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I
4 THE PRESBYTERI/
THE REDEEMER'S CARE FOR HIS CHURCH.
I. As Pictured in Revelation.
In the first chapter of Revelation we have seen Jesus
Christ presenting himself to the sufferer John in exile
as the Redeemer, both human and divine, clothed with
salvation, with omniscience and omnipotence, aticj with
victory over death.
In the two chapters which follow we find Christ telling
his Church what sort of people and what sort of
churches they must be in order to have their full share
in the victorv that Hp i? "rprn u_:
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II. The Character that Christ Requires in His Church.
Chapters 2 and 3.
In each of the messages to the seven churches Christ
begins with warnings of a defect that may be found
or that is found in any church. To name them is sufficient.
Ephesus, a loss of "first love"; Pergamos, permitting
erroneous doctrine; Thyatira,, tolerating vicious
conduct; Sardis, "A name that thou livest and art
dead"; Philadelphia, a "little strength"- Laodicea,"lukewarm,
neither cold nor hot."
In each of them. Christ reminds the hearers that thr?v
must strive to overcome, if they would share in his
glory. "To him that overcometh" is repeated seven
times. This is the duty of every church and of every
Christian. Even if thou he under persecution, be sure
to overcome.
To each of them Christ gives a glorious promise of
reward. To Ephesus, "To eat of the tree of life." To
Smvrna. "Ye shall nnt Kp j J- ' "
- _ .. ?v Him ui me sctunu acain. I o
Pergamos, "To eat of the hidden manna." To Thyatira,
""Power over the nations and the morning star." To
Sardis, "White raiment." To Philadelphia, to he "a
pillar in the temple of my Gpd." And to Laodicea, "To
sit with me in my throne."
Such is the heavenly reminder of the character, the
aim and the reward of every one who names the name
of Christ.
III. The Redeemer Overruling Earthly Events for the
Welfare of His People.
Chapters 4, 5 and 6.
In the third section of this book the language assumes
a symbolic character which is not so easy to understand.
Yet in it there is enough that is distinct, to guide
us to the purpose of Christ in writing it.
The beginning of this section is marked by the clause
{verse 5), "And out of the throne proceeded lightnings
and thunderings and voices." By this we are told
that a new subiect is heincr i?t?v-kri?/wi
j ? ii.vivuuvvu. *v lldl is iis
purport ?
A throne and a king upon it. Four "living ones" and
twenty-four elders which are representatives of redeemed
sinners on earth. And a book, sealed with seven
seals, which no man could open except "the Lamb that
was slain." He alone can open the book, and reveal its
contents. And then there was a white horse of victory,
a red horse of war, a black horse of famine, and a pale
horse of persecution. Resides this there was (on the
opening of the fifth seal) an exhortation to patience and
waiting on the part of God's children, and in the sixth
seal, rewards,, bth of vengeance on his enemies and
" r
lN OF THE SOUTH. April 7> 1909.
blessing's on his children. In the seventh seal there
was silence, peace and rest.
All this is a presentation of the vicissitudes of earth
War, famine and persecution show us that the revealer
is telling about occurrences in this world. So also the
judgments and the blessings that are bestowed under
the sixth seal are to be executed on earth. It seems to
be an epitome of the relations of earthly affairs to the
life and the triumph of the Church of God.
It were easy for those early disciples to imagine that
from the day of the resurrection of Jesus there would
be no more persecutions, but simply uninterrupted prosperity
to the Church. Such a thought inspired the
question which they put to Jesus 011 the day of his
ascension, "Lord, wilt thou at this time restore the
kingdom to Israel?" At that time Jesus did not reply.. '
But in the fourth, fifth and sixth rhantprc <-wf
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we find the answer. It is to the effect that the victory
is sure, but that it will come to us through the vicissitudes
of wars, and of famines and of persecutions. A
very important reply is this to us. These vicissitudes
have already come upon the Church, and will repeat
themselves, doubtless, many, many times. But in these
chapters, we arc forewarned so that we need not be dejected
by them.
What are the particulars of this presentation?
In the first chanter the kino- wa<? in tVi*? ;A
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golden candlesticks, which represent the Church, to direct
and govern all its operations. In the fourth chapter,
which we are now considering, the king is presented
to us on a throne surrounded by a rainbow,
the symbol of God's covenant of salvation. In the
first chapter, the Church is presented as candlesticks;
in.this, it is represented by elders, four and twenty, and
by four "living ones." Here we must explain. In verse
6 the common translation is "beasts," or (R. V.) "living
Creatures." Both translations are inadequate. There is
no word in the Greek of this verse which means beast
or creature. The Greek word is the present participle
ot tne verb to live, and clearly means, "living'ones" or
possessors of life, and the descriptions of verses 7 and
8 suggest that they are the same that were represented
in the cherubim on the ark of the covenant. In the first
chapter the king had a sword in his mouth, in this he
has a book in his hand, and as he opens the book the
occurrences of earth come to view.
But mark! among these occurrences, first and foremost,
comes the white horse of victory, and his rider,
Christ, "went forth, conquering and to conquer." There
is a guarantee of triumph for the Church. Then
in the second seal comes the red horse of war, but it
. comes not as a successful opponent of the king, but as
subservient and obedient. Then comes the black horse
of famine, it is also subservient to the Gospel. In like
manner the pale horse of persecution is made to follow
in the train of Christ as one of his servants. We have
esteemed these things, wars and persecutions as enen
ies of the Gospel. Christ here tells John that he will
transform them into-servants of the Gospel.
In the opening of the fifth seal we see the souls of
those who have been in persecution, not now in suffering.
but in a place of safety and honor "under the altar,"