What a time of crisis the time contemplated by the Revelation is-and you will observe, that very much of the moral characteristics which marked other times of crisis are to be found therein.
I might say, we ought to be prepared for such a book, and for such contents of such a book.
We ought to be prepared for such a book (a book of crisis or of judgment), because crisis or judgment has at times marked the way of the Lord from the beginning. Thus:-
1. In the day of Noah, there was judgment-the judgment of the old world.
2. In the day of Lot, there was the same, the judgment of the cities of the plain.
3. In the day of Moses, likewise, the judgment of Egypt.
4. In the day of Joshua, likewise, the judgment of Canaan.
5. In the day of Ezekiel, likewise, the judgment of Jerusalem.
So that we might well be prepared for such an action as that which we get in the Revelation-judgment.
But further. In each of these five eras of judgment, we get certain characteristic actions, which are found also in this book. I will mention these leading ones.
1. There are divine warnings or delays ere the judgment come.
2. In spite of these, man goes on to perfect his iniquity.
3. An election is delivered out of the scene of judgment.
4. Another election is separated or withdrawn, prior to the judgment.
These actions will be found in each of these five great eras of crisis or divine judgment; and they will be found in the Revelation also.
So that we might well be prepared for the contents of such a book, as for the book itself; for the characteristics of the action, as for the action itself.
And this is a comforting and establishing thought-that instead of being surprised by the existence of such a book, it is just such a one as we might expect.
There are literal details which are obscure and difficult; but that is secondary. The moral of the book is of chief value and for that we might be well prepared, on the ground of divine or scriptural analogy from the beginning.
But I only suggest.