The Pulpit Commentary — Revelation — Section 38

wrong thought& Now, to bring the Church generally to true knowledge and under- standing on this great matter, not only was the vision vouchsafed which St, John had then before him, but also the trumpet-like voice of the Lord himself was heard declaring who and what he was. And the importance of this declaration is seen by the prominence tha.t is given to it, and its frequent repetition in more or less full form. We meet with it again and again. Its meaning and teaching are sinular to that word in Heb. xiii. 8, "Jesus Christ, the same yesterday," etc. It asserts- I. THE ETERNITY OF THE SoN 01!' GoD. In the eighth verse it is spoken of the Almig:hty God himself. Here, and continually in other places, it is asserted of the Lord Jesus Christ. In the face of Scriptures like these, and they are very many, how can the honest -believer in their authority assent to the popular modern hypothesis which would place and keep our Lord on the level of humanity, even though it be humanity at its highest level P If he were no more than ma.n, how could words such as these be spoken and written concerning him? Now, if it had been desired to show that he was God incarnate, could language more clearly asserting it have been devised? Reject the Scriptures, the testimony of the Church from the beginning, the experience of believers, and the confirmation of the truth which we find in religions outside our own, and then we ma.y reject the Church's faith; bnt assuredly it cannot else be done. But the text teaches also- 11. THE UNCHANGEABLENJlSS OP' THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. It was needful that the former truth should be det,piy impressed on the minds of the persecuted Church. It was the remembrance of the Eternal One that had steadied the minds and encouraged the hearts of their fathers in the days of old. On the plains of Dura, in the courts of Nebuchadnezzar and of Darius, that bleat memory and faith had given invincible courage in the face of the fiery fnma.ce and the fangs of fiercest beasts. And thurefore it was rea.sserted here when like perils would have to be met and endured and overcome. But this further truth of the unchangeableness of Christ was no less needed to abide in memory and heart if they were to be fonnd faithful even unto death. For: 1. There would be great temptation to tamper with his commands. Might not their stringency be relaxed? would not many of them admit of compromise, or of delay, or of some other departure from their literal and strict import? Under the pressure of fear, or worldly conformity, or the lurking love of sin, would there not be, is there not now, this temp- tation perpetually assailing? And therefore was it and is it ever well to remember tha.t such setting aside of the Lord's commands cannot be suffered. 1.'hey change not any more than h.iIWlelf. They were not lowered or relaxed tor the tried a.11d troubled ones of former ages, even when they had far less of sustaining truth to cheer them than ha.d the apoi;tolic Church, and still less than we have now. 'l'he Lord has cancelled no comm:i.nd, nor does l,e claim from us any less than he demanded at the first. He accepts half-hearted service no more now than when he said, " 'fhou shalt love the Lord. thy God with all thy heart." But there were not a few to whom St-. John wrote, and there are as many a.nd more now, who from various motives woulrl try to ex.plain away this comma.ad and that which the Lord had laid upon them. For them the reminder cl his unchangeableness, which is given in this his Name, was ind<·ed necessary. 2. And their fidelity would be h.:lped by the remembrance that he was t'luJ same in kia Zooo. What had he done for the most faithful of his servant., that he had not done for them? Did he die for th~ martyrs more than for them? Were they not included when it was said, "He lovtd us, and gave himself for us"? Were not the unsearchable riches or Christ as open to them a.~ to any believers? Did they owe less to Christ? or were they under less obligation to him than others? He ha.d come from heaven to earth; he had lived, and suffered, and died, and risen again for them as for those whose hearts ha.d roost truly responded to all this love. Yes; as unchanged in his love towa.rd them as in what he asker! for from them, in what he deserved as in what he demsnded. How well for them to remember this! 3. And in the grace he would bestow. 'l'hey were not and could not be straitened in him. The treasury of his grace was not exhausted. He would snpply all their need, as he had supplied that of all his aerva.nts. No good thing would he withhold from them more than from the saints and martyrs who by his grace had obtained so good report. "I am the Lord, I change not;_" such was one chief meaning of his word, " 1 am Alpha," etc. And tha.t immutability eonr.emed his nature and his character, and there was no class amongst them in theH 36 THE REVELATION OF ST. JOHN THE DIVINE. [au. :t. 1-20.