SecondComingAD70

Below is the 24th of multiple excerpts of commentary on the Book of Revelation from The Parousia , the late 19th-century masterpiece on the Second Coming by James Stuart Russell: " The Number of the Beast . [ Revelation 13:18 -- 'Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six' [ Greek: hexakosioi (six hundred) hexekonta (sixty) hex (six) ] . ] " We now come to the question which has exercised the ingenuity of critics and commentators almost since the day it was first propounded, and which even yet can hardly be said to be solved, viz. [that is] the name or number of the beast. Without wasting time on the various answers that have been given, it may suffice to make one or two preliminary remarks on the conditions of the problem. "1. It is evident that the writer considered that he was giving sufficient data for the identification of the person int...

Below is the 23rd of multiple excerpts of commentary on the Book of Revelation from The Parousia , the late 19th-century masterpiece on the Second Coming by James Stuart Russell: [THE BEAST OF REVELATION] "4. The First Wild Beast . Chap. xiii. 1-10 [Rev. 13:1-10]--- ... And I saw a wild beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads, and upon his horns ten diadems, and upon his heads names of blasphemy. And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as it were the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his throne, and great authority. And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world ( land , [Greek: he ge] ) wondered after the beast. And they worshipped the dragon because he gave the power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? Who is able to make war with him? And there was given u...

Below is the 22nd of multiple excerpts of commentary on the Book of Revelation from The Parousia , the late 19th-century masterpiece on the Second Coming by James Stuart Russell: [The Great Red Dragon; The Man Child] "2. The great Red Dragon. "CHAP. xii. 3, 4 [Rev. 12:3-4].--- ‘And there appeared another wonder in heaven: and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems upon his heads. And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth [land, Greek: ten gen]: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.’ " There is no possibility of doubt respecting the identity of this symbol. The dragon is ‘that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan,’ [Rev. 12:9]---the ancient and inveterate foe of God and of His people. He is represented as possessing vast authority and power; ‘having seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems upon ...

Below is the 21st of multiple excerpts of commentary on the Book of Revelation from The Parousia , the late 19th-century masterpiece on the Second Coming by James Stuart Russell: "The Fourth Vision " VISION OF THE SEVEN MYSTIC FIGURES . "Chaps. xii. [12] xiii. [13] xiv. [14] " The catastrophe of the trumpet vision lands us in the very same crisis as the catastrophe of the seven seals. They are both different representations of the same great event. But there is still room for fresh representations; and the next vision ushers in a completely different set of symbols, though belonging to the same period and relating to the same events. ... These [symbols] are,---1. The woman clothed with the sun; 2. The great red dragon; 3. The man-child; 4. The beast from the sea; 5. The beast from the land; 6. The Lamb on Mount Sion [Zion]; 7. The Son of man on the cloud. We call this vision, therefore, the vision of the seven mystic figures . It occupies the next three chapters...

Below is the 20th of multiple excerpts of commentary on the Book of Revelation from The Parousia , the late 19th-century masterpiece on the Second Coming by James Stuart Russell:  " Episode of the Two Witnesses   "CHAP. xi. 3-13 [Rev. 11:3-13].- ‘And I will give (power) unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. ...  "We now enter upon the investigation of one of the most difficult problems contained in Scripture , and one which has exercised, we may even say baffled, the research and ingenuity of critics and commentators up to the present hour. Who are the two witnesses? Are they mythical or historical persons? Are they symbols or actual realities? Do they represent principles or individuals? ...So complete is the bewilderment [among Bible interpreters], and so unsatisfactory the explanation, that many consider the problem insoluble, or conclude that the witnesses have never yet appeared, but belong t...