Finished Mystery
7:2. And I saw another angel. — The Messenger of the Covenant; our Lord Jesus at His Second Advent. — Mal. 3:1.
Ascending from the east. — "This speaks symbolically of the Sun of Righteousness and its full light of Divine truth and blessing scattering the shadows of sin, ignorance, superstition and death, and healing and restoring the willing and obedient of humanity." — D653; Luke 1:78; Mal. 4:2.
8:3. And another angel. — Not the "voice of the Lord," mentioned in the preceding chapter, but the corporate body — the Watch Tower Bible And Tract Society, which Pastor Russell formed to finish his work. This verse shows that, though Pastor Russell has passed beyond the veil, he is still managing every feature of the Harvest work. "The Watch Tower Bible And Tract Society is the greatest corporation in the world, because from the time of its organization until now the Lord has used it as His channel through which to make known the Glad Tidings." — Z.'17-22; Rev. 14:18; 19:17.
Came and stood. — Waited before the Lord, after the Pastor's death, ready to do the Master's will.
8:5. And the angel. — The Watch Tower Society through its proper representatives.
Took the censer. — The Seventh Volume of Studies In The Scriptures, Divinely provided.
And filled it with fire of the altar. — Coals from the altar signify burning truths; and such the Lord's prophecies always are, when rightly understood. — Isa. 6:5-8. This is a plain intimation of God's purpose to use the Society in further unfoldings of His Truth as it becomes due. "We believe that the Lord will not scatter, but will 'turn His hand [power] upon the little ones,' in this dark hour of trial (Zech. 13:7)." — Z.'17-30.
And cast it. — Greek, "Deliberately hurled it"
Into the earth. — Among order-loving people. — Ezek. 10:2; Luke 12:49.
And there were [voices and] thunderings. — Seven Volumes of "Scripture Studies," this one being the last of the series. (Rev. 10:3, 4.) Thunders are symbolical of controversy, and this volume may cause some. Particularly is it to be expected that the clergy will thunder against whatever Truth it contains. Thunder is caused by the flashing of lightning through the heavens, opening them up, as it were. Immediately after the flash they come together with an angry roar. Thunder, of itself, seldom does anybody any harm. — Rev. 16:18.
And voices. — "These voices have been circulated here and there throughout the whole civilized world, not by worldly agents, not through book-sellers, but by those who have themselves been blessed by the light, and who desire to render a service to the Lord and to the Truth, and to lay down their lives for the brethren by taking to them the glorious and encouraging message now due to the Lord's people." (Z.'02-118.) Voices also symbolize discussion, contention.
And lightnings. — See Rev. 4:5; 11:19; 16:18.
And an earthquake. — "The term earthquake is used to symbolically represent revolution — it is in this sense of
146the word that it is used throughout the Book of Revelation. What we are to look for then will be a great revolution, the great symbolic earthquake, the great shaking of the present institutions which will overthrow everything that is not of the Lord's establishment and approval. Perhaps the symbolical earthquake will be accompanied by a literal one." — B. S. 12:7. And there was war in heaven. — Between the two ecclesiastical powers, Pagan Rome and Papal Rome.
Michael. — "Who as God," the Pope. — B275; C62.
And his angels. — The Bishops. The following is the reply given in the Catholic catechism to the question, "Who are the successors of the Apostles?" Ans. "The bishops who are rightly consecrated, and are in communion with the head of the Church, the Pope."
[Fought against] TO WAR WITH the dragon. — Attempted to get the temporal power away from the civil rulers. — Rev. 2:12.
And the dragon. — Imperial Rome. — B288; Rev. 12:3; 20:2.
Now, I know where the WTBTS borrowed another angel as Jesus. Noticed WTBTS changed the angel to Jesus in "It's Grand Climax Is At Hand"! because they would have looked stupid to say they were the angel!
Mystery solved! Just can't stop laughing about it!
Michael "Who as God" is not the same as "Who is Like God"