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last hal|f of the seventieth week of Daniel (Dan. 9:24-27; Rev. 11:2, 3), The elements of it are, (1) The cruel reign of the Beast (Rev. 13:1). (2) The active interposition of Satan (Rev. 12:12, 13). (3)' The unprecedented activity of demons (Rev. 9:2-11). (4) The terrible judgments poured out upon the earth (Rev. 16).— Scofield. The church itself passes through tribulation (Acts 14:22) but not through THF great tribulation.— Torrey. It will be a time of salvation for some as this chapter shows, a salvation brought abdut by much suffering and by the transcendent event of the church rap ture which will have previously taken place. At the close of the tribulation Christ will come in glory with His saints, delivering Israel, judging the Gentile nations, destroying the man of sin, binding Satan and introducing His millennial reign on earth.— Gray. They who claim this tribulation to be past can find a refutation of their theory in the words of Jesus in Matt. 24:20-31 — Ford. The time of Jacob’s trouble will overlap the borders of Palestine and affect the entire Gentile world (Is. 26:21; Jer. 25:15-33). It is God’s governmental controversy with Christ- less civilization and nations. (Is. 24: 1, 2; 34:1-10; Dan. 12:1).—Wertheim er. Have washed their robes. These robes are not that robe of Christ’s right eousness in which the penitent sinner finds acceptance with God. That needs, no washing to make it white. The robe: here convey another thought altogether. In the 19th chapter the bride of Christ is seen “ arrayed in fine linen, clean and white” and we are told, “ the fine linen is the righteousness of the saints” . The tribulation saints are judged ac cording to their deeds as are all others that come at all into judgment. The ’ church does not come into judgment but is, already passed from death unto life.— Ottman. They owe the purity of the robes which they wear to the blood of the Lamb in human accomplishment. — Jowett. Blood of the Lamb. They were not saved by the shedding of their own blood.— Sel. The title “ Lamb” is a Johnannean name for Jesus and is one of the many indications that this book was written by the author ■of the fourth Gospel. (Jn. 1:29.)— Torrey. v. 15. Therefore are they before throne. Not everything will be lost even in the tribulation. The crowns will be gone but salvation may be at-
salvation to our God”— all the praise of our salvation be ascribed to our God.— Jamieson. v. 12. Saying, Amen, etc. Note the four doxologies of Revelation, also the progress in them. Rev. 1:6, a twofold blessing; 4:9-11, a threefold blessing; 5:13, 14, a fourfold blessing; 7:12, a sevenfold blessing.—Brooks. When the Lord came into the world a multitude of the heavenly host was heard “ praising Gpd and saying, Glory to God” (Luk< 2:13), but now those that can sing the redemption song have a theme for praise infinitely more thrilling, more reverential and more joyful. The words of their song, triumphant as they are, are widely different from the words used to express the church’s ecstasy. (15:2-4; cf. 1:5, 6, 10.)— Lincoln. v. 13. What are these? They are ransomed human beings. They were once sinners and sufferers on earth and members of its tribes and peoples. Whether they be rated with the church proper or not, they are by nature of the stock of Adam and by grace of the family of the redeemed. They are peo ple who are living on the earth in the period of the judgment. There are other saved ones of various classes who sub sequently come out of the after parts of this great tribulation— the hundred and forty-four thousands of Israel for instance, but they are not of this bright company.— Seiss. These saved ones are neither enthroned as is the church in chapter 4, nor have they crowns. Palms instead are in their hands. These are to “ serve God in His temple”— but those who are victors now, are to be the pil lars of it (3 :12 ). As to the throne- Sitter, He dwells over these earthly saints and they “ stand” before Him, but the church is to sit down with Him (3:21; Bph. 2:6) and will already have been brought by matchless grace to this extreme exaltation ere aught re corded in this chapter.— Lincoln. v. 14. Sir, thou knowest. Literally “ My lord” , the heavenly interlocutor apparently assuming that the seer ought to understand the vision without explanation.— Camb. Bible. Came out of the great tribulation. The period of unexampled trouble more fully de scribed in chapters 11 to 18. It is “ the time of Jacob’s trouble” (Jer. 30:7) and its vortex-is Jerusalem and the Holy Land although it involves in a measure the whole earth (Rev. 3:10). Its dura tion is three and a half years or the
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