A more romantic spot to have visions could not be found--about 38°
north of the equator, a beautiful sky, mild climate, calm waters,
and a solemnity of surroundings that would impress a less imaginative
mind. It would have a marvelous effect on an excitable fanatic zealot,
brimful with fantastic religious notions. No wonder he beheld the
doors of heaven open, and heard a sound of a trumpet--and he was
immediately in the spirit; that is, he was either dreaming or in an
ecstatic state, and could see all the things he did see with his eyes
either closed or open.
He saw a throne. One sat in it. It looked like jasper and sardonyx. And
he saw a rainbow like emerald. Round about there were twenty-four
seats, wherein twenty-four elders were sitting clad in white raiment,
with crowns of gold on their heads. Thunder and lightning came out
of the throne. There were seven lamps before the throne, and seven
spirits of God, and before the throne there was a sea of glass like
unto crystal; and in the midst of the throne and round about were
four beasts, full of eyes before and behind.
The first beast was like a lion, the second beast was like a calf,
the third beast had the face of a man, the fourth beast was a flying
eagle. And the four beasts had each six wings about him, and they
were full of eyes within.
Chapter v, 6: There stood a lamb with seven horns, seven eyes, seven
spirits, etc.
Chapter vi: He saw a white horse, a red horse, a black horse, and a
pale horse. The first had a crown, the second a sword, the third a
pair of balances, on the fourth sat Death and Hell. There were seals
opened, etc., etc. The fifth seal was the souls slain by the sword of
God. The sixth seal, earthquake, the sun became black and the moon red,
and the heavens departed as a scroll, etc.
Chapter vii: He sees four angels standing on the four corners of
the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should
not blow, etc. He saw another angel with a seal--for various tribes,
etc.--very fanciful, very fantastic, very imaginative.
Chapter viii: The seventh seal opened. Seven angels with seven trumpets
standing before God. One angel stood with a golden censer. Five
filled the censer with fire. Voices. Thunderings, lightnings, and
an earthquake.
Verse 7: The first angel sounded. There followed hail and fire,
mingled with blood; trees and green grass were burnt up.
Verse 8: The second angel sounded. A mountain of burning fire was
cast into the sea, and the third part of the sea became blood.
Verse 9: A third part of the creatures and a third part of the ships
were destroyed.
Verse 10: The third angel sounded. A great star fell from heaven,
burning.
Verse 11: The fourth angel sounded. A third part of the sun and moon
were smitten, a third part of the stars, etc.
Chapter ix: The fifth angel sounded. A star falls into the bottomless
pit. He mixes smoke, locusts, scorpions, torments, horns, battles,
crowns of gold.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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