But, there were characteristics pertaining to the armed equestrian myriads seen in vision by John, that Habakkuk did not see in the Chaldean hosts.
“And thus I saw the horses in the vision; and those sitting upon them.” The description which follows exemplifies the “thus.” He saw the equestrian millions in vision. What a host to contemplate! He beheld them embattled, and vomiting forth fire and smoke, and deadly missiles.
‘‘And the number of the hosts of the cavalry was two myriads of myriads” — theo muriathes muriathon. This is the symbolical number of the four angel-powers — two myriads of myriads hippikou of cavalry — equestrian myriads.
These four angel-powers of the Euphratean region of the globe, were loosed for the execution of a mission to be completed in a specific period — “they were loosed that they might kill the third of the men at the end of, eis, until, the hour, and day, and month and year, ” eniauton.
To loose is the opposite of to bind. The nature of the loosing depends upon that of the thing bound. The things to be loosed in the text before us are “the four angels.” These are the symbols of the “two myriads of myriads of cavalry” by which “the third” is killed. The four angels, therefore, represent four powers. These were “bound”. A power bound is either a power restrained from action, or bound by its own territorial limits. An example of the former occurs in the Dragon shut up in the abyss.
“And / heard One Voice out of the Four Horns of the Altar of Gold which is in the sight of the Deity, saying, cfee. ” This is the same altar as that in the scene pictured in Apoc. 8:3, which may be fitly reproduced here by way of remembrance.
The locusts had a king over them, the Angel of the Abyss — not the angel of the pit of the abyss, but of “the abyss” at large. The star was especially related to “the pit”; and the Angel-king, to “the abyss.
The words used by John with respect to their mission are basanizo, and adikeo. The first is rendered torment, the last, injure. The Spirit, doubtless, intended different ideas to be represented by the different words.
After these things, the earth was invaded, and Damascus, the capital of Syria, attacked.