“The Revolution, having accomplished its work in France, having there destroyed royal despotism, ... now set itself about fulfilling its early promise of giving liberty to all peoples.  In a word, the revolutionists became propagandists.  France now exhibits what her historians call her social, her communicative genius.”  Napoleon was right when he said that a revolution in France was sure to be followed by a revolution throughout Europe.  “France conceived the idea that she had a Divine mission, as the great apostle of liberty, to propagate republicanism through all the kingdoms of Europe.  In her madness of intoxication she undertook the work, threw down the gauntlet, and the fierce tocsin of war sounded from nation to nation, until the continent was converted into one vast battle-field.”

The “angel of the waters” signifies the angel that had charge of the vial of wrath poured out upon the rivers and fountains of waters.  In full view of the awful plagues sent upon the inhabitants of earth, one grand thought seemed to occupy his mind—­the righteousness of these judgments.  It is not such a thought as humanity would have in mind when reading the history of these fearful convulsions of society, one scene of terror only preparing the way for another more horrible, until they would feel like closing the book and asking, “When will this awful night of horror be over?  When will these avenging judgments cease?” These, however, were not the thoughts of this angel clothed in spotless garments; for, draining his vial to the dregs and forcing the nations to drink it, he said:  “Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus.  For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy.”  Truly, in this the Word of God is fulfilled, which says, “My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways.”  Isa. 55:8.  That class of people who represent God as a kind, loving Father only, one who will not take vengeance upon the objects of his own creation—­let them visit in the pages of history these nations of Europe, scathed and blasted with the hot thunderbolts of divine wrath, until their minds sicken with horror at the sight of human agony and blood.  In full view of these horrifying scenes let them hear the angel of the waters saying, “Thou art righteous, O Lord ... because thou hast judged thus; for they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink, for they are worthy”; while another voice from heaven, even from the altar, replies, “Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments”—­and their theology must here break down.

The thoughts just expressed confirm with certainty our interpretation of the “sea” and “rivers and fountains of waters” as signifying those nations which had been the persecutors of the saints, and show, also, the character of the divine judgments as being the shedding of their blood.  They had shed the blood of saints and prophets, and now the same cup of wrath was placed to their lips, and they were forced to drink it to the dregs.  God remembered the sighs and groans of his faithful followers; the cry of the martyrs for the avenging of their blood on “them that dwell on the earth” reached his ear; and now the time of retribution began.