Significant Verse in the Book of Revelation
By William Mayhew Healey
A People Who Are Different from All Others — Beloved of Both the Father and the Son — They Live at the Close of Human Probation — Many Lines of Prophecy Show Them to Be Due upon the Earth "Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus." Rev. 14: 12. In this scripture, attention is called to a class, or company, of peculiar people, who are different from all others of their time. They have patience such as only saints possess. They "keep the commandments of God," while others keep the "commandments of men." Jesus said: "He that hath My commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth Me: and he that loveth Me shall be loved of My Father." And again: "If a man love Me, he will keep My words: and My Father will love him, and We will come unto him, and make Our abode with him." John 14: 21, 23. This company, according to these words of Christ, are the loved ones of both the Father and His Son Jesus Christ, who are making Their "abode" with them. Their faith is the same as the "faith of Jesus." As Christ has taken up His abode in them, He is working out His faith and practise through them. THE HARVEST OF THE EARTH TO BE REAPED
After John had seen this company, he said: "And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud One sat like unto the Son of man, having on His head a golden crown, and in His hand a sharp sickle. And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to Him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in Thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for Thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. And He that sat on the cloud thrust in His sickle, on the earth; and the earth was reaped." Rev. 14: 14-16. This company of faithful followers of Jesus are seen just before, and up to, the coming of the Lord to reap the harvest of the earth. SPECIAL MENTION OF INDIVIDUAL MEN
From time to time, in the ages past, God has had some soul who has risen far above his fellows in true righteousness and holiness of life, such as Abel, Noah, Abraham, Job, Moses, Joseph, Daniel, and many others. God often makes mention of some of these, and calls them by name, as in Job 1: 8: "Hast thou considered My servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?" A WHOLE COMPANY WHO ARE DISTINGUISHED
In Rev. 14: 12 God is not calling attention to some single individual who has developed a character above that of all others in the earth; but He says, "Here are they"—a plural number, more than one, a company, who have attained to this high standard of perfection, and are ready and waiting for the coming of the Lord. In thus calling attention to this people, God is showing us what His people must be who are living at the close of human probation. THE CONDITIONS DEMAND SUCH A PEOPLE
Since the fall of man, sinners who have sought the Lord have found Him ready to forgive; but when Jesus rises up and leaves the throne of grace, and comes in glory for His people, then neither heaven nor earth will have a mediator to stand between the transgressor and the law he has broken, the time limit of the atonement has been reached, character has been formed and fixed for all, and there can be no change. Those who are saved at this time must be just such a people as are described in Rev. 14: 12. From the many lines of prophecy showing the coming of the Lord to be very near, we may properly conclude that we are in a time when we should begin to look for the people who are at least seeking to reach these high attainments. They are here, or soon will be here; for the Lord showed them to John. Let us more fully study the meaning of the words applied to this people who are waiting for Christ, that we may find the way to be with them.