Verse 20
And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.
Every island ... mountains were not found ... For ages, such convulsions of nature have been understood as symbolical references to the fall of nations and governments; but in the holy Scriptures, "such things are invariably associated with the final judgment";[78] and that is the way we understand them here. The removal of the earth itself is to be accompanied by a mighty earthquake (Hebrews 12:27,28). Therefore Ladd may have been exactly correct in viewing the last three verses of this chapter as "a renovation of the entire created order and the ushering in of a new heavens and a new earth."[79] Whatever is the exact implication of the language here, it would seem to be certain that the final judgment day itself is the occasion in view.
Barnes and other historicists see in this chapter such various things as: successive historical blows by which the Papacy will fall, the French Revolution, the Napoleonic wars, the successive revolutions that came after Napoleon, and various other events, even the battle of Armageddon! To us, however, that entire system of interpretation is erroneous. Some of the things "seen" by such. interpreters in Revelation are surely there; but no blueprint of the future is to be found. Revelation has been fulfilled, is being fulfilled, and is yet to be fulfilled. Is not this exactly the meaning of what John said in Revelation 1:19?
The great hail ... This is to be viewed as another element in the great convulsions of nature coming at the end of time.
Men blasphemed God ... In the judgment? Yes. The hardened will not change, whatever may be their experience. This vision stops short of revealing what God will do with such per sons, but later episodes in the prophecy will make it starkly clear.
[78] A. Plummer, op. cit., p. 397.
[79] George Eldon Ladd, op. cit., p. 218.
Be the first to react on this!
