As a contrast to “the rivers and fountains of waters” which “became blood,” we are told in chapter xxii, 1, of “the pure river of the water of life, clear as crystal.” Over against “the sun” which “scorched men with great heat,” the statement is made, in chapter xxi, 23, that “the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.” And, while judgment fell on the throne of the beast, “and his kingdom was full of darkness, and they gnawed their tongues for pain,” we learn of the new city that “the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him.” “And there shall be no night there; ... for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign forever and ever.” There seems to be in this a reminiscence of the plague of darkness with which the Almighty visited Pharaoh and the Egyptians, and which was the last one before the final stroke of his judgment upon the firstborn (Exodus x, 21‒23). The fifth trumpet was interpreted as a prophecy of the blindness, both of heart and mind, which comes upon men when faith declines and grace wanes. This interpretation appears to be confirmed by the judgment which the plague of the fifth vial inflicts. The locality of the sixth plague is the Euphrates. This river, as has been previously said, was the boundary line between civilization and barbarism. The mention of it implies that the last conflict in which the kingdom of Christ shall engage will be waged to oppose an inroad or outburst of barbarism. But as John presents this matter with fuller details in chapter xx the discussion of it will be postponed until that part of the Revelation is reached. One new feature, which is introduced for the first time in connection with the sixth vial, is the singular sentence, “That the way of the kings of the east might be prepared.” The origin of this expression is to be found in Isaiah xli, 2, to which it has doubtless a reference. In that passage, “the righteous man from the east” to whom is given “rule over kings” is, undoubtedly, Cyrus, whose advent and success are thus foretold. And the meaning is that, as out of heathenism God raised up that marvelous man as an instrument to accomplish his purposes in the deliverance of his people, so there is such fullness of resources in the reach of divine power that in any emergency or peril he is able to find, anywhere, means to rescue his followers or his Church out of danger.