The Pulpit Commentary — Revelation — Section 251

·· · V~ra. 8-11.-The lillle book and its mission. In one of the most interesting charers iri Mi-: -Elliott's 'Borre .Apooalypticre,' the correspondence between this- vision af· the Hitle book. open" and the 'bringing forth of the open Bible at the time of the Reforma- ti~ is indicated at considerable lengt~. Acoo~ing, however, to the plan of expo_sition which alone seems to 111 to accord with the sun of the Apocalypse, the productRm'of an open Bible anhe Reformation was but one illustration at a particu1ar'tjnie of that which thiB chapter teaches for all time. We shall get far more light from the chapter if we regard it as indicating principles that are eternally true, than as i_orecast~ w~t wrui ~ passing incident in tlte course of history. We have before seen how iargely the imagery of the Aporalypse is ba.sed on that of the Old Testament. The precise analogue of this section will be found in the Book of tlie Prophet Ezekiel, the second a~ third chapters, 'i\:hich should be studied side by side with this. The paragraph now ·under review is. literally laden ~th ricbes of Divine teaching. , I. Tm:m: IB •. WIDE OONTILUl'r BETWEEN .THE BOOK "IIBALJ!D WITH 8:&'l"EN s•m·" AND " THE L1T'l'Ll! BOOK OPEN." Obviously, the thought first suggested thereby is that1n the one case we have enclosed that which is wrapped in impenetrable eecrecy·; µi "1,e other, that which is meal'.lt to be opened to all. This of itself sets ua on a·olear track· of thought. The aealed book contains the secret plans of Providence; tlie open one, the revealed teachings of his will, and the disclosures of his grace. The formeri11 only and wholly in the hands of him who is seen in the midst of the thron&-" a Lamb asJt had beeil slain." 'fhe latter is meant for the guidance of men on earth, and as such _is put into human hands. In the one case " no one in heaven or oil earth· is found able 9r worthy to open and to read the'book, or even to look thereon.'' In the other case the book is already open, and the apostle is bidden to take the book ont of the angel's hand. · . . II. THE LITTLE BOOK, om, l8 OOMm'l'TED TO THE APOSTLE'S OARE. The ohanb of this 11ymbolism. is that it is so luminous that he who readeth may run. The message of God's revealed will, and the counsels of his redeeming grace, are entrusted first to the "angel," and then by him to the exiled apostle. This is the same process o1 transmiesion as is given to us in eh. i. 1-3. Our Lord Jesus Christ hi ·the Supreme Revealer. All the angelic hosts arll commissioned by him. They are the immediate instruments by whom the word iB handed down to the apo6tles arid prophets of the New Testament. Under the new dispensation, as under the old, holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. ·, Ill. Tmc APOSTLE, HAVING Bl!OEIVED THE :eoox, BAB TO EAT IT UP. Eating a book:? Yes; where ls the difficulty? The phrase is familiar enough-" read, mark, learn, and lnwarclly digeat," etc. What is eaten comes to be assimilated, and so to become a portion of one's own flesh and blood. Before the eating, it lies outside us. Until it iii eaten, it is only that which would nourish if it were eaten, but by no other process than by our eating it, can it serve its purpose or ours. This is one of God's parables in nature. His words of truth and grace are meant to be the life of human souls, on which they grow and thrive. If the words of God are not so used, 'they so 'ftir miBB IAeir aim, and souls miBB their support. So long as God's. Word is somethiag outside us, it will profit us little. It is to be received by faith as God's own meaeage to us, and on it we may live day by day, esteeming the words of his mouth more than our neceaary food. And specially is this spiritual dwistion of God'a wol'da needoo when a man's mission la to give out those words to otheraJor their life. W• 280 THE REVltLATION OF ST. JOHN THE DIVINE. [OB. :s.. 1-11.