The feet of the angel as pillars of fire. The import of this has been expounded in the first volume in treating of the feet of the symbolic Son of Man, which John says, were “like to fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace.” The feet are symbols of progress, of advance into the arena of conflict; and when in intense ignition, of terrible destruction in their career.
The face of the angel is identical with the countenance of the symbolic Son of Man in ch. 1:16 — “his face as it were the Sun;” or, “his countenance as the sun shineth in his strength.” In the vision which Daniel saw of the same, “his face was as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire” (ch. 10:6).
Now, over or upon the head of this angel, John saw “the rainbow.” Before iris, all the recent editors of the text insert he, “the” which is no doubt correct, as having special reference to the rainbow in ch. 4:3. This is the symbol of the covenant, and inseparably connected with the throne.
The angelic symbol is peribeblemenon nephelen, one who hath been clothed with a cloud. Hence, there was a time when this clothing had not been developed.
The political death of the eastern Roman empire, and the transfer of its capital to the Ottoman Dynasty, interrupts the continuity of apocalyptic prophecy, as it did that of history.
Apoc. 10
Amurath II was succeeded, A.D. 1451, by his son Mohammed II., styled by Gibbon, “the Great Destroyer.” His passions were at once furious and inexorable. In the palace, as in the field, a torrent of blood was spilt on the slightest provocation. Constantinople has sealed his glory, and placed him among “the basest of men” whom the Eternal Spirit “sets up” to fufil his will.
“By these three, ” says John, “was the third of the men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the sulphur, which burst forth out of the
The conquest of Adrianople was followed in the ensuing spring, A.D. 1422, by the siege of Constantinople. The religious merit of subduing the City of the Caesars, attracted from Asia a crowd of volunteers, who aspired to the crown of martyrdom.