(9) The Living Creatures. A beast rises out of the sea with seven heads and ten horns. To it the dragon gives power. The heathen power of Rome, aided by Satan, makes war upon the saints and overcomes them. Presently another beast ap pears to assist the former, with two horns, as a lamb, but speaking as a dragon. This latter sym bolizes the heathen priests assisting the civil power in its attempts to crush the Savior's ad herents.
(10) Vision of the Lamb. Then comes the vision of the Lamb and the 144,000 elect on Mount Sion. Doubtless this vision is introduced at the present place to sustain and elevate the hopes of the struggling Christians during the dominance of this power. Such as had passed triumphant through the fiery trials sing a new song of victory, in the undisturbed possession of everlasting happi ness.
(11) Angelic Proclamations. Three angels are now introduced with proclamations of the speedy downfall of heathenism, and of divine judgments on the persecuting power. The first announces that the everlasting Gospel should be preached: the second, that the great city Rome is fallen. The third speaks of terrible judgments that should befall those who apostatized to heathenism; while, on the other hand, a voice from heaven proclaims the blessedness of such as die in the Lord. But the final catastrophe is yet delayed; it is not fully come. The Savior again appears sitting on a white cloud, with a sharp sickle in his hand. Three angels also appear with sickles, and the harvest is reaped. The catas trophe rapidly approaches.
(12) Seven Vials. Seven angels are seen with seven vials, which are successively poured out on the seat of the beast. The first six are repre sented as tormenting and weakening the Roman power in different ways, until it should be over thrown. At last the seventh angel discharges his vial of wrath, and heaven resounds with the cry. IT IS DONE, while voices, thunders, lightnings, and a mighty earthquake, conspire to heighten the terror and complete the catastrophe. Rome is divided into three parts the cities of the heathen fall ; the islands flee away, and the mountains sink. Men, tormented, blaspheme God.
(13) Destruction of the Roman Power. After this the destruction of the Romish power is described more particularly. The writer enters into detail. An angel takes the seer to show him more closely the desolation of the church's enemy.
The Roman power then reigning is indicated some what mysteriously, though in such a way as would he intelligible to the Christians whom John ad dressed.
This power is embodied and personified in Nero, who, though not named, is yet not obscurely des ignated. He is the beast 'that was, and is not, and yet is.' The story that Nero was not really dead, but had retired to the Euphrates, and would re turn again from thence, appears here more fully delineated by a Christian imagination. He is the monster to whom Satan gave all his power, who returns as Antichrist and the destroyer of Rome, who will force all to worship his image. The Ro man empire at that time is set forth as the repre sentative of heathenism, and of ungodly power per sonified ; and in this connection, under the image of the beast with seven heads (the seven emperors which would succeed one another till the appear ance of Antichrist), Nero is signified as one of these heads (xiii :3), which appeared dead, but whose deadly wound was healed, so that to universal as tonishment he appeared alive again. Nero, re appearing after it had been believed that he was dead, is the beast 'which was, and is not, and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit—and yet is' (Rev. xvii:8). (Neander, History of the Planting and Training of the Christian Church, translated by Ryland, vol. ii. p. 58, note.) After this, Babylon or the Roman power, is represented as fallen, and the few remaining believers are exhorted to depart out of her. A mighty angel casts a great stone into the sea, an emblem of the ruin of that power. At the catastrophe heaven resounds with praises. The marriage supper of the Lamb is an nounced, and the church is permitted to array her self in fine linen. But the destruction is not yet completed. Another act in the great drama re mains. A battle is to be fought with the combined powers of the empire. Heaven opens. The con queror on the white horse appears again, and an angel calls upon the fowls to come and eat the flesh of the Lord's enemies, for the victory is cer tain. Accordingly, the beast and the false prophet are taken and cast alive into the lake of fire and brimstone. The congregated hosts are slain by the word of the Redeemer. Such is the second great catastrophe, the fall of the persecuting heathen power—the triumph of Christianity over pagan ism.