As was stated in our opening segment on Chapter 16, “it has been suggested that the Volumes (i.e., the “Studies in the Scriptures”, series) have been (and are being) used by the Lord in the destruction of Babylon, with this we are in agreement, this can be scripturally proven, however what particular part in this work they play is disputable,” nevertheless we should still like to present this viewpoint, a view shared by both Brother Shallieu and Brother Eugene Burns as well as many other brethren. We believe this will prove beneficial to us as it adds more insight on the plagues. The following excerpts come from “The Keys of Revelation”, written by Brother Shallieu.

Revelation Chapter 16

 Verse 2 continued, “And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshiped his image.”

The Earth

The first angel poured out his vial and plague upon the “earth,” that is, upon the dry land. The earth here represents those under religious restraint.

It must ever be kept in mind that all the plagues are poured on, and affect chiefly, the so-called Christian world (Babylon or Christendom), although the rest of the world suffers likewise.

Noisome and Grievous Sore

A “grievous sore” would be a large boil or an open, ulcerated sore. In either case it would be tender and easily irritated. The pouring of each plague extends over a period of time, causing periodic hurt in different ways. The leaders of the various seminaries and theological schools, as well as the clergy, are, to a certain extent, familiar with but resentful of the truth (as it exposes their errors, and becomes an irritant or plague upon them).

However, as long as the truth is not too widely perceived by the masses, they will generally leave its proponents alone. The leadership are not in harmony with the truth, for they consider it to be Arian doctrine and heresy, classifying it among the cults. As soon as the truth becomes prominent, they actively oppose it.

The pouring of the first plague or message, The Divine Plan of the Ages, the first volume of Studies in the Scriptures, written in 1886 and circulated in the millions (now largely lost sight of because of the passage of time), produced this very reaction. Even today a smoldering resentment exists among some of the leadership, but as long as the people are listless, apathetic, and not much concerned with religion, they leave the truth movement alone. They figure, why stir up a hornet’s nest, why pull skeletons out of the closet, why furnish free advertising to such a movement? Generally speaking, those in nominal religious leadership positions further reason: “Who are the proponents of that movement? What are they doing now? . . . Nothing.” Nevertheless, the message of truth disturbs them.

The word “noisome” is used in the Old Testament to describe a plague: “Surely, he shall deliver thee from the . . . noisome pestilence . . . that walketh in darkness” (Psa. 91:3, 6). A pestilence is like a plague.

For example, the bubonic plague was a “noisome pestilence” in that not only did the disease kill countless numbers of people but the news and the fear of the plague were also dreadful. The plague was decimating; sometimes entire families died. When one member of a family contracted the disease, the other members just waited to see who would get it next. Thus, fear of the oncoming plague was also a part of the plague. The noisome report going in advance of the plague paralyzed the people with fear. The plague itself silently and stealthily stole over the people, not making a sound, but news of the plague was broadcast all over the world.

(What does this bring to mind? The COVID-19 virus?).

As a “noisome” plague, the bubonic plague is a natural example of what in Revelation 16 is spiritual. Therefore, not only the truth itself but the rumors or reports about the truth—the supposedly damaging effect that it produced—were all part of the “noisome” plague or the “noisome and grievous sore.”

Mark of the Beast and Worship of Its Image

 The primary emphasis of the vision is that the plague adversely affected those who “had the mark of the beast” and upon those who “worshiped his image.”

This spiritual “mark” refers to those who support traditional Catholicism.

And this spiritual “mark” also refers to those who worship the beast’s image, i.e., evangelical or confederated Protestantism.

This new combination will be esteemed as God’s instrumentality for doing the work predicted of Messiah.

While this verse identifies that the message is not popular with Catholicism or Protestantism, it also provides a clue or insight as to the time of this prophecy. The image had to be at least formed before the plagues could be poured out, for only after the image was formed could it be worshiped.

The Evangelical Alliance was formed in 1846 (See below) to stem the tide of the fragmentation of Protestantism and to establish those Christian bodies whom it considered to be properly orthodox Protestant. Today the widely recognized World Council of Churches, which had its roots in the earlier Alliance, has become the successor and is part of the image-of-the-beast symbol; those cooperating with the World Council of Churches or the former organization are already worshiping the image. Such individuals think the World Council of Churches is a marvelous development and the best thing that has happened since the schism of the Eastern and Western churches (in 1054) or since Luther and the Reformation (in 1517). They look forward to the healing of old wounds, but the Bible says the opposite: “Say ye not, A confederacy” (Isa. 8:12).

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In the vision of Daniel 8:13,14, the query is raised how long the “sanctuary” and the “host” would be trodden underfoot.

The answer was given: “Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.”

This prophecy points out the year in which (1) a nucleus of holy believers would get entirely free from papal defilement’s and errors and (2) the misappropriated “golden vessels” or precious truths would begin to be restored to this holy or “sanctuary” class.

The key furnished is the succeeding vision concerning the seventy weeks or 490 years of Daniel 9:21–27, whose commencement is 454 B.C., the starting point of the 2300 days or years. Thus A.D. 1846 is 2300 years from 454 B.C., and this is the very year the Evangelical Alliance was formed. In restricting membership and shutting out those considered heterodox, orthodoxy actually assisted in the separation of the nominal host from the true sanctuary class.

We continue with this issue of the Mark of the Beast and Worship of its image in our next post.