EXPLANATION OF PROPHETIC FIGURES

ADULTERY. Idolatry. Jeremiah 3:9. Ezekiel 23:37.

AIR. Spirit of piety - false theories. Ephesians 2:2.

ALTAR. Christ. Psalm 43:4. Hebrews 13:10.

AMON. A people, or son of my people.

ANCIENT OF DAYS. God. Daniel 7:9.

ANGEL. Christ, or messenger of God. Exodus 23:20. Revelation 1:1. 20:1.

ARK. Christ. Psalm 132:8. Numbers 10:33.

ASCENSION INTO HEAVEN. Dignity and honor. John 6:62. Isaiah 14:13, 14. Revelation 11:12.

ASLEEP. Death. Acts 7:60. 2 Peter 3:4. 1 Corinthians 15:18.

AWAKE. Resurrection. Job 14:12. Psalm 17:15. John 11:11. Daniel 12:2.

BABYLON. Confusion, mixture, worldly.

BALAAM. Their destruction without the prophet.

BALANCE. Justice. Daniel 5:27. Worldly mind. Revelation 6:5.

BANNER. Gospel ensign, love. Cant.ii.4.

BEASTS. Kingdoms, or powers. Daniel 7:3, 17. Revelation 4:6-8. 5:8, 9.

BEHELD or BEHOLDING. Joy, or grief, according to the circumstances. Psalm 119:158. Revelation 11:12.

BED. A place of confinement. Revelation 2:22. Isaiah 28:20.

BELLY. Practical part. Romans 16:18. Job 15:35. Revelation 10:9, 10. Luke 15:16. John 7:38.

BIND. To judge and condemn. Matthew 13:30. 22:13.

BIRD or FOWL. Warriors and conquerors. Isaiah 46:11. Jeremiah 12:9. Revelation 18:2.

BIRTH. Deliverance from heavy judgments. Isaiah 37:3-20. 66:9.

BLACK. Error, cruelty, death. Jeremiah 4:28. Revelation 6:5-12.

BLASPHEMY. Idolatry. Isaiah 65:7. Ezekiel 20:24-27.

BLESS or BLESSED. Saved from sin and from death. Psalm 28:9. 37:22. Isaiah 61:9. Revelation 14:13.

BLIND. Those who are willfully ignorant and prejudiced. Isaiah 56:10-12. 42:18-20. Matthew 23:16. 15:14. 2 Corinthians 4:4. 1 John 2:11.

BLIND. Self-righteousness. Matthew 15:14. 23:16 to 26.

BLOOD. Death, war and slaughter. Matthew 27:24. Isaiah 15:9. 34:3. Revelation 6:10. 8:8. 11:6. 14:20.

BLOWING OF THE WIND. The Holy Spirit doing its office in regeneration. Cant.iv.16. John 3:8. Revelation 7:1.

BOOK. God’s designs, knowledge and counsel. Psalm 139:16. Isaiah 34:16. Reading, is to make his designs known. To Seal, is to shut up, or make sure.

BOW AND ARROWS. Victory over enemies. Isaiah 41:2. Revelation 6:2.

BRASS, is used for impudence and sin, warlike. Isaiah 48:4. Jeremiah 6:28. Micah 4:13.

BRANCH. A descendant, or offspring. Isaiah 11:1. Jeremiah 23:5. Daniel 11:7.

BREAD. Doctrine of life. Amos 8:11. Matthew 4:4.

BREAST-PLATE. Defense, or armor. Isaiah 59:17. Revelation 9:9.

BREASTS. Consolation, word of God. Isaiah 66:11.

BRIDLE. The restraining power of God. Isaiah 30:28.

BRIMSTONE. Curse of God. Isaiah 30:33. 11:4.

BURNING WITH FIRE, is to destroy, or change their state completely. Malachi 4:1-3. 2 Peter 3:10, 11. Revelation 20:9.

BUY, or BUYING, is used as an act of giving or receiving religious instruction. Isaiah 55:1. Revelation 3:18. 13:17.

CANDLE, is light. Jeremiah 25:10. Matthew 5:15. Luke 11:36. 15:8.

CANDLESTICKS. The means of light; as the kingdom of Christ, the two witnesses, and seven churches, are called candlesticks. Daniel 5:5. Zechariah 4:2, 11. Revelation 2:5. 11:4.

CARMEL. The vineyard of God. Mich.vii.14.

CHAIN, signifies the laws of God; or man, in prophecy. Psalm 149:8. Acts 28:20. Jude 6.

CHITTEM. Those that bruise. Daniel 11:30.

CITY OF GOD. New Jerusalem. Hebrews 12:22. Revelation 3:12.

CITY OF NATIONS. Antichrist, or Babylon. Revelation 16:19. 17:18.

The streets of the great city are the ten kings. Revelation 11:8, 13.

CLOUD, or TO RIDE ON A CLOUD, is an emblem of power and great glory. Matthew 24:30. Sometimes it means heavy judgments, as in Joel 2:2. Zephaniah 1:15.

CROWN. Dignity and honor. Proverbs 16:31. Isaiah 28:1-5. 62:3.

CRY or CRIED. To be sensible of want. Prayers and petitions for relief; or forerunner of war. 2 Kings 4:40. Psalm 30:2-8. Revelation 14:18.

DARKNESS. Ignorance, unbelief, and every evil work, confusion and horror. Proverbs 4:19. Isaiah 60:2. Ephesians 5:11.

DAY, is one year - revolution of the earth in its orbit. Numbers 14:34. Ezekiel 4:5, 6. Daniel 9:24.

DAY OF THE LORD. Judgment day, or 1000 years. 1 Thessalonians 5:2. 2 Peter 3:8-10. Revelation 20:4-7.

DEATH. Separation from body, from holiness, from God; inactive, separate from former state. This is the proper sense.

DESERT, or WILDERNESS. Paganism, or away from the force of the laws of the Romish Church. Isaiah 40:3. Ezekiel 47:8. Revelation 12:6.

DEVIL. Roman government; pagan and papal, when used as a symbol. Revelation 2:10. 12:9. 20:2.

DEW AND RAIN, signify the pouring out of the Spirit and heavenly blessing. Psalm 133:3. Proverbs 19:12. Hosea 14:5.

DOGS. Wicked men and teachers. Isaiah 56:10. Revelation 22:15. Philippians 3:2. Psalm 59:6-14.

DRAGON. Rome pagan. Revelation 17:8. Afterwards papal. Persecuting governments.

DRUNKENNESS. Intoxicated with worldly riches, pleasures and honors. Isaiah 29:9. Matthew 24:49. Luke 21:34.

EAGLE, denotes a people hid, or out of sight. Revelation 12:14. 4:7. Matthew 24:28.

EARTH. The Roman kingdom. Revelation 13:12, and 19:2.

EARTHQUAKE. Revolutions. Haggai 2:21, 22. Revelation 6:12. 16:18.

EAT. To consume or destroy. Revelation 17:16. James 5:3. Revelation 19:18.

ELDERS, TWENTY-FOUR, denote the whole priesthood, taken from twenty-four courses. 1 Chronicles 24.

FIRE, is used to denote destruction, and justice of God. Psalm 68:2. Hebrews 12:29. Word of God. Jeremiah 5:14.

FLESH. Riches and honors of the world. 2 Peter 2:10-18. 1 John 2:15, 16. Revelation 19:18.

FLOOD. Great numbers. Isaiah 59:19. Daniel 9:26. Revelation 12:15, 16.

FOREHEAD. Public profession, or character. Jeremiah 3:3. Ezekiel 9:4. Revelation 7:3. 13:16.

FROGS. The symbolic meaning of frogs (say some) is flatterers or impostors. See Revelation 16:13.

GARMENTS, denote the character, as white denotes purity or righteousness; rags, filthy; sackcloth, mourning. Daniel 7:9. Zechariah 3:3, 4. Revelation 16:15.

GOD, when used as a symbol, denotes a prince, ruler, or magistrate. 1 Corinthians 8:5. Galatians 4:8.

GRAVE. To hide in secret; put out of memory. Job 14:13.

GRASS, means people, as green the righteous, dry or stubble the wicked. Isaiah 40:6, 7, 8. 1 Peter 1:24. Revelation 8:7. 9:4.

HAIL, denotes wars, slaughter and desolation, by some Northern government. Isaiah 28:2, 17. 30:30, 32. Revelation 8:7.

HAND. Symbol of action and labor. Isaiah 10:13. 48:13. Revelation 20:1. Daniel 8:25.

HARLOT. An idolatrous community, or church. Isaiah 1:21. Jeremiah 3:1-8. Revelation 17:5.

HARVEST. The gathering of men to their final destiny. Matthew 13:39. Jeremiah 51:33. Joel 3:13.

HEAD. The supreme power of the object. Daniel 2:38. Ephesians 1:22. Revelation 19:12.

HEAT. Anger, calamity. Deuteronomy 29:24. Ezekiel 3:14. Revelation 16:9.

HEAVEN. Government of God with his people. Deuteronomy 11:21. Isaiah 49:13. Matthew 16:19. 25:1, 14. Daniel 7:18, 22.

HILL. Kingdoms. Isaiah 2:2. 5:25. Micah 6:1, 2.

HORN. Kings. Daniel 7:24. 8:20, 21. Revelation 17:12, 16.

HORSE. War and conquest. Proverbs 21:31. Jeremiah 8:6.

White, victory. Revelation 6:2. 19:11.

Black, distress and calamity. Revelation 6:5.

Red, war and hostility. Revelation 6:4.

Pale, death and destruction. Revelation 6:8.

IRON. Strength. Daniel 2:33-41. Revelation 2:27.

ISRAEL. Christian church. Isaiah 45:4-25. Galatians 6:16.

ISLANDS. Small governments in Roman states. Ezekiel 26:15, 16. Zephaniah 2:11. Revelation 16:20. 6:14.

JERUSALEM. The church of God. Isaiah 52:9. Galatians 4:26.

JEZEBEL. Antichrist. 1 Kings 18:19. Revelation 2:20.

KILLING. Depriving of power. Psalm 44:22. Romans 8:36. Revelation 6:4. 11:7.

KING. Forms of government or power. Daniel 8:23. Revelation 9:11. 17:10.

LAMB. Messiah. Isaiah 16:1. John 1:29. Revelation 5:12.

LAMP. Word of God or Mahometan Bible. Psalm 119:105. Revelation 8:10.

LEOPARD. A cruel, fierce, and quick conqueror. Hosea 13:7. Habakkuk 1:8. Revelation 13:2.

LION. Valiant, strong, courageous. Proverbs 28:1. 30:30. Revelation 10:3. 13:2.

LOCUSTS. Great armies. Isaiah 33:4. Nahum 3:15, 17. Revelation 9:3-7.

MARK. To profess allegiance. The Roman soldiers had marked foreheads and hands. Ezekiel 9:4. Revelation 13:16, 17. 14:9, 11.

MEASURE. Completed, finished. Psalm 39:4. Jeremiah 51:13. Matthew 23:32. Revelation 11:1.

MERCHANTS. Professed ministers of Christ. Isaiah 23:8, 18. Jeremiah 14:18. Revelation 18:11, 12, 23.

MOON. Gospel. Isaiah 30:26. Revelation 12:1. Or church. Cant.vi.10.

MOUNTAIN. Governments. Isaiah 2:2. Daniel 2:35.

MOUNTAIN, HOLY. The gospel kingdom. Isaiah 11:9. The seat of Antichrist. Ezekiel 28:14. Daniel 11:45.

MORNING. Resurrection of the just. Psalm 49:14.

MOUTH. Commands, or laws. Daniel 7:8. Revelation 13:5. 16:13. 1 Thessalonians 2:8.

NAKED. Shame and disgrace. Micah 1:8, 11. Revelation 3:18. 16:15. 17:16.

NIGHT. Moral darkness or wickedness. Isaiah 21:8. Romans 13:12. 1 Thessalonians 5:5. Revelation 21:25.

NUMBER or NUMBERED. Finished - end. Psalm 90:12. Daniel 5:26. Ezekiel 4:4-6. Revelation 13:17, 18.

OIL. Faith. Matthew 25:8. Cant.i.3. Hebrews 4:2.

OX, denotes a people for slaughter. Proverbs 7:22. Jeremiah 11:19. Numbers 23:1.

RAIN. Reformation, grace, refreshing. Deuteronomy 32:2. Hosea 6:3. James 5:7.

RED. Persecuting, bloody. Revelation 6:4. 12:3.

RIVERS. People living on the rivers, mentioned Isaiah 8:7. Revelation 8:10. 16:4.

ROD OF IRON. Power of Christ. Psalm 2:9. Isaiah 11:1. Revelation 2:27.

SCARLET. Bloody, cruel. Revelation 17:3, 4.

SEA. A large body of people. Isaiah 57:20. Daniel 7:3. Revelation 7:2, 3.

SHIELD AND BUCKLER. Psalm 91:4.

STARS. Ministers in the church, or rulers in the world. Revelation 12:1. Daniel 8:10. 12:3. Jude 13.

SUN. As in the natural, so in the moral world, source of all light, Christ or his word. Genesis 37:9. Psalm 84:11. Malachi 4:2.

SWORD. Slaughter. Jeremiah 15:3. Ezekiel 21:28.

SWORD, TWO-EDGED. Word of God. Psalm 149:6. Hebrews 4:12. Revelation 1:16. 2:12.

TAIL. Subordinate officers or provinces. Isaiah 9:14, 15. Revelation 12:4.

TEETH, LARGE IRON. Strong devouring enemy. Daniel 7:7, 19. Revelation 9:8.

TEMPLE. The church professedly of Christ or Antichrist. Malachi 3:1. 2 Corinthians 6:16. Revelation 7:15.

THUNDER. Sudden dispersion of armies or kingdoms. 1 Samuel 2:10. Isaiah 29:5, 6. Psalm 18:13.

TREE OF LIFE. Jesus Christ. Revelation 2:7. 22:2.

VINE. A class of people, as wicked or righteous. Hosea 10:1. Revelation 14:18.

VOICES. Many people engaged in the same cry to be eased of burdens, or rejoicing. Luke 23:23. Revelation 8:5. 11:15, 19.

WALK WITH GOD, is to live with and be in communion with him. 2 Corinthians 6:16. Revelation 3:4.

WATERS. Flesh, or people. Numbers 24:7. Isaiah 48:1. 8:7. John 5:8. Revelation 17:15.

WHIRLWIND. Heavy judgments of God. Psalm 58:9. Proverbs 1:27. Isaiah 66:15.

WILDERNESS. Outlawed from the great city. Deuteronomy 32:10. Jeremiah 12:10. Revelation 12:6.

WIND. Doctrine, good and bad. Cant.iv.16. Isaiah 26:18. Ephesians 4:14.

WINE, is consolation, and anger, and justice. Cant.v.1. Isaiah 55:1. Revelation 16:19. 17:2.

WINGS. Protection, defense. Exodus 19:4. Psalm 17:8. 36:7. Revelation 9:9. 12:14.

WITNESS. Christ, prophets and apostles. Isaiah 43:10. Acts 1:8, 22. Revelation 1:5. 3:14. 20:4.

WITNESSES, TWO. Two testaments, scriptures, figured by the two cherubims. Revelation 11:3, 4. Zechariah 4:3-6. John 5:39. 1 John 5:9. Exodus 31:18.

WOMAN. The true church and anti-christian church. Isaiah 54:6. Jeremiah 6:2. Revelation 12:1. 17:3, 7.

WOOD. People. Jeremiah 5:14.

WORDS OF GOD. Fire. Jeremiah 5:14.

WRATH, DAY OF. Judgment day. Job 21:30. Psalm 110:5. Zephaniah 1:15. Romans 2:5. Revelation 6:17.