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Eureka

AN EXPOSITION OF THE APOCALYPSE
Sixth Edition, 1915
By Dr. John Thomas (first edition written 1861)

 

 

Chapter 9

Section 1 Subsection 5

The Sun and Air Darkened by the Smoke


 
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The sun is here the symbol of the same imperial majesty as that which was darkened in its third by the judgments of the fourth trumpet. The darkened third had recovered its light in the process of re-annexing Italy and Africa to the Byzantine, Greek, or Constantinopolitan, empire in the reign of Justinian. The "deadly wound" the Sixth Head had received, had been "healed;" and its affairs restored to order in Italy by the Pragmatic Sanction, A.D. 554. The sun now shining forth, "the third of the day and of the night," then recovered their brightness. The sun, therefore, now shone upon Italy, Africa, Egypt, Palestine, Syria, Asia Minor, Greece, and the islands of the sea. "The rest of the men not killed by" the fifth and sixth trumpet plagues, were found in Spain, Gaul, Britain, Germany, &c. When the sun was darkened by the smoke of the pit, its light, or power, was quenched in the countries of "the earth" where the locusts of the smoke established themselves.

Not only was the sun darkened, but "the air" likewise. In the darkening of the Roman luminaries by the fourth trumpet "the air" remained unaffected. In symbolic language, the air denotes the civil and ecclesiastical constitution of the world. This constitution was not changed when the Seventh Head superseded the Sixth in Rome. It still continued catholic. The Gothic kingdom of Italy was a catholic monarchy administered by Arian catholic kings, who distributed civil and ecclesiastical offices both to Arian and Trinitarian members of the apostasy. But when the smoke of the pit darkened "the air" all this was changed where its locusts tormented the unsealed. The aerial constitution became Arabian. Place and power, in the conquered countries, were only for the locusts of the smoke; so that if a catholic idolator would retain office, he must become a convert to the new superstition, which so darkened the air politically, that the rays of the spirituals of wickedness in the Byzantine heaven, could not pass through it for the illumination of their coreligionists in scorpion-like torment.

In Apoc. xvi. 17, "the air" is also the recipient of judgment. But in this instance, on a much larger scale. The course of the whole world will be changed; so that every political island and mountain will be abolished. The civil and ecclesiastical constitutions of all the states and kingdoms will be superseded by "the law that goes forth from Zion," which will become "the air" in which clouds of saints will meet the Lord, and so be ever with him (1 Thess. iv. 17). When the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of Yahweh and his Anointed, "the wise" will be the embodiment of "the air" or firmament; for "they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament" (Dan. xii. 3). No smoke of the pit, or wrath of vials, will ever darken, or abolish them. They will always be bright and clear, and give transmission to the healing rays of the Sun of Righteousness, as his kings and priests over the subject nations of the earth.

 

 


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