The Book of Revelation by Uriah Smith

Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, California · Aug 28, 1879

The Book of Revelation.

By Uriah Smith

IS IT SEALED? OR CAN IT BE UNDERSTOOD?

THE last book in the inspired volume is entitled, “The Revelation of Jesus Christ.” Our translators in styling it “The Revelation of St. John, the divine,” contradict the very first words of the book itself, which declare it to be “The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to show unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass;” and Christ, it is added, “sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John.”

The source from which this revelation comes is thus plainly given. God, the author of all things, makes it known to Jesus Christ; Christ, through the ministry of the heavenly angels, his divine assistants, signifies it to his servant John; and John, evangelist and apostle, and now prophet, acting as amanuensis, makes it known to the church.

The book itself has been described to be a “panorama of the glory of Christ.” Certainly whoever reads it with any effort to form a mental conception of the imagery which it introduces, can but be deeply impressed with the grandeur, sublimity, and importance, of the scenes which are made to pass, in fascinating array, before the mind. Themes of thrilling and impressive interest, grand and lofty conceptions, sublime and magnificent description, the whole enhanced by the fact that these take hold upon the issues of the eternal world, are here calculated to awaken in the mind of the reader the most absorbing interest.

And the question that will first arise, is, For whose benefit are these scenes described? Can we ascertain our relation to them, or possibly our part in them? Can they be understood?

We answer, Yes; or the title of the book is itself a deception: yes; or God has declared his purpose to accomplish a work which he foresaw could never be fulfilled: yes; or he has solemnly pronounced a blessing upon an impossibility.

1. The book is called a revelation. A revelation is something which is revealed or made known. Moses has said, Deut. 29:29, that “the secret things belong unto the Lord our God; but the things which are revealed, belong unto us and our children forever.” The very title of the book, then, is a clear refutation of a view which is alas! too popular at the present day, that this book is a part of the hidden mysteries of God, and cannot be understood. A revealed mystery is a contradiction both of ideas and terms. A revelation is not something hidden and concealed; and if this is the nature of the book, it should have been called The Mystery, or, The Hidden Book; certainly not, The Revelation.

2. It is declared that God gave this Revelation to Christ, to show unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass: The expression “his servants,” is very comprehensive. It includes all the followers of Christ in all time. And wherever and whenever there are any persons who are the servants of Christ, the Revelation is for them, designed to be a lamp unto their feet, and a light unto their path. But how can it show anything to Christ’s followers if it cannot be understood? If, as some contend, it is an unfathomable mystery, dark and incomprehensible, so that all search for its meaning is labor lost, how does it show to the seeker after truth what is coming to pass? It would be worse than useless; for it would only create an anxiety which it would do nothing to relieve. Human tyrants have been known to post their laws so high that the people could not read them, and then punish mercilessly their violation. But God does not act thus. Would he undertake to make known to mankind some important truths, and yet fall into the worse than earthly folly of clothing them in language or in figures which human minds could not comprehend? Would he command a person to behold some distinct object, and then erect some impenetrable barrier between him and the object at which he was bidden to look? Would he give his servants a light to guide them through the gloom of night, and then throw over that light a pall so thick and heavy that not a ray of its brightness could be discovered through

the obscuring folds? If he has dealt thus with us in the Revelation, then the expressly declared object of the book never can be attained, and he knew it; never could be attained, when he solemnly put upon record that it was to show to his servants things which must shortly come to pass. He does not thus trifle, either with himself or us.

3. The third verse of the first chapter reads: “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 pronounced upon the reading of this prophecy, when the time spent upon it would be thrown away? A blessing upon hearing it when no man can comprehend it? A blessing upon a man who will understand it, when it is impossible that any one can understand it? This would be charging God with folly. Men may assert as some have asserted, that “the study of the Revelation either finds or leaves a man mad.” This is a specimen of man’s judgment; but the word itself assures us that whoever undertakes the study of this book with a calm and teachable spirit, and with a sincere desire to know the truth, that he may glorify God therewith, will find himself, at length, not mad, but in the rich possession of a heavenly blessing.

Yes, the Revelation may be understood. We may drink into the spirit of its soul stirring themes till our understandings are enlightened to comprehend and appreciate them. We may gaze upon its scenes of glory till our hearts glow with the foretaste of their blessedness. We may listen to the invitation so tenderly given by the Spirit and the bride, when they say to all, Come, till our beings are fired with new zeal and new determinations to be with that enraptured throng that shall make Heaven ring at last with ascriptions of blessing and honor and glory to God and the Lamb.

Let us study with new interest the sacred word; and, having laid hold upon the blessed hope which it sets before us, let us be very thorough in the work of purifying our hearts and lives, that this hope may in due time, —“change to glad fruition, Faith to sight, and prayer to praise.”

U. S.