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The Revelation of Jesus Christ
Therefore, in considering the title of a book, as well as in noting chapter and verse divisions, let us search the Scrip tures themselves, remembering that the men who gave us these helps, devout and well-meaning though they were, did not claim to be infallible. The Scriptures themselves are infallible, inerrant, authoritative, and divine. And in them we find the God-given title of the book we are to study now -"The Revelation of Jesus Christ." While John was the chosen instrument of the Holy Spirit to write this book, yet he was only the human author through whom the Holy Spirit gave the message. He was, in effect, the pen which was used, the channel through whom the Revelation was given. Nor was John divine. While he was a saint, in the same sense that we and all of God's children who believe in Christ are saints, yet most emphatically he was not divine. Again, the title of the book is not in the plural-"Revela tions." It is "The Revelation of Jesus Christ." The opening words of the first chapter tell us that. It is "The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass." You will remember that after ·the crucifixion of the Son of God, and after He had risen from the dead and had given to the disciples the great commission, He "Jed them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them. And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven" (Luke 24: 50-52}. "And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven" ( Acts 1:10, 11 }. My friend, when that event takes place, it will be "The Revelation of Jesus Christ," our Lord. He has never been seen by the world "as he is." He walked this old earth nine teen hundred years ago as a "man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief." He wore the coarsest of material for clothing. His seamless garment was the kind worn by the peasants, the humble folk. He was not seen by the world in that glory which is essentially His. But while the world has seen the
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