The Chief Book.- by Editor

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Oct 14, 1897

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 23, No. 40.

The Chief Book.—

By Editor

Editorial

“The Revelation of Jesus Christ” are the opening words of the last book of the Bible. The Greek word is apokalupsis, from which the book is frequently called, “The Apocalypse,” the meaning of which is disclosure or revelation. It expresses what the book is, a revelation, “The Revelation of Jesus Christ.”

A Revelation is something revealed; and a revelation from God is something which he designs us to know; for while “the secret things belong unto the Lord our God,” “those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children forever,” that we may do his will. Deut. 29:29. “Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.” Amos 3:7.

The Island of PATMOS, Where John Received the Revelation.

The Chief Book.—

What Jesus Christ was to all the other prophets, “The Revelation of Jesus Christ” is to all prophetic books. Other prophets and holy men revealed to the world one or more of the excellences, glories, or beauties of the character of God; but in Jesus Christ all shone forth in glory resplendent. In the writings of each of the prophets and holy scribes of old some one or more parts of the great Gospel system is revealed; but in “The Revelation of Jesus Christ” it is all set forth in wonderful fulness. It was a divine providence that overruled in making it the last book of the Bible, the summary and complement of all the rest. For it is impossible to thoroughly study the Revelation without involving in that study the entire field of revelation from Genesis to the days of the apostles.

Of Jesus Christ.—

Herein is our Lord revealed. It may be said that the revelation is limited by the words “which God gave unto him.” It is, but the limitation is itself unlimited. “The Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.” 1 John 4:14. That he might be “the Saviour of all men,” Christ “gave himself.” Titus 2:14. How fully he did this is revealed in Phil. 2:5–8 (R. V., margin): “Have this mind in you, which was also in Christ Jesus; who, being originally in the form of God, counted it not a thing to be grasped to be on an equality with God, but emptied himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, becoming in the likeness of men; and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, becoming obedient even unto death, yea, the death of the cross.” And because he emptied himself for love’s sake, “wherefore also God highly exalted him, and gave unto him the name which is above every name.” Verse 9. As it pleased Christ to empty himself to save others, “it was the good pleasure of the Father that in him should all the fulness dwell; and through him to reconcile all things unto himself.” Col. 1:19, 20, R. V. “For in him [Christ] dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.” Col. 2:9. He was “in all things” “made like unto his brethren,” even to death, that he might destroy death, and him “that had the power of death, that is, the devil.” Heb. 2:17, 14. There is nothing more corrupt, nothing lower, than the death brought by sin; and the eternal Son of God went down to the lowest deeps in emptying himself for the love that he bore to the race. And because he gave all, God filled him with all his fulness, that by that fulness he might lift up the low and the fallen. “Now this, He [Christ] ascended, what is it but that he also descended into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.” Eph. 4:9, 10, R. V. This is the revelation that God gave unto Christ Jesus, to reveal to all the universe the fulness of the Godhead, the eternal power and love and wisdom of God for the salvation of man. This is the revelation of Jesus Christ set forth in this last book of the Word of God to all who will receive it by faith. No plummet can sound its depths. No reed or measuring line can compass its length and breadth. No ladder can scale its heights.

“To Show Unto His Servants.”—

Our Lord obtained it for us. It would be selfish to ask that we alone should be sharers in it, but we may know that it is for us in its fulness as tho there were no others to share it. It is one of the blessings of the Gospel of grace that it brings to every one a complete Saviour; it connects every one with the great Central Source of power and wisdom and love just as truly as tho there were no other soul on earth. And there are no switch-offs, or repeating centers. God hears and answers, and the channel of communication is always open to the child of faith. Who are his servants? All ought to be. We are not only his by creation, but by redemption. We are his bought bond-servants. The original is as strong as this. The price he paid was his own life, which he gave and is giving for the life of the world. 1 Cor. 6:19, 20; 1 Peter 1:18, 19. It is the bounden duty of every soul, therefore, to acknowledge Christ as Lord and Master and submit to do his service. Those who do this are “his servants,” “his own servants.” Matt.

25:14. Such are the true worshipers of God; for the highest worship is service, obedience. The heavenly beings that continually praise and bless the Lord are those who “do his commandments,” and “his pleasure.” Ps. 103:20, 21. “Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God,” says Jesus, “and him only shalt thou serve.” Matt. 4:10. The bond of our servanthood is love. “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” John 14:15. “This is the love of God, that we keep his commandments; and his commandments are not grievous.” 1 John 5:3. Surely there was never such a service for such a master! Who would desire to call himself by a better title than “a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ”? And yet Christ calls those who are truly his servants his friends: “Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth; but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.” John 15:14, 15. This is the revelation of Jesus Christ. Are we his servants? Do we do the things he commands? Or do his words apply to us, “Why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?” Luke 6:46. Only he who obeys Christ can truly call him “Lord.”

“The Things Which Must Shortly Come to Pass.”—

The Revelation is a book for the last days. Daniel was closed up and sealed to the time of the end. Dan. 12:4, 9. We have reached that time, and the seal is lifted. The Revelation is a part of the unsealing of that book, written for those who are looking for the coming of Christ. Isaiah prophesied seven hundred years before Christ. Among these prophecies were the messages of chapters 40:3 and 61:1, 2. For the centuries they were unfulfilled. But when John the Baptist came he gave the former, and Jesus Christ gave the first portion of the latter, cutting in twain the message in the middle of verse 2, leaving the latter part till the last days and the last message. See John 1:23; Luke 4:17–20. The Revelation of Jesus Christ is for his servants in the last days, revealing his fulness, and the soon coming events and vicissitudes of the earth and nations, the prevalent dangers and perils, and disclosing his great salvation.

“Sent and Signified It by His Angel.”—

Herein is another revealing of God’s love. “Angel” means messenger, no more nor less. It is applied to man as well as to heavenly beings. But it is generally used, and here means, one of a different order of beings, the spiritual, unfallen servants of God which dwell in his presence. But why does God send his message in that way? Is he dependent upon the angel? Does not he “fill heaven and earth?” Could he not speak to all and each?—Certainly he could. Here is the great reason. There is coming a day of rejoicing in the kingdom of God, a glad harvest home. Love can not rejoice alone; love can not therefore do alone. Only he truly rejoices over results who has sacrificed to obtain them. It is for this reason that God gives every intelligence in his universal empire a part in his work. There will be no one in all the vast host of the immortals who will say, “I wrought that work.” “I saved that soul.” There is but One who could say it; but he will not. All will share in the joy. The reaper and sower will rejoice together, the servants in heaven joining with the servants of earth, angels with men, in the glad hallelujahs to God and the Lamb for the souls he has saved, co-workers with God, co-rejoicers in the result. Sending by his angel to his servants is God’s way of working. That angel is Gabriel (see Dan. 8:16; 9:21; 10:21; Luke 1:19, 26), even as Michael (“who is like God”) is Christ. When God would convert Paul he reveals the heavenly glory (Acts 9:4–6), but flesh and blood must tell him the rest (verses 10–17). The angel met with Peter and with Cornelius, but Peter, not the angel, must preach the Word. See Acts 10. And so it has ever been and ever will be. God wants servants. He would have all share in the eternal joy. He has for all a share in his service.