The Carlisle independent., 1916-11-30
LESSON FOR DECEMBER 3
JESUS CHRIST THE FIRST AND
 THE LAST.

i GOLDEN TEXT-Fear not; I am the first and the last, and the living one; and I was dead, and behold, l am alive for evermore.-Rev. 1:17, IS.
 The lesson committee have depart ed, seemingly, long way from any thing like chronological order. Paul had nothing to do with the writing of the Revelation, yet this lesson illus trates the pre-eminence which Jesus Christ had in the mind and labors of the great apostle (Col. :1S).
 I. introduction. (vv. 1-3) We would suggest that all Bible students and teachers, if possible, read the introduc- tiOn to the Book of Revelation in Sco- fields Reference Bible. The book proper is 'The Revelation of Jesus Christ" John, the beloved disciple, who wrote the Gospel and Epistles, was the one who saw the visions re- corded therein. Many of the things are historical others are prophetically set forth. The latter are shortly to come to pass" (See also II Peter 8 :S.) John tells not only what God said but what he himself saw. The late Doctor Brooks of St. Louis omitted this book from his study for many years until he saw the comments recorded in verse 8. The time of the writing of this book has variously been stated as from A. D. 60 to A. D. 96; the writer was certainly John the Beloved. The place of writing was the island of Patmos in the Aegean sea, not far from Ephe- sus. The real author, however, is Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
 II. Salutation (vy. 4-S). "The serv- ant of Jesus who records his message was John, and the message was to be to "the seven churches which are in Asia;'' that is, the western portion of Asia Minor, of which Ephesus on the Aegean sea was the principal city. These churches are definitely named in verse Il. There is good reason to think that these churches represented the seven successive epochs of church history. If so, no age is exclusively Ephesian, or Philadelphian, or Laodi- cean. The grace, favor, loving kind ness, is a free gift from Christ, who is here giving a threefold title, name ly: First begotten from the dead, wit ness and prince.
 III. Vision (yv. 9-1S). What John saw on the isle of Patmos he was to write upon a parchment roll and send it to the seven churches, each of which needed message. Under the figure of seven candlesticks are emu merated seven churches. Into the midst of these churches, actually present in them, is one like unto the Son of Man. (See alsos Matthew IS :20.) Like hu- man being, Jesus was, but now clothed with the garment of his eternal glory, girded about with the girdle worn by priests and kings, a symbol of his power and strength Qsaiah II 5; Eph. :1G. His head and his hands, his feet and his eyes are all referred to, each having it's symbolical significance. In his right hand are the seven stars (y. 16), the angels of the churches, pastors or leaders, possibly guardian angels (v. 20). They are held in his right hand, signifying that they are protected, upheld and controlled by his wisdom and power. (See Jeremiah %: 24). From his mouth goes a sharp, two-edged sword; the spirit of the Word of God sharper than any two edged sword (Hebrews :12). And his countenance was as the sun shining in it's strength, the glory, such as was manifested in the transfguration, such as Paul saw near Damascus, is here re- ferred to.
 W. The Command. John had en- joyed a tender intimacy with the Lord during his earthly life and yet he was stricken down with the overpowering majesty and glory which had been re- vealed. Now he realized, as perhaps never before, the significance of the ever-living Christ, and he is hereby specifically commanded to record this vision as he had seen it ard the mes sages which the Lord had for the churches Tie word mystery (v. 20) has reference to something which has hitherto been hidden to men and which is now about to be revealed. The revelation was to these churches, and it is to us also.
 Jesus is not a mere vision but he is a living reality, unveiled for the time from the unseen.
 Jesus is a living fact which we are to communicate to men. The seven stars (v. POD are messages in his own right hand.
 The churches are the lamp stands, Christ himself is the light, the sun l (v. 16)
 The messages John is commanded to deliver have four-fold application CD to the churches actually addressed, but which have long since passed away i; 1 CD to all churches in all times, ad- 1 nlonishing them to discover their true spiritual state; (3) to Individuals, he ! that hath an ear," that they shall claim the promises made ito him that over cometh" and (4f they are prophetic of
 the different phases of spiritual his- tory, folloH.ing the days of John, the