The feet of the angel as pillars of fire. The import of this has been expounded in the first volume in treating of the feet of the symbolic Son of Man, which John says, were "like to fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace." The feet are symbols of progress, of advance into the arena of conflict; and when in intense ignition, of terrible destruction in their career. Feet, without the adjunct of "pillars of fire," are "beautiful," and indicative of good; as, "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thine Elohim reigneth!" (Isa. lii. 7). But the feet of the rainbowed angel are not beautiful; they are moving pillars of fire, dreadful and terrible in their desolating tramp; for wherever they tread, they kindle a fire that cannot be quenched. The rainbowed angel proclaims no good tidings, nor does he publish peace and salvation. His voice is not addressed to Zion. He is altogether a symbol of war, and destruction by the burning flame (Dan. vii. 9-11). He is a fiery stream issuing and coming forth from before the Ancient of Days; and his tread is the tramp of myriads, whose mission it is to slay the beast, destroy his body, and give it to the burning flame.

In the execution of this mission, he develops the judgments of the second and third angels of ch. xiv. 8-11; and of the scenes described from verse 14 to 20 inclusive. He is the Lord of lords and King of kings, having been clothed with the called, and faithful, and chosen; and prepared for combat with the Powers that be, whom he overcomes (xvii. 14). He is the angel that enlightens the earth with his glory, and announces the fall of Babylon with a mighty voice (xviii. 1,2); and is the powerful Lord God, who judgeth her, and burns her utterly with fire (ver. 8). As constituents of the cloud with which he has been clothed, are the people of the Deity, who have separated themselves from the Apostasy; the heaven, and holy apostles and prophets; for these are exhorted to reward her as she rewarded them, to give her torment and sorrow, and to rejoice over her fall; all of which implies their previous resurrection, judgment, and acceptance (xviii. 4-8; 20,24). Embodied as the rainbowed angel, they are seen again in ch. xix. 11-21, as the King of kings and Lord of lords, followed by the hosts of the heaven, prepared to smite the nations, and to tread the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of the All-powerful Deity. He is the angel standing in the sun, verse 17; and lastly, he is seen as the Binder of the Dragon, and the deliverer of the nations from the civil and ecclesiastical power of them by whom they are now deceived and oppressed. Such is the career of the powerful angel with "his feet as pillars of fire."