The Pulpit Commentary — Revelation — Section 30

Stµdying. S-. Ol~eying precept. 4. Trusting promise, finding in the · attribute of a.lmightiness a Divine and infinite pledge that not one thing will fall of all that the Lord bath spoken. With a sense of holy awe, let us now await the visions whioh are to be opened up to us, and hearken to the words which the heavenly Speaker will addreaa to the Churches. Vars. 9-19.-.Tke Sa1Jiour>s revelation of himself. We may divide our Saviour's teaching about himself into three parts, in chronological order. There are (1) the words which he uttered in the days of his flesh, before his Passion; (2) those which he spake during the forty days after his resurrection, and (3) those which came from heaven to the aged apostle when in exile at Patmos. As stage succeeded stage, the words became richer in glory. During the forty days after the RBBurrection, the teachings concerning himself were in advance of those which preceded it (cf. Luke :uiv. 46, 47). And those on " the Lord's day" to the exile were grea~ than all the rest. What a Lord's day that was for the prisoner I Many would gladly share John's -banishment if then heaven were brought so near. Let us reverently study the paragraph before us. In it we have a vision, a touch, a word. . _ I. A VISION. "I. saw • • -• one like unto the Son of man." Where 1 " In the .midat of the seven candlesticks." In accordanoe with Old Testament symbolism, and the nee of the figure here, the meaning is " that the Saviour was beheld in the midst -of the Churches." His countenance was familiar, although it gleamed with a splendour :which was eoncealed on earth; save when to the favoured three he was transfigured on -the mount. His face did shine as the· sun (ver. 16). He had about the breasts a. golden girdle-the mark of royal state, and the emblem of dignified repose. His head ·and his hairs were white as white wool, signifying his prerogatives of majesty and -glory. His eyes were as a flame of fire, piercing men through and through, bumiog up all hypocritical pretence. His feet like unto burnished brass, symbolizing firmness, might, and splendour. His voioe was of unutterable majesty, as the sound of many waters. In his right hand seven stars, holding those who ;h.ave the place of responsi- bility in his Church, in the place of security, honour, and renown. 'fhe overseers of the Churches are Christ's special care. Out of his mouth went a sharp sword. The sword of the living Word, which, with it11 diacritic power, is two-edged. It would not accord with the reverence due to our glorified Lord to attempt to transfer to canvas the symbols here employed. Rather is it fqr us to apprehend, spiritually, the meaning of each, and transfer that to our heart and conscience. And if this be doil.e wisely and reverently, our eyes will .see "the King in his beauty." II. A TOUCH, Although there is no reason to suppose that the Lord appeared in the fulness of his glory to John, yet the vision was more than he could bear, "I fell at bis feet as one dead," It is in mercy to us that so much of the glory of the Saviour is concealed from us. We could no more bear to see it in its fulness than our eyes -could bear to gaze on the splendours of the noonday sun. Hence it is a necessity for us that as yet we should see only as thr-0ugh a glass, darkly. But in the case of the ,apoatle, the fact of his being so overpowered by the disclosure was -the occasion for a fresh display of Divine tenderness in a touch of love. "He laid his right hand upon me," etc. There was in this touch an assurance of Divine regard, in spite of the ·apostle's sense of his own unworthiness. There was an expression of love. There was an impartation of power, which revived and recruited the drooping and exhaus_ted frame. If Jesus is apart from us, we are soon overpowered. But if he comes with a vivifying 'touoh, making us feel how truly we belong to him, and how closely we are bound up with the dearest interests of his heart,-this revives WI, We live again. We can look up anew, and wait joyfully for the sound of his voice. III. A WORD. This is twoMd. 1. Of commil!Sion, (Vers. 11, 19.) For remad~s on the seven Churches, see homilies on eh. ii. and iii. 2. Of revelation. _ This is_a marvd- lously comprehensive revealing of the glory of o~tr Lorq. It includes five d1~los~res, (1) What he was from eternity. "I am the First." Here the Lord Jesus identifies himself with the living God who spake by the prophets. There cannot be two firsts I He who is the First is Jehovah, Lord of hosts. Jesu!' is the First. Therefore Jesus Ml the one living aud true God. Ere suns or stars were made, ere the angel-bands Wl're created, ever, ever had the Son of God existed in the eternal rece8lleS of the infinite I ~~I Vf;~ are here,taugh~i (2)·Wh~~-be be(lame in.tl.,n,e., ,"I w•.~d;" ~ - •• r ~ 8 dead." Into' tbl8 ~e~ ex~enc,, he B!lt.ered b,1, DJ88~ 9f h11 llll!aljDatiOn, W, 4uman. forro. .As IDJUJ, he di~. The. infinitely, !ltrange e~ne~eoce ~f dymg be,cam,e ~ py rea11,1>n of the humiliation to which he stooped_ and of ~he so~ws 'benea(h 11'.hich be. grOllned. (3) What he was when.John saw,hiJn. "~e l4v,mg One." B'.e was· no mor!;l in the hold of d!Jath. He had ~me out victoriously on. the other ~e, and had. left d~th behind him for ever arid for ever,. The life .of ~he Lord ,Jesus cannot be derived, or he, would not be "the First." He liv6ll, arid givea life.·, . <4Jle is ~e same Y:~11-Y, and io.;.day, and for ever." "I am alive for eveimore." (4) What ~ he.. Ji<>..Id;!~ .'' I. h,ve}!i,e keys of, Had~s and of death.".1 , The word 11 ~~ ".piea.ns t~ rea.lriu1f dei)ad;ed spmts. " Death" 11 ~ . ~ e thereto, . ,Oyer pat~ Ohn,st blJ,ll; supreme,0011trol H;e.1181!,the "keys.'~ ,.,0 The spe,o10us WQl'.~d unseen l8 his.", . .AJ!. t,q,, deplll"~ df31\d are undef t~e i;way of the .J,ord Jesus,. . Hismediatorial ~ingdom hi far more there than here.· At his own time''ttades and death will both ceaiie ;to 'be. A.1;1~., note: (5) The Sayiqw disclOl\tlS what he will b;e, at " the end." "I ~ tlud,as~" "He s1iall give 11p the kmgdoiµ to God even tbe :r,ather," and thus close )l,is, m~t.orial work ,yet then, tqen, hestµl willqe the,everlasting Son of the Father I.· 3. Of~. •~ ,lr'1&r .n9t.~, _9~t demand.s reverence; but he would noi, vt!, us dread,h.im. , H~, ha , .