ledge that all the rest will be
accomplished in due season. Expositors are agreed that the predictions
of the book do not run on in chronological order from beginning to end.
Most find in chaps. 6:1-11:18 (with an episode, chaps. 10:1-11:13) one
series relating more to the outward history of the world in its
relations to God's people; while in chap. 12 the writer returns to the
primitive days of Christianity, and gives a more interior and spiritual
view of the conflicts of God's people along the track of ages and their
final triumph, adding at the close various supplementary views of the
same mighty struggle and victory.

5. On the _symbolic import of the numbers_ in the Apocalypse a few words
may be added.

_Seven_ is the well known symbol of completeness, and this is the most
prominent number in the book. Thus we have the seven churches of Asia
represented by the seven golden candlesticks, and their seven angels
represented by seven stars (chap. 1:4, 12, 16, 20); the seven lamps of
fire burning before the throne which are the seven spirits of God (chap.
4:5); the seven seals (chap. 5:1); the seven trumpets (chap. 8:2); the
seven thunders (chap. 10:4); the seven last plagues (chap. 15:1); to
which may be added the seven ascriptions of praise--power, riches,
wisdom, strength, honor, glory, blessing (chap. 5:12), blessing, glory,
wisdom, thanksgiving, honor, power, might (chap. 7:12). Lastly, we have
the seven heads of the persecuting beast in all its various forms.
Chaps. 12:3; 13:1; 17:3. So far as the number seven has its fulfilment
in the history of the world, we are at liberty to suppose that this is
accomplished, in part at least, by the manner in which the wisdom of God
has been pleased to group together the events of prophecy--a grouping
which is always appropriate, but might have been different had the plan
of representation so required. The final judgments which precede the
millennium, for example, which in chaps. 15 and 16 are set forth under
the figure of seven vials full of the wrath of God, might have been, by
another mode of distribution, represented under the number two. Many
think they are thus represented in chap. 14:14-20. Another prophetic
number, occurring in Daniel and the Apocalypse, always as a designation
of time, is the _half of seven_. Thus we have "a time, and times, and
half a time," that is, three years and a half (chap. 12:14); or in
months, "forty and two months" (chaps. 11:2; 13:5); or i