WHO CAN READ THE FUTURE?
By L. A. B.
What Lies Before Was Sealed to All—A Mighty One Prevailed and Broke the Seal—All Who Wish May Understand THE book of Revelation is a series of visions given to the apostle John while he was imprisoned on the isle of Patmos by the Roman government for “the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.” By thus becoming a partaker with the early Christians “in the tribulation and kingdom and patience which are in Jesus,” he received “the Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show unto His servants, even the things which must shortly come to pass; and He sent and signified it by His angel unto His servant John; who bare witness of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, even of all things that he saw.” Rev. 1: 1, 2. THE THINGS THAT ARE TO BE
That the book of Revelation is a revealing of the future, is shown by the first verse. It is “the things which must shortly come to pass.” Also in Rev. 4: 1 we read, “Come up hither, and I will show thee the things which must come to pass hereafter.” As we have said, the book of Revelation is a number of visions; and the one that we wish particularly to study is the one that begins with the fourth chapter. In this one vision, there is a revelation of divine providence, one of the grandest ever given to mortal man. A door is opened in heaven, and One is seen sitting upon the throne. It is God Himself. His glory is as the glory of a jasper stone and a sardius; and there is a rainbow round about the throne, and there are worshipers, voices sounding the praise and the adoration of God’s creatures, for the One who is so glorious, so powerful, and so good. There is really no break between the fourth and the fifth chapter. The description continues without interruption. In the fifth chapter, we are told that John saw “in the right hand of Him that sat on the throne a book written within, and on the back close sealed with seven seals.” Further study of the vision shows that this book is the book of the future; that God holds this book of the future; that444the writing upon it, within it, is hidden, is shut away from all other eyes, or, as it were, “close sealed with seven seals.” Seven represents completeness, and therefore the book is completely or fully locked against every eye. Next a strong angel proclaims with a great voice, “Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?” This question of who can read the future, or open the book—who can unlock its secrets, or loose the seals—is the great question that God is impressing upon humanity. It is the question that is being impressed upon human hearts everywhere to-day. What is coming? What do the events of to-day signify? What shall be hereafter? Whither are we going? These questions man would not naturally ask. He would go on content with thinking that to-morrow will be much like to-day, only more abundant; but in the providence of God, by events happening on sea and land, by the impress of the Holy Spirit, by the warnings of the Word, by the preaching and teaching of consecrated men and women, caution enters the minds of some, and they begin to think of and prepare for the future. “A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished.” Prov. 2: 3. “Surely the Lord Jehovah will do nothing, except He reveal His secret unto His servants the prophets.” Amos 3: 7. The question of the angel should be a question that each one of us asks for himself: “Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?” Where shall we go to know about the future? Shall we do as Saul did, rejected of God—turn aside from the light that shines from the throne of God, and seek through some necromancer or clairvoyant or palmist or spiritist to get the word regarding the future days, the word that we feel is so important? In other words, “Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?” Let us, without hesitation, in absolute faith, believe the word, that “no one in the heaven, or on the earth, or under the earth,” is “able to open the book, or to look thereon.” Aside from Deity, there is not a being who knows anything about the future. Not an angel, fallen or unfallen, of himself can open the book, or look at it—can get a glimpse of the coming days; and there is not an unfallen intelligence throughout the sweeps of God’s vast universe who knows, unaided, the events to come, or reads the days that are yet to be. There is not a person in the earth who of himself can give us the faintest inkling about the things that will happen to us or to others in this world. No one in heaven, or on the earth, or under the earth, is able to open the book of the future, or to gaze upon the events which it holds within its bosom. And so we turn our backs on all fortune tellers, clairvoyants, and their ilk, for good and all. No one aside from Deity reads the future, knows what is coming. John was saddened as he thought of this lack of knowledge. And if it were the last word, then we would all look forward to the future as one would look at a great black pall. The future of the church—unknown; the future of the world—unrevealed; the future of nations and of kingdoms—unseen; the events of human life—covered by impenetrable mystery. SEAL IS BROKEN — FUTURE UNROLLED
John wept when he realized the situation, but his tears were wiped away. His grief was assuaged. One of the elders said to him, “Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.” Thank God for the fact! The mighty Lion has prevailed. He has overcome. And by His overcoming, He is worthy and powerful enough to open the book and make its contents known. He is able to break the complete security in which it is contained, and hold it forth to the gaze of all who will read. Let us remember, however, that no one has the ability, or the power, or is worthy, to do such a deed, only the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David. John looked to see this wonderful One, and he “saw between the throne with the four living creatures, and the elders, a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain.” Verse 6, margin. The mighty Lion is the Lamb. The Root of David is the Slain One—slain for the sin of men. Thus we discover that Christ, by taking the place of man, by stepping down from the high throne of God to the lowly manger and the accursed cross, prevails, overcomes, is found worthy to reveal all the future history of humanity. But to no one else is given the power. Therefore to Him be the glory and the praise throughout unending ages. Amen. More will be said on this subject next week. L. A. B.