Footnotes
1. Though a remnant at this time, the title still applies.
2.
In the old version of this post, this error was made. Knox uses the
same description as he did in Apoc. 1:10: "loud as the call of a
trumpet"; unmistakably linking the two.
3. As the Holy Family is a reflection of the Trinity, St. Joseph is representative of the Father.
4.
One difference is that the apparition of chapter one is "in the midst"
of the seven golden candlesticks, representing the seven churches (Apoc.
1:13) and the seven lamps, not candlesticks, are "before the throne"
(Apoc. 4:5).
[Edit:] The lamps are to the throne (the Father) what the candlesticks are to the apparition of chapter one (St. Joseph) and the Holy Spirit is with both; and the seven spirits, the lamps, are "the seven angels who stand before the throne of God, and by extension, all angels" (The Apocalypse Of St. John, p.60); and the seven stars in his hand, which "are the angels of the seven churches" (Apoc. 1:16,20), are not of the same order as those before the throne, though they must be similar in nature.
[Edit:] The lamps are to the throne (the Father) what the candlesticks are to the apparition of chapter one (St. Joseph) and the Holy Spirit is with both; and the seven spirits, the lamps, are "the seven angels who stand before the throne of God, and by extension, all angels" (The Apocalypse Of St. John, p.60); and the seven stars in his hand, which "are the angels of the seven churches" (Apoc. 1:16,20), are not of the same order as those before the throne, though they must be similar in nature.
5.
The sea of glass (and the four living creatures) would seem to be
situated between the throne and everything else. The Knox translation
gives the sense as of the throne being situated
where the sea of glass is, and then the four living creatures, where the
throne is.
6. The "lion of the tribe of Judah" (Apoc. 5:5).
7.
The third "had a man's look" which means not that the figure of the
Divine Maternity had the face of a man, but that Her title as the Mother
of God, of the God-man, was the 'face' of this figure. The other three
do not make such immediate reference to Him.
8. Our Lady, having been Assumed into Heaven, is truly "living"
therein;
and other than Our Lord, there are others who, upon His Resurrection,
were also taken up: "And the graves were opened: and many bodies of the
saints that had slept arose, /And coming out of the tombs after his
resurrection, came into the holy city and appeared to many" (St. Matt.
27:52-53).
9.
The reference to God Who "ever was, and is, and is, and is still to
come" also speaks of the past, present and future, which the Queen of
Prophets can see, including histories that are otherwise unknown.
10.
Excerpt taken from "City of God", St. Augustine, Volume I (Part 30):
'Of the perfection of the number six, which is the first of the numbers
which is composed of its component parts':
These
works are recorded to have been completed in six days (the same day
being six times repeated), because six is a perfect number,--not because
God required a protracted time, as if He could not at once create all
things, which then should mark the course of time by the movements
proper to them, but because the perfection of the works was signified by
the number six. For the number six is the first which is made up of its
own parts, _i.e._, of its sixth, third, and half, which are
respectively one, two, and three, and which make a total of six. In this
way of looking at a number, those are said to be its parts which
exactly divide it, as a half, a third, a fourth, or a fraction with any
denominator,--_e.g._, four is a part of nine, but not therefore a
component part; but one is, for it is the ninth part; and three is, for
it is the third. Yet these two parts, the ninth and the third, or one
and three, are far from making its whole sum of nine. So again, in the
number ten, four is a part, yet does not divide it; but one is a
component part, for it is a tenth; so it has a fifth, which is two; and a
half, which is five. But these three parts, a tenth, a fifth, and a
half, or one, two, and five, added together, do not make ten, but eight.
Of the number twelve, again, the parts added together exceed the whole;
for it has a twelfth, that is, one; a sixth, or two; a fourth, which is
three; a third, which is four; and a half, which is six. But one, two,
three, four, and six make up, not twelve, but more, viz. sixteen. So
much I have thought fit to state for the sake of illustrating the
perfection of the number six, which is, as I said, the first which is
exactly made up of its own parts added together; and in this number of
days God finished His work. And, therefore, we must not despise the
science of numbers, which, in many passages of holy Scripture, is found
to be of eminent service to the careful interpreter. Neither has it been
without reason numbered among God's praises, "Thou hast ordered all
things in number, and measure, and weight."
(Footnotes references removed; and the word "aliquot" replaced with "component").
11.
Which living creature in particular had the "voice of thunder" is not
specified for this reason, in case the first and third should be
confused.
12. This 'echo' of the voice of the Pope and of Heaven had not happened before.
13. The Whole Truth About Fatima, Vol.II, p.460-67. The Secret of Fatima in 1941
15.
It went into force on January 1, 1958; but as the deals were completed
the year before, 1957 should be seen as the year of this seal's opening.
16. Modern technology as machines of all kinds can be said to be "beasts of
the earth", as they were made from the materials of the world but not
with life, as actual beasts have it. The Knox translation describes them
as "wild beasts that roam the earth" which can be automobiles and
aircraft.
17.
The four living creatures "had eyes everywhere to see before
them and behind them" (Apoc. 4:6 Knox). It is possible that these seals
were announced specifically by Our Lady of Fatima in the third part of
the Secret, but, if it is established that the four living creatures are
in fact Herself, She did not need to speak of them specifically in the
third Secret.
18. Haydock commentary online. All references for chapter four.
19.
The full quote, or at least a close paraphrase: "It is good that we
were forewarned, otherwise we might have found ourselves at an impasse,
from which we could not escape". He is said to have told this to
someone, but the source could not be found.
20. See "Two Timelines Of Apocalypse (Part Three)".
21. From Sr. Lucia's testimony to Fr. Fuentes in 1957.
22. Fr. Berry describes the vision of chapter four as symbolic of the constitution of the Church (The Apocalypse Of St. John, p.58): "This vision of adoration is a symbol of the worship offered to God in His Church on earth. The throne of God is the altar upon which the Lamb is mystically slain in the holy sacrifice of the Mass. Before Him all the faithful bow down in adoration and sing their canticles of praise. In ancient times the bishop had his throne behind the altar, and round about it on either side sat the priests and other clergy. During solemn Mass lighted lamps stood around the altar and ministers carried vessels of burning incense. Beneath the altar reposed the relies of martyrs who had suffered for their faith".
Fr. Kramer: "God's holiness manifests itself in a twofold guidance of the Church: The first is through the endowments conferred upon His Church bodied forth in the lightnings, voices and thunders, which are the prerogatives enabling her to spread the Gospel; the second is through the divine assistance or activity of the Holy Spirit in the Church symbolized by the seven lamps before the throne, which denote the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit guiding and helping her in the spread of the Gospel. The lightnings are the charismata, the power of miracles and the powers of the ministerial office, which is a de condigno right of the Church, because she is in the supernatural order and needs supernatural means to fulfill her mission...The voices proceeding from the throne are the natural gift of eloquence in the Church to preach the revealed truth and are expressive of all external activity of the pastoral office, all of which has a sacred character and divine authority... The thunders are the voice of supreme authority in the Church issuing decrees, dogmas, laws, condemning idolatry and heresy and expressing anathemas and warnings against all who resist the truth and persist in sin...The lighted lamps are not in this vision the seven churches. They symbolize the external mission and activity of the Holy Spirit enlightening, guiding and sanctifying the Church, comforting her in the trials endured and protecting her against danger" (The Book Of Destiny, p.62).
Chapter four (and chapter five) may be either of these, or even both; but those visions in particular concern when the end-times were decreed to begin, fated from the beginning of the history of the Church. Fatima and the establishment of communism both beginning in 1917 parallel this. The seals began to be unsealed in 1941, when Sr. Lucia wrote down the secret of Fatima for the first time, though not yet the third part.
23. This book is not the words Daniel was told to seal up: "But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time appointed: many shall pass over, and knowledge shall be manifold" (Daniel 12:4); "And I heard, and understood not. And I said: O my lord, what shall be after these things? And he said: Go, Daniel, because the words are shut up, and sealed until the appointed time" (Daniel 12:8-9). That would be the Apocalypse itself, which speaks of these things, which was 'sealed up' until St. John wrote them down. Rather, it is the book spoken of in verse one: "...and a time shall come such as never was from the time that nations began even until that time. And at that time shall thy people be saved, every one that shall be found written in the book".
The other book, of Daniel, which speaks of the events of "the time appointed" is the one spoken of in Apocalypse chapter ten: "And he had in his hand a little book open: and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot upon the earth"; or "He carried in his hand an open book. Setting his right foot on the sea, and his left on the dry land, etc" (Apoc. 10:2 and Knox). See 20. See "Two Timelines Of Apocalypse (Part Three)" for how this relates to Apocalypse itself.
Some see the Apocalypse as a history of the Church from the beginning to the end-times, and while this may be true enough on one interpretation, the fact remains that it is not so useful as to help the remnant of the Church of that time, who must know their own history in order to be that remnant of the Church. The Gospel accounts need no addition to tell us what is needed to know about the end-times, unless of course the Apocalypse is not speaking of the same time - there is the 'thousand years' of chapter twenty when the dragon is bound before the real, actual end of the world. This is why the antichrist is not mentioned in the Gospel accounts of Matt. 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21; he is long gone by that time, and is mentioned with the false prophet in Apoc. 20:9-10 before the actual end as already being in hell.
24. Lest the charge be made as to 'paying too much attention to private revelation' or even 'adding to Apocalypse', as St. John warns against ("If any man shall add to these things. God shall add unto him the plagues written in this book. And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from these things that are written in this book" [Apoc. 22:18-19]), it should be pointed out, how would one know that St. John's visions was not, in part, the Virgin's prophecy to be given in the future being fulfilled ? As will be seen in 20. See "Two Timelines Of Apocalypse (Part Three)", the Apocalypse has two possible ends as does Fatima prophecy. Our Lady did not have to mention the Apocalypse; in fact it appears She deliberately avoided doing so precisely that the charge related to Apoc. 22:18-19 be not laid upon Her message.
As to certain roles which have been assigned to the Blessed Virgin and St. Joseph in Apocalypse according to available information, They must have known something of this while yet on earth, since they had thirty years with Our Lord before He began His mission. Certainly They had time to discuss it, as a family might.
20. See "Two Timelines Of Apocalypse (Part Three)".
21. From Sr. Lucia's testimony to Fr. Fuentes in 1957.
22. Fr. Berry describes the vision of chapter four as symbolic of the constitution of the Church (The Apocalypse Of St. John, p.58): "This vision of adoration is a symbol of the worship offered to God in His Church on earth. The throne of God is the altar upon which the Lamb is mystically slain in the holy sacrifice of the Mass. Before Him all the faithful bow down in adoration and sing their canticles of praise. In ancient times the bishop had his throne behind the altar, and round about it on either side sat the priests and other clergy. During solemn Mass lighted lamps stood around the altar and ministers carried vessels of burning incense. Beneath the altar reposed the relies of martyrs who had suffered for their faith".
Fr. Kramer: "God's holiness manifests itself in a twofold guidance of the Church: The first is through the endowments conferred upon His Church bodied forth in the lightnings, voices and thunders, which are the prerogatives enabling her to spread the Gospel; the second is through the divine assistance or activity of the Holy Spirit in the Church symbolized by the seven lamps before the throne, which denote the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit guiding and helping her in the spread of the Gospel. The lightnings are the charismata, the power of miracles and the powers of the ministerial office, which is a de condigno right of the Church, because she is in the supernatural order and needs supernatural means to fulfill her mission...The voices proceeding from the throne are the natural gift of eloquence in the Church to preach the revealed truth and are expressive of all external activity of the pastoral office, all of which has a sacred character and divine authority... The thunders are the voice of supreme authority in the Church issuing decrees, dogmas, laws, condemning idolatry and heresy and expressing anathemas and warnings against all who resist the truth and persist in sin...The lighted lamps are not in this vision the seven churches. They symbolize the external mission and activity of the Holy Spirit enlightening, guiding and sanctifying the Church, comforting her in the trials endured and protecting her against danger" (The Book Of Destiny, p.62).
Chapter four (and chapter five) may be either of these, or even both; but those visions in particular concern when the end-times were decreed to begin, fated from the beginning of the history of the Church. Fatima and the establishment of communism both beginning in 1917 parallel this. The seals began to be unsealed in 1941, when Sr. Lucia wrote down the secret of Fatima for the first time, though not yet the third part.
23. This book is not the words Daniel was told to seal up: "But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time appointed: many shall pass over, and knowledge shall be manifold" (Daniel 12:4); "And I heard, and understood not. And I said: O my lord, what shall be after these things? And he said: Go, Daniel, because the words are shut up, and sealed until the appointed time" (Daniel 12:8-9). That would be the Apocalypse itself, which speaks of these things, which was 'sealed up' until St. John wrote them down. Rather, it is the book spoken of in verse one: "...and a time shall come such as never was from the time that nations began even until that time. And at that time shall thy people be saved, every one that shall be found written in the book".
The other book, of Daniel, which speaks of the events of "the time appointed" is the one spoken of in Apocalypse chapter ten: "And he had in his hand a little book open: and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot upon the earth"; or "He carried in his hand an open book. Setting his right foot on the sea, and his left on the dry land, etc" (Apoc. 10:2 and Knox). See 20. See "Two Timelines Of Apocalypse (Part Three)" for how this relates to Apocalypse itself.
Some see the Apocalypse as a history of the Church from the beginning to the end-times, and while this may be true enough on one interpretation, the fact remains that it is not so useful as to help the remnant of the Church of that time, who must know their own history in order to be that remnant of the Church. The Gospel accounts need no addition to tell us what is needed to know about the end-times, unless of course the Apocalypse is not speaking of the same time - there is the 'thousand years' of chapter twenty when the dragon is bound before the real, actual end of the world. This is why the antichrist is not mentioned in the Gospel accounts of Matt. 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21; he is long gone by that time, and is mentioned with the false prophet in Apoc. 20:9-10 before the actual end as already being in hell.
24. Lest the charge be made as to 'paying too much attention to private revelation' or even 'adding to Apocalypse', as St. John warns against ("If any man shall add to these things. God shall add unto him the plagues written in this book. And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from these things that are written in this book" [Apoc. 22:18-19]), it should be pointed out, how would one know that St. John's visions was not, in part, the Virgin's prophecy to be given in the future being fulfilled ? As will be seen in 20. See "Two Timelines Of Apocalypse (Part Three)", the Apocalypse has two possible ends as does Fatima prophecy. Our Lady did not have to mention the Apocalypse; in fact it appears She deliberately avoided doing so precisely that the charge related to Apoc. 22:18-19 be not laid upon Her message.
As to certain roles which have been assigned to the Blessed Virgin and St. Joseph in Apocalypse according to available information, They must have known something of this while yet on earth, since they had thirty years with Our Lord before He began His mission. Certainly They had time to discuss it, as a family might.
(*
They also had much more time in the ensuing centuries but it seems to
us that some of the things pertaining to Apocalypse had to be
established in this life as a kind of foundation.)
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