T HE K I N G ’S B U S I N E S S
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messengers. This picture of Jesus w alking among th e golden candlesticks is full of practl- ^ cal instruction for every church and every Christian. He is still in the m idst of H is own and th e 2nd an d 3rd chapters show us His a ttitu d e toward our different phases of church life. “ Christ, only Christ, and let th e name suffice you; F o r me too, He greatly h ath sufficed. Christ was th e end for Christ was the beginning, Christ is th e beginning and so th e end is Christ.” CALLING OUT THE BEAST Bishop Goodshell was visiting a home of wealth and society tastes. The two daughters of the home were in evening dress about as indecent as they are now on the street and in church. He over heard two young men who happened in as friends speak of these young women’s forms in a shockingly lustful way. When they had gone, he courageously, in the presence of th eir mother, asked permis sion to repeat ju st what the young men h ad been tempted to say by the young ladies’ dressing. The young women sprang to th e ir feet crying, “Beasts! are all men beasts like th at?” The Bishop kindly replied, “No! hut your dress call ed out all the beast and demon there was in those m en!” Will not our women pray, “God help us not to lead others into tem ptation!” We may he too -strong for our own tru e blessedness or service, h u t we never can be too weak for either, if in our u tterm o st helplessness we cast our selves for every needed succour in th e bosom of A lm ighty love (Gen. 3 2 :2 4 ).— John Dickie. HI JK BLESSED WEAKNESS
let us ta k e a summary of th e first chapter. 1. 1:1-3 Introduction, or th e pic tu re of how th e book came into exist ence. The angel was to give th is hook to John by signs. All th e ^symbols are explained, if they have never before been used in the Bible. If they have been used before, le t th e read er look up th e first place where th e symbol is used, and he will find th a t th e meaning ta u g h t th ere is th e meaning ta u g h t in th e Revelation. Fo r instance, in 1:20 th e symbols of candlesticks and sta rs do no t mean the same as in other p arts of Scripture, and so they are in terp reted for us. 2. 2:4-5 The greeting, or th e pic tu re of heaven’s in te rest in th e saints of earth. This greeting shows us th e courtesy of th e Godhead. Jesu s ds speaking, and so mentions the Spirit before He mentions Himself. . 3. 1:4-5 The Symphony of Praise, or th e pictu re of th e g reat plan. You will notice th a t th e sixth verse ends w ith “Amen” and th e seventh verse w ith “Even so, Amen.” These two verses sta te in a nutshell th e heavenly and earth ly purpose of God. F irst, gath ering a heavenly kingdom of priests, is w hat He is doing in th is age, | in calling ou t His church. Second, regenerating and subduing earth under His Lordship a t Christ’s retu rn . This will bring th e earth ly kingdom for Israel and th e nations. We all say w ith Jesus, H im self, “Amen, so le t it be.” 4. 1:-13 The w riter, or th e pic tu re of th e Apostle John on th e Isle of Patmos. 5. 1:14-18 The Son of Man, or the picture of th e risen and ascended Christ. 6 . 1:19 The Divisions of th e Book, o r , a picture of th e past, p resen t and fu tu re events. 7. 1:20 The Seven Candlesticks, or a picture of the churches and th eir
IN SU R E Y O U R FU TU R E See Center of this Magazine
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