The vision of Christ (1'"^) brings before us the priestly and kingly One, who lives amid His Churches and possesses or rules them. The letters are introduced by descriptions of Chri-st which are in most cases burrowed from the vision, and close with promises ' tii liiiii that overcometh,' wliich in most cases anticipate the fuller descriptions of chs. 19-22. The selection of descriptive features from the vision of Christ in several cases fits the special message of the letter ; and this is sometimes, but not so often and clearly, the case with the selection of the reward. (1) The de.scription, 2' (from I"'*- '^), is referred to in 2\ The reward, 2"' (cf. 22^), has no obvious relation to the letter. (2) The descrip- tion, 2« (from l"i'-'*>), (its both the mes-sage, 2""', and the reward, 2'"' (cf. 20»). (3) The description, 2" (from 1'"'), is referred to in 2'«. The reward, 2'"' (only in part, if at all, parallel to 22^ cf. 19"), may possibly stand in contrast to the eating of things sacrificed to idols (2'''). (4) The de.scription, 2'" (from !'"■• '»*, but ' Son of God ' is here only), pre- pares for 2^. The reward, 2-""^ (in part parallel to 20«, cf. 12» 19'» 22'»), could relate to the letter if Jezebel's teaching included submission to Rome. (5) The description, 3' (from l'", cf. 2' 1*), has no special relation to the letter. The reward, 3" (cf. C"" 7.U. 13 i-» .2ij'-2. i» oi^T^ Mt, 1032), ia connected with v.«
and perhaps v.'. (0) The description, 3' (not from the vision, cf. Is 22'-'' [cf. 1"]), is used in v.". The reward, 3'- (cf. H"- 22* 2P- '" 19'^- '»), has no obvious connexion with the letter (Bousset compares v.'-^ with v.""). (7) The descrijition, 3" (not from the vLsion, cf. I*, Col 1""'-, Jn P), may prepare for the severity of the letter (cf. v.'"). The reward, 3^' (cf. 20*-« !• Z"'- 6" 22»), connects with v."" (cf. Lk
That the writer is working as an artist is evident, and a reason may have determined his choice of titles and promises where it is no longer evident. The last title is perhaps the highest, and the last reward also represents a climax. The first reward suggests Eden ; the second, the Fall ; the third, the Wilderness ; the fourth, the Kingdom ; but though the intention to represent the fulfilment of
.successive stages of OT history is wholly conceiv- able, the evidence for it is not convincing.* No evident reason for the changed position of the sentence, 'He that hath an ear,' etc., in the last four letters, is manifest. Of the historical condi- tions described in the letters something will be said further on. But, in spite of unmistakable references to local conditions, each letter is a message of the spirit to 'the Churches.' Tliey were not .sent separately or meant to be read separately, but have each a representative and all together a complete character, which the number seven itself suggests.
Chs. 1-3 show not onlj' a conscious artistic pur- po.se, but in more details than can here be noted and still more in total efiect they show a high order of poetic instinct and skill.
(c) Plan of chs. 4-22. — The choice of three series of sevens in the representation of the coming woes and judgment shows the same mind tliat addressed the Churches as seven. To assign these sevens to different sources (Spitta, Briggs), is to miss one of the most evident marks of unity in the book. It is more likely, e.g., that the author made seven seals out of an original four (see below) than that he found his sevens ready made. But what is to be said of the two twofold interludes inserted between the sLxth and seventh seals and trumpets
(71-8.8-17 10. U>-'3)?
The first two of these visions not only interrupt the plan, but are apjiarently inharmonious with each other. In one (7''") a definite number of Jews are sealed before the coming of evil, in order to be kept from it ; in the other (7"'") a countless number from all nations liave already come through trials and death to heavenly blessedness. The first could well be of Jewish origin (based on Kzk 9*'-), and describe the literal safe-keeping of Jews in the troubles of the last days. Did our writer believe that Jews would play a distinct rule in the end'; This is possible (cf. St. Paul in Ko 9-11), but it is more probable that he adopts a Jewish apocalyptical fragment api)lying it to the Christian communitj', and understanding it not in a literal sen.se. This would account for the fact that the four winds (7') are never loosed. We have not a whole but a jiart (9'*'- is related, but difl'eieiit). We have indeed an allusion to the sealing (9*, cf. 14') as if to prevent our supposing the section a later in.sertion. But there tlie sealed can only be all true Christians, as in 14'-» the 144,000 are. If Rev 7'" applies a Jemsh oracle to the Christian community, the deliverance it assumes may well be no more literal than the rest, and its meaning in the author's in- tention may be wholly like the meaning of 7"'". Not deliverance from death, but deliverance through death, is, iu fact, the promise of the book. These two visions, then, contrasted as they are, and of difl'erent origin, may have meant the same thin{» to the author. They are assurances of escape and salvation, inserted here, after the beginning of evils but before their culmination, to serve the practical purpose of encouragement. The second one seems to describe by anticipation nothing less than the final heavenly blessedness, for no such host had as yet passed through trial (martyrdom ?) to heaven, and 6'"" seems to prevent the supposition that those who had already died were in possession of their final glory.