The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1916-11-30
LESSON FOR DECEMBER 3
JESUS CHRIST THE FIRST AND
THE LAST.

GOLDEN TExT-Fear not; I am the
hrst and the last. and the living one; and
] was dead. and behold. I am alive for
evcrmore.-Rev. ill., Is
The lesson committee have depart
ed. seemingly. a long way from any
thing like chronological order. Paul
hl nothing to do with the writing OF
IRevelntion, yet this lesson Illus
trates the pre-emlnence which Jesus
Christ had In the mind and labors of
/ the great apostle (Col. 1 :1S).
!. introduction. tvv. 1-3.) We would
suggest that all Bible students and
teachers. IL possible. read the introduc-
tion to the Book Of Revelation In SEQ
fields Reference bible. The book
proper In The Revelation Of Jesus
Christ" John, the beloved disciple.
who wrote the Gospel and Eplstles.
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 81. Louis omitted this book
from his study for many years until
he saw the comments recorded In verse
3. The time Of the writing Of this
hook has variously been stated as from
A. ID. 10 TO A. ID. 90; 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.
~. saiutatlon wv. 49,. "The serv-
ant Of Jesus who records his message
was John. and the message was to be
to "the seven churches which nre
In Asia !" that In. the western portion
Of Asia Minor. of which Ephesus on
the Aegean sea was the principal city.
Those churches are definitely named In
verse IL. There Is good reason TO
think that these churches represented
the seven successive epochs OF church
history. II 80. no age is exclusively
Ephesian. or Philadelphian, or Laodl-
cean- The grace. favor. loving kind
ness. Is free gift from Christ, who
II here giving n threefold TITLE name |
~: First begotten from the dead, wit |
ness and prince.
10. Vision (vv. 9-1s). What John |
saw on the Isle of Patmos he was to |
write upon a parchment roll and send |
u 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 also Matthew rs :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. n symbol OF his
power and strength Usaiah II IS Eph.
$40. His head and his hands. his
feet and his eyes are all referred to.
In his right hand are the seven stars
". 49,. the angels OF the churches.
pastors or leaders. possibly guardian
Angels ". 20). They are held In his
right hand. signifying that they are
protected. upheld and controlled by his
wisdom and power. (See Jeremiah %:
2t). From his mouth goes a sharp.
two-edged sword; the spirit OF the
Word Of God sharper than any two
edged sword Hebrews 4:12). And his
couatenance was rs the sun shining In
Its strength. the glory. such as was
manifested In the TRANSPORTATION. such
a. Paul saw near Damascus. is here re-
ferred to.
w. The Command. John had en-
1oyed tender intimacy with the Lord
Z ing his earthly life and yet he was
Aeken down with the overpowering
majesty and glory which had been re-
veaied. Now he realized. as perhaps
never before, the significance Of the
everything Christ, and he Is hereby
specifically commanded to record this
vision as he had seen II and the mes
sagss which the Lord had for the
churches. The word mystery ". 20)
has reference to something which has
hitherto been hidden to men and which
10 now about to be revealed. The
revelation was to these churches, aud
Il u 10 US also.
not q tuSAO Ni3AOu D0t No |
10 Q living reality. unveiled for the
lime from the unseen.
Jesus IL a living fact which we are
10 communicate to men. The seven
stars ". 20) are messages In his own
risAt hand. IL
me churches are the lamp stands.
CHRIST himself 10 the light. the sun
". 49,.
I've messages John II commanded TO
iellver have four-fold application ~ =
% the churches actually addressed. but q
which have long since passed away; 2
~ 70 all churches In all times. adj =
them to discover their true 8
'piritual state; 60 to individuals. he q
hat hath an ear" that they shall claim D
he promises made ITO him that over
'omstA" and (4) they are prophetic Of .
he different phases Of spiritual his :
Org. following the days Of John. the I
vritsr. (a) Beginning co. persecution; y
Iet uvarltllaass. fdl nrlASflv Sorsx.- | u