The Revelation Explained

An Exposition, Text by Text, of the Apocalypse of St. John

Showing the Marvelous Development of the Prophecies from theTime of their Delivery on the Isle of Patmos—TheEstablishment and Growth of Christianity—Rise ofMohammedanism in the Eastern Empire—Of the Papacy in theWestern Division—Of Protestantism—The Civil History ofthe Territory Comprising the Ancient Roman Empire until the End ofTime—Together with the Conflicts and Triumphs of the Redeemeduntil the Final Judgment, and their Eternal Reward and Home in the"New Heavens and New Earth."

By F.G. SMITH

Author of

"What the Bible Teaches" and "The Last Reformation," etc.

"Behold the former things are come to pass, and new things do Ideclare: before they spring forth I tell you of them." Isa.42:9.

"Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth hissecret unto his servants the prophets." Amos 3:7.

FOURTH EDITION

[pg 5]

PREFACE.

The subject of prophecy should be of interest to every Biblestudent. Its importance can not be overestimated. By it we areenabled to ascertain our true position in this time-world. From theearly dawn of creation, Inspiration has foretold with certainty thegreat facts connected with the history of God's chosen people. Bythis means alone, the divinity of Jesus Christ and the truth of ourholy religion has been established in many minds; for it is not inthe power of mortals thus to vaticinate future events. With suchsurprising accuracy have these predictions been fulfilled that eveninfidels ofttimes bear witness to their truthfulness. "Behold theformer things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: beforethey spring forth I tell you of them." Isa. 42:9. "For I am God,and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me,declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times thethings that are not yet done." Isa. 46:9, 10.

The Revelation is a rich mine of prophetic truth. The history ofthe current dispensation is there delineated in advance soperfectly that we can not but attribute its authorship to Him whoknoweth the end from the beginning, and worketh all things afterthe counsel of his own will. It was written for the special benefitof the people of God, and we should give it prayerfulconsideration. [pg 6]

In the preparation for this work, I have gleaned historicalinformation from all the general and ecclesiastical histories,encyclopedias, etc., within my reach, and only regret that I hadnot access to a still greater number. However, knowing that largebooks are seldom read, I determined in advance not to write anextensive work, but to condense the subject matter as much aspossible, and, therefore, I have been obliged to omit much valuablematerial previously gathered. For this reason many lines ofprophetic truth penned by others of the sacred writers have beenpassed over in silence, even though relating to the same events ascertain symbolic visions in the Revelation.

I have availed myself of all the helps and the commentarieswithin my reach in the study of this important subject. However, Ihave but seldom referred to the opinions of expositors. In mostcases their explanations are not based upon any established rule ofinterpretation, and the definite laws of symbolic language areusually overlooked or disregarded. Ordinary readers of theRevelation have always supposed that the only course for them wasto take the opinion of some learned expositor and to believe onhis authority; and when they have found that equally learnedand judicious men sustained the most opposite views, they have beenbewildered amid conflicting opinions a

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