The Pulpit Commentary — Revelation — Section 190

to observe that this passage is not necessarily a picture of the glorified state, for that will not be ushered in until the second coming of the Son of God. However true it may be lhat there is as real a continuity between it and the state here described 88 there is between the latter and their earthly life, still we need not confound the two stages of the development of being. Very much harm has been done to the revealed doctrine of the blessedness of the right8!)us after death by so speaking of it aa to leave no,apparent room for the distinction between it and the state of glory which will begin at the reappearing. As yet, however, the unfoldings of this book have not brought us so far on. We are still only at·the sixth seal. The new heavens and the new earth are not yet in view. The great tribulation is not yet over. The Church of God is still a divided one, part on eart.b, and part in heaven. 'l'he first part shielded while in the midst of evil; the iJecond part raised above it, caught up, while the tribulation i& yet raging here;to the perfect calm that abides there. Hence the title of our present theme may be mat\'t\ even more specific, viz.-..4 look at our friends wlio are already inhe.aven. The paragraph before us sugg~sts seven questions. . · I. ··WHERE ARE ~HEY SEEN? Ver.&, "Before the throne, and before the Lamb." These wor4s give us no clue to the locality• of heaven. This we do not need. Any· part of" the· Father's ]Jouse" is ho;ne to his children. But they give us what is of far greater' inte_rest_and moment. They represent rather a state than a place. "Before the throne;" :More conscious than when clad in fleshly garments here of the immediate, all-surrounding, and all-pervading presence of God. " Before the Lamb." More directly in· view of that Saviour whom having not seen they _loved. The veil of sense and the limitations of earth no longer obstruct their sight or cripple their service. They are for ever with their God, where t,hey have wished and longed lo be. , II. WHAT IS THEIR APPEARANCE? 'l'hey are seen "standing." This word is not redundant. It is no pleon~sm. They stand, in token of subjection and of service to bitn that sitteth upon the throne; 'l'hey have~• white robes." "The fine linen is. the righteousness of saints." They are" without fault" before the throne of God. 'l'hey have "palms in their hands "---tokens these at once of honour and of victory. The struggle is over. The conflict ended. The victory won. Ill. WHENCE CAME THEY? "Out of every nation ; " they are "of a.ll tribes and peoples and tongues." The separation brought about by the sin and confusion of earth is done away in Christ. In heaven its effects disappear. '!'here the barrier caused by diversity of tongues will cease. And the final union of all tongues and tribes in tb.e heavenly state will present the true solution of the long-vexed question of the unlty of the human race. Every land will yield its tribute of souls to Jesus, and will thu.~ prove, in the common destiny of men, that God made of one blood all nations of men. 1n· the immedia~ presence of God· and the Lamb, "life's poor distinctions" will disappear for ever. It will be tieen that Jew and Greek, bond and free, are all one in Chrbit Jesus. IV; How CAME THEY THERE? The answer to this question is twofold. I. They came through the pathway of a common e:nperience. "Out of the great tribulation." One and all have bad tribulation in some form or other. But they have left it aU behind. They are freed from it now. [Note: The fact indi9ated here, that" the grea,t tribulatio:n" wa'S one which touched "all nations, and kindreds, and peoples, and tongues," is of itself subversive of any theory which would limit it to a merely partial or local· sorrow. The terms of the verse require us to regard tbe tribulation as widely extended both as to space and time.] However great the differences which mark the lot of men on earth, all who reach heaven will do so thr, ugh "many tribulations." 2. They reach Matlffl on tlte ground of a comm()'71, red~mption. The atoning sacrifice of the Lord Jesus availed fo~ them all. The cieansing virtue of a Saviour's grace purified them all. 11 They washed their robes;" i.e. in their earthly life they experienced this sanctifying grace. !Note: Here is suggested a mighty theme for the preacher in connection with the death of Christ, viz. : (1) That the death of Christ has a world-wide meaning. (2) 'l'hat it will have a world-wide efficacy as long as the race shall last. (3) That it not only saves out of condemnation, but ensures a purifying power. (4) '!'hat therefore it will be the theme of universal song.] In that glorious world no impurity is seen. V. WHAT DO THEY mss? (Ver.16.) 1. "'l'heyshall hungernomore,''etc. They have no more the incumbrance of a bodily frame like this, demanding inl}eP-Sant atLen-  214 THE REVELATION OF ST. JOHN THE DIVINE. [ou,c VIL l•-17,