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. 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, 17 And the Spirit and the 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 xxi. 9. Let the invitation be repeatthe metaphors. Paul said, "Beware ed. Let him who hath an ear to hear of dogs, beware of evil-workers, beware of the concision;" Phil. iii. 2. Compare with this verse, Rev. xxi. 8, 27. 16. To testify unto you these things. This was in the most direct strain 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 offspring of David, and the bright and morning-star." See Rev. v. 5, and the note there. JESUS' INVITATION TO THE NEW JERUSALEM. it, repeat it. Water of life. - Let him that is athirst come, for it is the water of life that is proffered. The gospel is a blessing; it meets the wants of man. When it is represented by bread, the hungry are invited, when by water, or milk, or wine, the thirsty are called; Isa. lv. 1. When by rest, the weary and heavy laden are entreated to come; Matt. xi. 2930. The gospel is presented in the most alluring manner; not as a luxury, but as a substantial necessity, without which men cannot live. One of the most expressive figures is that of the "water of life;" Jer. ii. 13; John iv. 10-15; Rev. vii. 17; xxi. 6. This treasure, so precious, is open to all. There is no restriction. "Whosoever will, let him take of the water of life freely." It would be impossible to give a more general, or more earnest, or more alluring invitation. There is sufficient for all men in the new Jerusalem. There are not merely a few drops of water, a scanty supply, but A RIVER, - " a pure river of 17. Whosoever will, let him come. All are invited to come. The invita-water of life, clear as crystal, proceec ing out of the throne of God and of the Lamb;" xxii. 1. THE APOCALYPSE GUARDED AGAINST CORRUPTION. tion 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 of Revelation having thus been com. unto the churches;" ii. 7, 11, 17, 29; | pleted, Jesus, the Alpha and Omega, 18. If any man shall add unto these things. - The prophecies of the book 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 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, ix. 20, and compare with the preceding part of the chapter. See, also, xi. 6, where it is said the two witnesses have power to smite the earth with the plagues. See, again, xvi. 9. If the reader will peruse the whole of the sixteenth chapter, particularly the first verse, he will see that these plagues were poured out "upon the earth." Again, see xviii. 4, 8, where we are told, that "her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall oe utterly burned with fire; for strong is the Lord God, who judgeth her." Were not these plagues on the earth? But let us look once more. In xv. 1 we read, "And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven angels having the seven LAST plagues; for in them is FILLED or the wrath of God." Again, in 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. "And I verse 6, it is said that "The seven an. gels 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. 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 15, 16. "And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air;" verses 17-21. These were the seven angels having the seven last plagues, and this was the manner in which the seven last plagues were poured out. They embraced all the judgments that were to be inflicted on the persecutors of Christianity. If any other plagues are denounced in the Apocalypse, which remain yet to be fulfilled, these were not the last. But they are expressly said to be the last, meaning the last plagues of the Apocalypse, and they were all poured on the earth. If any judgments denounced in that book yet remain to be fulfilled in the future state, then the revelator made an error when he said the plagues he described were the seven last plagues. Now when it is said, "If any man shall add unto these thirgs, God shall add unto come, Lord Jesus. 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. 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 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 embraced the last opportunity to dethis prophecy will come, I conjure clare that his coming should take them all, that they change not a tittle place speedily. See the succeeding of it, and withal, that they look upon verse. it as the last authoritative prophecy that is likely to come from heaven, to be a rule of faith to the church. What is here said, is decreed and settled immutable; no man shall be able *o avert it; and whosoever shall go about to infuse any other expectations into men than what are agreeable to these visions, God shall bring on him he judgments that are here denounced gainst God's greatest enemies. And 50 in like manner, whosoever shall derogate anything from the authority of this prophecy, or take out any part of it, or occasion men's not receiving the admonition of Christ here contained, in every part thereof, God shall cast him off, throw him out of the church, account him incapable of all the blessings which are here promised to the faithful Christians." And the learned Grotius, in his "Annotations," 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 20. He which testifieth. - Jesus had said, (verse 18,) "I testify unto every man," &c.; and hence the expression, "He who testifieth these things saith, surely," &c. I come quickly. - And what is it that is here distinctly testified? It is the great fact of the near approaching coming of Christ. "I COME QUICKLY." Such were the closing words of Jesus. "Amen; even so, come, Lord Jesus," said the revelator. Was there any fact disclosed in the whole Bible that was insisted on with more earnestness than that of the nearness and immediateness of Christ's coming? In the chapter we have now considered, we find John first declaring it, verses 6 and 7. Then the angel-revelator repeats it, ver. 10. Then the Lord Jesus, on his part, gives the same assurance, ver. 12, and adds his whole authority to sustain that declaration, ver. 13. And finally, in closing, apparently 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 304. Balaam, doctrine of, 103. Beast (seven-headed) ascends from the bottom- 212; what is represented thereby, 212, Beast (second) comes up out of the earth, 220; Beasts, four, explained as hieroglyphics, 129, Bed of affliction, 106. of beast, 214; Romans guilty of, 274, 275. Blessed are the dead, 248, et seq. blem, 78, 160, 207, 208. Book of Life, 111, 112, 219, 353. see sealed book. Book, little, 178, 179; eaten up, 183; effects Campbell, Dr., on sign of the Son of man, 80; Candlestick removed, meaning of, 92. character of God, 273. |