And blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues.—Misrepresented the name and character of the mighty one, Pastor Russell, to whom the Lord committed the task of presenting to His Church this meat in due season. This misrepresentation burst like a storm after the publication of Volume IV, Studies, and continued until the Pastor's death, yea, and shame to say it, even afterwards, in the columns of such sheets as the New York World and the Brooklyn Eagle. What monuments of infamy these people have reared for themselves! They richly deserve all they will get when the tide turns.
And they repented not to give Him glory.—“One great obstacle to many is the contracted idea generally entertained of the meaning of the word god. They fail to note [pg 242] that the Greek theos (god) does not invariably refer to Jehovah, but signifies a mighty one. In the following texts the word god (theos) is used to refer to others than the one supreme being, Jehovah—viz.:—John 10:34, 35; Acts 7:40, 43; 17:23; 1 Cor. 8:5.”—B. 274.
Another view of how the publication of Volume IV looks to the worshipers of the beast and his image is shown in the plague of hail, described in Ex. 9:13-26. “The character of this and the following plagues must be carefully examined, as the warning seems to indicate an important turning-point. The ruin caused by the hail was evidently far greater than that effected by any of the earlier plagues; for it destroyed men, which those others seem not to have done, and not only men, but beasts and the produce of the earth. In this case Moses, while addressing Pharaoh, openly warns his servants how to save something from the calamity. Pharaoh for the first time acknowledges his wickedness.” (McC.) The appropriateness of these comments to the subject matter of “The Day of Vengeance,” or “The Battle of Armageddon”, (as it is now called) as the latter would appear to the mind of the clergy, is self-evident. Your true clergyman has the greatest abhorrence for any truth that would tend to lessen men's reverence for himself or the systems which he aims to perpetuate.
16:10. And the fifth [angel].—Volume V, of Studies.
Poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast.—Thoroughly and scripturally analyzing the subjects of trinity, human immortality and eternal torment, the foundation of all Papal doctrine, as well as constituting a large part of the stock in trade of the Protestant aggregation.
And his kingdom was full of darkness.—Complete ignorance of the truths on these subjects as taught in the Bible.
And they gnawed their tongues for pain.—“Note the expression of Rev. Samuel T. Carter in a Presbyterian journal—The Evangelist. He says: ‘It must be admitted that if a Church is honest, that which stands in its Confession to its faith. It must be acknowledged that what is contained in its Confession is the faith of any honest church. The Westminster Confession of Faith is still the unquestioned Confession of the Presbyterian Church. Is the Presbyterian Church honest in its zeal for purity first and peace afterward? Be it known, then, to all the world that the Presbyterian Church by its Confession declares that all the heathen perish, that many men are hopelessly lost from all eternity by the decree of God, and that there are infants in hell.... In reality the church does not believe these dreadful doctrines. Then it stands before God and man with a lie in its right hand.’ ”—Z. '00-148.
16:11 And blasphemed the God of Heaven.—“In token of entire allegiance to the beast.”—Cook.
Because of their pains [and their sores], and repented not [of their deeds].—“The commotion amongst Presbyterians continues—some standing firm for their church creed, others repudiating it and begging to be released from it. Many thus indirectly confess that they have despised it for years, and have realized it to be a lie and a blasphemy against God, and after confessing to this acting and confessing a lie for years they beg to be released without cost or loss either of human or Divine favor, and especially without loss of bread and butter.” (Z. '00-148.) The way in which Volume V, Scripture Studies, appeared to the worshipers of the beast and his image is further illustrated in the plague of locusts, described in Ex. 10:1-11. “This plague has not the unusual nature of the one that preceded it; but it even exceeds it in severity, and so occupies its place in the gradation of the more terrible judgments that form the latter part of the series. Its severity can be well understood by those who have been in Egypt in a part of the country where a plague of locusts has alighted. In this case the plague was greater than any ordinary visitation, since it extended over a far wider space, rather than because it was more intense; for it is impossible to imagine any more complete destruction than that always caused by locusts.” (McC.) With what dismay must the clergy have read the kind words for volume V, which appeared in the columns of the secular press.
16:12. And the sixth [angel].—Volume VI of Studies in the Scriptures.