On account of their lukewarmness a severe threat was uttered—"I will spue thee out of my mouth." Allusion is doubtless made to the former catastrophe that overthrew the city under Tiberius, thus giving them warning of the destruction that might come upon them in the future. The result has been in accordance with the prediction. God spued that church out of his mouth centuries ago, and nothing remains of that proud, wealthy city. Not even a Turk has any fixed residence on the spot. Its ruins alone remain in their desolation, "rejected of God, deserted of man, its glory a ruin, its name a reproach." The Encyclopædia Britannica says, "Its ruins are of wide extent.... There is no doubt, however, that much has been buried beneath the surface by the frequent earthquakes to which the district is exposed."
The prophecies concerning these individual churches have been fulfilled; so that even infidelity itself bears witness to the "strange verification of Apocalyptic promise and threatening." Two of the churches, Ephesus and Laodicea, where no spiritual souls remained, were threatened with utter extinction. They are now in utter ruins—forsaken, desolate. Sardis, too, where only a few names were left, is reduced to a small Turkish village, without a church or a Christian. Pergamus and Thyatira, where much spirituality remained, but where wickedness also was tolerated, still survive, though but mere remnants of their former greatness. While Smyrna and Philadelphia, where Christ found nothing to condemn and to whose churches he uttered only words of comfort and promise, remain until the present day and are the brightest spots on the whole scene, standing like erect columns in the midst of the surrounding ruins.
I do not wish, however, to give too much prominence to the cities themselves in the fulfilment of these prophecies. The churches located in these seven cities of Asia were doubtless the main thing under consideration in the utterance of these promises and threatenings. Yet it is a singular fact that the subsequent history of the cities themselves has accorded in a remarkable degree with the nature of the prophecies uttered. It may be that God has preserved Smyrna and Philadelphia because of the piety of their ancient inhabitants.
He who held the seven stars in his right hand and walked in the midst of the seven golden candle-sticks, still possesses the control of his ministers and is present in the congregations of the righteous; but let us all take warning from the example of the churches of Asia, and live such a life of devotion, charity, faith, and patience as Christ, the "faithful and true Witness," will approve of, that we may "walk with him in white" and have right to the "tree of life which is in the midst of the paradise of God."
CHAPTER IV.
After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will show thee things which must be hereafter.
2. And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne.
3. And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald.
4. And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.
5. And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven spirits of God.
6. And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind.
7. And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle.
8. And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.
9. And when those beasts give glory and honor and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever,
10. The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying,
11. Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.