Seek ye out of the book, &c.— This period contains the confirmation of the preceding sentence; wherein the prophet, to convict the hypocrites, and confirm the pious, assures them of the certain completion of this prophesy. The scene of his discourse is so constructed, as if the prophesy was now fulfilled; when the prophet, supposing that his prophesy would still be extant at the time of the completion, invites all men of doubtful faith to seek into and consider this book or prophesy in all its parts, and to compare it with the completion. This is the sum of the period, which should be rendered, Search ye from the whole of the book of the Lord, and read; not one of these things shall fail: [no, not so much as the minutest circumstance, even respecting the impure beasts;] one shall not want the other; because the month of Jehovah hath commanded and his Spirit shall gather them.
REFLECTIONS.—1st, We have in this chapter,
1. The awful summons sent forth to the nations of the world; yea the earth and all things therein are called upon to hearken, as if the irrational inanimate creatures were more attentive than hardened sinners.
2. The universality of the approaching judgments of God is declared against all the nations and their armies who have committed fornication with the great whore. See Revelation 18:3 and therefore are doomed to utter destruction, Revelation 19:21.
3. The execution of this terrible doom is displayed in the most awful colours: the carcases of the slain will be unburied, and send forth pestilential vapours; the very mountains are melted with blood, like rivers running down; the hosts of heaven, sun, moon, and stars, dropping as untimely figs, and the firmament wrapped up as a scroll, representing the utter ruin of the states and kingdoms of the followers of the man of sin, with their princes and mighty men (compare Revelation 19:17-18. Revelation 14:20. Revelation 6:13-17.). And this is effected by the sword of the Lord, bathed in heaven, well-tempered, and descending with fury irresistible on Idumaea, probably the Romish state, the implacable enemy of the church of Christ, as the Edomites were of the Jews, and therefore called the people of my curse, lying under it, and doomed to this dire judgment. Before this sword the armies of Antichrist, the common soldiers, as lambs and goats, like hecatombs at the altar, fall sacrifices to divine justice at Bozrah, representing Rome, the capital of the antichristian powers: and their chief captains, fierce as bulls and strong as unicorns, shall perish together, and the land be soaked with their blood and fattened, or made drunk, as with showers of rain, such vast quantities should be shed, see Revelation 16:6; Revelation 17:6; Revelation 14:20.
Note; (1.) Miserable, eternally miserable, are they who, by their sins provoking God's curse, awaken his sword of judgment. (2.) If it be terrible but to hear the report, sinner, how wilt thou endure when this great day of his wrath shall come? (3.) The sinners in hell are eternal sacrifices to God's justice; and therefore, when the smoke of their torment ascends, his saints adore him. (4.) However long triumphant, and cruelly oppressive, the enemies of God's people may have been, their doom is determined, and God will give them blood to drink.
4. The equity of the procedure is remarked; this day of vengeance is the year of recompences for the controversy of Zion, when the church of God, and every persecuted member of it, will find a righteous judge espousing their quarrel, and recompensing to the full the injuries they have endured. See Revelation 13:10; Revelation 11:18. Note; When we are suffering for the testimony of the truth and a good conscience, we should be comforted in patient hope that the year of recompence is at hand for Zion's friends and Zion's enemies.
2nd, Awful and most awakening are the images here used to display the utter ruin and desolations of the enemies of Christ and his people; and which seem to look forward to the fall of Antichrist, and may also be applied to that great and terrible day of the Lord, when the sinner's torment in body and soul will be completed.
1. Their land is described as the land of Sodom. Since sin hath rendered it as fuel for the flames, the wrath of God shall kindle the inextinguishable burnings; and their cities deserted, desolate, ruinous, shall become the abode of every unclean bird and ravenous beast; the elegance and dignity of which description cannot be equalled, and which every comment must debase. Only we may observe, [1.] The dreadful evil of sin, the cause of all those desolations. [2.] The folly and madness of attempting to fix our abode on earth, doomed so shortly, with all the works on it, to be burnt up. [3.] The terrible end of the ungodly, when wrath to the uttermost shall be poured out upon them, and they shall be cast into the lake of brimstone and fire which burneth for ever and ever.
2. An assurance is given of the most minute fulfilment of the prophesy. And when the destruction cometh, they are commanded to compare the event with the prediction, and not a tittle will be found to fail. Since God's word hath commanded, his Spirit will accomplish it; collecting in exact order, as at the deluge, these monsters with their mates to their appointed abode; and, according to the dictates of justice, dooming the place to everlasting ruin. There, with the correspondent prophesies in the book of Revelations, are yet in the womb of time; but shall as surely be accomplished in their season, as those which we have seen already fulfilled. And when we read in the book of the Lord, the sure expectation thereof should comfort and support the suffering saints of God.