The Revelation of Jesus Christ
68
"He tha.t sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone." What does that suggest to you? A jasper is a clear stone, like a diamond. A sardine is blood-red, like a ruby. As the jasper suggests the resplendent glory of the risen Lo~d, so also the sardine stone reminds us of Calvary. The Chnst of the cross is the Christ of glory. Dr. H. A. Ironside offers a striking suggestion in regard to this description of our Lord: "Remembering that many of the first readers of·the Revelation were converted Jews, we might ask, What would these stones suggest to them? Surely every instructed Hebrew would instantly recall that they were the first and last stones in the breastplate of the high priest (Ex. 28 :17-20) . As these stones bore the names of the tribes of Israel. arranged according to the births of t?e twelv~ patriarchs, the one would suggest at once the name Reuben, 'Behold a Son'; and the other, 'Benjamin.' 'Son of my right hand." It is Christ enthroned, the Son about to reign in power who is before the Seer's vision. Round about the throne a rainbow, like an emerald, the stone of Judah ('Praise') is seen, suggesting the perpetuity of the Noahic covenant, and God's unchanging goodness, despite all man's failure, folly, and wickedness." God also made covenants with Abraham and Isaac. In the day when His throne is a throne of judgment, He will remem ber the promises and covenants that He made with Noah, Abraham, Isaac; He will not forget them. Israel will be back in the land of Palestine when that day comes, and the devil will be doing everything he can to wipe them off the face of the earth. But in that day God will remember His covenants with His chosen people. He will deal with them in judgment, but His judgment will be tempered with mercy for those who come into covenant relationship with Him. Not only will He be merciful to Israel; the green of the emerald speaks of mercy which He will show towards the earth itseif.
"THE FOUR AND TWENTY ELDERS"
"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" (Rev. 4:4).
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