The Ruin of the Church

 •  4 min. read  •  grade level: 9
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Revelation chapter 1 teaches us the solemn lesson that the church had already become, in John’s day, the object of Christ’s judgment. The church is not looked at in this chapter as the body of Christ; it is the professing church, figured by the seven assemblies of Asia, who represent there the complete figure of the professing church of God in John’s day.
As a building the church may be looked at as Christ’s building which He builds (Matt. 16:16-1816And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. 17And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. 18And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. (Matthew 16:16‑18)), but it may also be looked at as handed over to the responsibility of man, as we read in 1 Corinthians 3:10-1710According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. 11For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; 13Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. 14If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. 15If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. 16Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? 17If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. (1 Corinthians 3:10‑17) where Paul laid the foundation, but other builders built it up, some with good material, others with bad. But whether the walls were built in of living stones or bad material, the Holy Spirit had come down from heaven and taken up His abode in the midst of these believers as the house of God.
Christ As Judge Among the Churches
In whatever way he has been tested, man has failed, and the church is no exception. In 2 Timothy all they of Asia had departed from Paul. In 1 Peter 4 the time was come when judgment must begin at the house of God. But not till Revelation 1 do we find the church actually becoming the object of judgment itself. There we have the awful picture of the seven lampstands figuring the complete church of God on earth, with the Son of Man in their midst in the aspect of Judge.The church, set up as a light-bearer in this world, had totally failed in its responsibility to God in John’s last days. The Son of Man stood in its midst as a Judge, finally coming to the point that He would spue it out of His mouth as a loathsome thing.
In Revelation 1:12-1312And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; 13And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. (Revelation 1:12‑13), the Son of Man is seen in the midst of the seven candlesticks; He is seen on earth, not in heaven. In Revelation 5, after the earthly history of the church is over, we see Him as the Lamb in the midst of the throne with the heavenly saints in heaven. But here He is seen on earth, in spirit of course, and as the Son of Man. And is not this what the professing church has lost— the sense of His actual presence there?
The Ancient of Days
At one time He appeared in the midst of the disciples in the upper room and proclaimed “peace be unto you” (John 20:1919Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. (John 20:19)). But now all was changed; the Son of Man is there still, but no longer joyful and singing praises; He is the Ancient of days of Dan. 7:9-10, 229I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. 10A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened. (Daniel 7:9‑10)
22Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom. (Daniel 7:22), to whom judgment is committed. So fearful was the sight that John fell at His feet as dead. But the Lord lays His hand upon John, and says, “Fear not; I am the first and the last” (Rev. 1:1717And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: (Revelation 1:17)). John’s eye was raised to Him who had risen as man over the whole power of the enemy. He was the Eternal Life in heaven who had been into this scene of ruin, had met the whole power of the enemy, and had overcome. If the church has so departed from its standing that it has become the object of judgment, blessed be God, the Eternal Life remains. The foundation of God stands sure, and every believer that is held by Him stands firm with Christ as partaker of His victory.
The Key of David
Christ is the true Eliakim of Isaiah 22:20-2520And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will call my servant Eliakim the son of Hilkiah: 21And I will clothe him with thy robe, and strengthen him with thy girdle, and I will commit thy government into his hand: and he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to the house of Judah. 22And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; so he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open. 23And I will fasten him as a nail in a sure place; and he shall be for a glorious throne to his father's house. 24And they shall hang upon him all the glory of his father's house, the offspring and the issue, all vessels of small quantity, from the vessels of cups, even to all the vessels of flagons. 25In that day, saith the Lord of hosts, shall the nail that is fastened in the sure place be removed, and be cut down, and fall; and the burden that was upon it shall be cut off: for the Lord hath spoken it. (Isaiah 22:20‑25), who has the key of David, type of the administration of David’s house, the unlocker of all his treasures, and so makes known to the church what belongs to Israel, as distinct from what belongs to the church. He opens, and no man shuts; and shuts, and no man opens. He is the One who presents Himself to the church at this present time, and sets before it an open door which no man can shut. May you and I understand today how the blessed Lord is presenting Himself, so that you and I, hearing His voice, and being obedient to His word, may be found in these last days in this circle of blessing, and waiting patiently for His coming.
A. P. Cecil (adapted)