GOD showed to John various sights of eternal things. He saw a door opened in heaven and the throne of divine majesty, with saints and angels surrounding it, and he heard the songs and the voices of heaven, and beheld those things which will endure when time and earth have passed away. Let us contemplate three of these great sights—and first that of THE LAMB UPON THE THRONE.
Our reader recognizes who this is. Near upon two thousand years ago, the Everlasting Word became a man, visited this earth, and declared the love of God. But the world knew Him not; His own nation received Him not. Jew and Gentile conspired to cast Him out from the earth, and took Him, and with wicked hands slew Him. And now God opens a vision of heaven to faith’s eye, and lo! upon His throne is Jesus, and we see Him there as a Lamb which had been slain.
As such He “stood” in the midst of the throne. The work for which He appeared there was not accomplished. When His sacrifice and our sanctification thereby are spoken of, He is said to be seated (Heb. 10:11-1411And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: 12But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; 13From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. 14For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. (Hebrews 10:11‑14)), for that work is finished. But there is another work to be completed, even that of judgment. Hence the sight of the Lamb as it had been slain, standing in the midst of the throne, appears, when the sealed book of judgments is brought forward in heaven.
We live in times when that word is about to be fulfilled. “Yet once more, I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. And this word, yet once, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.” (Heb. 12:26, 2726Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. 27And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. (Hebrews 12:26‑27).) Already society quivers, and kingdoms tremble, even the earth itself quakes in divers places.
There is no stability, no security, save through the Lamb. No hope of a part in that kingdom which cannot be moved, save through Him. Either we are immovably fixed by God through Him, or we stand upon one or other of the things which will be shaken and removed. Either we are delivered from the wrath to come through His blood, or we are part and parcel of the world, which is about to.be judged by the Lamb. When the great day of His wrath is come, who shall be able to stand?
Another great sight was shown to the beloved disciple:
A GREAT WHITE THRONE AND HIM THAT SAT ON IT.
“I saw a great white throne, and Him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before the throne” (Rev.20:11, 12); for so should the words read.
Do we fail to recognize Him who sat upon the great white throne—the spotless throne of eternal judgment? Do we not know whose Face it was, before which not only the earth, but the heaven fled away? “The Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son.” (John 5:2222For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: (John 5:22).) Upon the throne of judgment, the Man Christ Jesus was seen; He is the Judge.
The overthrow of kingdoms, the convulsions of the earth, are to ourselves individually but small things compared with the great day of judgment. Earth will pass away; but man shall live forever. Heaven will be shaken, and flee from the face of the Judge, but sinners all, small and great, shall stand before the great white throne.
Reader, is the Lord Jesus your life now?
Will He be your Judge then? Contemplate yourself and eternity in the presence of the great white throne. To be judged by your works is to be eternally lost, but to have your name written in the Book of Life is to be eternally saved. “Whosoever was not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.”
Once more we view a great sight. A new heaven and a new earth pass before the eye of the beloved disciple, in the stead of those which had fled away. Eternity has begun—the grand purpose of God is accomplished and a great voice out of heaven calls attention to the sight, “Behold
THE TABERNACLE OF GOD WITH MEN, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God.” God’s children surround Him, “holy and without blame before Him in love.” (Eph. 1:44According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: (Ephesians 1:4).) The joy of the family is theirs, and of this joy every child partakes. “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain; for the former things are passed away.” The earth and its sorrows, with the tears and griefs of God’s children, forever gone! Eternal life and joy the portion of God’s family. God Himself rejoicing in the rest His hand has brought in. Jesus seeing the travail of His soul, and being satisfied. What a prospect! And to this great future our deepest attention is called, for hearken to the voice of God, “And He that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new.” (Rev. 21:3-53And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. 4And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. 5And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. (Revelation 21:3‑5).)
Shall we each one be found in this great family circle? What kind of eternity will be ours?
Let us, fellow-christian, seek to live on earth as those who have before their eyes these great sights of eternal realities.
The time is near for the unsealing and the unrolling of the book of judgments on this earth; the judgment day draws nigh, and but a little while and this very earth shall flee away to make place for that which is new.
A life lived for eternity is the only life that is worth living.