Thus the seals, trumpets, and vials, are succes sive phases in the development of the great drama. Though in some respects parallel, they increase in power as they near the final catastrophe. We need scarcely say, that the Messianic hopes of the seer were not fulfilled as his fancy and faith projected them. Yet we cannot affirm that he uttered them as mere poetry, without all belief in their objective fulfilment. The Jews in Jerusalem were not sepa rated and purified, as John anticipated. All were destroyed, including the holy sanctuary and the city itself. Antichrist did not return from tile east in the person of Nero to devour and lay waste. Paganism indeed fell, and Christianity triumphed ; but not so soon as represented ; nor in that way. The first and second resurrections, with their as sociated events, did not happen. Nor did Christ come personally, destroying all opposing powers and persons in order to set tip his everlasting king dom. Yet there is spiritual truth in some of these descriptions. Christ came again by his spirit, and is ever present with his people. His religion con quered heathenism. Imperial Rome fell. But the reign of blessedness has yet to begin. Tha non-fulfilment of the seer's Messianic hopes arose in part from the fact that they were essentially Jewish-christian: Had they been of the purely evangelical type they would have presented a dif ferent aspect. 'Without objective sensuousness or close imitation of Daniel's visions, to which they are the sequel, they would have grasped the living power of the gospel as Christ preached it when he was on earth, accompanied with the Spirit's opera tion on the hearts and lives of men ; and above all, the love of God would have animated his pen—that great motive-power which is to regenerate mankind. But this implies an ulterior development of Christian truth totally divested of the husk of Judaism.
The book may be divided into three parts—viz., the introduction, consisting of chapters i.–iii ; the body, made up of a series of visions, iv.–xxii. 5 ; and the epilogue, xxii. 6-21.
I. (i.-hi.) This portion contains the inscription (i. 1-3) and the dedication (i. 4-S), with the direct address and letters to the seven churches of Asia (i. 9–iii.) 2. The body of the work is naturally divided into two parts, iv.–ix. and x.–xxii. 5.
3. The epilogue may be subdivided into four pieces—viz., the conclusion of the visions, xxii. 6-9 ; the close of the prophecy, xxii. to 17 ; the seer's final remarks, xxii. 1S-2o ; and the epi stolary termination, xxii. 21.
As the early Christians believed that Christ would come speedily, and associated with that great event the destruction of his enemies, the pro phet paints the overthrow of heathenism, which he identifies with the Roman empire. And that em pire again is symbolised by its head, Nero, who had recently fallen by his own hand. The story that Nero was not really dead, but had retired to the Euphrates, whence he returned with the Par thians, is here drawn by a Christian imagination He is antichrist. The interpretation is at least as
old as Commodian (A. D. 27o). The Roman power is personified and embodied in Nero, who should reappear in the character of antichrist.
The great persecutor of the Christians at that par ticular crisis was readily identified with antichrist, because he elevated himself against Christ ; and had struck terror into the pious by his cruelties. Ac cording to this view, the Apocalypse exhibits the triumph of Christianity over paganism ; which is equivalent to its universal victory. There is a gradual preparation for the catastrophe which ushers in the triumph. Dramatic scenes precede the consummation so that the reader is led on step by step to the final issue.
Chapters iv.–vi. refer to the book having seven seals, which none but the Lamb could open. These seals denote the incipient act of the judg ment. After the seventh seal, the sounding of seven trumpets takes place, heralding the approach of the judgment (vii.–ix.) The tenth chapter is a formal introduction to the following division or the second part, xi.–xxii. The sounding of the seventh angel-trumpet is naturally expected, with which the judgment actu ally begins ; yet there is another delay instead. The end can only take place on earth. Hence the scene shifts from heaven to earth. A mighty angel descends from heaven terrifying all with the thunder of his voice (x. r, etc.) The eleventh chapter forms an episode. Before the seventh trumpet, Jerusalem is warned, and exhorted to repent in time. Moses and Elias, significant of the law and the prophets, testify in blood as the witnesses of the Lamb.
The next vision describes the enemy of the church, or the beginning of the executing of the judgment (xii. xiii.), which is succeeded by the vision of the seven vials, that is, the wrathful judgment itself (xiv.–xvi.), issuing in the fall of Babylon the metropolis, or the final catastrophe on heathenism (xvii.–xix.) The last vision relates of the new Jerusalem, or the consummation of the judgment (xx.–xxii.) It is worthy of remark that the first four seals are separated from the last three. Time is gained by the episode of the vision of the souls of Chris tian martyrs whose cry for vengeance on their heathen persecutors is not answered immediately. After the sixth seal is opened, it would appear that they have not long to wait ; since the heathen rulers and magistrates flee from impending retribution. Even now, however, the dominion is not given to the saints. The scene shifts, and a new vision is interposed. The people of God are sealed. At the opening of the seventh seal the end is still de ferred. There is a short period of breathless ex pectation. The import of the last seal is unfolded by means of the seven trumpets and seven vials, each bringing the final catastrophe nearer and nearer. This repeated postponement of the end serves to keep expectation alive, and shows the deep feeling of the prophet.