος χρύσεος, golden crown, is an ensign of regal power, is sufficiently known, and little doubt but here it is so, denoting that which in the New Testament is oft ex-

c Iamen. p. 146. d In Alex.

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And these heathen augurs and priests set up oracles in new places, and by responses from them engaged the emperor, and his officers in the provinces, to persecute and make bloody edicts against the Christians.

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And by that means edicts came out for all men in the whole empire to enter into and join in their heathen worships.

And he did accordingly, and this vengeance befall heathen Rome.

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And therewith banishment, or interdicting of all privileges and advantages of life, to all that do not thus join publicly with them, and to that end enter into their religion by some of those ways usual among them, by having the mark of the god, or the name, or some numeral letters that signify his name, branded on them.

And another angel or officer of Christ’s vengeance was sent out by him on the same errand; and methought he came from God in heaven, as out of the sanctuary, the place where incense is offered, (an effect of the prayers of the saints again,) with a sharp sickle in his hand, an emblem of excision.

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And for the last of these, it was represented in the vision to be three letters, which signify six hundred sixty-six: the foretelling of which ought to be looked on as an act of infinite wisdom in Christ, that sent this prophecy, and consequently to be attended to as such: or else, the finding this out will be matter of wisdom, a work of sagacity in any, and yet possible, when the time comes, to be observed; for the way of numbering here mentioned is that which is of ordinary use among men.

CHAP. XIV.

AND [a] I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father’s name written in their foreheads.

And another angel came from the altar of burnt offerings, by which the wicked are represented, having the execution of God’s wrath upon the wicked intrusted to him, and he cried aloud to him that had the sharp sickle, and bid him set about this work as if it were a time of vintage, cutting down the clusters of grapes of the vine of the land, that is, destroying this idolatrous, cruel city and people, as having filled up the measure of their iniquities, and being now full ripe for slaughter.

[g] power over fire] The ὀναιαστήριον, altar, here, being that whereon the beasts were offered, and those beasts to be burnt with fire, and that fire being a denotation of the wrath and vengeance of God against the wicked, this angel coming from the altar, and having power over fire, is consequently a minister or executioner of God’s wrath upon the wicked impenitents, who are those beasts to be sacrificed to God, to be destroyed before him.

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And accordingly it was done: these obdurate sinners, ripe for judgment, were terribly destroyed, cut down, and cast like ripe grapes into a winepress, the wrath of God falling sadly upon them.

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And this extended not only to the city of Rome, but to other parts of the empire, wherein Christianity had been persecuted; and a most bloody slaughter there was among them.

¹¹ is dried, ἕπραση.

[h] a thousand and six hundred furlongs] That the thousand and six hundred furlongs here do refer to the bounds or extent of Judæa, is the opinion of the learned H. Grotius; and his proof for it is, because St. Jerome, which had lived in those parts, and examined it very accurately, affirms that Judæa was in length 160 miles, which, accounting every mile to contain ten Greek stadia, or furlongs, amounts to 1600 furlongs. But if it be first adverted that the winepress is here said to be trodden without the city, and the blood to have extended to this space of 1600 furlongs; secondly, that Jerusalem was in the midst of the country, and consequently that from thence to the utmost bounds of it the space will be but half so much as is the longitude of all Judæa; this conjecture will not be so agreeable to this place. And therefore it will be more proper, and accordant to the context, which speaks not of Judæa, but of Rome, to apply it to the adjacent regions about Rome,