16:1 – “And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth.”

The “great voice” which now speaks to these “seven angels” is that of the nominal Temple Class, telling them to go their ways and to do their worst; for the nominal Church feels that it has nothing to fear, and nothing to lose by getting rid of them.

“The nominal systems are anxious to retain every member, for each one counts, and their boast is in numbers and wealth; but when they find any who count all earthly considerations but loss and dross, and who will not be fettered and bound by manmade creeds they thrust such out, saying, Go, then, do your worst, ‘Go Your Ways.’

“The unfettered, the overcoming class, have nearly all gone forth, we believe, now. These do not require the plagues since the truth has made them free. This little flock by no means constitutes the whole house of God. No, the house of God the household of faith – is a large class, the majority of whom are still in the nominal Church, fettered by its creeds and dwarfed by its worldly conformity. For their sake – that they may be brought into the liberty of sons of God, even through great tribulation (Rev. 7:14) – we are told that ‘judgment must begin at the house of God.’ They must be liberated first, and the overcoming class shall be the instruments in striking off the shackles of error. The plagues are really blessings in disguise, just as an amputation is a blessing though a trying ordeal of suffering to those who require it.” (R498:3)

16:2 – “And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image.”

“These evils, called plagues or bowls of wrath, are designed to rid the world of every form of evil and wrong. The class symbolized by the land or earth, we understand to mean all people under religious restraint, of whatever name or order. Land or earth as a symbol represents settled, organized religious society, as sea represents the restless, irreligious, unsettled masses of humanity. Those having the mark (characteristics) of the Beast (Papacy) and those worshiping his Image (Protestantism) … are the great mass of non-overcoming and nominal Christians.

“It is upon this class that the trouble first comes. While Roman Catholics constitute an important portion of this earth class, yet the trouble does not affect them at first, as shown from the fact that the ulcer (Diaglott) is not upon those worshiping the Beast, but on those worshiping the IMAGE and having the marks or characteristics of the Beast (Papacy), which indicates clearly the various shades and degrees of Protestantism.

“Their trouble is compared to an ulcer – ‘an evil and malignant ulcer.’ To appreciate the symbol let us consider the literal: An ulcer is a running sore; it is an evidence of constitutional disorder, and very painful. A CANCER in its worst stages, becomes a malignant ulcer. An ulcer is a cankerous sore, that is, one which eats, corrupts and destroys. Now carry the thought – what an ulcer or bad cancer is to a man will illustrate the character of the consuming, life-draining trouble coming upon the systems constituting Protestantism, so called, which ultimately will destroy it. It arises from within itself; it is a constitutional disorder, caused by the errors inherited and retained from the ‘Mother of harlots and abominations.’ There is no cure for this evil – the blood is poisoned, it has permeated the entire body, and death must ensue.

“There was a time – in the days of Luther and reformation – when the daughters might have been radically healed, but her false ministers ‘healed the hurt of my people slightly, saying, peace, peace, when there is no peace.’ (Jer. 8:11) Now there is no balm in Gilead, there is no physician there – therefore, she is not healed. Her king is not in her, she is spewed out of his mouth. (Jer. 8:22, Young’s Translation; see also Rev 3:16; 18:23) There is no remedy, these systems must die. The disorder comes from within. Already these disorders have broken out, and though the canker is carefully concealed, the bad odor and distress are noticeable.” (R498:4)

16:3 – “And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man: and every living soul died in the sea.”

“Bear in mind that the sea symbolizes the irreligious masses of mankind – those not under religious restraint.

“To appreciate the trouble upon this class we must study the symbol. Blood in a living creature is full of vitality, but the blood of a dead person is the very reverse. After death, the blood rapidly begins to separate into two parts – a watery liquid called serum and a more solid substance termed clot. As soon as this separation has been accomplished the CLOT begins to PUTREFY or corrupt. Applying this, we understand it to teach that a great and thorough disintegration will occur in this large class of humanity, after which, one element will rapidly corrupt and putrefy. Among the irreligious masses have been numbered such noble specimens of humanity as Stephen Girard, George Peabody, and Peter Cooper, beside many less noble, honestly skeptical souls. The result of the commingling of such with the masses imparted a life principle and vitality. But reading this plague, we realize that a separation of these two elements is due, the result of which will be decay and death to every principle of morality and virtue in this class – when every living thing (active element of virtue and benevolence) in this sea class will perish. In other words, remove the element which advises prudence, morality, and right-doing, from the counsels of the restless masses – from the Labor Leagues and other associations, and let the lower element control itself, and the result would quickly be the destruction of life, property, laws, and peace a grand reign of anarchy in the name of communism.

“From other Scriptures we are taught to expect just such an uprising – which eventually shall overthrow the kingdoms of earth. But the beginning of this is all we must look for now – the separation of the serum from the clot – of the vital from the corrupting element. This seems to be now in progress. Men of noble minds who realized the oppression of the masses by money and governments and desired to assist in their amelioration, are forced to withdraw because of the spirit of recklessness which pervades the masses, leading to assassinations in other countries and threats of the same in this land. In England, Mr. Gladstone, Mr. Parnell and others, have attempted to provide some relief for Irish oppression, but must disown all fellowship with the dynamite and assassination policy of hot-headed leaders among the masses.

“But we should remember that the full results of this evil or plague will not be felt for many years. It has its beginning only now. It is well also to remember that one plague or evil goes on increasingly after a second and third, etc., are added, until in the end the entire seven forms of evil will be operating simultaneously.” (R498:5)

16:4-6 – “And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood. And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, O Holy One (RSV) because thou hast judged thus. For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink: for they are worthy.”

“This third element of trouble results from the turning of the rivers and fountains of water into blood. Running waters symbolize truth. The river channels through which water (truth) has flowed, symbolize the various sects or denominations. The fountains symbolize the founders and schools of these various systems – the place or men in whom these channels had their start or beginning.

“For a long time water – truly very muddy in some, but nevertheless a mixture of water – has flowed in these various systems, of which many have partaken and have been refreshed. But a change comes, and that which once refreshed, will (gradually) become loathsome as blood. (Blood has been advised as a medical remedy, but in such cases it is taken immediately on being drawn from the animal, else it would be poisonous for its change is rapid – hence a river of blood could symbolize only loathsomeness and death).

“This we understand to be a picture of a change rapidly taking place in religious channels – their creeds, though containing as much truth and error as ever, they are coming to regard differently. General enlightenment is greater, and what was once received without question, is now becoming loathsome and death-like. As in a similar plague (literally) upon Egypt, the people digged wells for water because they could no longer drink of the bloody rivers, so here – independent thinkers are digging for them- selves, for purer waters than the regular channels afford. Truly this turning of the waters of their channels into blood, is among the causes of anxiety and great annoyance to the sectarian, but only the few yet realize this trouble.

“The angel of waters – or the messenger of the REAL truth – is able to see in this a righteous judgement of God against those systems, as expressed in vss. 5 and 6. The direct cause of this trouble is mentioned – they poured out the blood of the saints and prophets.

“Is it inquired in what sense this was done? We answer that the blood in a person is life and to pour it out is to waste it. The life of the saints is truth – God’s word – as it is written: ‘The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life,’ and ‘The testimony of Jesus is the spirit (vitality, life) of prophecy.’ Hence to have wasted the life-principle of saints and prophets, would be to have wasted the words and testimony of Jesus. This they did by neglecting his word, and receiving instead the traditions of men, which errors have corrupted and defiled the truths they possess to such an extent that the thinking ones are fast coming to that condition where they cannot drink from those channels.

“In these very channels, or systems, where the teaching of Satan has been preserved, viz., that man has an existence which can never cease, and hence must continue forever (Gen. 3:4), nine-tenths of them in misery, in these same channels, the teachings of the Prophets, that the wages of sin is death, but that God had provided for ‘times of restitution of all things spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began’ (Acts 3:21) is neglected, cast aside, WASTED. And hence it is that they will get blood to drink shortly. The creeds of these systems being so mixed with error by the retaining of Satan’s lie and the rejection of the Lord’s testimony, both through the words and example of prophets and saints, they will soon come to recognize them as too obnoxious and nauseating to be palatable to either themselves or the world.” (R499:1)

16:7 – “And I heard the altar cry (RSV), Yea, Lord God the Almighty, true and just are thy judgments.”

“The altar represents the class of prophets and saints whose testimonies for truth were sealed with their lives, the testimony of whose lives had been wasted. These speak not audibly, but in that figurative way in which Abel’s blood is said to have cried out. The testimony of these condemns the present systems as worthy of having this trouble or plague; because of their previous disregard of truth. While nominal Church systems have become great and popular in worldly favor, both in the days of the prophets and ever since, in the days of the saints, yet now as ever, this success and popularity has been the result of an alliance with the world and a participation of its spirit. Since, as well as in the days of the prophets, to live separate from the world and to boldly advocate the truth in opposition to the worldly mixture of error, has cost persecution and either literal or symbolic beheading – or cutting off. The testimony of every sacrifice for truth acceptable to God is represented as condemning the course of these systems and justifying the retribution represented in this third plague – ‘FOR THEY ARE WORTHY’.” (R499:3)

The Righteousness of God’s Judgments

“If the deliverance of the church meant eternal suffering to the non-elect, how could we rejoice in it? But as our eyes of understanding are opening, we see with astonished wonder the lengths and breadths, the heights and depths of the great Creator’s love and mercy. We perceive that the glorification of the church means the blessing of all then alive by the inauguration of the reign of righteousness and peace, and by the breaking of the shackles of sin and ignorance, and by the binding of Satan for a thousand years. And oh, so much more, the release of the thousands of millions of heathens, who, for the past six thousand years, have been going down into the great prison house of death – the Bible hell – the tomb! With this rosy view of the future, which the Bible so surely gives, darkness and clouds, sorrows and tears for the immediate present cannot daunt us. Our souls do magnify the Lord! We sing daily, hourly, the new song, ‘True and righteous are thy judgments, O Lord God Almighty! Who shall not come and worship thee, when thy righteous dealings shall be made manifest?’ (Rev. 15:3, 4; 16:7)” (R5799:5)

“Obedience will be enforced from the beginning, and only those who positively refuse to make progress will be cut off even after a hundred years of trials, such as make even outward progress, and conform outwardly to the laws of the Kingdom, will be permitted to go on, and be granted opportunities of growing in grace, in knowledge and in love … The final test will be in respect to their heart loyalty to the principles of righteousness.… But how gracious the divine provision thus made! How long-suffering does this divine plan show our heavenly Father and our Redeemer to be toward the children of men! Surely such patience and forbearance will attract to the Lord all who will be worthy of life everlasting; and as respects the destruction of others, all in accord with the Lord will be prepared to say, in the language of inspiration, ‘True and righteous are thy judgments, Lord God Almighty!’ (Rev. 16:7)” (F712)

The Effects of Increasing Light

“The effects produced in the world by the darkening of the Truth by Papacy was the bringing in of what is generally called the Dark Ages – a period of ignorance and superstition, affecting both nations and individuals. The Reformation of the sixteenth century caused the Gospel sun to shine in a measure; but the formation of the Protestant sects prevented it from shining in its fullness. There was a sufficiency of light, however, shed by the Reformation to liberate to a large extent the nations from the yoke of Papal bondage, bringing in as the nineteenth century dawned a gradual increase of knowledge. In the opening years of the nineteenth century the Bible began to come into the possession of the people in general. It was not, however, until about 1874 that the full blaze of Gospel sunlight began to shine for the benefit of the Lord’s consecrated. About this time also the masses of mankind, because of a more general diffusion of knowledge, were aroused to more independent thinking. Matters pertaining to the rights and wrongs of man then began to be discussed, and this has gone on increasingly up to the present time. The various organizations of labor and capital, etc., existing today began to be formed in those days. This increase of knowledge has caused discussions and contentions over the rights and wrongs of the classes and has become more and more heated as the days have come and gone. The tendency is at the present time towards a concentration of all these organizations into two classes, in opposition one to the other. The shaking and unsettling of the present order of things is causing conditions that are bringing great trouble and disturbance of mind to mankind in general as the various remedies provided by legislators are tried and fail to bring the hoped-for cure. All this, it is generally admitted, has been caused by an increase of knowledge, described in this symbol as an unusual increase and diffusion of sunlight. This seems to be what is portrayed in this fourth plague symbol.” (The Revelation of Jesus Christ, Streeter – Vol. 2 p. 295)

16:8, 9 – “And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire. And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory.”

“Here the misery of some is caused by the increase of sunlight. As the moon symbolized ‘THE LAW,’ so the sun symbolizes the GOSPEL LIGHT. The former was but a shadow or reflection of the latter, and the relationship of the two to the Church (the woman) is beautifully symbolized in Rev. 12:1. The increase of the sunlight means an increased brilliancy of Gospel light and knowledge.

“This increase of light is to affect all classes, as indicated by its not being limited to a certain class as are the other plagues – to ‘sea,’ ‘land,’ ‘rivers,’ etc. It comes upon men – mankind in general and upon representative leaders of men in particular. It is the increase of light – knowledge – which is causing independence of thought and action among all classes of society. It causes differences between kings and subjects, between capital and labor, between clergy and laity; the increasing light is doing it all. It is Gospel light too; for no matter how Infidels may scoff at the Bible and affect to have superior liberty to that which it teaches, it nevertheless remains a fact, that the grandest liberty is that where Christ makes free; and the essence of Gospel light is in the Master’s words; ‘Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.’ It is truth that is spreading – truth on every subject: truth relative to the rights and authority of kings; truth relative to the rights of both capital and labor; truth relative to the claimed superiority and lordship of a self-elevated class termed the clergy.

“The conflict is between truth and superstition –light and darkness; it will be a severe struggle, but TRUTH is mighty and shall prevail; debasing the proud and exalting the humble. Those whose deeds are evil – all who are in the wrong – hate the light, is the Master’s testimony. It would curtail their power and lower their position to elevate all others to equality. These are scorched or troubled by the increase of light, and none more so than religious lords, for it is the increase of light which doubtless helps to turn the waters of their cherished channels into blood – corruption – making their doctrines and creeds, which emanated from fountains of the sixteenth century, distasteful and obnoxious.

“After preaching for years doctrines which called God just and loving, but proved him to be worse than the gods of the heathen – after having defended for years their sectarian isms, some of which teach that God has foreordained the salvation of a ‘little flock’ and their children, but has also foreordained eternal misery as the lot of the great mass of humanity and their offspring – thus teaching that ‘there are infants in hell not a span long,’ etc. – no wonder that such who worship and honor their sect and such teachings, more than they do God and His Word, would feel scorched and annoyed with the great light and heat of truth, as it is now beginning to shine out and reach them.

‘And they blasphemed the name of that God.’ Blasphemy, as the word is used in Scripture, does not signify profane swearing, but rather a misstatement of character. For instance Jesus was accused of ‘blasphemy’ because he said he was the Son of God. (John 10:33) These zealous sectarians become so

angry against present unfoldings of truth which prove the Love and Mercy of God as well as his Justice, that they go to the very extreme of opposition and grossly misstate God’s character and often wrest his Word from its true import to sustain their theories.

“This, which is a plague to others, is a wondrous boon to those who are out of Babylon and humbly enjoying the leading of God’s Spirit from the one fountain direct – the Word of God. This increase of Gospel light, and consequent increased light thrown upon the Law – shadows – showing the true teachings of the Tabernacle and its services and sacrifices, are pointedly foretold in symbol by the prophet (Isa. 30:26) who says: ‘The light of the Moon shall be as the light of the Sun, and the light of the Sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of seven days, in the day that the Lord bindeth up the breach of His people, and healeth the stroke of their wound.’ It is the same day (period) in which He assembles the outcasts, and makes up His Jewels.” (R499:4-6)

16:10, 11 – “And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain. And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains [and their sores – is omitted by the Sinaitic MS] and repented not [of their deeds – is omitted from the Sinaitic MS].”

“This pictures to us trouble coming upon Papacy (the Beast); not so much upon the masses of Romanists as upon those in authority – the throne power – their clergy. Papacy’s walls are higher, its claims are stronger, and its claims to divine authority and infallibility of longer standing than those of the protestant system – her daughters; therefore, she the longer escapes … the trouble consequent to her errors.

“But she shall not escape the trouble. It comes on the throne or ruling class, and their kingdom is filled with darkness – uncertainty – absence of former unity and harmony, and in their trouble the pain will be increased by tongue-biting. The tongues of Papacy are its decrees and utterances, past and future. To bite, then, implies contradiction and denial of former utterances. Whether this signifies a contradiction and reversal of previous utterances of the Papal hierarchy, or whether it means controversy and differences between the living rulers of the Church, we may not decide, but it will probably include both of these difficulties, and in their attempt to justify their contradictory teachings, God’s character will be further dishonored, misrepresented, or blasphemed.

“As an illustration of this symbol, ‘biting their tongues,’ we note Papacy’s present humiliating concessions and contradiction of her former teachings in her present recognition of the Protestant governments of Europe, which Papacy not only did not create, but actually cursed, and encouraged her faithful to use every means to destroy. This biting is occasioned by the pain and humbled condition in which Papacy finds herself. She has lost all temporal power, and to maintain long her spiritual influence, feels that she must not antagonize the governments which she can no longer claim the right to control.

“When we remember that it was this same Papal system which in its prosperity had ‘a mouth speaking great things’ (Dan. 7:8-25; Rev. 13:5), making boastful claims, it should not surprise us that God should ordain as part of its reward that it should eat its own words.” (R509:3, 6)

16:12 – “And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared.”

“Literal Babylon was built upon the river Euphrates. Its wealth, supplies and sustenance came largely from this source. It had immense walls and strong gates over the river. Within the city, in bondage, were Israelites, God’s covenant people, and to overthrow Babylon and deliver these God appointed Cyrus the Median General. (Isa. 45:1-5; Dan. 5:30, 31). He, coming to this strong city, did not attack it directly, but by digging another channel for the waters of the river, he dried up the old channel, through which he marched his army under the gates and captured the city.

“That this historic fact is used as the basis of a symbol in Revelation, none can question. Babylon and her fall are frequently mentioned, and here the drying up of the Euphrates adds to the correspondence. While ‘Babylon’ is used as a general name for the entire nominal Church, it is used and is specially applicable to that portion of it called ‘mother of Harlots.’

“This sixth plague, or form of evil, is upon Babylon, the mother, and while other systems have channels or rivers, her system is built upon the ‘GREAT RIVER.’ ‘And in her forehead was the name written BABYLON THE GREAT, the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth.’ (Rev. 17:5) Following the literal, and applying it to the symbol, we reason that the waters of this great river represent the people who, by their influence and money, support Papacy – from which Babylon the great draws her revenues. And to this agrees the explanation by the angel: ‘The waters which thou sawest where the harlot sitteth are peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues.’ (Rev. 17:15)

“The millions of Papacy’s subjects are of every tongue and clime, and this symbol shows that a disaffection is to spring up between the subjects of the church authorities which will turn aside her support and ‘dry up’ her revenues, and thus speedily lead to Babylon’s complete destruction. The ‘drying-up’ will probably require years for its accomplishment.

“The direct cause of the drying, will be the relationship existing between Papacy and the kingdoms of earth. Papacy, under the claim that it was Christ’s vicegerent – His representative – in the days of her prosperity claimed the right to appoint the kings of earth, and did so; and subjects had a right TO REBEL against any government or king not thus recognized by Papacy. Since she has lost her power over the kingdoms of earth, she does not press this old claim, but would rather conciliate all the kingdoms; both those which she appointed and those appointed and sanctioned by other daughter churches. In this she is arraying herself directly on the side of these kingdoms, and in opposition to the increasing desire and effort of the people for liberty.

“Therefore, when present tendencies have produced a closer affiliation of religion and State than has existed for some time, it will result in leading the masses to throw off the yoke of the Church as well as the State, since both will be leagued against their cherished ideas of liberty and equality. The support of the people – the waters of the Euphrates – being thus withdrawn, the Babylon Church organization will become weak and helpless, by reason of the drying up of the waters from its channel.

“A hint in this direction is furnished in the history of the past month. Though the rulership of Great Britain is not of Papacy’s appointment, and in fact was created in violation of her laws and claims, yet the Pope has issued a ‘bull’ or edict to its faithful in Ireland commanding both priests and people to desist from hostility toward the laws and government of England. Not to speak of the merits of the question, this action is certainly contrary to the previous claims and theories of this Church; and from their words it is evident that some of the Irish people are not slow to see this. At a public meeting held to consider the Pope’s edict, a famous orator among them (Charles O’Brien) said, ‘The Irish people will neither be ruled by Rome nor Westminster.’ (The Protestant Irish are mostly Presbyterian, ruled by the principles of the ‘Westminster Confession of Faith.’) And among the masses it was freely proposed to ‘Boycott the Pope,’ by refusing to pay ‘Peter’s pence’ (a regular collection among Romanists the world over, for the support of the Pope). Does not this look like a beginning of the turning away or drying up of one of the tributaries of that ‘great river’? As surely as God has given the symbol, so surely will it be fulfilled, and even now it hasteth greatly.

“The ‘drying up’ is ‘to prepare the way of the kings from the Sun-rising.’ These kings, we understand, to be the saints – those who, with Christ will be ‘kings and priests’ to reign over the earth. (Rev. 10:5) They come, not to the Sun-rising, but from the Sun-rising. They come bringing light with them. This is a beautiful symbol of how ‘the righteous shall shine forth as the Sun in the kingdom of their Father.’ They bring with them light, liberty and joy to the groaning creation, for ‘The Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing in his wings.’ The object of all these changes is to prepare mankind for the rule of righteousness – the kingdom really of God’s appointment which is to take the place of these which Anti-Christ has attempted to authorize.” (R509:6)

The Two Babylons

“Another marked feature of this correspondency as type and antitype, noted in the Scriptures, is that both the houses of Israel (fleshly and spiritual) were carried away captives into Babylon.… Fleshly Israel was taken captive into literal Babylon, which was built upon the literal river Euphrates, while in the Gospel age mystic or figurative Babylon, which carried away Spiritual Israel, is portrayed as sitting upon the mystic Euphrates. In the type, the golden vessels of the Temple were carried away and profaned by literal Babylon; in the antitype, the precious, divine (golden) truths, pertaining to the service of the true Temple, the Church (1 Cor. 3:16, 17; Rev. 3:12), were far removed from their proper places, perverted and misapplied by mystic Babylon. Literal Babylon being built upon the river Euphrates, which materially contributed to its wealth and resources, its overthrow was accomplished by the turning aside of those waters. So mystic Babylon sits upon, is supported by, many waters (peoples, nations), and its fall is predicted, through the turning aside of its supporters and sustainers, the people. (Rev. 16:12)”(B208)

The Euphrates (Rev. 9:14; 16:12; Jer. 50:38)

“In Revelation we read of the drying up of the Euphrates River, that the way of the Kings of the East may be prepared. (Rev. 16:12) This is symbolical, of course. It calls our attention back to the typical Babylon and her fall before Cyrus. Babylon was built upon the River Euphrates, which ran through the midst of the city. Her wall was impregnable, but Cyrus’ army turned aside the river into a new channel, leaving the old channel dry and enabling him to march his army under the Babylonian gates, which otherwise served as the city’s defense.

“We are to expect a parallel to this in connection with mystical Babylon – Christendom. In the symbolical language of Revelation, waters symbolize people; hence the turning aside of the ‘waters’ would represent the alienation of the people and the alienation of the people would be indicated by their withholding of financial support.… The result would be the drying up of the Euphrates and the ultimate collapse of mystic Babylon! The matter is under the control of the Mystical Cyrus, of whom it is written, ‘Thus saith the LORD to his anointed [typical], to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him.’ (Isa. 45:1-3; 44:27, 28)” (R4699:4)

The “Kings of the East”

The expression “the kings of the east” undoubtedly has reference to the glorified Church – those who are to “reign with him” (2 Tim. 2:12), a “thousand years.” (Rev. 20:6)

The “east” is for the earth the direction of the sunrise – the place where the “day” begins. For the world of mankind, the glorified Church will be identified with the sunrise of that grand – Millennial “day!” Commenting on this, Bro. Russell had this to say:

“… great as will be the accumulating glory of those perfect men (the Ancient Worthies) who will constitute the earthly phase of the kingdom, the glory of the heavenly (the Church) will be the glory that excelleth. While the former will shine as the stars forever, the latter will shine as the brightness of the firmament – as the sun. (Dan. 12:3)” (A292) and –

“The kings of the East, or kings from the sun-rising, are, we understand, the kings of Christ’s kingdom, who are also priests – the body of Christ, the royal priesthood. ‘Thou hast made us unto our God kings and priests, and we shall reign on the earth.’ From this standpoint of view, Cyrus and his army, overthrowing literal Babylon, was a figure or illustration of Messiah, King of kings and Lord of lords, who will with his faithful shortly overthrow mystic Babylon, and take possession of the world in the name of Jehovah, to establish the Kingdom for which he taught us to pray, ‘Our Father … thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is done in heaven’.” (R2498:4)

16:13, 14 – “And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth, and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.”

“The DRAGON … symbolizes civil government (especially that which once constituted civil Rome). The BEAST, still and always, means Papacy. The FALSE PROPHET is a new symbol, and takes the place of both the ‘two-horned beast’ and ‘the image of the beast,’ and we believe, is a still more comprehensive symbol representing all systems teaching error – those called ‘orthodox,’ as well as many considered heterodox. These three classes will all give forth one kind of teaching, called symbolically unclean spirits (impure, erroneous teaching) like frogs.

“This harmonious teaching in which these can all unite, we believe to be the dogmas of ‘the divine right of kings,’ the ‘authority of the clergy,’ and the claim that mankind is bound to submit to these and be controlled by them. Many of these – kings and clergy – and many of those who will recognize their claims, will doubtless be honest, but will be thus in opposition to God, because they know not that they are in the hour of his judgment and that the time for the displacement of these Anti-Christs and the governments of their appointing has come. It is a blessed fact that these beastly governments will eventually give place to the kingdom of God; that the times of the Gentiles will END by being FULfilled; and while this is now due to be understood and appreciated by the saints – those entirely consecrated to God’s word and will – yet ‘none of the wicked shall understand’; hence they will be found fighting against God and his arrangements.

“Frogs have a very wise look, large mouths, are much puffed up, and utter only croakings. These doctrines, called spirits in symbol, which are to be common to these three classes froglike – much puffed up – are proclaimed with great swelling words, with a show of superior wisdom – wise look – and with much croaking.

“In brief, this indicates that when these systems give forth these unclean spirits or doctrines of the divine right of kings and clergy and submission of the people as to God, it will be with boastfulness an attempt to overawe with dignity, superior wisdom, and ability, and with continual allusion to the disasters which must attend any change of present arrangements. This croaking, already beginning, as this darkness of trouble draws on, will increase with it. It will be heard from every mouthpiece, large and small, religious and political, officers and press. In fear they will be uttering warnings and threats, and few will be the independents to plead the cause of right, or to show that the time for the reign of righteousness has come, and hence the conflict.

“These are the ‘spirits of demons, working signs,’ i.e., doctrines of devils – the devil’s theory relative to present evil governments, indirectly of Satan’s appointment, through his agencies. These doctrines show signs in proof of their authority. They will give evidences and seemingly plausible reasons for the right of kings and clergy; chief among these will doubtless be God’s appointment of kings and priests over fleshly Israel – which, however, was typical of the church and not of worldly systems. (1 Pet. 2:9)

“These unclean spirits, erroneous doctrines, ‘go forth to the kings of the whole habitable earth, to gather them together for the war (conflict between right and wrong) of the great day of the omnipotent God.’ (Rev. 16:14) The kings of the whole world may properly be supposed, in symbol, to include not only kings, but princes, generals, also those termed financial kings and merchant princes, and the GREAT ONES among religious teachers. These classes influence and encourage each other with this impure doctrine of Satan – hence they gather or unite them all together on the one side of the conflict already drawing nigh. Were it not for this harmony and unity inspired by this teaching, each of these classes of kings and rulers would have felt the weakness and erroneousness of their claims, and truth might have prevailed more easily against them; but in their union they find strength and hope for success in retaining their hold upon the people.” (R510:4)

The “Three Unclean Spirits like Frogs”

“The Scriptures tell us that this result is to be brought about by the utterances of the combined power of Church and State. ‘Three unclean spirits like frogs came out of the mouth of the Dragon, and out of the mouth of the Beast, and out of the mouth of the False Prophet.’ In this passage, the spirit is a doctrine – an unclean doctrine – a false doctrine. Each of these systems will utter the same things, and these utter- ances will have the effect of gathering the kingdoms of earth together to the great Battle of Armageddon.

“The symbolism of Scripture, rightly understood, is very forceful, and there is always a close resemblance between the symbol itself and the thing symbolized. When the holy Spirit uses a frog to represent certain doctrines or teachings, we may be sure that the application will fit well. While a frog is a small creature, yet it puffs itself up until it almost bursts with the effort to be somebody. A frog has a very wise look, even though it does not know very much. Then a frog croaks whenever it utters a sound.

“The three most prominent characteristics of a frog, then, are pomposity, an air of superior wisdom and knowledge, and a continual croaking. Applying these characteristics to the picture given in the Divine Word, we learn that from the civil power, from the Catholic Church and from the Federation of Protestant Churches will go forth the same teachings. The spirit of all will be boastful; an air of superior knowledge and wisdom will be assumed; and will foretell dire results to follow any failure to obey their counsels. However conflicting the creeds, the differences will be ignored in the general proposition that nothing ancient must be disturbed, or investigated, or repudiated.

“The Divine authority of the Church, and the Divine right of kings, aside from the Church, will not be allowed to conflict; for both will be endorsed. Any persons or teachings in conflict with these boastful, unscriptural claims will be branded as everything vile, at the mouths of the frogs, croaking from pulpits and platforms, and through the religious and secular press. The nobler sentiments of some will be strangled by the philosophy of the same evil spirit which spoke through Caiaphas, the high priest, respecting our Lord Jesus. As Caiaphas declared it expedient to commit a crime in violation of justice, both human and Divine, to be rid of Jesus and His teachings, so this frog-like spirit will approve of any and every violation of principle necessary to self-protection.” (Dx, xi)

“The croaking of the frog spirits, or doctrines, will gather the kings and princes, financial, political, religious and industrial into one great army. The spirit of fear, inspired by the croaking, will scourge the passions of otherwise good and reasonable men to fury – desperation. In their blind following of these evil spirits, evil doctrines, they will be ready to sacrifice life and everything on what they mistakenly suppose is the altar of Justice, Truth and Righteous- ness under a Divine arrangement.” (Dxii)

16:15 – “Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.”

“The fifteenth verse is abruptly thrown in as a parenthesis. It reads literally thus: ‘Lo, I come AS A THIEF! Blessed the one WATCHING, and keeping the garments of himself; so that not naked HE may walk, and they see the shame of HIM.’ This is very significant. It declares that at the time when this evil doctrine will be apparently uniting all upon the side of law and order – upon the side of kings and clergy – our Lord will then be PRESENT, but secretly and unknown except to the watching ones. Only those who are truly his and watching in the light of his Word will not be deceived by this impure teaching, but will realize his presence and the necessity of the foretold fall of all these things, because the rightful king is present to remove these out of the way of his kingdom.

“The position of this declaration – thrown in disconnectedly – is significant. It teaches that our Lord will be present before the impure teaching begins to GATHER them to their destruction.” (R510:6)

As A Thief In the Night!

“‘The Day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night [unobservedly], in the which the heavens [present powers of the air, of which Satan is the chief or prince] shall pass away with a great [hissing] noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat; the earth [social organization] also, and the works that are therein [pride, rank, aristocracy, royalty], shall be burned up. The heavens being on fire shall be dissolved and the elements shall melt with fervent heat. Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens [the new spiritual power – Christ’s kingdom] and a new earth’ [earthly society organized on a new basis – on the basis of love and justice, rather than might and oppression]. (2 Pet. 3:6, 7, 10-13)” (A318)

16:16 – “And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.”

“Armageddon means mount of DESTRUCTION; and this describes what will be the result of this doctrine. It will unite all these systems in one cause as against the masses of the people and their liberties, and the result will be the total destruction of all those erroneous systems of Church and State. They shall fall.” (R510:6)

“Armageddon”

“… divine power will step forward and God will gather the marshalled hosts to Armageddon – to the Mount of Destruction. (Rev. 16:16) The very thing which they sought to avert by their union, federation, etc., will be the very thing that they will hasten. Other Scriptures tell us that God will be represented by Messiah, and that He will be on the side of the masses. ‘At that time shall Michael [the Godlike one – Messiah] stand up.’ (Dan. 12:1) He will assume authority. He will take possession of His kingdom in a manner little looked for by many of those who erroneously have been claiming to be His Kingdom, and authorized by Him to reign in His name and in His stead.” (OV275)

16:17 – “And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and their came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, [from the throne – missing in Sinaitic MS.] saying, It is done.”

“Seven is often used as the symbol of completeness; so this seventh plague completes the trouble corning, and will result in the complete unveiling of Satan’s deceptions and the binding or destruction of his power and influence. The result of this trouble brings conviction to some. This is shown by the great voice from the Temple saying, ‘It HAS been done!’ (Literal translation) When last we saw the Temple, or the nominal Church, it was filling with smoke and casting out the faithful messengers of truth, saying, ‘Go your ways; pour out the plagues; do all you can’ (Rev. 18:8; 16:1), boastfully relying on internal strength. But now, when the seventh has been poured out, we hear this nominal temple saying, ‘It has been done’; we are now convinced of the truth uttered by the faithful messengers whom, in our ignorance and pride, we cast out from us: Who told us that we were in darkness and great distress was coming upon us, and that our systems, which we so fondly cherished, were to crumble to dust. It has been done even as they declared; Babylon is utterly destroyed; as a great millstone cast into the sea, she shall rise no more.

“This temple class, which finally recognizes God’s dealings when these systems are entirely destroyed, is the same which we found elsewhere mentioned in Scripture, and which we have designated the second company, who though losing the prize promised to overcomers of the Beast, etc., (Rev. 20:4), are ‘saved so as by fire [these severe judgments] in the day of the Lord Jesus.’ This blessed result upon this second company gives us an intense interest in and longing for the destruction of the enslaving systems mentioned in succeeding verses as the result of this seventh trouble.” (R511:2)

The “Air”

“… ‘air’ … symbolizes spiritual control or power. Satan has long occupied the position of ‘prince of the power of the air’ (Eph. 2:2), and has used for his co-workers and joint-rulers in it many of the great ones of Babylon, who under his blinding errors, verily think they are doing God service. But in due time the present ‘prince of the air’ shall be bound, and shall deceive no more; and the present heavens, the great Antichrist system, will ‘pass away with a great noise,’ while the new prince of the air, the true spiritual ruler, Christ Jesus, will take the dominion and establish the ‘new heavens,’ uniting with himself in this power or ‘air’ his bride, the ‘overcomers’ of the Gospel age. Thus the ‘new heavens’ will supersede the present ‘air’ powers.” (C238)

16:18 – “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.”

“This describes the general effect on mankind; lightning signifies diffusion of knowledge. ‘His lightnings enlightened the world.’ (Psa. 97:4) Voices signify proclamations and general discus- sion of subjects by those being enlightened. Thunderings signify tumults accompanying the increased enlightenment.” (R511:2)

The “Earthquake”

“Free speech, free mails, and other liberties which have come to be the very breath of the masses in our day, will be ruthlessly shut off on the plea of necessity, the glory of God, the commands of the Church, etc. The safety-valve will be sat upon, and thus will cease to annoy earth’s kings with the sound of escaping steam; and all will seem to be serene – until the great social explosion described in the Revelation as an earthquake will take place. In symbolic language an earthquake signifies social revolution, and the Scriptural declaration is that none like it ever before occurred. (Rev. 16:18, 19) See our Lord’s reference to it in Matt. 24:21.” (Dxiii)

“According to the Divine Word the present great European war (W.W.1) is but the prelude to Armageddon, as Armageddon will be the prelude to Messiah’s Kingdom. According to the Bible the present war, without bringing special advantage to any nation, but bringing discontent to all, will prepare the world for the most wonderful revolution ever known, symbolically styled in the Bible ‘a great earthquake.’ (Rev. 16:18) Following this revolution will come the symbolical ‘fire’ of the Bible, not a literal fire that will literally burn the earth, but the fire of Anarchy, which will consume our present civilization; and except those days be shortened, no flesh would survive. (Matt. 24:22) But our Lord assured us that those days will be shortened – that the Elect will take the Kingdom and establish righteousness and peace on the firm foundation of Justice. Man’s extremity will become God’s opportunity, wisely provided before the foundation of the World.” (OV386)

“Now we who are living in this day see the beginning of these foretold events. We see the prelude to the great Battle of Armageddon. Our thought is that the Armageddon itself will be the mighty ‘Earthquake’ spoken of in Revelation. (Rev. 16:16-18) In this great revolution and in the succeeding anarchy all earthly institutions will be swept away. The result of the anger, hatred and strife if permitted to continue indefinitely, would be so terrible that it would bring about the destruction of the race; but for the elect’s sake, that they may begin their glorious reign, God will cut short the carnage, and will set up his own kingdom under Christ and his elect church. Christ and his bride will take over the kingdoms of this world, and thus will hinder the strife of men from going to the extreme that it would otherwise go. But it will not be stopped until the present order shall have been wholly dissolved.” (R5735:3)

16:19 – “And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.”

“An earthquake would symbolize a revolution, and here brings to our attention the greatest revolution which ever has or ever will take place on earth. This is the great revolution mentioned by the Prophet, in which every mountain and hill (the high ones) should be brought low, and the valleys (humble ones) be exalted, bringing all humanity to a common level as a preparation for the righteous reign of the Lord’s Anointed. Each of the previous plagues has tended toward this end, and this last results in the utter overthrow of the triple alliance or association between the Beast (Papacy), the False Prophet (other religious systems teaching error), and the Dragon (civil power), shown under the sixth plague.

“The Great City here evidently represents these three elements which attempted in union to rule over or control the world. This union and power will continue for awhile, but as here shown, they will again separate – be divided into three parts. Seeing that their alliance and mutual support has failed to control and keep subject the restless and turbulent masses, each will attempt to adopt an individual policy in their effort to adjust and settle society; but their efforts will be fruitless, and will only hasten the crisis of the hour; as a consequence, we read, ‘The city of the nations fell down.’

“But, though the kingdoms shall fall, the religious element of the union shall not escape. Under the name Babylon they all seem to be included (as elsewhere), saying, ‘Babylon the great was remem- bered before God, to have given her the cup of wine of the indignation of the wrath.’ (Rev. 16:19) This signifies that the fiercest of the trouble – the wine or extract of the wrath – will be upon the Babylon systems more than upon the political division.” (R511:3)

The Apostate “Woman’s” Cup

“Thus it came about that the poisonous draught was mixed which was poured into the ‘golden cup’ of truth, and held out to the world by the apostate ‘woman,’ the professed Church of God. And she ‘made all nations drunk with the wine of her fornication.’ (Jer. 51:6-13; Rev. 17:1-5, 15) As error spread, the spirit of ambition superseded the spirit of humility and loyalty to God, bringing the desire to avoid suffering and to be esteemed of men, the church, as conditions favored her advancement, organized itself as the Papal hierarchy. The Bishop of Rome was declared pope, and claimed to represent our Lord Jesus to the church and to the world. The pope sat upon a throne of glory and became an autocrat in power; commanding kings, and ruling as both a spiritual and temporal prince. The pagan doctrine of the immortality of the soul, combined with the idea, also imbibed from paganism, of the torture of the wicked after death, was made the basis of the doctrine of the eternal torture of heretics and of the Purgatorial sufferings after death of practically all Catholics to fit them for heaven.” (R5910:3)

16:20 – “And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.”

“(Islands seem to symbolize Republican governments – organizations of people above the ‘sea’ level.) This would be the natural result of the overthrow of monarchies or kingdoms, symbolically called mountains, as indicated in Psa. 97:5. ‘The hills (literal mountains) melted and flowed down like wax at the PRESENCE OF THE LORD, at the Presence of the Lord of the whole earth.’ This is a grandly expressive illustration of the passing away of earth’s dominion. In this day of the Lord – the day of His presence, the day of the establishment of his kingdom in the earth – some of the mountains (kingdoms) will melt, or gradually come down to the level of the people, by the fire and great heat, caused by increase of truth and knowledge, while others remaining firm will be overwhelmed – by the ‘sea’ – in revolutions. This last form is described in Psa. 46, which seems to give a complete picture of this seventh plague. It reads thus: ‘God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble; therefore, will we not fear though the earth [society] be removed and though the mountains [kingdoms] be carried into the midst of the sea [overthrown by the ungovernable masses]: Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled [in great commotion], though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof.’

“While kingdoms (mountains) shall give place to republics, (islands) so the islands in due time shall also flee away, as we find it here records. (Rev. 16:20) That is, the spirit of liberty will overleap all bounds and order, and end in anarchy. But notice that when the republics are swept away, it will be after kingdoms have all been overturned, as indicated by the expression – ‘No mountains were found.’

“It is in a similar manner that the Master speaks of the ‘sea and waves roaring’ as the beginning of trouble and cause of fear. And Peter refers to this time of trouble, which shall burn as an oven, as the time when the earth and all earthly elements shall be consumed and give place to a new earth (society) and new heavens (government), then there shall be no more sea (people not religiously restrained).” (R511:4)

16:21 – “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 hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great.”

“Hail is solidified water. If water or rain, causing fruitfulness and refreshing to earth, be a symbol of truth, refreshing and causing gracious fruits in humanity, then hail must signify truth delivered in such a way as to be dangerously destructive to things with which it comes in conflict. These will be heavy– a talent each – about the weight of a man – sufficient to break down everything before it. This recalls the symbolic use of this same word by Isaiah, ‘And the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies and the waters [truth] shall overflow the hiding place.’ (Isa. 28:17) Untruth – error – falsity, is the bane of the world, and the time of trouble would be incomplete, and the world still unprepared for the reign of righteousness, were it not for this hail. Recalling a similar plague which came literally upon Egypt, we find that it injured only those Egyptians who had not respect to the words of Jehovah. (Exod. 9:19-21); and we may safely reckon the same of this symbolic hail; it will smite down and subdue only those who are in opposition to it, and that for their good.

“We need not suppose that this hail comes last, for in giving an account something must be mentioned last if all occurred simultaneously. These various things described will occur, or be in process at once – voices, thunderings, hail and lightning among the people, causing the earthquake, fall of Babylon, and mountains, etc. This is more than hinted at, in the fact that these same events, mentioned under the seventh seal and seventh trumpet, are mentioned indiscriminately as one event.

“The hail, be it remembered, ‘comes down from heaven’; heaven, as already defined, symbolizes spiritual powers, but not any longer corrupt and vitiated spiritual powers, for these have passed away. Babylon has been cast as a millstone into the ‘sea’ to rise no more. This is the new ‘heavens’ which shall gradually take the place of the old, which is to ‘pass away with a great noise’ or tumult – voices, thunderings, etc. Yes, thank God, he that in verse 15 announces his presence as a thief will have not only broken down the kingdoms of the present, but will also have set up that kingdom for which our Lord taught us to pray: Thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth as in heaven. ‘Sing unto the Lord, O ye saints of his and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness; for his anger endureth but a moment; in his favor is life; weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.’ (Psa. 30:4, 5)

“‘Blessed be his glorious name forever; and let the whole earth be filled with his glory. Amen and Amen’.” (R511:5)