Preface

The most celebrated commentary upon the remarkable prophecy transmitted from unapproachable light, now commonly known as THE APOCALYPSE, is that of the Horoe Apocalypticoe, by the Rev. E. B. Elliott, A.M., late Vicar of Tuxford, and Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge, England. It consists of four volumes octavo, containing altogether, exclusive of the Index, 2,415 pages. The second chapter of the first volume is devoted to what he terms "the Primary Apostolic Vision," or the things set forth in the first three chapters of the prophecy, and styled by the Spirit "the things which are." Of these he says, "It is not my purpose to enter at all fully into the particulars of this primary vision, and of the epistles therein dictated by the Lord Jesus to the Seven Churches of Asia. The subject is one rather for the minister, or the theologian, than the prophetic expositor; and OF MATTER SUFFICIENT IN ITSELF TO CONSTITUTE A VOLUME." Hence, to this primary vision this learned divine has devoted only six pages; and to what he calls "The Opening Vision" of the fourth and fifth chapters, about thirteen pages.

But Mr. Elliott errs in supposing that the primary vision does not come within the scope of the prophetic expositor. The distinction he makes between a minister, theologian, and prophetic expositor, in relation to the interpreter of the Apocalypse, is artificial and unscriptural. No such distinction can be admitted. The book has its beginning in theology, and requires to be theologically interpreted throughout; and the expositor who cannot exhibit the meaning of the primary vision and the epistles, and does not make them the basis of his exposition of what remains, or "the things which shall be after these," is incompetent to a correct explanation of the parts of this wonderful book which have become historical.

Mr. Elliott, however, is correct in saying that "the subject is of matter sufficient in itself to constitute a volume." I have verified this in the production of the volume now in the reader's possession. I commenced it about four winters since; and after many interruptions, and much other writing to compose, besides frequent and extensive journeys, have been able to complete it. It is larger than at first proposed; a little over three hundred pages having been estimated as its fullest extent. But instead of being limited to this, it has increased to about four hundred and seventy, which, it is presumed, will not be objected to by the reader.

It was originally intended to comprise an exposition of the first four chapters in this volume. But it has been deemed a better division of the work to begin the second volume with the interpretation of the fourth chapter; inasmuch as it is the consummation of the full and entire development of the Seals, which begin to be opened in the sixth chapter. It ought, therefore, not to be separated from the volume of their interpretation. The deficiency of this chapter in the first volume has been offset by a summary of the things taught in the prophets, which occupies forty-five pages of the work. I did not intend to give this originally; but have been induced to do so from the consideration of the universal ignorance prevailing of the prophetic writings. It seemed to me that unless I did this, my interpretation would not be appreciated, seeing that the Apocalypse is the Old Testament prophecies symbolographically represented upon New Testament principles.

The Apocalypse has now been before the world, and in the hands of "the Servants of the Deity," for upwards of seventeen hundred and sixty years. Ignatius, one of the overseers of the christian society in Antioch, nearly thirty years contemporary with the apostle John, and who suffered death for the faith, in writing to the brethren in Rome, at the end of his letter quotes the words en ipomoni Iesous Christou, in the patient waiting of Jesus Anointed, which occur in Apoc. 1:9; and in that precise form, only there in all the New Testament; showing that Ignatius was acquainted with the book, and that, consequently, its origin was anterior to his martyrdom A.D. 107.

Polycarp was also contemporary with John; and Irenaeus, a presbyter of the ecclesia at Lyons, in France, had often listened to Polycarp's expositions of the word. The same Irenaeus often speaks of the Apocalypse in his writings, and quotes from it also. Thus, in speaking of the name and number of the Beast of the Apocalypse, he says, that had this been a matter then to be known, it would have been disclosed by him who saw the Apocalypse; "for it was seen no very long time ago, but almost in our age, towards the end of the reign of Domitian." That is, about A.D. 96. Irenaeus wrote this in or before A.D. 180.

But though this remarkable prophecy has been so long extant, no scriptural, logical, and consistent exposition of it has any existence in the world. "The servants of the Deity," for whose information and use it was revealed, have, doubtless, understood its teaching. They would not search for the things it represents in "kingdoms beyond the skies"; for they have been well aware in all ages that it relates to things to be transacted upon the earth, and in that region of it subject to the Dominion of Daniel's four beasts. They could not, however, demonstrate its historically, of course, except as its predictions were gradually developed. But of their intelligence in the matter we have no means of judging, inasmuch as no writings of a reliable character have reached us.

"The learned," however, have frequently presented society with the result of their apocalyptic lucubrations; but with the general result of discrediting the prophecy, and of causing men to deny its genuineness and apostolical origin. "The learned," by which is meant "the wise and prudent," skilled in dead languages, heathen mythology, and the "theologies" of Rome, Wittemburg, and Geneva, with all this ammunition have found the Apocalypse too bald lot them. The riper their scholarship, the darker is the Apocalypse to the eyes of their understanding. It is of necessity a sealed book to them, and was never written with the expectation that their learning would enable them to read it. It is above their comprehension, because, with all their lore, they are not learned in "the truth as it is in Jesus." It is as true of the Apocalypse as of the book of Daniel, that "the wicked shall not understand"; and they are "the wicked" who, how pious soever they may be, are yet, when weighed in the scales of divine truth, found wanting. However loaded down with the learned lumber of the natural man, they are light weights compared with one of the poor, unlettered servants of the Deity, who are "all taught of God." These are "the wise," or "the instructed," of whom it is written, "the wise shall understand." The spiritual guides of the people, though learned and righteous overmuch, are not "the wise." They cannot, therefore, by any possibility expound Daniel and the Apocalypse; and this is measurably evinced by the fact that but few of them venture upon their exposition, and that those of them who have, have signally and miserably failed.

The Apocalypse is "the things concerning the kingdom of the Deity and the name of Jesus Anointed," with the times and the seasons, symbolically and dramatically exhibited: in other words, "the Mystery of the Deity as he hath declared the glad tidings to his servants the prophets" -- ch. 10:7. The gospel must, therefore, be understood as an indispensable prerequisite to the true and correct exposition of the book. The people's spiritual guides do not understand this gospel, and therefore the Apocalypse is hid from their eyes. This is the grand secret of the failure of all their attempts at interpretation. Their speculations wander and are lost in the labyrinths of the unknown; while the Apocalypse treats of the kingdom and glory covenanted to Abraham, David, and their seed, to which the saints are invited in the gospel; and of their present and future relations to the nations and governments upon earth. The speculations of the schools have nothing to do with the mystery of the Deity prophetically revealed; how is it possible, then, that men indoctrinated with their traditions can expound it? Their efforts, some of which have been exceedingly labored, have all hitherto, must, and will ever terminate in failure.

With these convictions, an exposition of the Apocalypse was, in my estimation, at least, still a desideratum. It was "indicated by sign" to "the servants of the Deity"; and as the Apostasy of which it treats has developed into the maturity of "the things which are," interpretation of the symbols and their descriptive writings is required, to enable those who are unskillful in the word, and the history of the past and present, to understand. I believe that this volume, as far as it goes, will accomplish this; and enable the reader to discern the true character of his surroundings; and to prepare himself for the appearing of Christ, who is to come upon a heedless, blind, and self-sufficient generation, "as a thief in the night."

I have named this exposition "EUREKA." I have done this in conformity with the examples presented in the Bible, where several of the books of which it is composed are designed by Greek names, expressive of some relevant characteristic: such as GENESIS, or Birth; EXODUS, or Departure; DEUTERONOMY, or Second Law; ECCLESIASTES, or Preacher; and so forth. It is convenient to designate a book by a single word or phrase. It is a substitute for the whole title, which, if long, is inconvenient to remember and repeat when reference is made to the book. But I have chosen the word "EUREKA," without the aspirate, as expressive of a fact which, I think, the reader will be able to verify. It is the word shouted forth by Archimedes while running through the streets of Syracuse, upon his discovery of the hydrostatic principle, by which he could detect the imposition practised upon Hiero 11. by the goldsmith who fabricated his crown. It is of the perfect tense of the verb Heurisko, and signifies I have found. If the reader inquire of me, "What?" I answer, "An exposition of the Apocalypse in harmony with 'the things of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Anointed'," which completes the title.

In conclusion, then, we commend this volume to the candid attention of the reader, in hope that it may aid him in the comprehension of a subject "at once so important, so difficult, and so controverted." "Blessed is he that knows accurately, and they who give heed to the words of the prophecy, and observe narrowly the things which have been written in it; for the time is near." -- Rev. 1:3.

John Thomas
West Hoboken, Hudson Co., N.J. Feb. 11, 1861.