The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1886-11-27
LESSON FOR DECEMBER 5, 1886.
Revelation v. 1-J4.J
The VISION.

IHE VISION
Our last Lesson described the risen and
plorifed CHRIsT as seen in Johns vision, as
the "Head of the Church" and "Lord ofall."
Chapters H. and iii. contain appropriate
messages of warning and encouragement
from him to each of the seven churches
named in the last Lesson. Chapter iv. is the
beginning of the scene which shall reveal
"tbe things that must shortly come to pass"
As il is GoD alone from whom "events in
order flow" we have a view of Him and His
divine messengers of providence and life, and
especially of him through whom He reveals
Himself in humanity and works out His
eternal purposes of creation and redemp-
ton; and, it may be, a picture of the glorious
contamination.
'sThe one divine event
To which the whole creation moves"
A door is opened in heaven (the sky proba-
bly). The open heavens is a symbol OF splr-
itual insight, or knowledge of divine things,
and a triumphant faith in the divine purposes.
It is frequently employed by the Scripture
writers xix. IL: Acts vii. So; Ezekiel j. u.
John was Sin the spirit" and in this state of
ecstacy discerned the things which he de-
scribes. He beheld throne, and ON the
throne One whom he does not attempt to de-
scribe except in images of grandeur and
glory. 1t was deemed profanity to describe
the form, and even to speak the name OF
Cop. The central throne was surrounded by
twenty-four other thrones, upon which sat
twenty four elders, clothed in white and
crowned with golden coronets. Elders, or
presbyters, were the rulers of the Hebrew
commonwealth and of the Christian assem-
blies. JESUS had promised that his faithful
disciples should sit upon thrones. Ihey were
also to reign with him in his kingdom-and
he had made them kingdom-priests to his
Con and Father. In the Jewish common
wealth the priests were divided into twenty
four courses or classes. The scene may Dc a
representative picture of the spiritual Israel
the fuifilment of prophecy and the Masters
promise. Symbols of divine power and wis
dom were seen and described. -Four mon
sters, unearthly living creatures, are de-
scribed as about the throne, unceaslng IN
their Inscriptions of praise to the Almighty
and everything COP. The whole scene ap-
nears to be a combination of Old Testament
pictures Daniel vii 8; Ezekiel l.; Isaiah WI.
The Temple as The place of COPS presence
and worship may have been the source OF the
imagery, The cherubim are probably repre-
sented by the four living creatures; and there
were symbols of divine attributes or agencies
by which the divine presence and providence
were manifested, and by which GOD accom-
plished His everlasting purposes-s5 mools vi
the providential government and agencies OF
COP in shaping the destiny of men and ma
tions. When the four living creatures shall
glorify COP then shall The twenty four elders
PROSTATE themselves before His throne ana
surrender their crowns, and in assumptions OF
perpetual praise acknowledge his supreme
authority and government as the Creator
and Disposer of all things in accordance with
His own infinite will. feiicltous consum-
nation of the purposes OF creation ana the III
vine government seems to be pictured III Inc
description that closes chapter ~. ms SUD-
mission and homage of all things to GOD
brings to mind the declarations of Paul con-
tanned in l Corinthians XIV. %, concerning
the contamination of the kingdom OF CHRIST
In accomplishing the glorious consummallon
of all things purposed by GOD and proclaimed
by holy prophets who have been since the
world began, JESUS CHRIST, 'the Lamb of
COP which taketh away The sin of the world,
is the chief agency, who is the principal ng-
ure of the scene that follows in chapter ",
which comprises our present Lesson
The Revelator saw in the right hand OF
Him that sat on the throne seven tolo
sealed book A strong angel with louo
voice inquired, "Who is worthy labieI 10
omen the book and to break its sealsF' NO
one in the universe was found to be able TO
unseal the book, or capable of reading 1t to
look thereonl. The Revelator represents
himself as having wept over the tact' when
one of the ''elders" assured him that the
"Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root OF Da-
yid, has prevailed to open the book and It's
seven SEALS" This is an evident alluslon TO
JESUS, who was a descendant, branch OF
the family of David, and who was or the
tribe of Judah, who was designated as lion
by the patriarch Jacob when giving his chill
dren his dying blessing. The figure Is one
by which the Messiah is frequently desig-
mated in the Scriptures. A little lamb ap-
peared in the midst of the scene, one VINO
had been slaughtered for sacrifice, having
seven horns and seven eyes, emblems, 1t may
be, of supreme power and intelligence. The
atoning sacrifice of JESUS is here symbollzed.
into whose hands all things were given, with
authority in heaven and on earth. He was
the Lamb that hath been slain from the foun-
dation of the world xii. 81, "the Lamb OF
COP which taketh away the sin of the world"
He came and took the book, and when he
had taken it, the four living creatures and
the twenty-four elders, with songs and harps,
and golden censors, began their Inscriptions
of praise to him who was worthy TO IN
seal the book, and who by his blood had
redeemed to COP from all races and nations,
and made them 1.-The redeemed to be king
dom and priesthood to COP that should reign
upon the earth. This appears to be picture
of the true spiritual Israel of GoD-the king
dom of the Messiah. An innumerable COM
pany of angels encircling the throne were
heard to unite their voices in descriptions OF
praise to him who is worthy to receive such
glory and honor as had been conferred upon
and ascribed unto him. The writer of the Epis-
tie TO the Hebrews employs similar language
when describing the New Jerusalem. the city
of the kingdom of GcD. "Ye are come unto
Mount Zion, and unto the city of the living
GoD, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innu-
merable hosts of angels. to the general as
sembly and church of the frst-born" XII.