The words, _five are fallen, and one is, and
the other is not yet come_, are usually referred by interpreters to the
time of _John_ the Apostle, when the Prophecy was given: but it is to be
considered, that in this Prophecy many things are spoken of as present,
which were not present when the Prophecy was given, but which would be
present with respect to some future time, considered as present in the
visions. Thus where it is said upon pouring out the seventh vial of wrath,
that _great _Babylon_ came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the
cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath_; this relates not to the
time of _John_ the Apostle, but to the time of pouring out the seventh vial
of wrath. So where it is said, _Babylon is fallen, is fallen_; and _thrust
in thy sickle and reap, for the time is come for thee to reap_; and _the
time of the dead is come, that they should be judged_; and again, _I saw
the dead small and great stand before God_: these sayings relate not to the
days of _John_ the Apostle, but to the latter times considered as present
in the visions. In like manner the words, _five are fallen, and one is, and
the other is not yet come_, and _the Beast that was and is not, he is the
eighth_, are not to be referred to the age of _John_ the Apostle, but
relate to the time when the Beast was to be wounded to death with a sword,
and shew that this wound was to be given him in his sixth head: and without
this reference we are not told in what head the Beast was wounded.
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