p. 4 | THOUGHTS ON REVELATION

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jun 3, 1862

THOUGHTS ON REVELATION.

CHAPTER I.

Verses 1 and 2. The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to show unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John, who bare record of the word of God and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw.

The first verse of the book gives its true title—"The Revelation of Jesus Christ"—which shows the title placed over it to be incorrect. It also expresses an important characteristic of the book in the one word—"Revelation"—which is a refutation of the assertion that it is among the hidden mysteries of God. Says Moses, Deut. xxix, 29, "The secret things belong unto the Lord our God, but those things which are revealed, belong unto us and to our children forever." It is here stated that God gave the Revelation to Jesus Christ, that Christ gave it to his angel to show it to John, who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw.

Verse 3. Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein; for the time is at hand.

A blessing is here promised to the reader, to the hearer of the words of this prophecy, and to those who keep the things written therein. This is the best evidence that the object of the book is to reveal things of the highest importance for the general understanding and benefit of Christians. It brings in view things to be kept or obeyed. Chap. xiv, 12, is a pointed instance—"Here are they that keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus." These three verses contain the introduction. Next comes the dedication.

Verses 4-6. John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven spirits which are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the Prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father: to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

The entire book of Revelation (see ch. i, 3, 11, 19; xxii, 18, 19) is dedicated to the seven churches, verse 11, at places situated in western Asia Minor, scattered over a territory about two hundred miles in length, by one hundred in width. There were many Christians in other portions of Asia Minor, such as Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, and Bithynia, addressed in 1 Pet. i, 1. In fact, Troas, where Paul held meeting with the brethren all night, and Colosse, where he addressed his epistle to the brethren, were in the territory of the seven churches. Colosse was only about twenty-five miles from Laodicea. Miletum, where Paul left his brother Trophimus sick, 2 Tim. iv, 20, and to which place he called the elders of the church, Acts xxi, 17, was also in the same territory.

Why seven of the churches of Asia Minor were selected, to whom the Revelation was dedicated, may be a matter of interesting study. The book was no more applicable to them, than to other Christian churches in Asia Minor. And it is a fact of importance that but a very small portion of the book could be applicable to the Christians of John's day, as most of it prophesied of events then in the future, with which they would have no connection. Neither were the special addresses to the Christians in Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea, more appropriate to them than to the Christians of Colosse, Troas, Galatia, and Corinth. The best reason we have to offer why these seven were chosen is, because the significations of the names illustrate the character of the seven periods of the Christian church.

Seven seems to be a number in the Scriptures denoting perfection, completeness, and is probably a kind of memorial of the great facts of the first seven days, which divide all time into cycles of weeks.

The book of Revelation is really dedicated to the Christians of the entire Christian age, with seven special messages to the believers in its seven periods, with grace and peace from the Father, and from the Holy Spirit, and from the Son.

1. The words, "him which is, and which was, and which is to come," express complete eternity. The same, in verse 11, calls himself the Almighty, a name never given to Jesus Christ.

2. "And from the seven Spirits which are before his throne." The words "his throne," refer to the Father, and not to the Son who as yet has no throne. Ch. iii, 21. Some think the seven Spirits mean the seven leading operations, or gifts of the Spirit. However this may be, we think there is no doubt but reference is here made to the Holy Spirit.

3. "And from Jesus Christ." The Son is here mentioned as a distinct person from "him which is, and which was, and which is to come." Compare ch. iv, 8, with v, 6, 7.

He is also called the "faithful Witness," "the first begotten from the dead," and "the Prince of the kings of the earth." Are we not carried forward in this last title to the time when Christ will descend from the opening heavens with a name written on his vesture, and on his thigh, "KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS? ch. xix, 16.

Again, under the sounding of the seventh angel the kingdoms of this world become our Lord's. Ch. xi, 15. If they then become our Lord's, they are not "his until the seventh angel sounds, and he is not the Prince of the kings of the earth before that time.

"Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us kings and priests." Here we are carried through the plan of salvation by Jesus Christ to its completion. Compare with ch. v, 9, 10.

Verse 7. Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.

This verse, bringing to view the coming of Jesus Christ, is further proof that in this connection the great events in the plan of salvation through him are traced down to his coming in glory and great power, as prince of the kings of the earth, to destroy his enemies, and exalt those washed by his blood to his throne as kings and priests. He is presented (1) as the "faithful witness," as teacher in his prophetic office, (2) as the "first begotten from the dead," resurrected to enter upon his priestly office, during which, or at the close, to wash his people from their sins in his own blood, (3) as "prince of the kings of the earth," in his kingly office, to rule and reign, to punish and reward.

Verse 8. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.

This declaration has no connection with the verse before it, nor with the one following it. In the one, John speaks of the coming of Christ, in the other, of himself. Hence, who the speaker is, in this verse, may be determined very much by the terms used. The last two are especially applicable to the Father.

Verse 9. I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.

Murdock's translation of the Syriac, leaves out the word kingdom as follows: "I John, your brother, and partaker with you in the affliction and suffering that are in Jesus the Messiah."

As given in the World's Crisis, said to be from an old translation, or paraphrase, so worn that no trace of date could be found, it reads, "I, John, your fellow-christian, fellow-sufferer, and fellow expectant of the future glorious kingdom of Jesus Christ."

Wakefield translates, "I John, your brother, and sharer with you in enduring the affliction of the kingdom of Jesus Christ."

We understand the "affliction" and "suffering," to be the tribulation through which Christians must pass to enter the kingdom of God. Acts xiv, 22.

Verse 10. I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet.

God has given to man six days of the week, in which to labor for a livelihood. The seventh day of the week he has reserved for himself. This day is emphatically the Lord's day. See Ex. xx, 6-11; Isa. lviii, 13, Mark ii, 28. On this day John was in the Spirit, or in vision.

Verse 11. Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.

On this verse Dr. A. Clarke remarks, "I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, and] This whole clause is wanting in ABC; thirty-one others; some editions; the Syriac, Coptic, Æthiopic, Armenian, Slavonic, Vulgate, Arethus, Andreas, and Primasius. Griesbach has left it out of the text." He also states that the phrase, in Asia, "is wanting in the principal MSS. and versions, Griesbach has left it out of the text." See also the translations of Whiting, Wesley, Sawyer, the American Bible Union, and others. It would then read, "Saying, What thou seest write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches, unto Ephesus," &c. See remarks on verse 4.

Verses 12-18. And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks, and in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; and his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shined in his strength. And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not, I am the first and the last, I am he that liveth and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen, and have the keys of hell, [hadees, the grave] and of death.

The person of the Son of God, in excellence, majesty and power is here described. John in terror fell at his feet as dead; but Jesus laid his right hand upon the beloved disciple, saying, Fear not. He was then assured that the Being that stood before him in such matchless glory was once dead, was raised to life to live for evermore. Christ passed through death and the grave, and in triumph brought away the keys. He has power, not only of the grave to call men from it; but, also, of death, with which he will punish the wicked. The seven golden candlesticks, and the seven stars are defined in verse 20.

Verse 19. Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter.

Here John is more definitely commanded to write the entire Revelation. The things which he had seen and the things which were then before him, were the vision of the Son of man, and that of the churches, occupying the first three chapters of the book. The things which should be hereafter shown him, commenced with another vision at chap. iv.

Verse 20. The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.

The seven stars which the Son of man holds in his right hand represent the angels, or messengers, or ministers of the churches. Christ's ministers of every clime, and every age, are in his hands; hence the prophecy of the seven churches contemplates a vastly wider field than seven of the churches of western Asia Minor of John's day. The seven candlesticks, in the midst of which John saw one like the Son of man—verse 13—represent the seven churches. Christ is in the midst of all his people. "Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world." The position taken, that the seven churches illustrate the seven periods of the Christian age, gives an exalted importance to the Revelation. But to suppose that the prophecy relative to the seven churches reaches no farther than seven of the Christian congregations in western Asia Minor, dwindles sublime declarations and illustrations into comparative insignificance.