the third angel followed them, saying, with a loud voice, If any
man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his
forehead, or in his hand,

10. The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is
poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall
be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels,
and in the presence of the Lamb:

11. And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever; and
they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image,
and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.

Vs. 9-11.--"And the third angel followed." The two preceding angels
addressed _communities_, calling them to repentance and reformation.
Indeed, the language of the second implies little or no hope of their
recovery. This third angel, "following" up the scriptural testimony of
those who went before, and assuming that church and state,--the
essential elements of the antichristian system,--continue irreclaimable,
addresses his message to _individuals_. This angel is the last that the
Lord Jesus will employ to awaken sinners that "are at ease in Zion." His
ministry is yet future, and he will never be succeeded by an angel of
mercy until mystical Babylon is overthrown. The special, arduous and
perilous work of this angel is, to threaten eternal death against every
individual who persists in the hitherto popular idolatry. "If any man
worship the beast."--Up to the time of this angel's appearance the beast
lives and devours his prey: consequently, his work comes within the
period of the 1260 years. During this limited time, there will be found
in the Apocalypse _three objects_ of popular devotion,--the dragon, (ch.
xiii. 4,) the _beast_, and his _image_, (v. 15.) In this place the
dragon is omitted, as also in ch. xv. 2; xx. 4. We may ask, why the
omission?--Simply because "the things which the _Gentiles_ sacrifice,
they sacrifice to devils, and not to God," (1 Cor. x. 20;) consequently,
these worshippers being _Gentiles_, (ch. xi. 2,) there is no necessity
that the dragon (the devil) should be particularized. From the first
rise of the beast, he was in alliance with the dragon, (ch. xiii. 2, 3;)
therefore both are doomed to perdition, (ch. xx. 10.) Most expositors
consider this angel as emblematical of events already past; the
reformation effected by Luther, his coadjutors and successors, or the
church of England![9] Their error consists in v