The Revelation of Jesus Christ - The Herald

latter vision, as will be seen from the context, and as explained previously, refers to the
time after all the judgment plagues on the nominal false temple will have resulted in its
destruction; and when all the "stones" of the true Temple will have been brought together,
and made a holy Temple in the Lord, and thus become the habitation of God.
The "loud voice" proceeding from the temple in this seventh plague vision comes not from
the true Temple, for it is not then in existence, but rather from the nominal, rejected, castoff
temple. The Scriptures seem clearly to teach that in the great climax of the tribulation
there will be many true saints in the nominal church temple. These are not of the elect
Kingdom class; because before this part of the vision has its fulfillment, the Kingdom class
will have all come out. It will be those still in the nominal temple, who will first recognize
the nature of the judgment plague. These are the ones who in a loud voice cry out: "It is
done."
"The result of this trouble [plague] brings conviction to some. This is shown by the great
voice from the temple, saying, 'It has been done'! (Literal translation.) . . . When the
seventh has been poured out, we hear this nominal temple saying, 'It has been done'; we
are now convinced of the truths uttered by the faithful messengers whom, in our
ignorance and pride, we cast out from us; who told us that we were in darkness, and great
distress was coming upon us, and that our systems, which we so fondly cherished, were to
crumble into dust. It has been done even as they declared; Babylon is utterly destroyed; as
a great millstone cast into the sea, she shall rise no more.
"This temple class, which finally recognizes God's dealings when these systems are
entirely destroyed, is the same which we have found elsewhere mentioned in Scripture,
and which we have designated the second company, who, though losing the prize
promised to overcomers of the beast, etc. (Rev. 20:4), are 'saved so as by fire [these severe
judgments] in the day of the Lord Jesus.' This blessed result upon this second company
gives us an intense interest in and longing for the destruction of the enslaving systems
mentioned in succeeding verses as the result of this seventh trouble."
This seventh plague, considered as distinct and separate from the six preceding, is all in
the future, the near future we believe. It is quite essential to keep in mind that the bowls
and their contents do not represent truth, but rather, as previously explained, they
represent calamities, troubles coming upon the various phases of the systems of
Christendom. It is the truth, however--truth along various lines, that will eventually bring
these calamities--the great final troubles which will cause the overthrow of the present
order and remove every evil and wrong from the earth. The interpretation of this writer,
like all of his forecasts of the future, is most reasonable, because it is in perfect harmony
with all the prophecies that portray the downfall of all the systems, governments, etc., that
have been under the control of the "god of this world." From what we have seen of the
fulfillment of his forecasts of the preceding six plagues, we are caused to await with
confidence the startling occurrences already threatening that will mark the completion of
these judgments upon Christendom.