The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1905-06-06

bAAA Afe4V AfEf8Ous
I. John receives a message Tvs. 10.
III. 10. I'm the Spirit.'' Under the
influence Of the Spirit, and filed and
| quickened by the Spirit. 1.-THE Lords
! day" The day made sacred to all
Christians for all time by the resurrec-
/ ton of Jesus from the dead. If was
the day Of light and salvation. John
arrived in Patmos late Saturday even
ing, spent the night in prayer, and with
the opening Sunday morning the glori-
fed Saviour opened heaven to his vis-
ion. Why is our Sabbath the first Gay
of the week? We see here the apps
ties kept the first day and, because oil
its sanetity, called it the Lords day.
Behind me-" etc. This was his first
! intimation of the presence Of Christ,
who spoke with a voice like trumpet.
IL. alpha and Omega" Omitted
in r. V. These are the first and last
letters of the Greek alphabet This is
a fgurative expression, used to show
that Christ was the source and the
consummation'' of all things He is
from eternity to eternity. "What thou
seest." The prophetic vision that was
revealed to him on that Lords day.
Write" What if John had not writ
ten! The command to write is given
twelve times in the Apocalypse. "a
| book" A parchment roll Ancient
books were made of papyrus, or from
the prepared skins of animals, and
rolled upon roller Seven churches.
"Seven" denotes perfection. Doubtless
there were hundreds of churches in
Asia Minor at that time. The reason
why seven only are mentioned is be-
! cause the church is the bride of Christ,
and seven is the sanctifed number all
ways representing Christ. "In Asia
A small province in Asia Minor called
| Asia, of which Ephesus was the capi-
| tai. sEphesus' Mentioned first he
cause the church here was the largest.
| III. A vision of the glorifled Redeem
er Tvs 12-16l. u. THE voice.. He
turned to see who it was that spoke,
the word voice. being used to signify
/ the person speaking. Golden candle
sticks" Compare Zech. 4:2-11. Lamp
stands would be a better term Not
one candlestick with seven branches,
but seven candlesticks. The independ-
ence of the churches of Christ is con-
sistent with the unity Of the church Of
Christ
10. I'm the midst Showing Christs
presence among His people. THE Son
of Man." Compare Daniel 7:13 This
might hide from view His oneness Of
sympathy with His people. "a gar
ment." This is a description of the
long robe worn by the high priest.
Jesus is our high priest in heaven.
"Girt-golden girdle." He was grit
around the breast (R. W as "a sign OF
kingly repose." 1t represented the
breastplate Of the high priest. on which
| the names of His people are engraven.
II. white like wool" Wool is sup
! posed to be an emblem of eternity. The
whiteness signified antiquity, purity
and glory. With Christ His hoary head
was no sign of decay. Compare Dan.
40; 1916. The whiteness, three times
mentioned white, white wool, snow,
is greatly intensified, and denotes I'M
limited age. even eternity. Ills eyes.
etc. This certifies His omniseience-
The eye is the receptacle of Knowledge
and symbolizes all the senses.
10. FURNISHED BRASS (R W This
denotes His stability and strength.
His feet are like brass when in the
furnace and subjected to a very great
heat. His feet were strong and stead
| fast, supporting His own interest, SUBJ
DUNG His enemies and treading them
! to powder" His voice. Described
the same in Eek. 1872 He will make
Himself heard; it is commanding
voice that must be obeyed: it is terri
BILE in its denunciation of sin
16. I'm His right hand" The right
hand is an emblem OF power Seven
| stars" These stars are the faithful
preachers OF the gospel "a sharp
4 two-edged sword" His word which
both wounds and heals and strikes at
sin on the right hand and on the left.
This wonderful sword has two edges,
sharp as Gods lightning the edge
that saves and the edge that destroys.
Compare Heb. 4:12; Eph. GIT The
sharpness of the sword represents the
searching power of the word .As the
sun" We know Of nothing brighter
than the sun shining in his strength.
III. Words of comfort and explana-
! tion Tvs. 1920. II. "As dead His
countenance was too bright and daz-
zling for mortal eyes to behold, and
Joial was completely overpowered with
| the glory in which Christ appeared
Compare Ezek. 1928; Dan. ST. Right
hand upon me-" His hand of pow er
and protection. in which the churches
were held. Fear not" There is no
occasion to fear when in the presence
| of Christ. IS. 1.-THE Living One'' (R.-
/ W The source of all life-the One
who possesses absolute life in Himself.
WAS dead" / became man and
died as a mani am the same one you
saw expire on the cross. II am alive,
Having broken the bands of death,
am alive "for evermore.'' ''The keys
An emblem of power and authority.
s0f death and of hades" (R. W
| Hades is a compound Greek word
meaning the unseen world, ana includ-
! Ing both heaven and hell. Gehenna is
the Greek word which always means
| hell, and nothing else. Christ has
power over life, sdeath and the grave
He is able to destroy the living and to
raise the dead. 49, Hast SEEN" The
visions He has just seen. Which ares
The actual conditions Of the seven
churches. See chapters . and s.
(which shall be-" In the future OF
the church
20. The mystery" Write the mys-
terious-the secret and sacred mean
Ing of what You have seen. The am
gels" The ministers and pastors.