Notes On The Apocalypse by David Steele

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The hundreds of diverse and conflicting opinions of learned writers on
the _summum bonum_, or chief good, proves to demonstration, that without
supernatural revelation and regeneration, man cannot conceive in what
happiness consists. Thus far is the description of the heavenly state;
and how little can we know, or even conceive of the glory and felicity
of the upper sanctuary! We must still say with the prophet Isaiah and
the apostle Paul,--"Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have
entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for
them that love him." (Isa. lxiv. 4; 1 Cor. ii. 9.)

6. And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the
Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to show unto his servants
the things which must shortly be done.

7. Behold, I come quickly, blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the
prophecy of this book.

Vs. 6, 7.--The angel assures the apostle and all who read, that "these
sayings are faithful and true," however sublime and incomprehensible;
however, incredible to infidels; however contradicted and misinterpreted
by antichristian apostates and enthusiasts. They are all from "the Lord
God of the holy prophets,"--from Jesus Christ and God the Father, (ch.
i. 1.)--All prophets who wrote _any part_ of the Bible, were "holy men
of God." (2 Pet. i. 21.)--Of "these things" some were "shortly to be
done;" and all in regular series would be accomplished in due
time.--"Behold I come quickly." Christ is the speaker here, and declares
that each one is "blessed who keepeth the sayings ... of this book."
This benediction was pronounced on such at the beginning of this
Revelation, (ch. i. 3,) and it is repeated by its immediate divine
Author, to encourage all to study it. This blessing is not to be
expected by any who merely _read_ or _hear_, but by those only who
_keep_ the "sayings of this prophecy." Its Author foreknew its enemies
and corrupters.

8. And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and
seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel, which showed
me these things.

9. Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy
fellow-servant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep
the sayings of this book: worship God.

Vs. 8, 9.--A _second_ time, John attempts an act of idolatry! While we
may wonder at this, let us not fail to admire the wonderful wisdom of
God in permitting his servant to fall, as he did in the case of our
first father Adam, that he might take occasion more fully to display his
glory in "bringing good out of evil." The Apocalypse is directed chiefly
against that primary feature of the great Antichrist, _idolatry_. This
was part of "the mystery of inquity "which did already work" in the time
of the apostles, (Col. ii. 18,) and was to be fully developed
afterwards. (2 Thess. ii. 4.) This second rebuke of an apostle, by one
of the most exalted of creatures, for ever answers all arguments of
Papists or others, who plead for, or palliate the "worshipping of
angels" or souls of men. Idolaters worship angels and souls _when
absent_, as though they were omniscient, omnipresent and omnipotent;
thus giving the glory to creatures of these divine perfections: whereas
this heavenly messenger, _when present_, keenly resents this indignity
to his and the apostle's adorable Creator and Lord. Once more the angel
directs John and all men to join him and all the heavenly host in
observing "the first and great commandment,"--"Worship God," (ch. v.
11-14.) This angelic rebuke, leaves Papists for ever without excuse; and
consequently all others who deny the _supreme deity_ of our Lord and
Saviour Jesus Christ, and yet worship him.

10. And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this
book; for the time is at hand.

11. He that is unjust, let him be unjust still; and he which is filthy,
let him be filthy still; and he that is righteous, let him be righteous
still; and he that is holy, let him be holy still.

12. And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every
man according as his work shall be.

Vs. 10-12.--Christ himself addresses John in person. He had done so at
the beginning of these glorious scenes of the future, (ch. i. 8.) Now he
appears again in glory, though not described as before, that he may thus
authenticate and close the vision.--"Seal not the sayings of the
prophecy of this book." Why is this? The reason is assigned, because
"the time is at hand" when they shall begin to be verified in actual
history. The case was different in Daniel's time, who was inspired by
the same omniscient Spirit to predict the same events. "O Daniel, shut
up the words, and seal the vision, even to the time of the end." (Dan.
xii. 4.) If the vision of the empires of Persia and Greece was to be
"for many days," (ch. viii. 26,) then the rise, reign and overthrow of
the Roman empire, were still more remote. No wonder that Daniel, with
becoming humility but intense interest inquired, "O, my Lord, what shall
be the end of these things?" Such was the subdued anxiety of other
prophets. (1 Pet. i. 10.) And here we may once for all notice the _three
distinct_ periods mentioned by Daniel, as measuring the duration of the
Roman empire, the Romish apostacy, and as they bear upon the promised
and desirable millennium. The two prophets, Daniel and John, agree in
fixing and limiting the domination of the Antichrist to 1260 years. This
agreement has been already pointed out. The Lord, however, to allay the
laudable anxiety of his "greatly beloved" servant Daniel, makes mention
of two other periods of time, 1290 and 1335 days or years, (ch. xii. 11,
12.) Now, when we have manifold assurances that the great apostacy shall
terminate with the close of the 1260 years, we may venture humbly to
suppose, that the next thirty years may be occupied in the conversion of
the Jews, and the remaining forty-five in the effectual calling of the
residue of the gentile nations; so as to bring the kingdoms of the earth
and the church of Christ to perfect organization and visible harmony,
and the whole population of the globe into voluntary and avowed
subjection to the Lord and his Anointed,--to perfect millennial
splendor, the nearest approximation to heaven. (Rom. xi. 25, 26; Ps.
cii. 15, 16.) But "who shall live when God doeth this?" (Num. xxiv.
23.)--The divine Author of this book, having given to mankind a complete
and sufficient revelation of his will, containing invitations and
warnings, at this juncture gives intimation that obstinate sinners shall
at length be left to the consequences of their own free and perverse
choice, "unjust and filthy still;" no further means to be employed for
their conviction; but those who have embraced the offer of the gospel,
shall be confirmed for ever in holiness and happiness,--"righteous and
holy still."--He also repeats the assurances of his sudden appearance to
reward "every man according as his work shall be." The recompense which
he brings will be of debt or justice to the impenitent unbeliever; but
wholly of free grace to the believer; for the works of each class shall
follow them, as decisive evidence of their respective characters, (ch.
xiv. 13.)

13. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the
last.

V. 13.--The Lord Christ here declares and asserts the eternity of his
personal subsistence and official standing, as an all-sufficient
guarantee of his ability and authority to deal with the righteous and
the wicked, as also to bring to pass all events by his providence which
are here predicted. The same guarantee he had given at the beginning of
the Apocalypse, (ch. i. 8.)

14. Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right
to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.

V. 14.--Those who "do his commandments," are believers, (John xiv. 15,)
and no others can obtain a "right to the tree of life"--all the
blessings of Christ's purchase: for "without faith it is impossible to
please God," (Heb. xi. 6;) and "this is the love of God, that we keep
his commandments." (1 John v. 3.) "By the deeds of the law,"--keeping
the commandments, whether moral or ceremonial, "shall no flesh be
justified in the sight of God," or _merit_ a "right to the tree of
life," or to "enter in through the gates into the city." This right,
power, or privilege, is confined to those, and to those only, who
"receive and believe on the name of Christ." (John i. 12.) They who
serve the Lord Christ, are entitled to the reward of the inheritance,
(Col. iii. 24;) and in keeping of his commandments, there is great
reward. (Ps. xix. 11.) This reward is of _grace_, not of _debt_ to any
of the children of Adam: "not of works, lest any man should boast."
(Rom. xi. 6; Eph. ii. 9.) And when the last elected sinner, pertaining
to the whole company of the redeemed, shall have been called, justified
and sanctified, then "with gladness and rejoicing shall they be brought:
they shall enter into the King's palace." (Ps. xlv. 15.)

15. For without are dogs and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers,
and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.

V. 15.--"Without are dogs."--These characters have been excluded by the
righteous and unalterable sentence of the judge of quick and dead,
having their part in the "lake of fire:" for there is no intimation here
or elsewhere, of any _purgatory_ or intermediate place, with the
delusive hope of which, those who "love and make lies," flatter
themselves and their blind votaries. Oh, that such "sinners in Zion,"
and out of Zion, "might be afraid!"--that timely "fearfulness might
surprise these hypocrites!" that they might ponder those awful
questions!--"Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among
us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?" (Isa. xxxiii. 14.)

16. I Jesus have sent mine 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.

V. 16.--This is the "angel" whose ministry the Lord Christ was pleased
to employ in making known to the church through his servant John, most
of the discoveries of this book, (ch. i. 1, 11.) Many other angels have
indeed been employed by the Mediator as the ministers of his providence;
but this one seems to have been the principal all along. None of these
heavenly messengers, however, was found competent to reveal the purposes
of God, (ch. v. 3.) To this work the eternal Son of God alone was found
adequate by nature and office,--the "Lamb that had been slain." Christ
has a personal property in the angels, as he is their Creator and Lord;
and as they are his creatures and willing servants,--"_mine_
angel."--This is perfectly reasonable; for he is the "Root of David" in
his divine nature; and the "Offspring of David," in his human nature,
(Rom. i. 3.)--God-Man, Mediator. And here let it be remarked, that in
speaking or writing of our Redeemer there appears to be no scriptural
warrant for the popular phrases,--"the _union_ of the two
natures,"--"Christ as man;" or, "as God." These expressions militate
against the _unity_ of his _divine nature_ and _personality;_ and are
calculated,--we do not say _intended_, to mislead or confuse the mind of
his disciples. "In _him personally_, not in the Father or the Holy
Ghost, "dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily." (Col. ii.
9.)--By John the descent of Christ's human nature is traced through
David here, because of the Covenant of Royalty; by Paul, he is
represented as being of the "seed of Abraham," by reason of the more
extended relation involved in the Covenant of Grace. (Heb. ii. 16.)--He
is also "the bright, even the morning star." This may be in reference to
the less luminous "stars in his right hand," (ch. i. 16, 20,) and by way
of contrast with them: but he takes this name chiefly to intimate that
he is the Author of all supernatural illumination, whether in the
kingdom of grace or of glory:--"The Lamb is the light thereof," (ch.
xxi. 23.)

17. And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth,
say, Come. And let him that is athirst, come. And whosoever will, let
him take the water of life freely.

V. 17.--Here is the unrestricted universal call of the gospel, to "come"
to Christ for eternal life.--"We do testify that the Father sent the Son
to be the Saviour of the world," (1 John iv. 14.)--The invitation is
manifold and pressing. "The Spirit" by the word and conscience says,
"Come." "The Bride," the church militant and triumphant, says, "Come."
Every one "that heareth" the invitation, is warranted to say to others,
"Come." Let every one that "thirsts" for true and lasting felicity,
"Come." If any one be in doubt, whether his desire be spiritual or not,
it is added for his encouragement, as well as sufficient warrant,--"Let
whosoever will, take of the water of life freely." Any sinner of Adam's
race may "wash and be clean," in that "fountain open for sin and for
uncleanness;" may with confidence and pleasure, "draw water from the
wells of salvation." (Zech. xiii. 1: Isa. xii. 3.) Who can resist these
calls, invitations and persuasions, and be guiltless? or who can devise
easier terms of reconciliation to an offended God, than are here
addressed to the chief of sinners?

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, 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 holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

Vs. 18, 19.--"For I testify."--He who is "the faithful and true Witness"
closes this book of prophecy, with a solemn and awful sanction. These
tremendous threatenings by the "Lord God of the holy prophets," may well
cause all who read or hear to tremble: for who can abide his
indignation?--While the "prophecy of this book" is primarily intended,
all other parts of the Bible are included in this solemn conclusion: for
doubtless our Lord intended the Apocalypse to be a close to the whole
canon. The threatening is twofold, corresponding to the criminality.
Learned, bold and irreverent biblical critics; enthusiasts and
pretenders to new revelations, are in danger of these judgments. "The
plagues that are written in this book," are such as will utterly destroy
the presumptuous sinner who "adds to these things." And he that
impiously "takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy,"
exposes himself to the like awful punishment. "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."--Tremendous doom! All that which
he seemed to have shall be taken away. (Luke viii. 18.) Great will be
the sudden and unexpected loss!--These awful denunciations, however,
have special reference, like the rest of the threatened judgments in
this book, to the great, continued and defiant impieties of the apostate
church of Rome. She has "added" her _traditions_ to the Scriptures, as
part and principal part, of the "Rule of Faith!" She has "taken away"
the Scriptures from the body of her people; or shut them up in an
"unknown tongue," so that "every man may" _not_ "hear in his own tongue
wherein he was born, the wonderful works of God." (Acts ii. 8, 11.) This
is one of the articles in Rome's indictment here; and whatever modern
infidelity or spurious charity may suggest, this theft of God's word,
and robbery of his people, is not to be expiated with burnt offering or
sacrifice. And he who scans all time, foresaw this attempt of the dragon
and his allies to deprive the church and the world of the "lively
oracles;" therefore, as he promised a blessing on the reader of this
book, as it were on the title-page, here in the close he appends a
malediction, that all who read or hear, may be deterred from such
sacrilege.

20. He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly: Amen.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

V. 20.--"He which testifieth these things" is the Lord Jesus. Again he
reminds all to whom these presents come, of his certain and speedy
appearance. These frequent assurances are not "vain repetitions." They
are intended to strengthen the faith and counteract the despondency of
the saints, and to alarm the consciences of his enemies. (2 Pet. iii. 3,
4, 8, 10; Jude 14, 15.) To this "promise of his coming," John responds
in the name of the whole church,--"Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus," to
fulfil these predictions, in their promises and threatenings; "to be
glorified in his saints, and admired in all them that believe." "So
shall they ever be with the Lord." (1 Thess. iv. 17.)

21. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

V. 21.--These are also the words of John. He had just been addressing
the "Lord Jesus," and his next words are addressed to the "seven
churches," (ch. i. 4, 11,) or to all who read or hear the words of this
book: but especially the church general. This is a concise form of the
"apostolic benediction," (2 Thess. iii. 18,) which is sometimes
amplified, by naming the Father and the Son; or, at other times, the
three divine persons. (2 Cor. xiii. 14.) However, "the grace of the Lord
Jesus Christ" is originally from God the Father, procured for us by
Jesus Christ, and communicated to us by the Holy Spirit. And unto the
Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, let equal, undivided, and
everlasting glory be ascribed, by all the subjects of his regenerating
and sanctifying grace, "throughout all ages, world without end." Amen.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 1: Life of Martin Luther. Pp. 173, 174. London. 1855. Luther
afterwards became convinced of his error.]

[Footnote 2: Gibbon has unconsciously written a commentary on
prophecy!--an involuntary witness, like Josephus!]

[Footnote 3: "It has been our lot to hear the voice of the third woe,"
Faber.--"In this I entirely agree with that expositor." M'Leod. The
blinding influence of earth's politics upon the minds of pious men, has
often occasioned the hearts of their brethren to "sigh for their
inconsistency."]

[Footnote 4: The terms "clergy and laity" are of papal origin, and the
unlearned Christian should know that they are contrary to the mind of
the Holy Spirit. 1 Pet. v. 3. The body of the people are "God's
heritage,"--_clergy_.]

[Footnote 5: Gibbon.]

[Footnote 6: Mosheim.]

[Footnote 7: Such is the interpretation of Bishop Newton!]

[Footnote 8: Faber.]

[Footnote 9: This is the opinion of Mr. Faber.]

[Footnote 10: Scott.]

[Footnote 11: Scott]

[Footnote 12: So Mr. Faber imagined.]

[Footnote 13: So designated by Nicholas, late emperor of Russia.]

APPENDIX.

THE NEW JERUSALEM.

Interpreters are much divided in opinion as to the import of this
symbol. Some think it represents the church on earth during the period
of the millennium; while others, no less learned and pious, consider it
as an emblematical representation of the heavenly state. Of those who
acquiesce in the former view, some consider the arguments "quite
conclusive." It may be conceded that much may be advanced, and with
great plausibility, in support of this position.

Perhaps the most specious arguments to this purpose are such as the
following:--"That the New Jerusalem is distinguished from the Old,
because of the superior light and grace of the present dispensation of
the Covenant. Moreover, the glowing descriptions of the church militant
given by the prophets, especially Isaiah, are thought to be as boldly
rhetorical as those of John; yet those lofty flights are confessedly
descriptive of the church on earth. Besides, who can conceive how "the
kings of the earth bring their glory and honour into" the heavenly
state? or how are "the leaves of the tree of life for the healing of the
nations," when there _are no nations to be healed?_ etc.

To these arguments the following answers may be given.

The church is one under all changes of dispensation, and by what names
soever she is called: but it does not appear that we are warranted by
Scripture usage to view the New Jerusalem as a designation of the church
in her militant state. She is indeed sometimes called in the New
Testament by Old Testament names: as when Paul calls her by the name
Zion, (Heb. xii. 22.) But he does not say, _new_ Zion. Again, when our
Lord promises, (as in Rev. iii. 12,) to reward "him that overcometh," it
must be supposed from the connexion, that, as in all similar cases of
spiritual conflict, this reward is to be conferred in a future
state,--heaven. But part of the reward he describes in these words:--"I
will write upon him the name of the city of my God, which is New
Jerusalem." Surely it may be supposed without presumption, that in this
place New Jerusalem means heaven. Nor is the assumption true,--that the
descriptive language of the Old Testament prophets is always to be
understood of the church on earth. For instance, can the following
language (Is. xxxiii. 24,) be predicated of the saints while in the
body:--"The inhabitant shall not say, I am sick?" "The glory and honour
of the nations" are the "saints of God, the excellent;" who while here,
are "the light of the world, the salt of the earth;" and doubtless
nations as well as families and individuals "have learned by experience
that the Lord hath blessed them for their sakes:" (Gen. xxx. 27; xxxix.
5;)--and that he has also "reproved kings" and destroyed nations for
their sakes, (Ps. cv. 14; Is. xliii. 3, 4.) And when all the saints who
are to rule the nations, (Rev. xx. 4, 6,) for a thousand years, shall
have been brought home to glory, then emphatically will the glory and
honour of the nations be brought into the New Jerusalem.

As to the "leaves of the tree for the healing of the nations," it may be
remarked, that their sanative virtue will have been experienced by
national societies on earth: and there is not, there never was, nor will
there ever be, any other healing medicine for them, (Ezek. xlvii. 12) In
addition to what has been said, it is worthy of notice that the tree of
life, in allusion to the delights of the garden of Eden, which was an
emblem of heaven, is mentioned in the Apocalypse, near the beginning and
near the end of the book, (chs. ii. 7; xxii. 2.) Now, we are told
expressly that this tree is "in the midst of Paradise." But we learn
both from our Lord and the apostle Paul that Paradise signifies
heaven:--"To-day shalt thou be with me in Paradise," said Christ to the
penitent thief. "I was caught up into Paradise;" that is, "the third
heaven," said Paul. Did Christ and Paul mean the visible, or the
invisible church militant by the name Paradise? But the tree of life
flourishes there, and all the redeemed eat of its fruit. They are where
the tree is, the tree is in Paradise, and Paradise is heaven itself:
therefore we are warranted to conclude with certainty that New Jerusalem
is a symbol of the church triumphant; and, consequently, that those
parts of chapters twenty-one and twenty-two, which are of symbolic
structure, are descriptive of the heavenly state.

THE ANTICHRIST.

This word does not occur in the Apocalypse, nor in any other book of the
New Testament except the first and second epistles, by the apostle John.
There it is found in the singular and plural form. (1 John ii. 18, 22;
iv. 3; ii. 7.) The apostles in their ministry had spoken frequently and
familiarly to the disciples of this personage, as an enemy of God and
man. "Ye _have heard_ that Antichrist shall come." "Remember ye not,"
asks Paul, "that, when I was yet with you, I _told you_ these things?"
(2 Thess. ii. 5.) Paul blames his countrymen, the Hebrews, that they had
need that one should teach them again which be the first principles of
the oracles of God, (Heb. v. 12.) And it is just so now, in the case of
most professing Christians, learned and illiterate; they yet need to be
taught again what is meant by Antichrist.

All who are acquainted with the sentiments of the reformers of the
sixteenth and seventeenth centuries are aware that their conceptions of
this enemy were vague and confused. Persecuted as heretics and apostates
from the only true church, the church of Rome, the reformers very
naturally concluded that the Pope, or the church of which he is the
visible head, was the Antichrist. And this opinion is very generally
held at the present day.

Mr. Faber, however, dissents from this popular notion, and with much
confidence and plausibility broaches a new theory of his own. His style
is always forcible, and so perspicuous that he cannot be misunderstood.
In his "Dissertation on the Prophecies," he lays down the following
canon or rule for expositors:--"Before a commentator can reasonably
expect his own system to be adopted by others, he must show likewise
that the expositions of his predecessors are erroneous in those points
wherein he differs from them." To enforce this rule he adds,--"It will
be found to be the only way, in which there is even a probability of
attaining to the truth." I can neither admit the justness of his rule,
nor the conclusiveness of his reason; for by its adoption, "of making
many books there would be no end; and the world itself could not contain
the books that should be written." To deduce the truth from any portion
of God's word, it is by no means necessary that the expositor shall
undertake the Herculean task of refuting all the heresies and vagaries
which "men of corrupt minds" have pretended or attempted to wring out of
it. But as Mr. Faber is not to be reckoned in this category, I shall pay
him so much deserved respect as to apply to himself _his own rule_ in
some following particulars:--

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