Of those pages St. John has said, “Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein, for the time is at hand.” And surely we are not to consider those words as applicable only to the Seven Churches to which they were first addressed. And if, in all those pages so gorgeously illumined with prophecy, there is advanced no truth the mind can comprehend, save the record of the New Jerusalem’s glory, if that, and the promise of the everlasting “rest of the saints,” only inspires the reader to strive without ceasing for the blessings that await the redeemed, it will surely not have proved a sealed volume to him.
There are none who by searching may find out God, further than he in his good pleasure chooses to reveal himself; but there can be no one who is possessed of a “seeing eye,” or a “hearing ear,” who is incapable of perusing this allegorical or highly figurative series of prophecies with an uninterested or uninstructed mind and heart.
Who that has once read, can forget “the pure river of the water of life, pure as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and the Lamb?” or who that toils on, wearing in weariness the burden of life, does not rejoice to think of that “tree of life, the leaves of which are for the healing of the nations;” and of that blessed land, whereof it is told “there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, nor light of the sun, for the Lord God giveth them light, and they shall reign forever and ever?”
Or who that would make a jest and a mock of sacred things, can read without a thrill of terror of the “great white throne, and Him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and heaven fled away, and there was found no place for them;” and of the dead, small and great, whom he saw stand before God, when the books were opened, and “the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them—and they were judged every man according to his works, and death and hell were cast into the lake of fire?”
Was it strange that he to whom this marvel was revealed fell even as one dead?
Overpowered by the glory of the “mighty angel,” the aged saint would have knelt to worship him. So great was John’s reverence for his Maker, that he felt constrained to render homage to his ambassador also. But the angel said, “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!”
History says that “After Dominitian had reigned fifteen years, and Nerva succeeded to the government, the Roman Senate decreed that the orders of Dominitian should be revoked, and that those who had been unjustly expelled should return to their homes, and have their goods restored.” And among those banished men then recalled was St. John, who, with great joy, returned again to Ephesus, bearing with him a scroll, that was to him more precious than was in the eyes of Nerva the crown and the throne which had fallen to him.
It is estimated that the Revelator was at this time ninety-seven years old; but even then—and it is a fact on which the laggard may well ponder—even then, though infirm, and struggling with the weariness of years, gladly and zealously (as though he had but just received his commission to labor,) did he set out on the homeward journey.
He was returning to his churches and his people; should he find them faithful still, or would they all be gone astray? Would they receive him as a friend who had taught them truths most blessed and welcome, or would they meet him with cold words and scornful looks, and despitefully treat him, as though they were ashamed to have been once beguiled by what they now believed to be a foolish, senseless humbug?
Once more among that people, the doubts and misgivings which probably so troubled the aged preacher on his homeward journey, were happily all put to flight. The good work had gone forward, the prayers of repentance were not hushed; the songs of praise which burst from the redeemed on earth, so far from dying utterly away into a mournful silence, had gathered strength and caught the tone of triumph! the voices of the “ministers of grace” were still adjuring sinners by the love of God to put away the thoughts and deeds of unbelief; the tears of men subdued by the striving spirit were falling yet.