These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth and no man shutteth, and shutteth and no man openeth. 7.

These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God.

14.

Behold, I am alive forevermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death. 18.

Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. 5.

And

Christ manifests himself to them that love him. the time is coming when they shall see him as he is, and as they now believe him to be. But the time also cometh when every eye shall see him—and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him.

He is mighty to destroy, as he

is able to save. He will make his name known to his adversaries, and the nations shall tremble at his presence. He manifests himself to them that love him, and he will manifest himself to them that hate him. They who now know him not shall know him then. They who are not won by the love of the Lamb, in this the day of merciful visitation, shall confess him to be the Lord in the day of his wrath.

The preceding comparison shows what He is, who now walks in the midst of the churches; another may show what the same Lord shall be when He shall come with all his saints, and his enemies shall be made his footstool, and He shall rule in the midst of them.

And I saw heaven opened, and, behold, a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True. His name is called the Word of God. xix. 11, 13.

His eyes were as a flame of fire. 12.

And on his head were many crowns. He hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords. 12, 16.

And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword.

That with it he should smite the nations. 15.

Jesus Christ, the faithful witness. i. 5. These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness. iii. 14.

His eyes were as a flame of fire. i. 14.

The Prince of the kings of the earth. i. 5.

Out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword. i. 16; ii. 12. All kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. i. 7.

It is written of the time when the Lord will come and plead with all flesh, The hand of the Lord shall be known toward his servants, and his indignation toward his enemies. Christ is the faithful and true witness. He hath pur

chased his people with his own blood; and he lives, as he died, to save them. He who is with them is more than all that can be against them. The last words spoken by his own lips to his apostles were, "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth, go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world (τov aiŵvoç, of the age").1 His first words to the churches are, These things saith He that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks

"The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches; and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches." This, according to his own interpretation, is the office and character in which Christ here first presents himself to his people, or the Spirit takes the things that are Christ's, and shows them unto them. In what the Spirit saith unto the churches, the first words that follow are those of commendation of the church of Ephesus—I know thy works, and thy labor, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil; and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars; and hast borne, and hast patience, and, for my name's sake, hast labored, and hast not fainted."

He that endureth unto the end," said Christ, "the same shall be saved." They that bear, and have patience, and for his name's sake have labored, and have not fainted, and that thus overcome, shall inherit the promises. Seven times, in the second and third chapters of the book of Revelation, are these words repeated, He that hath an ear let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. Each time these words are connected with the promises there made, to him that overcometh. In illustration of his word, and in sure token that the Lord is faithful and true, it may be seen at once that each of these promises are parallel, in line upon line, with the realization of them all, as seen and recorded by John in subsequent visions, which set forth to view the blessedness of the saints. It is the infallible testimony which thus shows the common salvation, whether as promised or as obtained. He that hath an ear let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches, and he that 3 See Table I., p. 59.

Matt. xxviii. 19, 20.

2 Rev. ii. 1-3.

hath an eye to see, let him see what the Spirit shows concerning the fulfillment of the promises.

To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God. ii. 7.

The Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them. vii. 17.-I will show thee the bride, the Lamb's wife.-And he showed me that great eity, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God. And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life. xxi. 9, 10; xxii. 1, 2. Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. ii. 10.

The Lamb which is in the midst of the throne, shall-lead them unto living fountains of waters. vii. 17. He shall reign for ever and ever. The time that thou shouldst give reward to the saints, &c. xi. 15, 18. They that are with him (the Lamb) are called, and chosen, and faithful. xxvii. 14. I saw thrones, and they sat on them--and the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God-and they lived and reigned with Christ, &c. xx. 4.

He that overcometh shall not

be hurt of the second death. 11.

He shall lead them unto living fountains of water. vii. 17. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in

the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power. There shall be no more death. xxi. 4. The tree of

xx. 6.
life. xxii. 2.

To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna.

And I will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth, saving he that receiveth it. ii. 17. And I will write upon him my new name. iii. 12.

That which ye have hold fast till I come. And he that overcometh and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:

They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more-for the Lamb shall feed them. vii. 16, 17. Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. xix. 9.

And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse, and he that sat upon him—had a name written that no man knew but he him

self, xix. 11, 12. And they saw his face; and his name was in their foreheads. xxii. 4.

Thou hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred

and hast made us unto our God kings and priests, and we shall reign on the earth. v. 9, 10. The kingdoms of this world are become of our Lord and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever. The time-that thou shouldst give reward to the saints. xi. 15, 18. He that overcometh shall inherit all things.

C

xxi. 7.

The nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it. They shall bring the glory and honor of the nations into it. xxi. 24, 26.

And he shall rule them with a rod of iron;

And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron. xii. 5. And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse, and he that sat on him-shall rule the nations with a rod of iron, &c. The remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse. xix. 11, 15, 21.

As the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers :

And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, &c.said to the mountains, Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb; for the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand? vi. 15, 17. Thy wrath is come-and the time-that thou shouldst destroy them that destroy the earth. xi. 18. Behold I come as a thief. . . . . And there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake and so great. And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent-the plague thereof was exceeding great. xvi. 18, 21. Out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it He should smite the nationsHe treadeth the wine-press of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God; and he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, King of Kings, and Lord of lords. The rest (oi hoinoi) were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse; and all the fowls were filled with their flesh. 15, 17, 21.

Even as I received of my Father. ii. 25, 26, 27.

Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white, for they are worthy. iii. 4.

They lived and reigned with Christ. xx. 4. He shall reign for ever and ever. xi. 15. They shall reign for ever and ever. xxii.

5.

A great multitude of all nations stood before the throne, clothed with white robes. What are these which are arrayed in white robes? These are they-which have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. The Lamb-shall lead them unto living fountains, &c. vii. 9, 13, 14, 17. To the Lamb's wife was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white. xix. 8. I will show thee the bride, the Lamb's wife. xxi. 9.

He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment.

Arrayed in white robes. They have made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the throne of God. vii. 13, 14, 15. His wife hath made herself ready, arrayed in fine linen, clean and white; for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. xix. 7, 8. Blessed

and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection. xx. 6. He that is righteous, let him be righteous still; and he that is holy, let him be holy still. xxii. 11. And I will not blot out his name out of the book of life.

But I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels, 5.

On such the second death hath no power. xx. 6. They which are written in the Lamb's book of life. xxi. 27. They shall reign for ever and ever. xxii. 5.

And all the angels stood round about the throne. They are before the throne of God. The Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them. vii. 11, 15, 17. The Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. xxi. 22. The throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it-and they shall see his face. xxii. 3, 4.

Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God.

They serve him day and night in his temple. vii. 15. I saw them that had gotten the victory over the beast, &c., having the harps of God. And they sing the song of Moses, and the song of the Lamb. xv. 2, 3. They shall be priests of God and of Christ. xx. 6.

And he shall go no more out:

They serve him day and night in his temple. vii. 15. There shall be no more death, neither sorrow nor crying. There shall be no night there. xxi. 4, 25. They shall reign for ever and ever. xxii. 5.

And I will write upon him the name of my God,

And the name of the city of my God, new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God. iii. 12.

His name shall be in their foreheads. xxii. 4.

And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. I will show thee the bride, the Lamb's wife. And he showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God. xxi. 2, 9, 10.

If any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and sup with him, and he with me. iii. 20.

To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, as I also overcame and am set down with my Father in His throne.

He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. iii. 21, 22.

Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. xix. 9.

I saw thrones, and they sat upon them. They lived and reigned with Christ. xx. 4. He shall reign for ever and ever. xi. 15. They shall reign for ever and ever. xxii. 5.

Write, These are the true sayings of God. xix. 9. Write: for these words are true and faithful. xxi. 5.