The western combination against real Christianity
never attained to power by successful conquest of the nations; but on
the contrary by chicanery, insidious policy, flattery of princes and
priestcraft. This enemy is described with sufficient accuracy and
peculiar precision in the subsequent part of the Apocalypse. Prophecy
has a determinate meaning; and we are not at liberty to give loose reins
to our imagination: otherwise we shall bewilder, rather than satisfy the
devout and earnest inquirer.

12. One woe is past: and, behold, there come two woes more hereafter.

V. 12.--Before the time of the sixth trumpet, intimation is given that
some pause shall intervene prior to the judgments which are to
follow:--"One woe is past."--The object of the first woe is the
nominally Christian Roman empire, which still stands in its Eastern
section; and is to be totally demolished by the second woe-trumpet: for
the Western section, recovering from the effects of the first four
trumpets, is the object of the third and last woe. The "man of
Sin,"--the "little horn" of Daniel, is actuating the "ten horns" to
"scatter Judah," etc., during the time of the Mahometan conquests in the
East; by which the whole Roman empire is ripening for the harvest of the
vials of wrath.

13. And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns
of the golden altar which is before God,

14. Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four
angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates.

15. And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour,
and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men.

16. And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand
thousand; and I heard the number of them.

17. And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them,
having breastplates of fire, and of jacinth, and brimstone: and the
heads of the horses were as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths
issued fire, and smoke, and brimstone.

18. By these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by
the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths.

19. For their power is in their mouth, and in their tails: for their
tails were like unto serpents, and had heads, and with them they do
hurt.

Vs. 13-19.--At the sounding of the sixth trumpet, a "voice comes from
the four horns of the golden altar," the immediate presence of the
Almight