The Revelation Explained / An Exposition, Text by Text, of the Apocalypse of St. John

Behold the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them. Isa. 42:9.
Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets. Amos 3:7.


The subject of prophecy should be of interest to every Bible student. Its importance can not be overestimated. By it we are enabled to ascertain our true position in this time-world. From the early dawn of creation, Inspiration has foretold with certainty the great facts connected with the history of God's chosen people. By this means alone, the divinity of Jesus Christ and the truth of our holy religion has been established in many minds; for it is not in the power of mortals thus to vaticinate future events. With such surprising accuracy have these predictions been fulfilled that even infidels ofttimes bear witness to their truthfulness. Behold the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them. Isa. 42:9. For I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done. Isa. 46:9, 10.
The Revelation is a rich mine of prophetic truth. The history of the current dispensation is there delineated in advance so perfectly that we can not but attribute its authorship to Him who knoweth the end from the beginning, and worketh all things after the counsel of his own will. It was written for the special benefit of the people of God, and we should give it prayerful consideration.
In the preparation for this work, I have gleaned historical information from all the general and ecclesiastical histories, encyclopedias, etc., within my reach, and only regret that I had not access to a still greater number. However, knowing that large books are seldom read, I determined in advance not to write an extensive work, but to condense the subject matter as much as possible, and, therefore, I have been obliged to omit much valuable material previously gathered. For this reason many lines of prophetic truth penned by others of the sacred writers have been passed over in silence, even though relating to the same events as certain symbolic visions in the Revelation.