and whosoever loveth and mak- | bride say, Come. And let him eth a lie. that heareth say, Come. And 16 I Jesus have sent mine let him that is athirst come. angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star. 17 And the Spirit and the And whosoever will, let him take of the water of life freely. 18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, emies of Jesus, both secret and avow-iii. 6, 13, 22. The Spirit saith,ed, were represented by anything that COME. And the Bride also, the Lamb's was vile. The dog, being an unclean, wife, saith to all men, COME; Rev. furious animal, is conspicuous among the metaphors. Paul said, "Beware of dogs, beware of evil-workers, beware of the concision;" Phil. iii. 2. Compare with this verse, Rev. xxi. 8, 27. xxi. 9. Let the invitation be repeat- 16. To testify unto you these things. of approval. He assumed the responsibility of what had been said. He was coming quickly to judge the nations; the good should enter into the kingdom and be happy; the opposite class should remain without and be punished. These were the great points that had been insisted on through the whole Apocalypse. Hence Jesus said, "I have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things, in the churches." I am the root, &c.— And to show that he had authority to speak, he adds, "I am the root and the off-soever will, let him take of the waspring of David, and the bright and ter of life freely." It would be imposmorning-star." See Rev. v. 5, and sible to give a more general, or more earnest, or more alluring invitation. There is sufficient for all men in the the note there. JESUS' INVITATION TO THE NEW JERU-new Jerusalem. There are not mere SALEM. 17. Whosoever will, let him come. All are invited to come. The invitation goes out to all, from the highest authority,COME. The Spirit and the Bride say, Come. The Spirit had spoken to the churches through John, and what the Spirit said was of the utmost importance. Hence the oft-repeated injunction, "He that hath an ear to hear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches;" ii. 7, 11, 17, 29; ly a few drops of water, a scanty supply, but A RIVER, "a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb;" xxii. 1. THE APOCALYPSE GUARDED AGAINST God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: 19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. verse 6, it is said that "The seven angels came out of the temple having the seven [last] plagues. See verses 7 and 8. In the next chapter [xvi.] we read of the manner in which these seven angels poured out the seven "last plagues;" and a slight examination will show that they were all poured out upon the earth. "And I heard a great voice out of the temple, saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of GOD UPON THE EARTH." The first vial was poured out upon the earth, meaning on the land; verse 2. The second was poured out upon the sea; verse 3. The third was poured out upon the rivers and fountains of water; verse 4. "The fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun;" verses 8, 9. "The fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast;" verses 10, 11. "The sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates;" verses was desirous to preserve them from being corrupted. The Christians possibly might be tempted to corrupt them, for some did corrupt the word of God; 2 Cor. ii. 17. Of course the avowed enemies of the church could not corrupt the sacred writings; for they, being known as enemies, would not have the power to give currency to their deceits. But it was the unstable professors who might do this, and so wrest the Scriptures to their own destruction; 2 Pet. iii. 16. And if they did so, either by adding to the book, or taking away from it, what fate awaited them? Ans. They would have their portion with the hypocrites, for they would lose their part in the holy city, and from all the blessings written in the book, and there would be added to them the plagues that are written in the book. What are the plagues that are written in this book? Have we not shown that they are not to be referred to the immortal state? See them spoken of," And the seventh angel poured out ix. 20, and compare with the preced- his vial into the air;" verses 17-21. ing part of the chapter. See, also, xi. These were the seven angels having 6, where it is said the two witnesses the seven last plagues, and this was have power to smite the earth with the the manner in which the seven last plagues. See, again, xvi. 9. If the plagues were poured out. They em. reader will peruse the whole of the braced all the judgments that were to sixteenth chapter, particularly the first be inflicted on the persecutors of verse, he will see that these plagues Christianity. If any other plagues were poured out". "upon the earth." are denounced in the Apocalypse, Again, see xviii. 4, 8, where we are which remain yet to be fulfilled, these told, that "her plagues come in one were not the last. But they are exday, death,and mourning, and famine; pressly said to be the last, meaning the and she shall be utterly burned with last plagues of the Apocalypse, and fire; for strong is the Lord God, who they were all poured on the earth. If judgeth her." Were not these plagues any judgments denounced in that book on the earth? But let us look once yet remain to be fulfilled in the future more. In xv. 1 we read, " And I saw state, then the revelator made an error another sign in heaven, great and mar- when he said the plagues he described vellous, seven angels having the seven were the seven last plagues. Now LAST plagues; for in them is FILLED when it is said, "If any man shall add UP the wrath of God." Again, in unto these things, God shall add unto 15, 16. 20 He which testifieth these 21 The grace of our Lord things saith, Surely, I come Jesus Christ be with you all. quickly : Amen. Even so, Amen. come, Lord Jesus. left on record: "Every word of God is pure; he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar;" Prov. xxx. 5, 6. Here the closing benediction would have come, but the Lord Jesus embraced the last opportunity to declare that his coming should take place speedily. See the succeeding verse. him the plagues that are written in this book," what other plagues can be referred to than those which are enumerated above? In the interpretation we have given of this subject, we are confirmed by two of the best critics. Hammond paraphrases the two verses as follows: "As for all those to whom this prophecy will come, I conjure them all, that they change not a tittle of it, and withal, that they look upon it as the last authoritative prophecy 20. He which testifieth. - Jesus had that is likely to come from heaven, said, (verse 18,) "I testify unto every to be a rule of faith to the church. man," &c.; and hence the expresWhat is here said, is decreed and set- sion, "He who testifieth these tled immutable; no man shall be able things saith, surely," &c. ¶ I come to avert it; and whosoever shall go quickly. And what is it that is here about to infuse any other expectations distinctly testified? It is the great into men than what are agreeable to fact of the near approaching coming these visions, God shall bring on him of Christ. "I COME QUICKLY." Such the judgments that are here denounced were the closing words of Jesus. against God's greatest enemies. And "Amen; even so, come, Lord Jesus,” so in like manner, whosoever shall said the revelator. Was there any derogate anything from the author- fact disclosed in the whole Bible that ity of this prophecy, or take out was insisted on with more earnestany part of it, or occasion men's not ness than that of the nearness and imreceiving the admonition of Christ mediateness of Christ's coming? In here contained, in every part thereof, the chapter we have now considered, God shall cast him off, throw him out we find John first declaring it, verses of the church, account him incapable 6 and 7. Then the angel-revelator of all the blessings which are here repeats it, ver. 10. Then the Lord promised to the faithful Christians." Jesus, on his part, gives the same asAnd the learned Grotius, in his "An-surance, ver. 12, and adds his whole notations," speaks as follows: "God shall add unto him the plagues: by the plagues are to be understood as well those in chapter vii., ix., x., and xi., as those in chapter xvi., xvii., and xviii.; of which one portion relates to the Jews, and the other to the Roman empire. And out of the holy city: he shall not be a member of the church, but shall be cast out, as one making a lie." Let us remember the solemn assurance which Solomon has authority to sustain that declaration, ver. 13. And finally, in closing, ap. parently with the purpose to assert it with double force, and to make it the main point on which the minds of the Christians of that age should dwell, he says, "SURELY, I COME QUICKLY." We close by quoting the last verse of the book, "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen." Abaddon and Apollyon, 173. INDEX. Angel of the churches, 90, 96, 108; angel Angels, 75, 90, 134, 135, 141, 142, 178; round Antipas, (the faithful martyr,) 102, 103. sons for this, 3, 4; not wholly dark, 4; Apocalypse, date of, see under Date. a prophecy like that of Daniel, 145. Babylon, fall of proclaimed, 238, 297; what is Balaam, doctrine of, 103. Beast (seven-headed) ascends from the bottom- less pit, 189; made war against Chris 212; what is represented thereby, 212, Beast (second) comes up out of the earth, 220; Beasts, four, explained as hieroglyphics, 129, Before God, see under Presence. Blessed are the dead, 248, et seq. Blood, hail and fire, 165; flowing to horse- Book, little, 178, 179; eaten up, 183; effects Books were opened when the kingdom of Campbell, Dr., on sign of the Son of man, 80; Candlestick removed, meaning of, 92. Channing, Dr.'s, sentiments on the paternal Chastisement, benevolent and paternal, 121. |