And the night likewise.—The same is true of the world's dark night of sin and death, and the darkest feature of that night—the Time of Trouble such as was not since there was a nation. The Old Testament has much of light and instruction on this subject.
8:13. And I beheld, and heard an [angel] EAGLE.—One of Pastor Russell's humble followers (Matt. 24:28) apprehending correctly the significance of the three woes.
Flying through the midst of heaven.—Beginning with the papal heavens and then in their order of development, the Lutheran heavens, Anglican heavens, Calvinistic heavens and Baptist heavens (and others shortly.)
Saying with a loud voice.—With considerable plainness of speech.
Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth.—Great distress and perplexity of mind to all supporters of Satan's Empire.
By reason of the other voices.—Later movements in the ecclesiastical heavens described in Chapters 9 and 10.
Of the three angels, which are yet to sound.—The four great denominations—Lutheran, Anglican, Presbyterian and Baptist—were formed in swift succession within twenty years from the time Luther nailed the theses on the Wittenberg door. But the work of forming new movements away from papal bondage did not stop there.
“Ye curious minds, who roam abroad,
And trace creation's wonders o'er,
Confess the footsteps of your God,