The Pulpit Commentary — Revelation — Section 109

that part or this letter which aeema chiefly to require eluclda.tion (er. Ter. 7). Our topic is-The sovereignty of Uie Lord Jesus OVll7' Uie house of God. We will inquire-- I. WHAT ISTRE aousE 01' DAVID? Our Lord deola.res himself as "he that ha.th the keys of David" (cf. 2 Kings xviii. 18, 26, 37; Isa. xxii. 15-22). Shebna had held the high office of being over the house of Da.vid, i.e. prefect of the palace (for a Bimilar expression and its meaning, see Gen. xli. 40). Shebna, for his pride, luxury, and tyranny, was deposed, a.nd Eliakim wa.s appointed in his place. Isaiah speaks (xxii. 22) of the authority which would be entrusted to him. The words uttered respecting Eliakim are here quoted and applied to our Lord Jesus Christ, as being over the hoUS8 of David, and being entrusted with authority there. So that, as that which was said of Eliakim is true in its highest sense of the Lord Jesus, we can see in Eliakim a type of Christ. Eliakim was over the house of David in the earthly sphere; Chriat is over the boUS8 of David in the spiritual sphere. Still, all is not yet quite clear. For if Eliakim is a type of Christ, as being over the house of David, so also was David himself, over whose house Eliakim was set, a much more striking type of Christ; Are we not hereby involved in some confusion of thought? By no means. The words in Heb. iii. 6 make the whole matter clea.r: "Christ, as a Son over his own house." So that the Lord Jesus combines in bis own Person the antitype of both Eliakim_ and David. He is the Eliakim who is over the house. He is the David whose is the honse. Let us oow compare Isa. iL 6; Matt. xxviii. 18; eh. xxii. 16. We may now go a step further, and say-By a.s much as Christ is greater than David, by so much is bis house greater than the house of David. The administration of the entire kingdom of God is vut into his hands-the kingdom of nature, the kingdom of grace, and the kingdom of glory. The first is bis as the everlasting Son of the Father; the second is hi11 as the Priest upon his throne; the third will be bis till be shall _have delivered up the kingdom to GQd, even the Father, that God may be all in all Now, the house of David is Uiat part of Ohrist', kingdom over which, a, &m and ]Ara of David, he now rules as the He,ad. .'l'his is Christ's own house. He died that he might acquire it; he lives tha.t he may rule it. It is composed of those on earth who are Israelites indeed, in whom is no guile, and of those gone from earth, who have washed their robes and made them _white in the blood of the Lamb. Let us now inqnire- IL WnAT IS THE AUTHORITY or CHRIST OVEB THIS HOUSE? "He that hatb the key of David," etc. The "key" is the symbol of authority, the token of possession. The authority of the Lord Jesus is absolute; he "openeth, and no man shutteth; and shuttelh, and no man openetb." Regarding the" house" as" the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ," observe: 1. It is only "by Ohrist that any one ~ admitted to the k01.l88, i.e. to the Ohurch. There is, indeed, an external, visible organization; there is also an: inner and invisible realm of saved souls. The latter alone is the Church properly so called; in the former," They are not all Israel that are of Israel." We cannot expect absolute purity hi the most saintly group. There may be some Jonah in every ship. some Achan in every camp, some Judas in every Church. Church rules and regulations as to purity of fellowship are laid down clearly in the Word of God; yet, even at the best, 1t is but an approximation thereto that we are able to attain. Men may be received into a visible Church by human agency, but into the invisible by Christ alone. The law is not, "In such aiid such a Church, in Christ;" but, "Whosoever is in Christ is in the Church by a right which none may deny, and which none ought to dispute.,, 2. Ohrist Jum,ishe, his members 'With such gift, and gracu as are needed /<Yr service in tn.. <Jh,urch. (Of. Eph. iv. 7-13; Rom. xii. 6-8; 1 Cor. xii. 4-11; 1 Pet. iv, 10, 11.) He provides workers for the Chnrch (1 Cor. iii. 10, 22). 3. <Jhrist '!Pffl' up the sphere, in which nu people may do ~ce. "I have set before thee an open door" (see 2 Cor. ii. 12; 1 Cor. xvi. 9; Acts xvi. 9, 10; xviil. 9-11; xxiii. 11). 4. Ohr-ist regarch his l6Ttlanll a, responn'ble t-0 him alone. (Matt. xxv. H-80; Rom. xiv. 10--12; 1 Cor. iv. 1-5.) He ex~ them to be absolutely at bis bidding (Luke xiv. 33). He req~ fidelity (Luke XVJ. 10; 1 Co'r. iv. 2 ; eh. ii. 10). 6. He appoinll the diacipline wiiida • t-0 be adminilfertd ln fhe <JhurcA 011 earth t-0 ita ur,,wortAg ~ He has given to the Christian priesthood the power of binding and loosing in his name, and no Church can trifle with this power except at its peril (see 1 Cor. v.; Matt. xvi. 19; xvili. 17-20; 1 Tim. iv. 20; i. 19, 20).1 6. He appoint, 4Mir reward here and ~ 1 Bee Ouion Tait'r sdJmzable ~ 'The Meseagee lo the &mm Ohurche1 oC Aaia Kin.or;• 112 't'BE nEVELATION OF ST. JOHN THE DIVIN& toa. m. 1-22. u/f,:r. There are four pinclples on which he will bestow them: they wm be propor- tionate; there will be both grace and equity in their beatowal; they will be granted to every one; and will be love's own recompense of love's acts even in its slightest services (cf. Matt. v.19; :r:xv.; :r.ix. 27-xx. 16). 7. W7ien his ffl'V/Jnt.departkence h6 3till ha., the sole charge Qf them. He never lets them slip out of his hands (ob. i. 18 ; :Matt. xvi.18 (Revised Version); Rom. xiv. 8; 1 '.l'hess. v. 10). After des.th the believer is still "in Ohristo." 8• ..di his manifestation in glory he will manifest hi, saints too. (Col. iii. 4.) Then the supreme concern of each will be to be well pleasing to him (2 Oor. v. 9). Thus from beginning to end the authority and control of the Lord Jesu.• over the house of God is entire and complete, ill. WHAT ABB TBE MORAL ATTRIBUTES ,HERE NA.lll!D, TD -l"0!!8ZSSION OP WHICH FITB oua Loan FOR AN OFFICE so SUBLIME, 1. He lhal iB lwly. The Holy One, sepe.rate from evil, with perfect hatred of it. Then be is One who will be very jealous of the honour of his liOUl!e. .Halinea is the law of the house; if it be la:cking, judgment will liegm at the house of God (of. Isa. iv. 8). 2. H, that i8 true (6 &A,i6,l'bs, not 6 clA,ilh')s). Not "true" in distinction from being untrue; but (I) the True One, in distinction from false 4888rtors of supremacy; (2) the true, in distinction from the wrong ideal; (3) the tirue, as perfectly answering to the perfect ideal, as contrasted with all partial and imperfect realizations of it. The perfect embodiment of the True and Living One ia he. Where else could the key of David be so well entrusted? Only his hand can safely bold it. Well may we adopt the words of Doddrid.,&e- ,. Worthy thy hand to hold the 1::eys, Guided by wisdom and by love; Worthy to rnle o'er mortal life, In world& below and worlds above.• If the key of the house of David had been in less worthy hands, that house worild long ago have fallen to pieces. Therefore- Note: 1. How should wo glory in the sway over the house of God being in Christ's hands, and nowhere but there I 2. Let every Church recognize this Headship of Christ alone, and wherever he "opens a door" of' usefulness, go in at once. 3. Let every individual submit himself humbly to Christ's disposal, to be in everything and at every step directed and controlled by him. Ever should our prayer be, "Lord, what wouldst thou have me to do ?" It is only thus that our life can have before it an in telligihle and right end, in which we are sure to succeed. When "for us to live is Christ," then only may we be sure that "in nothing we shall be ashamed." Finally, let us ever remember the responsibility which attaches to us for observing when Christ sets before. us an open door. It is quite true that no man can shut it, but it is also true that, if we fail to go in, the door may be closed again, and then no m&n can open it; but our opportunity, once missed, will have been missed for ever. Churches and men alike that fail to embrace opportunities of greater power and usefulness, have sunk back to a lower position than before; they do, they will, they must. Either to. grow or to shrink is the alternative before us ail. The law applies everywhere: "To him th.$t bath, shall more be given; to him that bath not, from him shall be taken away even that which he hath." He that is faithful in the few things is the one whom his Lord will make rullll' over the many things, and who will enter iuto the joy of his Lord.