The Revelation Revealed, Chapter 1 · Verse 16
Verſe 16. And he had in his right hand ſeven Stars; and out of his mouth went a ſharp two edged ſword, and his face ſhone as the Sun ſhineth in its ſtrength.
Notwithſtanding Chriſt's dreadful appearance, and his intenſeneſs unto judgement, yet he had in his right hand ſeven ſtars. In the right hand is ſeated the chiefeſt ſtrength and power of man, and ſo it connotes to us ſafety and protection; and he takes the ſeven ſtars into his right hand, to preſerve and keep them ſafe under his protection, whilſt he is executing his judgements upon his impenitent backſliding churches, or obſtinate enemies.
The ſeven ſtars the Spirit interprets to be the Angels of the ſeven churches, verſe 20. of this chapter; only what is meant by Angels in that place, being myſtically repreſented by the ſtars in Chriſt's right hand, I think fit to make enquiry here: Surely it cannot be meant Angels in a proper ſenſe, ſuch as are miniſtring Spirits, the Angels in heaven; for John is commanded in the next chapter to write unto thoſe Angels of the church of Epheſus, Smyrna, &c. to write unto the Spirits Angelical; all know ſuch a command would not proceed from him that is the wiſdom of the Father; therefore this muſt needs be interpreted to be the chief Miniſters or Paſtors of thoſe Aſian churches, who ſhould rather be called here the Meſſengers, then the Angels of the churches; for the word in the Greek foreign, is Meſſenger, which we tranſlate Angel, when attributed to God's miniſtring Spirits; but when attributed unto man, more properly it ſhould be rendered Meſſenger, and not Angel; as that of Peter, Acts 12. When he came and knocked at the door where the Diſciples were, they thought it was his Angel, and not himſelf; that is his Meſſenger, one coming from him to acquaint them of his deliverance; for they could not be ſo ignorant to conceive that it was an Angel that knocked, which could enter without opening the doors; wherefore under correction of better Iudgements, I ſhall account this amongſt ſome of the miſtakes of our Tranſlators. Conſult to this purpoſe, Luke 7.24. Mal. 3.1. and therefore it ſhould be better rendered here, Meſſengers, write unto the Meſſengers of the ſeven churches: And the Miniſters of the Goſpel are ſo termed, becauſe they are perſons ſent and commiſſionated by Chriſt, to preach, and teach his Goſpel amongſt his churches, Matth. 28.18. Having cleared what is meant by the Angels, or ſeven Stars of the Aſian churches, I ſhall draw theſe notes.
Obſerv. 1. Chriſt hath an eſpecial eye of providence, and hand of protection over all his faithful Miniſters of his Word, in the moſt terrible times of wrath and judgement. He takes them in his right hand, claps them under his wings for ſafety. Noah who was a preacher of righteouſneſs, was preſerved in the Ark, when all the world was drowned: Righteous Lot was preſerved, when Sodom flamed in fire: Ezekiel, Daniel, Mordecai, &c. were preſerved in Babylon, when the Inhabitants of Judah ſuffered all the miſeries that an inſolent Conquerour could lay upon them. How Luther was preſerved when all the antichriſtian world ſought his ruine, is moſt admirable to conſider: I have heard it related, that that moſt famous Miniſter of Chriſt, Peter du Molyne, was preſerved in Paris, being a ſucking childe, by his Nurſe under a tub, when the bloody maſſacers did not ſpare man, woman, or childe of the Reformed Faith; that he might afterward become a ſtar in the firmament of Chriſt's church. And the reaſon of all this is, they that are moſt engaged for Chriſt in his work and miniſtery, he does moſt engage for their ſafety and protection; Satan is their greateſt enemy, therefore Chriſt is their greateſt friend and bulwark. Oh that all the Miniſters of our churches were ſhining ſtars, faithful Angels, or rather, faithful Meſſengers of God's word and truth! Then Chriſt would carry them in his right hand of protection, and they ſhould be as the apple of his eye unto him. The Angels, Meſſengers, or chief Miniſters of theſe ſeven Aſian churches are here repreſented by ſtars: Stars always in prophetical Scriptures, ſignifie eminency, ſplendour, light, and excellency. How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, thou ſon of the morning! meaning Nebuchadnezzar, Iſa. 14.12. and Rev. 18.10. I ſaw a ſtar fall from heaven; which connotes the fall of a moſt eminent, high, and excellent perſon. From hence note.
2. Thoſe that are the diſpenſers of Chriſts myſteries, ought to be more eminent and excellent in knowledge and holineſs, then other inferiour chriſtians. They are figured by ſtars, by the ſhining heavenly lamps, they are the ſalt of the earth, their lips ſhould eſpecially preſerve wiſdom, they ſhould be as ſtars of the greater magnitude, ſhining in the firmament of their churches; they are the Overſeers of the flock, to go in and out before them in ſoundneſs of life and doctrine: yet too, though their light be great, ſhining, and eminent, yet let them conſider they are but ſtars, their light is borrowed from the Sun, they ſhould not advance it to that pitch, as to make it an infallible light, but they ſhould eye the Son, as the fountain of all true light, to keep them in their proper Sphere, and not to lord it over the Lord's inheritage: Let them remember too, that they are ſtars, whereof ſome may be erratique, as well as fixed ones; Chriſt alone is the true light, the true morning ſtar, that whoſoever ſhall receive light from this true Son of righteouſneſs, he cannot be deceived, but at laſt ſhall be brought to the Father of all lights.
3. Another Note is, That the Miniſters of Chriſt are in an high and honourable calling: They are figured under the types of ſtars, celeſtial lights, they have the ſame Titles of God's miniſtring ſpirits: The Angels, they are his Meſſengers, that goes on his errants, his Ambaſſadours, to treat with man about the great myſteries of heaven. Hence ariſeth another corrolary; That all Chriſt's miniſters, as they are ſtars, though differing from one another in glory, in parts, gifts, and graces, yet not differing in power, nor Lords over one another: They are Angels, that is, Meſſengers, Ambaſſadours, not Prince Cardinals, not Lord Biſhops: Every church here had its Angel, its Biſhop, its Paſtor, its Elder; not many Biſhops, not many Elders in a claſſical form over divers churches; but every church had its Angel, its Miniſters, or Officers: Epheſus had its An…gel, Smyrna its Angel, &c. not that Epheſus Angel, either ſingly, o. joynt with two, three, or more, were ſuperintendent over all the reſt
Here is a farther deſcription of the terribleneſs of the appearance of Chriſt in this viſion, when he cometh in power and judgement: Out of his mouth went a ſharp two-edged ſword, and his face ſhone as the Sun in his ſtrength. The ſword of the mouth is taken in Scripture for the words or doctrine proceeding from the mouth, Pſalm 56.5. Prov. 5.4. Job 5.15. The word of Chriſt is here called a ſharp two-edged ſword, it cuts both ſides, but in a diverſe mode; it wounds the penitent, but for their recovery, and to bring them unto Chriſt, and ſo it is mighty in operation, Heb. 4.12. And ſecondly, It is a deſtroying ſword to his adverſaries, Rev. 19.15. Out of his mouth went a ſharp ſword, that with it he ſhould ſmite the heathen.
Hence obſerve, Chriſt's word is very powerful, and piercing, it divides between the bone and the marrow, between the ſoul and the ſpirit; it is Telum Achilleum, Achilles Spear, that can both hurt and cure, kill and make alive.
But it may be here queſtioned, whether this figure of a two edged ſword, that went out of the mouth of Chriſt, may not ſignifie and repreſent a material ſword alſo.
I anſwer affirmatively, That Chriſt alſo is to uſe that ſword which is to ſmite the heathen with, and that is a material one, for he is to rule them with a rod of iron, Rev. 19.15. Now how it can be underſtood that Chriſt is to ſmite the heathen with the ſword of his mouth, that is, his word, or rule them with his word and doctrine, I ſee but ſmall reaſon for ſuch an interpretation; and ſeeing too, when he does this, it is in fierceneſs, treading the wine-preſs of the wrath of almighty God.
But then ſome may ſay, Does Chriſt judge and ſmite his enemies only by the material ſword?
I anſwer, No; firſt he goes out with the ſword or ſpirit of his mouth, to wit, his divine truth and word, to make manifeſt, deſtroy, and overthrow all antichriſtian Idolatry and Worſhip, 2 Theſ. 2. Then ſecondly, he goes out on the red Horſe of war, with a material ſword, to deſtroy the Beaſt▪ and the falſe Prophet, and their adherents; and they are ſo ſmitten and deſtroyed, that the Fowls of the Ayr are called to the prey, to eat the fleſh of kings, and the fleſh of captains, and the fleſh of mighty men, and the fleſh of horſes, and of them that ſit upon them, and the fleſh of all men, both free and bond, both ſmall and great, Rev. 19.18. and this is to be executed by the ſword that proceeded out of his mouth, v. 21. and how this can be effected by the word of his mouth, I know not, otherwiſe then by moving and working powerfully on the hearts of ſuch inſtruments as God ſhall command and employ to take the material ſword in hand, for the ruine of antichriſt, and to effect this work of wrath and judgement. Collate to this, the Notes on the two precedent verſes, 14, & 15.
And his face ſhone as the Sun ſhineth in his ſtrength.] This ſhows farther the reſplendency of this viſion, His face is likened to the Sun in his glory: There was much and great glory in this viſion, and yet all this is but like the Sun in his glory. If it were the glory of ten thouſand Suns united in one, yet would be ſhort of the eſſential glory of the Son of God; it is neither expreſſible nor comprehenſible by any of all the creatures, but here is preſented by things beneath its excellency, that according to man's weakneſs, we may perceive a little of his glory; for no man yet ever could ſee the glory of God, and live.
Hence Note, That the execution of Juſtice and Judgement, is a glorious adminiſtration. Chriſt's face ſhone as the Sun in his ſtrength, when he was about to call his delinquent and offending churches to an account for their backſlidings, in chap. 10. v. 1. & 3. his face was as it were the Sun in that appearance alſo; but then preſently followed thunders, and voices, as when a Lion roareth; to denote unto us, when Chriſt was going forth with terrible judgements upon the world, his carriage and appearance therein was moſt glorious: and it is ſaid in Exod. 15.6. upon the deſtruction of Pharaoh and his hoſt in the red Sea, Thy right hand, O God, is become glorious in power, thy right hand hath daſhed in pieces the enemy, and in the greatneſs of thine excellency thou haſt overthrown them that roſe up against thee. The acts of God's power and juſtice do ſhine ſo clearly in the world, that they dazle mens eyes and hearts, and makes them tremble before God: So likewiſe it is amongſt the children of men, not any Magiſtrates, Commonweals, or Nations, are more honourable, ſhining, and dreadful to their enemies, then ſuch as keep cloſe to the rules of Juſtice and judgement againſt offenders. Never was Solomon more glorious in all his reigne, then when he executed juſtice between the two Harlots, and called for the Sword to decide the controverſie. How honourable was Phineas and what a high reward he got, for executing juſtice and judgement? It was an old ſaying, Fiat Juſtitia, & ruat Coelum. If our chief Magiſtrates keep cloſe to Juſtice in our Land and Commonweal, our Nation will ſhine as the Sun in its ſtrength, none of the Nations round about will be able to look us in the face, for the power and glory of the Lord will be upon us.