Revelation

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THE BOOK OF REVELATION: M. M. NINAN the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine" (6:5-6). When he opened the third seal (sun seal was pulled off crescent "underneath" by Aries' hoof), the third beast (Aquarius -- the tax gatherer who pours out wine and oil) said, Come. A black horse (Sagittarius at night or during solar eclipse; black symbolizes famine -- Lam. 5:10); and the rider (Roman augustus; Scorpio since "I will chastise you with scorpions" -- an oppressive tax -- 1 Ki. 12:14) had a pair of balances in his hand (the bow of Sagittarius holding the lunar and solar trays suspended by the bow strings making scales; Libra; scales indicating famine -- Ez. 4:16; As Jesus said, "there shall be famines" -- Matt. 24:7) (6:5). And a voice in the midst of the four beasts said, A MEASURE of wheat (about one QUART) for a penny (daily wage in Roman times) (Matt. 20:1-16 -- "He agreed with the laborers for a PENNY a DAY")., and three measures of barley for a penny; and don't be unjust (when collecting taxes) regarding the oil and the wine (heavy taxation leads to scarcity) (From Caracalla and Elagabalus to Alexander Severus: 211 to 235 A.D. was a "severe" era pictured by an empty Crater cup, a scavenging crow named Corvus, and a Virgin gleaning grain) (6:6). When bread is eaten by weight, it is a sign of SCARCITY. The balances were used as a common symbol in Rome for justice and commerce and hence were often a badge of the emperor or provincial governors as seen on Roman coins. The rider is a tax-gatherer. What caused this economic depression and famine? Gibbon says of this period, "The industry of the people was discouraged by a long series of oppressions," and the financial oppression was "a noxious weed of luxurious growth, DARKENING the Roman world with its deadly SHADE." The HEAVY TAXATION was the result of reckless extravagance in the reigns of Caracalla and Elagabalus -- dissolute emperors -- who for ten years exhausted the resources of the Empire in supporting the army. TAXES to support the armies, the court and the capital city, could be paid either in money or the equivalent value of produce such as wheat, wine and oil. Roman TAXATION by this official tax gatherer caused black DEPRESSION. One of the chief causes of decay was EXCESSIVE TAXATION from 200 to 250 A.D. Not just local, provincial taxes. In 212 A.D., the Emperor Caracalla issued his famous decree extending the "privilege" of Roman citizenship to all free men within the Empire. Such a "favor" was actually a curse since it carried with it MORE TAXES. This TAXATION to maintain the armies, coupled with the EXTRAVAGANT administration of the Empire, proved to be so burdensome that AGRICULTURE was RUINED, and fertile provinces were LEFT UNCULTIVATED in desolation, ECONOMIC DEPRESSION and gloom. TAXATION was brought to such a pitch that vast tracts of country went OUT of CULTIVATION -- the tiller of the soil feeling NO ENCOURAGEMENT to RAISE CROPS merely to hand over to the revenue officer. An idea of the extent of the taxation, which crushed alike every part of the empire, may be gathered from the fact that when a new government took over, taxes were instantly reduced to one thirtieth part of what they were during the reigns of Caracalla and Elagabalus. Alexander Severus came to the throne after the assassination of Elagabalus, and he wasn't unjust with regard to the wine and oil. In other words, although wheat should be at FAMINE prices owing to the FISCAL EXTORTIONS of the first part of the seal, prices were lowered instead. The prices given for wheat ("one measure for a penny") and barley ("three measures for a penny") enable us to date the prophecy since they are the exact market prices during the reign of Alexander Severus (222-235 A.D.). The Greek verb "adikeo," translated "hurt" in verse 6, means "to be unjust." The command should be translated "and see thou BE NOT UNJUST with regard to the oil and the wine,"-- that is, when collecting taxes, take only the FAIR EQUIVALENT in PRODUCE. It was wine and oil that had been HEAVILY 162
THE BOOK OF REVELATION: M. M. NINAN TAXED. Severus lowered the taxes, reduced the price of provisions, and the interest on money. But all his efforts to change the color of the horse were inadequate. The previous evils were too deeply planted to be removed in a short time, and the army became discontented with the economy of Severus. "And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see. And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth" (6:7-8). When he had opened the fourth seal (sun was pulled off crescent "underneath" by Aries), the fourth beast (Scorpio or Serpens who are both poisonous) said, Come (6:7). A pale horse (Lunar crescent held by Sagittarius at moonrise and before sunrise makes a pale color; "pestilences" -- Matt. 24:7): and the rider's name was Death (Roman Augustus is"buried six feet under"-- under the horizon before sunrise since constellation is "pale"; he holds the Grim Reaper's lunar crescent moon scythe of death in his hand; Aquila [the Roman eagle] wounded), and Hell (Sagitta the arrow) followed with him. And power was given to them over the fourth part of the earth (Rome is the fourth empire in succession after Babylon, Medo-Persia, and Greece; also Diocletian divided the empire into quarters in 292 A.D. and the Italian quarter took the brunt of these calamities: from 248 to 296 A.D.; also Scorpio has four sets of legs; also there are four beasts: Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius), to kill with sword, hunger, death, and beasts (6:8). Historically, the "FOURTH part" is a play on words. First, it is the FOURTH empire in succession from Babylon -- namely the whole Roman Empire. Second, ONE QUARTER of the citizens from all parts of the Roman Empire fell victim to war, famine, disease and wild beasts. Third, Diocletian divided the empire into FOUR PARTS, called prefectures, over each of which a prince, or prefect, exercised authority in subjection to the emperors. The four parts at this time were: 1. the East (including Egypt, Syria, Asia Minor etc.); 2. Illyricum; 3. Gaul (France, Spain, Britain, etcetera) and 4. Italy. The principal or leading fourth was the prefecture of Italy -- headquarters of the Roman Empire. The events of the FOURTH seal especially affected this FOURTH section of the FOURTH empire. From 250 to 300 A.D., disastrous WARS raged both within the Empire and against enemies on the borders. DISEASE followed the bloodshed. Also the ruin of agriculture through excessive taxation brought inevitable FAMINES; and, as civilization waned, the wild BEASTS which multiplied ravaged the inhabitants. During this time there were 39 emperors and not one died a natural death. Virtually all were assassinated. Maximin had Severus assassinated. Once he became emperor, he had 4000 nobles put to death. Commanders, governors and nobles were executed at the slightest accusation. He confiscated taxes for his own use and the use of his army. He stripped temples of gold and silver. This all led to public revolt and civil WAR. Finally Maximin was killed by his troops. The early church historian Eusebius, writing of this period, says, "Death waged a desolating war with two weapons, FAMINE and PESTILENCE ... Men, wasted away to mere skeletons, stumbled hither and thither like mere shadows, trembling and tottering. They fell down in the midst of the streets ... then, drawing their last gasp cried out, HUNGER! ... Some indeed were already the food of the dogs." Gibbon says, "From A.D. 248 to the death of Gallienus there elapsed twenty years of shame and misfortune ... FAMINE was followed by epidemical DISEASES, the effect of scanty and unwholesome food. Other causes must, however, have contributed to the furious PLAGUE which, from the year A.D. 250 to the year 265, raged without interruption in every Province, every city, and almost every family in the Roman Empire. During some times, five thousand persons died daily in Rome ... So great was the mortality that we might expect that war, PESTILENCE and FAMINE had consumed in a few years the half of the human species." 163
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M. M. NINAN
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M. M. NINAN CONTENTS CHAPTER I PROL
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THE BOOK OF REVELATION: M. M. NINAN
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Prof. Madathilparampil Mammen Ninan
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Life, Legacy and the Theology of Dr
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