Notes on Revelation

It is essentially Jesus Christ’s Revelation. God gave it to Him, and He, by His angel, gave it to the Apostle John, who put it into the hands of Christ’s servants. These are to be found in the church, which has been in building nearly two thousand years, and is nearing completion.

The Apostles of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ were special servants; all saints, however, in the days of the church, whether men or women, are servants. In Amos 3:7 we read “surely the Lord God will do nothing, but He revealeth His secret unto His servants the prophets.” True to His word, God has let us into the secret of “things which must shortly come to pass.” This Revelation, be it noted, is “the word of God,” and it is written “the word of our God shall stand forever” (Isa. 40:8).

That the godly remnant of the Jews will also read it after the church is gone, is clear from Revelation 13:18. The number of the beast—666—will be discernible to those who will have the understanding when he is revealed. That they will read both the Old and New Testament is certain. Not only will they see their position clearly outlined in the Psalms but they will also be guided by the Lord’s own words—“when therefore ye shall see the abomination of desolation which is spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in [what is a] holy place (he that reads, let him understand:) then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains” (Matt. 24:15-16).

John, chosen by the Lord to write the Revelation, was a fisherman who had no formal theological training, or educational distinction. He obtained his spiritual education by companying with his Master for three and a half years. When called to follow Him, the Lord surnamed him “Boanerges,” meaning “a son of thunder.”

Feeling righteous indignation at the treatment meted out to Jesus by the Samaritans, he sought permission to command fire to come down from heaven to consume them. Before long he imbibed the Spirit of the Lord, and in the end we find him leaning on Jesus’ breast, and he is referred to as “the disciple whom Jesus loved” (John 21:20). Love is a predominating feature of his first epistle, yet he is the Holy Spirit’s penman for what is preeminently a book of judgment.

The Book of Revelation is unique in respect of the blessing which attaches to those who read it (Rev. 1:3). It is sad to think that some have not sought this special blessing through indolence or lack of willingness to apply themselves to the study of the book. Forbearance is needed in our discussions, but the conversational Bible reading is the theological training ground for the Christian.

The things written in the prophecy are to be kept as a secret in the family of God. The great white throne judgment (Rev. 20:11-15), may legitimately be mentioned in the preaching of the gospel, but it is written “those things which are revealed belong unto us, and to our children forever” (Deut. 29:29). It is no doubt for this reason that in the Revelation we are not given details of the judgments which will fall on the earth after the church is gone, in their historical sequence. It is my belief that God wrote it in such a way as to elude the curiosity of the natural man. Men of the world do read it. For example, the late W. L. M. King, frequently Prime Minister of Canada, whose occult proclivities were notorious, frequently referred to “the new heavens and the new earth.” “The time is at hand” for bringing to pass the things written in the prophecy. “The days are at hand, and the effect of every vision” (Ezek. 12:23). If the time was at hand in John’s day, surely “now is our salvation nearer than when we believed” (Rom. 13:11). In the book of Revelation, I think we see that God has before Him the glory of Christ, and oh! matchless grace, the place and blessing of the church, with the predominating theme of judgment on those opposed to such thoughts. The church too, we may bear in mind, is the church of God “which He has purchased with the blood of His own” (Acts 20:28 JND). The reader is referred to the fifth chapter of Revelation for the glory of Christ; the twenty first and twenty second chapters for the God given glory of the church.

The events to take place are mostly within what is now known as “the West,” a term describing what men once universally called “Christendom.” Within this sphere we have the judgment of the professing church, Babylon, the Beast, and the ten kings and their armies (the revived Roman Empire) and the Antichrist. The judgments to fall particularly on the Roman earth are to be found here. The reason for this takes us back to Psalm 2. There we read “the kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against His anointed” (Psa. 2:2). This conspiracy of the Jew and the Roman took place at the cross. God has other thoughts and says “yet have I set My king upon My holy hill of Zion” (Psa. 2:6). To do this God must raise up for judgment the powers which conspired against Christ and crucified Him. These powers are the Jew and the Roman. This explains the general site of the judgments as the land of Israel and the lands controlled by the old Roman Empire. Other and stupendous judgments are to take place at the time of the end, but as these do not relate to Christ and the church they are not given in the Revelation.

John’s Message to the Seven Churches

John, then, addresses “the seven churches which are in Asia.” Asia, or Asia Minor, the Turkey of today, was the especial sphere of the apostolic labors of Paul and his companions, and there were many more churches than seven in Asia when John wrote. The number seven represents completeness, and in addressing seven churches his word was to convey the mind of the Lord completely respecting them of which more hereafter. The salutation of grace and peace is not from God the Father. That special relationship of saints in the Christian era is not found in the book. We find God represented as “Him which is, and which was, and which is to come.” This is the One of whom it is written “from everlasting to everlasting, Thou art God” (Psa. 90:2). Seven spirits are before His throne—plenitude of divine power for the work contemplated in Revelation. “A short work will the Lord make upon the earth” (Rom. 9:28).

The saints, having been “reconciled to God by the death of His Son” (Rom. 5:10) are not objects of judgment. Rather the message of grace and peace comes to them from the One about to pour out judgments on the earth. The salutation comes from Jesus Christ. The mention of His name brings a threefold testimony concerning Himself:

First—“The faithful witness.” We find this faithful witness in Psalm 40:9—“I have preached righteousness in the great congregation: lo, I have not refrained My lips, O Lord, Thou knowest.” And again in 1 Timothy 6:13, “Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession.”

Secondly—“Firstborn from the dead.” “God ... raised Him up from the dead” (1 Pet. 1:21). Having purged our sins, He “sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high” (Heb. 1:3).

Thirdly—“The Prince of the kings of the earth.” Risen from the dead, Jesus said to His disciples “all power is given unto Me, in heaven and in earth” (Matt. 28:18). In 1 Peter 3:21-22 we read “Jesus Christ, who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto Him.”

The presentation of Jesus Christ completely overwhelms the heart of John, who breaks forth into that much loved and well known ascription of praise “to Him who loves us, and has washed us from our sins in His blood, and made us a kingdom, priests to His God and Father, to Him be the glory and the might to the ages of ages. Amen.”

Christ indeed has loved us and “given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savor” (Eph. 5:2). That was the past, undying expression of His love which many waters could not quench. He loves us in the present and says “continue ye in My love” (John 15:9). We shall bask in the sunshine of His love, throughout eternal days, for Jesus Christ is “the same, yesterday, and today, and forever” (Heb. 13:8).

“And when with Him beyond the skies,

Though raptures new my spirit thrill,

This well-known song shall ever rise,

He loved me and He loves me still.”

He “has washed us from our sins in His own blood.” John saw the soldier with a spear pierce His side, and saw the cleansing flow of blood and water (John 19:34)—so in his epistle he writes “the blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).

He “has made us a kingdom,” a kingdom not of this world assuredly, “for the kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost” (Rom. 14:17). “Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God” (Luke 14:15).

He has made us priests to His God and Father. “An holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:5). “Unto Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end” (Eph. 3:21).

“Behold, He cometh with clouds ... ” (v. 7). This is the fulfillment of the Lord’s own words to Caiaphas “hereafter shall ye see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven” (Matt. 26:64). It will also be the fulfillment of Zechariah 12:10—“and they shall look upon ME whom they have pierced.” The Rabbis have sought in vain to find a pretext for changing “ME” into “HIM” but without success. The Jews used the Romans for their purpose, but Jesus said to Pilate “he that delivered Me unto thee hath the greater sin” (John 19:11). What a sight will that be in the heavens—the Son of Man with power and great glory, come out of His place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity. Well might they wail! Even so, Amen.

The Alpha and Omega of verse 8 is the “I AM” of Exodus 3:14, who appeared to Moses in the bush which burned yet was not consumed. He is Jesus who said to the Jews—“before Abraham was, I am” (John 8:58).

John, although an Apostle, and one who enjoyed the special favor of the Lord, humbly takes his place with the rest of the saints as their brother “and fellow-partaker in the tribulation and kingdom and patience in Jesus” (v. 9). He was a prisoner in the island of Patmos for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus. All are not agreed as to which Emperor banished him, but in any case he was only unwittingly accomplishing the will of God, who had a special work for John to do. He “became in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day” It was not that he did not have the Holy Spirit indwelling always, but the special power of the Holy Ghost was felt, regardless of his solitary situation, on the Lord’s Day—that is “the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread” (Acts 20:7). He was in a suitable moral condition to receive communications from the Lord, and did so, hearing behind him a great voice, as of a trumpet, saying “What thou seest write in a book.” This was to be sent to the seven churches in Asia, which are now specifically mentioned. Turning to see the voice that spoke, he sees seven golden lamps. Of these we will write later.

John’s Vision of Christ as Judge

Our attention is now focused on the majestic Person appearing in the midst of the golden lamps. He was “like unto the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the foot.” It was the garment of judicial authority, worn now by the Son of Man—a Judge! Thus had Jesus said in John 5:22—“for the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son.” He is “girt about at the breasts with a golden girdle” that is to say divine righteousness is holding in His affections! A Savior once, a Judge now! How solemn. “His head and hair white like white wool, as snow.” He is “the Ancient of Days” of Daniel 7:9.

At this point we might ask ourselves whom or what He is judging. Clearly not believers, for there is no condemnation “to them who are in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 8:1). Just as clearly not the lost who are judged at the beginning (Matt. 25) and the end of His Kingdom (Rev. 20). It is rather the thought that judgment must begin at the house of God (1 Peter 4:17). Christ is seen as judge on earth. He is also seen in the midst of seven candlesticks so clearly He is judging that collective thing which professed to give light to man on earth in His Name. This is the key. It is the judgment, not of the whole church of God (although included) but of the entire professing church, which includes believers and unbelievers. He is judging those who professed His Name in the world whether that profession be feigned or real. The parable of the grain of mustard seed explains this. Christianity began like a grain of mustard seed—the least of all seeds. When grown “it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof” (read Matt. 13:31-32). Now the work of responsible man, making a great outward profession in the world, must be weighed in the balances, so to speak, to see if it be found wanting. With this clearly understood we can continue.

“His eyes as a flame of fire”—nothing can be hidden from those piercing eyes! “Who shall stand when He appeareth, for He is like a refiner’s fire” (Mal. 3:2).

“His feet like fine brass, as burning in a furnace”—stamping iniquity out of the universe of God.

“His voice as the voice of many waters”—Awesome! Overpowering!

“Having in His right hand seven stars.”—In verse 20 we were told that the seven stars are the angels (or representatives) of the seven churches. The One who holds the ocean in the hollow of His hand, has also room there for those “angels” who represent the church. This representation is the individual responsibility of each and every Christian. Good to know, therefore, that we are at all times “in His right hand.”

“Out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword”—Verse 16 and “His Name is called the Word of God” (Rev. 19:13). “The Word of God is living, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword” (Heb. 4:12). These two scriptures go well together.

“His countenance was as the sun shineth in its strength”—who can gaze on the sun?

John wrote that “grace and truth came by Jesus Christ” (John 1:17). To see Him now as a Judge deeply affected the Apostle so much so that he fell at His feet as dead. How wonderful to feel the right hand of power saying “fear not.” The prophet Daniel describes a similar experience (read Dan. 10:7-10). To John the Lord says further “I am the first and the last, and the living One, and I became dead, and behold, I am living to the ages of ages, and have the keys of death and hades.” That He “became dead” and lived brings to mind that wondrous portion “therefore doth My Father love Me, because I lay down My life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of My Father” (John 10:17-18). Christ the living One, has the keys “of death and hades.” So for the believer “whether we live, we live unto the Lord, or whether we die, we die unto the Lord” (Rom. 14:8). We are to share in Christ’s triumph over death which He has abolished (2 Tim. 1:10). In whatever state a man may be found when death overtakes him, in that state will he remain forever. “He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still” (Rev. 22:11). “In the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be” (Eccl. 11:3).

John then (v. 19) is to write, giving the three well known divisions of the Book of Revelation. Since an understanding of these divisions is vital to the proper understanding of the revelation, they have been emphasized in these notes by a three part presentation corresponding to the three divisions John gives us. These divisions are:

“The things which thou hast seen”—John has seen Christ in the aspect of a Judge.

“The things which are”—The history of the church as a responsible witness for God in the earth.

“The things which shall be hereafter” or “The things that are about to be after these”—These are the things to take place after the day of the church is over.

Finally, in the last verse of the first chapter the mystery of the seven stars and the seven candlesticks is given. We have already alluded to the seven stars. The seven candlesticks, or lamps, were the seven churches. In verse 12 we see they were golden lamps. Light bearers in the world these churches were intended to be, and on God’s part they were originally set in divine righteousness. This is plainly seen in the first epistle to the Thessalonian church, which was “in God the Father, and in the Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thess. 1:1). A golden lamp, surely!

Chapter 10: Christ Claiming His Inheritance

The “mighty angel” here is Christ. Being clothed with a cloud puts this beyond question; the cloud is always connected with the divine presence. Coming down from heaven a rainbow is upon His head. The rainbow means mercy and here one recalls the Lord’s own words, “except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened” (Matt. 24:22). His “face as it were the sun” identifies Him with the Alpha and Omega of Revelation 1:16, whose “countenance was as the sun shineth in its strength.” “His feet as pillars of fire,” too, reminds us of the vision John had of “One like unto the Son of Man,” whose feet were “like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace.” In His right hand a little book open! What He had come down from heaven to accomplish was no secret to the heavenly saints. Abraham “looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God” (Heb. 11:10). To the Jews also Jesus said “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day—and He saw it and was glad” (John 8:56). While the church was on earth it was particularly enlightened as to God’s purpose concerning Christ, as we read “having made known unto us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He hath purposed in Himself—that in the dispensation of the fullness of times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth, even in Him” (Eph. 1:9-10).

When in lowly grace among men, “come to save that which was lost” they said “this is the heir, Come, let us kill Him, and let us seize on His inheritance” (Matt. 21:38). But although they killed the Lord Jesus, God raised Him from the dead and in our chapter we see Him come to claim His inheritance. He plants His right foot upon the sea, and His left foot upon the earth. Is it not indeed His? “The sea is His, and He made it” (Psa. 95:5). Also “the earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof” (Psa. 24:1).

“He cried with a loud voice as when a lion roareth.” The lion is declared “strongest among beasts” (Prov. 30:30). In the animal kingdom there is nothing more majestic than a lion, and his roar inspires terror in his domain. The symbol given here is easily understood, and most appropriate. As we have already seen, Christ is the Lion of the tribe of Judah, and in Psalm 21:5 we learn that God has laid “honor and majesty” upon Him. In answer to His cry seven thunders utter their voices. Their utterances were to be sealed up; they were a divine secret between the Father and the Son. Our thoughts go back to the seven sayings of Jesus when on the cross of shame and weakness: now we are in the presence of His mighty power. In our chapter Christ is about to take possession of the earth, and soon “every eye shall see Him.” “But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but My Father only” (Matt. 24:36). Also consider the first chapter of Acts, when Jesus had risen from the dead but had not yet left the world to go to the Father. His disciples asked Him if he would at that time restore again the kingdom to Israel, to which He made answer: “it is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in His own power” (Acts 1:7).

In verse 5 we now see Christ standing on the earth which He has claimed, lifting up His hand to heaven, and swearing by the Creator of all things (He could swear by no greater) that “there should be no longer delay.” When the seventh angel begins to sound, the mystery of God should be finished. This mystery had already been revealed to God’s servants the prophets, and is unfolded when “the kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ” (Rev. 11:15). That the saints “will dwell with God’s beloved through God’s eternal day” is a joyful prospect for us. That the ungodly sinner, having refused to obey the gospel will be “punished with everlasting destruction” (2 Thess. 1:9) is a continual source of sorrow to us. So too it was with John. In his mouth the little book was sweet as honey—in his belly bitter. This experience was needful for John who was thereafter called to further service. There is a lesson here for us who would serve the Lord in this our day.

Chapter 11: The Two Witnesses; the Third "Woe" Trumpet

Chapter 11, up to verse 13, is occupied with “the two witnesses” and continues the parenthesis between the sixth and seventh trumpets. Verse 14 to the end concerns the seventh trumpet.

The vision here pertains to “the holy city,” over which Jesus wept when He beheld it. The temple of God is to be measured, and the altar, and those who worship in it. Thus will God take account of His beloved and tried saints of that time of unprecedented trial. They will have been cast out of the temple itself; whose sole use at this time will be the display of the Antichrist, the “second beast” or, “man of sin”—“the son of perdition”—who “sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God” (2 Thess. 2:3-4). The first beast, the diabolical head of the revived Roman Empire, will have caused the Jewish sacrifice and oblation to cease (Dan. 9:27) and the “court which is without the temple” will be in the hands of the Gentiles. When we come to Chapter 13 we shall have more complete details regarding these two “beasts.” Meantime, let us read Isaiah 28:15—“we have made a convenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement.” This is the covenant referred to in Daniel 9:27. It is made by the coming Roman head with “many,” that is with the mass of the unbelieving Jews. But from Isaiah 28:18 we learn that “your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand.” In our chapter we see the Holy City trodden under foot by the Gentiles forty and two months, or three and one half years—the last half of Daniel’s seventieth week. This is precisely the time during which the first Roman beast of Revelation 13 holds sway (Rev. 13:5). It is anticipating, but also necessary, to give here one or two of his evil features. “He opened his mouth in blasphemy against God,” and he makes “war with the saints” (Rev. 13:5-7). He is against the God of heaven, and his ally—Antichrist—in Jerusalem, sets himself forth as the God of the earth, to which, in Chapter 10, we saw Christ laid claim. This reminds us of the Lord’s words—“I am come in My Father’s Name, and ye receive Me not; if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive” (John 5:43).

In times past God left not Himself without witness nor does He now. In Old Testament times the testimony of two persons was required to provide adequate witness (see Deut. 17:6). The same applied in New Testament times (see, for example, 1 Tim. 5.19) and Jesus said “It is also written in your law that the testimony of two men is true” (John 8:17). So here we read “I will give power unto My two witnesses.” It has always been a source of wonderment to me that God has given such grace and power to His witnesses in every age as to sustain them in their testimony even to the laying down their lives for His Name’s sake. Here the two witnesses are clothed in sackcloth. Their testimony is rendered in deepest sorrow in that awful time. Their service continues for exactly the time during which the Roman beast is allowed to exercise his sway. They are two lamps shining in the darkness, sustained by the power of the Spirit of God (candlesticks and olive trees). They are specially equipped for their protection, otherwise they would not have been allowed to live to carry on their testimony. This will be backed up by powers equal to those given to Moses and Elijah—namely fire and plagues. In God’s appointed time they finish their testimony. How beautiful! God enables them to carry through to the end and make a good finish. We recall the Lord’s words, “this man began to build and was not able to finish” (Luke 14:30)—also the words of dear Paul, “I have finished my course” (2 Tim. 4:7). The revived Roman Empire will be utterly diabolical in character. As shown here, its head ascends out of the abyss, makes war against the witnesses, and is permitted to kill them. This agrees with Revelation 13:7. Ignominiously, their bodies are left without burial as far as their enemies are concerned, but God has a purpose in it. Worthy of note is the appellation given to Jerusalem, namely, spiritually Sodom and Egypt. Sodom is evil; Egypt oppressed God’s people. Both these features will be in evidence during the days of testimony of the two witnesses. No doubt exists as to the name of the city. It was here their Lord was crucified. Christ, then was their Lord, and their testimony was to Him as the One to whom the earth belonged, the One whom God “hath appointed heir of all things” (Heb. 1:2). The rejoicing of their enemies is cut short. The witnesses come alive again and are called up to heaven, whither they ascend in a cloud of glory, in full view of all their foes. What a blessed end to their service of witness, suffering during those three and one half years. The service of the Lord Jesus on earth lasted for the same length of time at the end of which they “killed the Lord Jesus.” There is a beautiful finish to the Gospel of Mark, which gospel portrays Christ as God’s perfect Servant here below. In the last chapter we read “the Lord . . . was taken up in to heaven, and sat at the right hand of God” (Mark 16:19 JND). The intervention of divine power in the resurrection of the two witnesses is marked by an earthquake—an actual one here, I believe, which brings death in its wake. Those who escape are frightened and forced to acknowledge the God of heaven as the cause. But they will not acknowledge Him as the God of the earth, in which capacity He is here acting.

We have seen the blessed end of the three and one half years of testimony by the witnesses. During the same period the Beast from the abyss lives out his evil reign and comes to his end, and “none shall help him.” It will thus be noted that the tenure of the Beast and the time of the two witnesses is the same three and one half years. Their witness is confined to Jerusalem, where the Antichrist holds sway causing men to worship the Beast. During all the period of the Beast’s power and persecution they are divinely shielded so that God has two men to testify against the Beast in the religious capital of the apostate West, and wielding miraculous powers to identify them as the servants of the True God. They are not allowed to be slain until their testimony is finished. But when this occurs the Beast’s time has run out too. The two witnesses go to heaven. As for the Beast we read that he was taken, and cast alive into a lake of fire, burning with brimstone (see Rev. 19:20). The last mention of him in the Bible is where, together with the devil and the false prophet (Antichrist), “they shall be tormented day and night for the ages of ages” (Rev. 20:10 JND). Let the reader note carefully that all this is parenthetical and well in advance of our subject. But that is the way it is presented in the Revelation. As already mentioned the prophetic parts of the Revelation (not those parts concerning the church) are not arranged in chronological order. With this in mind it is now time to consider the third woe trumpet, which commences with the fourteenth verse.

The third woe, referred to in the last verse of the eighth chapter, here comes quickly. The seventh angel sounds his trumpet, announcing that “the kingdom of the world of our Lord and of His Christ is come.” All heaven is attentive. The saints, having the mind of Christ, bow in intelligent worship and suitable thanksgiving, for the moment has at last come when the Lord God Almighty has taken His great power and will “reign in Mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before His ancients gloriously” (Isa. 24:23). This is now the kingdom which Peter, James and John were permitted to see in the holy mount from which Jesus descended only to die for our sins. It was the kingdom for which Joseph of Arimathea waited. Now he, and all the saints of old will share the blessing of eating bread in the kingdom of God. This is the kingdom spoken of in the second chapter of Daniel. The God of heaven will set up this kingdom. It will never be destroyed, and our Lord Jesus Christ who will administer it, will have no successor! “The government shall be upon His shoulder” (Isa. 9:6) and “He shall not fail nor be discouraged” (Isa. 42:4).

Christ “is able even to subdue all things unto Himself” (Phil. 3:21), and His saints will share with Him in this—“he that overcometh . . . to him will I give power over the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of My Father” (Rev. 2:26-27). Psalm 2 gives us the record of Christ’s receiving this from His Father.

But if heaven and the saints rejoice “the inhabiters of the earth” are angry! The sounding of the seventh trumpet brings woe to them, even God’s wrath. What a solemn word is that “the Son of Man shall send forth His angels, and they shall gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who do iniquity” (Matt. 13:41).

There are three statements in the eighteenth verse which are connected with Christ’s taking the kingdom which require comment.

The Time of the Dead That They Should be Judged

In 2 Timothy 4:1 we read “the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom.” The judgment of the living nations will take place at the beginning of His kingdom as our Lord Jesus Christ has Himself foretold in the twenty-fifth chapter of Matthew’s gospel—refer to the thirty-first to thirty-fourth and following verses. The judgment of the dead, that is those who died in their sins, will take place at the end of His millennial reign of one thousand years. “For He must reign, till He hath put all enemies under His feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death” (1 Cor. 15:25-26). “Where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear” (1 Peter 4:18) when death and hades, which terminated their career on earth, are “cast into the lake of fire” (Rev. 20:15), and themselves also?

And That Thou Shouldest Give Reward Unto Thy servants the Prophets and to the Saints

We are told that “to him that soweth righteousness shall be a sure reward” (Prov. 11:18). In the goodness and mercy of our God His servants are to be found among the Gentiles, as in Israel too. Among the Gentiles we think of Job, Rahab, Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite, Ruth the Moabitess, Ebed Melech the Ethiopian, and others. The Lord too was not unmindful of His servants the prophets in Israel when He said to His disciples “other men labored and ye are entered into their labors” (John 4:38).

For our instruction in the days of the church on earth, we can turn to Matthew 23:14-30. God’s sovereignty is emphasized here, as shown in His giving His servants five, or two, or even one talent with which all are responsible to trade in the Master’s absence.

In the parable of Luke 19:12-27, we see the subject more from the side of our responsibility to trade with what each has been given. In this connection two verses of Scripture speak for themselves:

“Every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labor” (1 Cor. 3:8).

“He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he who soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully” (2 Cor. 9:6).

And Shouldest Destroy Them who Destroy the Earth

I have long thought that after the rapture of the church, many nations will make use of armaments which will destroy men and mar the earth. The Lord will put an end to this too with a view to every man sitting under his own vine and fig tree.

Chapter 12: Satan Cast out of Heaven Persecutes Israel on Earth

The last verse of the preceding chapter belongs to the twelfth chapter. The vision in that verse has a distinctly Jewish connection. The Ark of God was seen in His Temple. The Ark of old was the throne of God in the midst of His people Israel. We have then, things which pertain to Israel, past, present, and future, presented as God sees them, who sees the end from the beginning, and who “calleth those things which be not as though they were” (Rom. 4:17).

Israel, then, is the woman “clothed with the sun” who is destined to have the chief place on earth when Christ and the church reign over it from heaven. The sun means supreme authority—Israel’s new and glorious day of blessing under the New Covenant. Under her feet—the moon—that is “the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed forever” (Rom. 9:4-5). “On her head a crown of twelve stars.” The loaves on the table of shewbread in the tabernacle in the wilderness are helpful in understanding this. The crown of twelve stars speaks of the administration of the kingdom by Christ in connection with the twelve tribes of Israel. Of Israel came the Christ, which fully explains the second verse.

The “great red dragon” is now seen. The ninth verse tells us exactly who is thus represented—namely “that old serpent,” called the Devil, and Satan. The “dragon” speaks of persecuting cruelty. He is set forth in the character in which he will oppose the claim of Christ to the kingdoms of this world—seven crowned heads—complete power in evil—and ten horns incomplete as to total power for administration of the kingdom which he aims to usurp. He himself had placed the seven crowns upon his head. Here one refers with joy to that scripture concerning our precious Savior, “on His head were many crowns” (Rev. 19:12). God Himself—there is none greater—has crowned Him with glory and honor—“Thou settest a crown of pure gold on his head” (Psa. 21:3) and again “but unto the Son He [God] saith—Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever: a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Thy Kingdom” (Heb. 1:8).

Now the vision moves from Satan’s “last day” appearance back to the birth of Christ the “man child.” In Herod’s slaying of “all the boys that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under” (Matt. 2:16) we see the Dragon’s unsuccessful attempt to devour the man child who was destined “to rule all nations with a rod of iron.” Well do His saints know who He is! But before He comes to rule, He “was caught up unto God, and to His throne.” Here we have briefly Christ’s session of two thousand years or so in heaven at the Father’s right hand while He builds His church, which may be looked upon as “caught up” with Him.

Israel, however, “the woman clothed with the sun” is the subject of the prophecy here, not the church. Consequently in the sixth verse we are immediately introduced to Israel’s history after the church has been removed from earth to heaven. The Jews in the land during the last half of Daniel’s seventieth week are brought before us. God has prepared a place for them and will also feed them, in spite of the Roman beast and the Antichrist, for “a thousand two hundred and threescore days.”

Many of them will be “overcome” by their enemies as we shall see later on, but of them it is written “blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection” (Rev. 20:6).

The casting out of Satan and his angels from heaven comes before us, beginning with the seventh verse. When on earth Jesus had spoken of this event to His disciples, saying “I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven” (Luke 10:18). Small wonder then that we read “the heavens are not clean in His sight” (Job 15:15). The presence there of Satan and his evil hosts is confirmed by the sixth chapter of Paul’s epistle to the Ephesians—“put on the panoply of God, that ye may be able to stand against the artifices of the Devil; because our struggle is not against blood and flesh, but against principalities, against authorities, against the universal lords of this darkness, against spiritual [power] of wickedness in the heavenlies” (Eph. 6:11-12 JnD). From Hebrews 9:23 we see that the sacrifice of Christ has availed for the purification of the heavenly things. The captain of the Lord’s hosts is Michael. This fact alone shows us the connection with God’s people in the last days. This view is supported by Daniel 12:1—“and at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation, even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.” The casting out of Satan and his angels from heaven forever is a deeply important event. What a relief to God, His Christ, the elect angels, and the saints. The Book of Job is extremely interesting as showing us the inimical activity of Satan against God’s servants. He has knowledge of their doings on earth and also accuses them before God in heaven (see v. 10). The loud voice in heaven, a commanding voice, seems to call the saints together for the important proclamation to be made. God is steadily going forward with His object of glorifying His Son, and here salvation, strength, the kingdom of God, and the authority of His Christ is come!

The heavens, and the dwellers therein are called to rejoice at the departure of the accuser forever. Alas, doubtless Satan has often brought before God the faithless conduct of His people, but conduct was not the ground of their acceptance with God, but “the blood of the Lamb.” Those whose faithful testimony ended in “resisting unto blood” are here no doubt in view. While not overlooking the noble host of Christian martyrs, I think that here we have particularly the “souls under the altar” in the ninth verse of the sixth chapter. They are the saints from the godly Jewish remnant, who have part in the first resurrection, every one of whom sealed his testimony in his blood.

The closing part of the chapter depicts the change from heaven to earth to which Satan now comes down, finding God’s people there—“the woman which brought forth the man child.” Here we enter upon the days of Antichrist (Rev. 13:11-17)—“a time, and times, and half a time”—that is three and one half years, the last half of Daniel’s seventieth week. During this period God will providentially save a remnant of His people in “the time of Jacob’s trouble.” This is no doubt the time referred to by our Lord—“for then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be (Matt. 24:21).

From the last verse in the chapter—the seventeenth—it is beautiful to see that even in this awful time, God will have witnesses. They will keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ in the very days of Antichrist. “For the spirit of prophecy is the testimony of Jesus” (Rev. 19:10). They will thus have abundant testimony from the Scriptures to give them light and guidance for the dark and difficult days through which they will pass. They will be familiar with the Old Testament prophets, but will read the New Testament too—for instance such a passage as “then let them which be in Judea flee unto the mountains” (Matt. 24:16). The number of the beast, given in the next chapter, will also be for their particular time, during which Satan, Beast, and False Prophet (Antichrist) will seek to obliterate God’s people from the face of the earth.

Chapter 13: Satan Sets up a False Trinity on Earth

In the twelfth verse of the preceding chapter we hear of an impending “woe” to those who inhabit earth and sea (man—at rest or in tumult) because the devil has come down to earth. Denied access to heaven he now sets up a false trinity on earth. This trinity of evil usurps the places of God—Father, Son, and Holy Ghost and claims the worship due to God alone. The personages in this false trinity are:

—Satan—also called “the devil,” “that old serpent” and in this chapter “the dragon.” Satan acts as a counterfeit of the unseen Holy Ghost, energizing the other two persons in his false trinity.

—The First Beast—generally referred to simply as “the Beast.” He is a counterfeit of God the Father. This man will be the political and military head of the revived Roman empire in its diabolical form, which ascends out of the bottomless pit—the abyss—and goes into destruction (see Rev. 17:8; 17:11).

—The Second Beast—also termed “the Antichrist,” “the false prophet,” “the man of sin,” and “the son of perdition.” He is a counterfeit of the Lord Jesus. As the religious head, he causes men to worship the first beast whose deadly wound was healed.

Satan’s role in the trinity of evil is self evident. However the separate and distinct parts played by the two beasts must be clearly understood to make progress in the Revelation. Comment therefore follows on the first and second beasts—respectively the Roman secular head and the Jewish pseudo religious head—Antichrist proper.

In the vision John saw the first beast “rise up out of the sea.” Certainly it will be a troubled sea when he appears much like the times which followed the French Revolution when Napoleon Bonaparte arose. Worthy and able men who gave their minds to the study of prophetic subjects at the beginning of the last century thought that Satan had been trying to get his hand in before the time in the case of Napoleon. Revelation 17:10 seems to confirm this—“the other is not yet come, and when he cometh he must continue a short space.” Another indication of Satan’s desire for a man like the coming beast was the Italian dictator Mussolini. This man once said that he would shake his fist in God’s face and make an alliance with the devil if he could but restore Rome to the worship of the old pagan gods. But the time was not yet! The first beast in Revelation has “seven heads and ten horns” which at once identifies him with his master, since the “great red dragon” also has seven heads and ten horns (see Rev. 12:3). As already shown, seven here means completeness in the power of evil, but ten horns only come short of the twelve which represent perfection in human administration. This beast then comes short, and of this more later. Ten crowns upon his ten horns may be an allusion to the ten kings who “receive power as kings one hour with the beast” (Rev. 17:12). Each of his heads is labeled with blasphemies against God!

In the seventh chapter of Daniel we read of the prophets seeing, in a vision, “four great beasts coming up from the sea, diverse one from another—a lion, a bear, and a leopard.” The fourth beast was of such a ferocious character that no known creature on earth could be found to describe it. These four beasts represented the Gentile kingdoms of Babylonia, Persia, Greece, and Rome. The beast seen by John in the Patmos vision embodied the features of three of those seen by Daniel, but in Revelation they are given in inverse order—a leopard, a bear, and a lion. The features then of three former Gentile powers are to be found in the Roman Beast, to describe which no analogy could be found since its very being was essentially Satanic. As it is said—“and the dragon gave to it his power, and his throne, and great authority.”

The historian Gibbon sets out in his voluminous work “The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire” what God gives in a few words—“and I saw one of its heads as it were wounded to death.” What we are shown here, also in a few words, is that the deadly wound (the imperial form of Roman power) will be healed. The old Roman empire will be revived to the wonderment of the whole world, which will be in a mood to receive this new satanic chief, and will worship both him and his patron the devil. For a short time it is evident no power on earth—major or minor—will be able to oppose him. The world of his day will hang on his words—his mouth “speaking great things”—while out of his evil heart proceed the blasphemies which he utters against God. But God is the sovereign ruler of the universe, and mercifully limits his time of continuance to “forty and two months”—the last half of Daniel’s seventieth week.

We read of Judas that “Satan entered into him” (John 13:27). Surely Satan not only enters into this iniquitous being but dominates him completely. Without fear, as long as God bears with it until the execution of summary judgment, he blasphemes God and His holy Name, also His dwelling place, and—mark this—“those that dwell in heaven.” A man of world affairs, no doubt, he had knowledge of a people those who composed the church who were taken to heaven before he came to power. Unable to touch them now, he can but blaspheme them. How we may thank God we will not be found on earth during his awful reign of darkness and tyranny and persecution of God’s saints then on the earth, with whom he makes war and whom he overcomes. These are the Jewish saints referred to specifically in Revelation 6:11. Some had already laid down their lives and were in heaven, others were to follow similarly—those whom the beast would overcome. Their names were “written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world”—consequently they refused to worship the Beast as those that dwell on the earth will do. If proof were wanted to support the belief that these saints will read the Book of Revelation we surely have it in the ninth verse where there is a call to them to hear the Word of God, not to resist, but to exercise patience. Their position is outlined in James 5:6—“ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you.”

Of uncommon interest is the word in the seventh verse—“power was given him over all kindreds and tongues and nations.” Global television, made possible by satellites, will spread his awful image, and his still more awful words, continually around the world. He will be worshipped by all, except God’s elect. You can be very sure there will be plenty of altars available on which, as of old, to burn incense to the modern Caesar. We can see too how he will not tolerate the worship of the Virgin and Child, but will destroy the system completely as given in Revelation 17:16-18. Nor will he endure the Jewish forms of worship and sacrifices to Jehovah, offered in the temple at Jerusalem. In Daniel 9:27 it is shown that he will confirm a covenant with “many”—the unbelieving, idolatrous Jews for one week—that is, seven years. In the midst of this “week” he causes Jewish sacrifice and oblation to cease. From Daniel 7:25 we further learn that he thinks to change times and laws—“sacrifice and oblation”—but his power to do so is held down to a period of “a time, times, and the dividing of time,” or the forty and two months which is the time of his continuance as given in Revelation 13:5. Note here that we have only half a week, the last half, or three and one half years. He thinks to prohibit the Jewish sacrifices for a week—seven years—but God has been beforehand with him, and without his knowledge half of the period has elapsed before he ascends his throne for his allotted time of “forty and two months”—or three and one half years, the last half of Daniel’s seventieth week. This is another example of God’s having shortened those days of trial “for the elect’s sake” (Matt. 24:22). At the end of just half of the time of his covenant of seven years both he and the Antichrist will be “cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone” (Rev. 19:20).

The Antichrist, or Jewish false prophet, is the subject of verses eleven to seventeen inclusive. We have a description of him in Daniel 11:36-40. The God of his fathers means nothing to him—instead “he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every God.” This agrees exactly with 2 Thessalonians 2 (JND), where he is referred to as “that man of sin,” “the son of perdition,” “who opposes and exalts himself on high against all called God, or object of veneration; so that he himself sits down in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.” Here we cannot refrain from quoting Ezekiel 28:9—“but thou shalt be a man, and no God, in the hand of Him that slayeth thee.” Paradoxically, while he shows himself that he is God, he finds it necessary to put himself and the ungodly under the protection of a superior power—the Roman. This covenant with death, which the Lord will disannul, has been referred to already in Chapter 11 of these notes.

He represents himself to his people as the Christ, possessed of—in the vision—“two horns like a lamb”—but when he speaks it is his master’s voice that is heard—“he spake as a dragon.” He appears to be more powerful at the beginning of his career than at the end of it. At first he “exercises all the power of the first beast before him.” At the end he is seen as “the false prophet.” That a Jew should cause the earth, and those that dwell in it to worship the Roman chief, is perfectly amazing, and shows the power of Satan at its zenith for “he knoweth that he hath but a short time.” Did Elijah call down fire from heaven? Antichrist can do the same, like the magicians of Egypt imitating the plagues of Moses. His miracles, with which he deceives men, are graphically referred to in 2 Thessalonians 2. God allows it that those who would not have the truth should believe a lie. The antichrist’s creation of an image to the Roman Beast shows his subservience to that power though he himself claims to be God. But he is the author of the most despotic tyranny which men on earth will ever know. ‘All’—mark the word—both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, are forced to receive a mark upon their right hand, or upon their forehead. Only those displaying the mark will be allowed to transact the ordinary business of life. Those not having the mark will be slain, if apprehended. The same fate will await those who refuse to worship the Beast’s image. Did not Nebuchadnezzar set the pattern for this when he erected his image of gold in the plain of Dura? By Satan’s power Antichrist will give breath to his image, and cause it to speak.

As these lines were written another Arab-Israeli war has passed into history. This one secured Israel possession of the ancient Holy City again. Amongst the western powers France favored the Arabs, but this will be reversed shortly, as we see from Scripture that Israel will be under the wing of the Western European power—but all to no purpose.

The eighteenth verse of our chapter refers to the first, or Roman Beast, not to the Antichrist. The number 666 is the sign by which the godly Jews of this tribulation period will know their persecutor. When they see his image set up in a holy place they will flee to the mountains, because the end will be near.

The meaning of the number 666 has intrigued Christians from the beginning. Irenaeus, Bishop of Smyrna, one of the early church fathers, cited the “Lateinos” explanation, but did not adopt it. “Lateinos” is a transliteration of a Greek adjective meaning “Latin,” which of course could be used as a substantive meaning “Latin man.” The letter numerical value of “Lateinos” adds up to 666. Even so Irenaeus’ own view was that if John had meant the number to be known to us he would have declared it. The passage of many centuries has not brought us any closer to a solution, so that it seems likely the meaning is reserved until the time of the Beast.

The number six in Scripture is identified with coming short, for example, there were only six steps to the throne of Solomon. In the number of the beast we have the figure six repeated three times—a trinity of incompleteness. The Man Christ Jesus alone is worthy of world dominion, and no other.

Chapter 14: The Everlasting Gospel-Trial-Judgments

As we open this chapter, Psalm 9:19-20 comes to mind—“Arise, O Lord, let not man prevail, let the nations be judged in Thy sight. Put them in fear, O Lord, that the nations may know themselves to be but men.” The preceding chapter gave us a somber picture of midnight darkness—Satan, the beast, and Antichrist, and their anti-God activities. In this chapter we see that man will not prevail. Behind the scenes God is active both in judgment and in blessing. There are seven separate subjects in this chapter and brief comment on each follows:

The Song of the Jewish Overcomers—verses 1-5

Mount Zion is connected with the kingdom established in power. We read “David took the stronghold of Zion” (2 Sam. 5:7). Here we see the victorious Lamb, David’s son and David’s Lord, standing upon Mount Zion, and with Him a company of victors, “having His Name and the Name of His Father written upon their foreheads.” Mark that not his Father’s Name only, as rendered in some translations, but the Lamb’s Name also—it is His Father’s Name too. His Name is not known to men as Father save in the Christian dispensation. A better translation also gives us a different sense of the meaning of the second verse. There was a voice out of heaven, which voice was of thunder, and the sound of many waters. This was the voice of the victorious harp singers “harping with their harps.” This music reverberates to every corner of heaven, and is accompanied by a new song, sung before the throne. This indicates their position as on earth, rather than heaven, where, however, the living creatures and the elders are supremely happy with the joy of the occasion. The song belongs exclusively to this company who were “bought from the earth.” These are the Jewish overcomers who refused the mark of the Beast, did not worship his image, gave no allegiance to Antichrist. They escaped the sword of their enemies, and were preserved by God to go into the millennial kingdom on the earth. They had a fiery trial but endured to the end, thereby obtaining a special place of favor, following the Lamb. Although all was of God’s preserving grace and power on their behalf, we see God’s appreciation of their faith and suffering testimony for His Name’s sake. They have the honor of being “firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.” Many of their brethren had been slain for their testimony as we have already seen from Revelation 6:9-11. These will receive the kingdom on its heavenly side. The victorious saints of Chapter 14 go into the kingdom on earth, and have a special place of honor there.

“The Everlasting Gospel”—Verses 6 and 7

Men would write a volume on such a theme but God gives here but two verses. At the precise time when God’s title to the earth is being challenged by his impious, blasphemous creatures, we have a loud voice—which men cannot escape—bringing before them the True God, creator of heaven, earth, sea, and waters. The opposing trinity of evil in the earth, deceiving and enslaving men, and blaspheming God, did not, and could not, create anything. The message is to fear God, and give Him the glory due unto His great Name. His judgments were impending—yea, the Lord was about to come “out of His place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity” (Isa. 26:21).

It is important to notice that this gospel is to be preached to every nation, and kindred, and tongue and people. This is the “gospel of the kingdom” referred to by the Lord Jesus Himself, a gospel which “shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations” (Matt. 24:14). It is not to be confused with the present gospel of the grace of God. God will send strong delusion to the West, where men had refused the gospel of the grace of God, that they should believe a lie—Antichrist no doubt—“that they all might be damned who believed not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness” (2 Thess. 2:10-12). Notwithstanding, the Lord’s own words which “shall not pass away” (Matt. 24:35) and the Scripture of Truth (Rev. 14:6) both testify that the Everlasting Gospel will be preached to all nations. The preachers will be the godly Jews scattered abroad throughout the world in the days of the Antichrist. The Jew is known throughout the whole world as belonging to the nation whose God is the God of the heavens. This will lay upon men the responsibility of hearing their message. In the main the Everlasting Gospel will be believed by those Gentile nations, which are now in heathen darkness, superstition, and idolatry. It will be God’s time to implement His promise to Christ as given in Psalm 2:8—“ask of Me, and I shall give Thee the heathen for Thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for Thy possession.”

The preaching of the Everlasting Gospel is very greatly blest by God, and brings in “a great multitude . . . of all nations” (Rev. 7:9). Of this I have already written—also of the judgment of the living nations in Matthew 25:31-46. That passage gives us the Son of Man as Judge—His brethren, the Jewish messengers who preached the Everlasting Gospel—the sheep, those of the Gentiles who received the message and who, blest of His Father, inherit the earthly kingdom—the goats, alas those who, as ever, disdained God’s testimony and His witnesses also “go away into everlasting punishment” (Matthew 25:46).

Based on the death of Jesus, the Son of God, His precious blood shed whereby God is glorified in the putting away of sin, and with a veil rent, God has, in righteousness, come out in blessing to men. This blessing comes first to the church then to the nation of Israel and last of all to the Gentiles. Let us look briefly at a few illustrations of this, as found in both the Old and New Testaments.

Psalm 22

v. 21 Christ is heard “from the horns of the unicorns” —death

v. 22 Christ declares God’s Name unto “His brethren” —the church

v. 25 Christ praises God “in the great congregation” —Israel

v. 27 “All the families of the nations shall worship before Thee” (JND) —the Gentiles

The Gospel of John

Chapter 1

v. 29 “Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world” —Christ

v. 39 “They came and saw where He dwelt” —the church

v. 48 “When thou [Nathaniel] wast under the fig tree I saw thee” —Israel

Chapter 2

v. 1 The marriage in Cana of Galilee —Galilee of

the nations

Chapter 20

v. 17 “I ascend unto My Father and your Father” —Christ risen

from among the dead

v. 19 “The first day of the week . . . came Jesus and stood in the midst” —the church

v. 29 “Thomas, because thou hast seen Me thou hast believed” —Israel

Chapter 21

v. 6 “They were not able to draw it [the net] for the multitude of fishes” —the Gentile nations

Of interest to those who have ears to hear is the Lord’s parable of the sower, in Matthew 13:1-9. The Lord Himself was the sower, and the result of His sowing of the seed was that some brought forth fruit—“some an hundred fold [the church], some sixty fold [Israel], some thirty fold [the Gentile nations].” In distant Old Testament days we see the Gentile Jethro eating bread with Moses (Exodus 18:12). In the coming day of Messianic glory we learn that the nations shall “go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of Hosts, and to keep the feast of Tabernacles” (Zech. 14:16; see Note 7).

The Fall of Babylon—Verse 8

“Babylon is fallen” never to rise again! “She shall be utterly burned with fire” (Rev. 18:8). Papal Rome, “the depths of Satan” (Rev. 2:24)—a festering, putrid sore on the face of the earth for 1500 years, is completely obliterated! More on this subject when we come to Chapters 16 to 19.

The Wrath of God on Those who Worship or Accept the Mark of the Beast—Verses 9-11

The Judgment of God against men who accept the headship of the blasphemous beast by wearing his mark in their foreheads or in their hands, and who also worship him or his image. They are totally committed to his anti-God doctrine, and to their everlasting sorrow they will pay the penalty of striving with their Maker. We find that even while on earth God will also give them a mark—even “an evil and grievous sore” (Rev. 16:2), but my feeling is that their special torment goes beyond time and into eternity with them.

Blessed are the Dead who Die in the Lord—Verses 12-13

The rage of the devil and his satellites the Beast and Antichrist will try the patience of the saints to the utmost. They are described for us in Psalm 119:1-2—“blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord.” Like Jesus, they will resist unto blood in support of their faithful testimony. Here then is a special word of encouragement for them. Dying “in the Lord”—wondrous thought—they are accounted “blessed.” They are called to a rest of God, a faithful God, who takes full account of their works which were not in vain—they follow with them. Here one recalls the Lord’s words on earth—“fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul” (Matt. 10:28).

The First “Sickle” Judgment—Verses 14-16

The first “sickle” judgment executed by the Son of Man, no longer the despised and rejected of men, but “crowned with glory and honor.” Again we are reminded of the Lord’s words—“for the Father judgeth no man but hath committed all judgment unto the Son” (John 5:22). The blessed One who maintained God’s glory by the suffering of death upon the cross, is also able to glorify God in the destruction of His enemies and in the subsequent administration of the kingdom. “He shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon His throne, and He shall be a priest upon His throne” (Zech. 6:13). Of this time the seer had prophesied—“when Thy judgments are in the earth the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness” (Isa. 26:9).

The Second “Sickle” Judgment—Verses 17-20

The second “sickle” judgment, also executed by the Son of Man pertains to apostate Jews of Judah and Benjamin. These are the two tribes who incurred the guilt of crucifying their Messiah. Wrath comes upon them especially here to the uttermost. They will indeed pay the last farthing for that awful sin. Israel had been a noble vine, but through the sin of idolatry and the rejection of their Messiah had turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine (see Jer. 2:21).

Some idea of the reality of its latter day judgment of the apostate nation under Antichrist, may be gathered from the last verses of the chapter—“blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs.” This is equivalent to two hundred miles—the length of the land of Israel.

Chapter 15: The Scene Preceding the Seven Last Plagues

A short but significant chapter. God will make way for the now fast-approaching kingdom of His Son from which evil must be banished. The third and final phase of preparatory judgements is found here—“the last plagues.” There are seven of them, filling up the fury of God! A solemn word indeed for man. From the second verse we gather what has particularly angered Almighty God, namely the Beast; his image, and his mark. But God will, as ever, be victorious over the power of evil, and He will have saints to share the victory with Himself. Here we see them on the ”sea of glass mingled with fire.” A position of spotless purity was theirs, reached through the trial of their faith—”tried with fire” (1 Peter 1:7). They were victors in the days of man’s worst antagonism to God since the cross. Now, they have “harps of God!” How sweet is victory after suffering! Their songs are songs of victory. Such was “the song of Moses” surely, when “Israel saw that great work which the Lord did upon the Egyptians” (Ex: 14:31). At that time Moses and the children of Israel sang a song unto the Lord who had triumphed gloriously, having thrown the horse and his rider into the sea. On this occasion too, Moses is referred to as the servant of the Lord. Numerous, instructive and heart warming are the many references throughout the Scriptures to Moses as the servant of God. In the last chapter of Malachi, the last book of the Old Testament we read “remember ye the law of Moses My servant” (Mal. 4:4). “Moses verily was faithful in all His [God’s] house” (see Heb. 3:5). Now in the last book of the Bible the song of the victors is that of Moses, the servant of God. One would like to speak of his presence with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration, when he, and Elias, spake of His departure which He should accomplish at Jerusalem, but space forbids.

“The Song of the Lamb” too—ah!—let us never forget—it is a song of victory after suffering. “Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into His glory?” (Luke 24:26).

The ascription of praise here to the Lord God Almighty is worthy of attention. God is given His due place of honour, and justified for all His ways of righteous government in the earth, and His Judgments. Romans 3:4 may fittingly be quoted here—“that Thou mightest be justified in Thy sayings, and mightest overcome when Thou art judged.”

It seems clear from the allusion to “the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven” that these final judgments are in view of the deliverance of God’s saints, suffering at this time under the Roman Beast and the Antichrist. The ‘seven’ angels having the seven last plagues are seen in the vision as “clothed in pure and white linen”—characteristic of that scene to which they belong, so manifestly opposite to what was seen on the earth. Their breasts are girded with golden girdles. They are not now the bearers of good tidings to men—instead they are the executors of divine justice and judgment. We may here recall Revelation 1:13, where Christ Himself, seen in the character of a judge, is “girt about the paps with a golden girdle”—divine righteousness holding in His affections, for judgment is His strange work.

It was one of the four living creatures who gave the golden bowls full of the wrath of God to the seven angels. The twenty-four elders are not seen here, which is in keeping with the scene before us. Judgment on impious man, unmitigated judgment, is before God, and everything, for the moment, is subservient to this—“no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled” (Rev. 15:8).

Chapter 16: The Seven Golden Bowls Poured out on the Earth

“For He will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth” (Rom. 9:28).

The seven angels have seven golden bowls “full of the fury of God” which are now to be poured upon the earth. These judgments are final and the most severe of three divisions—seals, trumpets and bowls. Interesting to note also that the judgments under the seals and trumpets are interrupted by the introduction of subjects in parenthesis, but not so with the last series—the judgments of the golden bowls. These run consecutively, and when the seventh and last bowl is poured out “there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done” (v. 17).

The First Bowl—Verse 2

Let us visualize the mass of men in the West engraved, either forehead or hand with the mark of the Beast. How especially offensive to God this will surely be. It is a mark signifying that men have not only thrown over all acknowledgment of the true God of the heavens, but have enthroned in His stead a mere man like themselves, a corrupt and corruptible creature, whose breath is in his nostrils. In times past God had made Himself known to the heathen, by means of His works in creation—they gave Him not the glory, and He gave them up. Here they have refused the gospel of the grace of God, during the days of the church on the earth, and “they declare their sin as Sodom, they hide it not” (Isa. 3:9). God has seen it, and He also will give them a mark of his sore displeasure—“an evil and grievous sore”! It will be just what it says—an affliction to those upon whom it falls. They will know who sent it, as we learn from the ninth verse—they “blasphemed the Name of God, who hath power over these plagues.” Those who fall under this judgment in their lifetime will have a more sorrowful and eternal retribution awaiting them, as we see from Revelation 14:9-11—on which comment has already been made. The Everlasting Gospel which is to be preached to all nations before the end comes has also been mentioned. “All nations” says the Scripture, which cannot be broken, and this will include those nations which will receive the mark of the Beast. They will refuse this testimony, since “God shall send them strong delusion that they should believe a lie.” Undoubtedly they will be found among the goats on the left hand of the Son of Man when He sets up His earthly throne for the judgment of the living nations before He establishes His kingdom. It is also written—“the Son Man shall send forth His angels, and they shall gather out of His kingdom all things that offend; and them which do iniquity” (Matt. 13:41). The goats of the left hand “shall go away into everlasting punishment” (Matt. 25:46).

The Second Bowl—Verse 3

Moral death—stagnation—is indicated here—“every living soul died in the sea.” If it were actual death this would be the end of man’s life on earth, which manifestly is not supposed. But men had not only abandoned, but insulted God, and He in consequence has given them up. They were God forsaken! It is hardly possible for us to contemplate such a condition of life. Tortured as they are we can well understand their turning their backs on every vestige of the knowledge of God or mention of His Name. They harden their hearts against God as the judgments are poured out instead of repenting. Moral death on the masses of men everywhere results—“they died in the sea.” No thought of God, no remembrance of Him, all idea of responsibility to Him—all is gone in this picture of moral death.

The Third Bowl—Verse 4

The remarks on the second bowl apply here also, only instead of the masses of men we have in the third bowl those who are elevated somewhat above their fellows. These are the classes which should guide or govern, but which have now come to the end of their resources and are powerless to function.

The fifth, sixth, and seventh verses, indicate that men, and their rulers of the second and third verses, were the instruments of putting to death God’s faithful witnesses, and for so doing God recompenses them with these sore judgments. Now read the seventh verse as it should be translated—“I heard the altar say.” The altar is the place of sacrifice. We have already seen “under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the Word of God, and for the testimony which they held” (Rev. 6:9). These are the ones who acknowledge the righteous retributive hand of their God.

The Fourth Bowl—Verse 8

The supreme authority—the Roman Beast, I apprehend—whose despotic, tyrannical rule, from which there is no escape, makes the lives of men unbearable. He scorches them. An apt analogy. Still they prefer these unbearable conditions to “repentance toward God” and contrariwise they blaspheme His Name.

The Fifth Bowl—Verses 10 and 11

The throne of the Roman Beast, which Satan gave him, and also his kingdom are enveloped in a darkness which is felt to the extent of producing such anguish to men that, in the figure, “they gnawed their tongues for pain.” A few pregnant words of Scripture here depict a scene beyond the wildest stretch of our imagination.

This is the end of the broad way that leadeth to destruction, and the many there be which go in there at (Matt. 7:13). This is the end of the trail for evolution, the ascent of man—the wrong man—human achievement, progress and civilization so called! Should the Lord Jesus come for His church, and we momentarily expect Him, the conditions described here will follow in only a few years. Christian beware! “Love not the world” (1 John 2:15). Instead “if ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above; where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affections on things above, not on things on the earth—for ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory” (Col. 3:1-4).

“That way is upward still,

Where life and glory are;

Our rest’s above, in perfect love

The glory we shall share.”

The Sixth Bowl—Verses 12-16

Here is seen a concentration of the powers of darkness, Satan, Roman Beast, and False Prophet (together with those angels which were cast out of heaven with Satan) mustering their forces for the approaching conflict at Armageddon. On one side man and his hosts—on the other our Lord Jesus, and the armies which follow Him from heaven. The battle, and its issue, is described for us in Revelation 19:11-21, on which I will comment later. The allusion to the Lord coming as a thief shows that the day of the Lord is near at hand. Paul wrote to the Thessalonian saints—“yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night” (1 Thess. 5:2).

This sixth bowl poured out on the great river Euphrates, drying it up “that the way of the kings of the East might be prepared,” is the symbol of a tremendous military movement of which we have little conception. These powers may be China, Japan, Southeast Asia, India and others. They come, no doubt, to oppose the Roman Beast and the power of Europe—the West—but evidently do a “right about face” and join the opposing armies in a united confrontation of the Lord, when He appears. They will compose but a remnant of those who will be “slain with the sword of Him that sat upon the horse” (Rev. 19:21).

Armageddon has been famous as a battle ground in the land of Israel since the days of the Judges, when the kings of Canaan fought against Israel “by the waters of Megiddo.” Its history, sacred and profane, is very interesting to the student of the Bible. The name means “mountain of slaughter.” The name, too, is not unfamiliar to the world’s rulers even of the present day, who have an inbred fear of a world catastrophe lying ahead. Well may they tremble at the prospect—“multitudes, multitudes, in the valley of decision—for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision” (Joel 3:14).

The Seventh Bowl—Verses 17-21

This bowl is poured out into the air. Without air to breathe man is finished, which quite agrees with the great voice out of the temple of heaven from the throne, saying ‘it is done.’ The awesome signs of God’s power, voices, thunders, and lightnings precede the mightiest upheaval among men which the world has hitherto witnessed. There is now, at last, no government of man on earth. God breaks up the kingdom or the Beast, significantly, into three parts. It is as though God observed the false trinity and meted out these three sets of judgments to end in a three part division of its three part unity. “And the cities of the nations fell”—the disappearance of every vestige of government from among men is universal—world-wide, and final. It had happened under the seals but that was confined to Europe. Then too the powers that had been ordained by God broke down and were replaced by a government Satanic in form. Now nothing is left. It is the day of vengeance of our God—not an island or a mountain to afford a refuge.

The destruction of political Babylon brings back to the mind of God the destruction of religious Babylon—the Romish church—an act which in point of time preceded the worship of the Beast and in fact paved the way for it. But the details are reserved until now. For fifteen hundred years she held sway over kings and commoners. At the time of writing she boasts of half a billion enslaved souls of men. The blood of saints was found in her. Her day is come—God remembers her and her wicked deeds, and she will righteously drink the wine of the fierceness of His wrath. “She shall be utterly burned with fire” (Rev. 18:8).

The final judgment of God upon men under this last bowl is the plague of hail from heaven which falls upon them. In Job 38:22-23 we read “hast thou seen the treasures of the hail, which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war?” The writer once witnessed a hail storm in Alberta, Canada. Scarcely anything equals the sudden destruction wrought by a hail storm. In a moment or two it takes the lives of man and beast, destroying also crops and property. The size of the hailstones given in our chapter—“every stone about the weight of a talent” indicates a fierce judgment directly from heaven from God—“the plague thereof was exceeding great.” “Men blasphemed God because of the plague of hail.” We are reminded of God’s word to Pharaoh, who refused to bow to God’s judgments in his day—“How long wilt thou refuse to humble thyself before Me?” (Ex. 10:3).

Chapter 17: The Woman Riding the Beast

It should be noted here that it was one of the angels who had one of the last judgments—the bowls—who calls on John to see “the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters.” In point of time this judgment is long past. It is a backward glance at the judgment of the great whore which had to be removed to make way for the worship of the Beast.

In the third verse she is pictured as a woman sitting on a beast which had seven heads. In the ninth verse we read “the seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.” This is Rome “the seven-hilled city” known all over the world as such. This fact established in the minds of those who have wisdom, we see clearly how what is said of the woman fits the picture exactly. Let us bear in mind that Rome purports to be a Christian church—the only one—its head “Christ’s vicar on earth.” Scripture gives only one head—a heavenly One—to the church—“He is the head of the body, the church” (Col. 1:18). In the address to Thyatira the Lord calls it “that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess” (Rev. 2:20). She is unfaithful to her self-appointed profession in the Christian sphere, one of the “birds of the air” lodging in the branches of the great mustard tree (see Matt. 13:32). An unfaithful, immoral woman—“a great whore” in the eyes of the Lord! Alas, she sits upon many waters. How true! Where could one go on earth where she is not found? And men truly love darkness rather than light. It is a religion of the flesh, and suits them.

In the figure we see the “kings of the earth” carrying on an illicit connection with “the great whore.” No separation of church and state here. Rather do we see the meaning of the Pope’s triple crown again “Bishop of Kings!” For nearly a thousand years the history of the kings of Europe was tied in with the Church of Rome. Kings received, and retained their crowns, only by the will of the Pope. He could topple their thrones at his pleasure. The arrogant King John of England—of Magna Charta fame—was brought to his knees by means of a Papal interdict on the nation, as was Henry 4 of Germany, a powerful prince in his day. Charles 2 of England masqueraded as an Episcopalian during his lifetime, but on his death bed he secretly secured the services of a Popish priest and died a Romanist. In our day Adenauer, former Chancellor of Germany, died in the Romish faith. General DeGaulle of France attended mass on a recent visit to Canada. The kings of our day, and presidents and diplomats, including those of godless Russia, must visit Rome and shake hands with “His Holiness.” Were it not for the doctrine of his infallibility he would have many more visitors. The Church of England would return to the bosom of its “Holy Mother”; the Eastern schism would be healed.

Not only the great ones of the world are enmeshed in her web but “the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.” When I was a very young Christian I disputed with a Roman Catholic. He solemnly assured me that his was “the truest religion in the world.” In later years I knew a man who reached the pinnacle of fellowship in an anti-Catholic order, but who secretly, when his end was in sight, returned to “the fold.”

To see “the woman”—the great whore—John, in spirit, is carried into “the wilderness.” We might surely add, it was a barren one! She is seen riding “a scarlet colored beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.” She is carried to begin with by the revived Roman Empire, but a sudden change takes place, as at the end of our chapter we see that the ten horns (kings) and the Beast “shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire” (v. 16).

In a wilderness who would expect to find a woman dressed in purple and scarlet raiment, bedecked with gold and precious stones and pearls? She is surely “the strange woman” of the Book of Proverbs. The golden cup in her hand is full of her seductions. Woe to her victims! “Many strong men have been slain by her. Her house is the way to hell” (Prov. 7:26-27). In Jeremiah 3:3 we read—“thou hadst a whore’s forehead, thou refusedst to he ashamed.” How descriptive of “Babylon the Great.” Not only is she a spiritual harlot, but the mother of a numerous progeny who spread her abominations over the earth.

Of Babylon of old time it is written—“it is the land of graven images, and they are mad upon their idols” (Jer. 50:38). Hear the Word of the Lord regarding idols—“their idols are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands. They have mouths but they speak not, eyes have they but they see not, they have ears but they hear not, noses have they but they smell not, they have hands but they handle not, feet have they but they walk not, neither speak they through their throat. They that make them are like unto them—so is every one that trusteth in them” (Psa. 115:4-8). The modern Babylon too is full of graven images and frightful idols—dumb idols—dead idols. Everything in the Papal system has the odor of death—dead images and statues, dead bodies and bones, to which can be added numerous monstrosities, such as pieces of “the true cross,” a vial containing some of “the darkness of Egypt,” and so on ad infinitum—an insult to human intelligence, and specially obnoxious to those who have been turned “from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God” (Acts 26:18).

To her other heinous sins “the woman” added that of drunkenness—not with wine—ah no!—but “with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs [witnesses] of Jesus” (v. 6). Nothing more than this is needed to let us know who “the woman” is—the arch persecutor, tormentor, and murderer of God’s dear saints—“the witnesses of Jesus.” Let history speak here. Consider the persecution of the Waldenses, the Albigenses, the Huguenots, and the “Holy Office” of the Inquisition. And what of those who ascended to heaven in the chariot of fire? Well do they deserve the front rank there.

The angel would not only show John the mystery of “the woman,” but of the beast that carried her as well. The beast’s seven heads being seven mountains, on which the woman sits—the seven hills of Rome—the beast, as well as the woman is identified as Rome. Rome is the last of the Gentile empires described for us twice in the Book of Daniel. There were four successive empires—Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome. “The beast” then, which was, and is not, is the Roman Empire of the past, which became decadent, but will reappear in the power of Satan, and shortly be destroyed.

“There are seven kings—five are fallen.” When John wrote, five forms of government of this empire had passed away. These were—first kings—second consuls—third dictators—fourth Decemvirs—fifth military tribunes. “One is”—the imperial Caesars . . . under this form of power John was banished to the isle of Patmos. This was the sixth. “The other is not yet come, and when he cometh he must continue a short space” This was the seventh, and was no doubt Napoleon Bonaparte, whose meteoric rise to power, short-lived but brilliant military achievements, and sudden eclipse are too well known to need elaboration. He was a foreshadowing of the final beast who will accomplish what Napoleon only had in his mind. Here are Napoleon’s words—”France must be first among the states, or she is lost . . . there will be no rest in Europe until it is under a single chief—an Emperor, who shall have kings for officers, who shall distribute kingdoms to his lieutenants.” “The eighth”—an entirely new and hitherto unknown form of the Roman Empire, is entirely in the power of Satan. Historically connected with the seven forms of Roman power which preceded him, “the Beast” is seen ascending out of the bottomless pit—the abyss— and goes to destruction. This is “the Beast” that carries “the woman,” and is described for us in the thirteenth chapter, which we have already considered. He has ten kings under him but God does not permit him to consolidate his kingdom. They “receive power as kings one hour with the Beast”—a short time surely, but in the meantime they are unitedly behind their Satanic chief. Together they will be found fighting against the Lord Himself, only to be overcome by Him who is “Lord of Lords, and King of Kings” who has an army with Him of those who are “called and chosen, and faithful.” This subject will be considered again when we come to the nineteenth chapter.

Meantime let us return to the subject of “the whore and the waters on which she sits, being peoples and multitudes, and nations and tongues.” “The ten horns AND the Beast [not ‘the ten horns upon the Beast’ as some times incorrectly translated] will hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh and burn her with fire.” The chief use God makes of the revived Roman Empire—the Beast and his ten servant kings—is first to hate the whore—Babylon, Papal Rome—then “eat her flesh,” that is, take away her riches—finally “burn her with fire”—that is to say eradicate the whole system from the face of the earth. The eighteenth and nineteenth chapters will give us more details regarding this. In the address to Thyatira we find “the depths of Satan” in the Roman church of the middle ages. To think that the Beast who received “his power, and his throne, and great authority” from Satan should now destroy Satan’s masterpiece of corruption can only be understood by the words “God hath put it in their hearts to fulfill His will.” The cursed woman, great city indeed will reign no more over the kings of the earth!

A supplementary word may be added here regarding the ten horns AND the Beast of the sixteenth verse of our chapter. There are ten horns, and a “little horn” who obtains the preeminence, but who plucks up three of the ten horns “by the roots.” Who these three kingdoms are in the latter day, we do not know, nor how it comes to pass that in the end there are not seven kings, but ten kings and the Beast. It is there in the Scriptures, and it will be fulfilled when the time comes.

Chapter 18: The Judgment of the False Church-Its Cause and Effects

As an apt preface to this chapter one would quote Psalm 37:10—“thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be.”

The judgment of “Great Babylon” is announced in the nineteenth verse of the sixteenth chapter; the execution of this judgment is given in the sixteenth and seventeenth verses of the seventeenth chapter. In the eighteenth chapter we have a retrospective view of the sins that brought the judgment, and the world-wide effect of it. That a whole chapter should be entirely devoted to this subject shows its importance, all Scripture being given by inspiration of God. In His own time, God remembers her sins which reach up to heaven. Her judgment proceeds from Himself, for “strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.” Not only so, but in the twentieth verse we see that He has given effect to the righteous judgment of the suffering saints with respect to the persecuting harlot. Brief comment may be made on the salient features of the chapter.

Of God’s angels it is written—“bless the Lord, ye His angels, that excel in strength, that do His commandments, hearkening unto the voice of His word” (Psa. 103:20). Here we have one of these angels who “excel in strength” announcing mightily, with a strong voice, the fall of Babylon. It would appear this angel was not only a servant of God to do His will but also the first instrument in the work of Babylon’s ruin, wrought out on earth by the ten kings and the Beast. The outward profession of Christ, and Christianity, is then non-existent, and in its place among men there is nothing but what lies in the power of Satan—“habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.” The loud voice of the angel calls attention to Babylon’s long, seductive history, and its effect on men, great and small, many of whom had enriched themselves in the earth by her patronage. No heavenly blessings could she give—her sphere was earth.

“Come out of her, My people” (v. 4). Sad, but true, the Lord has had many people who in their whole lifetime violated their conscience by remaining in the fold of Rome. Some even accepted great ecclesiastical honors from the Pope. Others again were only stripped of priests’ garments before being led to the stake where they nobly laid down their lives in protest against the false doctrines of the church which they would not leave. “Come out of her, My people.” How many ever read it? Rome kept the Scriptures from the people, and small wonder, for “the entrance of Thy words giveth light” (Psa. 119:130). Many, however, must have read it, and heeded the call. A Christian once told me that a priest had admitted to him that the eighteenth chapter of Revelation undoubtedly referred to the Roman Catholic Church.

The word in verse six is solemn—“reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works.” For her slaughter of saints she is to be rewarded “double.” In my view this means the violent extermination of the brood of vipers from the Pope down. This is no way foreseen by the Vatican today. Rather they boast of their solidarity and world-wide unity of “faith,” as it is written—“I sit a queen and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.” But her end will be like an unexpected, devastating earthquake. Her plagues come in one day, death and mourning and famine, “and she shall be utterly burned with fire.” As “the smoke of her burning” ascends, can we wonder the world stands aghast? No Pope, no cardinals, no archbishops or bishops or priests or nuns, no cathedrals, or at least only empty ones. No sound of “sacred” music, no crosiers or crucifixes, no mass, in which they have “crucified the Son of God afresh” for over a thousand years. One can visualize the effect on those priest-ridden countries far removed geographically from the seat of papal rule when they hear of the Roman church’s destruction. Suddenly the religious life which was the core of their national and social existence has died. They will stand “afar off for fear of her torment” dreading lest the same calamity overtake them. “No man buyeth their merchandise any more”—the unholy market and its merchandise have both disappeared. Her trade so graphically described in the twelfth and thirteenth verses was wholly of this present evil world. At the same time, awful thought, she traded with the souls of men. From the cradle to the grave—births, marriages and deaths—she owned them, only promising purgatory when all was over here. The “great city” with which the erstwhile merchants of the earth traded, is described as having been clothed in fine linen and purple and scarlet.” She made a pretense of holiness (fine linen) but combined with this the garments of purple (royalty) and scarlet (human glory). Not only the merchants of earth mourn, but “all the company in ships.” Their grief is that “in one hour so great riches is come to naught.” So great riches indeed! As I write, a newspaper carries an article with a headline—“Vatican the richest world economic empire?”

But if on earth sorrow and consternation prevail, there is the call to heaven’s inhabitants—“rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets, for God hath avenged you of her.” All heaven will assuredly rejoice, and surely especially those who on earth had suffered at her hands.

If one threw “a great millstone” into the sea, one certainly would never expect to see it again. We then understand the action of the angel. Babylon was violently cast down—“and shall be found no more at all.”

In the twenty-second and twenty-third verses we have a looking back to what she was. There is also a vivid bringing before the mind of the fact that God’s judgment has written an everlasting “finis” (“the end”) to all.

The last verse is the most solemn in the chapter. Regardless of her pretended succession to “the chair of Peter”—at times there were two or three successors including a woman—and regardless of her garments of “fine linen,” she stands condemned by God’s own word as the murderess of God’s beloved saints. Yea, as we saw in the seventeenth chapter, she was “drunk with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus.” In God’s righteous judgment of her we learn the truth of that word—“God requireth that which is past” (Eccl. 3:15).

Chapter 19: Rejoicing in Heaven, Final Victory on Earth

In the twentieth verse of the preceding chapter we have briefly a call to heaven and its holy apostles and prophets to rejoice, because God had destroyed them, and had avenged them. In this chapter this rejoicing is unbounded. “Hallelujah” is the chorus. Once is not sufficient. “Again they said ‘Hallelujah’” and in fact, four times over, within the compass of six verses we have the word—“Hallelujah.” In the first verse the great multitude in heaven ascribe praise to God because His salvation and glory has effected two things. First, “He has judged the great harlot which corrupted the earth.” Secondly, “He has avenged the blood of His bondmen at her hand.” The memory of her judgment will be an eternal one for “her smoke goes up to the ages of ages.” Beautifully here we see unhindered true worship of God by the twenty four elders and the four living creatures. Those now glorified saints, who on earth had “resisted unto blood” at the hands of Babylon will have especial reason to rejoice. “The upright shall have dominion over them in the morning” (Psa. 49:14).

Now that the usurper, the false, pretended and pretentious bride of Christ on earth has been entirely disowned by Him, we see worthy preparations in heaven for the presentation of the true bride to the Lamb. What a moment that will be for both Christ and His church! One’s thoughts go back to the Lord’s own words “when He had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that He had and bought it” (Matt. 13:46)—and also to the words of the Apostle Paul—minister of the church—“Christ also loved the church, and gave Himself for it, that He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word—that He might present it to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing, but that it should be holy and without blemish” (Eph. 5:25-27). We love too, our side of it, through His grace, as pictured in Genesis 24:58—“and they called Rebekah, and said unto her—wilt thou go with this man—and she said I will go.” In His blessed company we can surely say even now—“I sat down under His shadow with great delight, and His fruit was sweet to my taste” (Song of Sol. 2:3). If space permitted one would gladly linger here, but one’s feelings are better expressed in the following stanzas of a hymn:

“If here on earth the thoughts of Jesus’ love

Lift our poor hearts this weary world above;

If even here the taste of heavenly springs

So cheers the spirit, that the pilgrim sings;

What will the sunshine of His glory prove?

What the unmingled fullness of His love?

What Hallelujahs will His presence raise?

What but one loud eternal burst of praise.”

In the seventh verse the Hallelujahs of heaven and its rejoicing center around the Lamb. Yes! “Jesus Thou alone art worthy, ceaseless praises to receive.” Through the long dark night the Holy Ghost was leading “home to the Lamb His bride.” So now “His wife hath made herself ready.” We must pause here to get the meaning of this. As soon as we are saved, washed from our sins in His own blood, we are as fit for heaven as we ever shall be. As flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God, we will have received bodies of glory like unto His own glorious body in the scene before us. Christ has of God been made unto us righteousness but here “to her it was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.” Titus 2:14 reads “who gave Himself for us that He might redeem us from all iniquity and purify unto Himself a peculiar people zealous of good works.” These are “works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them” (Eph. 2:10). The righteousnesses of saints here, then refer to their individual works done while on earth. That the Lamb’s wife has made herself ready for the marriage indicates that there has been a previous review of these works.

This is to be found in 2 Corinthians 5:10—“for we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.” This is a deeply solemn event, the prospect of which should have an every-day bearing on each of our lives. There will be no judgment of our sins, for Christ, who is the Judge, has already died for them. Also we shall then be in His own image and likeness. But in a faithful review of the responsible Christian life of each of us there will be praise or blame, reward or loss. We shall see that in our lives down here, to quote the words of a dear servant of the Lord to me when I was a very young Christian—“all the good was of God, and all the evil of ourselves.” This subject reminds one of Paul’s words “herein do I exercise myself to have always a conscience void of offense toward God and toward men” (Acts 24:16). Also “give none offense, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God” (1 Cor. 10:32).

The judgment seat of Christ will be a necessity if we are to be truly and eternally happy in the presence of the Lord. Here again we shall find the grace of our Lord exceeding abundant, and for His faithful judgment of our lives we shall be more than thankful and add our Amen! We can, too, see the fitness of the judgment seat of Christ being over before the marriage of the Lamb takes place. His wife is indeed now ready. “Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect?” (Rom. 8:33).

“Thine eye in that bright cloudless day

Shall, with supreme delight,

Thy fair and glorious bride survey

Unblemished in Thy sight.”

John the Baptist spoke of himself as “the friend of the Bridegroom.” You can depend upon it, he will be among those blessed ones who are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. It is my opinion that there will be a large gathering of invited guests. The scene is not only joyful, but impressive. In contemplation of it the angel is moved to say—“these are the true sayings of God.” John is deeply moved too, so much so that he forgets for the moment that the angel is but a servant—though an honored one no doubt. “Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?” (Heb. 1:14). The angel here is true servant of the Lord, for “He that seeketh His glory that sent Him, the Same is True” (John 7:18). He prevents John from offering worship which belongs to God alone, and takes his place along with John and his brethren as a servant who had the testimony of Jesus. This incident of John and the angel is deeply instructive since in the early days of the church the worship of angels had already made its appearance (see Col. 2:18). How much more this developed into the worship of intermediate beings we know from the history of the professing church. We hold fast by the truth of God, which is that “there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus” (1 Tim. 2:5).

Before proceeding further a question arises which needs explanation—that is why the chapter deals with such seemingly opposed subjects as the judgment of the false church and the battle of Armaggedon. As we have seen, these events are actually separated as to time. The answer is threefold. First it is to focus, in the mind of the reader, the close connection between the world and the false church, showing it not to be of God. Secondly it shows that the claims of the false bride must be considered and dealt with before the marriage of the Lamb can take place. By bringing Armaggedon into the picture, God, as it were, shows that the usurping Gentile powers must also be overthrown so Christ can rule the earth with His bride. Thirdly it shows us that the church cannot possibly pass through the tribulation for the marriage of the Lamb takes place in heaven after the judgment of the false church on earth. Also, Christ does not appear at Armageddon alone, for “the armies which were in heaven followed Him upon white horses” (Rev. 19:14). How did they get into heaven, one might ask, if the church passed through the tribulation?

And now Christ is free to associate His people with Himself in the execution of further judgment on His enemies. Heaven opened. The heavens had once opened to a meek and lowly Jesus, when the Spirit like a dove descended upon Him, and the Father’s voice was heard exclaiming—“Thou art My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased” (Mark 1:9-11). Now heaven opens to reveal Jesus come, not now in grace but for war. Seated on a white horse—emblem of victory—His Name is “faithful and True.” We are in no doubt as to who is seated on the white horse for in Revelation 1:5 we read—“Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness,” and He presents Himself in the address to Philadelphia as “He that is True” (Rev. 3:7). Of his eyes as a flame of fire and His many crowns, we have already written but “He had a name written that no man knew, but He Himself.” This is His essential Deity—ever beyond the ken of the creature, as it is written—“no man knoweth the Son but the Father” (Matt. 11:27). He has “a vesture dipped in blood”—the blood of His enemies—as it is written—“who is this that cometh from Edom with dyed garments from Bozrah?” (Isa. 63:1). His Name is called “the Word of God.” In this latter part of our chapter distinct emphasis is laid on His Godhead glory. “The Word of God” here is identical with the expression at the opening of John’s gospel—“in the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1).

And now the armies which were in heaven follow in His train on “white horses”—victorious armies, clothed in garments of unalloyed purity. “To execute upon them the judgment written; this honor have all His saints” (Psa. 149:9). We have here the fulfillment of the prophecy uttered by Enoch, the seventh from Adam, and given to us in the fourteenth and fifteenth verses of Jude—“behold the Lord cometh with ten thousands of His saints to execute judgment upon all . . .” We have already covered the smiting of the nations and ruling them with a rod of iron. It is out of Christ’s own mouth the sharp sword goes to execute “the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.”

The Name written on His vesture and on His thigh is no secret name, but for all to see that our Jesus is “King of Kings, and Lord of Lords.”

The symbols given convey to us the most awful carnage one could imagine. The carnivorous birds of the heavens are called to the great supper of God—“for wheresoever the carcass is, there will the eagles be gathered together” (Matt. 24:28). This is at last the great battle of Armageddon. What a scene at the end of this so-called enlightened age. Man, mortal man, set to wage war with God Himself, and His hosts from heaven. God, who knows the end from the beginning, has vividly depicted this very scene in the second Psalm. Once before in the history of man “the Kings of the earth, and their rulers took counsel together, against the Lord, and against His anointed.” Caiaphas, Pilate and Herod had each their share in this, when “in His humiliation His judgment was taken away” and “Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they required.” This was “let Him be crucified.” History here repeats itself. On the appearance of the Lord Himself from heaven, the Kings and rulers defiantly combine against Him, saying “let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cord’s from us.” But “the Lord shall have them in derision” and “then shall He speak unto them in His wrath.” He will “dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.”

The end comes swiftly. “The Beast was taken” and with him the false prophet. Where is now the worship of the Beast which he propagated his mark, or the number of his name? Here we have the fulfillment of 2 Thessalonians 2:8—“whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of His mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of His coming.” No need of a great white throne judgment for these two rebels, taken in open opposition to God. Summary judgment and everlasting torment is their portion. (See also Rev. 20:10.) And what of the other kings of the earth and their vast armies? A few words only are given—“the rest were slain with the sword of Him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of His mouth” (see Note 8).

Chapter 2: The Addresses to the First Three Churches

It is astonishing to find such wide ranging and divergent features exhibited in the seven churches of Asia so soon after the wise master builder had laid the foundation (1 Cor. 3:10). The Lord addressed His word to seven assemblies then actually existing. But in the order in which they are given from Ephesus to Laodicea, they also afford a picture of the history of the church from apostolic times until its final phase when it is disowned as a faithless witness for Christ. It has to be borne in mind that we are given in the historical forecast, the various phases of the development of the church as a body of Christian profession in the earth, regardless of whether that profession be true or feigned. Within this framework is to be seen the real church, the body of Christ, for the most part in greater or lesser degree, the suffering church of the suffering Lamb.

Three phases of church history have passed away—namely Ephesus, Smyrna, and Pergamos. The remaining four—Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea—are still in existence, running alongside each other from their commencement. This will be clearly seen from the remarks which follow on each separate church. In the meantime, the Scripture itself clearly makes the distinction in that in the addresses to the first three churches we have first the call—“he that hath an ear to hear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches,” followed by the reward to the overcomer. This is reversed in the addresses to the last four churches, the reward to the overcomer being placed before the call to hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

Ephesus

This church was the crown of the Apostle Paul’s labors. Of the Corinthian assembly Paul said “I have fed you with milk, and not with meat, for hitherto ye were not able to bear it” (1 Cor. 3:2). But the church at Ephesus had been fed with meat as witness the epistle to the Ephesians. Taking final leave of the elders, as related in Acts 20:17-38, Paul declared that he had not shunned to declare unto them all the counsel of God. However, like Moses, he had a premonition of a falling away after his departure—cause for his warning them night and day with tears. Ephesus, then, shows us the state of the church immediately after the apostles had left the scene. It presents a picture of dead orthodoxy—outward correctness. While there was something which the Lord could commend, the vitalizing link was gone! They had left their first love! Nothing could compensate for this loss. It was a fall. Unless they heeded the Lord’s call to repent and do the first works, their candlestick would be removed, which in fact it was. There were some at Ephesus who claimed to be successors to the apostles, like those who have for centuries sat in “the Chair of Peter,” but there was still power enough to refute their claim.

There were also evidently those whose evil conduct the saints could not bear. I link this with “the deeds” of the Nicolaitans, hateful to the Lord and His saints. In Pergamos there was a “doctrine” of the Nicolaitans—hated by the Lord (Rev. 2:15). While aware of other opinions, I can only state my own. To me, the Nicolaitans are the class already in evidence in the apostles’ days, who continued on in the early days of the church. Jude mentions them—“certain men crept in unawares ... turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness” (Jude 4). The more sin—the more grace! Could anything be more hateful to the Lord? Paul warns us—“Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?” (Rom. 6:1-2). It is worthy of note that John, the aged and last remaining of the twelve apostles, was also much occupied in warning against the allowance of sin by the children of God. In his first epistle the saints are invited to share in the apostle’s fellowship, which was “with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ” (1 John 1:3). At the same time he points out that “If we say that we have fellowship with Him and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth” (1 John 1:6). His godly admonitions had in view that the Christian sin not (1 John 2:1). Further he adds “whosoever sinneth hath not seen Him, neither known Him” and states “he that committeth sin is of the devil” (1 John 3:6-8). Mark well! These words are addressed to those to whom it was also written “this is the promise that He hath promised us, even eternal life” (1 John 2:25). As the Nicolaitan deeds and doctrine had made their appearance before the Apostle John left the scene, we can well understand the purport of his warnings, embodied in the Holy Scriptures. Saints and sin cannot go on together—“let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity” (2 Tim. 2:19).

The closing word to Ephesus (v. 7) is worthy of note. They were to heed what the Spirit said unto the churches. The saints “are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit” (Eph. 2:22). Paul wrote to Timothy—“that good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us” (2 Tim. 1:14). Finally (v. 7) the tree of life—barred to man in Eden—now appears in the Paradise of God! The overcomer will eat of it there.

Smyrna

Smyrna means myrrh, frequently identified in Scripture with suffering. At this late date, so near the coming of the Lord, one feels almost unequal to write of suffering, considering the Lord’s mercy to His people in these last closing days of the church’s history on earth. But in times past our spirits have been moved, and again as we write, when we read in the Scriptures of the sufferings of our precious Savior, and also of His holy apostles, and the myriads of suffering saints who have followed them, who “loved not their lives unto the death” (Rev. 12:11).

Jesus has rightly been referred to as “the crowned King of all patient sufferers.” Those words in Luke 22:15 are enough to stir our hearts to their very depths—“with desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer.” And with what joy we have oftentimes read the triumphant word of a risen Savior to the two on the way to Emmaus—“Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into His glory?” (Luke 24:26). God, “in bringing many sons to glory has made the Captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings” (Heb. 2:10). “The disciple is not above his Master” (Matt. 10:24) and from the Scriptures we learn with certainty that Paul, Peter, James the brother of John, and Stephen, were deprived of life in this world as a consequence of their faithful witness to the truth.

Before the advent of the gospel, pagans and Jews lived in harmony together in Smyrna. The strong man armed kept his goods in peace, but now the church of God was there too—the well known division of men thus constituted—the Jew, the Gentile, and the church of God (1 Cor. 10:32). Satan, power of darkness, raised up persecution against the church. Believers were cast into prison, they were tried, and endured a tribulation which, however, the Lord limited. There were found of them faithful unto death—as witness the martyrdom of the aged Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna. It is clear from verse 9 that the Jews joined the pagans, in the persecution of the church. The Lord, who Himself had gone through death and was alive, encouraged His persecuted ones to be faithful unto death, and He would give them a crown of life. The Lord had no word of censure or rebuke for Smyrna. He knew their works, and tribulation and poverty in this world, but they were rich toward God. A day is coming when God will “wipe away all tears” and when “there shall be no more death” (Rev. 21:4).

Historically, Smyrna represents that period in the church’s history when Satan unleashed appalling persecutions under ten Roman Emperors in the years given below:

Nero 64 A. D.

Domitian 81

Trajan 98

Marcus Aurelius 161

Septimus Severus 193

Maximin 235

Decius 249

Valerian 254

Aurelian 270

Diocletian 284

It has been truly said “the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church.” “But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew” (Ex. 1:12). One thanks God for the grace given to the Lord’s noble witnesses of that time, men, women, and children, old and young, enabling them to endure the fiery trial.

Why did the Lord allow it? The martyred saints were His very own members. The reason is a serious one indeed. God’s purpose in the call of Abraham was to adopt a nation Israel, which would retain the knowledge of the one true God in a world steeped in idolatry. Israel completely failed to do so. Would the church prove a more faithful witness, a brighter light in a darkened world? In Scripture the church is called “the church of the living God” (1 Tim. 3:15)—to be on earth “the pillar and ground of the truth.” Christ had said twice over “they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world” (John 17:14,16). But the church now, beginning with the declension in Ephesus, was departing from her calling, and her Head. Paul saw it coming before he went to be with Christ, and had to say “all they which are in Asia are turned away from me” (2 Tim. 1:15) and “Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world” (2 Tim. 4:10). Alas the church was pandering to the world. The distinctive truth of the church as belonging to Christ alone was being lost. The light of the gospel dimmed! The sorrowful persecutions were allowed so that the saints might know the true character of the world in contrast to Christ and Christianity. It might have the effect of arresting the decline. But no! The succeeding phase of the church reveals a still worse state of things.

Pergamos

First we do well to consider the bearing of the address to the actual church in Pergamos before we look at the period it represents in the onward history of Christianity. The saints were living in a city notorious for idolatry—in fact, Satan’s seat was there. Despite the darkness, the church held fast to the Lord’s Name, which was duly appreciated by Himself who could say to them “I know thy works.” The Scripture says “all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” (2 Tim. 3:12) and that the Lord’s people here did not escape is evidenced by the fate of the faithful Antipas (whose name means ‘against all’) who suffered martyrdom. There were amongst them, however, those who held the doctrine of Balaam, which had the effect of joining the Lord’s people to the world and its religion. “They ate the sacrifices of the dead” (Psa. 106:28). They also, like their brethren in neighboring Ephesus, were allowing in their midst the Nicolaitans, mentioned in the comments on Ephesus. Truly “evil communications corrupt good manners” (1 Cor. 15:33). The Scripture says “let every one that nameth the Name of Christ depart from iniquity” (2 Tim. 2:19). In the light of the Lord’s word “repent” to the church at Pergamos, this is readily understood. If they did not repent, He would fight against them with the sharp two-edged sword of His mouth. “The face of the Lord is against them that do evil” (1 Peter 3:12). The reward offered here to those who would be true to the profession of Christ’s holy Name is very encouraging—to eat of hidden manna—support by feeding on Christ in secret communion as between the soul and Himself. The “white stone”—symbol of acquittal when judged for one’s conduct—would be given the tried ones; not the white stone alone, but in it “a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it”—a secret between the giver and the recipient. Oh for a “white stone” and a “new name written” in it, from the Lord’s own blessed hand!

Pergamos gives us a picture of that phase of the church which emerged after the Roman persecutions had ceased. Satan had not succeeded in obliterating God’s testimony from the earth therefore he changed his tactics! “We are not ignorant of his devices” says Paul (2 Cor. 2:11). He arranged a marriage. Pergamos means “married.” He succeeded in joining the church and the world together in an unholy alliance. The church now had a head on earth in the person of the Roman Emperor Constantine, who presided at the Christian Council of Bishops, and turned pagan temples and their treasures into so called Christian churches. The cross was displayed everywhere as the symbol of the new polity. Long imprisoned in dungeons, Christians now emerged, living skeletons, indelibly marked by suffering, and were set up as Bishops in the new order of things. Alas by this means the true place and testimony of the church, as a witness for God in the world, was lost but for Antipas and his suffering brethren of that time, many of whom paid with their lives for their protest and separation from what they knew was of Satan and not of Christ. The ‘hidden manna’ sustained them. The ‘white stone,’ and ‘the new name written’ will be their eternal recompense! The features characterizing the actual church at Pergamos, on which we have already written, were fully developed and in full bloom in the days of Constantine and his Empress. In the administration of the state, the affairs of ‘the church’ held a prominent place.

The reference to Satan—“that old serpent, who is the Devil, and Satan” (Rev. 20:2) in the addresses to Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, and Philadelphia, lead me into a digression. He has been the antagonist of God, His Christ, and the saints, and has opposed every work of God, from the beginning. Only a few notices of his baneful works can be given here. He is the arch-deceiver of the human race. Significantly, the serpent has been, and still is, an object of worship all over the world. In Eden, “the woman being deceived was in the transgression” (1 Tim. 2:14). This was his first act. His last act is the deception of the nations of the earth, gathering them against “the beloved city.” Fire from heaven devours his dupes, and he is summarily cast into the lake of fire to be tormented day and night forever and ever. It would lead us too far to refer to the record of his activities in the Old Testament, but we must refer to his temptation of our precious Savior in the wilderness. Awful thought—he offered the Lord all the kingdoms of the world if the Lord would fall down and worship him. The Lord having overcome Satan, he departed from Him for a season. Soon he returned, entering into Judas to betray his Master. The Lord was aware of his approach for He said “the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in Me” (John 14:30). Anticipating what He would accomplish on the cross, Jesus said “now is the judgment of this world, now shall the prince of this world be cast out” (John 12:31). Goliath was slain with his own sword, so we read that “through death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is the devil” (Heb. 2:14). The seed of the woman bruised the serpent’s head (see Gen. 3:15). But Satan still remained to oppose the work of the Lord as we see in Matthew 13:24-50. Risen from the dead, Christ had sowed good seed in His field, but while men slept—that is, left their first love—an enemy sowed tares. Verse 39 is specific—“the enemy that sowed them is the devil.” Tares and wheat (good seed) grow together “until the harvest.” This parable sheds much light on the addresses to the seven churches. In the profession of Christianity there are tares as well as wheat growing together until the harvest time. “The children of God,” and “the children of the devil” are contrasted for us in 1 John 3:10.

Man today largely counts the Devil a myth. Lest the Christian be off guard we quote 1 Peter 5:8-9—“be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the Devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: whom resist steadfast in the faith.” Paul also admonishes the saints at Ephesus to “put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil” (Eph. 6:11). And for our encouragement—“the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly” (Rom. 16:20).

Ephesus, Smyrna, and Pergamos, as phases of the history of the professing church, have passed away. The remaining four churches go on to the end. Thyatira, the first of these four churches, is found in Revelation 2:18-29, but is commented on in Chapter 3 of these notes so the last four churches may be considered as a group.

Chapter 20: The Post Millennial Rebellion and the Great White Throne

As we open this chapter our minds go back to the days of God’s servant Job and to the day “when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them. And the Lord said unto Satan, whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the Lord and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it” (Job 1:6-7). No longer can he do this, he who is so well named “the dragon, that old serpent, who is the Devil and Satan”—the seducer of our race. “A stronger than he” lays hold on him, binds him with a great chain, casts him into the abyss of darkness, shuts him up there and sets a seal upon him for the thousand years of Christ’s glorious millennial reign. Then will be fulfilled that word—“and the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly” (Rom. 16:20). A worse fate awaits him when released from his prison, as we shall soon see.

In the fourth, fifth and sixth verses we have a vision of what takes place in heaven while Satan is chained in the abyss.

Three classes are brought before us in the fourth verse:

1) “I saw thrones, and they sat upon them and judgment was given unto them.” There are the twenty four elders—the Old Testament saints and the church of God. This event is spoken of in Daniel 7:22—“the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.”

2) “And I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus and for the Word of God.” These are those referred to in Revelation 6:9, who, after the church has gone to glory “were slain for the Word of God, and for the testimony which they held.” Cast out of the temple, they were hated and slain by their ungodly idolatrous, persecuting brethren after the flesh. The Lord Jesus spoke of them—“the brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son, and children shall rise up against their parents, and shall cause them to be put to death. And ye shall be hated by all men for My Name’s sake. But he that shall endure unto the end the same shall be saved” (Mark 13:12-13).

3) “And those who had not done homage to the Beast.” These come under the heading of Revelation 6:11. They are fellow servants of their forerunners and brethren of the ninth verse and will be killed as they were. Their special testimony is their refusal to worship the image of the Beast, in defiance of the Antichrist (Rev. 13:15). This is during the last half of Daniel’s seventieth week—the “forty and two months” during which power is given to the Beast.

These three classes lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. All are found in the heavenly kingdom above. They have part in the first resurrection, and, as already stated, are comprised of:

1) The saints of Old Testament times—up to John the Baptist. “The law and the prophets were until John” (Luke 16:16).

2) The church of God.

3) The two groups of martyred saints from among the Jews, referred to in sections 2 and 3 preceding.

These three classes are accounted “blessed and holy” having part in the first resurrection. All alike are priests unto God and Christ, reigning also as kings and priests. The rest of the dead will live again after the thousand years are finished. They will hear the voice of the Son of Man, and having done evil will come forth “to the resurrection of damnation” (John 5:29).

In the seventh, eight, and ninth verses we have the last act in the human drama before God brings down the curtain of time. After a full thousand years of peace and plenty, and those wonderful conditions of earthly blessing foretold by Isaiah, Satan is loosed out of his prison. He had been kept there for this very purpose—leading a mass revolt from the peoples of the nations against God. Hence they compass the camp of the saints about and “the beloved city”—for as we learn from Ezekiel 48:35 the name of the city in that day will be “the Lord is there.”

Satan’s first act was to deceive Eve in Eden’s garden—his last “to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth.” These are the multitudes born of Gentile parents, but not born of God. The immensity of their numbers is suggested by the expression “the sand of the sea.” Their descent on the beloved city is after the pattern of Gog and Magog, whose evil activities against Israel, followed immediately by God’s judgment, is shown in Ezekiel 38 and 39. No trial is needed when God’s enemies are caught in open rebellion against Him, as we have already seen in the case of the Beast and his armies. So here the fire of heaven devours them.

We know that Satan has knowledge of Scripture. Did he not misquote it to the Lord? And does he not know of his awful doom as given in the tenth verse? No doubt he does, but he will be the Devil and enemy of God to the very end, when he is “cast into the lake of fire and brimstone.” The Beast and false prophet (Antichrist) have been there a thousand years before him “and they shall be tormented day and night forever and ever.” Their torment, all three of them, will be for as long as God exists—for ETERNITY!

The “time state” is over! The earth and heavens are about to flee away. What of the nation of Israel, and the saved of the Gentiles? Scripture is silent, but as we read in Deuteronomy 33:3 “all His saints are in Thy hand.” We can rest assured they will be perfectly safe there, and will appear in the new earth where the tabernacle of God will be with men when God also “will make all things new” (Rev. 21:5).

“And I saw a great white throne.” In five short verses—11-15—we have the judgment and final doom of those who, refusing to have to do with God, or to be reconciled to Him in their lifetimes, died in their sins, and “lived again” to be judged “according to their works.” The Bible, from cover to cover contains God’s solemn warnings to man that He “will by no means clear the guilty” (Ex. 34:7)—“for the work of a man shall He render unto him” (Job 34:11). “The preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem,” concludes his book of Ecclesiastes with the following words—“for God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.” With this the Apostle Paul is in entire agreement—“in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel” (Rom. 2:16). Christ Himself, then, is the Judge upon this throne of spotless purity.

“Upon that throne no dazzling seraph sat,

No minister of might in angel guise,

No spirit etherous to manifest

The secrets of the human heart, but dressed

In bone and flesh, the Judge in this assize,

The Son of Man in power and splendor great.”

From His face who sat on the throne—Christ—”the earth and the heaven fled away and there was found no place for them.” This also fully agrees with 2 Peter 3:10—“but the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night in which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise and the elements shall melt with fervent heat. The earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.” Once while visiting the Planetarium in New York City I heard the lecturer state that no one could know how the end of “our earth” would take place. When his lecture was over I approached him and remarked that there need be no uncertainty whatever since God had said—as just quoted—“the earth also . . . shall be burned up.” There ensued no discussion of the subject.

The dead, small and great—“for there is no respect of persons with God” (Rom. 2:11)—stand before the throne. The books are opened—God’s records of men’s lives. Did they vainly think He kept no records? First there is the book of life. Thank God, my name is written there!! How do I know, you ask? On earth Jesus said “this is the will of Him that sent Me, that every one who seeth the Son, and believeth on Him may have everlasting life” (John 6:40). “I have believed, and therefore have I spoken” (2 Cor. 4:13). Then there are the books which contain the life story of the sinner. These are opened, and judgment is rendered according to the works recorded there. There is no escape. The sea yields its numerous dead. Death, which overtook the sinner, and hades—his state after death awaiting the judgment day—are no longer to be found. “The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death” (1 Cor. 15:26). All is forever finalized in “the second death.” Mark there is no resurrection from “the second death.” “He that hath the Son hath life, and He that hath not the Son of God hath not life” (1 John 5:12). The lake of fire is the eternal portion of those who did not believe on the Name of the Son of God, and whose names consequently were “not found written in the book of life.”

Chapter 21: The Eternal State and the Holy City

The first eight verses of this chapter refer entirely to the eternal state. The first earth had run its prescribed course of seven thousand years of human habitation and had vanished to make way for the new earth in the eighth or new creation day. There is no more “troubled sea . . . whose waters cast up mire and dirt” (Isa. 57:20). This is “the day of God”—eternity—and the introduction of “new heavens, and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness”—the fulfillment of His promise as revealed in 2 Peter 3:13.

“The holy city, NEW Jerusalem, comes down from God out of heaven prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.” A thousand years of having lived and reigned with Christ, has not dimmed the luster and beauty of His bride, which is also the church of the living God. It is, and forever, the tabernacle of God with men. God’s rest has now been reached, and His thought of dwelling with men at last fulfilled. “God Himself shall be with them—their God.” Noticeably the Name only of God, appears here. Dispensational names have disappeared that God—Father, Son, and Holy Ghost—may be “all in all” (read 1 Cor. 15:24-28).

“Happy is that people, whose God is the Lord” (Psa. 144:15). Happy indeed, and forever, when “God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.” No more death, grief, cry, or distress—“the former things are passed away.” The Alpha and the Omega makes all things new.

“I saw the flock of God, a goodly throng

Of happy people spread in peace abroad

O’er that fair earth in love’s eternal light:

Nor sun or candle do they need; no night

Is there, but endless day, the day of God;

And every heart pours forth eternal song.

A trace of sorrow, death, or curse, shall ne’er

In that fair land be found; no sculptured stone,

Symbol of crushed and broken hearts, no tears,

No disappointments, no foreboding fears.

No tree with fruit forbidden standing lone,

Nor can the serpent ever enter there.

The hand of God hath wiped all tears away;

No more a visitor, as innocence

Might into Eden’s bowers have welcomed Him;

Here shall He dwell unveiled, no distance dim

Between Him and His creature, but from thence

Sons with the Father for eternity.

Jesus is there, well known in His deep love,

To walk with His redeemed thru fields of light

There shall their hearts with holy joy recall His cross,

His travail sore, sorrows all,

For them endured in love’s eternal might

That He might have them with Himself above.”

Who are they who will inherit this scene of glory but they who drank of the water of life which Jesus now gives to every thirsty soul. They took up His path of rejection and His cross in this world and now are seen as those who, having overcome, have inherited eternal bliss in the everlasting relationship of sons of the living God.

If any of the sons of men do not inherit these blessings, it is because the preaching of the cross was foolishness to them. They were unbelieving, and so perished. Their evil works followed with them. They “shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”

Let us commence our review of verse nine to the end of the chapter with the following beautiful stanza of a hymn:

“One spirit with the Lord

Jesus, the glorified,

Esteems the church for which He bled,

His body and His Bride.”

Yes, “Christ also loved the church, and gave Himself for it” (Eph. 5:25). Who can tell the unbounded delight and joy which our precious Savior will have in the possession of His blood-redeemed bride. Surely our cup too will run over.

“Thine eye in that bright cloudless day

Shall, with supreme delight,

Thy fair and glorious bride survey,

Unblemished in Thy sight.”

It must have been music to the ear of John “the beloved disciple” to hear the words “come hither, I will show thee the Bride, the Lamb’s wife.” The messenger was one of the angels “which had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues.” A similar angel had previously carried John into the wilderness to see the spurious bride. Now he is carried in the Spirit, not to a barren wilderness, but to “a great and high mountain” far removed from earth altogether. There he sees “the Holy City Jerusalem”—the heavenly metropolis, the church, coming down out of the heaven from God.

What we have in this part is a retrospective look at what the church, “the Bride, the Lamb’s wife” was, when as kings and priests she reigned with Christ over the earth for a thousand years. The City had the reflected glory of God. Christ had said in that marvelous prayer to His Father—“and the glory which Thou gavest Me I have given them” (John 17:22). Here we have the wondrous fulfillment of these words.

Brief comments on the various features exhibited in the Holy City—the church—are appropriate at this point.

She Possesses the Glory of God—“Her shining was like a most precious stone, as a crystal like jasper stone.” While on earth the saints were “all the children of light” (1 Thess. 5:5). Jasper speaks of the reflected glory of God which enhances the brilliance emanating from the wondrous light-bearing body of the glorified Christ in heaven.

The City has a Great and High Wall—In the eighteenth verse we read “the building of the wall of it was jasper.” The glory of God was the security of the wall, hence the City was divinely protected from the inroads of evil. The wall had twelve gates each made from the same piece—“the pearl of great price.” In olden time, the gate was the seat of the judge of the people. Here we have therefore the heavenly seats for the administration of judgment on earth. The angels are willing doorkeepers as it is written—“for unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come” (Heb. 2:5). The names however, of the twelve tribes of Israel are written on the gates, showing the close association in that day of the church in heaven with Israel on the earth. Light on the position is surely given in the Lord’s words to His disciples in Matthew 19:28—“and Jesus said unto them—verily I say unto you, that ye which have followed Me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man shall sit in the throne of His glory, ye also shall sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” Another honor for the twelve Apostles of the Lamb is to be seen in their names being found in the twelve foundations of the wall of the City. Paul tells us that the household of God is “built upon the foundation of the Apostles and [New Testament] prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the corner stone” (Eph. 2:20).

God’s Measure of the City—The City of pure gold, like unto clear glass, was a cube—“the length and the breadth and the height of it are equal.” Measured by God’s standard—the golden reed—it fully answered to his mind and good pleasure in every respect. Christ’s estimate of it too is suitably expressed in the words—“thou art all fair my love, there is no spot in thee” (Song of Sol. 4:7). The measure of the city was twelve thousand furlongs. When we go back to Revelation 14:20 and understand that the one thousand and six hundred furlongs mentioned there represents the length of the land of Israel, we can gather some little idea of the immensity of the Holy City—twelve thousand furlongs—a cube. “What a gathering of the ransomed that will be.”

The Foundations of the City’s Wall—Twelve precious stones, each one having its own peculiar beauty, were found in the foundations of the wall. Surely we can say—“what hath God wrought” (Num. 23:23). The precious stones speak of God’s workmanship in the soul of each believer. It only needs the light of God to shine on the stones to develop their brilliance and beauty, as it is written “let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us” (Psa. 90:17). Many of the precious stones named here were also in the breastplate of Aaron, the High Priest of Israel (Ex. 28:17-20). He only wore them once, in His garments of glory and beauty on the day of his consecration—the same day on which failure in the priesthood was manifested, and brought death on his two sons in judgment from God. But God never gives up His purposes, and in the Holy City we find the precious stones again.

Before leaving this subject, let us look at Ezekiel 28:12-17. Here we have an undoubted reference to the fall of Satan. “Every precious stone was thy covering.” Ten are named—some of them the same as in the High Priest’s breastplate, and the Holy City. Ten brings in the responsibility of the creature, and Satan was but a creature, but saying “I am a God” (Ezek. 28:2)—he was cast out “as profane out of the mountain of God” (Ezekiel 28:16)—far removed from the light of God. Satan will be found in the abyss, while the radiant light of the glory of God will light up His precious stones in glory—those who, let us never forget it, were sometimes darkness, but now light in the Lord.

“Stones wrought in secret

In the earth’s still bosom

By God’s Almighty finger;

Fashioned fair,

With light of many

A glorious shaded prism

Of rainbow gleamings,

Caught, and treasured there.”

There is no Temple in the City—In Acts 3:1 we read—“Peter and John went up into the temple at the hour of prayer.” They left their occupations and, desirous of prayer, sought God in his temple. But in the Holy City there is no temple. The saints are in the immediate presence of “the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb.” “The Lamb enthroned shall there engage each raptured heart,” and as Jesus said to Philip “he that hath seen Me hath seen the Father” (John 14:9). “God is light” (1 John 1:5)—and the lamp thereof is the Lamb.

“God and the Lamb shall there,

The light and temple be,

And radiant hosts forever share

The unveiled mystery.”

Its Connection with the Nations of the Earth—The light of the heavenly metropolis will shed its beams to earth’s remotest bound. The nations, no longer in darkness, “will walk by its light.” The kings of earth in that day unfeignedly acknowledge God’s heavenly seat of government and blessing, bringing their glory to it. The darkness of night which now unfolds men in sleep will not be there, nor shutting of the gates at the end of the day—symbols surely we are given, yet simple, and their meaning evident. As before mentioned, Israel will be linked up with the heavenly City, the kings of the nations, and the nations themselves will subscribe to her glory. No lie or defilement will enter that bright and blessed abode—”but those only who [are] written in the book of life of the Lamb.” “They have now the inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away” (1 Peter 1:4).

Those who are Shut out of the Holy City—Noticeably at the beginning of our chapter, we see who will enjoy the blessedness of the eternal state, and who will be excluded. Here also in the Holy City we have the same thing. The Scriptures consistently warn the wicked of what their end will be if they persist unrepentant in their sins. Yet God’s attitude towards them is—”Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die saith the Lord God, and not that he should return from his ways, and live?” (Ezek. 18:23).

Chapter 22: The End of the Bible

The prophet Ezekiel in his day was brought “in the visions of God” and set “upon a very high mountain,” there to see the form and pattern of the magnificent house of the Lord as it will be in the coming day of the Lord’s glory, the day too of which it is written—“in the Lord shall the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory” (Isa. 45:25). From this house “waters issued out from under the threshold” (Ezek. 47:1). This life-giving river was the source of healing, food and refreshment to men, yet there is one significant verse which reads—“but its marshes and its pools shall not be healed, they shall be given up to salt” (Ezek. 47:11 JnD). This indicates that even in the millennium the curse will not be entirely removed. Sin will appear to be promptly dealt with as we read in Isaiah 65:20—“the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed.” Death too will not be unknown for a priest may marry “a widow that had a priest before” (Ezek. 44:22). Nor does it appear that Israel will maintain its pristine freshness to the end of the thousand years as may be gathered from the offerings at the Feast of Tabernacles—type of Israel’s millennial glory—as given in Numbers 29:12-32. We find that on the first day of the seven days’ feast they began by offering thirteen bullocks, with one bullock less each day, until on the seventh day only seven bullocks were offered.

But in the Holy City “there shall be no more curse but the Throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it.” A “pure river of water of life, clear as crystal” proceeds out from this throne for the eternal refreshment of the saints. The Tree of life appears on both sides of the river. Lost to man in Eden, it now provides food for those who belong to the Paradise of God—the Eden above. It produces a new fruit each month—continuity and freshness—yields a blessing also for those of earth.

“Drink of life’s perennial river,

Feed on life’s perennial food,

Christ, the fruit of life, and Giver,

Safe through His redeeming blood.”

“His servants shall serve Him” what a privilege! Before his fall Adam was placed in the garden “to dress it and to keep it (Gen. 2:15). No less happy shall we be in whatever service he finds for us to do.

“And they shall see His face, and His Name shall be in their foreheads.” Can we not bless the Lord that ever we were apprehended by Christ Jesus, and are branded as His! “Ye are Christ’s and Christ is God’s” (1 Cor. 3:23).

In 1 John 1:5 we read “God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.” We can therefore understand why the Holy City has no need of other light, subordinate or derived, seeing “the Lord God giveth them light” and His servants are to “reign forever and ever.” Reigning involves the thought of rule, in which, with Christ, we shall be associated. Here the prophecy closes. The angel was no disinterested messenger. He assures John of the truth of all he had been shown. Yea it was the Lord God who had sent him “to show unto His servants the things which must shortly be done.” That was nearly two thousand years ago, but we must remember that “one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day” (2 Peter 3:8-9). The reason for the delay is also given—“the Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness but is long suffering toward us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”

Once the vision of the church in her garments of glory and beauty is unfolded, the voice of Jesus is heard immediately—“Behold, I come quickly: Blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book” (v. 7). The Lord is anxious to possess His Bride, and we are keeping the word of His patience. Until “the mystery” had been revealed, the Old Testament types of Christ could not be understood. How precious they are! It was the Lord God who brought the woman to the man, and Adam had exquisite delight in Eve, saying—“this is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh” (Gen. 2:22-23). It was father Abraham too who sent the servant to seek a bride for his son. She must also be of his kindred (see Gen. 24). So the church is the Father’s gift to Christ, and “both He that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one” (Heb. 2:11).

Deeply impressed by what he had seen and heard John would again have worshipped the angel, who was an intelligent servant of his great Master. Linking himself too with God’s servants on earth, the angel directs John to worship God and adds the word—”seal not the saying of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand.” Daniel in his day was told to “shut up the words and seal the book” (Dan. 12:4) but for us “the time is at hand.” “Now is our salvation nearer than when we believed” (Rom. 13:11).

“He that is unjust, let him be unjust still . . . and he that is holy, let him be holy still.” As in the case of the Lord’s own testimony on earth, and also as to the subsequent gospel of the grace of God—“some believed the things which were spoken, and some believed not” (Acts 28:24). Here we have the everlasting irrevocable position of those who believed God’s testimony, and those who did not.

Jesus speaks again. For the second time He says—“behold I come quickly,” adding “and My reward is with Me, to give every man according as his work shall be”—a solemn, also an encouraging word for us. What grace on the Lord’s part to be giving a reward when any work we may have done was due entirely to His grace which enabled us to do it. Yet the Lord, while on earth, indicated reward for service—“then came the first, saying, Lord, Thy pound hath gained ten pounds. And He said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities” (Luke 19:16-17). The One who can say this is the “Alpha and Omega” the “Father of Eternity.”

The fourteenth verse is better translated as “blessed are they that wash their robes, that they might have right to the Tree of Life, and that they should go in by the gates into the city.” And how could they wash their robes and make them white, but in the blood of the Lamb?

“Precious blood whose full atonement

brings us nigh to God,

Precious blood, our song and story,

Praise and laud.”

“Without are dogs.” No unconverted person could read the book of Revelation without seeing its oft repeated distinction between the saved and the lost.

In this final chapter, we have the voice of an angel, and the voice of John, but there is a voice of transcendent sweetness above all—“I Jesus”—Himself—“have sent Mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches.” He is “the root and the offspring of David”—David’s son and David’s Lord. But to us He is the “bright and morning star”—harbinger of coming day.

The Spirit is attuned to the voice of the Bride in saying “Come.” The church itself—“him that heareth”—says “come”—and while waiting for His coming holds forth “the word of life” and extends the invitation of the gospel to “whosoever will” to “take the water of life freely.”

A solemn warning is given as to adding to, or taking away from the words of this book. Men have done this with respect to other books of the Bible, but this book, the last in the Bible, is “Jesus Christ’s Revelation.”

For the third time Jesus says “I come quickly.” This is His last word to us . . .

“Until the hour when He shall wake

The quiet deep of death’s domain,

When hades at His voice shall quake,

And all His saints shall rise again.”

John responds “Even so, come, Lord Jesus,” to which we can surely say Amen!

The very last word in the Old Testament is “curse” (Mal. 4:6). The last verse in the New Testament speaks of “grace.” “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen” (Rev. 22:21).

Chapter 3: The Addresses to the Last Four Churches

Thyatira

That there should have been an assembly of God’s saints, indwelt by the Holy Ghost, in Thyatira, exhibiting the state of things recorded in the Lord’s address to them, has always been a wonderment to me. But so it was, as given in the Scripture of Truth. Such an early and grievous departure from moral likeness to Christ as the head of His church, could scarcely have been thought possible. It is all the more striking since what is contained in the address is manifestly applicable to the rise and reign of the popes and the history of papal Rome, which held the awful sway of darkness, corruption, and superstition in the church of “the dark ages.”

The Lord’s opening words are significant. “These things saith the Son of God” not the son of Mary. In this day—in the 20th century—multitudes are still praying to “the virgin” to use her influence with “her son,” whereas for twenty centuries the Word of God has been proclaiming that “there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus” (1 Tim. 2:5). The eyes of the Son of God are “like unto a flame of fire.” “For the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, and He pondereth all his goings” (Prov. 5:21). His feet of fine brass signify judgment. The Lord begins by speaking of those within the system who afforded Him any pleasure. “I know thy works, and love and service and faith, and thy patience ...” Many godly saints lived their lives within the pale of the Romish church. They groaned over its evils but had not power or inclination to separate from it.

Forthwith the Lord indicates the pernicious evil of this church—it suffered “that woman Jezebel!” This woman was the daughter of a heathen king, wife of Ahab, king of Israel and mother of a daughter who eventually cut off all the seed royal, save one whom God hid. Jezebel introduced idolatry and defiantly supported it against God and His servants maintaining a college of idolatrous priests at her own table. She slew Naboth for not yielding up the inheritance he had from the Lord. Rome, besides many other iniquitous ways, propagated image worship and disposed of those who objected. She adopted the teaching of Jezebel, and called herself a prophetess. Note that her calling was not of God. She assumed this place on her own account. It brings before us the tiara or triple crown worn by the Pope. It has three circlets, representing—1. Bishop of kings 2. Bishop of the earth 3. Bishop of the church. Now these three things belong absolutely to Christ—not to any man on earth. Let us hear the testimony of Scripture. 1. “Jesus Christ . . . the Prince of the kings of the earth” (Rev. 1:5); 2. “All things were created by Him and for Him” (Col. 1:16); 3. “He is the head of the body, the church” (Col. 1:18).

In her long, dark history Rome has not been without warnings from God. Ample space to repent has been given, and threats of judgment—all to no purpose! The voices of God’s prophets were silenced. When her day of judgment comes “in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth” (Rev. 18:24). All who owe allegiance to her are not only dead but killed with death—steeped in moral darkness and superstition—yet responsible to God who will render to each individual according to his works.

“The depths of Satan” are found here! If you read the sordid history of Pope Alexander 6 (the Borgia Pope) you will agree! That many of the Lord’s own dear people suffered in the midst of the evil is evidenced by verse 24. They are distinguished as being “the rest” in Thyatira. No burden from the Lord laid upon them, no censure or reproach, only the exhortation to continue in the things they had learned and hold fast till He should come. The hope of the Lord’s coming is the blessed and only answer to the difficulties of their position. A place in the coming kingdom, in association with Christ, is held out for their encouragement. Meantime, for them the Morning Star has arisen—harbinger of soon coming day.

May we insert here a few thoughts from the teaching of the Bible which do not agree with the dogmas and doctrine of the so-called “Holy Roman Church.”

...The Apostle Paul said “I am the Apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office” (Rom. 11:13). In that capacity he writes to the “called of Jesus Christ” in the city of Rome, “to all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called ... saints” (Rom. 1:7). There was, therefore a church of God in Rome before the Apostle visited it, and the members of it were already, all of them, “called saints.” Paul appointed no one to succeed him after his departure.

...The Apostle Peter was the apostle to the circumcision, that is the Jews. His first epistle is addressed to Jewish Christians scattered throughout the Roman provinces of Asia Minor. Peter and Mark send them greetings from Babylon, a town in North Africa, belonging to the Roman Empire. There is no evidence that Peter ever saw Rome.

...In Hebrews 10:14 we read “by one offering He hath perfected forever them that are sanctified.” Again in the same epistle, “there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins” (Heb. 10:26).

...“Who can forgive sins, but God alone” (Luke 5:21). “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). “In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace” (Eph. 1:7). “By grace are ye saved, through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God: Not of works lest any man should boast” (Eph. 2:8-9).

...In view of leaving this world Paul wrote “having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ, which is far better” (Phil. 1:23). No purgatory here!

...Peter wrote to his Jewish Christian brethren “ye ... are ... an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:5).

...Paul wrote to the Hebrews “by Him, therefore, let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually” (Heb. 13:15).

...John, “the beloved disciple” breaks forth triumphantly in these words “to Him who loves us, and has washed us from our sins in His blood, and made us a kingdom, priests to His God and Father to Him be the glory and the might to the ages of ages. Amen.” (Rev. 1:5-6 JND). The function of the Christian priest is to offer praise, not a new sacrifice for sin, which is impossible.

...The Church does not interpret the Bible. Jesus said “when He the Spirit of truth is come, He will guide you into all truth” (John 16:13). Again we read “but ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.” Further “the anointing which ye have received of Him abideth in you and ye need not that any man teach you” (1 John 2:27). And truly “the entrance of Thy words giveth light” (Psa. 119:130).

The Church does not teach but is taught! “If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord” (1 Cor. 14:37).

Baptism does not impart life. It is a sign of identification with death—the death of Christ—“know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death?” (Rom. 6:3).

Sardis

The church in Sardis in its day provided a complete picture of that phase of the church which developed after the Reformation had come and gone. It is Protestantism. In Thyatira we left “the ship of Peter” boasting still in its solidarity while the Protestant sections have broken up into innumerable fragments. Sardis, however, it is important to note, is not the Reformation itself, which was a most blessed work of God, and loosed men’s shackles from the enslavement of Rome. But what we have set before us in the Lord’s brief address to Sardis is the result of the Reformation in the hands of men.

Grievous was the state of things in Europe after the departure of Luther. Rome would not yield her power without a struggle. Wars and persecutions followed. The massacre of the Huguenots on St. Bartholomew’s eve tells the story of these times. Protestant state churches were founded in various European countries, which leaned upon the civil power for protection from Rome. These state churches had no connection with each other, so that the truth of the church as the one body of Christ was completely lost. Every Christian, regardless of race or country, is a member of His body, the church, and all Christians are members one of another. The Pope had claimed to be the head of that one body, the church, rather than Christ. Now Henry 8 of England challenged this and installed himself as the head of the church—a title the kings of England retain to this day. Significantly, the Church of England imprisoned John Bunyan and took the sword to the Covenanters in Scotland. This pattern of oppression characterized the state churches. “I know thy works” says Jesus. Unsatisfactory works they were! “Thou hast a name that thou livest and art dead.” What a verdict! To be dead is solemn indeed—to be twice dead is worse! “Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of Man, and drink His blood, ye have no life in you” (John 6:53).

As always, there were real saints in the midst of this lifeless profession. The Lord exhorts them to set about fortifying their position lest it be completely lost. “I have not found thy works complete before My God.” A poor return had been made for the mighty intervention of God in His grace in the work of the Reformation. They are warned to go back to this, but if not the Lord would come on them as a thief. In 1 Thessalonians 5:2-3 we read “the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say peace and safety, then sudden destruction cometh upon them.” A dead Protestantism will finally perish in the judgments which will overtake the world at the end of the age. How precious to the eye of the Lord those “few names which have not defiled their garments.” Note this particularly, that to belong to this connection, bearing outwardly the profession of the Name of Christ, but having no living link by faith with the Son of God, was to be walking in defiled garments—no robe of righteousness or garments of salvation for such. How cheering the word to the faithful—“they shall walk with Me in white for they are worthy.” Men may have blotted their names from the church register, but they could not be blotted out of the book of life. What a moment of recompense for the “light affliction which is but for a moment” to have one’s name confessed before “My Father and before His angels.”

Philadelphia

Looking back at the 17th and 18th centuries, we see Europe in the grip of infidelity—man’s reason enthroned against God’s revelation, and coupled with this the grossest immorality in circles high and low. The “few names” in Sardis kept the light of the gospel burning—God never leaves Himself without witness. Their record is on high. Without doubt in Philadelphia emphasis is laid on the coming of the Lord, generally alluded to among Christians as “the rapture.” This “blessed hope” had been all but lost until God by His Spirit commenced a new work at the beginning of the 19th century, whose special features answer to the Lord’s address to Philadelphia, which means “brotherly love.” Commencing humbly in Ireland, this revival broke out almost simultaneously in England, Europe, America, and distant parts of the world. To me it has always seemed that the Lord, His coming so near, desired to have a little satisfaction in His people’s appreciation of Himself alone. He has, as in Smyrna, no word of censure for Philadelphia. Let us look at details.

He addresses Philadelphia Himself as “the holy and the true”—moral features which should also characterize His people at all times. “Follow ... holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord” (Heb. 12:14).

He has here the key of David. He has power to open and to close and “none can stay His hand or say unto Him, What doest Thou?” (Dan. 4:35). And so it has pleased the Lord to set before His people, not an open door but an OPENED door. He has Himself opened it, so we may serve Him without fear of man. Indeed no man can shut this door, for the saints have “a little strength.” Nearly 2000 years since Pentecostal times, and here are found of the Lord’s people some having “a little strength.” Nowhere else in all the addresses to the churches is such a condition to be found. Praise the Lord for this. “It is God that girdeth me with strength” (Psa. 18:32). Our strength then lies in doing those things that are pleasing in His sight, namely keeping His word and not denying His Name. How much is involved in these simple words, which mean that we have gone out to the Lord Himself, avoiding the lifeless systems of men, and “what do we?” First, we engage not in the world’s pursuits, politics, or religion. We “continue steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread and in prayers” (Acts: 2:42). We love His appearing and cry “come, Lord Jesus.” Until He comes we are “holding forth the word of life” (Phil. 2:16). “He that winneth souls is wise” (Prov. 11:30). No stately religious edifices have we, or gorgeously robed ecclesiastics and so forth, but gathered to remember the Lord, the leading of the Holy Ghost our power for worship or service. Of old time God gave His people His mind about this—“An altar of earth thou shalt make unto Me ... and if thou wilt make Me an altar of stone, thou shalt not build it of hewn stone, for if thou lift up thy tool upon it thou hast polluted it. Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto Mine altar” (Ex. 20:24-26).

Our apparent “nothingness” is quite repugnant to the religious grandees of the day, and like Goliath when he looked upon David “he disdained him” (1 Sam. 17:42). All this is well known to the Lord and explains His word—“behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee” (Rev. 3:9). Now the Jew is known world-wide as having a connection with God. The pretentious religious systems around take this place, but the Lord calls them liars, and a synagogue of Satan. I know not how or when they will be brought to worship before the feet of His presently despised ones but He has said it, and assuredly it will come to pass.

Meantime, we are let into a great secret—an hour of temptation is about to break on the whole world to try the earth dwellers, but because we stood in His mind and kept the word of His patience, He will keep us out of it. “Ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord’s anger” (Zeph. 2:3). Now we come to what is of supreme importance in the address—“behold I come quickly—hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.” The coming of the Lord is imminent—that is what we are to hold fast. “And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure” (1 John 3:3). We are in danger of giving up “that blessed hope” (Titus 2:11-14) —else there would be no need of warning. To give up the place of testimony to the Lord’s present mind in the church would mean the loss of one’s crown. It is intensely individual—indeed in these last days of departure from the truth, confusion and brokenness, the individual must lay hold for himself of what characterizes the Philadelphian state of the church. You ask me where Philadelphia is to be found today? I reply, “It is to be found only in those whose walk, ways, and hope conform to what the Lord here sets forth as that which is pleasing to Himself.”

There is no more encouraging word in the Bible than that contained in Revelation 3:12. Where before all had been reproach and religious contempt, all is now completely reversed. The overcomer will be a pillar in the temple of My God, says Jesus, and shall go no more out at all. We know what a pillar is, namely a support, and this in the temple of “MY” God. Note the various repetitions of “MY” fully owned now by the Lord of glory, and, warfare over, no more going out. Inscribed on the overcomer too, the names of His God, the city of His God, and, what is of supreme delight, His own new Name. One can scarcely conceive the blessing contained in all this—it is almost beyond us, but so it will be. We are reminded of that precious word of our Savior on His way to the cross to die for our sins, and to lay down His life for the sheep—“Father, I will that they also whom Thou hast given Me, be with Me where I am; that they may behold My glory, which Thou hast given Me, for Thou lovest Me before the foundation of the world” (John 17:24).

Laodicea

We now come to the most solemn address of the seven. In the first church addressed, Ephesus, we see their first love for Christ was lost, and as a consequence the lampstand was removed. In Laodicea we see what bears the profession of Christ’s holy Name in the world, so nauseous to Him that He disowns it completely. Laodicea is the spirit of “modern” or “liberal” theology based on the so called “higher criticism,” which rose to prominence before the 20th century dawned in the universities of Germany. In this we see not only the denial of all the fundamental doctrines of Scripture and the inspiration of Scripture itself, but the substituting for them of a “social gospel” aimed at man’s body, not his soul, and the development of the world in a material sense. It is not hard to see how the elements of apostasy have found their roots in such a system, and how they will feed the apostasy itself after the real church is raptured and the man of sin appears. However it is important to note that the apostasy is not in question here since the addresses to the seven churches concern the ground of professing the Name of Christ, whether that profession be true or false. Let us, then, examine the address more in detail.

To a faithless church the Lord presents Himself as “the faithful and true witness.” To this all true Christians will say ‘Amen.’ Christ also is here “the beginning of the creation of God.” We do well to inquire what this means since we know that “by Him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are on earth” (Col. 1:16). I believe it refers to the saints, for “if any man be in Christ, there is a new creation.” Lifeless professors of Christ can have no part in this. “If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His” (Rom. 8:9).

As always, the Lord knew their works. They were neither hot nor cold. How well this fits the picture of late 20th century ‘theology.’ So called ministers of the gospel evading every issue of truth, aptly described by dear John Bunyan in “The Pilgrim’s Progress” as “Mr. Anything.” This condition is obnoxious to the Lord of Truth. It has made Him sick, and He repudiates it entirely. The Lord further had to complain of their boasting that they were rich and increased with goods and had need of nothing. Their strength was to be found in the church balance sheet, but alas, they were not rich toward God. They needed nothing, certainly nothing of Christ, who points up their forlorn condition—wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked. Is it realized this means without Christ? Without salvation? Unsaved? The end of this Christ-rejecting, gospel refusing state is the lake of fire! Their names are not found written in the book of life (see Rev. 20:11-15). The Lord Jesus will be the Judge of the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom—the living nations at the beginning of His kingdom, the dead at the end of it. As judgment is His strange work, we can well understand His gracious appeal “I counsel thee to buy of Me, gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich ... ” Unspeakably sad that the Savior of the lost is here seen knocking at the heart’s door seeking admission. Undoubtedly some will answer. Such will hold sweet communion with the Lord now, and in the coming day of glory will sit with Him on His throne. The time is short. Those who do not open the door of their hearts to a pleading Savior will find the door of heaven shut against them when the day of the gospel of the grace of God is over. When will this be, you ask? It will be when the saints comprising the real church, which is His body, are caught up to meet Him in the air, to be forever with the Lord. When this great event takes place that which had no link of everlasting life with Him, regardless of profession of His name, will be spewed out of His mouth. As the coming of the Lord draws nigh, we see that the gospel net has not brought the whole world into the church. Rather we find it true that “narrow is the way which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it” (Matt. 7:14).

In conclusion one can only exclaim—what place the church was given as a witness for God and His Christ in the earth for 2000 years! Its corruption and faithlessness we have seen. All who have contributed to that will be “judged every man according to His works.” But in spite of the work of evil men and Satan, Christ has been patiently building His church, against which the gates of hell shall not prevail. It is His peculiar treasure for eternity. “One pearl of great price.” To make it His own “He went and sold all that He had and bought it” (Matt. 13:46).

“O God! with great delight

Thy wondrous thought we see,

Upon His throne, in glory bright,

The bride of Christ shall be.”

Chapter 4: The Throne of God in Heaven

Laodicea closes the history of the professing church on earth. The true church, the body of Christ, has been caught up to meet the Lord in the air and is safely lodged in the Father’s house. As Chapter 4 opens, then, the scene moves from earth to heaven. John is instructed “come up here and I will show thee the things which must take place after these things.” This expression “after these things” introduces verse one as well as closes it. “After these things” means after the church period, and consequently the time of the opening judgments on the earth and the great tribulation. The change makes it clear that the church will not pass through the tribulation but be raptured first.

To explain the rapture the “liberal” pulpits of Christendom will be blaring forth a Satanic lie of some sort, to explain what has happened. It may even be they will feel that now the hindrances have been providentially removed they can look forward to a time of human progress—yea, even “peace and safety”—not knowing that “sudden destruction” will overtake them (see 1 Thess. 5:3). “His Holiness” of the Vatican will have propagated a stupefying potion for “the faithful,” which they will be duty bound to accept. The saints in glory will have nothing to do with all this. When Noah’s day of preaching to a godless world was over, he went into the ark and “the Lord shut him in” (Gen. 7:16). There was a window ‘above’ in the ark so Noah and his family could look up, but not around them. What a moment long looked for it will be for us, when we have done with earth and the door of heaven is opened to us so we may enter into those precious things seen by John in the vision. We will now look at what is given in Chapter 4.

Jesus had opened a door of service to the church in Philadelphia. Now He opens a door in heaven, saying “come up hither.” This is what we are waiting for. “No heart can think, no tongue can tell, what joy ‘twill be with Christ to dwell.” We read of certain Greeks who came up to worship at the feast of the passover, who said to Philip—“sir, we would see Jesus” (John 12:21). We also would see Jesus, and our desire will be gratified. Arrived there, we will not look “on the crown He giveth, but on His pierced hand—the Lamb is all the glory of Immanuel’s land.” John is called away from earth to heaven where the Lord would show him in visions and revelations the things which must take place “after these things.” John was immediately found in the Spirit, and no doubt like Paul in similar circumstances (see 2 Cor. 12) was not conscious of being in the body or out of it. The conspicuous object in the heavenly scene was the throne, and the One who sat on it.

He was to look upon like a jasper and sardius stone. Jasper is connected with that glory of God which He is pleased to extend to His saints. In the twenty first chapter of Revelation we are given a picture of the church as she will be in heaven during the millennial glory of Christ. It is given under the figure of a city whose wall was of jasper. The first foundation of the city too was jasper. In John 17:22 we read “the glory which Thou gavest Me I have given them.” This explains the jasper glory of God. The sardius stone also is found in the foundations of the Holy City. Both the jasper and the sardius stones were in the breastplate of the High Priest of Israel. An emerald colored rainbow was round about the throne. The rainbow was God’s covenant with Noah not to destroy the earth again with a flood (Gen. 9:8-17). So we see that if God is about to mete out judgments to an ungodly world, He will remember mercy in the midst of them. Round about the throne are twenty four elders. They are priests as well as kings. The figure is taken from 1 Chronicles 24 where King David of Israel gathered up the heads of the priestly family into twenty four heads and appointed them their service, which continued to the days of the Lord’s first advent. From the first chapter of Luke we learn that Zacharias, father of John the Baptist, “executed the priest’s office before God in the order of his course.” We may therefore conclude that both Old and New Testament saints are represented here. Of old time we read “Moses and Aaron among his priests” (Psa. 99:6). In New Testament times Peter addresses Christians as “a royal priesthood” (1 Peter 2:9). The white garments and crowns of gold fit the position of the saints above as kings and priests.

The Throne of God and its Attendants

Lightnings and thunderings proceed from the throne. God is about to deal with the earth. The seven lamps of fire and the seven Spirits of God speak of the perfection of the judgments and the plenitude of power to carry them out. While this scene unfolds we shall be in perfect peace—“the joy of His love ever nigh, and the peace which His presence shall crown.” Before the throne a solid sea of crystal glass—unalloyed purity.

The use of the word “beasts” in this chapter and the following one, in some translations of the Bible, is most inappropriate. In Daniel 7 the four Gentile powers are described in the vision as “four great beasts.” In Revelation 13 the head of the revived Roman Empire, and the Antichrist, are both correctly described as “Beasts.” The word “beasts” is suitable language for such, but “living creatures” is the correct translation in the passage we are considering. We see here four of these “living creatures” in the midst of, and round about, the throne. They are closely connected with the throne, which is not surprising, inasmuch as no throne is maintained without its attendant ministers, and the throne of the Almighty is no exception. This is a very interesting subject. From Old Testament scriptures we learn of cherubim and seraphim. They are both connected with the throne and service of God.

When man was driven from Eden, cherubim and a flaming sword kept the way of the tree of life. In the tabernacle in the wilderness we see “the cherubim of glory shadowing the mercy seat” (Heb. 9:5). It is worthy of note that in the tabernacle the faces of the cherubim on the mercy seat looked one to another—“toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubim be” (Ex. 25:20). They looked down, one might say, into the Ark, wherein were placed the two tables of stone, God’s law, written with His own finger, looking onward to the time when Christ would come to bear the curse of a broken law. In Solomon’s temple, built when the kingdom was established, the faces of the cherubim were inward, or “toward the house” (2 Chron. 3:13). In a word, these two aspects of the faces of the cherubim bring to mind those words of our Savior—“I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how am I straightened until it be accomplished” (Luke 12:50). “Ought not Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory” (Luke 24:26). Cherubim were also woven into the curtain of the tabernacle, and the veil which separated the holy place from the holiest of all—typical of the Son of Man to whom the Father has committed all judgment. In the first chapter of Ezekiel we read of “the living creatures” which are called cherubim in the tenth chapter. They are very definitely connected with the carrying out of God’s judgments in the earth. The living creatures described in Ezekiel have in their faces the face of a man, the face of a lion, the face of an ox, and the face of an eagle. As to the seraphim we will refer to them briefly in Isaiah 6 where they cry “holy, holy, holy; is the Lord of Hosts.” It is my impression that the cherubim are connected with the throne for execution of judgments, the seraphim for worship.

Returning to Revelation 4, we find the features of the living creatures in Ezekiel 1 more prominently set forth. In Revelation 4 the first living creature was like a lion, the second like a calf, the third like a man, the fourth like a flying eagle. In the lion we see majestic strength, in the calf patient endurance and stability, in the man intelligence, in the eagle swiftness in executing judgment. From verse 8 it appears that the living creatures combine both cherubic and seraphic features. They each have six wings like the seraphim in Isaiah 6, and their cry of “holy, holy, holy . . .” is the same as given there. But in Revelation 4:8 an important feature is added—“round and within they are full of eyes.” And truly “the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth” (2 Chron. 16:9). The living creatures are seen taking the lead in giving glory, honor, and thanks, to Him that sat on the throne, whereupon the saints fall down before the throne and worship. This I apprehend to be a much higher privilege than that enjoyed by the living creatures. The saints are intelligent in the mind of God. They had been taught by Him while on earth. Now in possession of their highest blessings, they instinctively cast their crowns before the throne. This is good and right. We should not have a crown but for the grace of our God towards us. Later on we shall see the twenty-four elders in a fuller outflow of praise and worship, as befits them. Here, as befits the presence of Him who sits on the throne, they give Him His rightful place as a Creator God to whom glory, honor, and power belong.

Before leaving Chapter 4 perhaps I might state that as to the cherubim especially, and the seraphim, they may be looked upon as symbols, yet symbols of what God is working in the earth by means of instruments raised up for the purpose. Only one instance will be quoted as an example—“thus saith Cyrus, King of Persia, all the kingdoms of the earth hath the Lord God of Heaven given me, and He hath charged me to build Him an house in Jerusalem” (2 Chron. 36:23).

Chapter 5: The Sealed Book

This chapter is a joy to every true Christian. It presents our Lord Jesus as exalted to the highest pinnacle of glory, the object of worship from every creature and corner of the universe of God, who “hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a Name, which is above every Name” (Phil. 2:9).

He who sits on the throne has in His right hand a book, a roll like the ancient books, with writing on each side, and sealed up with seven seals. The scene is one of solemn majesty. A strong angel, with a voice loud enough to be heard by all the dwellers in the heavens, throws out the challenge—“Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?” There was no response since no man was found in all the universe who could even look on the book, still less open it. This was a grief to John, who was moved even to tears as a consequence. But one of the elders had the secret. While on earth, from the Word of the Living God, which they had made their own, the elders knew what to expect, namely “the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David.” Elsewhere we read that Christ is both “the root and the offspring of David” (Rev. 22:16) and “it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Judah” (Heb. 7:14). He had prevailed, or overcome, so as to open the book, and loose its seals. It is a book full of God’s judgments in the earth. “When Thy judgments are in the earth the inhabitants of the world, will learn righteousness” (Isa. 26:9). The One who maintained God’s glory in putting away sin by His cross will not fail to glorify God in the execution of judgment on the ungodly, and subsequent reign of righteousness during millennial days.

What a moment in heaven when Judah’s Lion comes forward. He appears “in the midst” of everything, the throne, the living creatures, and the elders—“a Lamb as it had been slain” having “seven horns”—plenitude of power for subjugation of enemies—also “seven eyes” from which nothing can be hid. “He came and took the book out of the right hand of Him that sat upon the throne.” This means He received the book from God Himself. Once He had been despised and rejected of men (Isa. 53:3), and in His humiliation His judgment was taken away (Acts 8:33)—finally “by wicked hands ... crucified and slain” (Acts 2:23). Now all is reversed. “The government shall be upon His shoulder, and His Name is called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Father of Eternity, Prince of Peace” (Isa. 9:6).

His taking the book produces a wondrous scene in heaven. As this is written I know am to have part in it! The four living creatures and the twenty four elders fall down before the Lamb. “Every knee to Jesus bending, all the mind in heaven is one.” Harps they have for the sweet music of heaven, but also golden bowls (see Note 1) full of odors, which are the prayers of saints. This is noteworthy since worship, rather than prayer, characterizes the elders (the heavenly saints). Chapter 8:1-5 sheds light on this subject. When the church is raptured there will be on earth a fulfillment of Isaiah 66:8—“Shall a nation be born at once?” The godly remnant of the Jews will be cast out of the temple (see Note 2) suffering persecution and death at the hands of their countrymen. Revelation 6:9-11 shows their souls under the altar, etc. I believe our having “golden bowls full of odors, which are the prayers of saints” means that we are in entire sympathy with our Jewish brethren who are suffering for their testimony on earth, and this finds a suitable expression from our hearts as we fall down before the Lamb. Let us not forget that Abraham will be among the elders. Will the saints of Old Testament times not be peculiarly interested in what is going forward, now that God has resumed His connection with His earthly people?

Here the harps come into use as a new song is sung. The subject is the worthiness of the Lamb and His redemption glory, since by His blood—could it be omitted?—He has redeemed to God out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation. How we look forward to that moment—“where all the saints of every clime shall meet, and each with all shall all the ransomed greet.” What a height of blessedness is ours too, not only “redeemed to God” but made unto Him “kings and priests’’ to reign OVER (not on) the earth. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and the other Old Testament saints will receive the kingdom on its heavenly side (as also those of the godly remnant of Israel slain during the tribulation). Now the angels join the living creatures and the elders in an ascription of praise to the Lamb. Here we have a “loud voice,” since angels do not sing. “Crown Him Lord of all” comes to mind from a verse of an old hymn, and this is what we have in the wonderful thirteenth verse. The entire universe of God renders “glory to the Lamb.” Surely it is the fulfillment of the last verse of the last Psalm—“let everything that hath breath praise the Lord” (Psa. 150:6). Finally the living creatures add an “Amen,” but the elders fall down and “worship.” May the Lord hasten it in His time (Isa. 60:22).

The “Seventy Weeks” of Daniel the Prophet

At this point it is advisable to introduce a word on the subject of “the seventy weeks” of Daniel which will help us as we move further into the Revelation in the following chapters.

The prophet Daniel, carried away to Babylon, was “of the King’s seed and of the Princes” (Dan. 1:3). He was a royal prince of the house of Judah. To him the angel Gabriel communicated the prophecy concerning the seventy weeks which were determined upon his people, that is the Jews. The seventy weeks are weeks of years.

The prophecy is divided into three parts, namely seven weeks, sixty two weeks, and one week. On the return of the Jews from the Babylonish captivity the City and its walls were restored; this refers to the first part of the prophecy—“seven weeks.” After sixty-two weeks, (plus the seven weeks already referred to)—sixty-nine weeks in all—Messiah, to us the Lord Jesus Christ, would be cut off and have nothing. Between the end of the sixty-ninth week and the beginning of the seventieth, when God will resume His dealings with His earthly people, there comes in the lengthy period of now nearly two thousand years during which the church is being gathered out of the world for glory. But since the prophecy concerns Israel the church period is ignored in the computation.

Careful study of the last, or seventieth week is essential. Varying views on the subject have been expressed by learned and able Bible teachers. Some think that the first half of the last week, that is three and a half years, has already run its course in the Lord’s earthly ministry of three and a half years. Others think that the whole of the last week remains to be fulfilled. Now we can verify from Scripture itself that only the last half of the week is specifically referred to in the Book of Revelation. There are two references to this period in Daniel—“a time, and times, and the dividing of time” (Dan. 7:25), and “for a time, times and a half” (Dan. 12:7) and five mentions of it in the Book of Revelation, as follows:

Rev. 11:2 - Forty and two months

Rev. 11:3 - A thousand, two hundred and threescore days

Rev. 12:6 - A thousand, two hundred and threescore days

Rev. 12:14 - A time, and times, and half a time

Rev. 13:5 - Forty and two months

After study and reflection during a lifetime, I have come to the following conclusions:

The first beast of Revelation 13, the head of the revived Roman Empire (see Note 3) emerges and is seen obtaining his power from the dragon. He commences his allotted period of continuance namely forty and two months—three and a half years. Now I do not think these things happen immediately after the church has been translated, and therefore consider that there are many and important events leading up to the Beast’s enthronement before it takes place, and before the last half of the week commences. Scripture is silent as to the first half of the week here, and I have long thought that between the rapture and the commencement of the last half of the week there is an undefined period during which events such as described in Chapter 6 etc. take place.

It seems unlikely that the Roman ‘beast’ and the Antichrist appear in their respective roles immediately when the church is gone to heaven, because, as already pointed out, there are many time consuming events to take place subsequent thereto and prior to the inauguration of these two actors. If the first half of the week has elapsed in Christ’s ministry on earth, as some think, (also there being no mention of a first half week in the Revelation), I have felt there may be a period of undefined duration between the Lord’s first coming for His saints and the commencement of the last half of the seventieth week, during which such events will take place as, for example, the opening of the seals in Revelation 6, unfolding the spectacle of civil war in Europe, famine etc., culminating in the upheaval of society and its present way of life. This event alone (and other judgments also) would require quite some time to accomplish, in my opinion much more time than three years and a half.

Further, I feel that God has, in wisdom, hidden something here. It will be known in due time to the Jewish remnant, like the meaning of the number 666, neither of which is needful for us in the church period. I leave the subject to the meditation of the reader.

Chapter 6: The Judgments of the First Six Seals

It is “the Lamb who was slain” who launches judgments on the world. His long session of almost two thousand years “on the right hand of the majesty on high” (Heb. 1:3) is over. The wheat has been gathered into the barn. The thundering voice of the first living creature calls on John to “come and see” the unfolding of this mighty drama. The Lamb opens one of the seals. Briefly I will comment on what John saw.

First Seal (Verse 2) — A white horse, his rider having a bow. A crown is given him, and he proceeds on a mission of conquest. There is no bloodshed. A great one arises to meet the need of the moment. Don’t think the departure of the saints has not disturbed the world! The soothing doctrine of this conqueror will be the “peace and safety” of 1 Thessalonians 5:3.

Second Seal (Verse 4) — What the second living creature called John to see was the “sudden destruction” of 1 Thessalonians 5:3, previously referred to—peace altogether gone—instead of safety a civil war of awful intensity—a great sword. Verse eight shows this will take place in “the fourth part of the earth,” namely in Europe, the erstwhile (former) cradle of Christianity. Already the opponents who will be engaged in the sanguinary (gruesome) conflict have emerged. The opposing elements of left and right were clearly brought into focus in the French general elections in the spring of 1967 when General De Gaulle obtained a majority of only one. And is not the Communist party in Italy gaining strength rapidly under the very shadow of the Vatican?

Third Seal (Verses 5-6) — The famine conditions which follow war.

Fourth Seal (Verses 7-8) — Here we have the grim reaper gathering up his harvest, the result of God’s four “sore judgments” corresponding to those given in Ezekiel 14:21.

Fifth Seal (Verses 9-11) — These verses show us what has been going on in “the Holy Land” while war rages in Europe. The godly one in Jerusalem, and the land of Judah will be cast out of the temple by their ungodly idolatrous brethren. Matthew 24:9 refers to this period—“then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you.” Such a reward for their piety was not understood by them—hence their inquiry. They are justified for their conduct (white robes) and they learn that there are others to follow them into martyrdom. This is the class referred to in Revelation 20:6. They have part in the first resurrection, along with the Old Testament saints, and the church. Like them, they too will be priests of God and of Christ, reigning with Him a thousand years. Like Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, they will receive the Kingdom on its heavenly side.

Sixth Seal (verses 12-17) — Here we have the aftermath of an appalling, devastating war. It will be remembered that the rider on the red horse was given “a great sword.” There was a “great earthquake”—a tremendous upheaval, and dislocation of society as we know it now. In the vision the sun was black, the moon blood colored, and the stars fell from the heavens. Now in Genesis 1 we find God set the sun to rule the day, the moon to rule the night. The stars, too, affect the earth as we learn from Judges 5:20—“the stars in their courses fought against Sisera.” The vision then plainly indicates the subversion of governments, supreme and derived—rule and authority. Everything hitherto stable, mountains and islands, were moved out of their places. All are affected kings and this world’s “great,” as well as those in humbler walks of life. They are afraid—they hide themselves, and what is important to notice is that they attribute the catastrophe to “the wrath of the Lamb.” They had knowledge of “the Lamb,” and this confirms my thought, that this judgment falls on the sphere where, the truth of God and the gospel have been freely made known and refused—that is, the West.

Seventh Seal — The Last seal is not opened until we reach Chapter eight. Chapter seven is a parenthesis. This shows us that the Revelation is not a description of events which will take place in sequence. God writes His thoughts, conveying to us what is in His mind. What our finite minds can scarcely grasp is that He is carrying on various works, in different spheres, at one and the same time.

Chapter 7: Preserved Jews and Gentiles

This parenthetical chapter shows us what God will accomplish in spite of man and Satan. “He is the Living God and steadfast forever” (Dan. 6:26). “The counsel of the Lord standeth forever, the thoughts of His heart to all generations” (Psa. 33:11).

We have here an “election of grace” (Rom. 11:5)—from both the nation of Israel and the Gentiles, both intended for the kingdom—“God’s mighty masterpiece of fair creation, light of the Messianic dispensation.”

Only the tribes of Judah and Benjamin will be in the land during the days of the Antichrist, but from Ezekiel 20 we learn that the ten tribes will also join them, after the rebels have been purged out, and God “will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel” (Ezek. 37:22; see Note 4).

Twelve thousand (figuratively) were sealed from each of the twelve tribes of Israel which are named. The figure twelve stands for administration by man. There are many examples of this. First there are the twelve loaves of showbread in the holy place in the tabernacle in the wilderness. Then we have the twelve Apostles of the Lamb, whose names are in the twelve foundations of the holy city Jerusalem, where also there are twelve gates, picture of administration by the church, associated with Christ, in a thousand year rule over the earth.

Dan is omitted from the names of the twelve tribes, and to make up the gap, Manasseh, a son of Joseph, has been inserted. Now Dan as a tribe will have his portion of land, along with the other tribes in the millennium—see Ezekiel 48:1—“a portion for Dan.” We do well then to inquire what is meant by his omission in our chapter. Going back to Genesis 49 we find Jacob foretelling what would befall his sons in the last days. Of Dan he said “Dan shall be a serpent by the way, an adder in the path.” Teachers and students of Scripture have long felt that the Antichrist will come out of Dan, and if so this more than explains his not being mentioned in Revelation 7. Since only Judah and Benjamin will be in the land during the days of the Antichrist, one might wonder how the latter could come of Dan. But it is clear there were some of the ten tribes remaining in the land even in the days of the Lord Jesus while on earth, as witness Luke 2:36—“Anna, a prophetess, . . . of the tribe of Aser.”

In Psalm 22, also in Chapters 1, 2, 20 and 21 of John’s gospel, we have the death of Christ presented, and the consequent blessing flowing first to the church, then to the nation of Israel, then to the Gentile nations. These latter now come into view from verse 9 to the end of the chapter. It is the fulfillment of Psalm 2:8—“ask of Me, and I shall give Thee the nations for Thine inheritance.” This “great multitude which no man could number, of all nations” were those who had believed “the everlasting gospel,” preached to “every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people” (Rev. 14:6-7). They are the “sheep” of Matthew 25:31-46. Of them Jesus said “come, ye blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you before the foundation of the world.” They stand before the throne, which indicates their position as on earth. Beautiful to see them in white robes, their faith honored, and palms of victory in their hands. Even more beautiful it is to learn of their knowledge of the Lamb, as it is before Him they stand while ascribing salvation to the God who sits upon the throne. The angels, living creatures, and elders, are seen in complete harmony with this joyful scene, as usual rendering worship, blessing, and thanksgiving to God. Further, we learn that the white robed multitude came out of the great tribulation, “the hour of temptation which shall come upon all the world” (Rev. 3:10) and the basis of their blessing is “the blood of the Lamb.” They are to serve God day and night in His temple. They will be among those spoken of in Micah 4:2, “and many nations shall come, and say, come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob, and He will teach us of His ways, and we will walk in His paths, for the law shall go forth of Zion and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.” The Lamb Himself will shepherd them, God will dwell among them, and wipe away all tears from their eyes. This supposes their faith produced persecution from their fellow countrymen, the goats of Matthew 25:46, who “go away into everlasting punishment.” Nothing can exceed the expressions of grace, tenderness, and care of the Gentile overcomers, on the part of God and the Lamb, as given in verses 15-17. At the very moment when man and Satan were disputing God’s title to His own earth, these victorious ones had heeded the call to “fear God, and give glory to Him.” They maintained His title.

In the twenty first chapter of Revelation we have a picture of the church above during the millennial reign of Christ. We read “the glory of God has enlightened it, and the lamp thereof is the Lamb. And the nations shall walk by its light.” “They shall bring the glory and honor of the nations to it.” Better than all else is the word in Romans 15:12—“and again, Esaias saith, there shall be a root of Jesse and He shall rise to reign over the Gentiles—in Him shall the Gentiles trust.” Well might Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles, say at Antioch in Pisidia—“for so hath the Lord commanded us . . . , I have set Thee to be a light of the Gentiles that Thou shouldest be for Salvation unto the ends of the earth” (Acts 13:47; also Isa. 49:6).

Chapter 8: The Seventh Seal and the First Four Trumpets

We should ever remember that we are reading of visions which John saw. It is for us to gather the meaning from the Word of God. The opening of the last seal causes a hush in the heavens, in anticipation of momentous happenings about to take place on earth. The silence is followed by the appearance of seven angels standing before God to whom were given seven trumpets. The sounding of these brings judgments of increasing severity on man. Before these begin, however, another scene unfolds itself. The imagery is drawn from the tabernacle in the wilderness. In the vision the golden altar of incense appears, the altar of intercession. An angel stands beside it—the Lord Himself! He is the intercessor before the throne. To Him was given much incense to be added to the prayers of saints. Who are these saints for whom Christ thus intercedes in power and sympathy? They are undoubtedly the godly remnant from Judah and Benjamin—cast out of the temple by their idolatrous brethren after the flesh, persecuted and slain, their souls under the altar as we have seen in Chapter 6:9-11. The prayers of these suffering ones come up before God, along with the incense added by the “Angel” (Christ), who fills the censer with fire (judgment) from the altar and casts it into the earth. God intervenes on behalf of the holy sufferers. Voices, thunderings, lightning and an earthquake are but the warning preludes of the wrath of God about to be poured out on His enemies, and the persecutors of His servants.

At this point it might be remarked that there are three distinct sets of judgments on the earth, each increasing in severity: the seals, the trumpets, and the bowls. The trumpets, the next set of judgment, then, are to announce to men’s ears that God is dealing with the earth if they will but hear. The seven angels, with the seven trumpets, go into immediate action. This chapter is confined to a brief comment on the first four trumpets.

The First Trumpet (Verse 7) — One of the grievous plagues on Egypt was that of hail and fire (Exodus 9:18-35). In our chapter these are mingled with blood (death) and cast upon the earth. There is an omission from verse 7 in some translations of the Bible. It is “and the third part of the earth was burnt up”: This judgment falls on “the third part,” (see Note 5) that is Europe and contiguous territory. An enlargement of the sphere of judgment within the bounds of the Roman Empire is indicated here. A third part of earth, trees, and green grass was burnt up. If you have ever seen a vast tract of forest devastated by fire and leaving nothing but blackened tree stumps and bare ground, you have a picture of what this judgment may mean to those on whom it falls. The ruin yields nothing to support the life of man.

The Second Trumpet (Verse 8) — A sinister power arises whose policies result in destroying trade and commerce—so prominent features of man’s present life, and behind which he hides to keep God out of all his thoughts.

The Third Trumpet (Verse 10) — Another power appears whose doings vitiate the very springs of man’s existence. Life is bitter indeed under this despot, from whose influence men cannot extricate themselves, and many perish. As an example of such an one, consider the Duke of Alva who enslaved the Dutch Netherlands in the days of Philip 2 of Spain, the tyrant of the “Holy” Inquisition.

The Fourth Trumpet (Verse 12) — Earth, trees, grass, sea, rivers and fountains and waters had all previously been affected by these judgments on earth. Now in a figure, the heavenly bodies fail in their normal functions—sun, moon, stars—day and night—ordinances subsisting by the power of God since creation. We may learn from the examples given that all rule by man supreme or derived, utterly collapses (see Note 6). Let us thank God we will not be earth dwellers in that awful day. No government! No powers ordained by God! No democracy! “Government of the people, by the people, for the people!” Vain dream!

There is a chilling break in the last verse of the chapter. A flying EAGLE (not angel), symbol of rapid judgment, loudly proclaims a threefold woe to those who inhabit the earth by reason of the three angels whose trumpets are yet to sound. Truly “the day of the Lord” is “a day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness” (Joel 2:2).

The last three trumpets, which we will come to later, are therefore called “woe” trumpets. Again the judgments increase in severity.

Chapter 9: The First Two "Woe" Trumpets

The chapter gives us two of the three “woe” trumpets referred to in the last verse of the preceding chapter.

The Fifth Angel Sounds His Trumpet (the first “woe” trumpet) Verse 1 — We are at no loss to understand on whom this judgment falls. Verse 4 tells us specifically that those who will be hurt will be “only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads.” They are therefore the unbelieving, ungodly Jews, since the servants of God from the twelve tribes of Israel were sealed in their foreheads in Chapter 7. A Satanic power opens the abyss (bottomless pit) from whence arises a smoke so great that light and air are all but extinguished. In the vision, locusts emerge from the smoke. Swarms of these often darken the sky in Eastern countries. Here they have power as of scorpions, and who would not dread the bite of a scorpion? With trees, or grass, or green things of the earth, already touched by the judgments of God in the Western part of Europe, they have nothing to do. Their business is with men only. They are not to kill, but torment them five months. Even the time allowed them for the infliction of their torture is limited, by Almighty power. There is a restraining power greater than the power of evil. So terrible will this judgment be that death will be preferable to life, but they will be prevented from dying so as to bear this judgment from the hand of God. Verses 7 to 11 inclusive tell us all too plainly of a visitation of demons, the name of whose king, whether in Hebrew or Greek, means “Destroyer.

Matthew 12:43-45 should be connected with this judgment. For as to what is there recorded, the Lord said “even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.” The unclean spirit of idolatry had gone out of Judah in the days of our Lord Jesus on earth, and the children of Israel still are without an image or teraphim (see Hos. 3:4). But in the latter days, those contemplated in Revelation 9:1-11, the house vacated by the former unclean spirit will be taken complete possession of by seven spirits more wicked than the former. The Jews of the latter days are thus seen as given over to idolatry and “worse” in that respect than in the days when they were carried captive to Babylon for this sin against Jehovah.

Paul writes “the things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to demons, and not to God” (1 Cor. 10:20). The Jews, also offering sacrifice to demons in the latter days, will be subject to a special divine retribution, of which we have a picture in our chapter.

One other word in this connection. The Jews attributed the Lord’s work of casting out devils to “the prince of the devils” (Mark 3:21-30). Christ’s service on earth was rendered in the power of the Holy Ghost, and to speak thus against it the Jews committed “the unpardonable sin” which “hath never forgiveness.” Surely we find a fulfillment of this in the judgment of the latter days which we have considered. And also, it might be added that in return for sacrifice offered to demons, they turned again and rent them. But it is also written “Thy people shall be willing [or shall offer themselves willingly] in the day of Thy power” (Psa. 110:3) and again “in that day, saith the Lord of Hosts, . . . I will cut off the names of the idols out of the land . . . : and also I will cause the unclean spirit to pass out of the land” (Zech. 13:2).

The Sixth Angel Sounds His Trumpet (the second “woe” trumpet) Verse 13 — There is a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God as yet a warning voice—soon there will be none. Briefly, I look upon this judgment as launched, not against Jews, but the Gentiles within the sphere of the Roman earth—the results affect men in “the third part.” Neither in the first or second “woe” trumpets, falling on Jews and Gentiles respectively, do I consider that actual death results. To understand the vision I think we must refer to 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12. We see “the man of sin,” the Antichrist, deceiving “them that perish because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion that they should believe a lie, that they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” I believe the second “woe” trumpet releases an engulfing flood of Asiatic demoniacal superstition on that part of the West hitherto immune from its baneful influence, but now having refused the gospel, visited by “strong delusion.” The Western Gentile today scoffs at the ignorance of the unenlightened inhabitants of South East Asia and contiguous countries, where every garden has a spirit house, but he will eventually be overtaken in the net of the enslaving fear and darkness of the world of evil spirits. “If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness” (Matt. 6:23).

Finally, while men are seen as suffering from these judgments, they seek to pursue their sinful way of life, without God. The judgments are progressive in character, increasing in severity, until God will have the last word with His rebellious creatures.

The sounding of the trumpet of the seventh angel, that is the third “woe” trumpet, is deferred until the fourteenth verse of Chapter 11. Chapter 10 and also Chapter 11 from verse one to thirteen, are in parenthesis.

Supplementary Notes

(1) Note that golden bowls (gold is the symbol of divine righteousness the bowl contains) precede the judgments and terminate them. But here they are full of incense—the prayers of saints—what ascends to God. At the end we find golden bowls full of the fury of God. These are poured upon the earth. See Revelation 16:1.

(2) The 1967 Arab-Israeli war gave the Jews the site on which the temple can be rebuilt, but on it rests the Mosque of Omar. Some think the temple may be rebuilt before the church is raptured, but our business is not to be looking for this but rather for the coming of the Lord.

(3) The destruction and misery of the first world war turned mens’ minds on the problem of preventing another such catastrophe. Some European statesmen thought a United States of Europe was the answer. Their efforts to create such a state, although frustrated at the time, found their counterpart in the Balfour Declaration, an instrument created by England to provide a national home for the Jews. Neither of these early starts made significant progress until the second world war ended.

Today the six signatory nations of the Treaty of Rome, meeting as a Commission in Brussels, are known as the European Economic Community. In its long range forecasting this Commission plans on the admission of four other states. Although we can attach no weight to man’s plans, it is significant that these additions would make up the ten kingdomed state of the revived Roman Empire prophesied in Scripture.

The Roman Beast will head this confederacy. By that time the Jews will have resumed sacrifices on the altar—which he will prohibit (Dan. 9:27; Rev. 13:7)—in exchange for his protection of the nation. This is the covenant with death and the agreement with hell mentioned in Isaiah 28:15,18.

The Jew and the Roman are guilty of crucifying Christ and must therefore be brought forth for judgment. As just pointed out, the beginnings of the revived Roman Empire can already be seen. No less remarkable has been the return of the Jew to his land after an exile of nearly two thousand years—since Titus took Jerusalem in A.D. 70, in fact.

The eighteenth chapter of Isaiah gives us a graphic picture of what has already taken place under the Balfour Declaration, namely a partial return of Jews to the land of Israel in unbelief of their rejected but true Messiah. While they do so the Lord says—“I will take My rest.” The result is that “they shall be left together unto the fowls of the mountains, and to the beasts of the earth, and the fowls shall summer upon them, and all the beasts of the earth shall winter upon them.” The “land shadowing with wings,” the protecting power that put them back into the land is unable to support them further, and at this writing has virtually abandoned the Middle East. At the same time the Israeli-Arab eruptions of 1967 tell all too plainly how the fowls and beasts of the earth both summer and winter on that nation—“a people terrible from their beginning hitherto; a nation meted out and trodden underfoot, whose land the rivers have spoiled.” “The rivers” here are the nations. But the Lord made a covenant with Abram saying—”Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates” (Gen. 15:18) and He will assuredly make good His word, as we learn from Isaiah 11:11-12 That he will set His hand a second time to assemble the outcasts of Israel, and the dispersed of Judah, from the four corners of the earth. At this time too the prophecy of Daniel 12:2 will be fulfilled—“and many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.”

(4) The final blessing of Israel may be summarized this way:

The Ten Tribes Return to the Land—Read Ezekiel 20:33-44.

One Nation of Israel—Ezekiel 37:22 shows God’s purpose to make Israel “one nation in the land.” For them the feast of trumpets, their national awakening, and “the day of atonement,” repentance and sorrow for the rejection and crucifixion of their Messiah, will have taken place, and they will enter on the rest and blessing of “the feast of tabernacles,” as long ago set forth in their own Scriptures (see. Lev. 23).

The Abolition of Idolatry—“neither shall they defile themselves with idols” (Ezek. 37:23).

The Cleansing of Israel—God has said that He will cleanse them, so they may be His people, and He their God (see Ezek. 37:23). Also in Zechariah 13:1 we read—“in that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for uncleanness.”

The New Covenant—One nation, gathered out from among the heathen, and out of all countries and in their own land, they will be brought into the good and blessing of the New Covenant, founded on the death of their once rejected Messiah. They will look on Him whom they pierced (read Ezek. 36:25-28; Heb. 8:6-13).

(5) William Kelly, a nineteenth century commentator and classical scholar has this to say about “the third part.” “‘The third’ is an expression often occurring in the first four trumpets. It refers, as I conceive, to the Western part of the Roman Empire. In Chapter 9 we find it again in a different connection where it must be modified in meaning; for there can be no doubt, I think, that the first two woe trumpets (whatever may be the thought of the last) find their local application in the East . . . in itself ‘the third’ defines nothing . . . to ascertain which particularly is meant we must take the context into account.” (Lectures on the Book of the Revelation, Morrish Edition, p. 177.)

(6) The reader will note that a similar collapse took place under the sixth seal. It was, however, limited in extent confined, that is, to Europe. This indicates the increasing severity of the judgments. Upon the casting out of Satan from heaven to earth and the formation of the false trinity, there is a revival of government, no longer as ordained of God, but in a satanic form. This is destroyed in the final irrevocable judgment of the seventh bowl.

(7) A temple, suited to full blessing on the earth, and the center of that blessing, will be erected. The priesthood and animal sacrifices will be resumed. But the veil, rent at the cross, will be set up again, for Israel will not have the place of nearness we enjoy today, having access to the Father through a rent veil. The reader is referred to the fortieth to forty-eighth chapters of Ezekiel.

At the same time the Gentile nations, walking in the light of the heavenly metropolis above, and their kings bringing their glory and honor into it, will be blessed in conjunction with Israel on earth. (See Mic. 4:1-2; Rev. 21:24). Egypt and Assyria, oppressors and persecutors of God’s ancient people in times past, will, during the millennium, be remembered in God’s great mercy. They will be accorded a special place of blessing with Israel (read Isa. 19:23-25).

During the millennium heaven and earth will not be as far apart as now (see Psa. 72; 1 Cor. 15:25).

(8) The event just described is “the appearing.” It commences with the nineteenth verse of Revelation 19 —“and I saw heaven opened and behold a white horse.” It is to be distinguished from Christ coming for His saints, although connected with it, for He will bring them with Him on white horses. However it is not restricted to this occasion but ties in with the prophecy of Enoch, the gathering of all nations to Jerusalem, the Lord’s feet touching the Mount of Olives and the effect—deliverance of the godly Jewish remnant and geological changes in the Holy land in preparation for the erection of the new temple, prophesied by Ezekiel.

Very little of this is to be found in the Revelation. Because of this gap, and other subjects of interest to the prophetic student, a general write-up follows to round out the happenings of the time of the end.

(a) The Fulfillment of the Prophecy of Enoch—“behold the Lord cometh with ten thousands of His saints to execute judgment upon all” (Jude 14-15).

(b) The Gathering of all Nations to Jerusalem—It is God’s determination to gather all nations to battle against Jerusalem and “then shall the Lord go forth and fight against those nations as when He fought in the day of battle” (read Zech. 13:8-9; Zech. 14). The plague wherewith the Lord will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem is given in Zechariah 14:12-13. It is suggestive of atomic warfare—the details correspond to what followed the atomic blast at Hiroshima.

(c) The Two Effects of the Lord’s Feet Touching the Mount of Olives—At His appearing the Lord’s feet will stand upon the Mount of Olives (Zech. 14:4). Although at this time the Lord will dispose of the Beast and False Prophet (Antichrist) at Armageddon and subsequently the King of the North (the latter day Assyrian)—two special additional features are also brought to light in the prophecy of Zechariah.

The Deliverance of the Godly Jewish Remnant—The godly remnant of Jews will be delivered at once by the Lord’s sudden appearance—“they shall look upon ME whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for Him, as one mourneth for his only son . . .” (Zech. 12:10).

Geological Changes in the Holy Land—“His feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the East, and the Mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the East and toward the West, and there shall be a very great valley, and the half of the mountain shall remove toward the North, and half of it toward the south” (Zech. 14:4). This will effect physical changes in the land of Israel and provide space for the new arrangements outlined in the book of Ezekiel—read chapters forty to forty-eight.

(d) The Attacks on the Land and the Disposal of all Israel’s Enemies

The Kings of the North and the South—The King of the North—the latter day Assyrian—possibly Turkey or Syria shall be “mighty but not by his own power” (Dan. 8:24). He is doubtless armed by Russia after a pattern we have already witnessed in recent times. He attacks Jerusalem (Dan. 11:40-45) together with the King of the South (Egypt) and pillages it. Then he turns on his erstwhile ally the King of the South and goes on to Egypt to plunder.

The Kings of the East and the Western Powers—In the meantime the Roman Beast comes to Israel to help her with his Western armies against the King of the North but is too late. He is opposed by “the Kings of the East”—the far Eastern nations at Armageddon. When both powers see Christ they unite against Him and He destroys them both.

Destruction of the King of the North—Then the King of the North, hearing ‘tidings’—news of Armageddon, no doubt—leaves off plundering Egypt for a final depredation of the Holy Land. But it is written—“he shall come to his end and none shall help him” (Dan. 11:40-45). The True David will subdue His enemies.

Edom, Moab, and Ammon—These nations, related to Israel, yet ancient hereditary enemies, escape the King of the North, yet are reserved for the execution of the Lord’s vengeance by the hand of His people Israel, as foretold in Isaiah 11:14. Edom is finally ‘cut off forever’ as we find in Obadiah verse ten.

Doom of Russia and Satellite Nations—Russia does not come down to Armageddon, but invades the land after that event. Her doom is decreed by God, and will be executed as recorded in the thirty-eighth and thirty-ninth chapters of Ezekiel. Ezekiel 38:1-2 should be rendered thus—“and the word of Jehovah came unto me saying, son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh [Russia] Mesech [Moscow] and Tubal [Tobolsk].”

At present there is no answer to the question why in this age of nuclear weapons, the Northern Army will consist of “horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armor, even a great company, with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords.” It is doubtful if a mutual disarmament agreement among nations will ever be achieved—more conceivably a devastating nuclear war will reduce Russia to the use of primitive armaments.

(e) The Final Arrangements in the Holy Land—These will flow from the geological changes in the land occasioned by the Lord’s feet touching the Mount of Olives, which was previously covered. These arrangements contemplate:

The new temple of the Lord, surrounded by a holy portion of land for the priests.

A holy portion of the land for the Levites.

The common place, wherein will be established “the City”—whose name in the millennial age will be “Jehovah Shammah”—the Lord is there.

A portion of land alongside each side of the whole for the “the Prince.” He will be a direct descendant of King David of old and will sit upon the earthly throne of Christ’s Kingdom.