Understanding The Bible |
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BY THE AUTHOR
Dr. Clarence E. Mason, Jr.
Philadelphia College of Bible
1969
THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST (1:1)
Key thought: "Christ the Coming Victor"
Key to structure of book: 1:19
Format of Letters | (Omissions) |
Salutation | |
Commendation | (Sardis, Laodicea) |
Rebuke | (Smyrna, Philadelphia) |
Overcomer |
CHURCH | Literal meaning | Period of Church History |
EPHESUS | "Desirable" | The Church in apostolic days 2:1-7 |
SMYRNA | "Myrrh" | The Church under imperial persecution 2:8-11 |
PERGAMUM | "Elevation" or "True marriage" (i.e., thoro-union) | Church wedded to state by Constantine 2:12-17 |
THYATIRA | "Bruised incense or continual sacrifice" (?) | Romish apostasy with believing remnant within; 7th into 16th century 2:18-29 |
SARDIS | "Those escaping" (i.e., remnant) | Reformation state churches |
PHILADELPHIA | "Brotherly love" | Great revival and missionary movements, starting 18th century 3:7-13 |
LAODICEA | "Just-people" or "Rights of people" | The liberalized church, starting later part of 19th century 3:14-22 |
RETROSPECTIVE VISION: 12, 000 from
The 144,000 Jews, 12,000 from each tribe (except Dan) 1-8The vision looks back retrospectively to the beginning of the tribulation before a single seal i judgments to fall (v.3).
broken permitting This vision is not saying only 144, 000 Jews will be saved in the tribulation, but it says that 144, 000 are sealed so that they will be spared from death. Perhaps millions of Jews may be "saved; many will be martyred for their faith (Mt. 24:9, 22), but the sealing assures that there will be a continuing witness throughout the whole period. Of course, many Jews will apostatize and follow Satan's Man of Sin (Mt. 24:24).
PROSPECTIVE VISION: The great multitude of Gentiles 9-17
This vision looks forward to the end of the period, when the multitude comes out of the Great Tribulation (v. 14). In a period which features judgment, there is to be a great evangelistic victory. When the Devil's power is at its zenith, we are encouraged to see God outwitting the Devil and saving masses of Gentiles "which no man can number" (v.9). Thus, living Jewish and Gentile believers enter the millennium in large numbers. It is well to remark that this is not a scene in heaven but upon the earth. The idea that this is heaven is due to our faulty conception of how wonderful things will be on earth when Jesus brings in earth's golden age. Tears will be wiped away on earth, etc. (vv. 16-17).
PARENTHESIS: The final career and fall of "Babylon"
(Rome) 17:1-19:10
Chapter 17 seems to prophesy concerning papal Rome (woman) riding
political Rome (the beast) until unseated and absorbed (w. 16-17). It is a
system associated with a city (v. 18) and a political power group (vv.
12-14). Let it be remembered that apostate Protestantism and the cults are
also to be merged with the Roman Church, so that the resultant group is
flavored and characterized by the Roman Church, but not composed totally
of Roman Catholics, nor ultimately like the church of Rome we now know.
The locale ("city," v. 18) is undoubtedly the famous seven-hilled city on
the Tiber (v.9).
Chapter 18 would seem to emphasize the ultimate (Pagan Rome's civil,
commercial, and industrial aspects are emphasized. Mussolini had plans for
large canals to bring sea-going vessels right up to Rome, making it a port
city (although the analogy of Los Angeles indicates this is not an
essential). The weeping is over the commercial loss occasioned by the
judgment of God on the city itself (v. 19). (Rome has grown tremendously
in recent years, as we would expect if it is to be an important commercial
center. It now numbers around 2 million and is growing almost as fast as
Los Angeles.)
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