as in the days of old. (1 Kings xviii. 17.)




CHAPTER XI.


The narrative of prophetic events was broken off at the end of the ninth
chapter. The tenth chapter and the greater part of this, from the
beginning to the thirteenth verse inclusive, present appearances and
actions quite foreign to the events which follow the sounding of the
trumpets. Why is this, the thoughtful student of the Apocalypse will
naturally ask? Why is the regular series of the trumpets suspended? When
the sixth trumpet,--the "second woe,"--has effected its objects, we
naturally expect the seventh trumpet to sound; yet we are held in
suspense till we come to the fourteenth verse of this chapter. Hitherto
we have met with no similar interruption. Let us take a retrospective
view:--The seven epistles to the churches followed each other in regular
succession. The seals, in like manner, followed successively; and this
is true of the vials, (ch. xvi.)

We have seen that the object of the trumpets was the Roman empire, the
fourth beast of Daniel's prophecy. The same is the object of the
judgments symbolized by the vials. The final subversion and utter
destruction of that beastly power, was plainly revealed in the
Babylonian monarch's dream. (Dan. ii. 44.) And the same event was
afterwards exhibited in vision to Daniel, (ch. vii. 11, 26.) Now the
first four trumpets had demolished imperial power in the western or
Latin section; and the next two, by the Saracenic locusts and the