3. OF THE SIXTH TRUMPET Revelation 9:13-21 13 And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the horns of the golden altar which is before God,--In the temple the golden altar was the altar of incense before the of the golden altar which is before God. 14 one saying to the sixth angel that had the trumpet, Loose the four angels that are bound at the great veil. (Exodus 40:26.) See notes on 8:2, 3. John sees this in heaven where God was seated upon his throne. (4:1, 2.) 14 one saying to the sixth angel that had the trumpet, Loose the four angels that are bound at the great river Euphrates.--Since there is no vision intervening between the fifth and sixth trumpets, it is safe to presume that the fulfillment of the sixth vision was probably in the east also, and it will he found after the events pictured in the fifth trumpet vision. It is unnecessary even to mention the conflicting views of expositors on this verse. As the word "angels" means messengers--agents through whom something is accomplished--and these four had been held in check for a time, it is evident that the command here means to release them for the accomplishment of what was designed. It seems wholly incredible that such a vision should not represent some great historical movement. If applying the fifth trumpet vision to Mahometanism then this doubtless refers to the Turkish power. A comparison of the vision with facts of history will make this apparent. Four "angels" here are called four "winds" in 7:1. See Hell 1:7. Since the power referred to was to operate on earth, it is most natural to understand "Euphrates" as applied literally and meaning the well-known river of the name east of Palestine. We have already learned that words may be used literally in passages of general symbolic character; an example already noted is Psalms 80:8, "Thou broughtest a vine out of Egypt." Vine is figurative; Egypt is literal. Gibbon says that one of the greatest Turkish princes reigned in the eastern provinces of Persia one thousand years after the birth of Christ. For about a half century these people operated east of the Euphrates, accepting the Mahometan religion, and were finally authorized by the Caliph to cross the river to wage a war in defense of that religion. This explains "bound" and "loosed" in verses 14 and 15. Commentators have had much difficulty in explaining who and what the "four angels" signify. The language implies that all four were turned loose at the same time. This does not harmonize with the view of some that the four divisions of the Turkish Empire were meant, for the reason that this division did not occur till A.D. 1092, which was some thirty years after the Turks had crossed the Euphrates on the mission designated. Probably the simplest solution is this: As the four quarters of the earth mean the whole, completeness or fullness, so the four angels would indicate the full power, which God would allow to be turned loose against the Eastern Roman Empire. This at least is in harmony with historical facts, which is much in its favor. 15 And the four angels were loosed, that had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, that they should kill the third part of men.--The time of restraint before crossing the river was the time of preparation for the work. This preparation was complete when the Mahometan Caliph invested the Turkish leader as "temporal lieutenant of the vicar of the prophet." (Decline and Fall, Vol. V, pp. 510-512.) This occurred in A.D. 1055. Again expositors are hopelessly at variance on the meaning of the time expressed. The popular view is the day-year theory, by which the sum total of all the times mentioned is supposed to be the exact time from the crossing of the river to the fall of Constantinople in A.D. 1453. But the methods of calculation differ, though any of them may be made to give practically the time needed for the theory. Some use a thirty-day month and a 360-day year; others a solar year of 365 1/4 days. Some begin with the time the Turkish leader was invested with authority at Bagdad; others when he crossed the Euphrates. Doubtless such hairsplitting calculations are unnecessary. If the true explanation is that the sum total of all the times stated is the period meant, it is sufficient to know that with either of the calculations the result is substantially the time till the taking of Constantinople. But another and perhaps simpler view is this: The destructive power which was to be permitted to overthrow the Eastern Empire of Rome was ready to begin at the exact time--hour, day, month, and year--that God's providence had determined. This view requires no exact time limit, and obviates the necessity of all calculations. And it does not interfere in any measure with the time factor as presented in the historical facts. The command to kill indicates that the vision represents a peculiarly destructive war. The "third part of men" here refers to the Eastern Empire and only one-third of that part of the Roman Empire. Not exactly one-third, but a large element. The one-third indicates that the destructive work was limited--could not kill all. 16 And the number of the armies of the horsemen was twice ten thousand times ten thousand: I heard the number of them.---Literally two myriads of myriads, or 200 millions. Such an immense number--definite for indefinite--was doubtless intended to indicate an enormous army. Gibbon speaks of the "myriads of Turkish horse" and the blood of 130,000 Christians as "a grateful sacrifice to the Arabian prophet." (Vol. V, p. 512.) This shows that the Turkish army had a countless number of horsemen, and accords with the view taken of this vision. If this number indicates the result of one campaign, the total results over the period must have been appalling. 17 And thus I saw the .horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having breastplates as of fire and of hyacinth and of brimstone:--This is a description of how the horses and soldiers on them appeared to John as he beheld the vision. The breastplates appeared as if they were of fire, hyacinth, and brimstone; that is, red, blue, and yellow. and the heads of the horses are as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths proceedeth fire and smoke and brimstone. --The horses with heads that looked like lions' heads, doubtless, was meant to indicate the fierceness and suddenness with which the Turkish army would strike its blows. Probably the roaring of the lion would also represent the loud noise as the firearms were discharged in their battles. The firing of guns from horseback would appear to those at a distance as coming from the horses' mouths. Here several expositors think we have a most remarkable proof that this vision refers to the Turkish power, though others think that the purpose was only to indicate that the wars in view were to be surpassingly fiendish. The latter is possible, but the facts are so significant that the former seems more probable. It is supposed that the invention or discovery of gunpowder was in the first half of the fourteenth century. That the Turks used artillery in their siege and capture of Constantinople, A.D. 1453, is the plain statement of Gibbon. He mentions three large cannons and says that "fourteen batteries thundered at once on the most accessible places," and that one of them possibly "discharged one hundred and thirty bullets." (Vol. VI, pp. 388, 389.) Again the same author says "From the galleys, and the bridge, the Ottoman artillery thundered on all sides; and the camp and city, the Greeks and the Turks, were involved in a cloud of smoke which could only be dispelled by the final deliverance or destruction of the Roman Empire." (Ibid., p. 400.) The use of such cannon implies the use of smaller arms that were discharged with gunpowder. 18 By these three plagues was the third part of men killed, by the fire and the smoke and the brimstone, which proceeded out of their mouths.--"These three plagues" may mean that by the exploding of gunpowder--fire, smoke, and brimstone--the effect was produced. Of course, in such a battle many would be killed, but probably the thought has more direct reference to the destruction of the eastern Roman Empire, as being a one-third of the whole of the Roman Empire. Constantinople, founded by Constantine more than eleven hundred years before, as the capital of Rome, had withstood every assault up to this time. The siege with cannon delivered it into the hands of the Turks. 19 For the power of the horses is in their mouth, and in their tails: for their tails are like unto serpents, and have heads; and with them they hurt.--If the fire, smoke, and brimstone that, in the vision, seemed to pour out of the horses' mouths represent the use of firearms in taking a city, then it is easy to see how the power appeared in their mouths. The smoke from exploded gunpowder bursting from their guns would appear as if coming from the horses heads. How the power was also represented by their tails is not so evident. John did hot see in this vision the ordinary cavalry soldiers with swords, spears, or bows, but horses with mouths from which there appeared to go fire, smoke, and brimstone, and with tails like serpents. The text says the power of this army was in the horses' mouths and tails. Elliott (followed by B. W. Johnson) attempts further to identify this symbol with the Turkish power by the fact that horsetails were emblems of authority carried by the Pachas--Turkish rulers. This view seems to overlook the fact that the text says power was in the tails "to hurt," not just an emblem of power. If there is any specific application for the expression, most expositors have failed to suggest it. Perhaps the serpentlike tails only signify the biting torture that would be felt by those who would have to suffer from the new kind of warfare indicated. 20 And the rest of mankind, who were not killed with these plagues, repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship demons, and the idols of gold, and of silver, and of brass, and of stone, and of wood; which can neither see, nor hear, nor walk:--The remaining two-thirds that were not killed in the Greek one-third of the Roman Empire did not repent. The language shows that, though they claimed to be Christians, they had so apostatized from the true teachings of Christ that they were both idolaters and morally corrupt. Of course this was also true, in fact, of the other parts of the Roman Empire. They were so wedded to their corrupt religious practices that they failed to realize that the awful Turkish scourge that had fallen upon them was probably God's providential punishment for their own sins. They learned no salutary lesson from their terrible calamities and sufferings. They worshiped departed spirits, a thing which is contrary to apostolic teaching. (1 Corinthians 10:20.) They also worshiped the idols made with their own hands from different kinds of materials, images that can neither see, hear, nor walk. Another plain sin. (Acts 19:26.) 21 and they repented not of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.--It is unnecessary here to offer detailed proof that the professed Christians were then guilty of these crimes to an alarming extent. The fact that the charge is here made is sufficient proof unless we want to deny the record. Of course, it does not mean that every one was guilty, but that these sins were scandalously prevalent. It is not a matter of wonder that such crimes would cause a just God to permit such a disaster to befall them. In these expressions we have still another example that words may be used in their literal sense, even when in a passage that is highly symbolic. LESSON 14. THE Read Rev. 8: 1 to Rev. 9: 21 1. What followed the opening of the seventh seal? Ans. Revelation 8:1. 2. How many angels stood before God and what was given to them? Ans. Revelation 8:2. 3. Where did another angel stand and what did he do? Ans. Revelation 8:3. 4. What ascended before God from the angel's hand? Ans. Revelation 8:4. 5. What do the bowls of incense represent? Ans. Revelation 5:8. 6. What followed when the angel cast fire on the earth? Ans. Revelation 8:5. 7. Then what did the seven angels prepare to do? Ans. Revelation 8:6. 8. Tell how the earth was affected by the sounding of the first angel. Ans. Revelation 8:7. 9. What happened to the sea, to the creatures in the sea, and to the ships when the second angel sounded? Ans. Revelation 8:8-9. 10. What was affected by the sounding of the third angel? Ans. Revelation 8:10. 11. What was the name of this star? Ans. Revelation 8:11. 12. What was smitten when the fourth angel sounded? Ans. Revelation 8:12. 13. The sounding of the other three trumpets was prefaced by what announcement? Ans. Revelation 8:13. 14. What fell from heaven when the fifth angel sounded? Ans. Revelation 9:1. 15. What did this fallen star do? Ans. Revelation 9:2. 16. What came out of the smoke from the abyss? Ans. Revelation 9:3. 17. What were the locusts forbidden to harm? Ans. Revelation 9:4. 18. How were they to punish those who "have not the seal of God on their forehead?" Ans. Revelation 9:5-6. 19. Describe the locusts. Ans. Revelation 9:7-10. 20. Who was the king of these locusts? Ans. Revelation 9:11. 21. How many woes were then past and how many were to follow? Ans. Revelation 9:12. 22. Tell of the death and destruction that followed the sounding of the sixth angel. Ans. Revelation 9:13-19. 23. What of those who were not killed with these plagues? Ans. Revelation 9:20-21.