Keys to the Apocalypse - Historicism.com

257 Pages·2012·2.6 MB·English

by  Joseph Mede

A Key to the Apocalypse, Discovered and Demon-
starated from the Internal and Inserted Characters
of the Visions.
Author(s): Mede, Joseph (1586-1638)
Publisher: Grand Rapids: Christian Classics Ethereal Library
Description:
i
Contents
Title Page 1
The Apocalyptical Key. The synchronism and order of the Apocalyptical Prophecies, 3
according to the things transacted, on no hypothetical interpretation, nor
preconjecture about the events; but firmly demonstrated from the very characters
of the visions themselves, purposely inserted by the Holy Spirit, and offered to
examination according to a self-evident scheme: so that it may prove, as it were, a
Thesean clew to those who are involved in this sacred labyrinth, and a Lydian stone
to discover the true, and to refute every erroneous interpretation.
Part I. 4
Synchronism I. 5
Synchronism II. 8
Synchronism III. 10
Synchronism IV. 11
[Synchronism] V. 13
Synchronism VI. 14
Synchronism VII. 16
Part II. 17
Preface. 18
I. The Cardinal Point of the Synchronisms. 19
Synchronism II. Of the contemporary term of the Interior Court, and the Battle 22
between the Dragon and Michael concerning the Man Child, with the first Six
Seals.
Synchronism III. Of the Phials with the Sixth Trumpet. 23
Synchronism IV. Of the Thousand Years in which the Dragon or Satan is bound, 24
with the Seventh Trumpet, or the Interval from the Destruction of the Beast.
Synchronism V. Of the Thousand Years of the august Kingdom of Christ, and 28
of the Seventh Trumpet, or the Interval from the Destruction of the Beast.
Synchronism VI. Of the New Jerusalem, the Spouse of the Lamb, with the 30
Seventh Trumpet, or the Period from the Destruction of the Beast.
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Synchronism VII. Of the Palm-bearing Multitude of Persons innumerable, 31
rejoicing in triumph, out of all nations, and kindreds, and peoples, and tongues;
with the Seventh Trumpet, or Period after the Destruction of the Beast.
The Epoch of the Apocalypse. 32
The Close of the Synchronisms and of the Apoclypse. 33
A Commentary on the Revelation of Saint John According to the Rule of the 36
Apocalyptical Key.
The First Part. Of the Apocalyptical Commentaries, according to the Rule of the 37
Apocalyptical Key, on the First Prophecy which is contained in the Seals and
Trumpets; with an Introduction concerning the Scene of the Apocalypse.
Of the Two Apocalyptical Prophecies. 44
Of the first Prophecy, which is that of the Seals; and in the first place, of the 45
events signified by the six first Seals.
Of the First Seal 47
Of the Second Seal. 49
Of the Third Seal. 51
Another mode of interpreting the symbol of Wheat and Barley. 54
Of the Fourth Seal. 55
Of the Fifth Seal. 59
Of the Sixth Seal. 61
Appendix. 69
Circumstances, which throw light on the First Seal, and partly also on those 70
which follow.
The following things throw light on the Third Seal. 71
These relate to the Sixth Seal. 72
The Vision. Of the Company of the Servants of God, or of the elect and faithful 74
Church to be preserved under the ruins of the Seventh Seal, or of the Trumpets,
exhibited under the type of the one hundred and forty-four thousand sealed out
of all the tribes of Israel, at the beginning of the Seventh Seal.
The Reason of the Order of the Sons of Leah. 79
The Reason of the Order of the Sons of Rachel. 80
A Memorable Sentence. Formed from the signification of the names by which 82
the tribes were called, by which both the order of the tribes sealed, the disposition
of the assembly itself, its contest and reward by God are declared.
iii
The Meaning of the Seventh Seal, that is, of the Seven Trumpets. 84
The First Trumpet 87
Corollary taken out of Achmet, of the signification of Hail, Fire, and Trees, in 91
the interpretation of Dreams.
The Second Trumpet. 92
The Third Trumpet. 97
The Fourth Trumpet. 100
Of the Three Woe Trumpets. 102
The Interprtation. Of the Little Book, or, of the other System of Apocalyptical 121
Visions, according to the Rule of the Apocalyptical Key.
The Meaning Of the Interior Court measured by the Reed of God. 123
The Meaning Of the Outer Court with the Holy City trodden under foot by the 124
Gentiles, and on that account to be omitted and rejected from measurement.
The Ichnography Of the Holy Place, that is, of the Temple, andits Courts. 126
The Mystery Of the Two Witnesses prophesying in Sackcloth. 127
The Meaning Of the Red Dragon with Seven Heads fighting with Michael about 147
the new-born Child.
The Mystery Of the Woman dwelling in the Wilderness. 156
Note. 205
Of the Metropolis of Christian Apostasy, the mystic Babylon. 206
The Fall of Antichrist, Or the meaning of the Seven Phials, as far as we are yet 210
permitted to understand it.
And first, Of the Phials generally. 211
Hypothesis Concerning the Phials, one by one. 212
An Exposition Of the Phials, according to the Rule of these Hypotheses. 213
Phial the First. On the Earth, the Universe connected with the Beast. 214
Phial the Second, On the Sea of the Bestial World. 215
Phial the Third, On the Rivers and Fountains of Waters of the Bestial World. 216
Phial the Fourth, On the Sun of the Bestial Heaven. 217
Phial the Fifth, On the Throne of the Beast. 219
Phial the Sixth, On Euphrates. 220
Phial the Seventh, in the Air. 222
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Of The Thousand Years. Of the Seventh Trumpet, and of the oilier Prophecies 223
of wonderful Events contemporary with it.
A Remarkable Passage. From a Dialogue between Justin Martyr, and Trypho, 227
a Jew, respecting the Millennium, or the Thousand Years of the kingdom of
Christ, corrected and illustrated by Notes.
The Opinions Of the Hebrew Doctors on the great Day of Judgment, and of the 230
Reign of the Messiah then to come.
Indexes 235
Index of Scripture References 236
Greek Words and Phrases 240
Hebrew Words and Phrases 245
Latin Words and Phrases 248
Index of Pages of the Print Edition 250
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Title Page
Title Page
A
TRANSLATION
i
OF
MEDE’S
CLAVIS APOCALYPTICA.
BY
R. BRANSBY COOPER, Esq.
LONDON
PRINTED FOR J. G. & F. RIVINGTON,
ST. PAUL’S CHURCH YARD,
AND WATERLOO PLACE, PALL MALL.
1833.
ii
LONDON:
GILBERT & RIVINGTON, PRINTERS,
ST. JOHN’S SQUARE.
1
Title Page
A
iii
KEY TO THE APOCALYPSE,
DISCOVERED AND DEMONSTRATED
FROM THE INTERNAL AND INSERTED
CHARACTERS OF THE VISIONS.
FOR THE USE OF THOSE
WHOM GOD HAS ENDUED WITH THE LOVE AND DESIRE OF KNOWING
AND INVESTIGATING THAT WONDERFUL PROPHECY.
FROM THE LATEST EDITION, REVISED BY THE AUTHOR, THE
REV. JOSEPH MEDE.
“Blessed is he that readeth, (or interpreteth) and they that hear, (or listen to him that interpreteth) the words
of this Prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein, for the time is at hand.”—Apocalypse, chap. i.
ver. 3.
That is, the time is even now come, when those things have begun to be fulfilled, and they will be fulfilled
more and more from day to day.
iv
1
2
The Apocalyptical Key. The synchronism and order of the Apocalyptical Prophecies,…
The Apocalyptical Key. The synchronism and order of the Apocalyptical Prophecies, according to the things transacted, on no hypothetical interpretation, nor preconjecture about the events; but firmly demonstrated from the very characters of the visions themselves, purposely inserted by the Holy Spirit, and offered to examination according to a self-evident scheme: so that it may prove, as it were, a Thesean clew to those who are involved in this sacred labyrinth, and a Lydian stone to discover the true, and to refute every erroneous interpretation.
THE
APOCALYPTICAL KEY;
or,
The synchronism and order of the Apocalyptical Prophecies, according to the things transacted,
on no hypothetical interpretation, nor preconjecture about the events; but firmly demon-
strated from the very characters of the visions themselves, purposely inserted by the Holy
Spirit, and offered to examination according to a self-evident scheme: so that it may prove,
as it were, a Thesean clew to those who are involved in this sacred labyrinth, and a Lydian
stone to discover the true, and to refute every erroneous interpretation.
PREVIOUS REMARKS.
1. I CALL a synchronism of the prophecies a concurrence of events predicted therein within
the same time; which may be called a contemporary or coetaneous period; for prophecies
of contemporary things synchronize.
2. The order of the seals and of the trumpets included under them, is certain and indubit-
2
able; namely, that which the number points out from I. to VII. When the rest of the proph-
ecies are compared with one another, and then with the seals by synchronism, the order of
the whole Apocalypse will be manifest; and this, with God’s assistance, we now proceed to
exhibit.
1
O thou that sittest on the throne, and thou, O Lamb, the root and the offspring of
David, who alone vast worthy to receive and open the book, open the eyes of thy servant,
direct his hand and his mind, that in these thy mysteries he may discern and disclose
something to the glory of thy name, and to the advantage of the Church!
1 Stirps may imply both.
3