The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-12-16

manner OF utHllNs WIN iAs Pe"P'~
u-THR PERSON SPEAKING. l'erses
l2-l6)
Amid light (al John heard the voice
behind him lie hal 20 turn to see whence
n came "To see the voice" means In
order TO Sc, the utterer OF the voice"
s,yolceu here meaning speaker" Turned,
John secs seven golden lampstands
There is . lampstand for every church, not
merely as in the temple. one seven
branched lampstand. (Compae e Exodus
XIV. 81. 32. 81. Zsch. iy. - The Christian
church l. Ia a richer and fulierdispensation
than that OF the Jewish church. Each
local church has its own candlestick Inc
candle ticks are OF gold-precious, beauti-
full, snitabls To their dignity as used In
Gods service. Every thing belonging 10
the church is precious. (b.) Amid the
lamps appears zone like the Son OF Man
Notice I. John recognizes even amid the
glory the dear face Of his Lord. who
loved TO call Himself the son OF
Man" 2. The title is taken from Daniel
vii. Is, where il Is applied TO Messiah the
Prince. i'm a vision OF Christ as King. 5.
Our Lord took this title TO bimsst (Mast'
xvi. isD 4. Stephen saw Christ IN Riocy
ss ''Son Of Man. Acts vii. 5B) .. Like
unto"-intimates that this Is vision,
though based on reality. (c.) Christ ap'
pears as a pries,-king The robe - de-
scribed by a word used in the Septuaglnt TO
describs the high-priests' robe. IL Is
"hIgh-pries,ly- royal robe" (See Exodus
xYxix. q. ffsuruzvs VII 20, vii "a Zech- xI.
l3) "The Lord, who makes his people
priests aud kings erse 81, appears claa in
the sublime splen or of the high priest
and of kings" ssterdieckD God' IN
holy vision. is so represented, robed, on
His throne, in glory isaiah Vi. ~
The skirts of His long robe MI
the palace. This also was manifestation
of the Christ. The golden grille Is also
royal Compare Daniel X. o) When
serving. the high priest girt his rooe up
under his arms. (See Josephus; Antlq'
iii. 7,2.) So here Jesus Is girt as Tor
prlestly service. His wholly golden girdie
shows His royal dignity, for tho hign
priests girdle was only partly made OF
gold. Thus the priestking Is revealed as
living in glory.
O. Radiant with glory. (a) The form OF
Christ is next described. lie appears IN
radiant white. AS DR.. Lee says, White
Is the color and livery of heaven Jhe
"white" here mentioned Is lustrous' re-
splendent. sparkling, glisteninR, shlning
light like the white in which Christ APP
neared on the mount Of TRANSPORTATION.
In Daniel the white hair means antiquity,
eternity: here it seems TO mean purity,
holiness. sanctity. The very hair Of Christ
ia radiant. II takan as in Daoiel IL means
that Christ in ths Eternal One = "the
Ancient Of Days" o. His eyes reveal
omniscience and holy anger, flashing fire
into every dark place, and showing wrath
against sin. His feet of glowing brass
show His power o trnmple oa the wicked,
ns we'll as His glory ia subduing His Toes.
(c) The voice Of ''many waters" is the
| rpHr of the ses, as It da hes on the rocks OF
Patmos-a loud, irresistible voice, the re-
bukinu tones of Which no enemy can
| withstand. The figures are such as set
| forth majesty, might. terror, aud Judg-
| ment, with supreme authority.
| g. Insignia Of authority. (a.) ln Christs
| hand He holds the st,rs-they are HIS
property and He upholds and sustains
them by His power. (b.) The sword going
| out of His mouth is His word. (See Heb.
iy. l2: Ephss. vi. II; Hosea vi. 81 (c) The
form OF the Christ, including His coun-
tenance, is radiant with glory. God Is
light:" He "dwelisth in lisht;' He clothes
| Himself with light as with garment. so
here the divine Christ is brighter than
the san, radiant with glory, unhid ~
mists. unshadei by clouds. clear as at
noon. Compare Malachi iv. =; Matt
xvii, 2; Acts XVI 49,
| III. THE COMMAND TO THE SEER.
! VERSES 17-20)
/. Strengthened. (a) Christ's majesty
revealing His divinity struck John with 80
great terror that he fell ms dead at the
feet OF Jesus No mortal man. with con-
seriousness of sin, can behold Gods majesty
without terror. isaiah vi. 5; Luke " }
(b) Jesus laid His strong right hand on
His fainting disciple. This is sign
OF help in weakness--a way that Christ
has ia dealing with His people. (c.) Then
| Christ cheers John with words. Fear
notr' Thus He allays terror with kindly
| word Compare Genesis XVI. "a First
| and last"-an assertion Of His divinity.
| Three times in Isaiah (xli 4; Xiv. o; Xviii.
| l2) does Jehovah claim this prerogative;
three times In this book does Jesus claim
there. in IL. 8, and in xiii l3. He Is first
as cause OF all things John J. -. and last
as the final Judge and rewarder in eternity.
AS divine lie is also the living One. by.
ing in the flesh He was raised in the flesh:
but now lives forever, with an endless
life. Compare Acts H. o.; Romans vi. 9; l.
a. AS the living Christ. King of the in
visible world, He has entire power over
death, redecrning His people from its
power and delivering them from its fear.
This is represented by His possession OF
the key of Hades and OF death Compare
iii z; tx. 1; TX. ID
q The order to write. (a.) The CON-
mand given in verse ii is repeated and ex.
planned In verse 10. All the series OF
visions is to he reported: things already
seen, those now before him, and those
Afterwards TO be revealed TO him. (b) John
was told 20 write these revelations, be
cause mans memory is not perfect. aud a
book is surer to preserve truth than mere
oral tradition is Gods written words /:
the safest guide to follow.
g. Mystery revealed (e.) Stars are teach
ers. (See Daniel xii. 8; Jude ID
(b) Angels are messengers" here
messengers bearing Christ's messages Il
the churches, and therefore the pastors OF
bishops, ruling over and teaching the
churches. Christ owns and upholds then
as stars 20 shine and give liaht in dari
mt -.