John says, the angel who had ascended had a seal. It was a remarkable seal, and pertained to “the living Deity,” as opposed to all other deities flourishing in those times which had no life in them. Of course, it was a symbolical seal he saw, and represented something capable of making an impression upon the sealed.

But, beside the four angel-powers standing at the four corners of the earth restraining the four winds thereof, John saw a fifth, or “another angel.” Of this angel, he says, anabanta apo anatoles heliou, having ascended from sun’s rising. He did not see him, as the English version would lead us to suppose, in the act of ascending from sun’s rising; but having ascended at some previous epoch

The arena upon which the predicted operation of sealing the servants of the Deity was to be performed was “the earth and sea.” The reason given why the four angels were to restrain the four winds from blowing to the injury of these, is proof of this. The blowing of the winds upon the earth and sea, by injuring them with the tempests they were capable of exciting, would have rendered the work of sealing impossible.

The Laodicean State is parallel with the Seventh Seal from its opening to the Fall of Babylon after the appearing of “the Ancient of Days.”

A.D. 324 to A.D. 1864-8,
or thereabout.*

See Vol. 1, p. 428

This sixth seal is a prophetic summary of what is more particularly related in the twelfth chapter, concerning the Woman, her man child, the Dragon, and the war in the heaven between the symbolical Michael and his angels on the one side; and the great red Dragon and his angels, on the other. I shall, therefore, follow the apocalyptic arrange­ment, and defer entering into details until I arrive at that chapter. A few things, however, may be presented here of a general character.

“The Sun became black as sackcloth of hair.” As the sun is the great source of the electrical glory and power of the solar system, it is said in scripture, to “rule the day. ” The moon and the stars become visible to us by the reflection of his beams. Their light or glory is borrowed; and when he is darkened, they also are in eclipse.

The earthquakes of the Apocalypse are not concussions of the ground from the subterranean, but popular convulsions. In ch.

The Lion of the Tribe of Judah and Root of David, who prevailed to unroll the apocalyptic scroll, and to loose the previous seals opened this, the Sixth also. He had executed judgment on his own “Holy Nation” (1 Pet.

Vol. 1. pp. 428, 449

The “Little Strength” of the Philadelphian State exhausted, and Laodiceanism fully established. Persecution having ceased, and “the Catholics,” as nominal Christians were now called, being in high favor with the authorities, they say, “We are rich, and increased in goods, and have need of nothing” — Apoc. 3:17. Being “lukewarm,” the Spirit “spues them out of his mouth.”

At the commencement of this period, A.D.