BLOODS.

“The Earth shall disclose her Bloods.”

            “From the necessities of the case, in order to their representation to the senses of the prophet (John,) the disembodied martyrs appear in their own persons; and to guard the student of the vision against interpreting them like other symbols, as representatives by analogy, they are expressly declared to be the spirits of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they hold, and exhibited as uttering sentiments, and receiving an answer, appropriate to that relation to God.” Lord. They are “expressly declared to be” the souls (tas psuchas) not “the spirits” of the slain—“the bloods” of the witnesses crying, like Abel’s from the ground, for blood-avengment upon shedders thereof. This is the idea represented in the fifth seal. In the resurrection, they from whom “the bloods” were poured out will receive “white robes”—they will be covered with robes of righteousness, and garments of salvation. There is no allusion to “disembodied spirits” in the Apocalypse, which is a revelation of things past, present, and future upon earth in its past, present and future states.

* * *