Therefore rejoice, [ye] heavens, and ye that dwell in
them,
&c.] So in the prophetic language, at times, and upon
occasions of rejoicing, the heavens are called upon to join, and
bear a part therein, ( Psalms 96:10
Psalms
96:11 ) ( Isaiah 44:23
) ; and by these may be meant here the angels of heaven, who
rejoice at every advance of Christ's kingdom and interest; they
rejoiced at his incarnation, and so they do at the conversion of
every single sinner; and much more may they be thought to do so
at such a time as this, when there were such multitudes of
conversions, and the churches and interest of Christ in so
flourishing a condition, and Satan's kingdom so much weakened;
and to these may be joined the souls of the saints departed, who
might be made acquainted with this wonderful change of things in
the empire; and it may also be understood of the saints, the
members of the several churches, even all heavenly minded
persons, who were born from above, and were partakers of the
heavenly calling, and whose conversations were in heaven; these
are called upon to take their part in this song of praise and
thanksgiving:
woe to the inhabitants of the earth, and of the
sea:
such as are of the earth, earthy, sensual, and earthly minded
persons; and who are like the troubled waters, and raging waves
of the sea, cannot rest, but cast up mire and dirt, and foam out
their own shame; the barbarous nations of the Goths and Vandals,
carnal professors of religion, and the antichristian party, which
quickly upon this sprung up, may be intended, on whom this woe is
denounced; the reason of which follows:
for the devil is come down unto you;
and a greater woe cannot be upon men on earth, than to have the
devil among them, who always brings mischief with him, and
breathes nothing but ruin and destruction to men; he having lost
his power in the Roman empire, possessed the above persons, and
took up his residence among them; he came down, but not
willingly, he was forced to it, he was cast down:
having great wrath;
because he was conquered, and cast out of heaven, and was
deprived of the worship that had been long given him, as the god
of the world, and of that authority and influence which he had
over men: and this his great wrath was seen in stirring up the
Arians to persecute the Christians; and in the times of Julian,
when he endeavoured to regain his lost power; and in bringing in
the Goths, Huns, and Vandals, into the empire, to waste and
destroy it; and in moving the antichristian party, which soon
prevailed, to make war against the saints:
because he knoweth he hath but a short time;
ere he should be shut up in the bottomless pit, or be confined in
the place of torment, and ere his full punishment should be
inflicted on him; which time of his to tempt, deceive, disturb,
and distress men, is to be no longer than during the forty two
months of antichrist's reign, and the 1260 days, or years, of the
witnesses prophesying in sackcloth, and of the church's being in
the wilderness, and no longer than till the thousand years' reign
of Christ with his saints begins, which, in comparison of his
long reign in the Gentile world, is but a short time; and though,
after the thousand years are ended, he will be let loose, yet it
will be but for a season, a very small time, when he will be cast
into the lake of fire and brimstone, and be tormented night and
day, for ever and ever.