^JUN 5 1957 _^ T)5Z82.5 J^ fahtS^ Light and Life from the Bc-'t of Revelation "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." Rev. 1:3. \ JUN 5 1957 J Jljjjltt Elt;^ J^if:e firitm tke ;| i By J. F. HAGER Second Edition Revised 1915 Can be Purchased of J. F. HAGER, Pandora, Ohio * * * Printed at SCOTTDALE PENNSYLVANIA liii PREFACE Dear Reader and Co-laborer for the kingdom of God: The contents of this book are designed for no other nurpose than to strengthen thy faith and to encourage thee in the good work for our Master Jesus Christ, to lift up the Church of Christ and fallen humanity out of defilement and sin, to the high place of our calling and inherit- ance in Christ Jesus. The author has been a lover of the Bible from youth and for many years has been a student of the same. He was called of God to the ministry of the Gospel in 1890 and later on ordained by man and by the Holy Spirit for that service. In writing this book on the Revelation, the author realized beyond doubt that the light which he received to give unto others was in answer to the prayers and labors of all the saints of God. The reader and seeker for the truth will undoubtedly receive new light by reading this little work and be 6 PREFACE benefited for his personal salvation as well as to save and establish others. But he is kindly warned to give all honor to our Heavenly Father and to our Savior Jesus Christ, and to the Holy Spirit who is teach- er of us all. If you get new light by read- ing this little work (which you will) please do not forget the good you have received of others. Many have labored for us either by prayers or personal labors through good ad- vice, testimony, sermons or books. Re- member them. We as servants of God and members of the body of Christ, but also members one of another, complete one an- other. We have erred in teaching the truth, probably all more or less in the past, but the Master has given us a comfort when he said: ''Every branch that beareth fruit he (the Father) cleanseth it that it may bear more fruit." The words of warning in Hosea 4:6 and the words of instruction in II Tim. 2:15 by the apostle may be added here, "My peo- ple are destroyed for the lack of knowl- edge: because thou hast rejected knowl- PREFACE 7 edge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest unto me: seeing thou hast for- gotten the law of thy God, I also will forget thy children." "Give diligence to present thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, handling aright the word of truth." There is no error in this book accord- ing to my knowledge, but I unhesitatingly say that it is not perfect. May God through His Spirit of truth protect the reader if there should be any error in it, but on the other hand, bless the reader through the truth it contains. The author with this work rejoiced greatly to find himself under the blood of the Lamb which cleanses us from all our sins, from our sins of ignor- ance as well as from our other sins. I send this little work abroad in good faith and in the knowledge of God's will who gave me this talent as a means of service in His vine- yard. John F. Hager. TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter Page I This Revelation of Jesus Christ is tlie Father's gift to His Son and His ser- vants. Its . purpose : The glorified Christ revealed. 11 n The messages to the churches in Eph- esus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira. 27 HI The messages to the churches in vSardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea. 56 IV The open door into heaven. The secret powers of God revealed to God's ser- vants. * 78 V The overcomer for the Church of God revealed. All servants of God and all living things praise him, because he was worthy to open the seven seals on that book. 101 VI The opening of the first six seals. 116 VII The sealing of God's sei-vants to protect them from the coming plagues. 125 VIII The secret power for God's servants re- vealed. The sounding of the first four trumpets, with plagues. 149 CONTENTS 9 IX The sounding of the 5th and 6th trum- pet followed with great plagues upon the unsealed people. 161 X The mighty angel from heaven which brings the time of grace to a close and gives the church a little open book to eat and to prophesy it. 169 XI The two witnesses, who they are accord- ing to their names. The sounding of the seventh trumpet. 178 XII The woman clothed in the sun. The man-child. Who they probably are. The war in heaven. The devil defeat- ed. The victory of God's people at hand. 201 XIII The kingdom of the anti-Christ and false prophet revealed. 219 XIV The first fruits, the 144,000. The earth is reaped. The clusters of the earth are fully ripe for the great wine-press of God. The blood of the last mar- tyrs. 243 XV The song of Moses and the Lamb on the glassy sea. The Temple in heaven opened. The seven angels with the seven bowls of God's wrath. 261 XVI The seven angels from heaven pour out their bowls full of God's wrath upon the earth. 269 10 CONTENTS XVII The mother of harlots, the great harlot of Babylon revealed. 280 XVIII The command to God's people — come out of Babylon. The great judgment of the harlot revealed. 294 XIX The ^'four-fold" Hallelujahs. The wife of the Lamb has made herself ready. The marriage supper of the Lamb. The coming of Christ with His armies from heaven. The great fall and judg- ment of the anti-Christ's kingdom. 309 XX The binding of Satan by the angel from heaven. The first Resurrection and reign of Christ with His saints for a thousand years. The last judgment. The last resurrection. Heaven and earth disappear. 323 XXI The new heaven, and the new earth, with no sea. The city of God, the new Jerusalem coming down from heaven. 341 XXII The river of life and the tree of Hfe. The warning. The last general invita- tion — Come and take the water of life freely. General remarks. Personal testimony of Christ's 'Salvation. 358 CHAPTER I THIS REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST IS THE FATHER'S GIFT TO HIS SON AND HIS SERVANTS. ITS PURPOSES ;THE GLORIFIED CHRIST REVEALED Rev. 1 :l-3. The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show unto his servants, even the things which must shortly come to pass : and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John; 2 who bare witness of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, even of all things that he saw. 3 Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of the prophecy, and keep the things that are written therein: for the time is at hand. Remarks. — This Revelation of Jesus Christ is the gift of the Father to His be- loved Son. The wish of the Father is that Jesus Christ should show it to His servants. This Revelation is given us to see. It is very important. Even the Father wants us to see and know it because it must shortly come to pass. Before God brings His pro- 12 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM phecies into fulfilmment He reveals His se- crets to His servants. "Surely the Lord Je- hovah will do nothing, except He reveal his secret unto his servants the prophets" (A- mos 3:7). Our loving father in heaven has therefore revealed to us, His whole secret in this little book, called the Revelation of Jesus Christ. That which eye has not seen (in times past) nor ear heard, nor has it en- tered into the heart of man — the thing which God has prepared for them that love Him — He has now revealed to us in the prophecies and especially in this Revela- tion. We thank Thee, Our Holy Father, for revealing us thy Son in the Old Testa- ment through many offerings and types and then revealing Him unto us in His person in the four Gospels, and in the book of the Acts and in the many epistles; but we thank thee especially for revealing us thy Son so fully in this blessed Revelation. We know that thy Word is true as Thou hast said here, — "Blessed is he that readeth and they that hear the words of the prophecy and keep the things that are written there- THE BOOK OF REVELATION 13 in: for the time is at hand." We have been blessed by reading and keeping it. The Christian is not fully blessed, nor fully armed against the enemy, nor needfully gifted with knowledge to inherit the second coming of Christ if he does not read and keep these prophecies in this Revelation. Have we as servants of God been true to our Father's wish by reading and keeping these prophecies? The blessing is given to those who read it or hear it and keep it. It does not say, Blessed is he that under- stands these prophecies, although the un- derstanding of it brings to us a still greater blessing; but the blessing is pronounced upon the ones who read, hear and keep them. Those who do that will be able to understand. The Holy Spirit will unfold these precious prophecies in due time to the one who honors God in reading or hearing and keeping them. Why should God not cause us to understand these prophecies, since these prophecies are the way laid out before us through which we will be led: yea, through which we must be led. The 14 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM Church of Christ is led through the way laid out in this Revelation. This is the sure way through which we must go. Hence, how important to see it clearly; how need- ful to read it or at least to hear it and then also to keep it. To do this is wisdom for any Christian. The minister of a congregation that reads these prophecies to his flock is a blessing to them and by this act is doing God's will. If this Revelation is the un- changeable way through which we must travel, how important then to read and keep and explain it as far as God has given us light. He who has honored the Old Testa- ment in reading it through with careful meditation and has also honored Christ in reading and accepting the whole of the New Testament teaching to obey Christ in all His commandments and especially in His new commandment of love to the brethren, he who has done that, will be honored of God to understand the book of Revelation. O, my dear brethren, see to it that you keep the commandment of love to THE BOOK OF REVELATION 15 the brethren in order to remain in the light and to get into the full light of God's Word. For the love to your faithful or fallen brother in your own or any other congrega- tion of a Christian spirit is required of God to reveal you Christ and the Father as re- vealed in the whole Bible, but especially in Revelation. Jesus says, "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 1 will love him and will manifest myself unto him" — ''If a man love me he will keep my word and my Father will love him and we will come unto him and make our abode with him" (John 14:21, 23). 'This is my commandment that ye love one another even as 1 have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends" (John 15:12, 13). The apostle John says, *'He that loveth his brother abideth in the light and there is no occasion of stumbling in him. But he that hateth his brother is in the darkness, and walketh in the dark- ness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, be- i6 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM cause darkness hath blinded his eyes" (I John 2:10, 11). ''Hereby know we love, be- cause he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the breth- ren" (I John 3:16). Oh, brother, have we consecrated our- selves in obedience to the above passages? If so, then we have become worthy in Christ to understand the prophecies in Re- velation. This book of Revelation shows us the sure victory of all God's people and the certain defeat and judgment of all our enemies. The victory for the church of Christ is shown to us here in Revelation. Therefore it says in our text above — "Bless- ed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of the prophecy, and keep the things that are written therein: for the time is at hand." Let us remember what the highest authority says: "The time is at hand." Let us not look into the far future for the fulfilment of these prophecies, but let us believe according as the Holy Spirit Him- self has spoken and caused to be written, 'The time is at hand." THE BOOK OF REVELATION 17 Rev- 1 :4-7. John to the seven churches that are in Asia : Grace to you and peace, from him who is and who was and who is to come; and from the seven Spirits that are before his throne; 5 and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the first- born of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of tlie earth. Unto him that loveth us, and loosed us from our sins by his blood; 6 and he made us to be a kingdom, to be priests unto his God and Father; to him be the glory and the dominion for ever and ever. Amen. 7 Behold, he cometh with the clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they that pierced him; and all the tribes of the earth shall mourn over him. Even so, Amen. Remarks on the above passage: The Apostle John is addressing this revelation to the seven churches in Asia and sends them greetings from the Father and the seven Spirits and from Jesus Christ. We need to bear in mind that this greeting and all that he wrote for the seven churches in Asia has God also directed to us and to every church or single person on earth who can read or hear these words. They are for the present age as well as for the past and future. It is the same as with the epistles that the apostles wrote. They directed their i8 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM letters to one particular church like the letter to the church at Rome, at Corinth, at Ephesus and so on but God turned their writings over to us also. So likewise with the messages to the seven churches here in Revelation and with the whole book. We are the heirs of their labors. We reap the blessing of their prayers as they prayed for the sanctification of the church and its com- pleteness in number. Notice how Christ is revealed in the above verses as having loved us and washed us from sin by His blood and make us a kingdom, priests unto His God and Father. O dear reader, do you really hold fast to His works as shown here? Are you in this rest of Christ's works? Or are you yet in your own works trying to get better and always failing in your efforts? Making new resolutions every year and yet at the end of the year you are no further along in holiness and righteous- ness than at the beginning of the year. "For we who have believed do enter into that rest" (Heb. 4:3). We enter by faith into the rest of Christ's works as shown THE BOOK OF REVELATION 19 here in Rev. 1 :5, 6 that we are washed from our sins by His blood and that it is He, who pyade us a kingdom, priests unto His God and Father. This work is done, finished by Christ once for all and forever for those who believe on Him as this and many other scriptures say of Him. "For by one offering he has perfected forever them that are sanctified" (Heb. 10:14). Remember that your unbelief in Christ's finished work is your sin between you and God. Think of the Israelites who had been gloriously saved out of Egypt (the world) but after- ward failed to believe in all the promises and prophecies of God who wanted to exalt them to a kingdom of priests and because of their unbelief they were punished by death in the wilderness and never entered into the promised rest. See Ex. 19:5, 6 and Heb. 3:15-19. We are warned not to make the same mistake that after we have been saved and have rejoiced in the' pardon of our sins, which the Holy Spirit witnessed in our hearts, we have failed to advance in- to the finished work of Christ by faith. For 20 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM in the above scripture Christ has not mere- ly pardoned our sins but washed us from our sins and made us a kingdom of priests. We are made worthy in Him to be citizens of God's kingdom and to be priests unto God. He who holds fast Christ's work by faith and has made a consecration to serve Him, will make progress in his life to obey God and to bear good fruit. I can only become that in my life upon earth in bringing forth good works as I see by knowledge and faith that I am made already in Christ as my Creator. Let us always bear in mind that in the new covenant we are placed under the law of FAITH. Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is our righteous- ness (Rom. 4:4) and unbelief in Christ is the condemning sin. "He that disbelieveth shall be damned" (Mark 16:16). Oh what a harm we do to ourselves and to our families if we do not believe on the Lord Jesus Christ as the Scripture says. Re- member Israel at Kadesh-barnea ; almost at the end of their journey to the promised land and then failed to enter in because of THE BOOK OF REVELATION 21 their unbelief. This happened to them for our warning. O let us therefore take this warning and be perfect believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, that He has surely washed us from our sins by His blood and made us a kingdom of priests to His God and Father. Yea let us believe this for us as parents and for our children as well, that the blessing of Christ's work come upon us and our children. Let us be righteous in faith in Christ so that God may seal us with His Spirit to inherit His kingdom and that He may give us the Spirit of prophecy for the service of God, according to His prom- ise. "I will pour forth of my Spirit upon all flesh and" your sons and your daughters shall prophesy And on my servants and on my handmaidens in those days will I pour forth of my Spirit and they shall prophesy" (Acts 2:17, 18). Since we are finished in Christ for the kingdom and priesthood of God, therefore are we ready for His coming. We have entered into His finished work by faith and are consecrated to do His will, therefore we can believe on 22 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM His immediate coming. The Apostle John in the above passage sees Christ's work for all His own and therefore he sees also His coming to set up His kingdom. "Behold he Cometh with the clouds" to take his own to Himself, who have the faith in His works, then to set up His kingdom in due time. He comes first with the clouds as a thief to take His own from the earth to the marriage supper of the Lamb according to Matt. 25:1-13, I Thess. 4:15-18. After the marriage supper of the Lamb when He shall have organized all His own then shall He come with all His saints and angels to take in the kingdom of this world according to Psalm 2 and Rev. 19:6-21; 20:1-6. Rev. 1 :8. I am the Alpha and the Omega, saith the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty. Remarks: Alpha is the first letter of the Greek alphabet and Omega is the last letter. God himself is all. He is the whole alphabet of God's righteousness. We are nothing, not one single letter nor even a THE BOOK OF REVELATION 23 dot. Now dear reader, look away from yourself, from your bad works and from your good works and look into Christ's work alone and you will please God and defeat the devil. We are covered with Christ's righteousness (Isa. 61:10). That is our wedding robe. In it we are accepted of God. If we have on us Christ's right- eousness, the devil has lost all power to accuse us before God. In it we are ready for His coming. God is for us now; He was for us in the past as He will come for us to take us unto Himself. Praise His dear name forever and forever. Amen and Amen. Rev. 1 :9-20. I John, your brother and partaker with you in the tribulation and kingdom and patience which are in Jesus, was in the isle that is called Pat- mos, for the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. 10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet 11 saying, What thou seest, write in a book and send it to the seven churches: unto Ephesus, and untc Smyrna, and unto Pergamum, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea. 12 And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And having turned I saw seven 24 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM golden candlesticks; 13 and in the midst of the candlesticks one like unto a son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the breasts with a golden girdle. 14 And his head and his hair were white as white wool, white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire ; 15 and his feet like unto burnished brass, as if it had been refined in a furnace; and his voice as the voice of many waters. 16 And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth proceeded a sharp two-edged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. 17 And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as one dead- And he laid his right hand upon me, saying. Fear not; I am the first and the last, 18 and the Living one; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive for evermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades. 19 Write therefore the things which thou sawest, and the things which are, and the things which shall come to pass hereafter; 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 are seven churches. Remarks: The above passage needs no explanation. Just one or two thoughts about the glorified Christ as the head of the Church. He walks in the midst of the seven candlesticks: and these seven candle- THE BOOK OF REVELATION 25 Sticks represent His Church. He holds the seven stars, which are the shepherds or bishops of the churches, in his right hand. Who will rob his own out of his hand? Notice his glorified body and then think that we are to be like him when he shall appear again. "For our citizenship is in heaven: whence also we wait for our Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ: who shall fashion anew the body of our humiliation that it may be conformed to the body of his glory: according to the working whereby he is able even to subject all things unto himself" (Phil. 3:20, 21). He has the keys of death and of Hades. Since he walks in our midst and holds his servants and his sheep in his hands and has the keys of death and Hades, whom do we need to fear? He delivered us from all our enemies as David, in a typical way, delivered Israel from all their enemies and brought the people of God into rest. David never lost a battle: neither did Christ lose a spiritual battle. He conquered the devil, the flesh and the world, sickness and death. He has 26 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM now the keys of death and hell to open to the prisoners the door for their deliverance. The way he obtained the keys can be clear- ly seen in Heb. 2:9, 14, 15. It is much more pleasing to God for us to expect this glorified Christ to come and take us unto himself with the clouds than to expect death to come to take us. It will bring more life to the body to expect such a glorified One to come and rule over us, than to expect death to come with its life-destroying pow- er. O ye saints of God, give Christ the right to rule over you and give death no right. Think of him who paid unto death its wages in our stead. We all deserve to die; but we are called on to overcome and we shall overcome according to prophecy. "We shall not all sleep (die) but we shall all be changed in a moment in the twinkling of an eye." CHAPTER II THE MESSAGES TO THE SEVEN CHURCHES Rev. 2:1-7. To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These things saith he that holdeth tHe seven stars in his right hand, he that walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks: 2 I know thy works, and thy toil and patience, and that thou canst not bear evil men, and didst try them that call them- selves apostles, and they are not, and didst find them false; 3 and thou hast patience and didst bear for my name's sake, and hast not grown weary. 4 But I have this against thee, that thou didst leave thy first love. 5 Remember therefore whence thou art fallen, and repent and do the first works; or else I come to thee, and will move thy candlestick out of its place, except thou repent. 6 But this thou hast, that thou natest the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches. To him that over- cometh, to him will I give to eat of the tree of Hfe, which is in the Paradise of God. 28 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM Remarks on the above message: We believe that this message to the church at Ephesus like all these seven messages serve us as a perfect mirror to detect the evils and errors in any church also for our age and until Christ comes again. While some dear brethren have explained or applied them to the church dispensationally, Ephesus repre- senting the condition of the church, as a whole, .immediately after the Apostles' time and Laodicea our age, yet we know real well that there are single Christians and whole congregations today who are in the condi- tion like the church at Ephesus was 1800 years ago. Yea, we believe that there is no minister of God or local church on earth today but what can behold its right or wrong standing toward Christ in one or all of these seven messages in Rev. 2 and 3. These seven messages serve us today as a perfect reprover of any departure from the doctrine of Christ, but they also serve us as a reliable witness when our works are accepted of the Lord. In these seven mes- sages is fully revealed what works are THE BOOK OF REVELATION 29 accepted of the Master and what works are rejected of Him. No wonder that at the end of every message the same warning is repeated of the Spirit: ''He that has an ear let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." It is therefore very important that these messages be read and heard, for to do this is pleasing to God and brings the blessing of God upon us. Let us notice then, first of all, how the Spirit speaks here to the angel or church at Ephesus. The Spirit of Christ praises this servant, or angel, who had the oversight over the flock of Christ's sheep at Ephesus, for the many good works which he had. Although he had fallen from the first love yet he had many good works such as toil, patience, could not bear evil men, had tried the false Apostles, had patience to bear for Christ's sake and had not grown weary in serving Christ. Oh, may we as servants of God do likewise to treat each other as the Spirit does in these seven messages. May we behold the good in one another and at the same time have enough grace to reprove 30 LIGHT AXD LIFE FROM one another in the Spirit of love when we have drifted away from the truth. It is very important to notice how decidedly the Spirit says to this servant or.angel of Christ, ''But I have against thee that thou didst leave thy first love. Remember therefore whence thou art fallen." Notice that with all the good works which he had and for which the Spirit praised him, he had fallen. He is urged to repent and do the first works or else his church would be removed from its place. May the dear Lord show us what this first love is, so that we may also repent, if we are guilty, that the church in which we may labor as shepherds be not removed out of its place of honor; that it still be used of Christ as a light on the stand, as a city on a hill as a salt in the earth. What then may this first love be? Perfect love to Christ consists in our obedience to every commandment of His, "He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me" (John 14:21). Remember King Saul who obeyed God at first and then later on failed to continue in this first love THE BOOK OF REVELATION 31 of obedience to God and was rejected as king (I Sam. 15). Think of King Solomon who obeyed God and pleased Him in the beginning of his reign and then afterwards fell away from his first love. And as a punishment of this the Lord parted his kingdom and gave a large part to another man. His candlestick, that is his people over which he was shepherd were removed from him. Solomon dishonored God's law given through Moses by accepting heathen worship of idolatry and God dishonored him. Oh, how many denominations and local churches have been parted because of their leaders having fallen from the first love. They failed to honor the whole doctrine of the New Testament and God divided or rather allowed their church to be separated. Because of Solomon's disobedience the Lord awakened adversaries in his kingdom and Solomon persecuted the adversary who caused disturbance, but he did not perse- cute himself by repenting of his sins as his father David always did when he was re- proved for his sins (I Kings 11). 32 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM Notice in Rev. 3:7-12 what this angel of the church at Philadelphia had kept, "Thou hast kept my word and hast not denied my name." Therefore he had such great promises promised to him. The angel in Philadelphia had kept what the one at Ephesus had fallen from. There is such a thing as being full of even good works, but neglectful to build with all the material that belongs to the temple of the living God and consequently we are rejected as builders and are delivered over to the chastening rod of God. "And if also a man contend in the games, he is not crowned, except he have contended lawfully" (II Tim. 2:5). In this message to Ephesus we can not read, "I know thy love and thy faith in my name." There was something very impor- tant lacking in the stewardship of this angel. While the Spirit promises the over- comer in this message that he will get to eat of the tree of life, therefore we believe that this angel had left his first love toward the precious blood of Christ. Since we get the right to come to the tree of life because we THE BOOK OF REVELATION 33 wash our robes and make them white in the blood of the Lamb, he must have been neglectful to observe this washing. Only through this washing of our robes in the blood of the lamb shall we have access to the tree of life, to the New Jerusalem and to the throne of God. For we read in Rev. 22:14, R. v., "Blessed are they that wash their robes, that they may have the right to come to the tree of life and may enter in by the gates into the city." And in Rev. 7:14, 15 we read, "And they washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the lamb. Therefore are they before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple." Is not this washing of our robes in His blood our first love to him? This brings Him reward for His suffering. Surely it pleases Him when we thus honor His blood on us and it is also this washing which prepares us or makes us worthy to be God's priests and makes us ready for His coming. Without washing our Spirit, soul, and body in the blood of the Lamb we would not be ready for His coming. No, not even 34 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM in our best works for the Lord would we be ready for His coming and for the marriage supper of the Lamb. Though we have great- est zeal in the Lord's service, and though we might toil day and night to save souls, yet we would never be honored of God as much as for our perfect work of washing ourselves in the blood of the Lamb. O dear reader, have you overcome to honor the blood to wash out of you the lust of the eye, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life? This will please God and will bring blessing upon you and the church. About what the tree of life may be, look to John 6:48-58; 8:51; 11:26. God has given us life only in His Son, Jesus Christ, and we are to eat Him up that we might have life in our Spirit, soul and body. We will close the remarks on this mes- sage by showing that God wants to give us *'to eat of the tree of life." The church is called on to attain unto this glory. We are not to remain in death for in Christ we are called to live for the glory of God. Amen and amen. THE BOOK OF REVELATION 35 Rev. 2:8-11. And to the angel of the church of Smyrna write: These things saith the first and the last, who was dead, and lived again : 9 I know thy tribulation, and thy poverty (but thou art rich), and the blas- phemy of them that say they are Jews, and they are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 10 Fear not the things which thou art about to suffer: behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days. Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee the crown of life- 11 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches. He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death. We have before us in this message a faithful servant in the church of Christ. Not a single fault is found in him of the Spirit. He is true and faithful to His trust and receives the approval and praise of the Spirit. Let us notice however that although he was so faithful yet he had to be tried. God allows the devil to persecute us but only for our good that we may come forth approved of God having overcome in faith to trust our God. It is similar to the three 36 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM Jews in the fiery furnace and Daniel in the lion's den. Think of faithful Job and how his love to God was tried. God allowed Satan to rule over him and to destroy all his property, slay his children and ruin his health. But notice how things turned in due time and the Lord blessed him far more than before. He blessed him with life of 140 years longer and gave him as many sons and daughters as he had before and with such fair looking daughters that in all the lands were not found such fair women as the daughters of Job. The Lord blessed him with 14,000 sheep, 6,000 camels, 1,000 yoke of oxen and 1,000 she asses. This was double the amount that he had before. O brother, hold fast to God's Word when you are tried for the end will be glorious. The Spirit says here to the angel at Smyrna, **Fear not the things which thou art about to suffer." "Be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee the crown of life." **If so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified with him" (Rom. 8:17). Thenefore let us take good courage, though THE BOOK OF REVELATION 37 our love to Christ and His word is put to test even in the furnace of affliction. It is all for our glorification. God will have a tried people that will love Him above their lives. Jesus himself is an example in suf- fering and we have a great cloud of martyrs as witnesses. Thousands and thousands of men have proven it by dying for the truth. Their love to God was greater than to any earthly power, than to their own wives and children or to any friend, yes than to their own lives. Praise God for His grace v/ork- ing in us that he brings us through trials so that we can prove to the world that we love our God more than anything else. We thank God for such opportunities of testings. They are for our honor. It is the greatest degree of Christian attainment and of God's favor upon us when we are chosen of Him to lay down our lives for Him or for our brethren. To Him be glory for such favors to us to bring us forth more than conquer- ors through Him who loved us. Yea, thanks and glory be to Him that He has under- taken to transform us into the likeness of 38 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM His Son and make us perfect through suf- fering. Rev. 2:12-17. And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: These things saith he that hath the sharp two- edged sword: 13 I know where thou dwellest, even where Satan's throne is; and thou holdest fast my name, and didst not deny my faith, even in the days of Antipas my witness, my faithful one, who was killed among you, where SataiT dwelleth. 14 But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there some that hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit fornication. 15 So hast thou also some that hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans in like manner. 16 Repent therefore; or else I come to thee quickly, and I will make war against them with the sword of my mouth. 17 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches. To him that overcometh, to him will I give of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and upon the stone a new name written, which no one knoweth but he that receiveth it. Notice that in all the seven messages the leaders of the churches are addressed by the name, "angel." Surely a name of THE BOOK OF REVELATION 39 great honor. The Spirit praises this angel at Pergamum for his several good works: holding fast to Christ's name and not deny- ing the faith of Jesus. This is the way the Spirit treats us as servants and children of God. He gives us witness first for all the good we have and then he is so faithful to reveal us every defect or disobedience in our service to God. Oh, how thankful we ought to be to such a comforter and at the same time a decided reprover of every wrong in our lives. He reproves this angel at Pergamum for tolerating two dangerous evils in the church. The teaching of Ba- laam and the teaching of the Nicolaitans. May the dear Lord show us clearly what these deadly teachings are so that if we should be in the same condition that we may repent and overcome to receive the promised blessings upon us and upon the church. In short, the teaching of Balaam is conformity to the world, to join the child- ren of God to the yoke of unbelievers, to take part in the worship of idols or in things that the world worships. It may not be at 40 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM all to offer incense to idols as the people in heathen lands, but to join the secret and nonsecret organizations of the present age and then offer the incense of our money to be members of their body, to lodges, busi- ness trusts, labor unions, life insurance companies, and so on. God's Word forbids such joining to the yoke of unbelievers. It is a separation from God and His Word. It is losing trust in God for temporal needs and it is taking flesh for our arm. And such action is cursed by the Spirit of God. *Thus saith Jehovah: Cursed is the man that trusted in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from Je- hovah. For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh, but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited. Blessed is the man that trusteth in Jehovah, and whose trust Jehovah is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters that spreadeth out its roots by the river, and shall not fear when heat cometh, but its leaf shall be green ; and shall not be careful THE BOOK OF REVELATION 41 in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit" (Jer. 17:5-8). ''Be not unequally yoked with unbelievers: for what fellowship have righteousness and iniquity? or what communion hath light with dark- ness? or what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what portion hath a believer with an unbeliever? and what agreement hath a temple of God with idols? For we are a temple of the living God; even as God said, I will dwell in them and walk in them; and I will be their God and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be to you a father, and ye shall be to me sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. Having therefore these promises, beloved, let us cleanse our- selves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God" (II Cor. 6:14-18; 7:1). God's Word forbids strictly the joining of believers and unbe- lievers. This means in marriage, in busi- ness partnership, in membership of organi- 42 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM zations where unbelievers and believers are joined together to the same yoke for the sake of earthly gain to protect their own interest and not the interest and welfare of their neighbor. All such societies are se- parating us from the word of life, "love thy neighbor as thyself." And all such works are works of fornication, separating us * from God and His Word. This teaching and work of Balaam to Balak for Israel in the above message was a direct transgres- sion of God's command who had strictly commanded them to be a separate people and not mix up with heathen worship. A very destructive teaching to God's people. The name Balaam means "Destroyer of people" (Zeller's Worterbuch). He was a prophet, but not of Israel. Yet he pro- phesied through the Spirit of God although his heart was attached to earthly honor and gain. He was entreated by King Balak to come and curse Israel, as they were in the wilderness on their way to Canaan. They were about to go through the land of King Balak who was afraid of them and sent for THE BOOK OF REVELATION 43 the prophet Balaam to come and curse them. (See Numbers 22 to 25). Balaam could not curse Israel, but against his will (as it seems) had to bless them. Yet he advised King Balak to mix up with Israel and to invite them to the worship of their feast. So Balak sent women of his people into the camp of Israel to invite the men of Israel to come to their feast of idol worship. So Israel committed fornication with the Midianites, both spiritual and bodily, through the counsel of Balaam to King Balak. (See Numbers 31:15, 16). A sore plague came upon Israel because of this sin. But later on Israel was to take revenge on the Midianites and they destroyed them utterly. Even the prophet Balaam did not escape their sword (Num. 31:8). God does not tolerate fornication in His church. The minister that tolerates the teaching of Ba- laam in his congregation will never prepare his church for the coming of Christ, but will give cause that God's wrath be poured out upon them in sickness, in plagues, and death. Christ would also lose them for His 44 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM bride. Oh, what a loss to Christ. Oh, what a loss to such a church to lose its high place of honor because of adultery with the world. "Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God" (Jas. 4:4). If we ministers of God allow this teaching of Balaam in the church, we hinder the coming of Christ because of His church being defiled and yoked with the world.* The nature of the other destructive teaching of the Nicolaitans tolerated in the church at Pergamum is not revealed to us in the scripture except in I John 4:1-4. We judge it according to this passage that is is a teaching denying Christ in the flesh. Not at all like the teaching of Balaam joining the believer and the unbeliever to- *It was displeasing to God for King Jehoshaphat to go into partner- ship with King Ahaziah to build ships. These two men were both of Israel and therefore brethren. Jehoshaphat was God-fear- ing but Ahaziah was ungodly. God chastised his servant Je- hoshaphat because of this weakness of his to join himself in business with ungodly men, for the ships were bro'-en. rnd he was reproved by the prophet. II Chron. 20:35-37. In the New Testament we are commanded to have no company, vea not even to eat, with one that calls himself a brother but is "a fornicator^ or a covetous, or an idolator, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner: with such an one no not to eat." I Cor. 5:11. THE BOOK OF REVELATION 45 gether, but denying first that Christ was born by the Holy Spirit of Mary and then, secondly, that Christ is not born in our flesh by the Holy Spirit. This teaching means no new birth of the Spirit. Man must reform himself by his will, subdue sin and come out of sinful habits into a life of good morality. It is as the law of Moses or as many lecturers and even ministers today, preaching reform and making better laws to reform man by them. This teaching puts aside the Holy Spirit through whom alone man can be saved to become good in the sight of God. Reform from drinking in- toxicating drinks, reform from swearing, cheating, lying, stealing and so on does not make a man a new creature, for inwardly the heart remains in its sinful condition. Christ is not yet inside but outside. No oil in the vessel or body. Such a one looks much like a Christian and may go by that name but he has not the seal of God's Spirit upon Him. He is something like a bastard or a counterfeit of human production and will never be admitted into the kingdom of 46 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM God or to the marriage supper of the lamb: for he has not on the wedding gar- ment made ready for all in the cleansing blood of Christ. If we ministers of God tolerate such teaching in the Church we hinder the return of Christ, because the people in that condition are not at all ready for His coming. They are deceived in their good moral life and that which is needed to go with Christ when he comes they have not. Oh, may God hold us watchful and arm us with the whole armour of God to rebuke the spirit of error and to prepare every man, who is willing, for the coming of the Son of man when the great inspec- tion shall take place and the king shall view the guests in their garments. No other garment but the blood washed one will stand the inspection day. God help us to honor the blood of the lamb. Amen and .amen. Rev. 2:18-29. And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write: These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like a flame of fire, and his feet are like THE BOOK OF REVELATION 47 unto burnished brass : 19 I know thy works, and thy love and faith and ministry and patience, and that thy last works are more than the first. 20 But I have this against thee, that thou sufferest the woman Jezebel, who calleth herself a prophetess ; and she teacheth and seduceth my servants to commit forni- cation, and to eat things sacrificed to idols. 21 And I gave her time that she should repent ; and she willeth not to repent of her fornication. 22 Behold, I cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of her works. 23 And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he that searcheth the reins and hearts : and I will give unto each one of you according to your works. 24 But to you I say, to the rest that are in Thyatira, as many as have not this teaching, who know not the deep things of Satan, as they are wont to say; I cast upon you none other burden. 25 Nevertheless that which ye have, hold fast till I come. 26 And he that overcometh, and he that keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give authority over the nations : 27 and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of the potter are broken to shivers ; as I also have received of my Father : 28 and I will give him the morning star. 29 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches. Notice again how Christ first praises 48 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM this servant of His for the many good works which he had. And indeed he had good works, such as love, faith, ministry, patience and the last works more than the first. He was growing in work, bringing more and more fruit. But notice what the one great defect in his ministry was. He suffered this woman Jezebel to teach, and to teach a more liberal doctrine than the one laid down by the apostles in regard to fornication and eating things sacrificed to idols. This teaching of Jezebel was a sepa- ration from the teaching adopted by the apostles and the Holy Spirit at Jerusalem for the Gentile Christians to observe. 'Tor it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, .and to us, to lay upon you no other burden than these necessary things: that ye abstain from things sacrificed to idols and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication; from which if ye keep your- selves it shall be well with you'' (Acts 15: 28-30). Let us notice here that the Holy Spirit was in this meeting at Jerusalem and He was the author of the above discipline. THE BOOK OF REVELATION 49 The apostles afterward delivered this teach- ing to the churches among the Gentiles and God blessed the churches for accepting it. "And as they went on their way through the cities, they delivered them the decree to keep which had been ordained of the a- postles and elders that were at Jerusalem. So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and increased in number daily" (Acts 16:4, 5). Since the Holy Spirit was with the apostles and elders at Jerusalem to make this decree, and that He was in reality the author of it, therefore the churches were joined to the Spirit or the word of the Spirit when they accepted this decree. But when this woman Jezebel who called herself a prophetess, taught in the church at Thya- tira that a Christian can eat things sacri- ficed to idols and can commit fornication and yet remain a Christian, she was separa- ting the believers who were joined to the words of the Spirit, from the Spirit or the law of the Spirit. And that work is fornica- tion against Christ and the Spirit. The Church is joined to Christ by His Spirit and 50 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM by accepting His Word; hence any teaching, that severs us from any one teaching or commandment in the New Testament, IS ADULTERY TOWARDS CHRIST. This servant or angel of Christ who was over- seer in the church at Thyatira was not guilty of this crime himself, but he had the weakness to allow such work of abomina- tion to go on in his church. As it appears he had not used the word of God as a two- edged sword against the evils going on in His church at Thyatira. Oh, may God cause us as his children and as ministers of Christ to see and to reprove the destructive work of adultery and fornication going on in our churches today, so that we may escape the judgments of God as revealed in this message. God punishes adultery or fornication with great tribulation and with death. Let us notice the work of adultery in the church today. We are joined to Christ and the law of the New Testament. We are not joined to Moses' law, although Moses' law was £^iven of God. We were severed from the law by God Himself.. THE BOOK OF REVELATION 51 ''Wherefore, my brethren, ye also were jxiade dead to the law (of Moses) through the body of Christ; that we should be joined to another, even to him who was raised from the dead, that we might bring forth fruit unto God. For when we were in the flesh (the law), the sinful passions which were through the law, wrought in our members to bring forth fruit unto death. But now we have been discharged from the law, having died to that wherein we were held; so that we serve in newness of the Spirit^ and not in oldness of the letter" (Rom. 7:4-6). If after having been discharged from the law and joined to Christ we should again be joined to the teaching of the law of Moses, we would commit adultery towards Christ. The result of this is that we could never be made free from the sinful passions in the flesh. We would always remain in death and be re- fused as a part of Christ's bride. The Old Testament is compared to moonlight, but the New is the sunlight of the day. The Old Tes- tament serves us greatly, and we need it as a 52 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM book of instruction and warning; however we shall not be judged on the judgment day by the law of Moses, but by the words of Christ in the New Testament. "He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my sayings,, has one that judgeth him: the word that I spake, the same shall judge him in the last day" (John 12:48). The law commanded the oath, Christ strictly forbids it: hence all believers on Christ who take the oath are committing adultery towards Christ. The law commanded the use of the sword^ Christ forbids it to his followers: hence where this teaching is taught in the church or allowed to be taught, it is fornication. It separates believers from Christ. It sepa- rates the chosen bride of Christ and joins her to another one even to the law of Moses. Christ forbids us to go to law when we have difficulties between one another: hence anyone that teaches the contrary is an adulterer in the church of Christ. And God has said that adulterers shall not live but die. Or as it says here in this message, I will punish this adultery with great tribu- THE BOOK OF REVELATION 53 lation and death. O brethren, why are all these tribulations of divers diseases and the many premature deaths in the church to- day? O let us cleanse ourselves from the adultery towards Christ. We have defiled ourselves with the world and have commit- ted fornication with the nations in the world. We have obeyed the laws of our government more than those of Christ. We have accepted the oath: we have taken the sword and gone to war to kill our fellow- man. We have adopted in our congrega- tions the system of the world in choosing ministers and officers of the church by a majority of votes and by this method we place ministers in the pulpit that God never had chosen and that cannot keep the flock nor prepare anyone for the kingdom of Christ. The people are choosing and not the Holy Spirit. This system does not come out of the Bible but out of heathen- ism. The Greek philosophers invented this system and it was first adopted by the Romans in their constitutions to establish their Republic about 500 years B. C. The 54 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM nations in the world to a large extent have adopted this Roman system for their or- ganizations; and it is sad to say the church of Christ has very largely adopted it too. To build in the temple or Church of God with any material that is not from God's Word is but wood, hay, and stubble. In matters for the church to decide the Spirit must unite the hearts and even the lot has never failed once to decide right when it was used even by people who were not the chosen people of God (Jonah 1:7-16). We have committed fornication with the na- tions in the world and have drifted away from the Spirit and Word of God. O come back, come back. Church of Christ, to the Word and Spirit of God. Cleanse thyself from all thy defilements and vessels of dishonor to God's word. "Howbeit the firm foundation of God standeth, having this seal. The Lord knoweth them that are his: Let every one that nameth the name of the Lord depart from unrighteousness. Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and THE BOOK OF REVELATION 55 of earth; and some unto honor and some unto dishonor. If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel of honor, sanctified, meet for the master's use, prepared unto every good work" (II Tim. 2:19-21). Oh, what a great promise of honor is given here in this message to the church at Thyatira to the one that over- comes to keep Christ's work unto the end; that does not defile himself with the teach- ing of fornication and adultery but holds fast to Christ's teaching, to keep it pure, unspotted until the day of His appearing. '*And he that overcometh, and he that keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give authority over the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of the potter are broken to shivers; as I also received of my Father: and I will give him the morning star. He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." This Morning Star men- tioned above is Christ himself (Rev.22:16). This is the exceeding great and valuable promise to the overcomer that he shall in- herit Christ in His second coming. CHAPTER III THE MESSAGES TO THE SEVEN CHURCHES— Continued. Rev. 3:1-6. And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars: I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and thou art dead. 2 Be thou watchful, and establish the things that remain, which were ready to die: for I have found no works of thine perfected before my God. 3 Remember therefore how thou hast received and didst hear; and keep it, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee, 4 But thou hast few names in Sardis that did not defile their garments: and they shall walk with me in white; for they are worthy. 5 He that overcometh shall thus be arrayed in white garments; and I will in no wise blot his name out of the book of life, and I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. 6 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches. THE BOOK OF REVELATION 57 Notice how faithful the Lord Jesus and the Holy Spirit are in so faithfully warning us, when we have become so neglectful to our ministry as was this angel in Sardis. Oh, the great patience of our Master in bearing us and not discharging us from our office when we are even in such a state of unworthiness as this. This minister here had merely the name that he lived, but he was dead. Dead to his so valuable trust. Through his neglect in not feeding the 'flock, the Master lost many of His sheep. For the want of food and nursing they were dying. Does the Master discharge this unfaithful servant of his at once? Does He choose another one immediately to fill the place of the neglectful one? No, not yet. He calls him to repentance and urges him to go to work at once and strengthen those who were dying. The Master does not want to lose this servant of His, but He wants to make out of an unfaithful servant a faithful one. O brother, is this your case? Should you have been so unfortunate as this one was? Do not give up at this time 58 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM but go to work; and your calling will be renewed to you by the Spirit who will again witness to you that you are the chosen servant of Christ. Let not your accuser, the devil, triumph over you because of your fall; but take hold on God's grace which is greater than your sins of omission behind you. Honor the blood of Christ in which your sins are all washed away. In His work you are nevertheless made a priest of God, if you just go onward ip your service as the priest and ambassador of Jesus Christ, the King of kings and Lord of lords. Remember that his banner over you is yet, love. Therefore take up the work and be faithful as never before and the flock which is dying will be made alive of the Lord and will be healed and prosper. Surely this is God's will towards you for He makes a field of dead and dried up bones alive again, and he brings those bones which were torn apart together. He does that to bring glory and honor to His own name. A servant of God may fall and a church of God may become like a waste THE BOOK OF REVELATION 59 but God says, ''I will make this waste like the garden of Eden" (Ezek. 36:35, 36). Is there anything impossible with God? Yes, our unbelief and failure to repent can make things impossible for him to do us good. Not that he could not do it without our repentance and faith, but because he has promised salvation and glory upon our faith and upon repentance. God is righteous and will do according to His Word. If he would give us salvation and glory, though we do not repent of our wrong and though we do not believe in His promises, the devil could call God unrighteous as being one who is not true to his own word. The Master tells this angel at Sardis plainly, "I have found no works of thine perfect before my God." Yet He does not cast him aside, but tells him to remember how he had received and heard, to keep it and repent. It seems that there is such a thing as to forget our great calling. What a responsibility it brings when we are untrue and what a great reward it brings when we are obedient. There is a danger to forget, and soon we 60 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM neglect. Then comes the devil as accuser and deceives one. Ho, you are not a chos- en minister of God; and if you were once one, surely you are not anymore. Why, where is the proof or the evidence of your calling? Oh, what a consolation this mes- sage was to the church in Sardis, and what a comfort to us. Let us not overlook, however, that the Spirit notifies him that his office would be taken from him if he would not be watchful. Yet before closing the message the Spirit holds out to him the glorious reward for the one that would overcome. The reward is white garments, not blotting his name out of the book of life, confessing his name before the Father in heaven and before His angels. Surely that was inducement enough to make one repent and obey a Master who is so patient with His sein^ant. Think of the patience of God with Jonah who fled away from the work he was called to do, and how the Lord made him willing to go. Then think of the great result of his short sermon, a whole city (Nineveh) spared and saved from THE BOOK OF REVELATION 61 God's judgment- They repented upon Jo- nah's preaching and God forgave them their great sins. Glory to God and glory to His dear name for granting repentance and forgiving us freely all our sins: Amen and amen. Not to be faithful to our trust is a great hindrance to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ to take all His own to Himself, to bring His judgment upon His enemies and to set up His kingdom of righteousness and peace and power as revealed in the Scriptures. Therefore we will obey and be faithful unto death that we might receive life and glory, that we might hasten His coming, and that we might bring about the resurrection of all the saints who died in the Lord and the glorious reward for all the servants of God who have the kingdom willed unto them. He has made us co-heirs with his beloved Son. Praise His dear name forever and ever. Amen. That which he has spoken must come to pass. Yea, let it come quickly. Rev. 3:7-13. And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write : 62 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM These things saith he that is holy, he that is true,, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth and none shall shut, and that shutteth and none openeth: 8 I know thy works (behold, I have set before thee a door opened, which none can shut), that thou hast a little power, and didst keep my word, and didst not deny my name. 9 Behold, I give of the synagogue of Satan, of them that say they are Jews, and they are not, but do lie ; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee. 10 Because thou didst keep the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of trial, that hour which is to come upon the whole world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. 11 I come quickly: hold fast that which thou hast, that no one take thy crown. 12 He that overcometh, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go out thence no more : and I will write upon. him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God, and mine own new name. 13 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches. The above is a glorious message of praise to the faithful angel or servant of God in the church at Philadelphia. Na fault is mentioned here, nothing but faith- fulness and praise. Surely if there had been THE BOOK OF REVELATION 63 :any disobedience or weakness in any part of this servant's ministry, the Spirit would have revealed it. For the Spirit is true and faithful to reveal to us any act of disloyalty to Christ and any weakness we may have; so that we can repent of it and get com- pletely right with God again. We have before us a picture of faithfulness in the life of this servant of Christ which we may well imitate. He receives this praise of the Master, 'Thou hast kept my word and hast not denied my name." He did this with a little power. . Oh, it is possible to be perfectly faithful to all the words of Christ, to keep them and not deny His name. If it were possible for a minister of Christ to be so loyal to his calling in that age, then it is also possible for us in our day to be per- fectly obedient and also receive the witness of the spirit that we are pleasing to the Master. Should the Spirit that shows us our mistakes and reproves us of them not also give us witness when all our works are accepted of the Master? These seven mes- sages in Rev. 2 and 3 assure us of this fact. 64 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM A minister can know, when he has de- livered a sermon or after his day's work is ended whether God has accepted his work or not. The Spirit will bear him witness to his work. It is weakness to us and it may be very misleading to receive the good testimony of a brother concerning our ser- mon. We do not reject this, but it is not reliable and may side-track us. Jesus said,. 'The witness which I receive is not from man" (John 5:34), As a father loves to tell his faithful son, "I am pleased with the work I have told you to do. You did it well." So does the Spirit also desire to give us witness, 'Tour work is accepted, I am pleased with your service." Our mission is not difficult to know. When Jesus gave the final commission to His apostles and also to us, he said, "Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit; teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you" (Matt. 28:19, 20). Is this mission difficult to know? Surely not. This is THE BOOK OF REVELATION 65 what the angel in Philadelphia had done. The Master gives him witness, 'Thou hast kept my word, thou hast not denied my name, thou hast kept the word of my patience. There I will bring thine enemies to thy feet and I have given thee an open door and no one can shut it: I will also keep thee in the hour of trial which shall come upon all that dwell on the earth." All these promises were made sure to him upon past faithfulness. Oh, may God grant us such faithfulness to Christ and His word. Notice what an exceeding great promise is now given unto him upon holding fast what he had. Even this unspeakably great promise, "I come quickly: hold fast that which thou hast, that no one take thy crown." This message reveals us what is needed to inherit the promise of the coming of Christ, to keep His word and the faith in His name (as Savior from sin) to keep the word of His patience towards those who oppose the truth as He had patience with them. "For consider him that hath en- dured such gainsaying of sinners against 66 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM himself, that ye wax not weary, fainting in your souls" (Heb, 12:3). Holding fast the above important things makes us worthy before God to receive this so valuable promise, "I come quickly." The person or church that will be so favored of the grace of God to receive this promise is made thereby the blessing to all the rest of God's people. Abraham was made the great bless- ing because he was the bearer of the prom- ise of the coming Messiah. And so was also the tribe of Judah and all Israel, because they were the promise bearers of the prom- ised Saviour of the whole world. This promise is offered to anyone who will meet the conditions. We read in Heb. 10:35-37, "Cast not away therefore your boldness, which has great recompence of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, having done the will of God, ye may receive the promise. For yet a very little while. He that cometh shall come, and shall not tarry." God ful- fills His promises and words of prophecy by giving them to His chosen ones to hold. We are to keep them. "Behold I come THE BOOK OF REVELATION 67 quickly. Blessed is he that keepeth the words of the prophecy of this book" (Rev. 22:7). Have we done this? Christ is desirous to come, but He is waiting on His bride to make herself ready for His coming and for the marriage of the Lamb. She must become obedient to all His command- ments and she must be clothed in linen, bright and clean. She must first finish the work that is laid upon her to do and then He will come. Only after our obedience to the words of these prophecies in Revelation can we inherit the promise of His second coming, not before. "I come quickly: hold fast that which thou hast, that no one take thy crown." This is the great warning given to this angel and church in Philadel- phia. This faithful servant had yet to over- come in keeping fast that which he had. It is one thing to obey perfectly and it is another thing to remain in this obedience* It is one task to make ourselves worthy to receive a valuable promise, and it is quite another task to hold that promise fast until it is fulfilled on us. Especially when the 68 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM enemy gets a chance to storm us from every side. Or when we ourselves fall into some fleshly or spiritual weakness, does it become rather hard to believe that we are still the bearers of the valuable promise. Oh, how we need to be armed with the shield of faith and with the whole armor of God against the fiery darts and wiles of the devil. Therefore is the warning in this message, "Hold fast that which thou hast, that no one take thy crown." What does Jesus offer to the overcomer that holds fast his word and the faith in his name, the word of his patience and the promise of his coming? Here it is, **He that overcometh, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go out thence no more: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God, and mine own new name. He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches." Rev. 3:14-22. And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: THE BOOK OF REVELATION 69 These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God: 15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. 16 So because thou art lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spew thee out of my mouth. 17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and have gotten riches, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art the wretched one and miserable and poor and blind and naked : 18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold refined by fire, that thou mayest become rich; and white garments, that thou mayest clothe thyself, and that the shame of thy nakedness be not made manifest; and eye-salve to anoint thine eyes, that thou mayest see. 19 As many as I love, I reprove and chasten: be zealous there- fore, and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock : if any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. 21 He that overcometh, I will give to him to sit down with me in my throne, as I also over- came, and sat down with my Father in his throne. 22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches. Oh, how faithful Christ and the Holy Spirit are to reprove and chastize us when we have backslidden. Never can we thank God enough for showing us so completely our self-righteous and deceived condition. 70 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM How could we repent when we are so deceived as this church in Laodicea, if no one would reprove us and show us our diseased condition? Notice that the Spirit sees nothing at all in this angel and church worthy of praise or acceptance. No good whatever of any kind is mentioned in the message to this church. What does the Spirit do with a church that is wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and na- ked? He calls it to repentance, although He threatens to spew it out of His mouth. The Spirit says, *'I love thee yet and so I reprove and chasten thee. Thou art very, very bad, yet there is help. Thou art very, very sick, but I have yet a healing salve for thee. Thou hast turned me out, (for I am outside,) but I have not given thee up yet. I am still very near thee, even at thy door, and I am knocking for admittance. Will you let me in ? I shall sup with thee and you with me. You are deceived. You do not see your shame. But I see it. Come and buy of me white garments: gold refined in the fire; eyesalve that you may see, for you are THE BOOK OF REVELATION 71 blind. I do not want you to remain in this blind and poor condition. I want you to be rich with my goods. I want to bring you to honor for I have created you for my glory, and for my throne and kingdom. If you repent and overcome, you shall sit with me on my throne as I also overcame and am sat down with my father on his throne." Let us not overlook this fact of God's grace, that after the sharp words of chastisement of this church, the Spirit comes with the healing balm of His love and shows to this backsliding church God's throne as the place unto which she was chosen to attain. Oh, may we learn of this example how the Spirit treats a person or a church that is in the condition like the one in Laodicea. The question is, do we love a Laodicean church? Do we stand in the gap for their repentance and salvation, that the devil be defeated to deceive such a person or church any long- er? Do we take a stand like Moses did in the wilderness for a stiffnecked unbelieving people on whom the sentence of judgment was pronounced by the angel of God? "I n LIGHT AND LIFE FROM will destroy them with pestilence." Even much severer is the sentence upon the Laodicean church, "I will spew thee out of my mouth." But Moses stood in the gap with his intercession and obtained pardon for them. And this stubborn and sinful people were finally led into Canaan, the land of their inheritance. Though many of them died under the chastening rod of God, yet their children entered in. God did not destroy them with pestilence, because of an intercessor between them and their God. What is the stand we take towards a Laodicean church? Are we going to let the devil have them or shall the Son of God have them? Who has a right to them any- way, God or the devil? Shall Christ lose the value of His blood for them all? Shall His suffering and dying labors be entirely lost for them? Has God yet a way to bring them to repentance? Yes, the way of chastisement and tribulation. See Rev. 7: 9-15. God can throw us into the furnace of affliction to bring us to repentance and to reveal us the works of Christ. He did that THE BOOK OF REVELATION IZ with His people Israel when he sent them to Assyria and Babylon, but they remained His people even there. They had lost their land, their kingdom, their priest office. They were cut off but not forever. The heathen should not always rule over them. They had a bright future promised to them yet, and even up to this day have they a bright future awaiting them, though they are scat- tered among all nations. By this we see that those who made intercession for Israel when they had fallen from God did not lose their labors. God showed them His Word of prophecy to restore them again. We need not and should not give up a person or a church that God has not given up. This was the case in Laodicea. God has not given them up yet, but Christ knocked at their door wanting to win them for His bride. The Spirit's work in this message, like in the others before, is to prepare the churches for the coming of Christ, and it should always be our highest aim in the Master's service to prepare the people and especially the churches for the coming of 74 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM the Lord Jesus Christ to take His own unto Himself. We miss the best if we do not have this in view. Closing remarks in general on the sev- en messages to the churches in Revelation 2 and 3. There are two churches of the seven that are blameless. Five were defiled. No- tice that to all these five, repentance is commanded of them and great promises are offered to them. The Master does not want to lose any of them. It is painful to Him to give any up since He died to bring them to God's glory. The thing to do is not to think how deeply you have fallen into dis- obedience and shame, but to repent and get back to the right standing with God. The greatest fall is not that we have fallen from the true way, but the greatest fall consists in this that we do not repent after we have fallen. This is the greatest wrong we do to ourselves and to Christ, that after we have tumbled into divers sins, we neglect the offered mercy to come back and renew our obedience to Christ. Not to wash in the THE BOOK OF REVELATION 75 blood of the Lamb after we have stained ourselves all over is the greatest fall. The angels in heaven rejoice over a lost sheep that is found, as over one sinner that re- penteth, more than over ninety-nine just persons which need no repentance. Think of the prodigal son in Luke 15; how the father ran to meet him, when he was yet a great way off. He decided to come back to father's house. He repented of his actions. He came back to obey his father. He was gloriously received. All his sins were for- given and forgotten by the father. He was clothed anew from head to foot. The father made a feast for him and greatly rejoiced to have his son back again. Dear brother or sister, you may be in a condition like the church in Ephesus which fell from the first love to God's Word or you may be in a condition of fornication like the one in Pergamum, joined to worldly worship, a member of the yoke of un- believers, or probably you are defiled with adultery like the one in Thyatira, or have you become neglectful of your calling of 76 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM the Lord like the angel in Sardis, having only a name but no works, no fruit. Or is your condition as bad as the Laodicean church which had nothing of Christ any- more and yet boasted in its selfrighteous- ness, being deceived? Are you in one or more of these defiled conditions? Take heart and courage to repent and get right with God again. This is your God-given and blessed privilege. It takes a man (not a coward) to repent and confess his shame before God (and before man if need be). God has provided in the atonement of His Son a remedy to purge the sin of our whole life, so that the multitude of our sins cannot keep us away from God. But the question is, do we make use of this remedy or do we make this greatest mistake, to let sin multi- ply upon us until we can no more believe in the greatness of God's forgiving mercy? Maybe you have been true and faithful to Christ like the angel and church in Smyrna or like the one in Philadelphia; then observe the warning, "Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee the crown THE BOOK OF REVELATION 11 of life." '*I come quickly: hold fast that which thou hast, that no one take thy crown." He that overcometh shall inherit wonderfully great promises. Though we have been faithful, we need yet to overcome to inherit the coming of Christ and His glorious kingdom. God grant us to over- come, that He may rejoice over us and do us good in fulfilling His precious promises to us and to all His saints. Amen and amen. CHAPTER IV THE OPEN DOOR INTO HEAVEN Rev. 4:1-3. After these things I saw, and behold, a door opened in heaven, and the first voice that I heard, a voice as of a trumpet speaking with me, one saying. Come up hither, and I will show thee the things which must come to pass hereafter. 2 Straightway I was in the Spirit: and behold, there was a throne set in heaven, and one sitting upon the throne; 3 and he that sat was to look upon like a jasper stone and a sardius: and there was a rain- bow round about the throne, like an emerald to look upon. In the seven messages of chapter 2 and 3 the Spirit revealed to the apostle John the condition of the church of Christ upon earth. Now in chapter 4 and 5 the Spirit causes the apostle to look into heaven. "A door opened in heaven." "A voice as of a trumpet speaking with me, one saying, Come up hither, and I will show thee the things which must come to pass hereafter." THE BOOK OF REVELATION 79 O dear brother, this does not refer to the rapture or translation of the church; but this opened door into heaven and this voice calling, "Come up hither," is given to the church or servants of Christ for a qualifica- tion or endowment of power to fully arm them for the mission and work which they are yet to do. The apostle John represents the Church here in Rev. 4:1-3 and through the open door in heaven we are connected with the overcoming powers of God ruling on the throne in heaven. We see God on the throne. We see the overcoming Church of God active in heaven around God's throne and through this sight or knowledge, we become connected with their works, which gives us overcoming power against all the power of Satan and his rulers on earth to finish the mission which God has laid upon us. As the apostle John repre- sents the Church here in Rev. 4:1-3, so he also represents the Church or us in Rev. 10: 8-1 1 where the heavenly voice speaks again to John and gives him another mission. This shows us that the work of the Church on 80 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM earth was not yet done in chapter 4:1-3. **And the voice which I heard from heaven, I heard it again speaking with me, and say- ing. Go, take the book which is open in the hand of the angel that standeth upon the sea and upon the earth. And I went unto the angel, saying unto him that he should give me the little book. And he saith unto me. Take it, and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but in thy mouth it shall be sweet as honey. And I took the little book out of the angel's hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey; and when I had eaten it, my belly was made bitter. And they say unto me. Thou must prophesy again over many peoples and na- tions and tongues and kings" (Rev. 10: 8-11). This passage proves that the Church receives an open door in heaven and is called up by the heavenly voice to receive a special prophetic mission to be delivered by her to many peoples, nations, tongues, and kings. Isaiah and Ezekiel were qualified for their mission in a similar way. See Isa. 6 and Eze. 2 and 3. They saw the heavenly THE BOOK OF REVELATION 81 hosts by the open vision into heaven and were thus prepared for their prophetic mis- sion which they had to perform for Israel and the heathen kings and nations. Let us refer to the apostle Paul, how he was fully established for his mission as an apostle of Christ. He was caught up into the third lieaven, into Paradise and heard unspeak- able words He needed such an establish- ment for the great mission which he was to perform. It seems that he had a special mission above the other apostles to be the teacher and apostle not to the Jews only but also to the Gentiles especially. Through his letters to the Romans, Corinthians, Ga- latians, Ephesians, etc. he speaks today to all nations upon earth. It was especially through him, according to Christ's choice, that God gave to the nations on earth the new law of life and peace which is to be written in their mind and heart. For such a great mission as the apostle Paul had, he needed such a vision into heaven as God gave him according to II Cor. 12:1-4. Since the church or the special chosen servants of 82 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM God have yet a prophetic mision to fulfil according to Rev. 10:8-11 therefore they need such an establishment by a look through the opened door into heaven as revealed in Rev. 4:1-3 and farther on in the book. O dear brother, think what an encour- agement that is to us to see into the sanctu- ary of God in heaven especially in chapters 4, 5 and 12. To our joy we see the over- comer of God's people. The one who raises up the defiled and divided Church of God. We also see our Father on the throne. He is to look upon like a jasper stone and a sardius: signifying purity, brightness and hardness, unreceivable of any stain of de- filement or darkness. And then think that this holy, and all glorious one, is your Father. You are to be born of Him. You are to inherit His nature. The son is to become in nature like His Father. He is to resemble Him. We sink in shame and nothingness when we think of such a One as being our Father and that we are even commanded by Christ to call no one Father THE BOOK OF REVELATION 83 on earth; but to call the one in heaven our Father so as to inherit His life and holiness (Matt. 23:9; Heb. 12:9, 10). There is also a rainbow round about the throne: around the Father who sits on the throne: and the rainbow is like an emerald to look upon. Think what this rainbow, given after the flood, upon Noah's offering, signifies to us yet today. It is a messenger of peace, tell- ing us that God remembers His covenant promises, that He will never cause another flood to come upon earth to destroy man and beast (Gen. 8:18-22 and 9:1-17). Re- member that God did not give this promise and the seal of the rainbow immediately after the punishment of the flood, but He gave it to Noah immediately after Noah offered unto the Lord a burnt offering of every clean beast and of every clean fowl: and the Lord smelt the sweet savour. ''And Jehovah said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake, for that the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more everything living, as I have 84 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM done." God faithfully kept this promise ever since, though men have been very, very wicked. The offering of clean animals that Noah offered to the Lord pointed first to the great sin and burnt offering of Christ on the cross, the offering which God Him- self gave for the sins of the whole world. "For God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not reckoning unto them their tresspasses" (II Cor. 5:19). "All we like sheep have gone astray: we have turned every one to his own way: and Jehovah hath laid on him the iniquity of us air (Isa. 53:6). Through this offering is God now reconciled to the world and there- fore is that rainbow round the throne of the Father in heaven. He remembers our sins no more. "Their sins and their iniqui- ties will I remember no more" (Heb. 10: 17). But God ever remembers the offering of His Son for the sins of the world. He constantly remembers that He laid our sins and all our iniquities on Christ, the Lamb of God who took away the sins of the world. God remembers this for me, for THE BOOK OF REVELATION 85 you, dear reader, and for all who do believe on His Son. And as a covenant seal of the above offering and promises He placed this rainbow round Him and His throne in heaven. This rainbow is not only placed in one direction from the throne but round about the throne: and all nations east and west, north and south are remembered as reconciled to God and their sins are not remembered against them, if they believe on Christ. Otherwise their sin of unbelief will be remembered against them with pun- ishment. "He that believeth and is bap- tized shall be saved; but he that disbeliev- eth shall be condemned" (Mark 16:16). The unbeliever who believeth not that his sins were laid on Christ makes God's truth a lie to himself, and brings condemnation to himself, to his family, and to all those that believe his deceptive teaching. Let us also notice that this rainbow is like an emerald (a stone of extra beauty and brilliancy, of beautiful green. — Bible Dictionary). Such is the token of the reconciliation seal be- tween us and God. Not of a fading or 86 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM decaying color but of life and growth. O brother, look up into the sanctuary of God through this open door in Rev. 4:1-3 and look at this rainbow. It preaches to you peace: that you and your house are recon- ciled to God. Glory to God, amen and amen. Rev. 4:4-11. And round about the throne were four and twenty thrones : and upon the thrones I saw four and twenty elders sitting, arrayed in white gar- ments ; and on their heads crowns of gold. 5 And out of the throne proceed lightnings and voices and thun- ders. And there were seven lamps of fire burning be- fore the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God; 6 and before the throne, as it were a sea of glass like unto crystal; and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, four living creatures full of eyes before and behind- 7 And the first creature was like a lion, and the second creature like a calf, and the third creature had a face as of a man, and the fourth creature was like a flying eagle. 8 And the four living creatures, having each one of them six wings, are full of eyes round about and within: and they have no rest day and night, saying. Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come. 9 And when the living creatures shall give glory THE BOOK OF REVELATION 87 and honor and thanks to him that sitteth on the throne, to him that Hveth for ever and ever, 10 the four and tv^enty elders shall fall down before him that sitteth on the throne, and shall worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and shall cast their crowns before the throne, saying, 11 Worthy art thou, our Lord and our God, to receive the glory and the honor and the power: for thou didst create all things, and because of thy will they were, and were created. The things in Revelation are very largely revealed to us through the types or shadows in the Old Testament. What God did under the law for Israel is the shadow of that which God has prepared for us in Revelation and the New Testament accord- ing to the following scriptures: "For the law having a shadow of the good things to come, not the very image of the things." "Who serve that which is a copy and shad- ow of the heavenly things, even as Moses is warned of God when he is about to make the tabernacle: for see, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern that was showed thee on the mount." "It was necessary therefore that the copies of 88 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM the things in the heavens should be cleansed with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ entered not into a holy place made with hands, like in pattern to the true" (Heb. 10:1; 8:5 and 9:23, 24). In the above scriptures we see that Israel's priesthood and tabernacle was a pattern to the true one we now have in heaven. Their priesthood, consisting of Aaron as high priest, and his sons as priests with him, in the earthly tabernacle were also clothed in priestly garments (See Ex. 28:40-43). Our tabernacle is in the sanctuary of God in heaven as seen in Rev. 4 and 5 and farther on in the book. Our priesthood consists of Christ as high priest in His glorified state as revealed in Rev. 1:13-16. But there are also twenty-four elders there clothed in white garments and besides them four liv- ing creatures or beasts. These four beasts and twenty-four elders are all priests with Christ, for they serve and worship God day and night without taking any rest. They serve God for us with Christ, as Aaron*s THE BOOK OF REVELATION 89 sons served God for the twelve tribes of Israel with Aaron in the tabernacle. Aa- ron's sons took the offering of the people and brought it on the altar before the Lord: so do these four living creatures and twen- ty-four elders have our prayer offerings in golden vials and these prayers are brought before the Lord (See Rev. 5:8, and compare chapter 8:3-6). Israel's sin and other sac- rificial offerings were not for all nations, but only for the twelve tribes of Israel; but the sin offering of our high priest, Jesus Christ, on the cross makes atonement for the whole world. He has purchased for God with His blood men out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation and has made them unto God a kingdom and priests. Therefore every tongue, tribe, peo- ple and nation is now represented in Christ's priesthood in the tabernacle of God in heaven — not merely the twelve tribes of Israel but all the heathen as well. These four beasts or living creatures no doubt represent the heathen world, since the heathen world is divided into four parts: 90 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM tongues, tribes, peoples, and nations and al- so because the heathen are represented in the Scriptures as beasts. The four king- doms that were yet to exist of the heathen world revealed to Daniel, were all named by the name of beasts (Dan. 7). But what of this that the four living creatures are priests with Christ for the heathen, and the twenty-four elders priests with Christ for all Israel? We know that Christ the high priest stands as a Mediator between God and all men. 'Tor there is one God, one mediator also between God and men, Him- self man. Christ Jesus who gave Himself a ransom for all" (I Tim. 2:5). He tells us to pray for all men and should He not do the same? Yet He has beside Him His priesthood consisting in these four living creatures and twenty-four elders who do worship God day and night saying, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and is to come." Who are they but the firstfruits of His resurrec- tion, and were placed with Him in the priest's office in the sanctuary in heaven. THE BOOK OF REVELATION 9r In like manner Aaron and his sons were placed in the tabernacle as God's chosen priests, that he might through them bless all the tribes of Israel. Remember when Jesus arose from the dead that many of the saints arose with Him. "And the tombs were opened; and many bodies of the saints that had fallen asleep were raised; and coming forth out of the tombs after His resurrection they entered into the holy city and appeared unto many" (Matt. 27:52, 53). These were the first fruits of His resurrection. Israel's priesthood was taken out of themselves; not of the angels in heaven but out of men on earth. So was Christ according to the flesh taken out of man and we believe that these twenty-four elders and the four living creatures were also taken out of humanity. Although it is not the most important thing to under- stand their source, yet it is very important that we see in these twenty-four elders and four beasts servants of God for us, or that God through their holy and faithful service can bless us and fulfil His promises to us. 92 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM Oh, what a great benefit it was for Israel to have Aaron and his sons minister unto God in their priestly garments in the tabernacle, which was a pattern of the true tabernacle now in heaven. But a far greater benefit is Christ to us with His other priests in heav- en as revealed to us here in Rev. 4 and 5. Just think of the service they are doing; they have no rest day and night, saying, ''Holy, holy, holy is the Lord, the Al- mighty." But to receive any benefit of God through them I must appropriate these blessings to me. God has instituted a priest- hood on earth through His Church, just as" the tribes of Levi were chosen of God and placed as priests all through the twelve tribes of Israel outside of the tabernacle. So are we here on earth as God's priests scattered among all nations; but God has a holy priesthood in heaven and we need to be connected with them. To see them will be victory and great encouragement for us. And therefore is the door opened to us, as servants of God, here in Rev. 4:1 for our strength and overcoming power. We need THE BOOK OF REVELATION 93 to see the conquering powers in heaven ; for if we but see the weaknesses in ourselves and in our brethren with the many manifes- tations of Satan's power around us, we can- not hold the field nor can we finish the work which God has laid upon us. Notice that the twenty-four elders are on twenty- four thrones round about the throne of God the Father. They are ruling with God. One who is on a throne rules. But why should that concern us that they are on thrones in heaven ruling with God and Christ? Does it mean much to the citizens of a state or a nation when they have faith- ful men as representatives in the capital working for their best interest? These twenty-four elders and four living creatures are one with Christ and the Father in desiring to do us good. They are all against the devil. They are all for God and Christ, and for humanity. They are all working for the purpose of getting the saints of God ready so that the coming of Christ can be fulfilled to us. This is the great aim in view, which will surely accomplish its pur- 94 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM pose in causing Satan to be dethroned and in placing Christ on the throne of David over this whole earth. Therefore are these twenty-four elders and four priests of God in heaven a great blessing to us. So much so that we cannot value it enough. The citizen of God's kingdom sees God and Christ on the throne. He sees these twen- ty-four elders and the other four priests and many angels ruling with God on the throne in heaven. The citizen on earth sees man on the throne on earth. He may see Satan on the throne but he has not the vision above into heaven to see God and His mighty ones on the throne. He does not see the open door. O, servant of God and child of God, look up and you will see victory in God's sanctuary for the people of God on earth and in heaven. These twenty-four elders have crowns of gold on their heads, undoubtedly as a reward of their victories wrought on earth for their Master. We read in Heb. 11 of some who subdued kingdoms for God by their faith. Think how the three men in the fiery fur- THE BOOK OF REVELATION 95 nace and Daniel in the lion's den, through their faith compelled the kingdom of this world to believe in the God of Israel. Think of the prophets and men of God in the Old Testament who laid down their lives for the Word of God. But God surely crowned them with crowns of gold. "And out of the throne proceed light- nings and voices and thunders and there are seven lamps of fire burning before the throne which are the seven Spirits of God." O what a power-house is revealed to the servants of God here. We must be con- nected with this power above just as the electric railway car must be connected with the power in the wire above in order to speed along. These seven lamps of fire burning before the throne which are the seven Spirits of God, is the ever given and inexhaustible power to which we need to be attached. There is also a sea of glass before the throne like unto crystal. The way to the throne leads through a glassy sea. Remember how Israel had to pass through the Red Sea to escape Pharaoh and 96 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM to come to God at Mt. Sinai. Before the sea opened for them to pass through, they were in a great fear. Behind them was the enemy, Pharaoh; before them the Red Sea: But after they were on the other side they could sing the song of perfect deliverance from their enemy. We are not led through the Red Sea as Israel was, but we are led. through the sea of Christ's blood to bathe ourselves therein. Just as the priests in the Jewish tabernacle and temple were com- pelled to wash their bodies in the laver that was placed between the brazen altar and the tent of meeting (Ex. 40:7, 12). In the tem- ple Solomon ''made the molten sea." "He made also ten lavers, and put five on the right hand, and five on the left, to wash in them. They would use the ten lavers for washing such things as belonged to the burnt offering, but the sea was for the priests to wash in" (II Chron. 4:2, 6). This washing is very important. We must go through this to get to the throne. This is the way we are being led. 'They washed their robes, and made them THE BOOK OF REVELATION 97 white in the blood of the lamb. Therefore are they before the throne of God; and serve him day and night in his temple" (Rev. 7:14, 15). We shall touch upon this glassy sea later on in chapter 15. Let us take a look yet at the living creatures. "They are full of eyes before and behind," they see everywhere. "And the first creature was like a lion," denoting strength; "And the second creature was like a calf," denoting youth; "and the third creature had a face as of a man," re- sembling man; "and the fourth creature, was like a flying eagle," denoting kingship and swiftness; "and the four living crea- tures having each one of them six wings full of eyes round about and within." Is it possible that such created beings could come out of humanity? Think what God does in the animal kingdom, — how out of an ugly looking worm he makes a beautiful butterfly. It seems that in these four living creatures, not only the heathen world is represented as first fruits at God's throne, but also beasts and birds. The creatures and 98 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM creation have the promise of deliverance too as well as humanity. But why should these four living creatures have each six wings and so many eyes? Will not God use them to carry His last messengers over the earth to fully prepare the way with their prophecy for Christ to come? Remember how the prophet Ezekiel was carried by the heavenly airship from Chaldea to Jerusa- lem and back again to deliver God's mes- sages and to see what abominations were going on in Jerusalem (Ezek. 1-11). The world is inventing air ships and flying machines now, but God has also created flying messengers to take His special ser- vants to all countries and everywhere in the world. They are full of eyes before and behind, round about and within. Each one has six wings. Notice in Rev. 11 how those two witnesses of Christ deliver their mes- sage over the world in one short time of three and one half years. But let us turn back and repeat what these four living creatures and twenty four elders are doing now in their service in the tabernacle in THE BOOK OF REVELATION 99 heaven. "They have no rest day and night saying: Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty; who was and who is and who is to come. And when the living creatures shall give glory and honor and thanks to him that sitteth on the throne, to him that liveth forever and ever, the twenty- four elders shall fall down before him that sitteth on the throne, and shall wor- ship him that liveth forever and ever and shall cast their crowns before the throne saying: worthy art thou our Lord and our God to receive the glory and the honor and the power; for thou didst create all things and because of thy will they were and were created." O, Catholic friend, where do you see Mary acting as a priestess between you and Christ? But surely are these twenty- four elders and four living creatures placed in honor in the sanctuary of God in heaven as priests to minister unto God with Christ in our behalf. We need to recognize those whom God has made priests with Christ in the heavenly tabernacle over us, to bless us through their holy and faithful service day 100 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM and night. It is right for us to give God thanks for them and for their service. By so doing we shall be blessed through their service. They give God thanks for the whole creation. These 24 Elders as priest for Israel or for all nations on earth have a type in the Old Testament. Notice how Da- vid organized the temple's service with 24 Elders in Aaron's priesthood. See I Chron. 24:1-19. So the 24 Elders here in Rev. 4 are foreshadowed in Aaron's priesthood, both as to their number and to their priestly office. CHAPTER V THE OPEN DOOR INTO HEAVEN (Continued) Rev. 5:1-14. 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. 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. And no one in the heaven, or on the earth, or under the earth, was able to open tbi book, or to look thereon. 4. And I wept much, lecause no one was found worthy to open the book, or to look thereon: 5. 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. 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 though it had been slain, having seven horns, and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God, sent forth into all the earth. 7. And he came, and he taketh it out of the right hand of him that sat on the throne. 8. And when he had taken the book, the four living creatures and the four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, 102 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM having each one a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of saints. 9. 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, 10. and madest them to be unto our God a kingdom and priests; and they reign upon the earth. 11 And I saw, and I heard a voice of many angels round about the throne and the living crea- tures and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands ; 12 saying with a great voice. Worthy is the Lamb that hath been slain to re- ceive the power, and riches, and wisdom, and might, and honor, and glory, and blessing. 13 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 T saying, Unto him that sitteth on the throne, and unto the Lamb, be the blessing, and the nonor, and the glory, and the dominion, for ever and ever. 14 And the four living creatures said. Amen. And the elders fell down and worshipped. Remarks on the above passage, which THE BOOK OF REVELATION k' includes the whole of the 5th chapter of Revelation: In this chapter we have the turning point for the victory of God's peo- ple and the salvation for the whole creation revealed to us. The apostle John wept much at first, because no one in heaven, or on earth, nor under the earth was found able to take the book out of the right hand of Him that sat on the throne and loose the seven seals thereof. But when the Overcomer was shown to him, he w?<5 comforted. Notice what made Jesus worthy to take the book and to loose the seven 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 shall reign upon the earth." This gives us an idea what is writ- ten in this book: the names of all who believe on Christ according to the above Scripture; that Christ has purchased them with His blood and made them a kingdom and priests unto God; and that they shall 104 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM reign on earth. Those who honor Christ, by faith in His works as recorded above get the assurance that their names are written therein. When we are baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and have accepted the doctrine of Christ, what else could we be, but accepted citizens, through Christ's work for the kingdom of God, to reign at God's appointed time on earth with Christ? Oh, what a comfort it is to know that we are bought for God by Christ's blood and made worthy in Him to inherit the kingdom. Only the Owner has the right to claim us, to use us, for His service, to own us, to defend us and to protect us. The adversary has lost all claim and right to inhabit our bodies, to use any member of our bodies for his service of sin. He has no right to even touch us. We are God's people. The price is paid. No mort- gage on us, nor on our children. The enemy can not hold us in the prison of punishment for our sins. The debt is also paid and we are released from all guilt. Instead of slaves of sin, serving the devil, we have THE BOOK OF REVELATION 105 come to honor through Christ's work and blood so that we can be, and shall be, servants of the great King and be His priests and ambassadors to suffer with Him and then also to reign with Him. Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, goodwill among men. Yes, glory to God, amen and amen. Christ can now claim His own out of all tribes, tongues, people, and nations; for they are His Father's since He bought them with His blood for God. He can defeat all powers on earth who hold His own in bondage. He can do with them as He did of old with Pharaoh of Egypt when He put him in the Red Sea; as He did with Belshazzar in Babylon when He took away his kingdom to release his people. We are God's property, created in Christ for God's service and for His kingdom to reign on earth in due time. Since Christ has taken that book, the turning time has come. There is certain victory for all of God's people, On the other hand there is the certain downfall of all those who oppose God, the 106 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM defeat and judgment of all our and God's enemies. No place in the whole Bible can we find where Jesus and the Father get as much praise from the hosts in heaven and from all created things on earth and under the earth and in the sea as they receive here in Rev. 5, after the Lamb has taken that book from the right hand of Him that sits upon the throne. When God took Israel out of the Egyp- tian bondage to bring them into the land of Canaan in order to make out of them a kingdom of priests (Ex. 19:6), there was also a book in which the names of those who came out of Egypt were recorded. For Moses said unto the Lord in the wilderness when he asked God to forgive His people, "Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold. Yet now if thou wilt forgive their sin — ; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written. And Jehovah said to Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book" (Ex. 32:31- 33). This shows us that God had written THE BOOK OF REVELATION 107 the names of all the Israelites who were called to enter into Canaan in a book. So, no doubt, our names are written in this book that Christ has taken to bring us into His kingdom. As Moses brought his people through so will Christ bring us through, until we shall be in His visible kingdom. We have said before that what God did for Israel under the law is the shadow of what we have in Christ. Now the shadow is a perfect mark of the substance, though it is but a shadow. To understand better what this will bring to us after Christ has taken the book here in Rev. 5 and loosed the seven seals thereof, we need to look back to the shadow to see what God did for Israel through Moses and Aaron, Joshua, David, and others. Through Moses He led Israel out of Egypt with great signs and wonders and led them through the wilderness and used Joshua to lead them into the land of their inheritance. But it was through David that the promise of the real kingdom (Christ's) was made sure unto them with an oath from the Lord (II Sam. 7:16, 17; 108 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM Isa. 9:6, 7). They were promoted to a glorious kingdom in David and Solomon's time; yet that kingdom was but a faint shadow, though a real shadow, of the king- dom of Christ to come. Let us repeat, that what God did for and with Israel through Moses, Aaron, Joshua, some of the judges, Samuel, David, and partly Solomon and later on through the prophets and other men of God until the time that Christ was born and the promise made to Abraham was fulfilled to them for the whole world, is the shadow of that which God is now doing for us through Christ in taking this book and opening the seven seals thereof, together with those who are connected with Him in this work. The history of Israel from their deliverance out of Egypt until Christ was born and crucified and ascended to heaven, for them is the shadow of the history of the church of God in the new covenant. "This history was written before it happened" and is recorded in Revelation from chapter four to chapter twenty. God has written the history of persons, peoples, and nations THE BOOK OF REVELATION 109 before it happened and He has also written the history of the Church before time, in Revel'ation. Not until in chapter 19:7 do we read, ''Let us rejoice and be exceeding glad, and let us give the glory unto him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife has made herself ready." The Kingdom into which Christ will bring us (as we shall reign on the earth. Rev. 5:10, with Him) is revealed in Rev. 20:4-6. Sol- omon's kingdom was a shadow of this king- dom of Christ. Israel's call to be God's chosen servant out of all nations on earth and to separate from them for God's special service, began with Abraham. After Abra- ham proved himself worthy by his faith and test .of obedience to sacrifice his son Isaac, God made him and his race the bearer of the all exceeding and valuable promise- namely, the promise of the Redeemer to be born out of them for the blessing of the whole world. It was this promise that made Israel so worthy for God and for all people on the earth. They were made the bearers of this promise from God for the benefit of 110 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM all families on earth. God used them to fulfill this promise to the world. He neve changed His choice, though they became very, very sinful at times. Yet He never gave the promise to another people. This then was the calling and mission of Israel, to be used of God to fulfill His promise in sending the Messiah to redeem a lost world. God had made this promise to Adam and Eve immediately after the fall. Israel be- came the chosen vessel of God in being made the bearers of this promise. Yea, not only the bearers, but the chosen instrument through whom the promise was to be ful- filled to the world. And God did fulfill it through them. Jesus was born out of them. Jesus was made the Saviour in His death, resurrection and ascension, through Israel. But since they afterwards rejected Christ God did set them aside for the time being and has now chosen a people out of the Gentiles to be the bearer of the other great promise — the second coming of Christ. God makes His church now the bearer of this promise and uses the Church to fulfill this THE BOOK OF REVELATION 111 promise for Israel and for all nations in the whole world. God makes the chosen people out of the Gentiles a blessing to present rejected Israel, as He had made Israel a blessing to the rejected heathen. Oh, won- derful wisdom of God! When this wisdom of God in making the two peoples a 2^^^^ blessing to each other shall be fully realized it will bind the two together in an insepar- able love forever. When Israel was in the Egyptian bondage, they were the bearers there of the promise of the coming of Christ; and when they were in the captivity of Babylon they were, nevertheless, the bearers of the promise and were still the chosen instrument of God. But they had to be delivered out of Egypt through Moses in order to be made the instrument in works to prepare the way to fulfill the promise of the coming Messiah to the whole world. They also had to be delivered out of Babylon for the fulfillment of the promise. Let us now come back to our chapter. Rev. 5, which reveals to us our deliverer, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Lamb of 112 LGHT AND LIFE FROM God, even Jesus Christ, who purchased us with His blood for the service and kingdom of God. He is our deliverer out of the present spiritual Egypt and Babylon be- cause He has taken that book and opens the seals thereof. He will bring us through the works which we are yet to do in order to inherit the promise of His second coming. Just as Israel was led through the needful work and received the needful gifts and power to do them until the promise was fulfilled, so we shall be brought through by Christ, now at work in heaven in opening the seven seals of that wonderful book. As Israel also received mercy upon mercy from God not to be cast aside before the Christ had come (because of the prophets who always made intercession for them), so are we kept by God's mercy and pardoning ':grace, not to be rejected as promise bearers and chosen instruments of God until the promise of Christ's second coming is ful- filled by the Lord through us for all of Ciod's people, for all nations and for the whole creation. It would be an utter impos- THE BOOK OF REVELATION 113 sibility for us as the Church of Christ to fully prepare the way for Christ to come unless we are connected with Christ's pres- ent works in opening the seven seals of that book. Oh, how needful to see through this opened door in Rev. 4 and 5, the Overcom- er who lifts up His Church out of its present weakness, into strength. He is the One who brings His own through all these works and inherited blessings which we see laid out for us here in Revelation from chapter 6 to the end of chapter 20. Before we go over to chapter 6 let us notice a few things of the revealed Christ here in chap- ter 5. "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 though it had been slain, having seven horns, and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God, sent forth unto all the earth." In this 6th verse, Christ is revealed as standing, standing in the midst of the throne, in the midst of the four living creatures and in the midst of the elders. He is revealed as the slain Lamb. 114 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM Think of the Lamb of the passover in Egypt, slain for the protection and release of Israel out of Egypt. So was Christ slain to release us from guilt and buy us for God. He has seven horns and seven eyes which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. These seven horns denote the complete conquering power against all enemies. The seven eyes denote sight. He sees the lost sheep in all parts of the earth that belong to Him by the purchase of His blood. The seven horns and seven eyes are the seven Spirits of God sent forth* into all the earth. They denote the complete armor of God to bring His own out of every power on earth and prepare them for God's service and kingdom. Notice in verse 8 how, and by whom, the prayers of the saints are kept and have not yet come up before God. The apostles, prophets, martyrs, and saints have prayed for the perfecting of the Church and the coming of Christ and His kingdom. Their prayers are not yet answered, but they will be answered in due time. So let us pray and not faint. The Lord will avenge THE BOOK OF REVELATION 115 US of our adversary and will send us Christ back again soon. CHAPTER VI THE OPENING OF THE SEVEN SEALS Let us now bear in mind as we have already stated above that what God did for, and with Israel through Moses, Aaron, Joshua, some of the judges, Samuel, David, Solomon, the prophets, and other men of God in the Old Testament, is the real shad- ow of what God does for the Church and through the Church as recorded here from Rev. 6 to chapter 20. This is the prophesied way through which we are being led until we shall reign with Christ upon earth as prophesied in chapter 20:4-6. Rev. 6:1-2. And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures saying as with a voice of thunder. Come. 2 And I saw, and behold, a white horse, and he that sat thereon had a bow; and there was given unto him a crown : and he came forth con- quering, and to conquer. The Lamb works in heaven, opening THE BOOK OF REVELATION 117 the seals of the book but He has His servants upon earth working with Him. Undoubtedly, the white horse and He that sat thereon is a messenger of Christ. The bow, the crown, and the fact that He comes forth conquering and to conquer, shows that he is endowed with a special power and mission to reveal the salvation of Christ. He commences to prepare the way for Christ to come. Before God comes with judgments for punishment, He comes with the message of peace. The white colored horse would indicate that. This messenger is endued witR authority and power about like that which is promised to the one who overcomes according to Rev. 3:7-12. Rev. 6:3-8. And when he opened the second' seal, I heard die second living creature saying, Come. 4 And another horse came forth, a red horse: and to him that sat thereon it was given to take peace from the earth, and that they should slay one an- other : and there was given unto him a great sword. 5 And when he opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature saying, Come. And I saw, and behold, a black horse; and he that sat thereon had a balance in his hand. 6 And I heard as it were a 118 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM voice in the midst of the four living creatures say- ing, A measure of wheat for a shilling, and three measures of barley for a shilling; and the oil and the wine hurt thou not. 7 And when he opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, Come. 8 And I saw, and behold, a pale horse : and he that sat upon him, his name was Death; and Hades followed with him. And there was given unto them authority over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with famine, and with death, and by the wild beasts of the earth. You notice that these three riders on the horses are sent out in connection with the opening of the seals by the Lamb and also in connection with the service of the four living creatures. These three messen- gers are sent with judgments to the people on earth: judgments to take away peace from the earth; a great sword, wars; fam- ine; to kill the fourth part on earth with the sword, famine, death, and by the wild beasts. Why all these severe judgments? Because they have rejected the message of peace of the Gospel of Christ. Therefore these judgments of great tribulation are sent to bring them to repentance. The Lord THE BOOK OF REVELATION 119 has not given them up as long as He chas- tises them. Jesus prophesied that there would be wars and rumors of wars, famines, pestilences, etc. God is sending these judg- ments through His messengers, because of unbelief in Christ. When Jesus was on earth a certain tower fell and killed 18 men. Jesus said to the Jews that these were not guilty above the rest, and if they would not repent, they would all likewise perish. Look back into the shadow of the Old Testament and see what heavy plagues God caused to come upon the Egyptians because of resist- ing Him in carrying out His plan with His people, Israel. So Christ, with His servants afflicts the disobedient in order to bring them to repentance. Many people will be saved by great tribulation as we see in Chapter 7:9-15, but others will be hardened to curse God and thus become ripe for the judgment of hell fire. Rev. 6:9-11. And when he opened the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of them that had been slain for the word of God, and for 120 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM the testimony which they held: 10 and they cried with a great voice, saying, How long, O Master, the holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? 11 And there was given them to each one a white robe; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little time, until their fellow-servants also and their brethren, who should be killed even as they were, should have fulfilled their course. This passage shows us that the Church or bride of Christ was not yet complete, since the members of Christ's body were not yet full in number. Surely those mar- tyrs or souls under the altar are members of the body of Christ. They are partakers of His suffering. And it seems that they had been waiting a long, long time already for God to avenge their blood. This passage also shows us what is yet needed on the part of the Church, before Christ comes to take His own from the earth unto the mar- riage supper of the Lamb. The number of the suffering members of His body is not yet complete. And Christ will not come to take His own until the members of His body are complete in holiness and in num- THE BOOK OF REVELATION 121 ber. We see the number of the martyrs complete in chapters 1 1 and 14. Rev. 6:12-17. And I saw when he opened the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake ; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the whole moon became as blood; 13 and the stars of the heaven fell unto the earth, as a fig tree casteth her unripe figs when she is shaken of a great wind. 14 And the heaven was removed as a scroll when it is rolled up; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. 15 And the kings of the earth, and the princes, and the chief captains, and the rich, and the strong, and every bondman and freeman, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains; 16 and they say to the mountains and to the rocks. Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: 17 for the great day of their wrath is come; and who is able to stand? This passage is a fulfillment of Jesus' prophecy when He spoke of His coming and of the judgments of tribulation just preceeding His coming. — "But immediately after the tribulation of those days (A.fter the tribulations of those judgments as we have just seen when the Lamb opened the first four seals in Rev. 6) the sun shall be 122 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven, and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory" (Matt. 24:29, 30). "Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills. Cover us" (Luke 23:30). This prophecy will surely come to pass upon those who reject the Gospel of Jesus Christ. They will repent when it is too late. God shall be found true in all His words of blessings and judg- ments, in all His Words of prophecy. Man, thy God has not left thee in ignorance. He has revealed to thee all things which are coming. You are warned through this word of prophecy to make haste and to flee from the wrath to come. Remember how the word of prophecy of Christ's first coming as Savior, prophesied by the prophets in the Old Testament, was literally fulfilled in THE BOOK OF REVELATION 123 Christ. In like manner will the prophecy of this Revelation be literally fulfilled in the good and in the bad. ''Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap" (Gal. 6:7). There are only two classes of people, saved and lost. The best is prepared for man and if man does not take the best, he will get the worst. Man will either be with God or He will be with the devil. Christ will get the kingdom of this world, the devil will be dethroned and put to dishonor, and finally into everlasting punishment. But God and His own will reign in everlasting bliss and glory. Man, you can know all this. It is revealed to you here in this Word of pro- phecy. You can choose either way — to be forever in honor and happiness or to be forever in shame and pain. Which shall it be? Shall Christ lose His labor of suffer- ing on you? Or will you cause Him joy by repenting and yielding to His Gospel, so He shall have you in His kingdom of glory. Oh, which shall it be? Remember His invitation to you: "Come." "The Spirit 124 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM and the bride say, Come. And he that heareth, let him say, come. And he that is athirst, let him come: he that will, let him take of the water of life freely" (Rev. 22: 17). CHAPTER VII THE SEALING OF GOD'S SERVANTS This sealing of God's servants is done before they are taken away with the cloud to meet the Lord in the air. Remember, Israel was sealed by the blood of the Lamb (passover) in Egypt before they were taken out of the land. This sealing was done to protect them against the plague of the destroying angel who was sent through all the land of Egypt to slay the firstborn of man and beast in every house. Another sealing took place later on in Israel at the time of the exile when the judgment of God was poured out over Jerusalem. "And Je- hovah said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry over all the abominations that are done in the midst thereof. And to the others He said in my hearing. Go ye through the city after them, 126 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM and smite: let not your eye spare, neither have ye pity; slay utterly the old men, the young men and the virgin, and little child- ren and women: but come not near any man upon whom is the mark: and begin at my sanctuary" (Ezek. 9:4-6). This sealing at this time was also for protection against the approaching judgment. This sealing at Jerusalem differed from the sealing in E- gypt in this way: The sign of the blood of the lamb on the door lintel and side posts in the houses of the Israelites in Egypt was for all Israel. Unconditionally for all Israel who would obey to put the blood at the appointed place, as God had commanded. But the other protecting mark at Jerusalem was only given to those who sighed and cried over all the abominations that were done in the city. The others were slain, old and young men, virgins and children. But none that had the mark were to be touched by the destroyers. Therefore this mark, or seal, upon our foreheads, and the command to wash our robes and make them white in the blood of the Lamb, are of the greatest THE BOOK OF REVELATION 127 importance to us as revealed here in Rev. 7. For Israel not to have the blood of the Lamb applied, meant death in their home for the firstborn; and not to be worthy of obtaining the mark on the forehead meant death for both old and young. The blood and the mark were both given for protec- tion against the judgments of God which were before the door. So is the sealing of God's servants here in Rev. 7 given of God for the protection against the judgments that are yet to come from Him, as we shall see later on in chapters 8 and 9. Let us now look through the 7th chapter. Rev. 7:1-4. After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that no wind should blow on the earth, or on the sea, or upon any tree. 2 And I saw another angel ascend from the sun- rising, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a great voice to the four angels to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, 3 saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we shall have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads. 4 And I heard the number of them that were sealed, a hundred and forty and four 128 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM thousand, sealed out of every tribe of the children of Israel: It matters not so much to know just who these four angels are that hold the four winds of the earth, nor who this other angel from the sunrising is, who has the seal of the living God and who seals God's servants; but it is of very great importance to clearly know what we need to be or to do in order to be sealed by this angel who ascends from the sunrising. Of course the sealing of these 144,000 is for the twelve tribes of Israel but the other great multi- tude in the latter part of the chapter con- cerns us. Who are they that shall be sealed? Answer: The servants of God. "Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we shall have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.*' The coming plagues shall not hurt them. The Jews once asked Jesus, "What must we do, that we may work the works of God?" Jesus answered them: "This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent" (John 6:28, 29). This shows THE BOOK OF REVELATION 129 US that faith in Christ is serving God. But we read also that faith without works is dead. Jesus said to the angel in the church at Sardis, who was neglecting his ministry: *Thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead." Jesus warns us all to be watchful. *'But watch ye at every season, making supplication, that ye may prevail to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man" (Luke 21:36). Making supplication for us and others is an important service of God to be worthy to escape judgments and to stand before Christ. It seems that these four angels, who stand at the four corners of the earth holding the four winds, have power over the elements in the air. God uses different means to bring judgments upon the unbe- lieving. He uses the wind to destroy; He uses the sun, moon, stars, lightning, hail, and rain to destroy. He uses the wicked nations of the four corners of the earth to punish a certain kingdom; and He has His angels (whether they be angels from heav- 130 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM en or out of His chosen people on earth), to whom He gives power over the elements in the air and over the hearts of kings and nations to move them to carry out His will. For the purpose of bringing in judgments upon the earth, the sea, and upon the trees, are these four angels placed at the four corners of the earth. Remember how God smote Egypt with plagues on the fruit of the land, on the trees, on the beasts and on people. He smote them with hail, pesti- lence and darkness. But remember how the Lord after the first plagues put a difference between His people and the Egyptians. Though His people were in the land of Egypt, yet the plagues did not touch them (Ex. 8:22, 23). God protects His people. This angel from the sunrising is sent to seal the servants of God. We believe that this angel from the sunrising who seals the servants of God on their foreheads, is Christ Himself. For He is the sun and the beginning of the day (spiritually). Notice in Rev. 3:12 how Jesus promised to seal the overcomer by writing God's name upon THE BOOK OF REVELATION 131 him. Notice also in Rev. 10 how an angel (which is undoubtedly Christ Himself) comes. His face is like the sun. He comes to give a message to His servants and gives them authority to fulfill a special prophetic mission. (See Rev. 10). I could not think that any servant of God upon earth has the power to seal the servants of God on their foreheads. John heard the number of them that were sealed, 144,000 of every tribe of Israel. The tribe of Dan is not mentioned among the sealed ones in Rev. 7, but in the prophecy of Ezekiel, chapter 48, it is men- tioned with the rest. The Lord^s love in respecting every tribe alike is revealed here in Rev. 7. He honors every tribe alike with the same number of sealed ones. 5 Of the tribe of Judah were sealed twelve thousand; Of the tribe of Reuben twelve thousand; Of the tribe of Gad twelve thousand; 6 Of the tribe of Asher twelve thousand ; Of the tribe of Naphtali twelve thousand ; Of the tribe of Manasseh twelve thousand; 7 Of the tribe of Simeon twelve thousand; Of the tribe of Levi twelve thousand; Of the tribe of Issachar twelve thousand: 132 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM 8 Of the tribe of Zebulun twelve thousand; Of the tribe of Joseph twelve thousand; Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thou- sand. Every tribe gets the same number of sealed ones. How can God honor all the twelve tribes alike? Undoubtedly, because He looked away from their unworthiness and looked to the works of His Son; and there He saw them all alike. He made them all worthy in Christ's redemption and new creation work. "In Jehovah shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory" (Isa. 45:25). "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 unto our God a kingdom and priests; and they shall reign upon the earth (Rev. 5:9, 10). This last passage leads us over to the last part of Rev. 7, where we see a multitude which no man can number before the throne of God, because they washed their THE BOOK OF REVELATION 133 robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. The blood was their protecting seal and by honoring the blood, as they did, they were received as priests of God on His throne. Rev. 7:9-17. After these things I saw, and behold, a great multitude, which no man could number, out of every nation and of all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, arrayed in white robes, and palms in their hands ; 10 and they cry with a great voice, saying. Salvation unto our God who sitteth on the throne, and unto the Lamb. 11 And all the angels were standing round about the throne, and about the elders and the four living creatures; and they fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God, 12 saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honor, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen. 13 And one of the elders answered, saying unto me> These that are arrayed in the white robes, who are they, and whence came they? 14 And I say unto him, My lord, thou knowest. And he said to me. These are they that come out of the great tribula- tion, and they washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15 Therefore are 134 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM they before the throne of God; and they serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall spread his tabernacle over them. 16 They shall hunger no more; neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun strike upon them, nor any heat: 17 for the Lamb that is in the midst of the throne shall be their shepherd, and shall guide them unto fountains of waters of life: and God shall wipe away every tear from their eyes. God's wonderful love to the world is again revealed in this passage. Like His love is revealed to all the tribes of Israel, as we have seen, so is His great love to all na- tions, tribes, peoples, and tongues revealed here. He has honored them all alike in taking out of their midst a chosen number for His priesthood and for His kingdom. How can God thus honor them all alike? He does that to reward His Son for His labors, because He has reconciled the whole world to God with His blood. "For God was in Christ reconciling the world unto him- self, not reckoning unto them their trespass- es" (II Cor. 5:19). "Unto him that loved us, and loosed us from our sins by his own THE BOOK OF REVELATION 135 blood; and he made us a kingdom, to be priests unto his God and Father; to him be the glory and the dominion for ever and ever, Amen" (Rev. 1:5, 6). Christ's work is rewarded in this great multitude to the blessing of every nation and people on earth, for they serve him day and night in his temple. They have become God's priests as Christ has made them. The sealing of God's servants and the salvation of all this great multitude in this chapter is the fruit of Christ's labors, not only on the cross, but also of His present labors in opening the seals of that book. This all comes to pass after He has opened the sixth seal. Through Him this multitude is lifted up to God's throne. He lifts up His weak church. He brings His own together into unity. In Him we have the victory to heal all our own sores and blemishes. The great divi- sion of the people of God is also healed in Him. He was to die for this very purpose — ''that he might also gather together into one the children of God that are scattered abroad" (John 11:52). O, brother and 136 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM sister in Christ, take courage; our labors with Christ are honored of God. Through this Revelation we can see the church of God fully redeemed and exalted to honor. What we see here must come to pass. Our victory for God's people is made sure to us by these infallible prophesies. God is in the battle for this great multitude to deliver them out of all the power of the enemy, for He has purchased them with His own blood for Himself. To God they must come. He will receive them and they will serve Him. Is this multitude a part of the church of Christ or is it not? Remember that all this sealing of God's servants in the whole of the 7th chapter takes place before Christ comes to take His own from the earth to Himself. The journey of Israel out of Egypt is the shadow of the journey of the Church. The apostles always used Israel and Eve as types of the Church. When Israel came out of the great Egyptian tribulation and wilderness experiences unto God at Mt. Sinai, they had yet to sanctify themselves and wash their garments to pre- THE BOOK OF REVELATION 137 pare themselves for the Lord's coming from heaven to give them the law. So it is said of this whole multitude, *These are they that came out of the great tribulation, and they washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the throne of God; and they serve him day and night in His tem- ple." This perfect washing is a preparation for the coming of Christ. It is the wedding garment for the guests. The Church of Christ goes through the great tribulation as we have seen in the 6th chapter under the opening of the first four seals, but this great tribulation is not the great tribulation that follows later on in the 9th chapter. Those who were sealed in chapter 7 will not be affected in that great tribulation. Only those who have not the seal of God will have to go through it. "And it was said unto them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree, but only such men as have not the seal of God on their foreheads" (Rev. 9:4). The forehead is the door of 138 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM our body or our house, where the name of Christ and the law of God is to be written, "I will put my law in their hearts and in their mind will I write them." Israel was to put the blood of the lamb on the upper lintel of the door of their houses, which I believe, typifies our forehead. The Church is not taken away before the great tribula- tion as seen in chapter 9, but it is protected from the harm of it through the seal. God uses the Church to bring the judgments of the great tribulation upon the unbelieving world, just as God used His chosen servants in Israel to put the plagues of tribulation upon Egypt — yet protected His people from it. The Church will be taken out of the world when its mission is completed and when the chosen servants of the Lord shall have been fully led into Christ's death and resurrection according to Phil. 3:10-15. Af- ter the Antichrist shall have killed the last members of Christ's body, then will the Church be taken out of the world with the clouds and the marriage supper of the Lamb will take place. During this period THE BOOK OF REVELATION 139 there will be yet terrible times on the earth for the remaining believers because of the Antichrist's satanic reign: but the Church is with Christ at this time until He shall come with it to destroy the Antichrist and to set up His kingdom according to Rev. 19:11-21 and 20:1-6. Notice then again that this great multitude came to God's throne through the blood of the Lamb. Nothing is said of them in regard to their works but this one thing — *They washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the lamb." They did this work perfectly. "Therefore are they before the throne of God; and serve Him day and night in his temple." They sing the song of salvation and have palms in their hands. O, brother, sister, God has made it possible for us that the multitude of our sins cannot keep us from God and the priestly office, if we but honor the blood. Our blunders behind us do not change the works of Christ for us, since He has Himself washed us and made us priests unto His God. Faith in the work of Christ is our right- 140 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM eousness by God, but unbelief in His work for us, is the sin that stands between us and God and keeps the veil over our hearts that we can not see ourselves made perfect in Christ. O, brother, if you had the mis- fortune to fall under the power of sin, do not let it remain on you, but make use of the cleansing blood to wash the sin away as often as it may conquer you. And if the dev- il obtain power over you in some way, do use the shield of faith in Christ's blood to wash sin away. Though you may be overcome a dozen times a day, then a dozen times a day repeat the washing until you shall have gained the victory of remaining steadfast, because of your faith in God to hold you fast in His Almighty hand. If you do not take this stand of God's grace, in times of weakness you will become lost and fall as a victim under the power of the accuser, the devil. Thus Christ will lose the reward of His labors on you. You can not be His priest, nor come in His kingdom, because you have not overcome the accuser with the blood of the Lamb. The natural things THE BOOK OF REVELATION 141 reveal us the Spiritual things. God has given us water to wash our bodies and clothes clean. If my body should become dirty ever so many times a day, I can wash it clean every time by the use of water. And if I do not wash it, then I am surely unclean. Yes, and I remain unclean until I wash away the stains on my body, or on my clothes. An unclean person is not in an acceptable condition to be received as a guest to a feast with clean people. Re- member, dear reader, that you will remain unclean through all eternity if you do not overcome in this important act to wash yourself in the blood of the Lamb as re- vealed here in Rev. 7:14. 'They washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the lamb." We must do this work perfectly, not only wash but make our robes white in the blood. Remember that the blood is the sign that God will look on you to accept you and to protect you and not really your character or your works, though they are very essential in their place. (Let us examine the word 142 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM "robes'"). What are these robes? Does the word "robe" mean the spiritual part of our being or does it also include the physi- cal body? The Bible speaks of the body in several places as a garment, robe, clothes, house. The reader is referred to the fol- lowing passages: Isaiah 63:1-3 (this passage speaks of Christ's body); II Cor. 5:1-4 (in using the word, house, tabernacle, clothes, the apostle speaks of the body). We need to wash our bodies in the blood of Christ from the lusts of sin, from diseases and the very germs of diseases in it. We are to wash our robes and make them white in the blood of the Lamb. And if this is not done by us we have not done the work of wash- ing, according to the divine architect's plan. The believer and the Church must be led through the way laid out in the unchange- able Word of God before us. Dear reader, you can do this washing. God does not require hard things of us. We do this washing by faith, in this, that we believe oit Christ, that it is He who has washed our robes and has made them white in His THE BOOK OF REVELATION 145. blood. This faith is reckoned unto us by God for our righteousness. "But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth ("makes righteous," German translation) the ungodly, his faith is reck- oned for righteousness" (Romans 4:5).. That the body must also be washed in the pure water of God's word, or blood of Christ, is made very plain to us by the apostle in Hebrews 10:19-22. "Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by the way which he dedicated for us, a new and living way, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; and having a great high priest over the house of God; let us draw near with a true heart in fullness of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience (now notice) and having our body washed with pure water." It is therefore very clear here that we must wash our body in order to come as priests into God's sanctuary. The word, "blood," is not simply mentioned here in connection 144 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM with washing the body, but the words, 'Vith pure water," are added. The pure water refers at least to three things, — the Word of God, the Holy Spirit, and the blood of Christ. Let us look at the Word. What does the Word of God say about the healing of our bodies from diseases? "Sure- ly He (Christ) has borne our griefs ("sick- ness" Rev. Ver. in margin), and carried our sorrows; yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed" (Isaiah 53:4, 5). Does this prophecy of Christ refer to bodily sickness or does it not? The answer is -given by the Holy Spirit through the a- postle. Matt. 8:13-17. "And Jesus said unto the centurion. Go thy way; as thou hast l^elieved, so be it done unto thee. And the servant was healed in that hour" (bodily healing). "And when Jesus was come into Peter's house, he saw his wife's mother lying sick of a fever. And he touched her THE BOOK OF REVELATION 145 hand, and the fever left her; and she arose, and ministered unto him" (bodily healing). "And when even was come, they brought unto him many possessed with demons: and he cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all that were sick" (bodily healing). Now comes the answer to the prophecy in Isaiah 53:4, 5: "That it might be fulfilled which was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying. Himself took our infirm- ities, and bare our diseases." Christ came to fulfill prophecies and this is one of the prophecies that he was to bear or take upon Himself, our sicknesses and our diseases. We are to believe on Him as the Scripture says. Now if we believe that He washed our bodies in the pure water of the word, having removed from us sickness and dis- ease as well as sin, then we wash our bodies with pure water by faith according to the apostle's teaching in Hebrews 10:22, "and having our bodies washed with pure water." Or as it says in Rev. 7:14 "They washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." O, dear reader, have 146 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM you done it? If not, do it now. It does not matter whether you are well or sick. The body that feels well must be washed just as much as the body that is sickly. We all have the germs of diseases and death in us, though we may feel ever so well. Christ is waiting for His coming until we have over- come to wash our robes and make them white in His blood. Christ will not come until His wife, the Church, has made her- self ready. And she will be made ready; it is sure to come. Observe that this washing of our robes is necessary in order to appear before God's throne and to serve Him in His temple. It is necessary in order to receive the right to the tree of life and to the new Jerusalem. "Blessed are they that wash their robes, that they may have the right to come to the tree of life, and may enter in by the gates into the city" (Rev. 22:14 R. v.). To keep our garments washed is necessary in order to go with Christ when He com.es as a thief, to take His bride from the earth. "Behold I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth THE BOOK OF REVELATION 147 Tiis garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame" (Rev. 16:15). Let us notice another thing in Rev. 7: how all the angels of God give Him honor and worship Him because He has given salvation to such a large multitude out of all nations on earth and has brought them to honor before His throne. "And all the angels were standing round about the throne and the elders and four living creatures: and they fell before the throne on their faces and worshipped God, saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honor, and power, and might, be unto our God for- ever and ever: Amen." Undoubtedly, all these angels have helped God and Christ to save this great multitude. The same as the angels of God helped to redeem Israel out of Egypt and out of Babylon. They had a part in the work with Israel in helping them through the wilderness and in subduing their enemies in Canaan. So have the angels now a great part in our salvation with Christ to bring us to Him. "Are they (the angels) not all ministering spirits, sent 148 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM forth to do service for the sake of them that shall inherit salvation" (Heb. 1:14). Before leaving the 7th chapter let us repeat the blessings that come upon those who have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. — "Therefore are they before the throne of God; and serve him day and night in his temple; and he (the Father) that sitteth on the throne shall spread his tabernacle over them. They shall hunger no more neither thirst anymore; neither shall the sun strike upon them, nor any heat: for the Lamb that is in the midst of the throne shall be their shepherd, and shall guide them unto fountains of waters of life: and God shall wipe away every tear from their eyes." CHAPTER VIII THE OPENING OF THE SEVENTH SEAL In this chapter we need again to re- member that we have things before us that take place before Christ comes. Our mis- sion is not yet finished. Rev- 8:1-6. And when he opened the seventh seal, there followed a silence in heaven about the space of half an hour. 2 And I saw the seven angels that stand before God; and there were given unto them seven trumpets. 3 And another angel came and stood over the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should add it unto the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. 4 And the smoke of the incense,, with the prayers of the saints, went up before God out of the angel's hand. 5 And the angel taketh the censer; and he filled it with the fire of the altar, and cast it upon the earth: and there followed thunders, and voices, and lightnings, and an earthquake. 6 And the seven angels that had the seven trumpets prepared them- selves to sound. 150 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM The opening of the seventh seal by the Lamb is of great importance since there is silence in heaven about half an hour. Great results follow. The seven angels that stand before God are being armed with seven trumpets. These seven angels that stand before God no doubt refer to the Church of God on earth, just as the seven angels in chapters 2 and 3 represent the whole Church on earth at that time. Through the open door into heaven from chapter 4 the Church is raised up out of its present weak- ness into strength, and God will be glorified by her yet. Remember what is promised to the overcomers. God takes delight in rais- ing up a people that have fallen and that are like a field of dry bones. He takes glory to His name in making them alive again and in making them fruitful for doing His service. "Fear not, thou worm Jacob; and ye men of Israel; I will help thee, saith Jehovah, and thy Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel. Behold, I have made thee to be a new sharp threshing instrument having teeth; thou shalt thrash THE BOOK OF REVELATION 151 the mountains, and beat them small, and shalt make the hills as chaff" (Isa. 41:14, 15). Israel had become as weak as a worm, but God said I will make thee a new thresh- ing instrument having teeth. The same grace of God should be expected for the Church in this age. The High Priest makes intercession for the Church so as to have it raised up into strength and to be armed as never before in its history. These seven angels receive seven trumpets and they receive power to sound them, as re- vealed here in Rev. 8:3-6. The Church was led into the great tribulation, but it became obedient to God through this chastening and believed in the blood to cleanse her. Therefore she is used of God again as His chosen instrument to fulfill a prophetic mis- sion on earth in order to prepare the way for Christ to come. We see in the above passage that the prayers of all the saints that were kept by the 24 elders and the four living creatures in golden bowls, come now before God, with the incense that is given to be added. This angel that serves 152 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM ' at the altar in verses 3-5 no doubt is the High Priest, Jesus, Himself. He performs a work there like Aaron, the high priest, did for Israel in the Jewish tabernacle, ministering at the golden altar to bring the offering of the people before God. (See Lev. 9). So does this priestly angel here. He brings the prayer offerings of the peo- ple, together with the much incense (which is prayer too, only not from the saints on earth) on the golden altar, before the throne: *'and the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, went up before God out of the angeFs hand. And the angel taketh the censer; and he filled it with the fire of the altar, and cast it upon the earth: and there followed thunders, and voices, and lightnings, and an earthquake and the seven angels that had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound." They first received seven trumpets and then they received power to sound them through this fire which was cast upon the earth from the altar in heaven. This fire must be another outpouring of the Holy Spirit. The THE BOOK OF REVELATION 153 Bible speaks of a former and latter rain. The first great outpouring of the Spirit (which is likened unto water and fire) took place at Pentecost. Jesus was acting as High Priest in heaven and poured the Holy- Spirit upon His Church on earth at Jerusa- lem. He had sanctified them on the cross just before and now He fills them with power. The disciples already had received His Words, the commission to preach His Gospel to all the world, and through the acceptance of His Words, they were armed with a message. Now at Pentecost they received the power to preach their mes- sages. So here in Rev. 7 is the Church sealed and cleansed with the blood of the Lamb, and in chapter 8 it receives seven trumpets and the power to sound them. The second great and special endowment of power may well be called the latter rain. "Be patient therefore, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. Behold the husband- man waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient over it, until it receive the early and latter rain" (James 5:7). 154 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM Through the early rain that came at Pente- cost, the seed of God's Word which Christ sowed in the hearts of His disciples, came to life and it grew wonderfully fast, but this seed of Christ's words can not come to perfect fruit without this second endow- ment of power, or latter rain as revealed here in Rev. 8:1-6. The saints of old prayed for the perfecting of the Church and for the kingdom of God to come. The saints of today pray for a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit and for a world-wide revival. So we read in this passage that the prayers of all saints are ^brought on the altar by the angel who acts in the High Priest's office. A,nd the smoke of all these prayers, together with the much incense that was yet added to the prayers of the saints, come up before God; and the reward of all this labor is that a censer filled with fire from the altar is cast upon the earth. Upon this outpouring, thunders, voices, lightnings, and earthquakes take place upon earth and the seven angels are prepared to sound their trumpets. This is a part of the THE BOOK OF REVELATION 1.5 power revealed to us through the open door into heaven which the Church is to receive. It is likely the full fulfilment of Joel's prophecy in Joel 2:28-32 of which the Pentecostal outpouring was the first or par- tial fulfilment. As we have stated before the Church in Rev. 4:1 is given an open door to receive power and a special mission. Here in chapter 8 and elsewhere in this book is this special mission revealed. May we refer again to the prophet Isaiah, how he was qualified for his mission by seeing heaven open and by receiving that coal of fire from the altar, which one of the sera- phims took and touched the prophet's lips with, and lo, his sin was taken away and he was ready to be sent on his great mis- sion. He had been acting as prophet or as God's servant before this, yet he needed this experience for his new mission. ''Every branch that beareth fruit, he cleanseth it, that it may bear more fruit" (John 15:2). This new endowment of power revealed here in Rev. 8:1-6 is so needful for the Church today that without it we could not 156 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM fully prepare the way on earth for Christ to come. His bride could not be made ready. These seven trumpets must be sounded. Observe too, that the bride is made ready for the translation when the last trumpet shall sound. "Behold I tell you a mystery; we shall not all sleep (die), but we shall all be changed, in a moment. In the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump" (I Cor. 15:51). If there is a last trump then there are other ones to be sounded before, and here in Rev. 8. we have the giving of the seven trumpets and they all must be sounded before the Church is made ready for the translation. : The Sounding of the Seven Trumpets The sounding of these seven trumpets by the seven angels (servants of Christ in the church) extend from chapter 8 to the end of chapter 14; then in chapter 15 are the seven angels revealed from heaven who have seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God; and in chapter 16 they are sent to pour them out into the earth. It is re- vealed to us first, how the lamb (Jesus) THE BOOK OF REVELATION 157 Opens the seven seals on that book from chapters 6 to 8, and after he has opened the seventh seal, then comes the revelation of the seven trumpets from chapter 8 to 14. Then after the seventh trumpet has sound- ed, comes the revelation of the seven angels from heaven with their seven golden bowls full of God's wrath, and through them is finished the wrath of God. These are the ones that complete the work of God on earth for the coming of Christ. Christ has done His work. The seven seals are opened. He is waiting for us to do our part of the work as revealed from chapter 8 to 14. The seven angels from heaven are also ready to do their part of the work as soon as ours is done. The angels in heaven would never dare to do any work that God has chosen us to do. Neither will Christ do our part of the work. These prophecies concerning Christ's work, our work, and the angels' work, must be fulfilled each by the particular persons named just as they are written. But we can never, never do the work laid out for us here in Revelation, 158 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM unless we are attached to this book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ. We must read and keep the words of the prophecy in this book, in order to receive the promises in it; yea, in order to receive this very armor and power revealed to us here in Rev. 8:1-6. Remember that Israel was armed too with seven trumpets which they sounded against their enemies inorder to inherit the land of Canaan (Josh. 6:13, 20). We must do like Joshua and Caleb who had the faith in the prophecies God made to Israel and did not look to their weakness and to the strength of their enemies before them, as did the unbelieving spies. Through the unbelief of the ten spies the whole congregation of Israel was turned back from the onward march of victory, and had to retreat and fell into shame, punishment, and death. These ten spies were men of high honor. They were rulers chosen by the Lord for His tribes: but they lost their high calling as soldiers of the Lord, because of their sin of unbelief in God's promises (Num. 13:1,. 2). This Revelation is the way laid out THE BOOK OF REVELATION 159 before us, through which we must go in order to inherit Christ's second coming to take His Church from the earth and then to set up His kingdom with her. We now turn to the sounding of the seven trumpets. Rev. 8:7-13. And the first sounded, and there followed hail and fire, mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of the earth was burnt up, and the third part of the trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up. 8 And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood; 9 and there died the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, even they that had life; and the third part of the ships was destroyed. 10 And the third angel sounded, and there fell from heaven a great star, burning as a torch, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of the waters; 11 and the name of the star is called Wormwood : and the third part of the waters became wormwood ; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter. 12 And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; that the third part of them should be darkened, and the day should not shine for the third part of it, and the night in like manner. 160 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM 13 And I saw, and I heard an angel, flying in mid heaven, saying with a great voice, Woe, woe, woe, for them that dwell on the earth, by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, whcf are yet to sound. Notice that through these four angels, the earth and the sea are smitten with severe judgments. These judgments are of a nature similar to the plagues that Moses had to lay upon the Egyptians. And God used His chosen servants, Moses and Aaron, to bring these judgments upon the land and waters of Egypt. This happened before Israel was taken out of Egypt. So likewise here in Rev. 8 and 9: these judgments come upon the world before the Church is trans- lated and God uses His chosen servants of the Church to bring these plagues upon the unbelievers on land and sea. Because they refused to accept the Gospel of Christ and would not yield to Him, therefore are these severe judgments now introduced. CHAPTER IX THE SOUNDING OF THE FIFTH AND SIXTH TRUMPETS The sounding of these last trumpets are called Woes, because they are much more severe than the first four. These severe 'Voes" are, nevertheless a token of God's love to men, who takes pain and patience to chastise them in order to bring them to repentance and faith in Christ for their salvation, that He may do them good afterwards. Rev. 9:1-4. And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star from heaven fallen unto the earth : and there was given to him the key of the pit of the abyss. 2 And he opened the pit of the abyss; and there went up a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit. 3 And out of the smoke came forth locusts upon the earth; and power was given them, as the scorpions of the earth have power. 4 And it was said unto theiji that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree, but only 162 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM such men as have not the seal of God on their foreheads. Notice why they were so tormented with this plague of the fifth angel — because of not having the seal of God on their fore- heads. What was, or is this seal? We saw it in chapter 7:14, 15. The faith in the blood of the Lamb brings the seal upon us. The blood, the name of Jesus, is the seal upon our foreheads, just as the Israelites in Egypt had the blood of the lamb on the door of their houses. To think of the blood as on the name of Jesus is a shield and seal to us. To remember the blood for us, as guilty sinners or saints, is indeed serving God. God has commanded men everywhere to repent and believe on His Son, and get baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; and if men do this, they are indeed serving God. But when they do it not, then they have refused to take the seal of God; they have refused to do the works in order to receive the seal. Therefore God sends them heavy judgments to give them a foretaste of hell punishment, THE BOOK OF REVELATION 163 as we shall see further in this chapter. But we repeat that these terrible woes to plague men, are not sent upon them because God has rejected them, but for the very purpose that God may have them after the sore chastening has worked in them the fruit of repentance. Rev. 9:5-11. And it was given them that they should not kill them, but that they should be tor- mented five months : and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when it striketh a man. 6 And in those days men shall seek death, and shall in no wise find it; and they shall desire to die and death fleeth from them. 7 And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared for war; and upon their heads as it were crowns like unto gold, and their faces were as men's faces. 8 And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions. 9 And they had breast- plates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots, of many horses rushing to war. 10 And they have tails like unto scorpions, and stings ; and in their tails is their power to hurt men five months. 11 They have over them as king the angel of the abyss : his name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in the Greek tongue he hath the name Apollyon. 164 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM You will observe that the above passage describes an army of destroyers, — of course, largely in figurative language. The revela- tor, John, saw this destructive army coming out of the smoke that arose from the opened pit. They are described as locusts, resembling scorpions, horses, having men's faces. The king over them is called Abad- don, which means destroyer. The most im- portant thing for us to know is not, what these locusts are, but that we have the seal of God on our forehead, so that this de- structive army or these great woes can not hurt us. We may look back in the shadow of Israel's history and see how the Egyp- tians were plagued by Moses and Aaron with the plague of frogs, lice, flies, and with an enormous army of locusts. These locusts "covered the face of the whole earth, so that the land was darkened; and they did eat every herb of the land, and all the fruit of trees which the hail had left: and there remained not any green thing, either tree or herb of the field, through all the land of Egypt" (Ex. 10:15). Here in Reve- THE BOOK OF REVELATION 165 lation the locusts are not allowed to hurt the grass of the earth neither any green thing, neither any tree, but only such men who have not the seal of God on their fore- heads. This plague is to last five months. Surely these men can not say that God did not give them a foretaste of the torment of hell. They can not say at the judgment of God, "You did not do your duty to chastise me that I might repent of my evil ways, and now I am lost because of the neglect of chastisement." Rev. 9:12-21. The first Woe is past: behold, there come yet two Woes hereafter. 13 And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the horns of the golden altar which is before God, 14 one saying to the sixth angel that had the trumpet, Loose the four angels that are bound at the great river Euphrates. 15 And the four angels were loosed, that had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, that they should kill the third part of men. 16 And the number of the armies of the horsemen was twice ten thousand times ten thousand : I heard the number of them. 17 And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having breastplates as of fire and of hyacinth and of brimstone: and the heads of the 166 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM horses are as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths proceedeth fire and smoke and brimstone. 18 By these three plagues was the third part of men killed, by the fire and the smoke and the brimstone, which proceedeth out of their mouths. 19 For the power of the horses is in their mouths, and in their tails : for their tails are like unto serpents, and have heads; and with them they hurt. 20 And the rest of mankind, who were not killed with these plagues, repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship demons, and the idols of gold, and of silver, and of brass, and of stone, and of wood; which can neither see, nor hear, nor walk: 21 and they repented not of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts. Notice that this woe or plague is de- scribed as an army of soldiers. The war weapons with which they kill the third part of men, are fire, smoke, and brimstone, which, as I believe, describes the use of gun powder connected with fire and gun balls — ''Brimstone" (gun and cannon balls), "fire and smoke" (resulting from gun pow- der). The revelator saw the future arms and instruments of war which at that time were not yet invented. The revelator saw THE BOOK OF REVELATION 167 the horses and the men who sat on them having breastplates as of fire and of hya- cinth and of brimstone. Evidently this describes the soldier on his horse with his gun or pistol to shoot, his sword to stab, and his coat of steel. But this passage speaks also of the horses; that out of their mouth proceedeth fire and smoke, and brimstone and that in their mouth is their power and that their tails are like serpents and have heads and that the heads of the horses are like the heads of lions. I believe this describes the cannon which in time of battle is placed at the head of the horses and after the battle behind the horses to draw them away. Thus it would indicate the tail of the horse, but when the cannon is in front of the horse, then the head. The cannon is shaped like a serpent and has a head. Out of the cannon pro- ceedeth fire, smoke, and brimstone (balls). The cannon is the lion instrument of war weapons. Let us notice further that the above passage connects us with the great river Euphrates, and hence reminds us of 168 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM the deliverance of Israel out of Babylon by king Cyrus, who went through the river bed of Euphrates and conquered Babylon and afterwards released Israel from their cap- tivity. The Lord delivered Israel out of the Babylonish captivity by an army of human soldiers; not through the plagues of nature as in Egypt, when He used the frogs, flies, lice, locusts, hail, fire, and darkness, and when He slew the firstborn. So we may well believe that the above passage refers to an enormous army of soldiers. Jesus prophesied when He was rejected as the Savior and the King of peace, that there would be wars and rumors of wars and great signs of plagues in nature. As Israel had to be delivered out of the nations of Egypt and Babylon, so must the people of God today be delivered out of spiritual Egypt and Babylon. And God will use the different means to deliver us as they are described in this Revelation of Jesus Christ. CHAPTER X THE ANGEL WITH THE LITTLE BOOK We come now to a very important part of prophecy in chapters 10 and 11 in con- nection with the sounding of the sixth trumpet, which takes place before Christ comes to take His Church out of the earth. We have yet a prophetic mission to fulfill, as described in these two chapters, in order to finish our part of the work in preparing the way for the translation and for Christ to come. May the Lord through His Spirit of wisdom and knowledge of prophecy teach us and guide in this writing. Amen. Rev. 10:1-4. And I saw another strong angel coming down out of heaven, arrayed with a cloud; and the rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire; 2 and he had in his hand a Httle book open: and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left upon the earth; 3 and he cried with a great voice, as a lion roareth: and when he cried, the seven thunders uttered their voices. 4 And when the seven thun- 170 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM ders uttered their voices, I was about to write : and I heard a voice from heaven saying, Seal up the things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not. The description of this angel in the above passage causes us to believe it to be Christ. The rainbow upon His head shows Him as the angel of the covenant of peace. For that is what the rainbow signifies — peace from God to man. It is the seal from God to man that He will not punish but freely pardon the guilty upon faith in the offering for sin, made on the cross by Christ's blood for the sins of the whole world. His face and feet and voice are like the one described in Rev. 1:13-16, who is Christ. After the heavy, dark judgment clouds that were sent over the earth, as we have seen in the foregoing chapters, ap- pears at once this angel with the rainbow of peace and life for the servants of God, to give them a special message by this little open book. It is almost as when in times of the dark clouds and thunderstorms, the rainbow appears in the sky, by which God THE BOOK OF REVELATION 171 remembers His promise not to punish man and beast by a flood again. So is the appearance of this angel a special token of God's mercy to the world. The fact' that He places His right foot upon the sea and His left upon the earth, reveals Him as the heir, as possessor of the sea and the earth. For the Father has made Him the heir of all things: "Whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom also he made the worlds" (Heb. 1 :2). "Ask of me, and I will give thee the nations for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possessions" (Psa. 2:8). In His appearance here in Rev. 10 He does not take in the kingdom but He appears to His special servants to give them a message of pro- phecy to prepare the way for Him to come. It is what He has promised to the over- comers in His church according to Rev. 2:26-29 and 3:11-13. "And he that over- cometh, and he that keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give authority over the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of the potter are 172 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM broken to shivers; as I also received of my Father: and I will give him the morning star." This Morning Star is Christ. See Rev. 22:16. The apostle John was not allowed to write what the seven thunders uttered. This is a fulfilment of prophecy by Jesus — "And except those days had been shortened, no flesh would have been saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened" (Matt. 24:22). This means that in this dispensation of the Holy Spirit we will not have to go through all the tribula- tions, foreshadowed in Israel's history, or as it had been purposed at the beginning. It is reasonable to believe that this part of the time which is shortened will come in after the devil shall be let loose again out of his prison and the kingdom of Christ will yet undergo a very hard attack of its enemy according to Rev. 20:7-10. Rev. 10:5-7. And the angel that I saw standing upon the sea and upon the earth Hfted up his right hand to heaven, 6 and sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created the heaven and the things that are therein, and the earth and the things THE BOOK OF REVELATION 173 that are therein, and the sea and the things that are therein, that there shall be delay no longer: 7 but in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, then is finished the mystery of God, according to the good tidings which he de- clared to his servants the prophets. The above passage reveals us the all important mystery in regard to whom it is given to bring the time of grace to a close. Oh, how many (even some dear servants of God) have fallen into this blunder, to state, the time of the end by naming dates. The above passage reveals to us that this angel (which we believe to be Christ Himself), alone has this power to bring this time of grace to a close, and set dates. (We need to recognize that Christ received more knowl- edge and power of the Father about the time of the end, than what He had when He was in the flesh. Then He did not have yet this Revelation of the Father according to chapter 1:1). He is doing this with an oath, which no man has a right to use (Matt. 5:33-36). The above passage also reveals us this truth, that the close of the 174 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM time of grace is connected with the sound- ing of the seventh trumpet. God will not cause this time to come to a close before the people have received the needful message and have been duly warned, as in the time of the flood. Rev. 10:8-11. And the voice which I heard from heaven, I heard it again speaking with me, and saying, Go, take the book which is open in the hand of the angel that standeth upon the sea and upon the earth. 9 And I went unto the angel, saying unto him that he should give me the little book. And he saith unto me. Take it, and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but in thy mouth it shall be sweet as honey. 10 And I took the little book out of the angel's hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth ■sweet as honey : and when I had eaten it, my belly was made bitter. 11 And they say unto me, Thou must prophesy again over many peoples and nations rand tongues and kings. « In the beginning of chapter 4:1 we have stated that John represents the church upon earth when he saw the open door into heaven and a voice said to him "come up liither:" and that he also represents the Church here in chapter 10:8-11 when the THE BOOK OF REVELATION 175 voice speaks to him again saying: "Go, take the book and eat it up and thou must prophesy again over many peoples and nations and tongues and kings." How plain- ly does this show to us, that the mission of the Church in chapter 4:1 was not yet finished, but that the Church gets an open door to see into heaven to become con- nected with all conquering powers of God in heaven, and to receive a special prophetic mission. We see this so clearly proven here in Rev. 10:8-11. This mission, to eat up the little book and to prophesy it to the many peoples, nations, tongues, and kings, is given to the apostle John direct, as the representative of the Church on earth, over which Christ had placed him as His apostle. Christ had received a sealed book from God, as seen in chapter 5; but He opened the seven seals of that book as we have seen. Now He gives an open book to John with the command to eat it up and to prophesy it. What could this little open book be, if it were not just this very little book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ that we are 176 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM Studying, — the book which has been such a sealed book to us and to the Church in the past? It will remain sealed to us unless we believe that Christ has opened it. For no one was found worthy to open it nor to look on it but He alone. This one thing is very, very clear that Christ, or at least this angel gives the servant of the Church a little open book to eat and to prophesy for the many peoples, nations, tongues, and kings. Re- member that the prophet Ezekiel received a similar book, or letter, to eat and to pro- phesy, during the captivity of Israel. His mission was not confined to Israel alone, but to otner nations as well. Israel received this of the Lord through the prophet, before they had been delivered out of Babylon and before the promised Savior was born unto them (Ezek. 2:8-10 and 3:1-4). In like manner here, as in the shadow, does God 'give His special servants of the Church such a message and Mission with authority to prophesy it. And this prophecy must be fulfilled before the Church will be taken away to meet Christ in the air. We can not THE BOOK OF REVELATION 177 expect to have the promise of His second coming fulfilled unto us until we have finished our Mission. CHAPTER XI THE SOUNDING OF THE SEVENTH TRUMPET Rev. 11:1-2. And there vv^as given me a reed like unto a rod : and one said, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein. 2 And the court which is without the temple leave without, and measure it not; for it hath been given unto the nations : and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and twa months. The temple of God and they that wor- ship therein was to be measured, that is, it was to be rebuilt or raised up from its fall. This temple of God is the Church of God, and they that worship therein are His ser- vants who have not given up their service as priests of God, though the Church has fallen and is in the captivity of Babylon under the mother of harlots and is largely joined to the world today. As Israel fell into the captivity of Assyria and Babylon, so has the Church fallen and has lost to a great extent the gifts of the Spirit that it THE BOOK OF REVELATION once had, especially in the apostles' time. But as Israel was brought back and the temple was rebuilt and the true worship of the priesthood re-established so shall the Church be brought back and the true wor- ship of the Spirit with its gifts restored, and the promise of Christ's coming be fulfilled to us. Praise God's Holy name. But the court that was without the temple should not be measured for it was given to the nations. We believe that the court just before the temple signifies the law. Christ is the real temple of God, but the Church is the temple too. ''Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you" (I Cor. 3:16) ? Christ lias not fallen. He does not need to be raised up again; but the Church has fallen and It must be raised again. The law came before Christ or before the Church. The law served as a tutor to bring us to Christ, but after we are in Christ as in the Spirit we do not need the tutor anymore. See Gal. 3:23-25. We do not worship in the court anymore, but in the temple; that is, 180 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM we worship under the new law of the Spirit and not in the old law of the letter. But the law is given to the nations. They are us ng the carnal weapons such as were used under the law in Israel's history. The na- tions today are using the oath, the sword, granting divorces between man and wife as under the law, things which are forbidden in the New Testament. So the law or the court v/ithout the temple is given to the nations and because this power is given unto them they will tread the saints — the holy city — under foot for 42 months. This prophecy will be fulfilled by the Antichrist. "And there was given to him authority to continue 42 months." *'And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them" (Rev. 13:5, 7). "And he shall speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High." — "And they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and half a time" (Dan. 7:25) meaning no doubt one year, two years, and a half year: the same as forty-two months. THE BOOK OF REVELATION 181 The Two Witnesses Rev. 11:3-13. And I will give unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. 4 These are the two olive trees and the two candle- sticks, standing before the Lord of the earth. 5 And if any man desireth to hurt them, fire proceed- eth out of their mouth and devoureth their enemies; and if any man shall desire to hurt them, in this manner must he be killed. 6 These have the power to shut the heaven, that it rain not during the days of their prophecy: and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood, and to smite the earth with every plague, as often as they shall desire. 7 And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that cometh up out of the abyss shall make war with them, and overcome them, and kill them. 8 And their dead bodies lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom "and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified. 9 And from among the peoples and tribes and tongues and nations do men look upon their dead bodies three days and a half, and suffer not their dead bodies to be laid in a tomb. 10 And they that dwell on the earth rejoice over them, and make merry; and they shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwell on the earth. 11 And after the three days and a half the 182 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM breath of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them that beheld them- 12 And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they went up into heaven in the cloud; and their enemies beheld them. 13 And in that hour there was a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell; and there were killed in the earthquake seven thousand persons : and the rest were affright- ed, and gave glory to the God of heaven. Who are these two mysterious witnesses? We refer back to the prophecy in Zech. 4:14, 'These are the two anointed ones, that stand by the Lord of the whole earth." And in the above passage of Rev. 1 1 Christ calls them "my two witnesses." They are clothed with sackcloth like he was, *'I made sack- cloth my clothing" (Psa. 69:11). These two witnesses are clothed with the suffering or dying garments of Christ. They are His witnesses because grace is given them to die for the sake of others. They may not be sin offerings but burnt offerings to die for others as Christ did. They are His wit- nesses to prophesy His full salvation over the whole world, and after they have fin- THE BOOK OF REVELATION 183 ished their testimony, then they are given over to be killed by the Antichrist. Their bodies shall not see corruption, as Christ's body did not; and they shall be made alive again, like Christ's body was; and after they shall be raised to life again they shall ascend into heaven with the cloud as Christ did; and thus they be- come His full witnesses. It is His Church that is transformed into His likeness. It is that which the apostle Paul strove to obtain in Phil. 3:7-16; namely, "That I may know him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of his suffering, becom- ing conformed unto his death; if by any means I may attain unto the resurrection from the dead." We see this fulfilled by the Church of Christ here in Rev. 11 in these two witnesses. The apostle Paul died a martyr for Christ, but his body was not made alive again and taken to heaven in a cloud, like the bodies of these two wit- nesses. Remember we have things before us that must take place before Christ comes to take His Church from the earth. 184 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM These two witnesses bear the name "can- dlesticks" a name which is applied to a church and not a single person. In Rev. 1 :20 the name "star" is applied to the dif- ferent servants of Christ who were the leaders of the different churches, but to the churches as an assembly of people, the name "candlestick" is applied. So these two witnesses of Christ are named "candle- sticks," which causes us to believe that they are two bodies of chosen saints rather than two persons. Also from what is said of them in Rev. 1 1 :9, "And from among the peoples and tribes and tongues and nations (plurals) do men look upon their dead bodies." We believe that they must be more than two individuals. They are killed in the great city, spiritual Sodom and Egypt; where their Lord was crucified, Jerusalem in the time of Christ had become as wicked as Sodom and as Egypt was in the time of Moses. In Rev. 1 1 :4, these two witnesses of Christ are also called "olive trees." This describes them as especially filled with the Holy Spirit. Probably not merely for them- THE BOOK OF REVELATION 185 selves alone but for others; as in the time of the apostles, the Lord had anointed the apostles so that when they laid hands on others and prayed for them He gave the Spirit unto others through them. They are also called prophets, no doubt because of their mission and power to smite the earth with plagues as often as they shall desire. They have a power given to them as Moses and Elijah had. But remember the power was given to Moses to smite Egypt with plagues in order to deliver Israel out of Egypt and to bring them into the land of Canaan. And the power was given to Elias to smite the land with three and one-half year's drought in order to bring Israel back from the worship of Baal. All the power that God gave to Moses, Joshua, to the judges, David, Elias and later on to other prophets and men of God, was always given to be used for the purpose of preparing the way through Israel and through the people in the world for Christ to come. So like- wise here in Rev. 11 is this power given to these two witnesses to prepare the way in 186 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM the Church and by all the people in the world, for Christ's second coming. Just as Israel needed prophets with such power, so the Church of Christ today needs proph- ets with the same power as revealed here in this eleventh chapter of Revelation. This is what our God has in store for us. The Church is in great weakness today. It is in bondage in the world. It is in captivity to the modern Babylon. It is defiled with the teaching of Balaam and with the adultery and fornication of Jezebel, and God must send the two-edged sword to purify it. The power given to these two witnesses is promised to those who overcome in the churches upon earth. (The reader is referred to Rev. 2:26-29 and 3:12, 13). Christ promised great power to those who believe on Him. "Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also: and great- er works than these shall he do: because I go to my father" (John 14:12). Why should we believe that one of these wit- nesses refer to Moses' coming again when TH£ BOOK OF REVELATION 187 therB-is no such prophecy referring to this? Where is the foundation for this teaching? God will fulfill His prophecies. And why- should we believe that Elijah will come again and act as one of these two witnesses, when Christ said that Elijah has already come in the person of John the Baptist? "And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elijah must first come? And he answered and said, Elijah indeed cometh, and shall restore all things: but I say unto you, that Elijah is come already, and they knew him not, but did unto him whatsoever they would" (Matt. 17:10-12). There is also no prophecy con- cerning Enoch that he should come again. We repeat, that God fulfills His prophecies. He makes His secrets known to His own through the word of prophecy. **Surely the Lord Jehovah will do nothing, except he reveal his secret unto his servants the prophets" (Amos 3:7). Therefore will God do nothing except what He revealed to us through His Word of prophecy. But since God has revealed all things to us in these 188 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM prophecies of Revelation, it must then be revealed to us from where these two wit- nesses come and to whom such a power and prophetic mission is promised. Do they not come out of the Church of Christ? The powers and mission that these two wit- nesses exercise is very clearly promised to those who overcome the evils in the churches and who continue to hold fast the words and the faith of Jesus Christ. This is so plainly revealed in the seven messages to the seven churches in Rev. 2 and 3 that the honest seeker for the truth cannot help but see it. Let us just notice again what is prom- ised to those who overcome. In the mes- sage to the' church at Ephesus we read, "To him that overcometh, to him will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the Paradise of God." We see this promise fulfilled in these two witnesses for their bodies did not return to the dust of the earth after they were killed, but were made alive again and translated to heavn. This grace had never yet been fulfilled in anyone THE BOOK OF REVELATION 189 before save in Christ. They overcame not to fall away from the first love and so they inherited the promise (Rev. 2:1-7). In the message to the church at Smyr- na we read, ''He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death." This promise is fulfilled in the two witnesses. They were hurt by the first death; they were killed but were taken to heaven with the cloud. The second death has no power over them. They are under the protection of God who liveth forever and ever. Because they filled the condition to be faithful unto death, they received the crown of life. "Be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee the crown of life" (Rev. 2:10, 11). Oh, how plainly can this be seen fulfilled in the two witnesses. In the message to the angel of the church at Pergamum we read, 'To him that overcometh, to him will I give of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and upon the stone a new name written, which no one knoweth but he that receiv- eth it." Did not these two witnesses re- 190 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM ceive a new name, since their bodies were made alive again? No one had received this new name before except Christ. The white stone probably refers to their blood washed bodies. The law of putrefaction had no power over their bodies, for they had also received the hidden manna which is the flesh and blood of Jesus Christ, ac- cording to Jesus' words in John 6:49-51. In their testimony these two witnesses overcome the destructive doctrine of Ba- laam and that of the Nicolaitans existing in the church at Pergamum and therefore they inherited the promises (Rev. 2:12-17), In the message to the angel of the church at Thyatira we read, **And he that overcometh, and he that keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give authority over the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of the potter are broken to shivers; as I also have received of my Father: and I will give him the morning star." How plain is this arm- or and power revealed in the two witnesses. They have authority over the nations and THE BOOK OF REVELATION 191 power to rule them with a rod of iron. For we read of them in Rev. 11:5, 6; "And if any man desireth to hurt them, fire pro- ceedeth out of their mouth and devoureth their enemies; and if any man shall desire to hurt them, in this manner must he be killed. These have the power to shut the heaven, so that it rain not during the days of their prophecy: and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood, and to smite the earth with every plague, as often as they shall desire." These two witnesses truly have this power which is promised to the overcomer of the evils in the church at Thyatira. These witnesses overcame in their testimony for Christ to judge the awful adultery and fornication going on by the woman, Jezebel, and toler- ated as in the church at Thyatira. These two witnesses as overcomers of the above evils and in holding fast the works of Christ, are now gifted with authority and power to finish the testimony for Christ to come. They are doing the work to a small extent what Christ will complete, when He 192 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM comes with the iron rod to smite the na- tions as revealed in Rev. 19:11-21. To the overcomer in the church at Thyatira is also the morning star promised which is Christ Himself (Rev. 2:18-28; Rev. 22:16). This shows us that the promise of Christ's sec- ond coming cannot be inherited by the Church, until the works named in Rev. 2: 26-29 have been done, by the overcomers or the chosen servants of Christ. Yea, the Church cannot inherit the promise of His coming until the armor is given of God to those who overcome. In the message to the church at Sardis we read, **He that overcometh shall thus be arrayed in white garments; and I will in no wise blot out his name out of the book of life, and I will confess his name before my Father, and before His angels." Again we can see these promises fulfilled in these two witnesses, for they overcame in their faith- ful service to Chrise in doing the works required to inherit the above promises (Rev. 3:1-6). In the message to the angel of the THE BOOK OF REVELATION 193 church at Philadelphia we read, "I come quickly: hold fast that which thou hast, that no one take thy crown. He that over- cometh, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go out thence no more: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which Cometh down out of heaven from my God, and mine own new name." Can we not see these promises fulfilled in the two wit- nesses? Were they not made pillars in the temple (Church) of God in their mission on earth? And does not their resurrection from death and their ascension into heaven show that God's names were written upon them? Christ received a new name be- cause He died for others (Phil. 2:5-11). So these two witnesses received Christ's new name to rule, because they were con- formed in the likeness of His death. They overcame to hold fast the word and the faith of Christ and therefore inherited the promises given to the overcomer as in the church at Philadelphia (Rev. 7:11-13). 194 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM In the message to the church at Lao- dicea we read, "He that overcometh, I will give to him to sit down with me in my throne, as I also overcame and sat down with my father in his throne." Is it not very plain to us when we look at the mis- sion of those two witnesses that they over- came just as Christ did. It is said of them that they finished the testimony over the whole earth in three and one-half years. As Christ said, "I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do." They over- came indeed the terrible condition in the Church as at Laodicea (Rev. 3:14-22) and bought of Christ gold purified in the fire to become rich, and white garments, and eye- salve, and therefore the promise to sit on Christ's throne was sealed to them. We may well look to Rev. 12:1-5 to see the mother of these overcomers and of these two witnesses. The two witnesses of Christ are taken out of Israel and the, heathen as seen in Rev. 7. The Scripture also says, ''Israel is my son, my first born" (Ex. 4:22) but God gets a second son out THE BOOK OFr; REV-ELATION 195 of: the Gentilesr So we judge that these two. witnesses in Rev. 11 are a number of overcomers taken out of Israel and of the other nations in the world. The Seventh or Last Trumpet Rev. 11:14-19. The second Woe is past: be- hold, the third Woe cometh quickly. 15 And the seventh angel sounded ; and there followed great voices in heaven, and they said. The kingdom of the world is become the king- dom of our Lord, and of his Christ : and he shall reign for ever and ever. 16 And the four and twenty elders, who sit befgre God on their thrones, fell upon their faces and worshipped God, 17 saying. We give thee thanks, O Lord God, the Al- mighty, who art and who wast; because thou hast taken thy great power, and didst reign. 18 And the nations were wroth, and thy wrath came, and the time of the dead to be judged, and the time to give their reward to thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and to them that fear thy name, the small and the great; and to destroy them that destroy the earth. 19 And there was opened the temple of God that is 196 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM in heaven; and there was seen in his temple the ark of his covenant; and there followed lightnings, and voices, and thunders, and an earthquake, and great hail. Notice that upon the sounding of the seventh trumpet the kingdom of the world is delivered over to God and Christ and He shall reign forever and ever. Notice again that now had the time come for the pro- phets and saints and those who fear God, the small and the great to receive their reward, and for the dead to be judged. TJie sounding of this seventh trumpet cor- responds with what the apostle Paul says in I Cor. 15:52 when the last trumpet shall sound. "For the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed." Remember then what we have said before, that that which is prophesied here in Rev. 11 and 12 takes place before Christ comes to take His bride, for her mission is not yet finished. Notice also in the above passage how these twenty-four elders are connected with us in this work, that the kingdom of the world be THE BOOK OF REVELATION 197 turned over to God. Oh, how they give God thanks and fall on their faces to wor- ship Him, because He took the kingdom, and because He will destroy them that corrupt the earth. They greatly rejoiced because the time has come for God to reward all of His servants. Notice that the temple of God is opened and the ark of His covenant is seen. We saw in chapters 4 and 5 how heaven was opened and we saw God on the throne, we also saw twenty-four elders on twenty-four thrones with four living creatures serving God for us in heaven taking no rest day and night in worshiping Him. But here in chapter 1 1 : 19 we read that the temple of God is opened in heaven and the ark of His cov- enant is seen. Not only is heaven open here, but the temple in it is opened to us, and we are favored to see the ark of His covenant. Notice how these things connect us with the shadow of the things in Israel. They had an ark of the testimony. There was the holy place in the tabernacle, and then there was another place of still greater 198 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM holiness, the holy of holies in which was the afk of the testimony or the ark of the covenant all of gold. It was a place only for the high priest to worship once in a year. In the ark of the testimony were the ten commandments, Aaron's rod that had budded, and a little of the manna which they ate in the wilderness. On the top of the ark was the mercy seat and above it the cherubims with their out- stretched wings covering the whole ark. That was the shadow of what we now have in heaven in which our High Priest, Jesus Christ, does minister unto God in our be- half. The ark of the covenant is also Christ who has the law of God in His heart and who is all of gold, so to speak. He is our High Priest who was dead and is alive for- evermore. He is the hidden manna. He is also our Mercy Seat and abides under the shadow of the Almighty. He is revealed to us in His present glorified state in Rev. 1:13-18. He serves God in the temple which is in heaven for us. We are to see Him with our spiritual eyes. The veil must THE BOOK OF REVELATION 199 be taken away, so that His face which shines like the sun in His strength may shine upon us, as the apostle says, "But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are trans- formed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord the Spirit" (II Cor. 3:18). Seeing it is God, that said, "Light shall shine out of darkness, who shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ" (II Cor. 4:6), it de- pends very much upon what we look and on what we think in order to live and bear fruit for God. It depended, indeed, very much upon what object the Israelites look- ed when they were bitten by the fiery serpents. If they failed to look upon the object of life, the brazen serpent which typified Christ, they would have died. Christ is revealed to us on the cross where we must look with faith to see our sins removed, but we must also look at Christ in His glorified state in the temple of God in heaven. But praise His holy name, and 200 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM glory be to the Father in heaven that what is still greater than our looking up, is His looking^ down upon us if we believe on Him as the Scripture says. "I will counsel thee with mine eye upon thee." "For the eyes of Jehovah run to and fro throughout the whole earth to show himself mighty in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him" (Psa. 32:8; II Chron. 16:9). CHAPTER XII WAR IN HEAVEN— THE DEVIL DEFEATED Rev. 12:1-6. And a great sign was seen in heaven: a woman arrayed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars ; 2 and she was with child ; and she crieth out, travailing in birth, and in pain to be delivered. 3 And there was seen another sign in heaven: and behold, a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his heads seven diadems. 4 And his tail draweth the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon standeth before the woman that is about to be delivered, that when she is delivered he may devour her child. 5 And she was delivered of a son, a man child, who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and unto his throne. 6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that there they may nourish her a thousand two hundred and threescore days. Great and wonderful things to our joy are being revealed to us in this twelfth chapter of Revelation. The servant of God 202 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM is encouraged to see in heaven the mother Church of the overcomers. Victory for the Church on earth through this woman who is with child and is crying, travailing and in pain to be delivered. She gives birth to a son, a man-child (a company of overcomers consisting only of the men class See I Cor. 14:34-37 and I Tim. 2:12-15. In a worldly war men are taken to lay down their life for their country and not the women). This one is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron and the child is caught up to God and His throne. Who may this mysterious son be? Are there any prom- ises that such a son might be born out of the Church on earth who was to have an iron rod and have the power over the na- tions? Yes. Let us repeat the promise made by Christ to the Church in Thyatira, "And he that overcometh, and he that keep- eth my words unto the end, to him will I give authority over the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of the potter are broken to shivers: as I also have received of my Father: and I THE BOOK OF REVELATION 203 will give him the morning star. He that has an ear let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches" (Rev. 2:26-29). Oh, do we indeed hear what the Spirit says to the Churches? Do we read these words and do we keep them for us? Do we keep them so that they can be fulfilled on us and through us or do we put them from us unto a future generation? If the future generations do it likewise, when will they be fulfilled? The above passage shows us that Christ Himself has made this conditional promise to His Church; that He would arm the overcomer with an iron rod and give him the same authority over the nations as He Himself had received of His Father. The promise of such a son as revealed to us in Rev. 12:5 is therefore made to the Church of Christ on earth. Out of the Church will God bring forth such a man-child. We see this son or man-child in the two witnesses of Rev. 11 for they have an iron rod to smite the earth and have authority over all na- tions until their testimony is finished. Then they are killed by the Antichrist and are 204 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM taken up to God with the cloud. How plain it is that the Church is to be lifted up to this honor, to the glory of her Master. It is therefore very harmful to be in ignor- ance about this man-child, as to who he is and out of what people he comes. Many very dear brethren who are servants of God and who are bringing much fruit in God's vineyard, have taught that this man-child is Christ, and that this woman in Rev. 12:1- 6 is Israel. We all need purging as branches of the vine Jesus Christ, and we are very thankful to the Savior for His comforting words, "And every branch that beareth fruit he (the Father) cleanseth it that it may bear more fruit" (John 15:2). There- fore He will also cleanse us from all ignor- ance about this man-child, whether it be Christ or some one else. May the blessed Spirit of truth direct us in writing and reading. May He be upon the writer now and upon the reader afterwards. How could this man-child be Christ when he is brought forth after Christ opened the seven seals of that book? THE BOOK OF REVELATION 205 Through Christ's present work in heaven to lift up His Church and through the prayer and travailing works of the woman or moth- er-church in heaven he is brought forth out of the Church on earth, until he is caught up to God and unto His throne. Will Christ offer promises to His Church as we have seen in the seven messages in Rev. 2 and 3 with conditions that she will never be able to fulfill? Should He give her a work which she is unable to do? That would be unreasonable. To our joy He reveals us the overcoming Church in heaven, who is clothed in the sun (the Gospel of Christ) and has the moon (the law) under her feet and she brings forth this man-child. It is for our encouragement that heaven is opened to us, that we may be connected with the overcoming powers of God through whom the devil is defeated. Before the Spirit shows us this woman in Rev. 12:1-6 He showed us first the overcomer, Jesus Christ, in chapter 5 who alone was found worthy to open that book in order to bring us into His kingdom. He must first open 206 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM the seven seals of that sealed book, before we can receive the little open book (which he has opened) to eat up and to understand. We must believe that He opened it or else it will always remain a sealed book to us. Since He opened evpry seal on it, and gives the same to us to eat up in order to prophe- sy it to the people therefore is also this passage opened to us, about the mystery of this man-child in Rev, 12:5, that it cannot be Christ but rather a chosen number of overcomers out of His Church on earth consisting of the men class only. When Christ arose from the dead "many bodies of the saints that had fallen asleep were raised: and coming forth out of the tombs, after his resurrection, they en- tered into the holy city and appeared unto many" (Matt. 27:52, 53). We may be as- sured, beyond any doubt, that this woman in heaven (Rev. 12:1-6) is of these resur- rected saints. The Father in heaven must be the Father of this woman in heaven who is clothed in the sun. But He brought her iforth out of the dead and placed her in this THE BOOK OF REVELATION 207 glorified state and make her a mother of this man-child, through the death and res- urrection of His Son Jesus Christ. So she could not be the mother of Jesus, but it is the very opposite. Jesus is her Creator. She belongs to the first fruits of His death and resurrection labors. It is probably very true that she is of Israel, but it is altogether an error that she is the mother of Christ. Lord, we thank thee that all our sins of ig- norance are under the blood of Jesus: and thou dost not remember them against us. Because thou hast given us faith in thy Son and the faith in thy Son is accepted of thee as our righteousness; thou wilt pass over us, and over all our brethren, who have erred in teaching, when thou seest the blood, or our faith in the blood. So that thy judgments of wrath will not harm us but the multitudes of thy mercies rule over us and over all our brethren. Amen and amen. We could never and never overcome to do the yet needful works to fully prepare the way for Christ to come, unless this wo- man in heaven in Rev. 12:1-6 has become 208 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM our mother. The apostle Paul in Gal. 4:26 says — "But the Jerusalem that is above is free, which is our mother." But we see also a great red dragon in heaven on the watch to eat up this man- child as soon as it is born. But thanks be to God he shall utterly fail to do it. God protects the child. It is taken even unto God's throne. Remember how this dragon, the devil, tried to eat up Jesus in His temp- tation in the wilderness, when he showed Him all the kingdoms in the world and the glory of them that it should be all His, if only He would fall down and worship him. He tried to make out of God's beloved Son a servant of his by giving Him honor and glory. Oh, has this enemy not often suc- ceeded in robbing servants of God from their holy calling and giving them an office of honor in the world? And all their talents of usefulness were eaten up by the world. The world got their lives for their own benefit. Think of Moses, what a wise choice he made, and then think of prophet Balaam, how he fell into the devil's snare because of THE BOOK OF REVELATION 209 the desire to be honored by king Balak. This dragon has great glory at this time, for he has seven diadems upon his head: and he draweth the third part of the stars in heav- en and casts them to the earth. Yet we have this comfort that he shall not be able to eat up this man-child nor to harm the woman that gave birth to him. Praise God for this revelation. God has a place for the woman in the wilderness where she is protected and nourished for 1260 days. But why should she flee into the wilderness? This question will be answered later on in this chapter. War in Heaven Rev. 12:7-12. And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels going forth to war \vdth the dragon; and the dragon warred and his angels; 8 and they prevailed not, neither was their place found any more in heaven. 9 And the great dragon was cast down, the old serpent, he that is called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world; he was cast down to the earth, and his angels were cast down with him. 10 And I heard a great voice in heaven, saying, Now is come the salvation, and the power, and 210 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, who accuseth them before our God day and night. 11 And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb, and because of the word of their testimony; and they loved not their life even unto death. 12 Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe for the earth and for the sea: because the devil is gone down unto you, having great wrath knowing that he hath but a short time. To understand the above passage bet- ter, the reader should read the third chapter in Zechariah and Daniel 12:1-3. Israel could not have come out of Babylon if the angels of God had not been warring for them against their enemies. (See Dan. 10:12, 13). All the help that Israel received of the an- gels was given to them mainly for the fulfill- ment of the promise to bring in Christ, — His first coming as Saviour of the world. And all the help we get of the angels now, in the above passage, is mainly for the ful- fillment of the other great promise, — the second coming of Christ. God uses His mighty angels to conquer the devil, as ac- THE BOOK OF REVELATION 211 cuser of the brethren before God; yet we must also overcome him through the means of the blood of the Lamb, and our testimony of Jesus, and our lives on the altar to die for the truth's sake. The devil has a right to accuse us before God day and night, as long as we have not washed our garments and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. This work must be done on our part according as it is prophesied — 'They washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the lamb." This faith in Christ's blood is our shield against the devil's darts and against his accusing power. Because the Holy Spirit puts the blood-washed gar- ment on us and covers us with the robe of Christ's righteousness. Thus we are made ready for the coming of Christ and for His kingdom to come. ''Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with rich apparel" (Zech. 3:4). Therefore is the devil defeated in his accu- sation, for we are righteous before God in the work of Christ. We have become obedient to the blood of the Lamb. We have 212 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM been obedient to the testimony. We took the cross upon us to die for the kingdom of God. Therefore the angels in heaven take; up the battle against the accuser for us to cast him out of heaven. This war is not fought by us or by any saints in heaven, but by Michael and his angels for all the saints. The devil's power is defeated; he must leave his place in heaven. He has yet a little time on earth given to him to rule until he must leave the earth also for ever and ever as we shall see in the following chapters. O Brother, is thy faith anchored in the overcoming powers in heaven? God help us to be strong in the Lord according as we are taught in Eph. 6:10, 11. "Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil." Rev. 12:13-17. And when the dragon saw that he was cast down to the earth, he persecuted the woman that brought forth the man child. 14 And there were given to the woman the two wings of the great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness unto her place, where she is nourished for a time. THE BOOK OF REVELATION 213 and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent. 15 And the serpent cast out of his mouth after the woman water as a river, that he might cause her to be carried away by the stream. 16 And the earth helped 'the woman, and the earth opened her mouth and swallowed up the river which the dragon cast out of his mouth. 17 And the dragon waxed wroth with the woman, and went away to make war with the rest of her seed, that keep the commandments of God, and hold the testimony of Jesus : The dragon now persecutes the woman that brought forth the man-child, but the woman is given the two wings of the great eagle to fly in the wilderness. Notice that in Rev. 12:6 it is said of the woman in heaven, that she fled into the wilderness where she had a place prepared of God. So it is said in the 14th verse of the woman on earth that she is "flying into the wilder- ness to be nourished there the same length of time as the one in the sixth verse. (A part of Christ's bride is in heaven and the other part is on earth. The Church on earth has helped in bringing forth the man- child for he is born out of the Church on 214 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM earth, but the woman in heaven did the tra- vailing part.) This connects us again with the shadow of Israel's history. Looking to the shadow, we are enabled to discern the signification of the woman fleeing into the wilderness from the face of the serpent and to be nourished there three and one-half years, or a time and times and half a time. When Israel had finished her work in Egypt they were led by the cloud into the wilder- ness, to be joined to the Lord there at Sinai and to be prepared there for their future mission in Canaan. The wings of the great eagle here in Rev. 12:14 refer, no doubt., to the cloud that shall carry us to the Lord in the air. (See. I Thess. 4:17). You remem- ber how Israel's enemy, Pharaoh, came after them with his army and then how the Red Sea opened her mouth and swallowed the whole company of the Egyptians. But here in Rev. 12 it says that the earth opened her mouth and swallowed the river which the dragon cast out of his mouth against the woman, that she might be carried away by it. King Pharaoh was a type of the THE BOOK OF REVELATION 215 dragon here in Rev. 12. He and his army went after Israel with the literal war weap- ons to take them back into Egypt — in other words, to join them back to Pharaoh and their service in Egypt, and thus prevent them from being joined to the Lord and His service. But here in Rev. 12 the dragon does not use the literal sword but the river which he casts out of his mouth. What may the river be, but the many false doc- trines that the devil spurts out of the mouths of his servants today? Is not the country already flooded with them? It is prophesied by Jesus in Matt. 24:24, "For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect." This is probably the river that the dragon cast out of his mouth, against this woman in Rev. 12, that she might be carried away by the stream. But, praise God's Holy name, the dragon is com^ pletely defeated in all his hellish effort. God comes to her rescue and she is carried with the great eagle's wings to her place to be 216 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM nourished. In brief, Israel was led into the wilderness to be married to God, at Mt. Sinai, where He came down from heaven to receive His chosen people and was joined to them through their acceptance of His law. The law of God which they accepted was, so to say, their husband. (See Rom. 7:1-4). Israel was not led straight through from Egypt to Canaan, but it was a roundabout way and that roundabout way was God's way, as we read in Ex. 13:17, 18. "A.nd it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led them not by the way of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, Lest peradventure the people repent, when they see war, and they return, to Egypt: But God led the people about, by the way of the wilderness by the Red Sea: and the children of Israel went up armed out of the land of Egypt.'* They were not ready to take in the kingdom of Canaan yet. They needed the training in the wilderness; they needed God and His law; they needed His tabernacle with Aaron's priesthood; they needed all that they received at Mt. THE BOOK OF REVELATION 217 Sinai, where they tarried about a year, ac- cording to God's order. God gloriously or- ganized them there for His dwelling among them, and for the wars in Canaan. All this is the shadow of the bride or Church of Christ, when she will be joined to Him after she is taken out of the world with the clouds to meet her Lord in the air. Then the marriage supper of the Lamb will take place. And after Christ will have organized His own He will come with them to take in the kingdom on earth with His saints. What is said here in Rev. 12 is more fully revealed in chapters 19 and 20. As the journey of Israel out of Egypt and through the wilderness into Canaan, is the shadow of the spiritual life of the individual believ- er to prepare him for the coming of Christ, so is this same journey of Israel, again a type of Christ's coming to take His chosen people out of the world and to take them to a place which God has prepared and where the devil can not come. Here in Rev. 12 is this place called 'wilderness," to which the woman out of heaven and on earth flees to 218 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM be nourished for a specified time— only three and one half years (as we believe). But why should it say 'wilderness?" So as to connect us with Israel's history; for by them we can clearly see for what purpose it was so and what took place there between God and Israel. Notice how the apostle connects the experience of Israel at Mt. Sinai with our experience to be joined to the Holy Spirit and to the coming of Christ (Heb. 12:18-29). According to verse 17 there will be some true believers left when the bride of Christ is taken away who were not ready to go along, yet they kept the commandments of God and held the testimony of Jesus. They are the seed of the woman, but in some way were not worthy to go along, or according to God's foreknowledge, it was His will that there should be some left. The dragon is now severely vexing them for he is wroth toward the woman that brought forth the man-child which he could not eat up, though he watched for it. CHAPTER XIII THE REIGN OF THE ANTICHRIST AND THE FALSE PROPHET Rev. 13:1-10. And he stood upon the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads, and on his horns ten diadems, and upon his heads names of blasphemy. 2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his throne, and great authority. 3 And I saw one of his heads as though it had been smitten unto death; and his death-stroke was healed: and the whole earth wondered after the beast; 4 and they worshipped the dragon, because he gave his authority unto the beast; and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? and who is able to war with him? 5 and there was given to him a mouth speak- ing great things and blasphemies; and there was given to him authority to continue forty and two months. 6 And he opened his mouth for blas- phemies against God, to blaspheme his name, and 220 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM his tabernacle, even them that dwell in the heaven. 7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and there was given to him authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation. 8 And all that dwell on the earth shall worship him, every one whose name hath not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb that hath been slain. 9 If any man hath an ear, let him hear. 10 If any man is for captivity, into captivity he goeth: if any man shall kill with the sword, with the sword must he be killed. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints. Since the woman in heaven has given birth to the man-child whom God shall use to fulfill the promise of Christ's second com- ing to dethrone Satan's kingdom, the devil or dragon is very wroth. He is now cast on the earth (Rev. 12:7-10 and knows that he has but a short time. But this short time is a terrible one for those who believe on Christ. It is a very trying time for those who will hold fast to the commandments of God. The dragon now works to get his man, the Antichrist, out of the nations (the sea) in the world, who will do his full will. THE BOOK OF REVELATION 221 He gives him his throne and great power over all the world. As Christ got his two witnesses and the man-child out of His Church to obey Him fully, so Satan gets his two servants so plainly revealed here in Rev. 13. In Rev. 17:8 the Antichrist is described thus: "The beast that thou sawest was and is not; and is about to come up out of the abyss, and to go into perdition." It was once in existence in the person of king Pharaoh of Egypt in Moses' time. It is not now in existence in a single person or as a great head having "authority over every tribe and people and tongues and nation," but it is about (ready) to come up out of the sea (out of the nations in the world). The seed of the tares was sown long ago and it is even now in a fast growing condi- tion and is about to head out. Jesus said about the good seed which he sowed in the hearts of His people— "The earth beareth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear" (Mark 4:28). This developnient is also true of the Anti- christ. The Church has, up to this time. 222 LIGHT AND UFE FROM not brought full fruit of the' seed which Christ and His apostles have sown. Neither have the tares that the enemy sowed, already in the apostles' time, come to - the full development. The Church has not yeti brought forth thc^ man-child ; neither h^s wickedness headed out in the Antichrist. But it is near at hand. The saints will soon come to perfect fruit and the wicked will soon make their evil works full and becomq ripe for the judgment. The Antichrist is called ''beasf here in Rev. 13. He is described in II Thess. 2:1-12 as "man of sin/^ "son of perdition," "lawless one." He is prophesied in Daniel 7 and named "little horn" coming out of the fourth kingdom^ which is the Roman kingdom. God showed unto Daniel all the kingdoms of the earth which were to appear before the second coming of Christ to set up His kingdom over all the earth. The four kingdoms that God revealed to Daniel were, the Babylon- ian, the Medo-Persian, the Macedonian and the Roman. Out of the Roman kingdom the Antichrist will come. His reign ends THE BOOK OF REVELATION 223 with the coming of Christ to whom the Jcingdom is given forever and ever. Since the Antichrist was to come out of the fourth, that is, the Roman kingdom, and his reign would end with the coming of Christ, therefore we are now in that A,ntichristian Jcingdom, though not yet in its full develop- ment. This is so plain that any one who will take heed to the prophecies of Daniel can not help but see it. For any intelligent person who has read or heard history knows that these four kingdoms — the Babylonian the Medo-Persian, the Macedonian, and the Roman have all passed away in the last 2,000 years: and we also know beyond all doubt that Christ does not yet reign on earth, on the throne of David, as prophesied by prophets and apostles, (Isa. 9:6, 7; Acts 15: 13-18). Therefore we must be under the reign of the Antichrist's spirit, and in liis kingdom, which is developing rapidly into a great head. This beast, or Antichrist, here in Rev. 13:1 is more fully described in Rev. 17:8-17 to which explanation the read- er may turn in this book under the heading 224 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM of chapter 17. This Antichrist, or beast, as we have him revealed to us in Rev. 13:1-10 and in the prophecies of Dan. 7:24-27; 8: 23-25 and by Christ in Matt. 24:24 and in II Thess. 2:1-12 is a wonderful man of power, of worldly wisdom and dares to exalt him- self above the God of heaven in blasphemy. He is greatly admired by the world. ''And all that dwell on the earth shall worship him, whose name hath not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb that hath been slain." He gets his power from the dragon "The dragon, devil, gave him his power and his throne and great authority." He takes of the devil wKat was offered to Christ when tempted by Satan in the wilderness (Matt. 4:8-10). According to Rev. 13:3 he has power to heal a death stroke; and because of this scientific power, which is of the devil, "the whole earth wondered after the beast; and they worshipped the dragon because he gave his authority unto the beast; and they worshipped the beast saying: Who is like unto the beast? and who is able THE BOOK OF REVELATION 225 to war with him?" The people on earth who have refused to worship God and His Christ will now worship the dragon (the devil) and his man (the Antichrist). The prophecy of Paul is being fulfilled here— ''And for this cause God sendeth them a working of error, that they believe a lie: that they all might be judged who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unright- eousness" (II Thess. 2:11, 12). But we see to our comfort that the time of his ruling power over all the world is limited to 42 months. In verse 7 we see that he will make war with the saints and that he will over- come them. He will make war with the two witnesses of Christ and kill them: "And when they shall have finished their testi- mony, the beast (Antichrist) that cometh up out of the abyss shall make war with them, and overcome them and kill them" (Rev. 11:7). This reveals to us that the two witnesses in Rev. 11 and the Antichrist in Rev. 13 shall live and rule at the same time. We also see by this, that through the Anti^ Christ, the needful number of the martyrs 226 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM will be made full, and that the evil works of the wicked will also be made full by the Antichrist, so that the coming of Christ is made ready by the saints and by the wicked. The saints are made ready for the kingdom of Christ and the wicked are made ready for the judgment of Christ, carried out ir Rev. 19:11-21; 20:1-6. Let us yet notice in this passage of Rev. 13:8-10 a few things: First, that all those who dwell on the earth, who have not their names written in the book of life of the Lamb, shall worship the beast (Antichrist). Oh, how important then to have our names written in that book, which is done by God, upon our faith in Christ and baptism (See Acts 2:37-39 and 16:29-34). "If any man hath an ear, let him hear. If any man is for captivity, into captivity he goeth: if any man shall kill with the sword, with the sword must he be killed. Here is the pa- tience and the faith of the saints." The captivity meant here is undoubtedly to be subject to the beast. The beasf s weapon is the sword; the sword is mentioned to desig- THE BOOK OF REVELATION 227 nate the beast's armor. One who will sub- mit to carry the sword in honor to the beast must be killed with the sword. See in Rev. 19:21 how all those who carried the sword in honor to the beast were killed by another sword which is the Word of God. Christ has forbidden us to use the sword. Rev. 13:11-18. And I saw another beast com- ing up out of the earth; and he had two horns like unto a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. 12 And he exerciseth all the authority of the first beast in his sight. And he maketh the earth and them that dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose death-stroke was healed. 13 And he doeth great signs, that he should even make fire to come down out of heaven upon the earth in the sight of men. 14 And he deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by reason of the signs which it was given him to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast who hath the stroke of the sword and lived. 15 And it was given unto him to give breath to it, even to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as should not worship the image of the beast should be killed. 16 And he causeth all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free and the bound, 228 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM that there be given them a mark on their right hand, or upon their forehead; 17 and that no man should be able to buy or to sell, save he that hath the mark, even the name of the beast or the number of his name. 18 Here is wisdom. He that hath under- standing, let him count the number of the beast; for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred and sixty and six. This beast, or as he is also called, "false prophet," is a religious power. He has two horns like a lamb, but speaks as a dragon: in one way resembling Christ, but his words are like a dragon. What can this power be, but the heading out of the nominal Church that goes by the name of Christ, but has not the spirit of Christ and uses the carnal weapon, the sword. That is the way the dragon speaks. Christ's doctrine is a doc-^ trine of non-resistance. He calls men to Him by an invitation, "Come." "Whoso- ever will, let him come." The voice of the dragon is — "You must be submissive to me, I will compel you, or kill you." This false prophet, or beast, out of the earth, is joined to the A,ntichrist. The Antichrist is, so to say, the husband, or honored master and THE BOOK OF REVELATION 229 king of this false prophet or Church. He joins all people to the first beast, Antichrist; but none to Christ. He severs them from Christ and brings them under the name and authority of the Antichrist. This false prophet does for the Antichrist what the Church does for Christ. The Church has the commission to "make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit: teaching them to observe all things whatso- ever I have commanded you" (Matt. 28:18- 20). This false prophet does the very op- posite, severing the people from God and joining them to the Antichrist. Instead of the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit it is the name of the beast, the mark or the number of his name. Apart from the devil, these two beasts, are Christ's greatest enemies. Both occupy a place that belongs to Christ and His Church. Their final judg- ment is very, very great. They are not per- mitted to die, or even be killed, but are cast alive into the lake of fire as revealed in Rev. 19:19, 20. This second beast in Rev. 13 is 230 UGHT AND LIFE FROM foreshadowed in Israel's history by the sor- cerers in Egypt with Pharaoh against Israel. It is foreshadowed in the false prophets with king Ahab against the prophets of the Lord. These false prophets who were punished with a lying spirit from God, were not of the heathen nations, but they came out of Israel. (See I Kings 22:13-23). They were of the circumcised people, but they were not of the tribe of Levi, which had been chosen of God for His priests. They severed Israel from the law of Moses and joined them to the worship of Baal and of the nations. The Church of Christ meets with the same enemies as Israel did. When Israel was in captivity they were compelled to worship the golden image of the king of Babylon or be thrown into the fiery furnace. Daniel was compelled to pray to the king of the Persian kingdom or be cast into the lion's den. But these faithful Jews stood the test to disobey His commandment. These things were al- lowed of God to come upon them in order tc try them; and through their steadfastness ir overcoming God was greatly honored. Be- THE BOOK OF REVELATION 231 cause when they came out of the lion's den and out of the fiery furnace, the kings gave command in both instances for their whole kingdoms to fear the God of Israel. The Lord was glorified before the whole world at that time and even ever since (Dan. 3:26- 30; 6:25-27). The enemies of God and of His people must after all yet serve God to make His saints perfect in suffering. The Antichrist and the false prophet here in Rev. 13 are not such powers that the saints of Christ can not get completed to receive the promise of Christ's coming. It is rather the very opposite. The Church will be made perfect in the suffering of Christ (at least as to the number) under the reign of these two beasts in Rev. 13. We have said before that Christ's two witnesses in chapter 11 will be killed by the beast (Antichrist). Let us see how God gets glory from many of His and their enemies, after they were taken up to heaven with the cloud and were seen by their enemies. "And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they went up into 232 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM heaven in the cloud; and their enemies beheld them. And in that hour there was a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell : and there were killed in the earth- quake seven thousand persons: and the rest were affrighted and gave glory to the God of heaven" (Rev. 11:12, 13). So God shal) receive glory of many, through the death and resurrection of Christ's witnesses. Therefore all that is revealed in Rev. 13 of the enemies' powers must finally only help to punish the unbelievers (II Thess. 2:7-12) : and to finish the saints: to make the work of the wicked full and to bring into fulfillment the coming of Christ. The Lord will permit this beast or false prophet to cause fire to come down from heaven in the sight of men and to do great signs to deceive the people. Why does God allow these things to come? Because these people on earth do not believe in the great miracles of His Son and His apostles which are recorded in the New Testament. "Many other signs therefore did Jesus in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book: but THE BOOK OF REVELATION 233 these are written, that ye may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye may have life in his name" (John 20:30, 31). The lying spirit in the false teachers does not profess to believe these miracles or else explains them in a wrong way. Can you not see this lying spirit at work today? Therefore God will send them great signs and miracles in the false prophet and they will believe in Him and in the other beast, the antichrist. They will worship the Antichrist and they will even worship the dragon, the very devil. (See II Thess. 2:7-12 and Rev. 13:4). The false prophet in Rev. 13:15 will even have power to give breath to the image, which was made in honor to the first beast, and cause the image to speak and as many as will not worship the image to be killed. All this is sent as a punishment for not believing on the Son of God, who gives life to the dead. His miracles are not believed, but made a lie by the false teachers and therefore the false prophet is permitted to give life and speech and power to this image 234 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM and they will believe this prophet and his signs to their condemnation. Oh, to what a danger those are exposed who believe not the words of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. They will not believe the truth and even make the truth of God a lie in their teach- ing. Therefore they do justly deserve such a punishment as revealed here in Rev. 13. "And he causeth all, the small and great, and the rich and the poor, the free and the bond, that there be given them a mark on their right hand, or upon their forehead; and that no man should be able to buy or to sell, save he that hath the mark, even the name of the beast or the number of his name." This name, or mark, or number of his name, is the seal, by which those people are sealed who belong to the beast (Anti- christ) or to his kingdom. In like manner the believer in Christ is sealed, by baptism of water and spirit in the name of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; and we saw in chapter 7 that the servants of God are to be sealed with God's name on their foreheads. God's name is his Word. ''And he (Christ) THE BOOK OF REVELATION 235 is arrayed in a garment sprinkled with blood: and His name is called The Word of God" (Rev. 19:13). Therefore the servants of God, who keep the Word, have that Word, or name of God and He has promised to write it on their forehead so that they can think of the name or Word continually. But this name is also the seal of God's ownership: that this person is sealed for God and His kingdom. When a foreigner makes application to become a citizen of the United States of America, he is asked to accept the constitution of the U. S. A. and to defend it. He answers with yes, but he is asked to do this under an oath, or affir- mation, by holding up the right hand. A.fter this is done, he receives a new name. He is now called an American. His name is put on record as an American citizen. The oath he took severs him from Christ's commandment which strictly forbids the use of an oath. 'Te have heard that it was said to them of old time. Thou shalt not for-, swear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths: but I say unto you, Swear 236 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM not at all; neither by heaven, for it is the throne of God; nor by the earth, for it is the footstool of his feet; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, for thou canst not make one hair white or black. But let your speech be. Yea, yea; Nay, nay: and whatsoever is more than these is of the evil one" (Matt. 5:33-37). "But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by the heaven, nor by the earth, nor by any other oath: but let your yea, be yea, and your nay, nay: that ye fall not under judgment" (James 5:12). Not to swear at all or not to get under any oath is one of the strongest commandments in the laws of the kingdom of God. Hence no one but the spirit of the Antichrist's kingdom has made the use of the oath a law today. The oath is used to seal one for citizenship, or for an office; to be a witness in court, and for a member in a secret or non-secret society. The con- stitution of the society must be accepted. As a rule the oath is taken and the right hand is held up. There are business socie- THE BOOK OF REVELATION 237 ties today where no one but members of that society can buy or sell goods in that particular business. All these organizations of capitalists and laborers, who are bound together for the purpose of simply protect-r ing their own interests, are not of God's spirit, which says, 'Xove thy neighbor as thyself." "Not looking each of you to his own things, but each of you also to the things of others" (Phil. 2:4). The spirit of self which is the spirit of Antichrist severs people from the commandments of Christ and His apostles. Through the devilish work of the false prophet here in Rev. 13: 16, 17 people are compelled to take the name of the beast or be deprived of their living. Dear reader, I hope that through the above remark the Holy Spirit will cause you to see clearly the meaning of this prophecy in Rev. 13:16, 17. God's name is God's Word. The Antichrist's name is his laws which he makes in opposition to those of Christ. Those who accept his laws, receive his name. The oath is, so to say, a seal on our forehead. We can not forget 238 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM it. The lifting up of our right hand is also a sign which is more than yea, yea and nay, nay, and therefore of the evil, as Jesus has said. But this beast has also a number for his name, "Here is wisdom. He that hath understanding, let him count the number of the beast; for it is the number of a man (not of an angel) : and his number is 666'* What may this number be? Could it not be the number of his sub rulers in his kuig- dom, who are placed in authority over the different tribes, peoples, tongues and na- tions? Jesus has a number of 144,000 who bear His and His Father's name on their foreheads, as seen in Rev. 14:1-5. They are a multitude of overcomers who follow the Lamb withersoever He goeth. May not the Antichrist also have a special number of 666 who obey him fully? This beast has seven heads and ten horns. The seven heads signify seven mountains (king- doms) which are also seven kings, and the ten horns are also ten kings; then there are the tribes, peoples, tongues, and nations over which he rules. THE BOOK OF REVELATION 239 King Ahasuerus ruled over 127 pro- vinces. It did not matter in which of these provinces one was a citizen, for the king s name was upon all. So in the Antichrist's kingdom, it will not make any difference in which country one is a citizen, though there should be 666 subdivisions of his kingdom. They are all under his name, at least those who obey in taking his name. The wicked people in the land of Canaan, when Israel took it, were numbered by seven nations or seven races of peoples; but these seven peoples were subdivided under 31 kings. It is not forbidden us to count this number, ddd, the name of the beast, but we are even encouraged to count it. This Revelation is not a sealed book, we are to understand it. ''And he said unto me, Seal not up the words of the prophecy of this book; for the time is at hand" (Rev. 22:10). We shall know the Antichrist fully by counting his name or the number of his name which is 666. May God's Spirit cause us to have understanding and wisdom so that this passage in Rev. 13:16-18 be not 240 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM sealed to us, but opened for our benefit, to escape all these devilish evils and to hasten the coming of Christ. We are favored through the mercy and grace of God to add these words yet. The name of the beast, the number and the mark, signifies owner- ship of the beast, that those who accept the name, mark or number of the beast are now owned by the beast and therefore disowned by Christ and God. They stand now in the kingdom of the Antichrist who has received the kingdom, the throne, and his great authority from the dragon, the devil. Hence they are in the kingdom of the devil and cut off from the kingdom of God. It is the same with those who are sealed with God's name on their foreheads. This also denotes ownership by God. They are now owned by God, never to fall away from Him any- more. They are sealed for the kingdom of Christ and God. They accepted God's name i(Words), sealed on their foreheads and refused the name, mark, and number of the beast. The blessing for those who thus overcome is great. We see them singing THE BOOK OF REVELATION 241 the song of Moses and the Lamb on the glassy sea. And they will be present at the first resurrection and in the thousand years' reign with Christ. (See Rev. 15:2-4 and Rev. 20:4-6). But great must be the pun- ishment of those who worship the beast or his image and take the name of the beast, mark or number of his name. They are punished with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and the Lamb and the smoke of their torment goeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day and night. (See Rev. 14:9-12). We may add this thought yet, concern- ing the words of the Spirit in verse 18: — "Here is wisdom. He that hath under- standing, let him count the number of the beast; for it is the number of a man: and his number is dd&'' — that this counting is probably meant to be done after the beast has appeared. We are now living in the Antichrist's kingdom, but not in its full development. The beast and the false pro- phet, as they are described to us here in Rev. 13, are not here yet. Neither the Anti- 242 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM Christ nor the false prophet have come forth yet as a personal head. But the spirit of the two heads is here and is working fast to bring the seed of wickedness to its full fruit soon. This counting in verse 18 can prob- ably then be done best after the beast and false prophet have made their appearance according as they are revealed to us here in Rev. 13. CHAPTER XIV THE LAMB ON MT. ZION Rev. 14:1-5. And I saw, and behold, the Lamb standing on the mount Zion, and with him a hundred and forty and four thousand, having his name, and the name of his Father, written on their foreheads. 2 And I heard a voice from heaven, as of many waters, and as the voice of a great trumpet: and the voice which I heard was as the voice of harpers harping with their harps : 3 and they sing as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four Hving creatures and the elders : and no man could learn the song save the hundred and forty and four thousand, even they that had been purchased out of the earth. 4 These are they that were not defiled with women ; for they are virgins. These are they that follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were purchased from among men, to be the first- fruits unto God and unto the Lamb. 5 And in their mouth was found no lie: they are without blemish. Remember we still have things before us that must take place before Christ comes to take His bride unto Himself, for her mission is not yet done. These 144,000 244 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM have yet a mission to fulfill against the beast and the false prophet as we can see in this chapter 14:9-12. Therefore the mission of these 144,000 takes place at the same time that the two beasts in chapter 13 reign. We have also seen that the two witnesses in chapter 11, perform their mission during the reign of the beast, or Antichrist, for they are killed by him. Therefore it is very probable that these 144,000 and the two witnesses are of the same people. They are purchased out of the earth and from among men for a special mission. They follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth: they are gifted with a new song that no one else can learn. They bear the name of the Son and of the Father on their foreheads. They are not defiled with women (the nations in the world are called women and such Christian denominations who have committed adul- tery toward the doctrine of Christ and have made their own church constitutions: as Jesus says in Mark 7:7, 8: "But in vain da they worship me, teaching as their doctrines the precepts of men. Ye leave the com- THE BOOK OF REVELATION 245 mandment of God and hold fast the tradi- tion of men." They are married or joined to another law than that of Christ. Ezek. 16:41. See also Rev. 2:18-25 and I Cor. 1:10-13; 3:10-17). These 144,000 are in- deed overcomers of the evils in the church- es as we have seen in Rev., chapters 2 and 3. ''In their mouth was found no lie. They are without blemish." They are probably also of those who eat up the little book which we saw in chapter 10:8-11, for we read of their prophetic mission in the re- mainder of this chapter. "These were pur- chased from among men, to be the first fruits unto God and unto the Lamb." Since they are first-fruits, they must appear be- fore God first just as the two witnesses come in first because they are resurrected and taken up to heaven immediately after they are killed. Where do these 144,000 come from? Are they the 144,000 sealed ones, out of all tribes of Israel as revealed in Rev. 7:1-8? If this be true, then the Christians out of the heathen world are cut off from ever becoming members with them. 246 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM Let us stay by the Word. Where does this prophecy say they are from? Does it say that they are brought out of Israel directly? The prophecy here in Rev. 14:1-5 says, 'These were purchased from amon^ men/' 'They that had been purchased out of the earth." I would not venture to explain it any other way than what the Word says itself. Since they are purchased out of the earth and from among men (not saying, from among Israel) therefore it may include us too. The fact that there are just 144,00Q sealed out of all tribes of Israel in chapter 7 does not prove that this other number in Rev. 14 is the same people for then it would probably read — *They were purchased from among Israel." But to whom is the promise of the kingdom given? To a people out of the Gentiles is the promise given by Christ Himself. After the Jews had rejected Him. "Therefore I say unto you, the kingdom of God shall be taken away from you, and shall be given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof" (Matt. 21:43). By this statement of Christ we understand that it is THE BOOK OF REVELATION 247 given to a people out of the Gentiles to inherit Christ at His second coming. Just as Israel was chosen and used of God to bring Christ into the world at His first coming, so has God now chosen a nation of the Gentiles to bring into fulfillment His second coming. Israel proved herself un- worthy in not accepting Christ; therefore has God now chosen a nation apart from Israel to bring about His second coming. These 144,000 are bringing forth the fruits of which Jesus spoke, when He said to the Jews that the kingdom of God shall be taken away from them and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. They are without blemish; in their mouth is found no lie, because they have accepted the whole doctrine of Christ and have cleansed themselves from men*s laws which side- tracks or severs one from Christ's words: they are with the Lamb. They have the Son's and the Father's name on their fore- heads. They are not of the women for they are virgins, promised to Christ. They are purchased from among men, out among the 248 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM nations, by the blood of Christ. They are not defiled with women: they are a separ- ated company fully consecrated to Christ's service. They are among the women but not of them. They have come out from them, according to II Cor. 6:14-18 and Rev. 18:4-6. They have come out of Babylon, and yet they are in the midst of Babylon to reprove its sins. They are not of the Chris- tian denominations who defiled themselves with human names and made division in the Church of God; but they are in their midst to reprove them of their sins, yet they love them to such an extent, that they will die in their stead to have them saved, as was the apostle Paul according to Rom. 9:1-3. They are chosen of God to lay down their lives for their defiled brethren, because they follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. "Hereby know we love, because He laid down His life for us: and we ought to lay down our life for the brethren" I John 3:16. This scripture is being fulfilled on these 144, 000. They are the firstfruits — that means THE BOOK OF REVELATION 249 after this the full harvest will be brought before God. For the full harvest must come as well as the first fruits. *'Who shall not fear, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy; for all the nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy righteous acts have been made manifest" (Rev. 15:4). Since they are the firstfruit^ unto God and the Lamb therefore they must be the bride of Christ, (or at least a part of His bride) ; for it is His bride that is used to suffer with Him. She is trans- formed into His likeness to be conformed unto His death and resurrection. Let us now go over the remainder of chapter 14 to learn more of their mission. Rev. 14:6-20. And I saw another angel flying in mid heaven, having eternal good tidings to pro- claim unto them that dwell on the earth, and unto every nation and tribe and tongue and people ; 7 and he saith with a great voice, Fear God, and give him glory; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made the heaven and the earth and sea and fountains of waters. No doubt this angel is the same one as the one in chapter 10 with the rainbow on 250 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM his head and a little open book to give to God's servants, to eat it up, and to prophecy it to many peoples and nations and tongues and kings. 8 And another, a second angel, followed, saying, Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, that hath made all the nations to drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. How has Babylon now fallen? Be- cause these 144,000 are used of God to preach the eternal good tidings of Christ's Gospel to save people out of Babylon: and they also preach the immediate judg- ment upon Babylon. They do a mission like the prophets in Israel did, when Israel was captive in Babylon. The prophets prophesied good tidings of deliverance to all tribes of Israel, but they prophesied the eternal punishment upon Babylon also. 9 And another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a great voice, If any man worshippeth the beast and his irnage, and receiveth a mark on his forehead, or upon his hand, 10 he also shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is prepared THE BOOK OF REVELATION 251 unmixed in the cup of his anger; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: 11 and the smoke of their torment goeth up for ever and ever; and they have no rest day and night, they that worship the beast and his image, and whoso receiveth the mark of his name. 12 Here is the patience of the saints, they that keep the command- ments of God, and the faith of Jesus. 13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying. Write, Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from henceforth: yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; for their works follow with them. A very great punishment is pronounced by this third angel upon those who wor- shipped the beast or his image or accept his mark. This angel does not deliver that message himself but likely through the 144, 000. This is always God's way of using his angels, — in connection with His chosen ser- vants to deliver the messages to the people in the world. These 144,000 teach a com- plete spearation from the beast (Antichrist) and a joining to the commandments of God. They sever the people from the beast and the teaching of the false prophet and bring 252 UGHT AND LIFE FROM the people back to God and His command- ments. They are in direct opposition to the beast and the false prophet and because of that they will be killed by the beast after their mission is finished. And since the persecution is so great, that all who will not worship the beast or his image must be killed, therefore it says in verses 12 and 13: ''Here is the patience of the saints, they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith in Jesus. And I heard a voice from heaven, saying. Write, Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from henceforth: yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors;, for their works follow with them." This voice is an encourage- ment for them to die the death of martyrs. Stephen was encouraged just before he was killed, when he saw heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God. 'Their works follow with them." What works? They are the works of those who have the patience of the saints to keep the commandments of God and the faith in Jesus during the severe persecution. They THE BOOK OF REVELATION 253 overcome not only in faith in the blood of the Lamb, but also by the Word of their testimony and they loved not their lives unto death. They overcame like the three men in the fiery furnace, or like Jesus on the cross. Through them the work for the Church is finished. The number of the martyrs is made full, for their works follow with them. The works of the saints are accepted of God as the full fruit of the seed which Christ sowed upon earth in the hearts of his followers. Therefore has the time now come to reap the earth and the saints as we shall see further in this chapter. 14 And I saw, and behold, a white cloud; and on the cloud I saw one sitting like unto a son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his liand a sharp sickle. 15 And another angel came out from the temple, crying with a great voice to him that sat on the cloud, Send forth thy sickle, and reap : for the hour to reap is come ; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. 16 And he that sat on the cloud cast his sickle upon the earth; and the earth was reaped. The earth has become ripe, because the Church of Christ has performed her mis- 254 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM sion on earth, both to preach the eternal good tidings and to lay the words of God's punishment upon the wicked. The wicked have made their works full by killing the saints of God and are therefore ripe for the judgment. This one on the cloud, like unto the Son of man, is probably the same one as revealed in chapter 10, who comes from heaven arrayed with a cloud, who lifts up his right hand to heaven and swears by him who liveth forever and ever, that there shall be delay no longer. The fulfillment of this reaping of the earth is revealed in chapters 19:1-21; 20:1-6. But we read of another reaping in the following verses of chapter 14. 17 And another angel came out from the tem- ple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle. 18 And another angel came out from the altar, he that hath power over fire; and he called with a great voice to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Send forth thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth ; for her grapes are fully ripe. What are these clusters of the vine of the earth and these grapes which are fully THE BOOK OF REVELATION 255 ripe? They are undoubtedly the 144,000 in the beginning of the chapter. They are the clusters on the vine Jesus Christ. They are the grapes on earth fully ripe to be put in the wine press of Christ's suffering. They are clean, unblemished offerings to suffer for others as burnt offerings for ''they are without blemish." In their mouth is found no lie. They also "follow the lamb wither- soever he goeth." That means into his death and resurrection. O Christians, take courage; victory is at hand. The saints will finish their mission. Christ must get this number of faithful ones. The Father in heaven will bring them forth for His Son. He will complete the bride for His Son. He puts them in the winepress just as His Son was put there. 19 And the angel cast his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vintage of the earth, and cast it into the winepress, the great winepress, of the wrath of God. 20 And the winepress was trodden without the city, and there came out blood from the winepress, even unto the bridles of the horses, as far as a thousand and six hundred furlongs. 256 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM This winepress is called the great "of the wrath of God." What is this winepress? It is like the one in which Jesus was cast ta bear God's wrath as a sin offering for others as we read in Isa. 63:1-6. "Who is this that Cometh from Edom, with dyed garments, from Bozrah? this that is glorious in his apparel, marching in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save. Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the wine-fat? I have trod^ den the winepress alone; and of the peoples there was no man with me: yea, I trod them in mine anger, and trampled them in my wrath; and their life blood is sprinkled upon my garments, and I have stained all my raiment. For the day of vengeance was in my heart, and the year of my redeemed is come. And I looked, and there was none to help; and I wondered that there was none to uphold: therefore mine own arm brought salvation unto me; and my wrath it upheld me. I trod down the people in mine- anger, and made them drunk in my wrath„ THE BOOK OF REVELATION 257 and I poured out their lifeblood upon the earth." This prophecy undoubtedly refers to Christ's crucifixion, v/hen He was put into this winepress of His death without the city of Jerusalem, as it also says here in Rev. 14:20. ''And the winepress was trod- den without the city, and there came out blood from the winepress, even utno the bridles of the horses." This blood must assuredly be the blood of the saints, because when Jesus shall come to execute the judg- ment of God upon His enemies, there will not be any blood flowing from them, since Jesus and His saints are not fighting with the literal sword that causeth the blood to flow, but with the sword that we read of in Rev. 19:21. "And the rest were killed with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which came forth out of his mouth." (No blood flowing here). His Word is the sword. He shall speak and the enemies shall drop dead, like Ananias and Sapphira dropped dead upon the word from Peter's mouth. No question, but that this blood spoken of here in Rev. 14:20 is the blood of the last 258 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM martyrs of Jesus, to make that number full, according to the prophecy in Rev. 6:9-11. "And it was said to them (to the martyrs of the past ages), that they should rest yet for a little time, until their fellow servants also and their brethren, who should be killed even as they were, should have fulfilled their course." This prophecy is likely ful- filled through these 144,000 in Rev. 14. They are a chosen number out of the many that are called. They are an army of worthy ones, like Gideon's 300, through whom God gave deliverance to all Israel from the Midianites. And they are a chosen number like the tribe of Levi was chosen out of the 12 tribes to be God's priests, so that God could bless the other tribes through their faithful ministry. God made all Israel His chosen people in bringing them all out of Egypt into Canaan, but He made a special choice again among them in taking the tribe of Levi for the priesthood. They had made themselves worthy to step our on the Lord's side in the sin of idolatry toward the golden calf. (Ex. 32:25-29). We THE BOOK OF REVELATION 259 may also remark that of the many offerings by the blood of beasts, under the old cov- enant not all of them pointed to Christ directly, but to the members of Christ. The offering of the lamb of the passover and the great sin offering on the day of atone- ment and several other offerings pointed to- Christ directly but there were other offer- ings of clean beasts which foreshadowed the members of Christ, some that were killed in the past and as these 144,000 who are without blemish. They are chosen of God to be used as offerings for other's guilt. The meat of certain sin offerings whose blood was not carried into the holy place, was to be eaten by Aaron and his sons; by means of which they were to bear the iniquity of the congregation. So we see that even Aaron and his sons were made bearers of the iniquity of Israel (See Lev. 6:24-30 and 10:16-18). So has God in the new convenant made us bearers of other's guilt, with Christ. This is clearly taught by Jesus and His apostles. John 15:12, 13 and I John 3:16. This is the death that 260 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM Christ has laid upon us. The death for others; not the death for our own sins, for He paid unto sin its wages. CHAPTER XV THE SEVEN ANGELS WITH THE SEVEN PLAGUES Rev. 15:1-8. And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven angels having seven plagues, which are the last, for in them is finished the wrath of God. These seven angels are not from the Church on earth, but they come out of the temple of God in heaven. The Church on earth is also a temple of God. The Lord has a temple and a priesthood on earth, but He has also one in heaven as we have seen in chapters 4, 5, and 12. The seven trumpets of the seven angels on earth have sounded. What we read from Rev. 11 : 15 to the end of chapter 14 is the result of the sounding of the seventh trumpet. That ends the work of the Church on earth. She has finished her mission. She has overcome through the blood of the Lamb. She has overcome to finish her testimony for Jesus Christ. She also has overcome not to love her life unto 262 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM death, for she freely laid down her life for the truth's sake and as an offering for the guilt of others. She has been formed into the likeness of Christ's suffering and resur- rection and therefore is her work done; as that was also the last act of Christ on earth, to lay down His life for the world. But the seven angels out of the temple of God in heaven have yet an important work to do in order that we may receive the kingdom through the coming of Christ. Remember what an important work the angels of God did in connection with Israel's deliverance out of Egypt and through the wilderness, the inheritance of the land of Canaan and the release from Babylon. 2 And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire; and them that come off victorious from the beast, and from his image, and from the number of his name, standing by the sea of glass, having harps of God. 3 And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, O Lord God, the Almighty; righteous and true are thy ways, thou King of the ages. 4 Who shall not fear, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou THE BOOK OF REVELATION 263 only art holy; for all the nations shall come and worship before thee ; for thy righteous acts have been made manifest. Notice in the above passage how these prophecies in Revelation connect us with the deliverance of Israel from Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea. Israel's deliver- ance through Moses is the shadow of the deliverance in Christ from Satan's power and from the two beasts (servants of Satan) as seen in Rev. 13. Those who come off victorious from the beast (Antichrist) and from his image and from the number of his name, stand now by the glassy sea singing the song of Moses and the Lamb. As Israel was led through the Red Sea, with the cloud and pillar of fire, which gave darkness to the Egyptians, but light to Israel (Ex. 14: 19-24), so will those who come off victor- ious from the beast, his image and name, stand by the glassy sea, that is, the air. They will be lifted up with the clouds to meet the Lord Jesus Christ in the air as revealed in I Thess. 4:15-18. But they shall not remain there always; for we read of 264 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM them again in Rev. 20:4 that these very- ones also reign with Christ 1000 years upon the earth. "And I saw thrones, and they that sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that had been beheaded for the testi- mony of Jesus and for the word of God, and such as worshipped not the beast, neither his image, and received not the mark upon their forehead and upon their hand; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thou- sand years." The Antichrist can kill them,^ but God makes them alive again. So they can well sing this song of Moses and the Lamb by the glassy sea, mingled with fire. Being with Christ in the air; seeing their complete deliverance from their enemies on earth; seeing the judgment of their enemies and seeing their own reward to reign with Christ over the nations on earth, causes them to sing this song here in chapter 15:4. As Israel was not only saved out of Egypt, but was afterwards led into Canaan, to take in the kingdoms there, so likewise here in Revelation is the Church not merely saved THE BOOK OF REVELATION 265 from its enemies, but is to reign with Christ over all nations on earth in due time. For we read in verse 4 "Who shall not fear, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy : for all the nations shall come and worship before thee: for thy righteous acts have been made manifest." Undoubtedly referring to the righteous works of Christ as revealed in Rev. 1:5, 6; 5:9, 10 and II Cor. 5:19. The righteous works of Christ have also been revealed in His Church be- fore the eyes of the world, as it was in the case with Israel in the Red Sea and later in their history. 5 And after these things I saw, and the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened: 6 and there came out from the temple the seven angels that had the seven plagues, arrayed with precious stone, pure and bright, (likely refer- ring to their body) and girt about their breasts with golden girdles. 7 And one of the four living crea- tures gave unto the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever. 8 And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and none 266 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels should be finished. The temple of the tabernacle of the testimony is now opened in heaven. This connects us again with Israel's tabernacle which was divided into two divisions, apart from the court outside of the real taber- nacle. There was the holy place where the priests did service to God. Then there was the holy of holies where the ark of the testimony was, into which only the high priest went once a year to make atonement for the sins of the whole congregation4 The tabernacle of the testimony in the temple of God in heaven is now opened unto us, and we see Jesus, our great high priest, making atonement through His blood and intercession for the sins of His whole people, yea, for all the world. We see his whole Church, taken out of all nations on earth, reconciled to God. Yea, we see all nations, peoples, tongues, and tribes recon- ciled to God by His blood and by His inter- cessory prayers. Nothing but the great sin of unbelief stands between them and God. THE BOOK OF REVELATION 267 We see that He is the only righteous one, and that through His works, we are all made righteous before God. He is mad^e from God unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption. He believes for His whole Church: yea He believes for all nations. 'Tor there is one God, one mediator also between God and men, him- self man, Christ Jesus, who gave himself, a ransom for all; the testimony (to be borne) in its own time." This testimony was borne to the people by the apostle. This taber- nacle of the testimony was opened to him. He saw Christ, the great Mediator between God and man making atonement and inter- cession for all men, especially for His saints. This light or knowledge in Christ, gave the apostle great victory to save people from the power of Satan and to bring them to Christ. His strength was in His knowledge and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as the acting great Mediator between God and man to bring men unto God. The apostle's faith was anchored in the sanc- tuary in heaven. Oh, what a power for 268 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM Christian parents to see this Mediator in his faith and intercession for the salvation of their family. The minister of a congre- gation needs to be connected with this power in heaven in order to save his con- gregation. Therefore heaven is opened to us and the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony is also opened to us that we may have power to save men, being connected with the all conquering powers of God in his sanctuary in heaven. These seven angels come out of the temple of God in heaven. They receive seven golden bowls full of fire, from one of the living creatures. These bowls are full of God's wrath to be poured out upon earth. Through their service is the work finished upon earth for the coming of Christ to take His bride and to set up His kingdom, as we shall see in the following chapter. CHAPTER XVI THE SEVEN ANGELS POUR WRATH UPON THE EARTH Rev. 16:1-21. And I heard a great voice out of the temple, saying to the seven angels, Go ye, and pour out the seven bowls of the wrath of God into the earth. 2 And the first went, and poured out his bowl into the earth; and it became a noisome and grievous sore upon the men that had the mark of the beast, and that worshipped his image. This is an act of God's mercy in afflict- ing these men so that they may repent and be saved from the eternal punishment of hell or the lake of fire. For we read in verse 9: *'And they repented not to give God glory?" 3 And the second poured out his bowl into the sea ; and it became blood as of a dead man ; and every living soul died, even the things that were in the sea. 4 And the third poured out his bowl into the rivers and the fountains of the waters; and it became blood. 5 And I heard the angel of the waters saying, Righteous art thou, who art and who wast, thou Holy One, because thou didst thus judge : 6 for they poured out the blood of saints and prophets, 270 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM and blood hast thou given them to drink : they are' worthy. 7 And I heard the altar saying, Yea, O Lord God, the Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments. 8 And the fourth poured out his bowl upon the sun; and it was given unto it to scorch men with fire. 9 And men were scorched with great heat: and they blasphemed the name of God who hath the power over these plagues ; and they repent- ed not to give him glory. 10 And the fifth poured out his bowl upon the throne of the beast; and his kingdom was darkened ; and they gnawed their tongues for pain, 11 and they blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores ; and they repented not of their works. You will notice that these plagues men- tioned above, are plagues very similar to those that God caused to come upon the Egyptians for the wrong they did to Israel. Pharoah hardened his heart and stood a- gainst God's plan to let Israel go out of Egypt to serve the Lord. So the Antichrist and the false prophet are working hard against God to prevent the coming of 'Christ by causing all men and even the saints to worship the beast and his image, (or to take his name and mark upon their THE BOOK OF REVELATION 271 foreheads or hand. This kind of defilement would, of course, prevent the saints from being ready for the coming of Christ; and it would also prevent Christ from getting the full number of members out of all peoples on earth for His kingdom. The Lord continues to visit with judgment, the works of the wicked who have killed His prophets and His saints. But let us not overlook the mercy of God towards them; for all these sore plagues are sent to work in them repentance of their evil works for we read, "And they repented not to give him glory." But instead of repenting and ob- taining mercy, they hardened their hearts as we read further: "and they blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores; and they repented not of their works." By this we see that these plagues were really not sent to destroy them, but much rather to work in them repentance for their salvation. In verses 5 to 7 we see how God gets praise from His angels, because of His judgments in giving those who have spilled the blood of His 272 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM saints and prophets, blood to drink. The blessings in nature are turned to a curse unto them. The rivers and fountains of waters are turned into blood and the sun gives forth a scorching heat to hurt men. The fifth bowl is poured upon the throne of the beast and his kingdom is darkened so that they gnawed their tongues 'for pain. In a similar way was the kingdom of Phar- aoh darkened when God through Moses and His angel poured out His judgments upon it. The servants of Pharaoh came to him once and said, "Let (Israel) go; know- est thou not yet that Egypt is destroyed" (Ex. 10:7). But Israel had to be saved out of Babylon also later on, by God's servants and by the mighty angels of God as well as out of Egypt. So in our age are the people of God saved out of spiritual Egypt and Babylon as we shall see in the next verses. 12 And the sixth poured out his bowl upon the great river, the river Euphrates ; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way might be made .ready for the kings that come from the sunrising. Evidently this connects us again with THE BOOK OF REVELATION 273 Israel's history and their deliverance out of Babylon where they were in captivity. Cyrus their prophesied deliverer, conquered the kingdom of Babylon and its fortified city by going through the Euphrates. He cut the stream off into another direction and so went into the city of Babylon through the river bed and took the city while Belshazzar had his great feast. The king- dom was promised long before to Cyrus and to the Medo-Persians. These were the kings from the sunrising, since they came from the East. But who is meant in the above verse where we read, ''that the way might [be made ready for the kings that come from the sunrising." Surely no others but those who are prophesied to us, the ones to whom the kingdom of the world is promised. Jesus is the beginning of the day. Through His coming with His saints the sun will arise in this world. They were already revealed to Daniel. **I saw in the night- visions, and, behold, there came with the clouds of heaven one like unto a son of man (Christ), and he came even to the ancient 274 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion,, and glory, and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations, and languages should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be de- stroyed." "And the kingdom and the do- minion, and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High: his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him" (Dan. 7:13, 14, 26, 27). In Rev. 19:11-21 we see them coming to take the kingdoms of this world. The forerunners of Christ are revealed to us in Rev. 11 in the two wit- nesses and later on, also in the 144,000 of chapter 14. We have no other promises in the prophecies of the Bible apart from these. The waters of the great river Eu- phrates will be dried up by the sixth angel pouring out his bowl upon it. It is of course not the literal river Euphrates but the spiritual one. It is the opposite of the THE BOOK OF REVELATION 275 river of life. It is contrary to what the Holy Spirit is and teaches. But we shall have more to say about Babylon in the next two chapters. 13 And I saw coming out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits, as it were frogs: 14 for they are spirits of •demons, working signs ; which go forth unto the kings of the whole world, to gather them together unto the war of the great day of God, the Almighty. This is now the last desperate effort that the dragon (devil) and the beast (anti- Christ) and the false prophet make to deceive the kings of the whole world. They are using these signs in order to hold them to their side and keep the kingdom. They know that they have but little time, since the water of the Euphrates is dried up. For the way is made ready for Christ to come to take His saints out of Babylon. The next verse makes this plain. 15 (Behold, I come as a. thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, an^ keepeth his garments, lest he walk; naked, and they see his shame.) 276 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM Jesus comes first as a thief. He will rob the world of its best people, His saints* They are the light in the world, the salt in the earth. Jesus will come first as a bride- groom to take His bride and all those who have on the wedding garments with Him to the marriage supper of the Lamb. Hence the warning here in verse 15. ''Behold I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watch- eth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame." A person who is not watchful in keeping the blood washed garment of Christ and his robe of righteousness is naked. He is an object of shame, and would therefore not be ready to go with Christ when he comes to take His own. (See Isa. 61:10 and Matt. 22:11-13). 16 And they gathered them together into the place which is called in Hebrew Har-Magedon. That is, the dragon, the beast and the false prophet, through their signs have gathered the kings of the whole earth together unto the war of the great day of God. This day of war we see revealed in Rev. 19:19-21. THE BOOK OF REVELATION 277 17 And the seventh poured out his bowl upon the air; and there came forth a great voice out of the temple, from the throne, saying, It is done: 18 and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunders; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not' since there were men upon the earth, so great an earthquake, so mighty. 19 And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and Babylon the great was remembered in the sight of God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath. 20 And every island; fled away, and the mountains were not found. 21 And great hail, every stone about the weight of a! talent, cometh down out of heaven upon men: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof is exceeding great. Now has the wrath of God been fully poured out over the people who refused to believe in His Son and to obey His com- mandments. The kingdoms of the world have fallen. The time of the Antichrist's reign has come to an end. The cities of the nations have fallen. Babylon gets its death penalty from the seventh angel, whose bowl is full of God's wrath over her, over the cities of the nations, and over the great city, which it divides into three parts. The 278 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM whole earth is shaken with a great earth- quake and great hail stones fall. Oh, what a judgment of God's wrath is poured out by these seven angels and especially by the last one. The way is now fully prepared for the coming of Christ, by these seven angels. Notice in Rev. 11:15-19 how alike the works that follow the sounding of the seventh angel on earth are to those that follow, after the seventh angel from heaven has poured out his bowl upon the air. Remember in Israel's deliverance out of Egypt that it was the angel of God who put the last plague upon the Egyptians, not Moses and Aaron. So also with their de- liverance out of Babylon. God truly used His prophets to put the words of His judg- ments upon the kingdom of Babylon : but it was His angels who fought for Israel's deliverance against those who held them in captivity (Ex. 12:23; Dan. 10:12, 13). So here in Revelation we have the Lamb's work in Rev. 5 when he takes the book sealed with seven seals and opens them; and then we have the sounding of the seven THE BOOK OF REVELATION 279 trumpets; and lastly the seven angels from heaven pour out their bowls full of the wrath of God. When the seventh poured out his bowl upon the air, the great voice from the throne in heaven says — ^"It is done." That is, all is now made ready for the judgment words of God to be executed. This execution is fulfilled by the coming of Christ with His army of angels, or saints, from heaven, as it is so plainly revealed in Rev. 19:11-21 and even further in chapter 20:1-6. CHAPTER XVII THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS RE- VEALED Rev. 17:1-18. And there came one of the seven angels that had the seven bowls, and spake v^^ith me, saying. Come hither, I v^ill show thee the judgment of the great harlot that sitteth upon many waters; 2 with whom the kings of the earth committed fornica- tion, and they that dwell in the earth were made drunken with the wine of her fornication. The beginning of chapter 19 is an immediate continuation of chapter 16. The two chapters, 17 and 18, come in between, and in them is the great harlot of Babylon revealed to us, with the command of God to His people to come out of her and to lay upon her the words of His judgment. Her dwelling place and all her works are re- vealed to us. The beast with the seven heads and ten horns is also revealed to us more fully in chapter 17. It is very needfu^ that this mother of harlots, who has caused all the kings and nations to fall and from whom God's people are strictly commanded THE BOOK OF REVELATION 281 to come forth, be shown unto all of God's people. May the Holy Spirit enable us to see her clearly and also the beast that carries her. 3 And he (the angel) carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness : and I saw a woman sitting upon a scarlet-colored beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. 4 And the wo- man was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and decked with gold and precious stone and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations, (her teaching) even the unclean things of her fornication, 5 and upon her forehead a name written, MYS- TERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTH- ER OF THE HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOM- INATIONS OF THE EARTH. 6 And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. And when I saw her, I wondered with a great wonder. This great harlot is shown to us as sitting on a scarlet colored beast full of names of blasphemy with seven heads and ten horns. These seven heads are king- doms in the world as we shall see later on in this chapter. Verse four describes her as being rich in her apparel for she has the 282 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM kings and kingdoms of this world at her disposal; she is paid by the government for she sits upon the beast and he carries her. She is called, ''Mystery," but also "Babylon the great, ''the mother of harlots." She is a great enemy of the saints and servants of Christ, for she is drunken with the blood of the saints and of the martyrs of Jesus. In chapter 18: 24 we read — "And in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints and of all that have been slain upon the earth." In the light of this scripture can we not clearly see who this harlot is? Her name is Mystery but she is not to be a mystery to us. The angel out of the temple in heaven has revealed her unto us. Praise God for this revelation. She is fully re- vealed to us in these two chapters of Rev. 17 and 18. The apostle John wondered with great wonder when he saw her. This woman must be the religious teaching ac- knowledged by the kings and rulers on earth — the church that has drifted away from faith in Jesus and the commandments of Christ, and has joined the government of THE BOOK OF REVELATION 283 the world and adopted its laws. She has fallen from the spiritual weapons of the Holy Spirit and has taken the carnal weap- on of war, for she has killed the saints. The blood of the saints, of the martyrs of Jesus and of the prophets and of all that were slain on the earth was found in her. Surely here is light in regard to who this mystery and great harlot of Babylon may be. Who killed Christ and His apostles and saints? It was the Jews who were under the law of Moses and who would not believe onj Christ; they and the kings in the world killed them. This harlot carries the sword to kill. She is joined to her husband, not to Christ. She is joined to the kings of the earth. She may go by the name of Chris- tian, but she is a murderess. The Babylon of this world is the home over which she has dominion, but not the Jerusalem of heaven. She is separated from Christ and is joined to the kings and kingdoms of earth. The Jews who were under the law of Moses did exactly the same thing. They rejected Christ their King and said that 284 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM they had no king but Caesar, the emperor of Rome. It is not so surprising that John wondered with great wonder when he saw her. 7 And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou wonder? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and the ten horns. 8 The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and is about to come up out of the abyss, and to go into perdition. And they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, they whose name hath not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast, how that he was, and is not, and shall come. 9 Here is the mind that hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth : 10 and they are seven kings ; the five are fallen, the one is, the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a little while. 11 And the beast that was, and is not, is himself also an eighth, and is of the seven; and he goeth into perdition. In verse 8 the origin and the destina- tion of the beast (A.ntichrist) is revealed to us. He comes out of the abyss — probably a place of Satanic wickedness. Satan is cast into the abyss for 1000 years (Rev. 20: THE BOOK OF REVELATION 285 1-3). He is surrendered to the devil to do nothing but his will, as Jesus was sur- rendered to His Father to do nothing but God's will. As the man-child in Rev. 12:1-5 is born from the mother Church in heaven so is this beast born from below. We have seen in chapter 13 how Satan, the dragon, gives him his power and his throne and great authority. He goes into perdition. He is doomed to everlasting punishment in the lake of fire. He will never be saved, but will be lost forever. Verse 8 also tells us that he was, and is not, but is about to come up. We may well say that he was in the person of King Pharaoh of Egypt who met his doom in the bottom of the Red Sea with those who fought with him against the people of God. Of course the spirit of the Antichrist was in many other rulers who were great enemies of God's people of old and later on of the Christians; but in no one else can we see a clearer type of this beast than the Pharaoh in Moses' time. When John received this revelation he was banished to the Isle of Patmos by the 286 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM emperor of Rome: but this enemy of the Christians was not the beast or a true type of him, for it says in verse 8, "The beast that thou sawest was, and is not/' There- fore he was not existing at that time. The people on earth shall wonder at that beast when they see him — how "he was, and is not, and shall come." That is, those shall wonder who have not their names written in the book of life from the foundation of the world. God writes the histories of men and even nations before they are born, because He sees their beginning and their ending. He knows how they will use their free will, whether they will worship God, or the devil. Therefore He can also write be- forehand their eternal destiny, — punishment or bliss. From this point of view He did not write in the book of life before the founda- tion of the world, the names of those whO' would not believe, but only of those who would believe. He has not created any one to be lost, but He has created man with a free will to serve God, or the enemy. He takes great pains to chastise men with THE BOOK OF REVELATION 287 sore plagues, as we have seen, in order to bring them to repentance for their salva- tion. But some will never repent. And therefore must God be true to His law in judging them according to their deeds. "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that disbelieveth shall be damned." How could God save one against His law when he will not believe? In verses 9 and 10 we read — "Here is the mind that hath wisdom. The seven heads [of the beast] are seven mountains on which the woman sitteth: and they are seven kings [that is, these seven mountains are seven kings] ; the five are fallen, the one is, the other is not yet come; and when he Cometh, he must continue a little while." These verses do not speak of the Anti- christ or of the beast directly but speak of the seven world kingdoms (called moun- tains) out of which the Antichrist shall come, because in verse 11 we read; "and the beast that was, and is not, is himself also an eighth and is of the seven." The beast (Antichrist) will be the last king and 288 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM his kingdom will be the last one before the kingdom of Christ. There are seven great world kingdoms before him which are likely (as a certain writer has said) the Egyptian^ Assyrian, Babylonian, Medo-Persian, Grec- ian, Roman, and the present one in which we now live, which really comes out of the Roman and out of which the Antichrist shall come. All these seven kingdoms ruled over God's chosen people. The^e seven kingdoms are called seven mountauis, on which the harlot sitteth and they are the seven heads of the beast. King Pharaoh was the first great enemy of God's people; the Antichrist, or the beast, as he is called, v/ill be the last one excepting the devil. This beast shall rule at the close of the seventh kingdom, for this seventh kingdom shall come under his rule with all its divi- sions as it is now; but he shall rule only for a short time. Since we read in verse 10, "the five are fallen, the one is, and the other is not yet come," therefore it could not re- fer to the seven mountains on which the city of Rome is built. This is very clear, for THE BOOK OF REVELATION 289 the Bible speaks of great kingdoms as mountains. (See Jer. 51:25, 26). But the five kings, world kingdoms, or mountains, that are fallen no doubt refer to the Egyp- tian, Assyrian, Babylonian, Medo-Persian, and Macedonian kingdoms which had al- ready fallen at that time. They had been conquered by others. They aimed to rule over the world but they were dethroned. See Ezek. 21 :27. 'The one that is," must refer to the Roman kingdom then in ruling power. "The other that is not yet come, and when he cometh, he must continue a little while," refers evidently to the king- dom and king following the Roman period. It is the kingdom in which we now live. It has not yet headed out into the real beast, but it is fast working in that direction. The words above, *'he must continue a little while," refer to the Antichrist himself, for he shall rule a very short time. But the kingdom out of which he comes has had a long existence already. The laws of the seven world kingdoms are foundation stones, or building material upon v/h'ch the 290 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM Antichrist can build; just as all the prophe- cies of the prophets in the Old Testament were building material for Christ to use in His ministry on earth and even for the future when He shall come to reign. But we read of the harlot that she sits on these seven heads of the beast, which heads are seven kings and seven mountains. How does she sit on them? Does not the fleshly Church today study the history and many of the laws of those seven world king- doms? A.re not the histories of those king- doms studied more today in our colleges and universities than the Bible? The Greek philosophers are studied even more than the prophets of God, and Roman laws are adopted everywhere in civilized nations of high education. This harlot of Babylon is filled with the spirit that ruled in all these kingdoms. She sits on their laws instead of Christ's laws. Why is she called the mother of harlots? And why is she called the harlot of Babylon the great? She is the mother of all constitutional THE BOOK OF REVELATION 291 laws governing every kingdom and society on earth today. The laws she makes lead people into death, and by her works all the nations upon earth are fallen. She is the harlot of Babylon the great, because she rules over the kings in the world. Verse 18: "And the woman whom thou sawest is the great city which reigneth over the kings of the earth." Babylon refers here to things in the world and not to the divided Church of Christ. The mother of harlots is of Babylon. She reigns over the kings of the earth. The kings in the earth is her husband, not Christ. She gives them her sons to die in times of war. 12 And the ten horns that thou sawest are ten kings, who have received no kingdom as yet; but they receive authority as kings, with the beast, for, one hour. 13 These have one mind, and they give their power and authority unto the beast. This shows us that these ten kings reign before the beast, for they give their power and authority to the beast. 14 These shall war against the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them, for he is Lord of lords, and 292 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM King of kings ; and they also shall overcome that are with him, called and chosen and faithful. We see this fulfilled in chapter 19: 11-21. 15 And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the harlot sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues. Notice in verse 1 that this harlot sits on many waters, and here in verse 15 the angel tells John what these waters are. Therefore does this harlot sit in every capital city of nations and states, in their legislative halls and in many church confer- ences to make laws aside from and in oppo- sition to those which God gave us through His Son and apostles. She thus dishonors the perfect Law Giver and she dishonors His chosen ambassadors because their laws are set aside. She dishonors them in the same way as Belshazzar dishonored the sanctified vessels of the temple of God. The Antichrist will do this blasphemous work in the full measure of His wickedness. 16 And the ten horns which thou sawest, and the beast, these shall hate the harlot, and shall make her THE BOOK OF REVELATION 293 desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and shall burn her utterly with fire. The Lord will destroy her by means of her lovers. She joined herself to the kings of the earth and God put hatred in the hearts of the kings that they should destro; her. Remember how the Jews rejected Christ and chose for themselves Caesar of Rome and then how God punished them afterwards through Caesar. 17 For God did put in their hearts to do his mind, and to come to one mind, and to give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God should be accomplished. God has willed the kingdom to Christ and His saints: therefore will the Words of God's judgments also be accomplished upon the ten kings and on the beast and He will take it from them in order to give it to Christ and His saints. 18 And the woman vhom thou sawest is the great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth. CHAPTER XVIII BABYLON THE GREAT FALLEN This 18th chapter of Revelation con- nects us again with Israel's history in the captivity of Babylon, their deliverance and the terrible judgment of God upon Babylon. At that time Babylon was the capital city of the world, the home of the greatest king of the world. It was this king who conquered Jerusalem, the city of God, and destroyed its temple ; broke down the city and its wall. King Nebuchadnezzar took Israel captive to Babylon. He took also the golden and silver vessels that were sanctified for God's service in the temple and put them intc the house of his god in Babylon (Dan. 1:2). According to history the city of Babylon itself surpassed in beauty every- thing on earth in the way of architecture. It was the attraction of the world, as Jeru- salem was in the time of Solomon. Let us therefore have this clearly in mind, that the THE BOOK OF REVELATION 295 Babylon of old under which Israel was captive was then the ruling city in the world. This Babylon and its kingdom is the true shadow of the present spiritual Babylon of our age, in which the spiritual Israel, the Christians, are in captivity, to- gether with also the bride of Christ and all Christian denominations, without exception. The kingdom of the world rules over us and over all the Jews. The church of Christ did not overcome to remain on the founda- tion in keeping the commandments of Christ and His apostles, therefore went into the captivity of Babylon as Israel had gone. However Israel was not to remain there, for deliverance was promised to them, and it came in due time. So it is with us. But let us not overlook the fact that Israel over- came in that state of captivity to honor God and His law more than any earthly king and its laws. This was fulfilled before the eyes of the then greatest kings and all the world, in the persons of the three men in the fiery furnace and by Daniel in the lion's den. The three men conquered in the test 296 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM and did not worship the golden image, against the commandment of the king; and Daniel conquered in the test and would not pray to king Darius. Daniel also overcame to do the work for his people which was required in the law of Moses, as a condition to their release out of the land of captivity. Repentance and confession of sins were required and this is what Daniel did. (See Dan. 9 and Lev. 26:38-45). I remark again, let us understand clearly that the Babylon of old in which Israel was captive and out of which they were released, is the true shadow of the Babylon here in Rev. 18. The judgment upon the building of the tower of Babel is not to be used here as a type ; (that is to be used as a shadow, but in its right place). It is true that the confusion of the languages at the building of the tower of Babel is a shadow of the confusion of spiritual doctrine among the Christians today. But God has prophesied to heal this' confusion. These people are not to be destroyed but the Babylon in the world is to be destroyed. The mother of harlots; THE BOOK OF REVELATION 297 Babylon the great, is not the type of the spir- itually defiled church today, but she is the mother of the defiled church. She has many daughters in the Church. But the mother of all harlots, is the Babylon that; has the kingdom and reigns over the kings in the earth. To a backslidden church like the Laodicean, the spirit brings repentance by means of the great tribulation; (Rev. 7:14) but the mother of harlots, Babylon the great, does not repent and is therefore doomed to destruction. We are therefore commanded to come out of her and even lay the judgment of God upon her as we shall see in this chapter. Rev. 18:1-24. After these things I saw another angel coming down out of heaven, having great authority; and the earth was lightened with his glory (probably the same angel as in chapter 10). 2 And he cried with a mighty voice, saying, Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, and is become a habita- tion of demons, and a hold of every unclean spirit, and a hold of every unclean and hateful bird. Since Christ and His prophets and His apostles in their teaching have been so dis- 298 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM honored, therefore God withdraws His pro- tection from this city and it becomes a habitation of demons, unclean spirits and birds, likely referring to persons full of dis- honesty, lovers of money, and so on. 3. For by the wine of the wrath of her fornication all the nations are fallen; and the kings of the earth committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth waxed rich by the power of her wantonness. She made the laws for all the nations and by her work they all fell. No other law but Christ's will stand. The kings of the earth committed fornication with her. Do you now see, dear Brother, from what things you are to come out of, since all nations and kings of the earth are fallen. We are not to come out from the people for then we would have to get out of the world altogether, but from the works of the harlot of Babylon; and from her laws and teach- ing of fornication towards God's Word. This harlot of Babylon in her law-making power has given the peoples and nations on earth the right to use the oath which Christ THE BOOK OF REVELATION 299 has strictly forbidden. She gives man and wife the right to divorce, which the New Testament forbids. She brings the Chris- tian man under oath and to use the sword which Christ forbids His Church to do. She is the stumbling block to many a Chris- tian in going to law with his brother or fellow man, which the law of Christ forbids. (The reader may turn to the following passages: Matt. 5:31-40; 19:3-9; I Cor. 7: 10, 11; Jas. 5:12; Rev. 13:9, 10). She takes some of Moses' laws which Christ has set aside and raises them up for the nations and people to obey, proving by that, that she is a teacher of the Bible, that her laws are God's words. From these works of fornica- tion, the people of God are commanded to come out as we shall see in the next verse. 4. And I heard anuthei v^oice from heaven, saying-, Come forth, my people, out of her, that ye have no fellowship with her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues: Notice for what reason we should come out of her. God wants to save His people from having any fellowship with her sins, 300 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM SO as not to receive any of her plagues. This I believe is the warning of God to His people, to come out of these legislative halls and law-making bodies, and out of all secret and non-secret societies, which have a con^ stitutional law that severs men and women from the words of Christ. The word, "come out" implies that the people of God were in them heretofore; but since the judgment of God is about to come upon her, therefore the command to come out and not to have fellowship with her sins, so as to not receive of her plagues. 5. for her sins have reached even unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities. 6 Render unto her even as she rendered, and double unto her the double according to her works: in the cup which she mingled, mingle unto her double. 7 How much soever she glorified herself, and waxed wanton, so much give her of torment and mourning: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no wudow, and shall in no wise see mourning. 8 The fore in one day shall her plagues come, death, and mourning, and famine ; and she shall be utterly burned with fire ; for strong is the Lord God who judged her. THE BOOK OF REVELATION 301 She is a queen, because the kings of the earth are her husbands, so to speak. In verse 5 it says — "her sins have even reached unto heaven," because she has dis- honored God's Son and His ambassadors whom God Himself did send to give all the nations a law of life. The harlot has reject- ed them and has caused all the nations (which are God's too) to fall ; therefore her sins have reached even unto heaven. Notice the twofold work which we are commanded to do in verses 4 and 6. The first is to come out of her; the next, to render unto her the double for the harm she did to the people of God. She shall be utterly burned with fire. For us to call this judgment upon her is surely right, con- sidering the harm she did — she caused all nations to fall: "And in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints, and of all that had been slain upon the earth." Should such a harlot be tolerated any long- er on God's earth? How do we stand in enmity toward her and how do we stand towards God's command here in verses 4-8 302 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM to obey it fully? Notice how the words of Jer. 51 :6-9, are almost identical with these here in Rev. 18:4-6. The prophet gave command to Israel to flee out of Babylon when her judgment was about to come. In like manner this voice from heaven here in Rev. 18 commands God's people to come out of Babylon, because the time for the judgment has come. God used His ser- vants Isaiah and Jeremiah to lay the words of His judgments upon Babylon; He used Daniel tc explain to the king of Babylon tlie handwriting on the wall, which was the sentence of his dethronement. 9-24. And the kings of the earth, who committed iornication and lived wantonly with her, shall weep and wail over 'her, wfhen they look upon the smoke of her burning, 10 standing afar of¥ for the fear of her torment, saying, Woe, woe, the great city, Babylon, the strong city ! for in one hour is thy judgment come. 11 And the merchants of the •earth weep and mourn over her, for no man buyeth their merchandise any more ; 12 merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stone, and pearls, and •:fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet ; and all thyine wood, and every vessel of ivory, and every THE BOOK OF REVELATION 303 vessel made of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble; 13 and cinnamon, and spice, and incense, and ointment, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and cattle, and sheep; and merchandise of horses and chariots and slaves; and souls of men. 14 And the fruits which thy soul lusted after are gone from thee, and all things that were dainty and sumptuous are per- ished from thee, and men shall find them no more at all. 15 The merchants of these things, who were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and mourning; 16 saying, Woe, woe, the great city, she that was arrayed in fine linen and purple and scarlet, and decked with gold and precious stone and pearl! 17 for in one hour so great riches is made desolate. And every shipmaster, and every one that saileth any whither, and mariners, and as many as gain their living by sea, stood afar off, 18 and cried out as they looked upon the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like the great city? 19 And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and mourning, saying, Woe, woe, the great city, wherein all that had their ships in the sea were made rich by reason of her costliness ! for in one hour is she made desolate. 20 Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye saints, and yq apostles, and ye prophets ; for God hath judged your judgment on her. 21 xAnd a strong angel took up a 304 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM stone as it were a great millstone and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with a mighty fall shall Babylon, the great city, be cast down, and shall be found no more at all. (Compare this verse 21, with Jeremiah 51 :60-64.) 22 And the voice of harpers and minstrels and flute-players and trumpeters shall be heard no more at all in thee; and no craftsman, of whatsoever craft, shall be found any more at all in thee; and the voice of a mill shall be heard no more at all in thee; 23 and the light of a lamp shall shine no more at all in thee ; and the voice of the bride- groom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the princes of the earth; for with thy sorcery were all the nations deceived. 24 And in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints, and of all that have been slain upon the earth. The above verses of Rev. 18 need no explanation, but simply to believe in their literal fulfillment as the prophecies of the prophets were literally fulfilled in the Babylon of old. When God brought His judgment upon the Chaldean kingdom for the wrong it did to Israel, He did not 'destroy every city of that kingdom. Only Babylon was to be destroyed utterly, so much so that no person should ever live in THE BOOK OF REVELATION 305 it anymore; only wild animals, and unclean and hateful birds should make their abode there. That prophecy was literally fulfilled in Babylon up to this day (Jer. 50:39, 40). We may also be assured that when God shall destroy the Babylon of Rev. 18 that not every city in that kingdom will be burned utterly, but very likely every chosen city of the nations and states in whom the harlot rules by making laws for the people to sever them from the teachings of Christ. When God brought the judgment upon the wicked nations in Canaan at the time when Israel took the land into possession, only the great city Jericho was to be utterly destroyed. So here in Rev. 18, Babylon shall be utterly burnt with fire. We have read in chapter 17, that this harlot sits on many waters and these waters are, people, multitudes, nations, and tongues. So she dwells not in one material city alone but in many of them. The word "city" is applied in the Bible, not only to a material city, but also to a body of people and even to a single person. The Lord told Jeremiah "I 306 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM have made thee this day a fortified city" (Jer. 1 :18).. Jesus spoke of His disciples as a city on a hill. Jeremiah was made a fortified city because God put His words into his mouth. The law of God in our hearts and minds makes a single believer a fortified city. It is the same with a number of believers. All Christians who keep Christ's words are one city, though they are scattered all over the world. So with the harlot of Babylon. She is one city although she sits on the many peoples, multitudes, tongues, and nations. All the laws made by men to rule the nations in the world is the spiritual city of Babylon, just as all the saints who keep Christ's teaching are the city of God. But a city also consists of a material dwelling place, a collective body of people, a law to rule them and material houses to live in. The Babylon of Revelation 18 is therefore very likely not one city but many cities together of the same spirit and people. Babylon is a confusion, because of its many, many dif- ferent laws; and there is always from time THE BOOK OF REVELATION 307 to time strife and war between them. They have never been able to make a law for the nations on earth to make peace between them. This great harlot of Babylon and mother of harlots has caused much blood shed on earth so that the word in this chapter says, "In her was found the blood of prophets and of saints, and of all that have been slain upon the earth." There is a great song of lamentation heard over the fall of Babylon, from the kings on earth and from the merchants because they can not sell their precious and costly goods any more to this proud harlot who lived in luxury and pride; also the ship men lament over her destruction because of the loss in their traffic on the sea. This Babylon is made a waste like Sodom and Gomorrah, in which everything was destroyed — the people, the wealth, and the material city. No one could sell to those luxurious cities goods of any kind now. No sailor could have any trade from them anymore. No king on earth could claim these cities to rule over them any longer. Oh, what a loss 308 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM to them all! What a song of wailing and lamentation is heard here in Revelation 18 over the burning up of this city of Babylon! But heaven is singing and rejoicing over her fall. ''Rejoice over her thou heaven, and ye saints, and ye apostles, and ye prophets; for God hath judged your judg- ment on her." CHAPTER XIX THE FOUR-FOLD HALLELUJAH Rev. 19:1-21. After these things I heard as it were a great voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying. Hallelujah; Salvation, and glory, and power, belong to our God: 2 for true and righteous are his judgments; for he hath judged the great harlot, her that corrupted the earth with her fornication, and he hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand. 3 And a second time they say, Hallelujah. And her smoke goeth up for ever and ever. 4 And the four and twenty elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshipped God that sitteth on the throne, saying. Amen; Hallelujah. 5 And a voice came forth from the throne, saying. Give praise to our God, all ye his servants, ye that fear him, the small and the great. 6 And I heard as it were the voice of a great mul- titude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunders, saying, Hallelujah: for the Lord our God, the Ah mighty, reigneth. 7 Let us rejoice and be ex- ceeding glad, and let us give the glory unto him : 310 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. 8 And it was given unto her that she should array herself in fine linen, bright and pure: for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. 9 And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they that are bidden to the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are true words of God. 10 And I fell down before his feet to worship him. And he saith unto me, See thou do it not: I am a fellow-servant with thee and with thy brethren that hold the testimony of Jesus : worship God : for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. These words above need no explana- tion; there is no figurative language used. They are not dark or sealed words, but plain to every one's understanding. We are to read them and to keep them and believe that their fulfillment is at hand. Heaven is rejoicing "in a fourfold Hallelujah to God" because He has judged the great harlot, this great enemy of prophets, apostles and saints, and the great enemy of God, be- cause she has killed His servants. The great multitudes in heaven praise God with a Halleluiah. The twenty-four elders and THE BOOK OF REVELATION 311 the four living creatures fall down before Him saying, "Amen," and giving a twofold Hallelujah. All of God's servants, the great and the small, as a great multitude are called to praise God; and they too give a Hallelujah. Hallelujah is an expression of great praise to God, because of an as- sured victory or blessing of salvation from Him to His people. The praise of these repeated Hallelujahs does not only refer to the judgment of the great harlot, but these praises are given to God because the mar- riage of the Lamb has now come. His wife has made herself ready. She has come out of Babylon and she has fulfilled her mis- sion towards the great harlot of Babylon. The marriage of the Lamb can not come until the bride of Christ has come out of Babylon and has finished her part of the judgment upon Babylon. "Rejoice over her thou heaven, and ye saints, and ye apostles, and ye prophets; for God has judged your judgment on her" (Rev. 18:20). The har- lot is now dishonored, but the wife of the Lamb is glorified. It is given unto her that 312 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM she should array herself in fine linen, bright and pure. She must have this glor- ious apparel in order to be ready for the marriage of the Lamb. Think of Moses, how his face was glorified and how his eyes did not grow dim nor his strength weaken to his old age of 120 years. Think of Stephen, as he defended Christ before the Jewish counsel; "And all that sat in the counsel, fastening their eyes on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel" (Acts 6:15). But it says that the fine linen, **is the righteous acts of the saints." Look at the righteous acts of the saints on earth, in the following passages — Revelation 7:14, 15; 12:11; 14:1-5, 12; 1:3; 22:6, 7. "And he saith unto me. Write, Blessed are they that are bidden to the marriage supper of the Lamb." This invitation to the marriage supper of the Lamb can hard- ly refer to the bride. The bride is not bidden to the marriage supper, but the guests are bidden and it is the bride that does a great part of the bidding. As a rule, a marriage consists of a number of guests THE BOOK OF REVELATION 313 which are friends and relatives of the bride- groom and bride. So we may well believe. that there will be many guests at the mar- riage supper of the Lamb who are not of the bride but very dear friends of both the bridegroom and bride. But who are they that are bidden to the marriage supper of the Lamb? Why, you! .Even yourself. Who is cut off from the marriage supper of the Lamb? Those that reject the invitation. The reader may turn to Luke 14:16-24. In this passage you will see yourself also bid- den to the supper. Those who accept the invitation to the supper, but do not put on the wedding garment (the blood washed gar- ment of Christ) will also be refused a part in this supper. See Matt. 22:1-14. Who can say in the light of these scriptures, that he is not bidden and that he does not know what is needful to have in order to be admitted? Think of the prodigal son in Luke 15:11-24. First, what he did; and then what he received as a free gift to be admit- ted to the feast. Say! dear reader, has God made it hard for you to be ready for the 314 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM marriage supper of the Lamb? Does God not invite you? Are you rejected because you have been a terrible sinner? Are your sins red like crimson? There is a remedy given to wash them all away. "Come now, and let us reason together, saith Jehovah: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool" (Isa. 1:18). Hear the invitation — 'The Spirit and the bride say, Come. A.nd he that heareth, let him say, Come. And he that is athirst let him come: he that will, let him take of the water of life freely" (Rev. 22: 17). Tell me that you are not invited, then I will tell you that you are sinning against God's Word and the devil has deceived you with a lie. Did not God offer pardon to those people who killed His Son and did He not save 3,000 of them at Pentecost? They were guilty of murder, their sins were indeed red like crimson: but in less than one day these murderers were adopted into the royal family of God. Your many sins can not be a hindrance by cutting you off THE BOOK OF REVELATION 3l5 from having part at the marriage supper of the Lamb, if you but repent and do as the 3,000 murderers did at Pentecost. They asked, "What shall we do?" "And Peter said unto them. Repent ye, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ unto remission of your sins; and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For to you is the promise, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call unto him" (Acts 2:37-39). God calls all men unto Him and commands them all to repent and to believe in His Son. The house of God is a very great house and He wants His house to be full with guests at the mar- riage supper of His Son. And you are bidden to come. After the angel showed to John these things from chapter 17:1 to 19:9 he fell down to worship the angel; but the angel did not accept his worship and told John to worship God. The angel showed John and so us also, the harlot of Babylon and her judgment: and he also showed us the wife 316 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM of the Lamb as having made herself ready and beirfg arrayed in fine linen bright and pure. Therefore has the time now come for the marriage supper of the Lamb. The marriage supper of the Lamb is not de- scribed to us in detail except to a small extent in chapter 12. Here it speaks of the woman in heaven and on earth fleeing into the wilderness to be nourished for a time and times and half a time, thus connecting us with Israel's meeting with God in the wilderness by Mt. Sinai, where Israel re- ceived the law, the priesthood and the tabernacle. As the giving of the law at Mt. Sinai is typical of the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost so it is also typical of the marriage supper of the Lamb. Further- more, Moses and the elders in Israel had a feast on the Mount. "And they saw the God of Israel ; and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of sapphire stone, and as it were the very heaven for clear- ness" (Ex. 24:9, 10). Here at Mt. Sinai was the place where God came down from heaven, through His angel, to meet His THE BOOK OF REVELATION 317 people, that He might dwell among them afterwards. No other place in all their history did God manifest Himself to His people Israel as He did in the wilderness at Sinai. Here was the place where Israel was gloriously organized for the wars in Canaan and for the service of God. That is the shadow of how Jesus shall organize His saints at the marriage supper of the Lamb, as an army of God's chosen ones from all nations in the world, to come with Him to take in the kingdom of this world, as we shall now see in the remainder of this chapter. 11-13. And I saw the heaven opened; and be- hold, a white horse, and he that sat thereon called Faithful and True ; and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. 12 And his eyes are a flame of fire, and upon his head are many diadems; and he hath a name written which no one knoweth but he himself. 13 And he is arrayed in a garment sprinkled with blood: and his name is called The Word of God. No doubt but what this is the very Christ coming now from the marriage with His chosen ones who did follow Him. 318 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM 14-16. And the armies which are in heaven fol- lowed him upon white horses, clothed in fine Hnen, white and pure. (Is that not His Bride? See verse 8.) 15 And out of his mouth proceedeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations : and he shall rule them with a rod of iron : and he tread- eth the winepress of the fierceness of the wrath of God, the Almighty. 16 And he hath on his garment and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. This must be Jesus Himself and His chosen saints coming with Him from heav- en to carry out God's judgment upon the Antichrist and his whole kingdom. It is about like Israel when they went up from Sinai towards Canaan, to carry out God's judgment upon the wicked nations and kings in Canaan. Then they took the land into possession, for it was willed unto them* by God through Abraham. Israel had the promise of the land of Canaan only, but tq Christ all the earth is promised, "Ask of me, and I will give thee the nations for thy inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession (Psa. 2:8). It is also a fulfillment of Daniel's prophecy. **I THE BOOK OF REVELATION 319 saw in the night visions, and, behold, there came with the clouds of heaven one like unto a son of man, and he came even unto the ancient of days, and they brought him before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an ever- lasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom that which shall not be destroyed" (Dan. 7:13, 14). He now dethrones the Antichrist as is reveaied in the following verses. 17-21. And I saw an angel standing in the sun ; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in mid heaven, Come and h(\ gathered together unto the great supper of God; 18 that ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses and of them that sit thereon, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, and small and greatl 19 And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat upon the horse, and against his army. 20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought the signs in his sight, 320 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM wherewith he deceived them that had received th^ mark of the beast and them that worshipped his image : they two were cast alive into the lake of fire that burneth with brimstone: 21 and the rest were killed with the sword of him that sat upon the- horse, even the sword which came forth out of his- mouth : and all the birds were filled with their flesh. Again we need to believe in a literal fulfillment of these verses — 17 and 18, that the birds of mid heaven are called to come together to eat up the flesh of these soldiera and horses who make war against Christ and His army from heaven. Church history tells us how in the first centuries at a certain persecution the Christians were so shamefully treated that their bodies were not allowed to be buried but were left for the birds to eat. Since the people upon earth did not confess their sins that God might forgive them, therefore does God reward them according to their sins. As they have done to the Christians so does God measure unto them, and the birds of mid heaven are called on to be gathered together to eat up their flesh. This we see THE BOOK OF REVELATION 321 fulfilled in verse 21 "And all the birds were filled with their flesh." God must be just, as well as merciful. If the sinner will not re- pent to have his sins forgiven he must be punished according to the measure of his sins. "For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged" (Matt. 7:2). Notice in verse 20 how the beast (Anti- christ) and the false 'prophet are not even allowed to die like those in verse 21. Neither are they cast into hell, but they are cast alive into the lake of fire that burneth with fire and brimstone. Thus end these tv/o great enemies of Christ and His saints who sev- ered the people on earth from the words of God. God the Father has put all the enemies of Christ under the soles of His feet, and under His feet they must come. The rest of that great army are not killed with a sword of steel, but with the sword of God's Word that comes out of the mouth of Christ. The above verses are a fulfillment of Paul's prophecy in II Thess. 2:8. "And then shall be revealed the lawless one, whom the Lord Jesus shall slay with the breath of his 322 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM mouth, and bring to nought by the manifes- tation of his coming." This prophecy is fulfilled here in Rev. 19:19-21. CHAPTER XX THE FIRST RESURRECTION AND REIGN OF CHRIST Rev. 20:1-15. And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. 2 And he laid hold on the dragon, the old serpent, which is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, 3 and cast him into the abyss, and shut it, and sealed it over him, that he should deceive the nations nof more, until the thousand years should be finished: after this he must be loosed for a little time. This punishment upon Satan is also a fulfillment of prophecy: "In that day Jeho- vah with his hard and great and strong sword will punish leviathan the swift ser- pent, and leviathan the crooked serpent; and he will slay the monster that is in the sea" [In the nations of the world, (Isa. 27: 1)]. "And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly" (Rom. 16: 20). The imprisonment of Satan is limited to 1000 years, his eternal punishment will come later on in this chapter. Since the 324 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM eternal judgment of God has come upon the beast (Antichrist) and upon the false prophet, also the other judgment upon their armies and the 1000 years imprison- ment upon Satan so that he can not deceive the nations, nor harm, nor even tempt any child ^f God during that time, therefore the saints and the world have perfect rest. This rest is the Sabbathical rest as the seventh day. The seventh day as a day of rest and of great blessing above the other days, was first celebrated by God Himself in the creation. "And the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God finished his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and hallowed it; because that in it he rested from all his work which God had created and made" (Gen. 2:1-3), This Sab- bath day of rest and blessing was after- wards strictly commanded to be kept in the law. But Israel had another rest command- ed to them: and that was the seventh year THE BOOK OF REVELATION 325 of rest. Every seventh year was a rest year in which no plowing or sowing or reaping was to be done. Since we have in Moses' law not only a rest day, but a rest year foreshadowed to us, therefore we shall have a Sabbathical rest of 1000 years in the gospel of Christ; the seventh 1000 years. According to Bible history we are near the end of the sixth 1000 years and therefore hear the prophesied rest of the seventh thousand years. The people of God and those of the world have gone through many hard labors in the 6000 years but there is a rest for them near at hand, since even the time is shortened. It is not said here in Rev. 20:1-3, who this angel is that binds Satan, whether it is Christ Himself, or one whom the Father has sent with such a power, but we rejoice in this that it will surely come to pass. We believe in the literal fulfillment of all these words. Oh, how we should appreciate the words of prophecy and read and hear and keep them through the power of the Holy Spirit in us, so that God can fulfill them 326 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM shortly, according as He has said — "The time is at hand" (Rev. 1:1-3). Do we please God by holding these words of God's judgment upon Satan so that they come to pass soon? Or are we careless about this important workof theChurch and give Satan still longer time to rule with his abominable works, against God and Christ, and the saints? Satan is surely not bound in the world today He is very busy in deceiving the nations and even Christians. But in the 1000 years to come, he can not deceive them acc:)rding to the above passage in Rev. 20:1-3. 4-6, And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus, and for the word of God, and such as worshipped not the beast, neither his image, and received not the mark upon their fore-r head and upon their hand ; and they lived, and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 5 The rest of the dead lived not until the thousand years should be finished. This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrec- tion : over these the second death hath no power ; THE BOOK OF REVELATION 327 but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. What do we believe about this passage? Do I believe in the literal fulfillment of it? Yes, I do! Why, and how? Because this reign of Christ on earth, with His saints, before heaven and earth shall pass away, and be- fore the eternal kingdom of God shall be ushered in, is clearly foreshadowed in Is- rael's history, and because it is unmistakably prophesied in the prophecies of the Old and New Testament. The dear reader should look to the Holy Spirit to reveal him this truth and at the same time cause him to see that he is made worthy in Christ to inherit that kingdom, so that he may come in with the first ones instead of with the last ones. Remember what Jesus said — "But many shall be last that are first: and first that are last" (Matt. 19:30). Let us now turn to the shadow and prophecies of this kingdom revealed here in Rev. 20:4-6. After king David had conquered and destroyed all the enemies of Israel in the land of Canaan and around it (for God had commanded that 328 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM they should utterly destroy all the inhabit ants of Canaan) and since David had full respect unto the law of Moses to set it up in his kingdom, then God gave to David this promise: **And thy house and thy kingdom shall be made sure forever before thee: thy throne shall be established forever" (II Sam. 7:16). Again in Psalm 132:11, "Jehovah hath sworn unto David in truth; He will not turn from it: of the fruit of thy body will I set upon thy throne." The prophet Isaiah says: "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given ; and the government is upon his shoulders: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his govenrment and of peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to establish it, and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from henceforth even forever. The zeal of Jehovah of* hosts will perform this" (Isa. 9:6, 7). This prophecy unquestionably refers to Christ; this child and this son is Christ. He shall THE BOOK OF REVELATION 329 rule upon the throne of David and establish the kingdom of David with justice and with righteousness. The government shall be upon His shoulder. (See also Luke 1:31- 33). This prophecy is being fulfilled here in Rev. 20:4-6. We all know for certain that the throne of David was not in heaven, but upon the earth. A certain servant of God has well said, "Christ is now on the throne of His father in heaven: He is not yet upon the throne of David," for He was rejected by His people when He was upon earth. But some day the words of Jesus will be fulfilled unto them which He spoke, saying: "Behold your house is left unto you desolate. For I say unto you: Ye shall not see ,me henceforth till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord." (Matt. 23:38, 39). Some day God will give the Jews repentance to believe in Christ, so that they shall say to him, "Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord." This prophecy of Christ will come to pass for the Jews. They shall recognize Him as their chosen King. 330 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM The kingdom of David has fallen, long, long, ago; but God has promised to raise it up according to prophecy. Both its fall, and its rise to stand forever, were proph- ecied. (Psa. 89:34-45; Jer. 33:24-26; Amos 9:11, 12). Let us read what the Apostle James says: "Brethren hearken unto me; Simeon hath rehearsed how first God visit- ed the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name. [This work of taking a people out of the Gentiles is still going on today and will so continue until the time of the Gentiles be fulfilled]. And to this agree the words of prophets; as it is written. After these things I will return, and I will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up. (For what purpose) ? That the residue of men may seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who maketh these things known from of old" (Acts 15:14-18). As soon as the fulness of the Gentiles out of all nations, peoples, tribes, and tongues, has come in. THE BOOK OF REVELATION 331 then will the Lord Jesus return and fulfill the above prophecies to establish the king- dom of David. He shall raise it up from its ruins for Israel and for His chosen ones out of all nations. Yea, He shall raise it up for the blessing of the rest, as prophesied above — "That the residue of men may seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called." Not to believe in Christ according to the above prophecies, is not believing on Him as the Scripture saith. This error is also a great hindrance to the onward march of the Church of Christ today. Furthermore, it keeps the devil and all those who corrupt the earth, in power and it keeps the whole creation groaning for their deliverance, as revealed in Rom. 8:19-22. The Lord's covenant of His salva- tion is not for man only, but also for beast and the whole creation. (See Isa. 11). We come back again to Rev. 20:4-6 and we see that this reign of Christ with His saints is limited to 1000 years. Why this specified time of 1000 years? Why not forever? This 1000 years is only a beginning of His 332 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM kingdom. God in His wisdom will give the devil another chance to be let loose out of his prison and to go out to deceive the nations and mightily attack the kingdom of Christ; but through that he will bring about his eternal doom in the lake of fire. Then the new heaven and the new earth will be ushered in and the eternal kingdom of God and of Christ with all His saints, as we shall see later on in the remaining chapters. But this reign of Christ with Israel and the others from among the heathen for 1000 years, is also foreshadowed in Israel's his- tory. When God gave the promise to David and through other prophets that the kingdom of David should be made to stand forever through Christ on His throne as we have seen above. He gave also a promise to David for his sons and successors, that if they would walk in His law as David had, then they should also reign (of course, until the promised king would come). This of course they did not do, for Solomon introduced idolatry and so they lost the kingdom and did not reign until Christ THE BOOK OF REVELATION 333 came. The time of Christ to come was not yet at hand. Let us then observe this, that from the beginning of Solomon's reign, after God gave the promise to David for his sons to reign, until the birth of Christ, the true King, it is just 1000 years. Solomon himself, and especially the temple, were types of Christ. Solomon's kingdom which attracted the attention of the queen of Sheba from the end of the world, was the shadow of Christ's kingdom in Rev. 20:4-6, and of Isa. 11. The temple that Solomon built was also a shadow of Christ, and from the beginning of the building of the temple and the beginning of Solomon's reign to the birth of Christ, is just 1000 years. But through the disobedience of the succeeding kings they did not reign these 1000 years, but lost the kingdom hundreds of years before and were sent into captivity as a punishment from the Lord. However, the Lord has promised to restore unto them that kingdom, as we have so plainly seen in the above prophecies. And He will restore unto them the whole time of the 1000 years. 334 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM The kingdom had already been defiled from the beginning through Solomon. The Lord will make this time of 1000 years sure unto them, and to us too; for He will have the devil bound in the pit for 1000 years so that he can not deceive the nations and kings upon earth anymore. Therefore it will be a glorious rest, yea a great Sab- bath rest of 1000 years, after about 6000 years of painful labors on the part of God, Christ, the angels, and the saints. The reader may establish himself by reckoning the time from Solomon to Christ. About the promises of God made to David con- cerning his sons on his throne, the follow- ing passages may be read: I Kings 2:4; 8:25,26; 9:1-9; Psa. 132:11, 12. We have now seen through the prophe- cies that this reign of Christ in Rev. 20:4-6 upon the throne of David on earth, was prophesied. And this limited time of 1000 years has a shadow in the history of Israel, for Israel's history under the law of Moses, is the shadow of spiritual Israel under the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Therefore we teach \ THE BOOK OF REVELATION 335 a literal fulfillment of this prophecy in Rev. 20. We teach it in good faith through the light in God's Word that those who will meet the conditions will live and reign with Christ 1000 years and later on through all eternity forever and ever. 7, 8. And when the thousand years are finished, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, Sand shall come forth to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to the war: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. Satan will never repent of disobeying God, though he has been punished with 1000 years imprisonment. He does however try to take the kingdom away from the saints and Christ. 9, 10. And they went up over the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city (Jerusalem, which was rebuilt, the seat of David's throne) : and fire came down out of heaven, and devoured them. And the devil that deceived them was cast intO' the lake df fire and brimstone, where the beas't and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and nio:ht for ever and ever. 336 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM This is the end of the one who separat- ed man from God's commandment in the beginning. He and his servants are cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, never to come out again. We shall not hear of them anymore. This ends the history of the devil. His works have been made full to deserve this eternal punishment. It seems surpris- ing to think that the devil at this time should have succeeded in deceiving such a large multitude as the sand of the sea, and to even come so far with them as to compass the beloved city of the saints. But when we remember how he tried to win Christ for himself by offering Him the glory of all the kingdoms on earth, we need not be sur- prised that he succeeded in deceiving these. But he could not deceive them all. There were enough saints on earth to be true to God and Christ in this greatest of tests. •God allowed this test to come, but the saints overcame to trust God, as king Hezekiah andlsaiah did against the Assyrian king who had compassed Jerusalem. The Assyrian king met with his final defeat; for \ THE BOOK OF REVELATION 337 the angel of the Lord killed his army of 185, 000 men in one night and delivered Jerusa- lem as a reward of Hezekiah's prayer and trust in his God. The Assyrian king was killed by his own sons. So does our loving Father in heaven deal with our enemies. He lets the fire from heaven come down to de- vour this large multitude that Satan has gathered and consumes them all in a mo- ment. Finally, the devil who deceived them is cast into the lake of fire and brimstone. O Brother, have we not a good God who so fights for us, who has revealed to us how all things will end to our good and to our enemies' defeat? Let us thank Him indeed. We will serve such a God. 11. And I saw a great white throne and him that sat upon it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. This is the fulfillment of Christ's proph- ecy: "heaven and earth shall pass away." And of Peter: "But the day of the Lord will come as a thief; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the 338 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM elements shall be dissolved with fervent heat, and the earth and the works that are therein shall be burned up" (II Peter 3:10). You will notice that this comes to pass after the 1000 years reign with Christ. And now comes the last resurrection, the last judgment day. 12. And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne ; and books were opened : and another book was opened, which is the book of Hfe : and the dead were judged out of the things which were written in the books, according to their works. Compare here Matt. 25:31-45 about the works by which they shall be judged. 13. And the sea gave up the dead that were in it; and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them : and they were judged every man according to their works. Notice that all, even those in hell, and every other place must and do appear be- fore the throne to be judged. We see also by the next verse that hell or hades is not the eternal place of punishment; but there is, nevertheless, an eternal place of punish- THE BOOK OF REVELATION 339 ment for the devil and the wicked people. It is not a place of annihilation, either. 14. And death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death, even the lake of fire. People who died the first death were all taken out again, for we have just read above, that the sea gave up the dead, and death and hell, or Hades, as well. There is a coming out again from the place of punish- ment called "hell," but there is no coming out of the lake of fire, which is the second death. Hell or Hades is the first place of punishment; the lake of fire is the second place of punishment for the evil ones. There is an unpardonable sin of which Jesus said thai it shall not be forgiven to man neither in this nor in the world to come but is sub- ject to eternal damnation. Matt. 12:31, 32\ Mark 3:28, 29. The punishment of the lake of fire was prepared by God for those who Will not repent after they have had all possible opportunities given unto them to be saved. It was prepared for the devil and his angels. The Lord has not used this place of punish- 340 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM ment for anybody yet, as far as we have knowledge. The first are the beast, Anti- christ, the false prophet, then the devil,. then death itself and hell, and lastly — 15. And if any was not found written in the book of life, he was cast into the lake of fire. CHAPTER XXI THE NEW HEAVEN AND THE NEW EARTH Rev. 21 :l-27. And I sav^ a new heaven and a new- earth : for the first heaven and the first earth are passed away; and the sea is no more. Oh, what a good Father we have! The old heaven and the old earth are not good enough anymore for His children. They have been so defiled with sin and blood-shed. Satan, evil spirits, and wicked men have defiled it. But these are all now shut up in everlasting imprisonment. Neither Satan, nor any of his angels in the form of a spirit or in person, will ever be allowed to touch the new heaven or the new earth. It will not be the same as in the Paradise of Eden when Satan was allowed to come in the serpent to tempt Eve- *There will be no tempter there." God will never allow Satan or any of his spirits to come near His created people to disturb their peace. No, no, never, never. Say! 342 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM Brother, have we not a good Father who has prepared such a place of bliss for us? Dear reader! can you not love such a God with all your heart? Does He not deserve to have our love and to be adored and worshipped every day of our lives? Yes, He does; and we will and we can love Him and worship Him with our whole heart. Amen and amen. "The sea is no more." The whole earth can be tilled to bring forth good fruit. It will be needful, for all generations are now raised to live again on the new earth. Likely for this reason is there no more sea. All the fertile land is needed for the many people who dwell upon it. 2. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. We will not need to build ourselves houses, nor even tents, on the new earth. Our loving Father has already prepared us a home and such a home that will satisfy all our wishes. Such a mansion of beauty and splendor that the attractive Babylon of this THE BOOK OF REVELATION 343 earth sinks into dirt and nothingness before our eyes, even now, as we read its descrip- tion in this chapter. This city comes down from God out of heaven. It is not built on earth. It is the work and Masterpiece of God. He is both the architect and the builder. He has built this city for man, for the bride of the Lamb, Amen. Jesus said: — "In my father's house are many man- sions; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and will receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. 3, 4. And I heard a great voice out of the throne saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he shall dwell with them, and they shall be his peoples, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God: 4 and he shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and death shall be no more; neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain, any more : the first things are passed away. God Himself has now made His dwell- ing place with men. Not only the devil and 344 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM His wicked servants are put away from us, but God has made His dwelling with us in His glorious city, and with all the saints of all ages. Glory be to God, and glory be to His name, for ever and ever, amen and amen. These are things which come to pass shortly, for the highest authority says so. — No death, no mourning, no crying, no pain: He wipes away every tear from His people. Oh, what a good Father! Who should not love and serve Him? 5, 6. And he that sitteth on the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he saith, Write : for these words are faithful and true. 6 And he said unto me. They are come to pass. These things have come to pass. How is that to be understood? A certain min- ister once said, *Tacts are not facts because they have come to pass, but facts are facts because God has spoken it." So here: These things have already come to pass in God's heart, in God's will. It is all done there; therefore they must also come to pass and be made visible to us. THE BOOK OF REVELATION 345 6, 7. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. 7 He fhat overcoime'th shall iniherit these things ; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. Since God is the first and the last letter of the alphabet of His righteousness, then we, or even the best saint that ever lived is nothing; not one letter, not even a dot. But we are all made perfect in Christ to inherit His kingdom, and to dwell in His holy city, if we believe on His Son as the scripture says — '*Unto him that loved us, and loosed us from our sins by his blood; and he made us to be a kingdom, to be priests unto his God and Father; to him be the glory and the dominion for ever and ever, Amen" (Rev. 1:5, 6). "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" 346 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM (Rev. 5:9, 10). We are nothing at all of ourselves and yet we all are made perfect in Christ. Faith in Christ is our righteousness. Then remember that this Christ who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood and with the same blood purchased us for God, is the gift of the Father. Our salvation and all the revealed glory in this book of Revelation, came first out of the heart of the Father. Christ Himself and alt the help we get from the angels and saints came out of the heart of the one who sits on the throne. Therefore he says, — "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end." Our salvation and glory in Jesus was all planned out in the Father's loving heart to us before the foundation of the world and since His Son has done the work, therefore we can get it free, as an inherit- ance. "He that overcometh shall inherit these things." But there is a possibility for a believer to become so weak in his spiritual condition that he is utterly unable to take anything which is offered unto him freely of God's salvation, though he would desire it. THE BOOK OF REVELATION 347 He finds himself under the power of the accuser, who holds his sins before him, day and night, and he can not overcome to believe that they are all under the blood. He is somewhat like a sick person who has lost all strength in his body so that he can not take food and drink to his mouth any- more, though he would desire to do so. In such a case he needs some one to nurse him and give him food and drink. That is a great help indeed to this weak person, for he would die if no one would feed him. So we have this glorious grace revealed to us of the Father in heaven, here in Rev. 21 :6. "I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely." The condition required here on our part is, "Thirst." The Father is shown to us on the throne as one who is almighty, having all power over Satan, our accuser, who accuses us before God day and night. He has power over every evil spirit around us, for he said, "I, myself (through his spirit), will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely." Can anything 348 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM hinder him from giving you this water of life? Your Father says, "I will give it to you." O Brother, Sister, do you believe in your God as this scripture says? If you have found salvation and have been led into it to your ankles, or to your knees, or up to your loins, remember you are not to stop there. You must be led in until you swim in order that God^s labors be fully rewarded on you and His Words may be- come true upon you. (See Ezek. 47:1-9). 8. But for the fearful, and unbelieving, and abominable, and murderers, and fornicators, and ser- cerers, and idolaters, and all liars, their part shall be in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone; which is the second death. "God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap" (Gal. 6:7). ''How shall we escape, if we neglect so great a salvation" (Heb. 2:3). If a man be guilty of any or all of the above damna- ble works and does not repent to have his sins washed away, that one will have his part in the lake of fire and brimstone. God will never be found a liar in any of His THE BOOK OF REVELATION 349 words which He has spoken, and not of these words here in Rev. 21:8. Let the reader not forget this. If God would save such people who are guilty of these devilish works mentioned above and who do not repent of them, then God could be classed as a liar, having promised things which He never fulfilled. May we 'work out our own salvation with fear and trembling" (Phil. 2:12). May we not doubt that God will be found true to all His words of blessing and to all His words of punishment. Remember how God fulfilled His words of punishment on the world by the flood in the days of Noah, and how he dealt with the abomina- ble cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. Re- member how He did not spare His holy temple and city, Jerusalem, from destruc- tion, because of the defilement in it: and how He was true to His Words of punish-» ment in casting His chosen people out of their land into captivity. Remember how the sin of fearfulness and unbelief in the ten spies and in all who believed them was punished. Because of this sin of fearful- 350 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM ness (they were afraid to enter the land) and unbelief in the promises of God, they were cut off from entering the land of which they were made heirs. And thi^ happened unto them to be an example for our benefit. They were cut off from a temporal kingdom, but we are cut off from an eternal one if we sin. Remember how God had chosen Saul and anointed him to be king over Israel and then rejected him afterwards, because of disobedience to Hi^ Word in not doing that which God had commanded him to do, and for which God had given him all the needful power to do perfectly. Samuel told Saul, that this re- bellion of his caused his rejection as king over God's people. 'Tor rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness as idol- atry and iniquity. Because thou hast re- jected the word of the Lord, he hath also re- jected thee from being king" (I Sam. 15:23): In this act of king Saul we have revealed to us the sin of witchcraft, iniquity, and idolatry. O reader, is there any disobe- dience at present in your heart between you THE BOOK OF REVELATION 351 and God? Let the Holy Spirit reveal it to you and then humble yourself at once under the almighty hand of God to confess and to obey, even though it should bring you great shame before men as even to cost your life. Out with the hidden things ir your life which will bring you into the lake of fire if they are not removed from you. Your sins will be revealed before an assem- bled world on the judgment day if you keep them hid now. Oh, a thousand times rather be put to shame now and be pardoned by God, than to be cast into the lake of fire and brimstone; for God must make His words true to punish those who are guilty of the above sins and who do not repent of them. Remember how the Holy Spirit dealt with Ananias and Sapphira who were liars, and with Simon the sorcerer (Acts 5:1-11; 8: 21-23). God wants no liars or sorcerers in His Church. The New Jerusalem Revealed. 9-27. And there came one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls, who were laden 352 • LIGHT AND LIFE FROM with the seven last plagues; and he spake with me. saying, Come hither, I will show thee the bride, the wife of the Lamb. 10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, 11 having the glory of God: her light was like unto a stone most precious, as it were a jasper stone, clear as crystal: 12 having a wall great and high ; having twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels ; and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: 13 on the east were three gates; and on the north three gates ; and on the south three gates ; and on the west three gates. 14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them- twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. 15 And he that spake with me had for a measure a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates there- of, and the wall thereof. 16 And the city lieth four- square, and the length thereof is as great as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs : the length and the breadth and the height thereof are equal. 17 And he measured the wall thereof, a hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of an angel. 18 And the building of the wall thereof was jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto pure glass. 19 The foundations of the wall of THE BOOK OF REVELATION 353 the city were adorned with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, chalcedony; the fourth, emer- ald; 20 the fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, topaz; the tenth, chrysoprase; the eleventh, jacinth; the twelfth, amethyst. 21 And the twelve gates were twelve pearls ; each one of the several gates was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass. 22 And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God the Almighty, and the Lamb, are the temple thereof. 23 And the city hath no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine upon it: for the glory did lighten it, and the lamp thereof is the Lamb. 24 And the nations shall walk amidst the light thereof : and the kings of the earth bring their glory into it. 25 And the gates thereof shall in no wise be shut by day (for there shall be no night there) : 26 and they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it: 27 and there shall in no wise enter into it anything unclean, or he that maketh an abomination and a lie : but only they that are written in the Lamb's book of life. Dear Brother, Sister, or Reader, the first thing we would like to mention is that this glorious city with its mansions and streets of gold is the home which your 354 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM heavenly Father has prepared for you. It ia surely your home. It is the home for all who prove worthy to enter therein. The answer is in chapter 22:14. Revised Ver- sion. ''Blessed are they that wash their robes, that they may have the right to come to the tree of life, and may enter in by the gates into the city." The blood of the Lamb has opened unto us the way to the tree of life and into the city, and to come into the presence of God to dwell with Him. 'They washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are) they before the throne of God; and serve him day and night in his temple" (Rev. 7:14, 15). The description of this city needs no expla- nation. It explains itself. We believe in the literal fulfillment of this prophecy. The old patriarchs looked for this city and saw it as their home. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob lived in tents on earth. "By faith he [Abraham] became a sojourner in the land of promise, as in a land not his own, dwell- ing in tents, with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: for he looked THE BOOK OF REVELATION 35- for the city which hath the foundations, whose builder and maker is God." "But now they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed of them, to be called their God; for he hath prepared for them a city. (Heb. 11:9, 10, 16). Do we please God by looking for this city as these patriarchs did ? Or are our eyes and hearts yet attached to the beautiful homes and cities of this earth? So easily can the nice things on the earth come between us and things above, and darken our vision that we can not see this heavenly city. ''Set your mind on things above and not on the things that are on the earth" (Col. 3:2). Notice the tremendous size of the city, twelve thousand furlongs; and the length and the breadth and the height of the city are the same. Surely there must be room enough in its mansions for every person that has ever lived on earths We may well deny ourselves of wearing golden ornaments and give our gold and treasures for the spread of the Gospel, for 356 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM some day God will place us in mansions of gold and we shall walk upon streets of gold. Yea, more than gold, for the foundations of the wall of the city are adorned with all manner of precious stones and the twelve gates are of twelve pearls and each gate of one pearl. And then best of all, God the Father and the Son and all His holy saints dwell in it. But "there shall in nowise enter into it anything unclean, or he that maketh an abomination and a lie: but only they that are written in the Lamb's book of life.""^ This city is called "the bride, the wife of the Lamb." Is it only a spiritual city of holy persons, or is it also a material city? Why all this description of dimensions, 12,000 furlongs, 12 foundations of precious stones, streets of gold and gates of pearl, if it were not a material city as well as a spiritual one filled with all the holy people and with God himself dwelling in it? A city consists of at least three things, — a body of people, a law to rule them, and dwelling places in which to live. Oh, what a good Father we have in heaven to build us such a beautiful city! THE BOOK OF REVELATION 357 There is nothing on earth that can even be a shadow toward it. Who will say that God does not love us? CHAPTER XXII THE LAST GENERAL INVITATION Rev. 22:1-21. And he showed me a river of Waaler of life, bright as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb, 2 in the midst of the street thereof. And on this side of the river and on that v^as the tree of life, bearing twelve manner (crops) of fruits, yielding its fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 3 And there shall be no curse any more: There shall be no curse like in the beginning; the tree of knowledge of good and evil and the commandment which con- tained this curse — ''for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die/' (Gen. 2:17) will not be there. Some people have accused God for allowing sin to come into the world and for allowing the devil to tempt Eve. "Why did God not destroy him or shut him up in a prison of punishment when he exalted him- self against God." Somehow these people are blind, or else make no effort to read THE BOOK OF REVELATION 359 these words in Revelation, where we see how God will surely do all these things, by- casting the devil into the lake of fire and brimstone forever and ever. And we shall eat freely of the tree of life and be com- pletely healed of our sins and of our diseases by its leaves. Its fruits shall be our meat. Adam and Eve never ate of it. Surely God has prepared a perfect healing remedy for the leprosy of sin, and good fruit on this tree of life to live thereby. Instead of getting older we shall get younger by the fruit of this tree. What may this tree be? God has given us life eternal in His Son for body and soul. We are to eat Him up. His flesh and blood are likely the leaves of thei tree and His words the fruits thereof, anc^ this fruit we are to eat up. The reader may turn to the following passages to see in what God has given us life: Jno. 6:48-58; 8:51 ; 11 :26. 'Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy words were unto me a joy and the rejoicing of my heart" (Jer. 15:16). The words that Jesus spoke concerning the bread and the wine at the 360 LIG'tIT and life FROM Lord's supper, 'This is my body" and "this is my blood," are words of life and spirit for the one who discerns the body of the Lord in the bread and the blood of the Lord in the wine. He eats the body of the Lord and drinks the blood of the Lord by faith in His words, "This is my body," "This is my blood." The Apostle says in I Cor. 1 1 :29, 30, "for he that eateth and drinketh, eateth and drinketh judgment unto himself if he discern not the body. For this cause many among you are weak and sickly, and not a few sleep." Because they discern not the Lord's body in the bread and wine and ir the words which he spoke, "This is my body," "This is my blood." In the creation of the world the Word of God brought forth the earth with its soil and grass, trees, rocks, iron, and all kinds of hard material. Remember that all this came into existence through the Word as God spake it. He made this earth which was waste and void, such a fruitful body as it is now, through His Word. "By faith we understand that the worlds have been framed by the word of THE TJOOK OF REVELATION' 361 God, so that what is seen hath not been made out of things which appear" (Heb. 11 :- 3). All things were made through him [the Word] ; and without him was not anything made that hath been made" (Jno. 1:1-3). In the light of all this, we can, and do believe, that the Word of God, "This is my body," "This is my blood;" is fully able to raise up our weak and sickly bodies, to heal them and keep them alive until Christ comes who will then transform them into His glorious body, because we have the seed of His glorious body in us by faith in Hir words spoken above. "This is my body," "This is my blood." The leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations." This is God's remedy for man, and I feel it in my very body. It has healed me of my nervous weakness, eczema, and other ailments. The Word of God for the body has been my only medicine for over 20 years. Praise God's holy name for ever and ever, amen and amen. But we have also a river of life described to us in connection with the tree of life. What could it be but the Holy 362 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM Spirit and the Word of God in the whole Bible flowing as a river continually from God's throne and the Lamb into our hearts? And that even we ourselves are to become rivers of living waters as Jesus said. ''He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, from within him shall flow rivers o' living water. But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believed on him were to receive" (Jno. 7: 38, 39). 3, 4. and the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be therein (in the New Jerusalem) : and his servants shall serve him; 4 and they shall see his face; and his name shall be on their foreheads. The love of God within us will con- strain us to serve God. How could we do otherwise? Since He has placed us in such a city and given us of this river of life to drink and of the leaves and fruit of the tree of life to freely eat, and since He has written His name on our forehead, how could we withhold ourselves from serving such a good God? Why do men find fault with God for things of the past? Oh, what blindness and THE BOOK OF REVELATION o63 deceitfulness of the devil! Why not look to these words of unspeakable promises to which He has made man the heir through Christ? Surely you don't do right if you do not thank God for all these words of revealed blessings to you. 'Things which eye saw not, and ear heard not, and which entered not into the heart of man, whatso- ever things God prepared for them that love him. But unto us God revealed them through the Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God" (I Cor. 2:9, 10). Things which in times past were not seen nor heard nor even came into the heart of man, are now all revealed to us by His Spirit in the Apostles, through whom we have the whole New Testament with this book of Revelation in which all things are clearly revealed to us, even now. 5. And there shall be night no more ; and they need no light of lamp, neither light of sun; for the Lord God shall give them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever. They shall reign forever and ever, not in heaven, but on the new earth and in the 364 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM new Jerusalem; not with David on the throne but with God the Father and Christ on the throne. This is now the everlasting kingdom of God which shall stand forever and ever. We are made worthy in Jesus Christ to inherit that kingdom according to Rev. 1 :5, 6. "Unto him that loveth us, and loosed us from our sins by his blood; and he made us to be a kingdom, to be priests unto his God and Father; to him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen." Through the works of Christ we are made worthy to hold the citizenship and priest's office in the kingdom of God forever and ever, if we prove ourselves worthy now by faith and obedience to him. 6, 7. And he (the angel) said unto me, These words are faithful and true: and the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, sent his angel to show unto his servants the things which must shortly come to pass. 7 And behold, I come quickly. Blessed ia he that keepeth the words of the prophecy of this book. Notice what the highest authority in this book says about these words of proph- THE BOOK OF REVELATION 365 ecy, "which must shortly come to pass>" Therefore any Spirit that teaches different from this in regard to the time for the fulfillment of this word is evidently not the Spirit of prophecy of this book. The ques- tion we may ask as the Church of Christ is, have we kept these words of prophecy? Or have we let them slip from us? Have we placed their fulfillment to a future genera- tion and thus lost the blessing promised of the Spirit upon the keeping of them? Let us see how we can be the hindrance to the ;oming of Christ and to the fulfillment of ill these words of prophecy. Of course we oelieve that these words will come to pass; but we do not believe like the Spirit says, — "shortly." We do not take them up for us and our generation. We believe that God will cause them to come to pass through a future generation. Now let us see how this way of believing will work. The next generation will believe like we do; they will also believe in their coming to pass, yet not through them, but through a future genera- tion of God's people. That future genera- 366 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM tion of believers will do the very same thing and so on it will go. When will they come to pass? Remember, God fulfills His words of prophecy because His people are made the bearers of the prophecies. Now if those who are made heirs of the promises in prophecies do not hold or keep the prophe- cies, will God fulfill them anyway and give them the promised King and kingdom? We have an unerring example of this in Israel's history at Kadesh-barnea. They were all ready to go over and take the kingdom. God's time for them to take in the land was "now." God's time was here. The wicked nations in the land were ripe for the judg- ment, and God was ready to give the land to His people, but they failed to believe in His promise because of the ten spies, and the time was prolonged to 40 years. What was the cause of this delay? Nothing that we read of but the unbelief on the part of the ten spies and of all those that believed them. Even the righteous ones like Joshua and Caleb had to suffer too because they had to THE BOOK OF REVELATION 367 wait on the rest until God's time came again. The individual believer as well as the Church who does not keep these words of prophecy is not armed with God's whole armor and therefore will meet with defeat in carrying out the full will of God and to inherit the promise of Christ's coming. We are out of line with God's highest will if we do not keep these words of prophecy in Revelation. That is what God is waiting on in order to cause all these words to come to pass shortly. The Church of Christ will be led through the works laid out in this prophecy. We must go through them. We are made heirs of these promises from God through Christ. Israel was made the heir of Canaan through Abraham; we are made the Keirs through Christ. Our Father in heaven is to us what Abraham was to Israel He gave His Son as an offering on the cross for us; so we have received the promises from the Father through the faith and obedience of His Son Jesus Christ. 8-10. And I John am he that heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw, I fell down to 368 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM worship before the feet of the angel that showed me these things. 9 And he saith unto me, See thou do it not: I am fellow-servant with thee and with thy brethren the prophets, and with them that keep the words of this book: worship God. 10 And he saith unto me, Seal not up the words of the prophecy of this book; for the time is at hand. Again the angel says to John that the time for these prophecies to come to pass is at hand. Who should dare to teach differ- ent and set a future time or look to a future generation for the fulfillment of these words in this book? God forgive us for our past faults, for the neglected work, which He, desired us to do. May we be made of God like Caleb and Joshua, who had the faith which pleased God. 11. He that is unrighteous, let him do unrighteous- ness still: and he that is filthy, let him be made filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him do righteousness still: and he that is holy, let him be .made holy still. The time of grace has come to a close. The unrighteous will become more unright- eous, and the righteous more and more THE BOOK OF REVELATION 369 righteous. There will be no cleansing rem- edy for sin anymore, neither will there be any inducement for the righteous to sin anymore. 12, 13. Behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to render to each man according as his work is. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end. It is all in Christ. He is the first and last letter of the alphabet; He is the first and the last; the beginning and the end; we come in nowhere, but through Him and Him alone. "And in none other is salvation, neither is there any other name under heaven, that is given among men, wherein we must be saved" (Acts 4:12)! "For as through the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the one [Christ] shall the many be made righteous" (Rom. 5:19). In the obedience of the one, Christ, are we made righteous, providing we believe it. 14. Blessed are they that wash their robes, that they 370 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM may have the right to come to the tree of Hfe, and may enter in by the gates into the city. God has made it possible for everyone to have the right to the tree of life and to enter into the new Jerusalem, because the works required can be done by all. The reader will observe the difference in thr above verse between the Authorized and Revised versions. We may have failed tc keep His commandments, and if we were called away without having done His com- mandments then we would never have the right to get to the tree of life and into the city. But we do praise God that the work required is to wash our robes. We all can do that. The vilest sinner can do that, though he may be ever so unclean. Surely he can wash his robes. God in His mercer has provided a way of salvation that reach- es to the uttermost. Man has a comfort indeed in God's mercy. But how do we wash our robes? By the faith that Jesus Himself has washed our robes in His blood The word "robe" must of necessity alsa refer to the physical body, since we read ir THE BOOK OF REVELATION 371 Hebrews 10:22 that in order to come into God's sanctuary, we must also wash our bodies with pure water. What may this pure water be, but the blood of Christ that cleanses from all sin and diseases. 'They washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the lamb." Therefore are they before the throne of God" (Rev. 7:14, 15). Oh, how needful that this washing be taught in the Church and elsewhere, in order that believers and sinners may not miss it and be placed outside of the tree of life and the city. 15. Without are the dogs, and the sorcerers, and the fornicators, and the murderers, and the idolaters, and every one that loveth and maketh a lie. One may be guilty of one or all of these sins, but if he repents as required in God's Word, he can be pardoned and can wash his robes, so as to have right to the tree of life and to the city of the new Jerusalem. There are not only physical murderers, but also soul murderers, who kill the new- born babes in Christ and even older ones, 372 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM through their teaching which is not of the. Holy Spirit. "Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ" (I John 2:22). Oh, how the Word of God in verse 15 gives such a clear warning, together with the other verse in Rev. 21 :8, as to who will be outside of the city and who will be cast into the lake of fire and brimstone. 16. I, Jesus, have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things for the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, the bright, the morning star. Jesus gave His own testimony as to the authority and purpose of this book. He is the prophesied Son of David. 17. And the Spirit and the bride say, Come, \nd he that heareth, let him say, Come. And he that is athirst, let him come: and he that will, let him take the water of life freely. Before our loving Father and our Lord Jesus Christ closes the Bible, or the mes- sage in this last book of the Bible, He gives yet a general invitation for all mankind to come. It does not say here, that the Spirit says to the bride (which is ready) Come. THE BOOK OF REVELATION 37: But this invitation is extended to all who hear, "Come." Yea, even those that hear the call should also sound the invitation further and say, Come. All who are athirst and all who will, may take of the water of life freely. Who will say, "I was not bidden to come to this water of life?" No one indeed will be able to say that. He will be speechless at the judgment bar of God. His conscience will remind him with a sore accusation. '*I was invited. The wedding robe also was offered to me. All things were ready for me and all things were offered to me freely; not a word can I say." 18, 19. I testify unto every man that heareih the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto them, God shall add unto him the plagues which are written in this book: 19 and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the free of life, and out of the holy city, which are written in this book. It is Jesus Himself speaking here from the sixteenth to the twentieth veises. 374 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM 20. He who testifieth these things saith, Yea: I come quickly. Now the apostle John adds: 20, 2L Amen: come, Lord Jesus. 21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with the saints. Amen. General Remarks This book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ is unlike any other book in the Bible in this respect that God Himself appears in the front as speaker: "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches." In the epistles we read, — The Epistle of Paul to the Romans; The Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians; to the Gala- tians, and so on, whereas this Revelation reveals the Father in heaven as the author, chapter 1:1,2. He gave it to His Son, Jesus Christ, Jesus gave it to the angel, and the angel to the Apostle John, who received it on the Isle of Patmos where he was ban- ished by the Roman Emperor. But God, who glorifies Himself, even through the works of the devil, gave the Church the greatest armor of victory over the devil and THE BOOK OF REVELATION 375 his servants on Patmos, through John in his banishment. It is wonderful how God al- ways comforts His own in the time when the enemy seems to prevail over the people of God. When Israel had lost their kingdom and were in the prison of Babylon because of their disobedience to God, yet even then in that state, God revealed to His faithful servant Daniel the sure victory of His people and the certain defeat and complete fall of all the kingdoms of the world. So we have the prophecies of Daniel and of the other prophets as a great light for us to look to. As the apostle Peter says, when he spoke of the coming of the Lord Jesus in His kingdom: "And we have the Word of prophecy more sure [as our experience of the mount of transfigura- tion when we saw His glory], whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawn and the day star arise in your hearts*' (II Peter 1:19). A great blessing is therefore resting upon those who take heed to the sure prophecies of the Old Testament, but a 376 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM Still greater blessing rests upon the ones who read, hear and keep these words of prophecies in the book of Revelation. The Spirit Himself says: "Blessed is he that readeth and they that hear the words of the prophecy, and keep the things that are written therein: for the time is at hand." And again in the last chapter, like in the first: "And he [the angel] said unto me, These words are faithful and true: and the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, sent His angel to show unto his servants the things which must shortly come to pass. And behold, I come quickly. Blessed is he that keepeth the words of the prophecy of this book." What more do we want than what is said here in regard to our work and in regard to the time of the fulfillment of these words? He who has spoken here is the highest authority; for it is the Spirit Himself that speaks, even the honored Apostle John is put in the rear and the Spirit of the Father takes His place in the front as speaking to the Church and to all people through these words which John was THE BOOK OF REVELATION 377 to write and send to the churches. Let the Church therefore not be led away from these words of prophecy and greatest in- heritance willed unto us by the Fathe through the merits of His dear Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ. PERSONAL TESTIMONY Before closing this book, the author is prompted to give his personal testimony in honor to Christ; how God through faith and the knowledge of His Word has saved him from the power of Satan and delivered him out of many waters. I give witness that God's Word is a perfect remedy of sal- vation and victory over sin, the flesh, the world, the devil, and from sickness and death unto life. Well do I remember the time when God first forgave my sin and healed my body instantly as well, while under the care of physicians. Well do I remember the time when at last I made a complete surrender to Christ's will and to preach His Gospel (for which I was called), how I received the Holy Spirit and rejoiced in having the witness that I was God's child and His accepted servant. But well do I also remember the time later on when the enemy got the upper hand over me. I was deceived and was unable to clearly discern THE BOOK OF REVELATION 379 God's will, and that led to neglect in the service of my dear Master. As a result of that, great darkness came over me so that I dwelt in a land of midnight instead of in the day. I went downward from step to step until I was really possessed of an evil spirit who held me bound in such a bondage that I was his slave. Having become discour- aged in my faith and service to Christ and casting myself over to the will of the flesh, he entered into my heart and became my master. I had lost all faith and hope for my salvation. No faith or hope of ever getting into heaven, but sealed under un- belief. I thought I was doomed to hell for- ever. This was now my lot, — in discourage- ment to the despair of my life, because also of poverty in temporal things and weakness in body; besides the burden of a melan- choly spirit and the awful accusations from the enemy pointing me continually to my failures in life and the shame upon my family; that if death should come, there would be no money in our possession to bury me. While in this state of discourage- 380 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM ment, how the enemy brought thoughts to my mind to provide for the coming shame upon my dear wife and five small children by getting my life insured or to join a secret or non-secret society for support, thus taking flesh for my arm! It seemed that God had cast me aside and therefore I must look to man for help. The enemy showed me the poorhouse, the insane asy- lum, the coffin, death, and hell. He would say, 'Tou are lost anyway; you might just as well do like the world does. God has forsaken you." Yet at times I would get a drop of God's mercy, assuring me that God's Spirit had not left me altogether. This saved me from going to the world altogether. My deliverance came from Him who had the right to claim me because of His blood by which I was bought. I had lost all faith in His mercy to me, hut praise God He Himself had not lost faith for me. The righteous advocate at the right hand of God's throne in heaven believed and prayed for my deliverance. The devil was de- feated The evil spirit had to depart. The THE BOOK OF REVELATION 381 precious promises of God's Word came to my mind and heart by the Holy Spirit like a life line drawing me out of the deep pit into which I had fallen through doubt in His Word, and disobedience in His service. I reconsecrated myself to His service and have been praising Him for years. The above frightening thoughts of the enemy proved to be all lies, but God's precious promises became true. "I will not leave thee nor forsake thee." ''But as for me, I will look unto Jehovah; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me. Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise, when I sit in dark-, ness, Jehovah will be a light unto me. 1 will bear the indignation of Jehovah, be- cause I have sinned against him, until he plead my cause, and execute judgment for me: he will bring me forth to the light, and I shall behold his righteousness" (Micah 7:7-9). TPie following scripture passages from the other books of the Bible are quoted or referred to in this- book to explain Revelation. Page Page GENESIS NUMBERS 8:18-22 83 22—25 4? 9:1-17 83 31:15, 16 43 2:1-3 324 31:8 43 2:17 358 13:1, 2 158 EXODUS JOSHUA 19:5, 6 19 6:13, 20 158 28:40-43 88 I SAMUEL 40:7, 12 96 15 31 19:6 106 15:23 350 ^ 32:31-33 8:22, 23 10:15 4:22 106 130 164 194 II SAMUEL 7:16, 17 7:16 107 328 13:17, 18 216 I KINGS 11 31 32 :25-29 258 14:19-24 10:7 12:23 263 272 278 22:13-23 2:4 8:25 230 334 334 24:9, 10 316 9:1-9 334 LEVITICUS II CHRONICLES 9 152 4:2, 6 96 6:24-30 259 16:9 20O 10:16-18 259 NEHEMIAH 26:38-45 296 1 THE BOOK OF REVELATION 383 Page Page PSALMS EZEKIEL 2 22 36:33, 36 59 2:8 171 2—3 80 69:11 182 1—11 98 32:8 200 9:4-6 126 2:8 318 48 131 132:11 328 2:8-10 176 89:34-45 330 3:1-4 176i 132:11, 12 334 16:41 245 ISAIAH 21:27 47:1-9 289 348 61:10 23 53:6 84 DANIEL 9:6, 7 108 7 90 45:25 132 7:25 180 63:1-3 142 12:1-3 210 53:4, 5 144 10:12, 13 210 53:4, 5 145 7 :24-27 224 41:14, 15 151 8:23-25 224 9:6, 7 223 3 :26-30 231 63:1-6 256 6:25-37 231 61 :10 276 7:13,14,26,27 274 1:18 314 10:12, 13 278 27:1 323 1:2 294 9:6, 7 328 9 296 11 331 7:13, 14 319 JEREMIAH JOEL / 17:5-8 41 2 :28-32 155 51 :25, 26 289 AMOS 51 :6-9 302 3:7 12 50:39, 40 305 3:7 187 1:18 306 9:11, 12 330 33 :24-26 330 JONAH 15:16 359 1 :7-16 54 384 LIGHT AND LIFE FROM Page Page ZECHARIAH LUKE 4:14 182 15 75 3:4 211 23:30 122 MATTHEW 21:36 129 25:1-13 22 14:16-24 313 28:19, 20 64 15:11-24 313 23:9 83 1 :31-33 329 27:52, 53 91 JOHN 24:29, 30 122 14:21, 23 15 8:13-17 144 15:12, 13 15 24:22 172 14:21 30 5 :33-36 173 6 :48-58 34 17:10-12 187 8:51 34 27:52, 53 206 11:26 34 24.:24 215 12:48 52 24:24 224 5:34 64 4:8-10 224 6:28, 29 128 28:18-20 229 11:52 135 5 :33-37 236 15:2 155 21:43 246 14:12 186 22: 11-13 276 6:49, 51 190 5 :31-40 299 15:2 204 19:3-9 299 20:30, 31 233 22:1-14 313 15:12, 13 259 7:2 321 14:2, 3 19:30 327 6:48-58 359 23:38, 39 329 8:51 359 25:31-45 338 11:26 359 MARK 1:1-3 7:38, 39 361 362 16:16 20 ACTS 16:16 85 2:17, 18 21 4:28 221 15:28-30 48 i-y, 8 244 16:4. 5 49 THE BOOK OF REVELATION 385 Page Page ^ 15:13-18 222 12:1-4 81 ^ _ 2:37-39 226 5:19 84 16:29-34 226 5:19 134 6:15 312 S:U4 142 2:37-39 315 3:18 199 15:14-18 330 4:6 - 199 5rMl 351 - 6:14-18 248 r 8:21-23 351 5 :19 265 4:12 369 GALATIANS ROMANS 6:7 ":. 123 4:4 20 3:23-25 179 8:17 36 - 4 :26 208 7:4-6 51 6:7 348 4:5 143 EPHESIANS 7:1-4- 216 6:10, 11 212 9:1-3 248 PHILIPPIANS 16:20 323 ^ 3:20, 21' 25 8:19-22 331 ^ 3:10-15 138 5 :19 369 - 3:7-16 : 183 I CORINTHIANS 2:5-11 193 " - 15:51 3:16 156 179 2:4 2:12 237 349 15:52 196 COLOSSIANS • 14:34, 37 202 3:2 355 1 :10-13 245 I THESS. 3:10-17 245 4:15-18 22 7:10, 11 299 4:17 214 11:29, 30 360 4:15-18 263 2:9, 10 363 II THESS. II CORINTHIANS 2:1-12 222 6:14-18 41 2:1-12 224 7:1 41 2:11, 12 225 386 LiGHiT AND LIFE FROM^ Page Page 2:7-12 232 5:12 236 2:7-12 233 5:12 299 2:8 321 HEBREWS I TIMOTHY 4:3 18 2:5 90 10:14 19 2:12-15 202 3:15-19 19 II TIMOTHY 2:5 2:19-21 32 55 2:9, 14, 15 12 :3 10:35-37 12:9, 10 26 66 66 83 II PETER 3:10 337 10:17 10:1 84 88 1:19 375 8:5 88 I JOHN 9:23, 24 88 2:10, 11 16 10:19-22 143 3:16 16 10:22 145 4:1-4 44 1:14 148 3:16 248 1:2 171 3:16 259 12:18-29 218 2:22 372 2:3 348 JAMES 11:9, 10, 16 355 4:4 44 11:3 361 5:7 153 10:22 371 I M BS2825 00069 4648 l::i;t';^:t r, ^m^'. ,.';;t,i!*ii!^;:ifii i^5 :;"'..-!;:;r.TJ't:''^ }f,i, :?iH!;l;fipiii^' ' '/in -•;:!: life =i!:Hp;!g