The Revelation of Jesus Christ - The Herald

Another reference by this writer to the air as a symbol is as follows:
"'The Day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night [unobservedly] in the which the
heavens [present powers of the air, of which Satan is the chief or prince] shall pass away
with a great [hissing] noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat; the earth [social
organization] also, and the works that are therein [pride, rank, aristocracy, royalty], shall
be burned up.'"
These Scriptures describe in a general way what is represented in the symbols of the
seventh plague. The symbols seem to denote and point to a great climax in which all the
preceding plagues represented in the various features of the six are in full operation
together, in connection with which the present order will pass away.
"Seven is often used as the symbol of completeness; so this seventh plague completes the
trouble coming, and will result in the complete unveiling of Satan's deceptions and the
binding or destruction of his power and influence."
The temple in this seventh plague vision, as in other places where reference is made to it in
these closing judgment visions, represents the Church --though in a defiled state; indeed,
as seen in the vision already considered (Rev. 15:5,6), in a rejected, cast off condition, out
of which the true saints are described in symbol as coming. This seems, of necessity, the
proper interpretation, for the reason that from St. John's day and on throughout the entire
Age, the Church in an organized state has been in a more or less defiled condition. The
Reformation began in an effort to cleanse the Temple, the Church. At this time the Temple,
or Church of God in an organized state, had become completely apostate, and was
controlled by the "Man of Sin." The Apostle Paul pictured the fallen Church and its head at
this period, in the words: "He shall be as God sitting in the temple of God."
The character of the Reformation movement gradually changed as it became apparent that
the great organized temple of the Roman Catholic system was the Antichrist and was
rejected of God. The movement gradually culminated in the organization of sects, as
Lutheran, Baptist, Presbyterian, Methodists, etc. No one of these organizations, nor all of
them together, ever have constituted the true Temple or Church. While they have in the
past been used of God, they have all to a greater or less extent been made up of both true
and false believers. As time has continued they have degenerated rapidly, until today, as
organizations, they are cast off, rejected. The true Temple or Church has not yet been
organized, but its members are now represented as "stones," which are being prepared,
formed. This is the state of the true Temple throughout the Age. When all these scattered,
separate stones are prepared, they will be placed in their several positions and form the
true Temple, and from this true Temple of God, which under another symbol is described
as the Holy City, the New Jerusalem, will proceed the restitution blessings for the world,
long ago promised by God through His holy Prophets. This holy Temple of God is
referred to in Rev. 3:12, where we have recorded the promise: "To him that overcometh, I
will make a pillar in the Temple of My God." It is also mentioned in Rev. 7:15, where a
certain "great company" of saved ones are mentioned as serving God in His Temple. This