A Brief Commentary on the Apocalypse Part 27

"And there came to me one of the seven angels, who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come, I will shew thee the bride, the wife of the Lamb. And he carried me away in spirit to a vast and high mountain, and shewed me the holy city Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from G.o.d, having the glory of G.o.d. Her light was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal; having a wall vast and high, and having twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written on the gates, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel. On the east, three gates; on the north, three gates; on the south, three gates; and on the west, three gates. And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them, the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. And he, who talked with me, had a golden measuring-reed to measure the city, and its gates, and its wall. And the city lieth square, and the length is as much as the breadth: and he measured the city with the measuring-reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length, and the breadth, and the height of it are equal. And he measured its wall, a hundred and forty-four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel. And the structure of its wall was jasper: and the city was pure gold, like clear gla.s.s. And the foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation was a jasper; the second, a sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald; the fifth, a sardonyx; the sixth, a sardius; the seventh, a chrysolite; the eighth, a beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst.

And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; each one of the gates was of one pearl; and the wide street of the city was pure gold, like transparent gla.s.s." Rev. 21:9-21.

"And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of G.o.d and the Lamb. In the midst of its wide street, and on each side of the river, was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit monthly, and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

And there will be no more curse: but the throne of G.o.d and of the Lamb will be in it; and his servants will serve him: and they will see his face; and his name will be on their foreheads. And there will be no night there; and they have no need of the light of a lamp, nor of the light of the sun; for the Lord G.o.d giveth them light: and they will reign forever and ever." Rev. 22:1-5.

Objects of great interest, of which only a pa.s.sing glance was permitted in previous visions, are again and again presented, until their relative glory is sufficiently manifested. Thus the new earth was considered worthy of being the subject of a special vision; and now the Bride, the Lamb's wife, although before referred to, is again made the subject of a special vision, under the symbol of a city, explained to be the bride.

The descent of the city, to harmonize with corresponding scriptures, has been shown to be at the commencement of the millennium, when those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb descend from the clouds of heaven, to receive "an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you ... ready to be revealed in the last time," 1 Pet. 4:5.

"The glory of the Lord," which is the light of the city, is explained to be "the Lamb" (21:23), which "is the light thereof." "In him was life, and the life was the light of men." "That was the true light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world," John 1:4, 9. In Him dwelleth all the fulness of the G.o.dhead bodily (Col. 2:9), so that as the Holy Shekineh illumined the pathway of ancient Israel, the nations of the redeemed will walk in the light of His glory.

The gates of the city correspond with the number of the tribes of Israel; and the "names of the apostles" are in its foundations. Thus Paul affirms that the "fellow citizens" of "the household of G.o.d" are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone, Eph. 2:20.

The dimensions of the city are in length equal to the breadth-and 1500 miles in circ.u.mference, or 375 miles square. The length is in all parts equal; and so is the breadth, and the height,-the latter being 216 feet.

Its splendor is fully equal to all that inspiration has recorded respecting those on whom the Lord will have "everlasting kindness;" and to whom he saith: "O thou afflicted, tossed with the tempest, and not comforted! behold, I will lay thy stones with fair colors, and lay thy foundations with sapphires. And I will make thy windows of agates, and thy gates of carbuncles, and all thy borders of pleasant stones. And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord; and great shall be the peace of thy children. In righteousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near thee," Isa. 54:11-14. "Therefore thy gates shall be open continually; they shall not be shut day nor night; that men may bring unto thee the forces of the Gentiles, and that their kings may be brought. For the nation and kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish; yea, those nations shall be utterly wasted. The glory of Lebanon shall come unto thee, the fir-tree, the pine-tree, and the box together, to beautify the place of my sanctuary; and I will make the place of my feet glorious. The sons also of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee; and all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet; and they shall call thee, The city of the Lord, The Zion of the Holy One of Israel. Whereas thou hast been forsaken and hated, so that no man went through thee, I will make thee an eternal excellency, a joy of many generations. Thou shalt also suck the milk of the Gentiles, and shalt suck the breast of kings: and thou shalt know that I the Lord am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob. For bra.s.s I will bring gold, and for iron I will bring silver, and for wood bra.s.s, and for stones iron: I will also make thy officers peace, and thine exactors righteousness.

Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, wasting nor destruction within thy borders; but thou shalt call thy walls Salvation, and thy gates Praise. The sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy G.o.d thy glory. Thy sun shall no more go down; neither shall thy moon withdraw itself: for the Lord shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended. Thy people also shall be all righteous: they shall inherit the land forever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified. A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation; I the Lord will hasten it in his time," Isa. 60:11-22.

O scenes surpa.s.sing fable, and yet true, Scenes of accomplish'd bliss! which who can see, Though but in distant prospect, and not feel His soul refresh'd with foretaste of the joy?

Rivers of gladness water all the Earth, And clothe all climes with beauty. The reproach Of barrenness is past. The fruitful field Laughs with abundance; and the land, once lean, Or fertile only in its own disgrace, Exults to see its thistly curse repeal'd.

The various seasons woven into one, And that one season an eternal spring, The garden fears no blight, and needs no fence; For there is none to covet: all are full.

The lion, and the libbard, and the bear, Graze with the fearless flocks; all bask at noon Together, or all gambol in the shade Of the same grove, and drink one common stream.

Antipathies are none. No foe to man Lurks in the serpent now: the mother sees, And smiles to see, her infant's playful hand Stretch'd forth to dally with the crested worm, To stroke his azure neck, or to receive The lambent homage of his arrowy tongue.

All creatures worship man, and all mankind One Lord, one Father. Error has no place; That creeping pestilence is driv'n away: The breath of Heav'n has chas'd it. In the heart No pa.s.sion touches a discordant string, But all is harmony and love. Disease Is not: the pure and uncontaminate blood Holds its due course, nor fears the frost of age.

One song employs all nations; and all cry, "Worthy the Lamb, for he was slain for us!"

The dwellers in the vales and on the rocks Shout to each other, and the mountain-tops From distant mountains catch the flying joy; Till, nation after nation taught the strain, Earth rolls the rapturous Hosanna round.

Behold the measure of the promise fill'd!

See Salem built, the labor of a G.o.d!

Bright as a sun the sacred city shines: All kingdoms and all princes of the Earth Flock to that light; the glory of all lands Flows into her; unbounded is her joy, And endless her increase. Thy rams are there, Nebaioth, and the flocks of Kedar there: The looms of Ormus, and the mines of Ind, And Saba's spicy groves, pay tribute there.

Praise is in all her gates; upon her walls, And in her streets, and in her s.p.a.cious courts, Is heard salvation. Eastern Java there Kneels with the native of the farthest west; And aethiopia spreads abroad the hand, And worships. Her report has travel'd forth Into all lands. From ev'ry clime they come To see thy beauty, and to share thy joy, O Sion! an a.s.sembly such as Earth Saw never, such as Heav'n stoops down to see.

Thus Heav'nward all things tend. For all were once Perfect, and all must be at length restor'd, So G.o.d has greatly purpos'd: who would else In his dishonor'd works himself endure Dishonor, and be wrong'd without redress.

Haste then, and wheel away a shatter'd world, Ye slow-revolving seasons! we would see (A sight to which our eyes are strangers yet) A world that does not dread and hate his laws, And suffer for its crime; would learn how fair The creature is, that G.o.d p.r.o.nounces good, How pleasant in itself what pleases him.-_Cowper._

Final Admonitions.

"And he said to me, These words are faithful and true. And the Lord, the G.o.d of the spirits of the prophets, sent his angel to shew his servants the things, which must shortly take place. And behold, I come quickly: happy is he, who keepeth the words of the prophecy of this book. And I John saw and heard these things. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel who shewed me these things. And he saith to me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellow-servant, and one of thy brethren the prophets, and one of those, who keep the words of this book: worship G.o.d. And he saith to me, Seal not up the words of the prophecy of this book: for the season is near. He, who is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he, who is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he, who is righteous, let him perform righteousness still: and he, who is holy, let him be holy still. Behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give each one as his work shall be. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end. Happy are those, who do his commandments, that they may have the privilege of the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. For without are the Sodomites, and the sorcerers, and the fornicators, and the murderers, and the idolaters, and whoever loveth and practiseth falsehood. I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify to you these things in the congregations. I am the root and the offspring of David, the bright morning-star. And the Spirit and the bride say, Come! And let him, who heareth, say, Come! And let him, who thirsteth, come. And whoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

"I testify to every one, who heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any one shall add to these things, G.o.d will add to him the plagues written in this book: and if any one shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, G.o.d will take away his part from the tree of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things written in this book. He, who testifieth these things, saith, Surely I come quickly. So be it, come, O Lord Jesus!

"The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with all the saints." Rev.

22:6-21.

With the representation of the city, the symbols of the Apocalypse are terminated. What follows are the words of Christ. The import of these is guarded by his declaration that they are "true and faithful." There is a reality and definiteness in them, which will not admit of their being added to, or taken from. So that any attempt to fritter away their meaning, will be followed by the curses written in the book, and a loss of the blessings therein promised.

The command not to seal this prophecy, is in contrast with the close of Daniel's prophecy, which was "closed up and sealed till the time of the end," Dan. 12:9. The Apocalypse, as its name imports, being an "unveiling"

of the obscurities of Daniel, the seal from the former was removed-the time of the end, in that sense, being equivalent to the last days, or the gospel dispensation.

The time was "at hand," when the great series of predicted events was to commence. As he that was unjust was to be unjust still, and he that was righteous was thus to remain, it follows that the visions therein recorded, continue down to the close of probation; and that the new earth is one of everlasting reward, wherein is to be fulfilled the promise: "Blessed are the meek; for they shall inherit the earth," Matt. 5:3.

In this connection the Saviour answers the question, which so perplexed the Pharisees: If David then call him Lord, how is he his son? Matt.

22:45. Being the Root from whence David sprang, and in his humanity David's offspring, he was both his Lord and son.

The invitation appended is one of the most endearing that it is possible to conceive of, and the threats are the most terrific. These are given for the admonition of all; and yet how many will turn away from the study of the book, which commences with a blessing on him "that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein," (1:3); and closes with an invitation for all to come and "take of the water of life freely." It is no mystical record, and there is nothing equivocal in its predictions. Neither is it to be fulfilled in the distant future; for "He which testifieth these things saith: Surely I come quickly." And shall not every one who loves his Lord respond, "Even so; come, Lord Jesus."

"The Church has waited long Her absent Lord to see; And still in loneliness she waits, A friendless stranger she.

Age after age has gone, Sun after sun has set, And still, in weeds of widowhood, She weeps, a mourner yet."

"The whole creation groans, And waits to hear that voice That shall restore her comeliness, And make her wastes rejoice.

Come, Lord, and wipe away The curse, the sin, the stain, And make this blighted world of ours Thine own fair world again.

Come, then, Lord Jesus, come!"

_Rev. H. A. Bonar_, (_Eng._)

THE OLD EARTH.

Old Mother EARTH is wan and pale, Her face is wrinkled sore; Her locks are blanched, her heart is cold, Her garments stiff with gore; With furrowed brow and dim sad eyes, With trembling steps and slow, She marks the course that first she trod Six thousand years ago!

The Earth is old, the Earth is cold, She shivers and complains; How many Winters fierce and chill Have racked her limbs with pains!

Drear tempests, lightning, flood and flame Have scarred her visage so, That scarce we deem she shone so fair, Six thousand years ago!

Yet comely was the youthful Earth, And lightly tripped along To music from a starry choir, Whose sweet celestial song Through Nature's temple echoed wild, And soft as streamlets flow, Where sister spheres replied with her, Six thousand years ago!

And many happy children there Upon her breast reclined, The young Earth smiled with aspect fair, The heavens were bright and kind; The azure cope above her head In love seemed bending low, O happy was the youthful Earth, Six thousand years ago!

Alas! those children of the Earth With hate began to burn, And Murder stained her beauteous robe, And bade the young Earth mourn.

And ages, heavy ages, still Have bowed with gathering woe The form of her whose life was joy, Six thousand years ago!

Old Earth! drear Earth! thy tender heart Bewails thy chosen ones; Thou look'st upon the myriad graves That hide their gathered bones; For them, by day and night, thy tears Unceasingly must flow; Death chilled the fountain-head of life Six thousand years ago!

Old Earth! old Earth! above thy head The heavens are dark and chill, The sun looks coldly on thee now, The stars shine pale and still; No more the heavenly symphonies Through listening ether flow, Which swelled upon creation's ear, Six thousand years ago!

Weep not in bitter grief, O Earth!

Weep not in hopelessness!

From out the heavens "a still small voice"

Whispers returning peace.

Thy tears are precious in the sight Of ONE who marks their flow, Who purposes of mercy formed, Six thousand years ago!