The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1916-12-01

The lesson committee have depar
ed, seemingly, a long way from any
thing like chronological order. Pat
had nothing to do with the writing @
the Revelation, yet this lesson illus
trates the pre-eminence which Jesu
Christ had in the mind and labors o
the great apostle (Col. 1:1S).
l.. Introduction. wv. 1-3.) We woul'
suggest that all Bible students an'
teachers, if possible, read TIE introduc
ton to the Book of Revelation in SEQ
fields Reference Bible. The bool
proper is 1.-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 thing.
are historical, others are prophetically
set forth. The latter are Shortly tt
come to pass" (See also II Peter 8 49,
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 sal the comments recorded in verse
3. The time of the writing of this
A. d. so to A. D. 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.
II. SaIutation wv. 4-S). "The serv-
ant of Jesus who records his message
was John, and the message was to be
to "the sever 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 II. 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
Iy: First begotten from the dead, wit
ness and prince.
III. Vision wv. 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 a message. Under the
figure of seven candlesticks are emu
merated seven churches. Into h midst
of these churches, actually present i'll
them, is one like unto the Son of Man.
(See also Matthew IS :20.) Like d hui
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 Osaiah II .; Eph.
6 80. 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
". 16), 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
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 4:12). And his
,OunteRance was as the sun shining in
is strength, the glory, such as was
in the TRANSPORTATION, such
is Paul saw neal Damascus, is here re
to-.
w. The Command. John had en-
Dyed a tender intimacy with the Lord
Turing his earthly life and yet he was
down with the overpowering
majesty and glory which had been re-
realed. Now he realized, as perhaps
before, the significance of the
verifying Christ, and he is hereby
commanded to record this
-isiOn as he had seen it and the mes
ages which the Lord had for the
hurches. The word mystery ". 20)
as reference to something which has
hitherto been hidden to men and which
now about to be revealed. The
evelation was to these churches, and
t is to US also.
Jesus is not a mere vision but he
) a living reality, unveiled for the +
lme from the unseen.
Jesus is a living fact which we are
communicate to men,. The seven
". 20) are messages in his own
ight hand.
The churches are the lamp stands,
himself is the light, the sun
V. 16).
The messages John is commanded to
oliver have a four-fold application (1)
the churches actually addressed, but
hich have long since passed away
to all churches in all times, adj
Onishing them to discover their true
,iritual state; 90 to individuals, she ]
hath an ear" that they shall claim :
le promises made "to him that over
and a. they are prophetic Of
different phases of spiritual his
ry, following the days of John, the u
ritter, (a) Beginning; (b) persecution; 81
} worldliness; (d) priestly form Il
ism; (e) reformation; (f) testi- te
ony to the word and the name.