The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
The verse stands at the very close of the last chapter of Revelation, within the last four chapters of the book. It is to be grouped with chapters 3, 16, 18 and 21 to be called to mind in the last days. It was given from God as a solemn warning and made known by Christ himself to John while he was on the Isle of Patmos. The passage around the verse belongs to the third angel's message, which combines the first and second messages and binds them up with the third. It brings down to the closing scenes of this earth's history, shows the last events and reminds of things which will be, and reveals the great and last warfare between those who keep the commandments of God and those who make void His law, and these communications are for all who live in the last days. The closing verses end the book with Christ's assurance and a blessing of grace for all. In its final-chapter setting the verse is linked to the promise that those who keep God's commandments may enter the city and have access to the tree of life.
The closing chapters must be read carefully and understood now, and the last chapter read until it impresses heart and life and character. This thorough individual work should have been done long ago and must be done now because time is short. If confusion of mind about it is allowed to remain Satan gains a great victory.
The chapters require thorough humbling of the soul before God by those in positions of responsibility, earnest seeking of the Lord with heart and mind and soul that will change present conditions, deep searching of heart and cleansing of the soul temple as preparation for helping others, and diligent cultivation of the soil of the heart so that fruit appears in life in proportion to light given. They require receiving the softening, subduing grace of God instead of allowing a wrong spirit, self swelling to large proportions, and competence to judge others while the heart remains untransformed. The last chapter calls for earnest prayer and untiring work, immediate thorough work for repentance with no dallying, purification of the soul by heartfelt repentance, asking God to forgive unfaithful discharge of duty, tarrying no longer in an unprepared state, and opening the door of the heart that Christ may enter. This urgency applies because every church, school, and sanitarium should already stand on a much higher platform. The closing blessing of grace is connected with the call to act under Christ's authority and to use God-given resources to carry the truth throughout the world.
The verse stands at the very close of the last chapter of Revelation, within the last four chapters of the book. It is to be grouped with chapters 3, 16, 18 and 21 to be called to mind in the last days. It was given from God as a solemn warning and made known by Christ himself to John while he was on the Isle of Patmos. The passage around the verse belongs to the third angel's message, which combines the first and second messages and binds them up with the third. It brings down to the closing scenes of this earth's history, shows the last events and reminds of things which will be, and reveals the great and last warfare between those who keep the commandments of God and those who make void His law, and these communications are for all who live in the last days. The closing verses end the book with Christ's assurance and a blessing of grace for all. In its final-chapter setting the verse is linked to the promise that those who keep God's commandments may enter the city and have access to the tree of life.
The closing chapters must be read carefully and understood now, and the last chapter read until it impresses heart and life and character. This thorough individual work should have been done long ago and must be done now because time is short. If confusion of mind about it is allowed to remain Satan gains a great victory.
The chapters require thorough humbling of the soul before God by those in positions of responsibility, earnest seeking of the Lord with heart and mind and soul that will change present conditions, deep searching of heart and cleansing of the soul temple as preparation for helping others, and diligent cultivation of the soil of the heart so that fruit appears in life in proportion to light given. They require receiving the softening, subduing grace of God instead of allowing a wrong spirit, self swelling to large proportions, and competence to judge others while the heart remains untransformed. The last chapter calls for earnest prayer and untiring work, immediate thorough work for repentance with no dallying, purification of the soul by heartfelt repentance, asking God to forgive unfaithful discharge of duty, tarrying no longer in an unprepared state, and opening the door of the heart that Christ may enter. This urgency applies because every church, school, and sanitarium should already stand on a much higher platform. The closing blessing of grace is connected with the call to act under Christ's authority and to use God-given resources to carry the truth throughout the world.