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READING CIRCLE STUDY

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Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Nov 6, 1900

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 77, No. 45.

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READING CIRCLE STUDY.

By Stephen N. Haskell

S. N. H.
The fourth chapter of Revelation is an introduction to the fifth and sixth chapters. Through an open door we are introduced into the heavenly sanctuary. Again, as in Rev. 1:10, the voice of Christ, as of a trumpet, talked with the prophet. “Come up hither,” said Christ, “and I will show thee things which must be hereafter.”
There are three temples mentioned in the Scriptures. The one built by Moses was a shadow of heavenly things. In the heavenly sanctuary the real work was performed for the people on the earth, which would enable them to become the temple of God, and be fitted for a habitation of God through the Spirit. 1 Cor. 3:16, 17; 6:19.
As the work of Christ is carried forward in the heavenly sanctuary, so the work of regeneration goes on in the hearts of God’s people. The typical work in the one built by Moses had to do with the physical and the spiritual nature of man; so the work of Christ pertains to our physical and spiritual natures.
In the outer apartment in heaven John saw God’s throne and him that sat upon it. This was shadowed forth in the type. Ex. 29:38–44.
The object of the typical sanctuary was that God might dwell among his people, and be their God. Ex. 25:8. As the rays of the sun shining on drops of water causes the rainbow, so the glory of God shining on the precious stones in the heavenly courts reflects a rainbow around the throne.
The rainbow was first revealed to man at the time of the flood, and is a token of God’s everlasting covenant, made with Christ before the world was. Gen. 9:6–17. It promises pardon to every penitent soul. Three things are necessary to form the rainbow in the sky,—a cloud, rain, and sunshine. The sun shining on the rain, and reflected on the cloud, forms the beautiful rainbow.
Sin, as a cloud, hides God’s love from us, shutting out from the soul the rays of light from the throne of mercy. As the cloud gives forth the rain, and the sun shining upon it produces the rainbow, so “the tears of the penitent are only the raindrops that precede the sunshine of holiness.” The Sun of righteousness shining upon the tears of the penitent makes manifest the glory of God, of which “the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain” is a likeness. Eze. 1:28. “By faith let us look upon the rainbow round about the throne; the cloud of sins confessed behind it. The rainbow of promise is an assurance to every humble, contrite, believing soul that his life is one with Christ, and that Christ is one with God.”
God in love delivers the soul from the pit of corruption, and casts the cloud of sins behind his back. Isa. 38:17. When the cloud of sins is gone, there is nothing to prevent the sunlight of his countenance from falling upon the repentant tears; and instead of sins, only the rainbow of his glory is seen. God sees nothing else, for it encircles his throne. The bow in the sky is a pledge to the sinner,—a pledge upon which God looks. And should he not grant pardon to the penitent sinner, it would disgrace the throne of his glory, and break his everlasting covenant with us. See Jer. 14:21, 22. “As the bow in the cloud is formed by the union of the sunlight and the shower, so the rainbow encircling the throne represents the combined power of mercy and justice.”
“For this is as the waters of Noah unto me: for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth; so have I sworn that I would not be wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee. For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee.” Isa. 54:9, 10. These are some of the lessons taught by the rainbow.
There were four and twenty elders round the throne. In the earthly sanctuary there were four and twenty chief men, governors of the sanctuary. 1 Chron. 24:1–5, 19. The elders seen in heaven by John were among those who ascended with Christ after his resurrection. By the grace of Christ, they had gained the victory, and were in this life conquerors over sin. On their heads were crowns of gold. They were a representative class, taken from every kindred, tongue, people, and nation. Rev. 5:9. From the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices, representing the flashes of light that come from God’s word to the believer.
The word of God is a lamp unto our feet, and a light unto our path. Ps. 119:105. By the Spirit of God, flashes of light come from his holy word to every true searcher after truth.
In the four living creatures, four phases of Christ’s character are illustrated,—his kingly character, his humility, his humanity, and his divinity. Christ was the Lion of the tribe of Judah, or King of kings (Matt. 1:1), represented by the face of a lion. The face of an ox or calf signifies a servant of labor; so Christ is represented as the one that serves, or servant of all. Mark 10:43–45; Luke 22:27. The human side, illustrated by the face of a man in the four living creatures, is shown by Christ through the apostle calling himself the “man” Christ Jesus. 1 Tim. 2:5. The first verses of John’s Gospel, where Christ soars to an equality with the Father, are fitly illustrated by the flying eagle.
He who accepts the gospel, although he may be a servant of servants, is exalted by the righteousness of Christ to a position higher than angels who have never fallen. These principles are also brought out in the law of Moses. The Aaronic priesthood was to be the mouthpiece of God. The Levites were assistants, while the Kohathites and the Merarites performed the more menial service, which was no less important, as it was God’s work.
In the heavenly courts the living creatures cry continually, “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.” They fall down before the throne, and cast their crowns before him who sitteth upon the throne, saying, “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.” Every expression of inspiration, every symbol God has used, every type, represents some phase of Christ’s character.