A VIEW OF THE REVELATION
[p. 231] A VIEW OF THE REVELATION
Glory is the goal and climax of everything. The glory righteously displays itself. In the history of this world good and evil began together; good has overcome the evil in such a way that the glory is displayed, and the glory is the climax. God’s purpose in the saints necessarily runs along that line, and if they are set for the glory they must be in the purpose, and if they are set for the purpose, they are sure to be in the glory, which is the righteous display or the display righteously of all God’s attributes, so that the good has obtained the victory. If this were more known it would work wonderful advancement in the progress of souls and in the testimony down here.
In 2 Corinthians 3 you have the gospel of the glory; glory has come in; everyone who believes is to be conformed to it. Now you have to look for the history of the glorified Man; that is, the purpose of God. There are two classes, the Man in the glory, and the man not in the glory. Stephen’s testimony is refused as to the Man gone up into glory, and the Lord now sets up His church on the earth as being of that glorious Man, as you see in Revelation 1 and 2.
Chapter 1 The Lord is walking through the churches in judgment.
Chapters 2 AND 3 The history of the church. He has an establishment on the earth. But the glorified Man is not accepted on earth; there is an outward acknowledgment given to Him by the Latin Kingdom, but it is not genuine; therefore, instead of being according to Revelation 2, this acknowledgment becomes the mustard tree of Matthew 13. The candlestick is taken away from the church. The candlestick is that which had the character of the glorified Man.
[p. 232] Chapters 4 and 5 He is acknowledged in heaven (Revelation 4: 3), as the One entitled to the kingdom. In Revelation we get Him in three positions. First, He is seen walking among the candlesticks. Second, the candlesticks are put out, and He is acknowledged as the glorified Man in heaven. Third, He is in heaven now ready to come for us. Satan was put out by the new Man on the cross. Now what follows is, that Satan is trying to put out what is of the glorified Man on earth.
Chapters 6 AND 7 The great company of believers, Jews and gentiles, on the earth. There will be an immense company.
Chapter 8 You now read of wars, and then comes the history of the Revelation - Satan trying to supersede the Man in glory. It begins with the Latin Kingdom, i.e. the Roman empire which had received Him nominally. Where the glorified Man is acknowledged, the effort is to set Him aside by another. The first man is set aside by Christ; the effort of Satan now is to bring in antichrist.
Chapter 9 The countries outside the Latin Kingdom are drawn in to help the Latin Kingdom in its object.
Chapters 10 AND 11 The Jew is involved: the history closes.
Chapter 12 The Man child is now seen as caught up (the rapture), and the glorified Man is completely refused; the intent is to destroy what is of Him on earth: no place for the glorified Man on earth, no acknowledgment of Him except in heaven.
[p. 233] Chapter 13 Brings in antichrist. Now transpires Satan’s object, viz., to make the man of the earth come out in great magnificence to monopolise the rights of the Man in glory. Antichrist is brought in to surpass Christ in the eyes of men.
Chapter 14 Warnings of the coming judgment.
Chapter 15 The shout of victory - of God’s salvation.
Chapters 16 - 17 Man is set up in earthly magnificence to displace Christ, and to deny His rights, Babylon is destroyed, and the King - the Lord of glory comes.
Chapters 19, 20 AND 21: 8,9 The marriage of the Lamb, and all those who are in heaven preparing to come to earth, with the history of saints up to the final state.
Chapters 21: 9 - 27; 22: 1 - 5 The holy city, New Jerusalem on earth.
It is very striking to notice the difference between the present state, even of a Philadelphian saint, and the bridal state. In the former you have a “little power”, (Revelation 3: 8) have kept His word, and not denied His name, etc. But, as the bride, you come forth having the glory of God and a light most precious; that is her appearance; it is one of the marks of the bride. She is all glorious without and within. “Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal”. (Revelation 21: 10,11) There is also moral superiority, holy exclusiveness, gates and high walls, no defilement can enter. Then the street of gold; your walk is in divine righteousness, and the gates for the admission of those who are entitled to enter. “The Lord God almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it”, (Revelation 21: 22) that suits the saints on earth in heavenly light. It is not the heavenly circle as such, but the heavenly circle in relation to earth that is described here; and therefore she is above everything that was offered to her here; she comes out in beautiful contrast to anything that had ever preceded on earth; no natural light - for the Lamb is the ‘lamp’, the same word as in chapters 1 and 2. The last characteristic is the Holy Spirit - the river in the midst - the wonderful power that is to come in on the earth, a beautiful contrast to even a Philadelphian saint. She appears in glory, clad in light.
Chapter 22 The Spirit and the bride bid Him come to reign, and He comes quickly!