The Revelation of Jesus Christ - The Herald

The Revelator tells us that when the sixth angel sounded his trumpet, he heard a voice
from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God, saying to the sixth angel who
had the trumpet, "Loose the four angels, which are bound in the great river Euphrates."
In this passage, as also in that of Rev. 8:3, the use of the "golden altar" as a symbol, is taken
from the one in the holy of the Jewish temple, at which the priest officiated twice daily,
morning and evening, in behalf of Israel. (See Luke 1:8-11.) In these two instances,
however, it will be noted that there is no veil separating the two apartments, the holy and
the most holy. This veil was rent in twain at Christ's death on the cross. (Matt. 27:51.) This
evidently teaches that the way into the presence of God was now opened to believers of
the Gospel Age. The golden altar, therefore, has to do with the Church. Its use in the
Scripture under consideration, suggests the thought of Christ's intercession in behalf of the
Church, receiving and answering their prayers, etc., on the ground of the merit of His
sacrifice on earth. The "four horns" of the altar represent the power of that sacrifice. These
horns of the altar in Israel's typical history had associated with them the thought of an
asylum, a refuge for the protection of the Israelite, as will be seen by a comparison of
Exodus 21:14; 1 Kings 1:50; 2:28, and other passages. We thus have suggested to our minds
the significance of this part of the vision. As Mr. Newton argues:
"Such a voice proceeding from the four horns of the golden altar is a strong indication of
Divine displeasure; and plainly intimates that the sins of men (apostates) must have been
very great, when the altar, which was their sanctuary and protection, called aloud for
vengeance."
It speaks of that which the altar in one aspect symbolizes, as profaned, and calling for
judgments. The voice coming from the four horns of the altar, then, connects the
judgments which are to occur under the sixth trumpet, with professed Christian
communities and congregations which had set aside or perverted the truth of expiation for
sin through the merit of the precious blood shed once for all.
The four angels bound at the river Euphrates, concerning whom the command was given
that they should be loosened, represent certain agencies that for a time are under restraint,
and then are permitted to exercise themselves and are to be used to bring judgment woes
on apostate churches. The city of Babylon is employed in later visions of the Revelation to
represent the combination of such churches. These judgments, however, will not be final,
will neither bring them to repentance nor destroy them. Their final judgment is
accomplished in connection with the outpouring of the vials of chapter sixteen, which is
under the seventh trumpet. One of these vials, the sixth, which we believe is in process of
fulfillment at the present time, will cause the drying up of the great symbolical river
Euphrates. Thus the hindrances to "Babylon's" overthrow will be removed, and the way
for the "Kings of the sun rising," Christ and His glorified Church, will be prepared. The
reference in the vision to the great river Euphrates is evidently drawn from the incident
that caused the overthrow of literal Babylon by Cyrus, when the channel of the river,
which ran under the walls of the city, was turned aside from its regular course, thus
permitting the armies of Cyrus to enter and capture the city.