Quiet Talks on the Crowned Christ of Revelation Part 13

And this rainbow is all of one colour, a clear, soft emerald-green. We know that green is the most restful of all colours. Some colours are irritating. Some persons of very sensitive, nervous temperament are even made sick by certain colours. And we are all affected more than we know in a hurtful way by certain colours. But green is the colour of rest. It soothes the eyes and nerves and even the spirit. The rainbow round about the throne looked like a quiet, quieting emerald-green. The One on the throne is at perfect rest regarding things down here. He knows all. His ears hear all, the cry of distress and despair, the defiance and arrogance and blasphemy. His eyes see His children down here, creative children all of them, prodigal children so many of them, and trusting children walking in the shadows. He sees all. And He feels all with His great feeling heart.

Yet He is at rest. Do you wonder how He can be? When Jesus saw the mult.i.tudes He was moved with compa.s.sion; He suffered in heart with them, for they were as shepherdless sheep, torn and distressed. And the heart beating in rhythm with His has as hard a time as He. If He lead you in service to some foreign mission land, you see and know and feel as no tourist party hurried through the outer fringes ever does or can.

And in Christian lands of the West, and the homeland, in slum as in polite circles, in commercial quarters as in the university world, the heart that is in touch with Jesus' heart sees and hears and feels and senses things as they are under the surface or sticking boldly out through the surface. And feels at times as though it can never again be at rest.

How can He, on the throne, be so quiet, and be at rest? And there is an answer to our burning question, a simple, real answer. _He knows the end._ He has a purpose and a plan. The present is only one stage in His great plan. This is man's opportunity, and possibly some one's else opportunity, too. It is to be followed by something else radically different down on this earth.

He is held steady during this time by a great purpose. It is a purpose of great, tender love. To His eye looking sleeplessly down there is rest even as of emerald-green. And so there will be rest for him who looks sleeplessly _up_ to the _throne_ of control, encircled in the emerald rainbow of perfect peace. And we can be of best service to Him by resting in our hearts, resting in Him, even while working in the thick of things as they are down here.

They See His Face.

Then John sees twenty-four other thrones round about the central throne.

And on these there are twenty-four men sitting. These men are wearing white garments, and have crowns of gold upon their heads. This is the part of intense interest. Who are these? And what does this mean?

What has been said before about picture language, the language of the Orient, of childhood, of the common crowd, the universal language, will help us here. The Bible is an Oriental book. It talks in picture language. This is humanly what gives it such freshness and peculiar adaptation. The radical change of circ.u.mstances and speech and mode of thought in different centuries makes all books antiquated after a certain time. This book has the freshness of youth, for in its simple picture language it deals in principles. But picture language must be held to its simplicity. And something of familiarity with the whole range of the Scripture is needful to use the key to the simple picture language.

Let us look a bit at the simple scene here. These men are elders, that is they are leaders. They represent mult.i.tudes of others. Throughout the Bible twelve is the number of completeness, both in things and people. A complete gathering or throng of people is represented by the number twelve. There are twelve tribes of Israel, and so on. This is so familiar that it need only be named without further ill.u.s.tration.

There are two great divisions of this Bible, the Old Testament and the New. These stand naturally for the two great divisions of time, before Christ and after. This division is strongly marked in the Bible, and sharply marked in our Christian consciousness. It has been a common thing to wonder about the salvation and spiritual knowledge and privileges of people who lived before Christ came and died.

Twice twelve make twenty-four. These twenty-four elders represent the redeemed ones from both of these great divisions of time. That is to say, the picture tells us this. All the people from creation's earliest morn up to the present, including the one who went out last from some sorrowing family circle, all who have had the touch of heart with G.o.d, are gathered in the presence of Him who sits on the throne. That is one simple thing that stands out clear and sure.

These are represented as _sitting_. The slave or servant never sat in his master's presence. Friends sit together. Angels are never spoken of as sitting in the presence of G.o.d. When our Lord Jesus was received up He sat down at the Father's right hand. We are spoken of as seated in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. Sitting together means being on terms of intimacy and fellowship. Through the precious blood of our Lord Jesus we are all accepted in the Beloved and received and trusted as He is.

These elders are clad in white garments. That is one of the familiar things spoken of much in this end-book. Part of the promise to those of overcoming faith is that they shall be arrayed in white garments, and walk with Christ in white.[84] Those who are faulty in the Church are urged to get white garments.[85] The martyrs waiting their vindication,[86] and the great mult.i.tudes who come up out of the tribulation are given white raiment.[87] The bride at the joyous marriage supper, and the armies following the conquering Christ, are clad in fine linen, bright and pure.[88]

We are told that this white linen means a pure life.[89] These garments have been washed in the blood of the Lamb.[90] These mult.i.tudes have been cleansed in the blood of Christ and purified by the Holy Spirit and made perfect in purity and holiness as they came up into the presence of the Father on the throne.

These elders are wearing golden crowns. This language, too, is familiar.

The acknowledgment and reward of faithfulness and of service is spoken of commonly under this bit of picture talk.[91] The angels are never spoken of as being crowned. Christ was crowned, that is received into the presence of the Father, as the full recognition of His worthiness and of what He had done, and in vindication after the shameful rejection by men.

These men and women and children in the Father's presence have been rewarded and are being rewarded for their faithfulness in obedience and in life. All the struggles and difficulties, the hard road, the endurance, the patient suffering for His name's sake, the faithfulness in doing the allotted tasks, all these have been noted and acknowledged.

There is the sweet peace of the Father's approval in all of these before the throne.

Going to School to G.o.d.

And these are sitting on _thrones_. When Jesus was teaching His disciples, in the dark days of bitter opposition He wooed them with this: "Ye shall sit upon twelve thrones."[92] And a bit later as they sat round the supper table on the night of His betrayal, when things are getting to the darkest, again He woos them: "Ye may eat and drink at my table in my Kingdom; and ye shall sit on thrones."[93] He that overcometh is a.s.sured of sitting with Christ on His throne.[94]

All the redeemed ones of earth are to have part with Christ in the coming Kingdom time. They reign with Him.[95] During this present time the countless hosts of angels have a part in ministering to man on the earth.[96] Even so during the Kingdom time to come the countless hosts of the redeemed will have the sweet privilege of service with Christ and on behalf of those on the earth. And it is quite possible that they already have a part in such a ministry.

A little farther in the description it is seen that these elders have "each one a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints." Heaven is a place of wonderful music. Its very atmosphere must be tuned to the rarest rhythmic harmonies. And each one has part in the music being made.

And yet more, they are continuing the sweet ministry of intercession learned down on earth. This means that they are in touch with earth.

They know the needs of loved ones and of all, and they have the privilege of fellowship in this with Him who ever liveth to make intercession.

And there is one other thing we know here at once without being told. If a friend tells me that he has a rose garden under the care of a skilled gardener, I know without being told that the roses are growing. I at once look through my friend's words and see bushes full of roses of all colours, some full blown, some half blown, some bursting buds, and some just budding. For there is a garden, and a gardener, and sun and rain and dew. I know there must be growth and beauty.

Even so we know that the loved ones who have parted from us, are growing. They are in the Father's presence, in intimate fellowship. That tells me of their growth. That little one who slipped away so young, years ago, has been growing in mental powers, in character as well as in what down here we call stature, and growing most of all in love. And so at the meeting time, in the air or up there, there will be instant recognition, as well as instant delight over the growth under such wondrous tutorage.

This is the glimpse into the upper world which John sees and is allowed to give us here. The redeemed ones of earth of all the ages are in the presence of the Father and of the Lord Jesus and of the angels, on terms of intimate fellowship, made pure and perfect in character, but always growing from more to more, and having a share in blessed ministry. And they listen to and have share in making music more exquisite than our earthly language can describe.

They understand the wondrous plans for the earth, for now they see all things through the Lord Jesus' eyes. They have some part without doubt in welcoming those who come to join them, even as they will have part in receiving those who are caught up at our Lord's return. And they look forward eagerly to the glad time of righting that will come then.

But let us look a bit more at what John sees. Out of the throne are seen proceeding lightnings and voices and thunders. Three other times in this book it speaks of lightning and voices and thunder.[97] These things of course are the familiar accompaniments of a storm. It is noticeable that each other time they are named in the book it is in connection with some direct action being taken by G.o.d in the affairs of the earth. And each time there is some added item intensifying the scene.

A physical storm is caused by two areas of unequal temperature coming together. The storm is the process of coming together and equalizing of the atmospheric conditions. The inference here would seem to be that the time of action has come to straighten out matters on the earth. The two moral atmospheres of heaven and earth seem to be coming into contact, and a storm is resulting before clear weather comes. It suggests that our Lord Jesus is taking the next direct step in His broader plan.

G.o.d's Ideal of Creation.

But let us look a little further. In the book's picture language there are "seven lamps of fire burning before the throne." These we are plainly told "are the seven spirits of G.o.d." That is a Hebrew way of saying "the perfect spirit of G.o.d." This is of intense interest. The Holy Spirit is represented as being before the throne.

In the confidential talk with the inner group of disciples on the betrayal night, in John's Gospel,[98] Jesus promises that when He has ascended up to the Father He will send down the Holy Spirit to them.

When the Spirit has come down to the disciples He will begin a new ministry of witnessing to the world through them.

In the Book of Acts that promise is fulfilled. The Spirit comes down with remarkable manifestations on the day of Pentecost. The distinctive thing He does is to take possession of a group of men and form them into a new witnessing body called the Church. He had dwelt in the nation of Israel as a nation, and had been withdrawn from that nation when it proved finally faithless to its mission. He had dwelt in individual men before and during and after that time.

At Pentecost He is sent down on a new mission. He is to do in men all that Jesus has done for them in His life and death and resurrection. But the distinctive thing of Pentecost is His forming this new body called the Church, through which He begins a new ministry of witnessing to the world.

All through the Acts and Epistles He is constantly spoken of as here on the earth working in the Church and through it. He in the Church is a powerful restraint upon the powers of evil in the world. In Thessalonians,[99] Paul has spoken of a day coming when that restraint would be withdrawn. The Holy Spirit, the "One that restraineth now," is to be taken away.

Now here the Holy Spirit is represented as being, not in the Church, as always in the Acts and Epistles, but as being "before the throne." This is the second significant thing to note in this scene. This also would seem to suggest the beginning of a new order of things.

John goes quietly on with his description. Before the throne he sees a great expanse that looks like a sea of clear, bright, beautiful crystal.

Before the throne and around about the throne are four living creatures or creatures of life. These living creatures are of intensest interest.

They appear throughout the Scriptures from the Garden of Eden in Genesis to the very close of this Book of Revelation.

They are also called cherubim and seraphim, that is, cherubs and seraphs. They are always a.s.sociated directly with the immediate presence of G.o.d,[100] and with His presence-chamber, in the tabernacle,[101] in the temple,[102] and in Ezekiel's vision of a new temple,[103] and in the thought of the people.[104] There is one possible exception to this, where they are seen at the entrance to the Garden of Eden.[105] The description of them is most full in Ezekiel. It varies in details, but with the essentials always the same.

The general appearance is that of a man, but there are four faces as of a man, a lion, an ox or calf, a flying eagle, and sometimes a cherub face. They are full of eyes everywhere, and they seem enveloped in the pure fire which everywhere is a.s.sociated with G.o.d's own presence. These descriptions combined suggest perfection of purity, of intelligence, of obedience, and of power.

In this book of the Revelation they are spoken of seven times,[106] that is, more frequently than in any other book, though not so fully as in Ezekiel. Five times they are leading or joining in the worship of G.o.d, by men and angels, and twice they are cooperating with the Lamb or the angels in what is being done on the earth.

These beautiful, intelligent beings seem to represent the whole animate creation, man, the animals intimately a.s.sociated in service with man, those that roam at will, and the birds, and the angels. It would seem as though they stand for _G.o.d's ideal of creation_, as it was before the hurt of sin came, as He holds it in His heart, and as it will be after sin has gone. His ideal of a perfect and perfected creation is always in His presence and before His face, intelligently and gladly carrying out His will, reverently and joyously sounding His praise.

It suggests that He will not rest content until His ideal for the creation shall be a sweet, full realization, all sin and rebellion removed and all His works uniting in joyous, continuous worship, and glad, harmonious obedience.

The Significant Book.

All this is interesting; some of it intense in interest. But it is only a setting. It is incidental. The chief thing is yet to be told. John had been told that he would be shown the things that would come to pa.s.s some time in the future. We come now to the beginnings of these "things."

The One who is sitting on the throne has a carefully sealed book or doc.u.ment in his hand. An angel calls out loudly for any one who is qualified to do so to step forward and take the doc.u.ment and break its seals. And as John watches intently no one comes forward. No one can be found, either in the heaven, in earth, or in the region spoken of as under the earth.

At this John is greatly distressed, and weeps much, so he must have understood at once just what this meant. And one of the elders comforts him with the a.s.surance that there is One who has "_overcome_ to open the book, and the seven seals thereof," "the lion of the tribe of Judah."

This word "overcome" suggests that this one has been in some great conflict and has gotten the victory and overcome all opposition. And this qualifies Him to take and open the doc.u.ment. He is the only one among untold numbers so qualified.