The Pulpit Commentary — Revelation — Section 292

are enabled t.o look upon it In the llghL of that cross, the whole sonl risea In determined opposition to it. ,· · . · IL IT 18 THROUGH BIS BLOOD (oB LJJ'll:) TBA'I WB GET OUB W'IIAPOJIII MJPPLli!D, What are the weapons with which evil is to be reatored? 1. ..4 clear knooiledve of the right It is by right alone that wrong can be put down. His life wu the intelllglble embodiment, and the all-convincing demonstration of nioral right. 2. ..dn injleo,ible low f.ur the right. Bight aa an idea is no weapon. But. right as a love becomes a,.triuin• phant implement in this warfare. ·•. '· · - ,. -III, b.' 18 TBBOUOB BIB· BLOOD (oB LIFE) THAT WB G:E'l' OUB OOURAGE ·lNBPJB:lm, In this warfare we require a courage unflagging and invincible-a courage impelling us to fight, even to the death. Whenee cometh this? Only from Christ. Bia eelf- sacri.6cio:g ■pirit ia the aoul of all t.rue courage._;_D. T. Ven.12-17.-~ defeatabfllty qf the devi1. "Therefore rejoice, ye heaveu, &1lll ~ that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea-!" etc. 'l'his port.ion of John's vision illustrate. four facts of great importance and of vttal intereat to all·men. · , · . •· · L THAT JIIGBTY AS 18 TBll l!AS'l'EB•PJBND 01!' EVIL, Hll 18 X<n' PBOOI' AGAINST DBnlATe.: "Therefore rejoice, ye (OJ heavens, and ye that dwell in 1them·" (ver.- 12). 1. Hn is a d,;f«d implied. The efforts of this matchless fiend, however wisely-directed· and mightily wrought, are evermore exposed to failure. There is nothing permanent in error, there is no stability sn wrong. All systems untrue to fact and unrighteous, m prilleiple are but house■ on the sand of time. The laws of the universe flow in ever- i.ncraasing volume against wrong, 'l'he devil is truly a defeatable agent; he has• no power over those who are prepossessed with goodness. "'l'he :prince of -this world' cometh, and findeth nothing.in me.'' 'l'ha command is;" Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." As light extends and virtue grows; all 1mbemes -of wro:og,-politital'j social, and religions, crack to pieces and tumble to ruin. 2. Here la a defeat righteously ea;ultable. "Rejoice,. ye heavens." In whatever heaven this· defeat is witnessed, whether in the individual -1 or in the ,ocial cirrk, it is a reason for rejoicing. Ir every error corrected, in every prejudice cmshed, in every unholy purpose broken, in every impure impulse conquered, there comes to the sottl the command, "Rejoice, ye heavens." It is the joy of '1M prisoner guitting hit cell, qf Ike patient returning to health. II. THAT GREAT A_S BIS .DBJl'BATB MAY BE, 'l'Rl!IY DO NOT QUBNOH BIB ANO!Ollt'l'Y. " Woe to ·the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea I for the devil is come down. unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he bath but a ithort time." .• Hunted from one arena, he enters another, flaming with indignation, and the more so 811 lie ~ that: his time for work is .shortening. "He bath but a short time." · "When· the unclean spirit is.~- out of a man, he walketh through dry places, eeeltingrest, and finding ·n_one." He is ~ a roaring lion, going about aeeking whom· he may devout," AB every Meat enfeebles his pow,w, contracts his reign, and.decreases his om,ortunitie■, hi■ µialign nature beco~ more· intense .in hatred. Like the ravanollB beast of the d~ry. ~is ~ailure to ~ten his tuska in ol!,e victim whets hie appetite for another, Evil 18 msatia.ble. ., .• · · , - III. THAT JIIB. ANUlOBITY IS ESPE(HALLY DIBl!lOTBD AG.AINBT TBB TRUii Cmraou:. "And ~hen the dragon sa;w ,that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the ,woma.n. wh.ic4 brpught forth tb.e ,man-child" (ver. 13). Let the woman stand as an emblem of the k!)e Chuwb, or Ohristly men collectively, and we have before us a picture of the mighty fiend tormen.ting it i!,nd its progeny. We read that-" the serpent east out of hia mouth water as a flood (riverJ after the woman" (ver. 16). And again, "The dragon was (waxed] wroth wuh' the woman, and '!ent (awaylto- make war with the ~ n t [reat] of her seed" (ver.17). What on this earth dotn he hate most and yearn wmish f Not politics. learning, commerce. science, literature, art. None of these :aa IMQh, but the Ohristly in men. Wherever the Spirit of Ohri■t is, the spirit of tender;- ness, humility, self-sacrificing love, this he hates and seeks to, destroy. On such.lie- ,, pgurs out -water as a flood," that he may "cause• them to be carried away·•of the ~ [stream]." Who shall say what he pours forth from his month?. Falsr accuBII"' Uom, pemiciQUS errws, social persectaion8. eto. tlll. xn. 1-17.] THE REVELATION OF ST•. JOHN THE DIVINE. ffl