(2) Final Triumph of the Word. Again the heavens are opened "and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, . . . and on his head were many crowns; .. . and his name is called The Word of God. . . . And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords." Here the Lord appears as the "Word of God" and may be considered as representing the final triumph of the "Word" over the three unclean spirits in the sixth vial who have hitherto been going forth "unto the kings of the earth, and to the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty," but they are now driven from the field, and their final over throw, together with that of the beast and the false prophet, is described in unmistakable terms at the close of the chapter.
(3) Binding of the Dragon. In the beginning of chapter xx the angel "laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent which is the Devil and Satan, and hound him for a thousand years." Thus that Satan which has been the instigator of all opposi tion to God in all ages of the world is shut out from his deceitful work in influencing mankind. The "bottomless pit" or abyss may be a part of the earth, for in a previous passage pertaining to the fifth trumpet, the locusts which typify the Saracen invaders are said to come from the pit or abyss, thus representing the outlying parts of the world— those which are beyond the limits of Christen dom.
(4) Revival of the Pure Faith. The descrip tion of the millennimn plainly indicates a revival of the pure faith and practice of primitive Chris tianity. lt is to be remetnbered that the Protes tant Reformation did not effect this. During the millennial period these will be brought back to their best estate and become dominant, and this state of things will continue during the thousand years. Seated upon the thrones of judgment there
are two bodies of judges, the one being "the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus and for the Word of God." and the others are those who "had not worshiped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark in their foreheads, or in their hands, and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years." (5) A New Heaven and New Earth. At present vve are unable to fully comprehend the conditions and details which are connected with any judgment scene, but there must surely be "a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away." The book closes with a description of the New Jerusalem, and its last thought is the promise of the coming of the Christ and John's loving re sponse, "Even so, come Lord Jesus." This is the thought which is presented throughout the New Testament as the sustaining hope of the church, and here it is placed side hy side with her final blessedness as the fulfillment of her hopes and prayer and faith. During all her pilgritnage it has been one of the incentives to her loyalty and courage in time of trial, and in the final picture she is reaping the reward of her faith and her patience.
Surely we may well join in the fervent invita tion, "Even so, come Lord Jesus." (See Enquiry into the Prospects of the Chris tian Church; Anderson, Apolog. for Millen. Doct., Glasg. 183o; Irving, Lect. on the Revelat., 1831; Greswell, Exposition of the Parables, 1834-35; Pigou, Thc Millenniunt, 1837; Millenniarism Un scriptural, 1838; Jefferson, The Millennium, 184o; Bush, The Millennium, Salem (N. S.), 1842; Hopkins, Second Adventism in the Light of Jew ish Hist., 1873, N. Y.; Carson, Thc Personal Reign of Christ, 1873; see also Poole's Index for magazine articles.)