The Pulpit Commentary — Revelation — Section 324

For the Ratn9 imn. and all other nurturing forces which had ripened the firstfruits, were there ready to do tbe same kindly office for all the rest. And so we are told," The Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies." 'l'he same power is present for both the first and after fruits. 2. ThB patrern an<I repnsentative of all the rest Compare the first and after fruits. In the maiti they were alike; and so in the spiritual world also. But: 3. The firstfruits were ,,,.-mineat _,..thereat. 'fhey werespeeially presented to God, and held in honour; 8011'88 it ll"ith the natural grain. But, without question, there is pre-eminence implied in being the firstfruits of the heavenly harvest. (1) In time. Theirs is " the first resurrection," of which. we read in oh.: xx;-that resurrectioq of the dead which St. Paul calls "tie resurrection," and "the mark" to1vards which he pressed, if by any means he migM attain unto it (Phil. iii.). "The rest of the dead lived not again until the thousantl years," efo. (cf. eh. xx.). (2) In honO'Ur. St. Paul called it "the prize of o'llr high .calJing of God in Christ Jesus." Now, a prize implies special honour. And our Lord .tells us that there is a " first " and " last " in the kingdom of hea.ven; "a least" and "a greatest." "One atar differeth from another star in glory." There is "an entrance adminiatered.. abundantly," and there is a. "being saved so es by fke.'' .Aa here there is no dead level of reward, so we might believe, and we are taught, thati there is none such in haa.ven. Infinite mi1JOhief is done by the belief that all will be equally blessed, equally honoured, equally like God. It is as if we had adopted the creed of Eoolesiastes, · where we are told, "One end cometh alike to all," instead of St. Paw's, who tells us, ,"What a man soweth that"-not something el-"shall he also reap," in quantity and quality too. (3) In aervice. 'l'hat they were pre-eminent here, who that knows their history on earth, or reads even this book, will que.ation? (4) In cli:cirader. See how' they are described as to their spiritual purity, their unreserved consecration, their separateneas from the world, their guilelilssn888 and freedom from all deceit. (5) :In. t~ approval of God. Of them it is written, "Blessed and holyiit he that bath part in the first resurrection" (oh. xx.). How could it be otherwise than that such as they should stand highest upon the steps of the everlasting throne, and nearest God and the Lamb? 4. 'l.'hey are {he elect of God. In another part of this· book they are spoken of as" the called, and chosen, and faithful.'' They answer to the description.of God's chosen, and so we learn that u whilst all the elect are saved, all. the saved are not elect" (Alford). A.II are not firstfruits, great.est, first, in the kingdom of heaven. The very words imply order, gradation, rank. But it is for us to take heed as to-- III. WHAT Wl!I SHOULD STRIVE TO BE. There are some who say that they will be content if they CBD only "get just inside the door of heaven "-euch is the phrase. 'l'his sounds very humble-minded, and if it be so, then those who thus speak are just those who would not. be content with any such place. For, and to their credit be it said, they are such as desire to be Hke their Lord-to resemble him, to poesese his Spirit, and to please him in all thing&. But if they desire, or will be content with, the lowest place in heaven, they must get rid of all these beautiful and blessed qualities. But rather than this they would die. Too often, however, the phrase is: but a substitute for diligence and faithful following of Christ. They are content to be but little like their Lord ; they do not follow after holiness in the fear of God ; they are the worldly hearted, those the least worthy of the Christian name. But who would be content to be as these P Who would not be in full sympathy with St. Paul, who said, "I labour • , • to be accepted of him" (2 Cor. v, 9)? Ours, then, is to be not contented with any lowest place-if we be, there ia grave doubt whether we ever attain to that-but to ''press toward the mark for the prize of our high calling of God in Christ Jes111!." -s.c. Vers. 6, 7;-The gospel of JivJgment. St. John beholds,. another angel :flying in mid- heaven, having an eternal gospel to proclaim." Concerning this gospel note- I. IT IS NOT 'l'HB GOSPEL. 'l'he gospel is that which teHs to sinful man that there ii eternal life for him in Christ; "that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners." This is a very different gospel. It is one of judgment. Its message is, " The hour of God's judgment is come." And the meiwage of the second angel (ver. 8) points to one seene where that jurlgment has already fallen; and the message of the third angel (ver. 9) ia one of awful threatening 11gainst the ain which would bring the judgment upon 861 TilE REVELATION OF ST. JOHN TUE DIVINE. [e11. xtv. 1-20.