Commentary on Revelation, Lecture 3
LECTURE III.
Vers. 7.
Behold, he cometh with clouds, and every eye shall see him, and they also which peir…ed him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him: even so, Amen.
8.
I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.
9.
I Iohn, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and p…tience of Iesus Christ, was in the Isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Iesus Christ.
IT's a concerning message that Christ is now sending to His Church: therefore there is the larger preface to stir them up he writs to, to make that which he sends welcome.
We heard, from the 4. verse, the particular Inscription or direction of this Book, as an Epistle: and when he hath wished grace and peace, and set down the partie… from whom the grace and peace is wished, and the Epistle is sent; he turns it over in a thanksgiving to Christ, especially, pitching on Him, as looking to the benefits and priviledges they injoyed through Him; as being, in a speciall way, purchased by Him: and this thanksgiving, or doxologie, is all, that he and all Saints can give Christ, for all that He hath done for them; unto him be glory and dominion. Believers, in looking on Christs purchase, would be more in ascribing glory and dominion to Him; not that they can add any new glory to Him, or enlarge His Dominion; but it is to acknowledge, that to Him belongs glory and dominion, as it's afterwards, Chap. 5. vers. 12. Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and glory, and blessing. It's Believers expression, and hearty assent, in approving Gods purpose and project in making Him Head over all the Church.
Vers. 7. He seems to come back where he left, when he began his thanksgiving, to speak of Jesus Christ under the last title of Prince of the Kings of the earth; and that by way of pre-occupying an objection, which carnall hearts might make: and it is this. Is He Prince of the Kings of the earth, who was put to death, and laid in the Grave? Where Is He now, if He be such a Prince? He answereth, Behold, he cometh with clouds: though many profane carnall hearts now do not acknowledge Him; yet, He shall one day be acknowledged: He is now out of sight; but it will not be long so: He is making ready for His coming to Judgement, and is coming, Chap. 22.20. Surely I come quickly. This coming, in the present time, implyeth two things. 1. The seasonablnesse of His coming; He misses no time, He comes quickly. 2. That even the short time He delayes, He is making ready, as it were, for His coming; He is leading Witnesses, and fitting Processes, and discovering the truth and falshood of every thing; and every thing that may further His coming, is going forward; He is not idle in reference to His last coming to Judgement, but is hasting all. Secondly, His coming to Judgement, is set out in the majesty and statelinesse of it, under an expression ordinary in the Prophets (as much of this Book is) He cometh with clouds. So Psal. 97.2. Clouds and darknesse are round about him; and Mat. 24.30. He shall come in the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. So Psal. 18.10, 11. To set out the statelinesse of the Judge that cometh thus backed with Coelestiall Majesty. Thirdly, His coming is set out by the palpablenesse and visiblenesse of it, Every eye shall see him: though most part of Atheists think not of his coming now; yet when He shall come, there shall not be a reasonable creature, that ever had life on Earth, whether Believer, or unbeliever, but they shall with their eyes see Him in that day. Fourthly, Among them that shall see Him, these are added, They also who peirced Him: under which is comprehended His greatest Enemies; and it takes in both those, who had their hands hote in his bloud, and killed him bodily; and those who crucified, and do crucifie Him spiritually, as it's said, Chap. 11.8. He was crucified in spirituall Sodom, they shall all, in that day, be called before His Barr, and be forced to look on Him. A fifth circumstance in His coming, All kindreds of the earth shall wail because of Him; in the Originall, all the Tribes of the earth: it is a word borrowed from the Iews their manner of reckoning, who counted their Kingdoms by Tribes. The meaning is, all the Kingdoms of the earth, and those that laugh at Him now, and think little of His coming, when it is spoken of, shall wail because of Him, that is, because of their slighting of Him; and now seeing Him to be their Judge, whom they slighted and contemned: and though there be now a kindly mourning, like that in Zach. 12.10. They shall look …pon Him whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn; yet, this being to be at the day of Judgement, and spoken of the enemies that think nothing of Him now, we take it to be an anxious howling of enemies, when they shall see Christ come in the clouds to the great Judgement, and all His Angels and Saints about Him, as Matth. 24.30. The… shall all the Tribes of the earth mourn. Sixtly, There is a sixth circumstance added, even so, Amen: which is Iohns setting to his seal, to His coming; and its doubled (as it is ordinary) both in the Greek and Hebrew. He wisheth He may come, and believeth He will come, that it may be as he hath said, even as he closeth his Revelation, Amen, Even so, come Lord Iesus. And so it looketh to His stately way of coming, and the effects it shall have in the world, it being for His Glory, to vindicate Himself from the rubs that His profane enemies put upon Him in the world, he sayes Amen to that, even so, Amen.
Observe, 1. Our Lord Jesus, that was Crucified, and thought little of, shall be as high as ever He was low in the open view of all His enemies. The time is coming (and now is advancing fast forward) when He shall take unto Him His Kingdom; and be visibly seen by all the Kingdoms of the earth, to be the Judge of quick and dead, the Prince of the Kings of the earth. This is one of the Articles of our Creed; and we would make use of the Scripture, to confirm it: there is a time coming, and it is not far off, when He shall set His Throne in the Clouds, and all eyes shall see Him. Think ye this true, that there is a time coming, when we that are here, and all others, shall see Christ in His Humane Nature, and also much of His Godhead as He shall be pleased to let out, and we capable of? Think on it, and let it not go with a word; but consider how ye will meet Him and stand before Him: and when ye meet with difficulties, or creature-comforts that would turn you aside, Remember on this day: and where will they all be, when ye shall be arrested to stand before Him, Eccles. 11.9.
Obs. 2. Christs coming to Judgement, is a special part of His statelinesse, and a main part of the Universalnesse of His Kingly Office as Mediator, when He shall come and sit as Judge, and give sentence on godly and wicked, and send away the one, and welcome the other. This will be one of His stateliest dayes, when He shall vindicate Himself from profane men, and bear Himself out to His people in His exceeding Glory. Believers, believe there is such a Day; and let it quiet your hearts in the mean time of all these confusions.
Obs. 3. Our Lord Jesus His coming to Judgement, will be a doleful coming to the most part of the world: they also who peirced Him, and all kinreds of the earth shall wail because of Him; they shall cry to the hills, Fall on us, and to the mountains, cover us; and would be glad to get into the clefts of the rocks, and to the tops of the ragged rocks, for fear of the Lord, and for the Glory of His Majesty, Isa. 2.12. Men would think the greatest hill or mountain a light burden in that Day, to get themselves bid from the peircing view of a slighted and provoked Mediator. Oh, but that will be bitter and sore to bide! Think upon it. There is a time coming, when many of you that hears this same word, if Grace prevent not, shall see and find the truth of it. It's terrible, but experience will make it true: many of you now skars to hear tell of Christs coming to Judgement; but when that day cometh, it shall be bitter in another kind to you, when this bitter yelling noise, crying and howling, shall be among the carnal world that slighted Him, and ye shall find your selves among them, and shall share with them; and every cry and yell about you, shall be a new wound. Therefore humble your selves, and seek for mercy and reconciliation in time: for, either must you get it now, or never.
Obs. 4. A hearty consenting and saying Amen to Christs coming to Judgement, to have fore-thoughts of it, and to be longing for it, and wishing that it may come, is a good token of a Believer and friend of Christ, to whom this day will be a comfort. But, if many of us had our own mind, we would never wish to die, nor that there should be a day of Judgement.
Vers. 8. Christ cometh in Himself to tell what He is, and to confirm what Iohn hath said of Him, I am Alpha and Omega: which are two letters in the Greek Alphabet; Alpha, the first, and Omega, the last: and the meaning is in the next words, the beginning and the ending. The beginning, He who gives all things a being and beginning, and have no beginning My self: The ending, He who puts an end to all things, and in whom all things end, and hath no ending my self: for, all things terminate in Him as their end, Rom. 11.36. To Him are all things, which is, which was, and which is to come, the same description which was given to God the Father, vers. 4. setting out the immutability and unchangeablenesse of His being, that He is from Eternity to Eternity the same, and, as we shew, the title JEHOVAH taketh in these three words. Then more plainly, the Almighty: every word here is a proper Attribute of God; He is infinite in power, soveraign in dominion, and not bounded as creatures are; And this is clear to be spoken of Christ, not only from the scope, (Iohn being to set out Christ from whom He had this Revelation) but from the 11. vers. following, where he gives Him the same titles over again; or rather, Christ, speaking of Himself, taketh and repeateth the same titles.
Obs. 1. Our Lord Jesus Christ, is God equal with the Father, and holy Ghost: He, who is the first and last, the beginning and the ending, which is, which was, and which is to come, the Almighty, must be God. These titles can agree to no other: there is no created being capable of any of these titles; but He is such. Therefore, &c.
Obs. 2. the statelinesse and majesty of our Lord Jesus Christ: What an excellent and stately Person is He? there is not a property attributed to God, but it is agreeable to Christ. The use of it, is, to bring hearts to high thoughts of Christ and it is not for nought, but for this end that the Scripture insists so much in giving Him such stately stiles, even to wear souls out of these Atheistical thoughts of Him, and to prefer and esteem Him above all.
3. Looking upon these words as spoken by Christ Himself: after Iohn hath described Him, He cometh in, and takes it off Iohns hand, and describes Himself. Observe, That our Lord Jesus own mouth, can best tell what Himself is: hearing, reading, speaking, writing will not do it; If the description come not out of Christs own mouth, it will do little on bearers.
Vers. 9. Follows the body of this Book, or Epistle. We will not now enter on a particular division of it. That which is vers. 19. of this same Chapter, shall serve for the time, Write the things which thou hast sern, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter. The whole may be taken up in these two, 1. Iohn his representing the case of things, as they were for the present, and, 2. as they were to be hereafter.
The first of these, to wit, his representing the case of things as they then were, is, that which is set down in the first three Chapters: wherein is set out the case that the seven Churches of Asia were in; which he discovers to themselves, and to the world; and shews how many foul faults they had under a fair name and profession: and this takes up Iohn's first vision.
That which is from the 9. vers. to the end of this Chapter, we take up in these three. 1. There is the vision it self, what Iohn saw and what he heard, from vers. 10. to vers. 17. mixed throw other. 2. In the 9. and 10 verses, some circumstances are set down concerning Iohn and the manner of his receiving the vision, to make way for the faith of the vision, and the whole story that follows. 3. From the 17. vers. to the end, some circumstances, that make way for Iohn his writing and publishing what he saw and heard, are recorded.
The first circumstance that makes way for the faith of the vision and story, is, the person by whom Christ wrote, 1 Iohn: of whom we have heard before in the entry. And he sets out himself here further, under several expressions or titles. 1. Who also am your brother; a son of the same house, a joynt heir with you in the same Kingdom; a comforting title to them, and a humbling title to him. Those he wrote to, being brethren, he reckons in himself a brother with them: for, the most eminent Believers, Iohn, Paul, Abraham, David, &c. come in to be brethren with the meanest Believers; all being children of one Father, of one House, heirs of one Inheritance: and Abraham, his being a brother, and Iohn his being a brother, prejudgeth not the least of them to whom he writeth. And as all have one Father; so all are begotten by the same word, have one Spirit here, and Glory for ever hereafter. 2. The next title he describes himself by, is, companion in tribulation, that is, a fellow sufferer with you, a sharer of the sufferings of Christ as well as you; I, who am a great Apostle am not exempted from sufferings more than ye are, who are in Smyrna, Philadelphia, &c. I have mine own share of the Crosse, as ye have; yea, he takes it to himself as a title of honour, as a great prerogative and dignity, as Paul, Eph. 3.1. I Paul the prisoner of Iesus Christ for you Gentiles, So it is, Iohn, who, as I am suffering with you, so I am confined for Preaching to you in Patmos: pointing out this, that as all Believers are brethren; so all have one lot in suffering here away; and none are exempted from the Crosse: were it the Disciple whom Jesus loved and leaned on His bosom at the Supper, the night He was betrayed; yet, he must be a companion in tribulation, and come into heaven at the same door with the rest. Folks would not think this strange, that afflictions light on these whom Christ loves best: the servant is not greater than the Lord. It should comfort sufferers, and make them look on it, as their prerogative, to be sufferers for Christ. 3. There is a further aggravation, or explication, of the former, and in the Kingdom and Patience of Iesus Christ. Lest it should be thought any thing derogatory to be a sufferer, he says, he is a companion in the Kingdom and Patience of Jesus Christ with them. And these two words, Kingdom and Patience, are put together, not only to shew He is a King and a Priest with other Believers; but to shew this much, that Christs Kingdom, is often more in the exercise of patience than in dominion; and that the Subjects of Christs Kingdom here, are more put to exercise patience than to reign. His meaning is, I am a sharer with you in the Spiritual Kingdom of Christ, that needeth no worldly grandour, but hath need of patience. And it saith, that he counts it his prerogative to be singled out, and put to patient suffering, for giving testimonie to Christ as King of His Church. Afflictions for Christ, and sharing in His Kingdom, may stand well together for the time and in reference to the upshot, if we suffer with Him, we shall reign with Him.
A second circumstance, which is also a further description of himself, is, from the place and cause. 1. From the place of his suffering, I was in the Isle which is called Patmos. This Patmos, is an Isle in the Aegean-Sea, near the coast of Asia the lesse, not far from the seven Churches in Asia, to whom he writeth: a place which is called barren, by them who write of it; not much inhabited then, not now, because of the barrennesse of it: therefore it was a greater evidence of the cruelty of Iohns persecuters that banished him thither. 2. The cause, is, for the Word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ, that is, for his Preaching the Word of God, and for his owning and maintaining Christs Gospel; for, his bearing testimonies that Jesus Christ was the King, Priest, and Prophet of His Church, and the eternal substantial Word of the eternal Father; for Christs cause, who is the Word of God; or, for bearing testimony to Him. The way how he came to this Island, is not set down; but Historie tells, [Euseb. lib. 3. cap. 14. ex Ireneo & Clem. Alex.] it was in the fourteenth year of Domitian the Emperour, when he raised the second persecution against the Church of Christ, about the 97. year of our Lord, that he, after he had tortured Iohn, banished him to this Isle: near about the same time of Iohn's age. This then is the place that Iohn was banished to; and yet, in the same place, he hath sweet fellowship with God; is countenanced of Him, and honoured to be the carrier of this Revelation to the Church.
1. See here how far gracelesse and profane persecuters, (such as this beast Domitian was) may prevail against the servants of Jesus Christ, when he doth banish Iohn to Patmos, beside other horrible persecutions, which he raised against the Church. Christ, by this, would have us know His Kingdom is not of this world.
2. Solitarinesse for Christ, is not the worst condition. Christ can make up that another way: and if there be a necessity of withdrawing men from their duty, as of Ministers from their publick Ministry, He can make it tend as much to their private benefit, and to the publick good of His Church, if not more: neither doth Iohn lose any thing by his banishment and confinement; for, he finds more intimate and sweet communion and fellowship with Christ, and gets more of His mind: nor doth the Church lose any thing by it; for, she gets this Revelation of Gods mind. If we believed this, we would never go out of Gods way, to make up His Work: for, if He please to lay us by, He knows how to make up that, both to our selves and Gods people. The Christian Church, is as much beholden to Paul's imprisonment in Epistles, as to his liberty in Preaching.
3. Honest suffering for Christ, hath often with it the freshest and clearest manifestations of Christ. Folks that will continue faithful, and bide by their duty through sufferings, they shall not only not be losers, but gainers, 1 Pet. 4.14. If ye be reproached for the Name of Christ, happie are ye; for, the Spirit of God, and of Glory resteth upon you. I would have none carnal nor vain in this, but humbly confident and constant, as they would thrive in their Spiritual condition and maintain their peace.