Commentary on Revelation, Lecture 6
LECTURE VI.
Vers. 17.
And the seventh Angel poured out his vial into the aire, and there came a great voice out of the Temple of heaven, from the Throne, saying. It is done.
18.
And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings: and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake and so great.
19.
And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nati…ns fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance bef…re God, to give unte her the cup of the wine of the fiercenesse of his wrath.
20.
And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.
21.
And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great.
THis is the last vial: for understanding whereof, It will be necessary to enquire, wh…ther it bringeth the last judgement only on the beast? Or, if …t looketh to the last plagues on the world simply, including in it the last judgement? Which last, being of largest extent, and including the former, we conceive to be understood, not only because of the series of this proph…sie, which being divided into thre… principall, typicall prophesies of sevens (whereof this of vials is the last) and other explicatory prophesies or visions, both which go alongst from Ioh…'s ti…e to the …nd: and therefore this vial, being the last st…p and close of the typicall proph…sies, according to that series, it must extend it self to the end, which afterward is more fully explained, Chap▪ 20, 21, &c. as the two former vials are, Chap. 17.18.19. Beside this, these reasons evince it, Fi…st, (Chap. 15.1, 2.) they are the last plagues …n which are fulfilled Gods wrath, and that simply in the world: for here, the Cities of the Nations are d…stroyed as well as Babylon, and these plagues are to be understood the last, with reference to such plagues as went before them under the seals and trumpets, wh…ch are first and second plagues, and these are extended even to the Heathen world: Therefore so must also the v…als be, and not be ast…icted to the beasts kingdom only. Secondly, The seventh trumpet bringeth the last wo, which (Chap. 10.6, 7.) finisheth the mysterie of God when time shall be no more; but it is cleared, (Chap. 11.) that the last wo and the last plagues are one: Therefore the day of Judgement must be the period of these vials, seing it is the period of the third wo. 3. The expressions of this v…al are such as bear it out, It is done; a gr…at earthquake, mountains were not found, &c. which shew another manner of change than was under the seals, as the particul…rs will clear. Only take these two cautions, 1. Not to think …t bringeth the l…st judgement immediately, as if it contained no preceeding events▪ but only th…t the plagues immed…ately preceeding that judgement, are set out in this vial, and that there are no succeeding judgem…nts on the earth after it, but it terminateth and endeth in eternity and Gods finall immediate inflicting judgement on the world of the wicked. 2. That we look not on this, or the other vials, as fully or principally holding forth the condition of the Church in that time, but consequently; for they hold forth wrath on enemies: from which may be gathered, If it be ill with enemies, it is good and well with her; but that is more fully to be sought and gathered from the explicatory visions respectively contempo…ary with these, in which the flourishing state of the Church, and the succ…ssive inflicting of these plagues o… her enemies, is more fully expressed.
In this vial we are to consider, 1. the object. 2. the effects. The object, is, vers. 17. He poured it out into the air: which object is of a larger extent than any of the former, and cometh nearer Satans kingdom in the foundation and extent of it, who is (Eph. 2.) prince of the power of the air: the earth, sea, sun, and seat of the beast, are destroyed before this is poured out into the air, as that which was only resting, and comprehendeth what yet standeth of Satans kingdom, for the air to be plagued, hath influence on all under it, especially these who b…eath in it, and leaveth nothing breathing, and so no living in Satans world, yet a power he hath in it so long as it standeth. That thus it is to be extended, appeareth, 1. by the effects which are on the great City, i.e. what of it remained, and on all the Cities of the Nations, Islands, Mountains, and men that are smitten with it. 2. by comparing vers. 10. Chap. 20. with this event, it is on the devil and his kingdom, Gog and Magog universally: for, two of the three grand enemies, that engaged against Christ under the former vial, to wit, the beast and false prophet, are destroyed, Chap. 19. and casten into the lake. The third, to wit, the devil, hath some essay by other instruments after these are gone, Chap. 20.10. He, by this last via…, is cast into the lake, where the former two are before him. And his last instruments, Gog and Magog, are more immediately destroyed from heaven, as the effect of this vial afterwards cleareth. This then taketh in what dominion yet Satan had in the world, and is to overturn it where ever it were, and amongst whomsoever.
The effects of this vial are three wayes set out, 1. by word. 2. by signe. 3. by real effects and conseq…ents, all speaking the greatnesse of this judgement.
1. The word, vers. 17. 1. generally, is a great voice, to make it observable. 2. whence it cometh, from the throne, out of the Temple of heaven: In a word, from God, to shew the authority of the speaker, and the certainty of the thing spoken, which is the third thing the expression it self beareth. It is done; it is like alluding to Christs word on the Crosse, it is finished, when that work was at a close; so here there is an end of Gods plagues on the earth; and what H… had sworn (Chap. 10.) concerning the finishing of the mysterie, was now perfected, and what was before prophesied of the end, now they are fulfilled: which words suppone not an immediate, instantaneous fulfilling of these effect…, but successive, so as by that vial in due time and order they are brought about and closed.
2. The e…ect is set out by signe, vers. 18. And there were voices, thunders and lightnings, which as we heard (Chap. 11.19.) do signifie great and dreadfull changes and judgements; and it may here include, with the last judgement, these commotions of Gog and Magog which do next preceed. 3. It is set out by the reall effects and their consequents, as means by which these judgements are produced. They are of two sorts, First, a great earthquake, vers. 18. and a great hail, vers. 21. These are not to be limited only to the very same plagues; but hold out, 1. a concurrence of heaven and earth for inflicting that judgement, as it was in the deluge, the ea…th shaketh from beneath▪ and the heavens throw down stones from above. 2. It holdeth forth the dreadfulnesse and greatnesse of the judgement of this vial. 3. The immediatnesse of it, w…thout any instruments interveening, He executeth it on them Himself, as in earthquake… … ▪ so (Chap. 20.9.) it is said to be by fire from heaven, which is, upon the ma…e… ▪ …e same. This earthquake (vers. 18.) is described in it… degree, Then in its conse…ents or effects, 1. A great one, such as never was, far beyo… that, Chap. 6. And indee… …e last judgement will shake the world beyond any thing that ever it felt before. S…con…y▪ The effects of this earthquake are marked to be three or four, 1. The great city, to … Sodo…, Chap. 11. where the witnesses were killed, or Babylon, wa… d…vided in th…ee, that is, overturned: for, a city to be divided in three parts by an earthquake, making the gapes of the earth that great and wide, and to be overturned, is one. Beside, in plain words, it is spoken afterwards of the cities of the Nations, that they fell, which expoundeth the former. Thus what reliques of Popery or Papists in any part of the world, whether … Rome, if possibly somewhat recovered, or any where else (yet without their Pope) shall now wholly be overturned. The second effect is on the heathens, ca…led cities of the Nations, and contradistinguished from this one great city, They fell; all these shall be ruined also. 3. Babylons judgement is enlarged and aggreged, that it resteth not in a temporall overturning, but God putteth in her hand the cup of the fierc…ness… of his wrath, spoke… of and threatned to all her followers▪ Ch…p. 14.10. Wher…by it appeareth, 1. That this judgement endeth in eternity: And, 2. that it respecteth former threatnings.
A fourth eff…ct, is, vers. 20. shew…ng what influence this vial or earthquake shall have, not only on Cities, but on Islands at a distance, and mountains. In a word, on all the universe, which shall not only be moved as at other earthquakes, and vers. 12. Chap. 6. but here, they shall fle… away and shall not be found, holding out thereby the consumm… tion that shall be at the end, further expounded, Chap. 20.21.
The second effect of the bail (vers. 21.) i… to the same purpose, to shew that then sinners shall have refuge neither from earth nor heaven: the hail is terrible▪ alluding to that plague, Exod. 9. but exceedingly beyond it: never such an hail heard of as this, every stone a talent weight; it is irresistible, there is no fence against it: and it may allude to Ezek. 38.2. where Gog and Magog are to be destroyed by hail: the expressions of the judgement may be borrowed, as the names of the enemies, from G…g and M…gog. The greatnesse of it, is fur…her set out by the effect on reprobate men who are the object of it… they now break out in open blasphemy against God, so that the last wrath me…deth them not, though it be great. That exceeding greatnesse of it, without mixture of mercy, is insufferable and insupportable, and yet they are continued in a being after such a plague We must therefore look upon it as an eternall judgement; for, a temporall life could no… sustain men under it, but in hell: although malice being now inveterate and at its height in reprobate… and devils, so as they neither fear nor love the Lord, but do constantly blaspheme as their continuall exercise under their plagues, yet are by the revenging justice and power of God sustained in a being for ever, for the declaration of the glory of Hi… Justice: and now the sentence being past on them, we are to look upon this obdured, desperate, maliciousnesse rather as the just fruit of former sins, than as having influence to encrease their punishment after their finall doom. It must be a dreadfull thing to be in hell▪ especially after the last Judgement.