Revelation Chapter 18
— THE SAINTS —
At this point the “voice from heaven” (Verse 4) — the seventh messenger — turns to the saints to rejoice with them over what is happening. The parallel of Revelation Chapter 18 to Volume 4 (viz., Volume 4 of the “Studies in the Scriptures” series entitled, “The Battle of Armageddon”), is most remarkable. Even in that volume, after having described the economic woes to come on Babylon, Brother Russell turns at the end (Page 620 and following) to tell the saints of their part in all of this. The saints, among other things, are to rejoice, not to express woe. Now, Rev 18:20 does likewise:
VERSE 20 “Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you holy apostles and prophets, for God has avenged you on her!”
REJOICE OVER HER: This rejoicing is the PRE-DESTRUCTION rejoicing — the rejoicing which has been done by the saints during this century WHILE the rest of society has been saying WOE! What a contrast!
O HEAVEN: — singular: The True heaven, the incoming “third heaven.”
AND: — could well be translated “even”
YOU SAINTS: The Church
AND APOSTLES: The foundations of the New Jerusalem (Rev 21:14)
AND PROPHETS: This is probably New Testament prophets — the [Seven] “angels” to the Churches.
FOR GOD: — Whose wrath is being fulfilled in the plagues (Rev 15:1)
HAS (Literally) JUDGED YOUR JUDGMENT OF HER (or) PRONOUNCED JUDGMENT FOR YOU AGAINST HER: In either translation, the thought is clear that God is giving a judgmental answer to Babylon for the Gospel Age experiences of the Church in fulfillment of Rev 6:10, 11 — a text which chronologically points to A.D. 1878 (the central date of Chapter 18.)
“…and they cried out with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, will You refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” And there was given to each of them a white robe; and they were told that they should rest for a little while longer (360 years), until the number of their fellow servants and their brethren who were to be killed even as they had been, would be completed also.”
(For a closer look at this, please see our blog post entitled, “Stumbling in the Way”, Parts 28 -31 with respects to Chapter 6, Verses 9-11, and the Fifth Seal)
Brother Shallieu’s view on Verse 20
“Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and you holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her.”
The implication clearly comes through that the complete Church of Christ—that is, the Little Flock—will all be alive beyond the veil at the time final judgment is visited upon the false Church system. Peculiarly worthy of observation is the fact that the apostles (particularly Peter and Paul), who have for ages been idolatrously honored at Rome and falsely accredited as being the founding fathers of Catholicism, participate in this rejoicing. It is as if they are now “avenged…on her” for Papacy’s blasphemous misrepresentation of the glory and honor due the Father and the son, and for the dishonor cast on the apostles’ own characters. For this reason, judgments on Papal (not Pagan) Rome must be exclusively intended.
All down the age both the Roman and the Anglican churches have claimed apostolic succession. Instead of just the twelve apostles, more were designated. Holy Writ says, “Thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars” (Rev. 2:2). These church systems have taken unmerited credit.
Those who maintain their association with Papacy must share its tribulation and woe. Therefore, God warns His people to forsake Babylon “that you be not partakers of her sins, and . . . plagues” (Rev. 18:4).
The literal translation of Verse 20 according to the Sinaitic should be:
“Rejoice thou over her, you heavens [the angels who desired to look into these things as a spectator host—1 Cor. 4:9; 1 Pet. 1:12], and the holy ones [the saints, the Little Flock—Rev. 6:9,10], and the apostles, and the prophets [primarily those of the ‘seven stars’ who are not apostles—Arius, Waldo, Wycliffe, etc.]: for God hath avenged you on her.”
The Holy Spirit does not indicate the slightest disapproval of this soon-to-occur rejoicing in the judgments to be inflicted upon Babylon in the near future.
We will take a look at Part III beginning with Verse 21 in our next post.
— THE SAINTS —
At this point the “voice from heaven” (Verse 4) — the seventh messenger — turns to the saints to rejoice with them over what is happening. The parallel of Revelation Chapter 18 to Volume 4 (viz., Volume 4 of the “Studies in the Scriptures” series entitled, “The Battle of Armageddon”), is most remarkable. Even in that volume, after having described the economic woes to come on Babylon, Brother Russell turns at the end (Page 620 and following) to tell the saints of their part in all of this. The saints, among other things, are to rejoice, not to express woe. Now, Rev 18:20 does likewise:
VERSE 20 “Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you holy apostles and prophets, for God has avenged you on her!”
REJOICE OVER HER: This rejoicing is the PRE-DESTRUCTION rejoicing — the rejoicing which has been done by the saints during this century WHILE the rest of society has been saying WOE! What a contrast!
O HEAVEN: — singular: The True heaven, the incoming “third heaven.”
AND: — could well be translated “even”
YOU SAINTS: The Church
AND APOSTLES: The foundations of the New Jerusalem (Rev 21:14)
AND PROPHETS: This is probably New Testament prophets — the [Seven] “angels” to the Churches.
FOR GOD: — Whose wrath is being fulfilled in the plagues (Rev 15:1)
HAS (Literally) JUDGED YOUR JUDGMENT OF HER (or) PRONOUNCED JUDGMENT FOR YOU AGAINST HER: In either translation, the thought is clear that God is giving a judgmental answer to Babylon for the Gospel Age experiences of the Church in fulfillment of Rev 6:10, 11 — a text which chronologically points to A.D. 1878 (the central date of Chapter 18.)
“…and they cried out with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, will You refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” And there was given to each of them a white robe; and they were told that they should rest for a little while longer (360 years), until the number of their fellow servants and their brethren who were to be killed even as they had been, would be completed also.”
(For a closer look at this, please see our blog post entitled, “Stumbling in the Way”, Parts 28 -31 with respects to Chapter 6, Verses 9-11, and the Fifth Seal)
Brother Shallieu’s view on Verse 20
“Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and you holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her.”
The implication clearly comes through that the complete Church of Christ—that is, the Little Flock—will all be alive beyond the veil at the time final judgment is visited upon the false Church system. Peculiarly worthy of observation is the fact that the apostles (particularly Peter and Paul), who have for ages been idolatrously honored at Rome and falsely accredited as being the founding fathers of Catholicism, participate in this rejoicing. It is as if they are now “avenged…on her” for Papacy’s blasphemous misrepresentation of the glory and honor due the Father and the son, and for the dishonor cast on the apostles’ own characters. For this reason, judgments on Papal (not Pagan) Rome must be exclusively intended.
All down the age both the Roman and the Anglican churches have claimed apostolic succession. Instead of just the twelve apostles, more were designated. Holy Writ says, “Thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars” (Rev. 2:2). These church systems have taken unmerited credit.
Those who maintain their association with Papacy must share its tribulation and woe. Therefore, God warns His people to forsake Babylon “that you be not partakers of her sins, and . . . plagues” (Rev. 18:4).
The literal translation of Verse 20 according to the Sinaitic should be:
“Rejoice thou over her, you heavens [the angels who desired to look into these things as a spectator host—1 Cor. 4:9; 1 Pet. 1:12], and the holy ones [the saints, the Little Flock—Rev. 6:9,10], and the apostles, and the prophets [primarily those of the ‘seven stars’ who are not apostles—Arius, Waldo, Wycliffe, etc.]: for God hath avenged you on her.”
The Holy Spirit does not indicate the slightest disapproval of this soon-to-occur rejoicing in the judgments to be inflicted upon Babylon in the near future.
We will take a look at Part III beginning with Verse 21 in our next post.
