The opening scenes of Revelation are of the most striking character. Though the apostle is confined upon. lonely rock of the sea and is far away from the saints assembled in the name of Christ, yet be is "in the spirit" upon the Lord's day. This day, rendered sacred by the resurrection of the Savior... [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN'S VISION OF CHRIST.-- Revelation 1:4-18. GOLDEN TEXT. --_. am he that liveth, and was dead; and behold,. am alive forevermore._ -- Revelation 1:18. TIME. --About A. D. 96. On the Lord's day. PLACE. --The Island of Patmos, in the Eastern Mediterranean. HELPFUL READINGS. -- Matthew 17:1-13; Matth... [ Continue Reading ]
AND FROM JESUS CHRIST. The salutation is from God, the Holy Spirit, and from Jesus Christ; the three who agree in one (1 John 5:7). THE FAITHFUL WITNESS. Christ came into the world and bore witness and "we know that his witness is true." He has never been convicted of an untruth or. mistake. THE... [ Continue Reading ]
AND MADE US KINGS AND PRIESTS UNTO GOD. The Revision translates, "Made us. kingdom, priests unto his God and Father;" made us. kingdom of priests, which is probably the true idea. In this kingdom of Christ every man is. priest and can attend to priestly ditties. He needs no Jewish or Catholic pries... [ Continue Reading ]
BEHOLD HE COMETH WITH CLOUDS. The mind of John turns to the second coming of Christ. It is uniformly represented that, as. cloud received him from sight when he was last seen by his disciples, so when he comes again he will appear riding on the clouds of heaven. See Matthew 24:30; Mark 13:26. Cloud... [ Continue Reading ]
AM ALPHA AND OMEGA. These two words are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet; the. and _Z,_ the beginning and end, and mean that this is true of the speaker. Jesus had just been spoken of and it is natural to regard him as the speaker. He uses the same language of himself in verse 11 an... [ Continue Reading ]
I, JOHN, WHO AM YOUR BROTHER. Observe that he places himself on the same level of the brethren to whom he writes. He is not their "Reverend Father in God," but their brother. No apostle ever makes assumptions bearing any resemblance to those of the priests of Rome and episcopacy. COMPANION IN TRIB... [ Continue Reading ]
WAS IN THE SPIRIT ON THE LORD'S DAY. Under the influence of the Spirit. The Lord's day is the day on which Christ arose from the dead, the first day of the week, as the Lord's Supper is the memorial of his death, and the term was also so used by the early Church. So Ignatius (about A. D. 101) and C... [ Continue Reading ]
John turned to see the speaker whose voice had startled him, and his eyes rested upon. vision of surpassing glory. He beheld seven golden lamps, and among them walked one "like unto the Son of Man." He was not like the Son of Man as he had seen him when he walked in humility upon the earth with his... [ Continue Reading ]
WRITE IN. BOOK. A loud voice, like. trumpet, was heard, before John saw the speaker. It bade him write in. book,. manuscript roll, to the seven churches in ASIA, the province of Asia, what he should see. These churches all lay not far from Ephesus, in one province, and are now named. EPHESUS, whic... [ Continue Reading ]
SAW SEVEN GOLDEN CANDLESTICKS. These, we are told, were symbols of the churches. As the candlesticks were to give forth light, so the churches were to light the world.... [ Continue Reading ]
ONE LIKE THE SON OF MAN. When John turned at the sound of the voice he saw him. He was _like_ the Son of man, whom he remembered so well, but so glorious that he could not be certain. He walked amid the golden candlesticks, as Christ is still present among the churches.... [ Continue Reading ]
HIS HEAD AND HIS HAIRS WERE WHITE. The color of purity, the same color as the raiment described on the Mount of Transfiguration. HIS EYES WERE LIKE. FLAME OF FIRE. Like lightning,. glance bright, sharp, penetrating, that would look through. man.... [ Continue Reading ]
HIS FEET... AS IF THEY BURNED. As at the Transfiguration Christ shone with light, so now his whole person was gleaming, and his "countenance was like the sun in his strength.... [ Continue Reading ]
HE HAD IN HIS RIGHT HAND SEVEN STARS. These are said (verse 20) to be the seven angels of the churches. We have not space here to discuss these angels, but if the reader will refer to _The Vision of the Ages,_ he will find the reasons there given for regarding them the preachers of the churches, su... [ Continue Reading ]
FEAR NOT. The splendors of the vision, the majesty and brightness of the Person before him, filled John with such awe that he was overcome and fell to the earth. Then Christ laid upon him his hand, the same loving hand whose pressure John had often felt, and then be said, "Fear not." His coming to... [ Continue Reading ]
KEYS OF DEATH AND HELL. Rather, _Hades,_ the abode of the dead. The meaning is that he has the mastery over death and the abode of the dead. PRACTICAL AND SUGGESTIVE. 1. The apostles were the brethren of the saints, not lords over God's heritage. 2. He who stooped to human form, took our nature... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SEVEN ANGELS.--I shall not take up space to discuss the various views as to the nature of the angels of the churches. It has been held that they were heavenly angels, were diocesan bishops of the cities, were pastors or elders, or were messengers sent from the churches to visit John in Patmos. T... [ Continue Reading ]