The Revelation by Editor

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Sep 10, 1912

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 39, No. 35.

The Revelation

By Editor

"The Revelation," by James Seaton Hughes. Published by the author, 410 W. 65th St., Chicago.

From the circulars describing this study on the Revelation by Mr. Hughes, we had been led to expect very much, in fact, such a strong, clear, new view that it would outshine all that had been given in the past, and throw new light on the wonderful book. In the beginning of the volume there is deserved rebuke to those who would discourage the study of the book, or throw doubt upon its wonderful prophecies. He condemns the way in which many have approached the book, and have led others so to approach it—as "a cryptogram," something so completely shrouded with mystery that only the initiated could hope to understand it. In this the author has done good work. He offers to his analysis of the great drama some good suggestions, but in its interpretation we are indeed disappointed. It seems to us that he fails to see the great, seven times sevenfold drama which God has given us in this book of the Revelation, that it is not a continued series of prophecies, or two continued series of prophecies beginning at some particular time and continuing through to the end, but that it is a sevenfold series of prophecies beginning with the Christian dispensation, or a little later, but continuing until the consummation, the coming and kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have not space in this brief notice to point out in detail where it seems to us that Mr. Hughes is wrong, because it is not in the attention to the mere details that the book of the Revelation will be understood. One of the special points which we would criticize in the work is in bringing our Lord Himself into the politics of the world. We believe that the book of Revelation is in perfect harmony with our Lord's words in John 18:36, "My kingdom is not of this world." We wish that it were true that our present Christian ideas did not admit that in any real sense "the government shall rest upon His shoulders," that is, in the sense of this earthly government, in the present political plan of this world's affairs. When the government shall rest upon Christ's shoulders in the fullest sense, it will be when those who through His

righteousness are fit to survive, shall be with Him in the earth made new, and the rule of man is forever past.