The Apocalypse of St. John by Rev. E. Sylvester Berry [1921]

[Stone]

Part II
THE SEVEN PLAGUES

1. And I saw another sign in heaven, great and wonderful: seven angels having the seven last plagues. For in them is filled up the wrath of God.

2. And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire, and them that had overcome the beast, and his image, and the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, having the harps of God:

3. And singing the canticle of Moses, the servant of God, and the canticle of the Lamb, saying: Great and wonderful are thy works, O Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, O King of ages.

4. And who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and magnify thy name? For thou only art holy: for all nations shall come, and shall adore in thy sight, because thy judgments are manifest.


1. During the great conflict with Antichrist, the Church shall have power to send plagues upon his empire such as those which Moses brought down upon the Egyptians.1 The seven angels represent the bishops and priests of the Church; and especially great saints raised up to battle against the powers of darkness. The nature of these plagues indicates that they will accompany the preaching of Elias and his companion.2

The seven angels receive the vials from one of the four living creatures to signify that they have a mission to preach the Gospel and condemn the wicked. The plagues which they inflict are called the last because they shall fill up the measure of God's justice against His enemies and the enemies of His Church.

2-4. The sea of crystal which St. John saw in a former vision,3 is now mingled with fire. The light which pervades it enlightens the faithful, while the fire consumes the wicked. The vision now looks to the future when Antichrist will have been completely overcome. The victors standing upon the sea of glass chant hymns of praise and thanksgiving to God. Moses song of victory over the Egyptians4 is well suited to the occasion, especially if he be the companion of Elias in those days.

The canticle of the Lamb is another hymn of praise to God for the triumph of Christ and His Church over all enemies.5 The manifest judgments of God against all enemies of the Church lead to the conversion of all nations and the universal reign of Christ upon earth.


(1) Exodus viii-xii.
(2) See above, xi, 5, 6.
(3) Cf. iv, 6.
(4) Exodus xv, 1-19.
(5) Cf. Jeremias x, 6, 7



5. And after these things I looked; and behold the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened:

6. And the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues, clothed with clean and white linen, and girt about the breasts with golden girdles.

7. And one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden vials, full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever.

8. And the temple was filled with smoke from the majesty of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled.


5. This vision reveals to St. John the nature of the plagues to be inflicted upon the empire of Antichrist. The Church, typified by the tabernacle of the Old Law, is opened to give testimony to God.1 The Church teaching gives testimony through the preaching of the Gospel and the power of miracles. The Church militant gives testimony by the blood of martyrs shed in her defense. Through the ministry of the seven angels Christ will condemn and punish those who refuse this twofold testimony.

6, 7. The seven angels are the ministers of the Church, and perhaps also the angelic hosts of heaven who labor in unison as the ministers of God to accomplish His decrees. They are clothed in the priestly garments of white linen, and girt about with golden cinctures, symbols of preparedness and charity.2

8. A cloud by day and fire by night hung over the tabernacle in the wilderness to assure the Israelites of God's protecting presence.3 Likewise in the vision of Isaias a cloud of smoke symbolized God's special presence in the temple of Jerusalem.4  Here the smoke filling the temple must signify that God will manifest His power in a special manner to protect the Church against the onslaughts of her enemies. No one can enter the temple; in other words, no nation will be converted until the seven plagues have accomplished the overthrow of Antichrist and the destruction of his empire.


(1) Exodus xl, 32.
(2) See above, i, 13.
(3) Exodus xl, 34, 35.
(4) Isaias vi, 4.