The Pulpit Commentary — Revelation — Section 24

eome to pass." 2. Buel& ,went, a, are mcenanly ifwolved in IM lwinging about of tli, Difline purposea. " Must" (ver. 1). 3. Ewnt. which, in theJ.rophetio forecast, anr near at hand. "Shortly,• i.e. in the reckoning of Heaven ( • 2 Pet. ili. ,8). The next great crisis of the world is the second coming of the Son of God. He is on the way. But at what point of time the Son of man will be revealed it is not given to man to know. The series of events that prepare the way for the eooond coming began immediately after the first and are going on now. Not a moIQent is lost. Heaven's great harvest-day is coming on. IV. THE USE TO BE MADE oir THIS REVELATION, (Ver. 3.) .Reading, hearing, doing, 1. It was to be read in the Ohurikea. " He that readeth," equi''l'alent to "he that reads it in the assemblies of the saint&" The Word of God is not to be_hid in a comer, but publicly read. It is not the preserve of the few, but the charter for the many. 2. The peopk are to wr. God's truth was to be set before men through the ear. The doctrine that it is mtire effective when set before the eye, finds in such a passage as this no support. 3. The hearers must ke,ep the things writt,m therein. Note: If the book is so obscure that no ooe can understand it, it is hard to !!SY how men can keep the things that are herein written. 'l'he blessing pronounced on those who do keep them implies that they are sufficiently plain for that purpose. HolN, then, are we to "keep" these things? (1) Seize the principles of the book, and abide in them. (2) Study its prophecies, and wait for them. (3) Learn ita promi8€s, and lean on them, (4) Ponder its precepts, and ob!,y them. "If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them." V. THE BLESSEDNll:88 OF TH(181': WHO RIGHTLY USE THIS REVELATIOli, "Blessed is he," etc. (var. 3). It is not difficult to see in what this blessedness consists. 1. Such will have a good understanding; for they will know the meaning and plan of the world's course and destiny. 2. They will have a sure resting-place in the absolute certainty of the final triumph of truth aud righteousness. 3. They will have a good ,hope. "Looking for the mercy of the Lord J eaus Christ unto eternal life." Yers. 4-6.-Salutation and wng. The writer of the book again gives ns his name: "John.• It is extremely unlikely, as the name John was by no means uncommon, that any other John than the apoRtle would have given his name thus briefly and without a word of explanation.• Those to whom the book was addressed are "the seven Churches which are in Asia." It does not lie within our province here to inquire whether these seven Churches are selected from others," to symbolize the whole Church of God." We rather regard them as indicating the circle over which the influence of the Apostle John was chiefly felt, from b.is home at Ephesus. They range over about one-third of the district of Asia, called Asia Minor, not far from its western sea-boe.rd.1 There is a eeparate letter for each of the Churches, which are distinct in their formation, responsibility, danger, duty, and fault. But what precedes th888 letters, and also what follows them, is for the whole of them, that they may read, hear, keep, and transmit to those that should follow after. We have in these three v e ~ I. A IIALUTATIOli, Here is evi<lently an ·outbreathing of holy love. But in what light are we to regard it? Is it the aged apoatle himself expreasing his own fervent desires that grace and peace may rest upon the seven Churches ? or does he pen these words by commission of the Holy Ghost, as Heaven's own benediotion? Exegetically, either Yiew is teqable. Doctrinally, both would undoubtedly be included, since the 11ctual difference between the two resolves itself into this: if the words were suggested 'The P1111>ffllia,' by BeT. J. Stuart RnBSell. D.D., 2nd edil, 1887. In the 'Popular Com- mentary on the New Testament,' edited by Dr. Schaff', the • Commentary on the :Reve- lation? by Dr. Milligan, will be found worthy of careful study, especially hia introduction, hit! interpretation of the mysterious number 666, and of the thoW1Bnd year,/ reign; though we cannot think Dr. Milligan as euCC81!8ful in building up his own v:i8WII aa he is ha demoliahing thOll8 of othelll. A reoent work, entitled • The Book of :Revelation,' by Dr. Israel P. Warren, of Portland, Me., U.S. (1886), baa au admirable introduetiau on the aim of the ApooalJP18,. That venerable and wise expositor, the Bev. Principal David Brown, D.D., bu oommenced (Oct. 1889) a seriel of papen on Ule ApoGalypae. in Ule ~ - Lee's •Introduetiau to the Revelation,' f 1. 1 er. •'l'he lileftll Golden Oandleaticb,' bJ Dr. Tristram. m. L 1-20.J THE REVELATION 01!' ST. J'OHN THE DIVINE. 11