"Let the Revelation speak and tell what is truth. . . . Uplift Jesus as the center of all hope."
A Challenge and the Victor
The Triumph of Sacrifice
THERE have been many crises in the affairs of men and nations, many challenges to overwhelming odds, many mighty results from the crises.
It was a mighty challenge to the world when Alexander the Great with an inferior force started on his Eastern campaign and met the Persian forces at the River Granicus. It was a challenge for the conquest of the world, a crisis in its affairs, and the young Macedonian warrior-king was victorious.
Napoleon challenged the world to combat when he began his career of conquest; but Waterloo was the crisis in his affairs and in the government of Europe, when the ambitious Corsican went down before the allied forces. History is full of such bold adventure and corresponding victory or failure.
God's work has had its challenges and crises. It was a challenge to faith and a crisis in God's work when Abraham heard God's call and met it. It was a challenge to all the powers of evil and a crisis in God's work when the shepherd from Midian, "Moses the man of God," stood before earth's mightiest monarch, and uttered the simple, single, reasonable message, "Thus saith Jehovah, Let My people go, that they may serve Me."
It was a crisis in Christendom when Luther found that climbing a stone staircase on his knees had no power to save, and his ear was open to hear that heavenly message, "The just shall live by faith." It was a challenge to his faith; its acceptance meant to him a battle for life, and his decision changed the face of the world.
It was a greater challenge still to the prince of evil when the Son of God, clothed in mortal weakness, consented to fight on the same ground and in the same environments the battle of a thousand times the defeated one, groaning, dying, a captive in the dominion given him. It was the crisis of this world, of all humanity. This was among the things set forth in vision to the exiled disciple on Patmos. It is a continuation of the vision of our lesson study of last week.
PATMOS
The Answer of the Text
[The answers to the questions are from the American Revised Version. Omitting questions, and disregarding sometimes the capital at the beginning and the period at the close of an answer, the text may be read continuously. In notes and comments both versions are used without designation.]
1. What did John see after hearing the song of the holy ones?
And I 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.
2. What mighty challenge went forth?
And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a great voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?
3. What was the result of the challenge?
And no one in the heaven, or on the earth, or under the earth, was able to open the book, or to look thereon.
4. How was John affected by this utter failure?
And I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open the book, or to look thereon.
5. How was he finally comforted?
And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not; behold, the Lion that is of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath overcome to open the book and the seven seals thereof.
6. What did the prophet then see?
And I saw in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, a Lamb standing, as tho it had been slain, having seven horns, and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God, sent forth into all the earth.
7. What did the Lamb do?
And He came, and He taketh it [the book] out of the right hand of Him that sat on the throne.
8. What occurred when the Lamb took the book?
And when He had taken the book, the four living creatures and the four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having each one a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.
9. What do they sing?
And they sing a new song, saying,
Worthy art Thou to take the book,
And to open the seals thereof:
For Thou wast slain,
And didst purchase unto God with Thy blood
Men of every tribe, and tongue, and people, and nation,
And madest them to be unto our God
A kingdom and priests;
And they reign upon the earth.
10. What did the prophet then see?
And I saw, and I heard a voice of many angels round about the throne and the living creatures and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands.
11. What praise did they offer?
Saying with a great voice,
Worthy is the Lamb that hath been slain
To receive
the power,
and riches,
and wisdom,
and might,
and honor,
and glory,
and blessing.
12. How far did this song extend?
And every created thing which is in the heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and on the sea, and all things that are in them, heard I saying,
Unto Him that sitteth on the throne,
And unto the Lamb,
Be the blessing, and the honor, and the glory, and the dominion,
Forever and ever.
13. What was the response to this?
And the four living creatures said, Amen. And the elders fell down and worshiped.
Note and Comment
1. Him that sat on the throne.—The eternal Father, the Ruler, the Center of the universe. Right hand, the instrument of power and skill. Book, scroll. Some punctuate, "written within, and on the back close sealed with seven seals." If on the back there was writing, it was perhaps the titles of the contents within. Our illustration.
