Studies in the Scriptures

Volume VII

The Finished Mystery

“The Winepress of God's Wrath” and the Fall of Babylon.

By

Charles Taze Russell

(Published Posthumously)

Edited by

C. J. Woodworth and George H. Fisher

850,000 Edition

“And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to Heaven, and swore by Him that liveth forever and ever, who created Heaven and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that the time should be no longer delayed; but in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the Mystery of God should be finished, as He hath declared to His servants the Prophets.”—Rev. 10:5-7. “At the end it shall speak and not lie.”—Hab. 2:3.

Copyright 1917

Peoples Pulpit Association

Brooklyn, N. Y., U. S. A.

International Bible Students Association

Brooklyn, London, Melbourne, Barmen

1918

Contents

[Transcriber's Note: The above cover image was produced by the submitter at Distributed Proofreaders, and is being placed into the public domain.]

TO THE KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS THIS WORK IS DEDICATED

In the Interest of
HIS CONSECRATED SAINTS
Waiting for the Adoption
And of
“All That in Every Place Call Upon the Lord”
“THE HOUSEHOLD OF FAITH”
And Of
The Groaning Creation; Travailing And
Waiting for the Manifestation of
THE SONS OF GOD

POSTHUMOUS WORK OF PASTOR RUSSELL

His Last Legacy to the Dear Israel of God (Matt 20:9)

“To make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God.” “Wherein He hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known unto us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He hath purposed in Himself; that in the dispensation of the fulness of the times He might gather together in one all things, under Christ.”

Eph. 3:4, 5, 9; 1:8-10

Publisher's Preface

Since the days of the Apostles, Christian people have been looking for the coming of our Lord Jesus in great power and glory; for He said that He would come again and receive His Church unto Himself. He further pointed out that for some time prior to the completion of the Church He would be present, gathering out from Babylon and from the world the truly consecrated, and that during His presence “the Mystery of God” would be finished.

Through St. John the Lord Jesus revealed the fact that the Church would be developed during seven distinct periods, or epochs; and that for each of these epochs He would have a special angel, or messenger, to serve the other members of the Body. It follows, then, that the messenger to the last, or Laodicean, epoch would declare the Presence of the Lord and the time of the Harvest of the Gospel Age. The great Master laid special emphasis on the importance of the messenger to the seventh, or Laodicean, period of the Church, saying that such an one would be “a faithful and wise servant, whom his Lord would make ruler over all His Household, to give them meat in due season.”

Those consecrated Christians who have read and fully appreciated the Truth as contained in the preceding six volumes of STUDIES IN THE SCRIPTURES readily see and agree that Charles Taze Russell was the messenger of the Church of Laodicea. In the mind of every one who believes the Bible the evidence set forth in this volume will establish that fact beyond the question of a doubt.

In the light of Divine Prophecy, now being daily fulfilled and made clear to “the watchers,” the following from the pen of Pastor Russell is further proof that he was sent of God to this generation. Long years before the beginning of the trouble now upon the nations he wrote:

“The four exhibitions of the Lord, given to Elijah, represent, we believe, four manifestations in which the Lord is about to reveal Himself to mankind, the first three of which will prepare men for the final one, in which will come the desired blessing to all the families of the earth. These are:

“(1) The mighty winds rending the very rocks. Blowing winds seem to be used in Scripture for wars. The wars, whose dark clouds have threatened the civilized world so ominously for the past thirty years, have been miraculously hindered to give opportunity for ‘sealing’ [pg 004]the Lord's consecrated people in their foreheads (intellectually) with the Present Truth. We are therefore to expect that when these winds of war shall be let loose, it will mean a cataclysm of warfare which shall divide kingdoms (mountains)—prefigured by the mighty wind shown to Elijah (1 Kings 19:11), which rent the rocks. But God's Kingdom will not follow the epoch of war; the world will not thus be made ready for the Reign of Immanuel. No; a further lesson will be needed and will be given. It is represented in

“(2) An earthquake. Throughout the Scriptures an earthquake seems always to represent revolution; and it is not unreasonable to expect that an era of general warfare would so arouse the lower classes of Europe and so discontent them with their lot (and especially with the conditions which would follow such a war) that revolution would be the next thing in order. (Rev. 16:18.) But, severe though those revolutionary experiences will be to the world, they are not sufficient to prepare men to hear the voice of God. It will require

“(3) The fire from heaven—an epoch of Divine judgments and chastisements upon a maddened but unconverted world, wild in anarchy, as other Scriptures show us. The results of their wars, revolutions and anarchy, in the failure of their schemes, will have a humbling effect, and will prepare mankind for God's revelation of Himself in

“(4) The still small voice. Yes; He who spoke to the winds and the waves of the Sea of Galilee will, in due time, ‘speak peace to the peoples.’ He will speak with authority, commanding the observance of His long neglected Law of Love. ‘And whosoever will not hear that Prophet shall be cut off from among His people.’(Acts 3:23.)”—THE WATCH TOWER, July 1, 1898, p. 308.

“Looking back to the prophetic testimony respecting the Times of the Gentiles, we perceive that our Lord's words, ‘Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles until the Times of the Gentiles be filled full,’ give the intimation that the determined times, or years, in which the empire of earth would be in the hands of Gentile governments was a fixed one from the Divine standpoint. And if, as we believe the Scriptures to teach, Gentile domination was provided for up to October, 1914, it would seem but a reasonable interpretation that Divine power would not be exercised to their dethronement until after the time allotted for their reign had ended—October, 1914.”—THE WATCH TOWER, July 1, 1904. p. 198.

In 1879 Charles Taze Russell began the publication of THE WATCH TOWER, of which he was the sole editor as long as he remained on earth. THE WATCH TOWER was, and is, the first and only journal declaring the presence of the Lord Jesus. Pastor Russell being the messenger to the Laodicean Church, and occupying the position of the Lord's special servant to give the Household of Faith meat in due season, it was to be expected that he would bring forth from the Lord's great “Storehouse” the needed spiritual food for the Church, in harmony with [pg 005] God's will. By the Lord's grace he wrote the six volumes of STUDIES IN THE SCRIPTURES, which writings, aside from the Bible, have gladdened more hearts and thrilled Christians with greater hope and joyful expectation than have any other writings extant. These books have been properly designated “Keys to the Divine Plan of the Ages.” These “keys” have been placed in the hands of thousands of Christian people throughout the world, and have enabled them to unlock the Lord's Treasure-house, the Bible, and there to see some of the “treasures of wisdom” and knowledge of God! Some have been able to use these “keys” more effectually than have others. “God hath set the members in the Body as it hath pleased Him.”

Time and again Pastor Russell said that the Seventh Volume of STUDIES IN THE SCRIPTURES would be written; and it was expected that he would write it. The Scriptures show that the Seventh Volume must be published. Pastor Russell passed from the earth, and the Seventh Volume remained unpublished. In his last moments he said, “Some one else can write the Seventh Volume.” For any one to arrogate to himself the authority to write and publish the Seventh Volume would, we believe, seem presumptuous before the Lord. Whom, then, would the Lord have to write it?

Pastor Russell was a man of unusual modesty. Great men usually are modest. The examination of the contents of this book will disclose the fact that it deals with Revelation and Ezekiel; that the Lord long ago caused to be recorded therein, in symbolic language, a history of the Church, particularly the closing earthly experiences thereof; that therein He set forth that He would uncover the frauds, deceptions and blasphemous teachings and practices of the church nominal—both Catholic and Protestant; that in the last days He would then make bare the unholy alliance between the unrighteous ecclesiastical systems and the corrupt political elements of the earth, which religious systems have prospered and grown fat in the name of Christ; that the Lord pronounces His indignation and wrath against all such Babylonish systems and marks their utter destruction in a Time of Trouble such as the world has never known and will never again know; and that the earthly creature made prominent therein above all others is the messenger of the Laodicean Church—“that wise and faithful servant” of the Lord—CHARLES TAZE RUSSELL. In view of the facts stated, is it at all surprising that the Lord spared him the publication of the Seventh Volume?

But the fact is, he did write it. This book may properly be said to be a posthumous publication of Pastor Russell. [pg 006] Why? Because to him the Lord gave the “key”; to him was given the privilege of making clear to the Church in its last years the “Mystery of God”; to him was granted the privilege of hearing from the hands of the Lord to the Household of Faith “meat in due season” for the special development and sustenance of God's dear little ones. This service he has faithfully performed. This book is chiefly a compilation of things which he wrote and which have been brought together in harmonious style by properly applying the symbols which he explained to the Church.

By his last Will and Testament Pastor Russell designated George H. Fisher, of Scranton, Pa., as one whom he would approve as a member of the Editorial Staff of THE WATCH TOWER—the most important journal published on earth. For many years Brother Fisher has been consecrated to the Lord, a careful student of the Bible in the light of the Message brought from the Lord by the messenger to the Laodicean Church; and for some time he has made a careful and prayerful study of the Book of Ezekiel.

When Pastor Russell was with us he gave direction that the BIBLE STUDENTS MANUAL should be prepared by Clayton J. Woodworth, also of Scranton, Pa. This Manual was published by this Society, and has proven a great blessing to the Household of Faith. The preparation of that Manual required a critical examination of everything Pastor Russell had written; and thus Brother Woodworth was enabled to become more familiar, probably, than any one else with the explanation of the Scriptures which had been given by Brother Russell. In this manner the Lord seemed to have qualified him for some special work. With the “key” which Brother Russell, as the Lord's servant, had placed in his hands, Brother Woodworth, by the Lord's grace, has been enabled to bring together everything that Brother Russell wrote on Revelation, and to explain and harmonize the other parts of that book with the Divine Plan; also, to treat similarly, the Song of Solomon.

It seemed pleasing to the Lord that Brothers C. J. Woodworth and George H. Fisher should prepare the Seventh Volume, under the direction of the WATCH TOWER BIBLE AND TRACT SOCIETY. While both residing in the same city, they have worked separate and apart from each other, not even comparing notes. The reader will be able to judge how fully the work of each harmonizes with that of the other and with the Divine Plan, thus giving further evidence of the Lord's direction in this matter.

Pastor Russell long ago said, in substance, that the Seventh Volume would not be for the development of the Church; that the preceding six volumes of STUDIES IN [pg 007] THE SCRIPTURES contain the necessary spiritual food for that purpose. Asked why, then, it would be written, he replied, “It will probably be given to the Church in a time of direst need, for her comfort and encouragement.”

Who amongst the consecrated this side the veil does not realize that the Church is now in that time of “dire need of comfort and encouragement”? The hour of fiery trial and great testings is upon God's people, and there is need for their comfort and encouragement. The Lord has promised “grace sufficient” and help for every time of need for those who love Him and come confidently unto Him. We believe that as the Lord's dear children throughout the earth read the contents of this book and see how wonderfully He has shielded them from the storms of human passion and from the snares of the great Adversary; and that when they see that the unrighteous, wicked systems of Babylon are now crumbling under the mighty hand of God—which bespeaks the early deliverance of the last members of the Body from this vale of tears into the glorious light and liberty of the saints—that then they will be greatly comforted; that then they will take new courage and “gird up the loins of their mind, be sober and hope to the end for the grace that is to come unto them quickly;” that with exceeding joy they will lift up their heads, because the hour of deliverance is at hand! To all the truly consecrated who read and appreciate this book we believe that the words of the Master, “THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS AT HAND!” will sound in their ears like clarion notes upon the clear morning air, giving courage and strength to those who are growing weak in faith, and more courage to the stronger ones. We believe that every one who appreciates this volume will have a burning desire to grasp his weapon and go forth to the smiting of the Jordan, giving praise to the Lord for the privilege.

Some will murmur and find fault with this book; some will grow angry, and some will join the persecutors. But, we believe, every saint whose heart is filled with love for God and for His people will rejoice and give praise to the Lord for this further evidence of His blessed favor.

The publisher takes pleasure in presenting this, the Seventh Volume, to the remaining members of the Church, and to all who may read with profit to themselves and to the glory of the Lord Jesus and our Father. As the Lord has sent forth the other six volumes, His blessing has accompanied each. That His blessing may be upon this volume, to the comfort and encouragement of the dear saints in the hour of direst need, is our prayer!

WATCH TOWER BIBLE & TRACT SOCIETY.

Explanatory Note

This posthumous work of Pastor Russell (arranged for use as a textbook) is much condensed, including the extracts from the Pastor's pen, all of which are referred back to his works. The abbreviations used are:

A, B, C, D, E, F. The six preceding volumes of “STUDIES IN THE SCRIPTURES”

(Citations to E in italic figures refer to old editions, figures in ordinary type to later editions.)

B. S. M. ... “THE BIBLE STUDENTS MONTHLY.”

H. ... “What Say the Scriptures ABOUT HELL?”

P-D. ... “PHOTO-DRAMA OF CREATION” Scenario.

T. ... “TABERNACLE SHADOWS.”

S. ... “SPIRITISM” Pamphlet.

Z. ... “ZION'S WATCH TOWER,” followed by year and page.

The citations to REVELATION and EZEKIEL refer to the comments herein, as well as to the Bible text.

Other abbreviations used are:

Barnes ... Barnes' “Revelation.”

Brit. ... “Encyclopedia Britannica.”

Buck ... Buck's “Theological Dictionary.”

Coffin ... Coffin's “Story of Liberty.”

Cook ... Cook's “Revelation;” a compendium of the presentations of seventy-two leading commentators on Revelation, in all languages and all ages of the church.

Edgar ... Edgar's “Pyramid Passages.” Vol. II.

McC. ... McClintock and Strong's Encyclopedia.

Mosheim ... Mosheim's Ecclesiastical History.

S. B. D. ... Smith's Bible Dictionary.

Smith ... Smith's “Thoughts on Daniel and Revelation.”

Weym ... Weymouth's New Testament In Modern Speech.

The Revelation Of [St.] John [The Divine][1]

Revelation 1—The Message For This Day

The Revelation of Jesus Christ.—John the Revelator and the Prophet Habakkuk have foretold that the understanding of this revelation, given in 96 A. D., is set for an appointed time, the end of the age; and that, at this time, now, when the predicted “Faithful and wise servant” would be present with God's people, the vision would be made plain.—Rev. 1:10; Matt. 24:45; Hab. 2:1-3; 1 Pet 1:13.

Which God gave unto Him.—“The declaration that ‘the Son can do nothing of Himself,’ if it were not backed up as it is by a score of other testimonies from the same interested and inspired Teacher, is a contradiction to the common thought of Trinitarians, that the Son is the Father.”—Z. '99-45; John 5:20; 12:49; 17:7,8.

To shew unto His [servants] SAINTS.[2]—“Our Lord Jesus has promised us that, as the Elder Brother (of the Gospel House of Sons), whatsoever the Father shall make known to Him He in turn will make known to us.”—Z. '99-45.

The things.—The shifting scenes of Church and State, the history of the Gospel and Millennial Ages.

Which must shortly come to pass.—Which began at once, in St. John's day, and will continue until the completion of all that he foresaw.

And He sent.—He did not come Himself, but acted with the dignity becoming Him who is now the express Image of the Father's person. “Dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto, whom no man hath seen, nor can see.”—Heb. 1:3; 1 Tim. 6:16.

And signified It—“Our Lord's revelation, which God gave Him after He had passed into glory, He sent and signified [signified, told in signs, symbols, etc.] to His Church.”—B. 203.

By His angel.—The “angel” of Rev. 3:14 represented this messenger who appeared to St. John. Our Lord's promise in Luke 12:44 is not limited to activities on this side the veil.

Unto His servant John.—“This simplicity, common to all the Apostles, commends them to us as men of humble mind—the very kind we should expect our Lord to use as special messengers to His people.”—Z. '16-343; Rev. 19:10.

1:2. Who bare record.—Previously, In the Fourth Gospel, and in the three epistles bearing his name.

Of the Word of God.—The Logos. St. John has had more to say of the Logos than had any other Apostle. “In olden times certain kings made addresses to their subjects by proxy, the king sitting behind a screen, while his word, or spokesman, stood before the screen, and addressed the people aloud on subjects whispered to him by the king, who was not seen, and such a speaker was termed the King's logos.”—E. 94-85.

And of the testimony.—The daily words and deeds, during the three and a half years of His ministry.

Of Jesus Christ.—“The Faithful and True Witness.”—Rev. 3:14.

[And of all] WHAT things [that] SOEVER he saw.—St. John's powers of observation were acute. His Gospel contains records of twenty-two events or teachings not mentioned by the other Evangelists.

1:3. Blessed is he.—Singular.

That readeth.—Correctly interprets the symbolisms.

And they.—Plural.

That hear the [words] WORD of this prophecy.—“All who have read and understood even a part of the teachings of the book were blessed as promised. It was an important aid to Luther in deciding that the Papacy, of which he was a conscientious minister, was ‘Antichrist’ ”—A. 27.

And keep.—Keep the eyes upon, observe (so the Greek Indicates).—Rev. 22:7.

Those things which are written therein.—“There is a blessing upon those who read this revelation, even though they do not understand, and a special blessing upon those who hear and understand the words of this prophecy, and who conform their lives to the things therein written.”—Z. '16-343.

For the time is at hand.—The fulfilments began at once, in St. John's own day.

1:4. John to the seven churches.—Not merely the seven literal congregations mentioned in Verse 11 and elsewhere, but to the epochs of the Church as a whole, from Apostolic days until now.

Which are in Asia.—In the Orient, the East, the early path of the sun. Before the Sun of Righteousness can illuminate the world of mankind, its rays must first have passed through the Church, the first to greet and welcome the New Day.

Grace be unto you.—May favor, unmerited, be your happy portion.

And peace.—The Lord's special legacy to His Church.—John 14:27.

From Him.—Our glorified Lord and Head.—Rev. 1:8.

Which is.—Now self-existent, like the Father.—John 5:26.

And which was.—The Logos, the Father's Agent in the creation of all things (John 1:3), and subsequently, as man's Redeemer, “made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death.”—Heb. 2:9.

And which is to come.—In glory and great power at His Second Advent, “until He shall have set judgment in the earth.”—Isa. 42:4.

And from the seven spirits.—Lamps of fire, or eyes. (Rev. 4:5; 5:6.) “In this symbolical picture the eye of the Lord is represented as seven or complete, all-seeing, everywhere, all-knowing. This is our confidence, this is our rejoicing.”—Z. '05-318; Zech. 3:9, 4:10.

Which are before His Throne.—Which are “sent forth into all the earth.”—Rev. 4:5.

1:5. And.—Kai, even. For a similar use of the word see the expression, “God Himself and our Father” (1 Thes. 3:11), which, in the Diaglott, is rendered, “God Himself, even our Father.”

From Jesus Christ the faithful Witness.—“Who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession.” (1 Tim. 6:13.) Our Lord's admission to Pilate, “I am a King; to this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world” (John 18:37), was the direct cause of His death. The accusation set up over His head was, “This is Jesus the King of the Jews.” (John 19:19; Matt. 27:37.) Similarly faithful admissions may end the earthly careers of the feet-members of His Body.

The First Begotten of the dead.—“The First-Born of the dead ones.” (Diaglott.) (1 Cor. 15:20; Col. 1:18; Acts 26:23.) “This verse clearly teaches what the creeds of Christendom ignore; namely, that our Lord was the first to experience a resurrection to perfection and eternal life in the full sense of the word.”—Z. '16-343; Acts 13:33, 34.

And.—Even.

The Prince.—The King-Elect, now ruling in their hearts.

Of the kings of the earth.—His associate kings, “The kings of the East.” (Rev. 16:12.) “All are to be awakened from the Adamic death, as though from a sleep. They will then be under the care of the Royal Priesthood, whose experience with sin, and whose victory over sin, well fitted them to be helpful toward those over whom they will reign, as Kings as well as Priests. (Rev. 5:10.)”—E. 487, 478.

Unto Him that [loved] LOVETH us.—Our Lord's love for us is ever-present.

And [washed] FREED us from our sins [in] BY His own blood.—“That it was the death of the Man Christ Jesus, His ‘blood,’ that secured our release from sin and death is most unequivocally stated in many Scriptures. See 1 Pet 1:2; Acts 4:12; 20:28; Rev. 5:9; Rom. 5:9; Heb. 13:12.”—E. 458, 446; Matt. 20:28; 1 Tim. 2:6; Rev. 14:4.

1:6. And hath made us.—And will make us during the Millennial Age.

[Kings and] A KINGDOM, priests.—The work of a priest is that of intervention and of instruction in righteousness. It logically implies subjects and a future work of salvation.—1 Pet. 2:9; Rev. 5:10; 20:6; 22:5.

Unto God and His Father.—“Unto the God and Father of Himself.”—Diaglott. Rom. 15:6; 2 Cor. 1:3; Eph. 1:3.

To Him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.—“He shall have dominion also from sea to sea and from the river unto the ends of the earth;... and let the whole earth be filled with His glory; Amen, and Amen.” (Psa. 72:8, 19.) “For ever and ever” is literally “for the ages of the ages.” The Millennium and subsequent ages are the ages of the ages.

1:7. Behold, He cometh with clouds.—“While the clouds of trouble hang heavy and dark, when the mountains—kingdoms of this world—are trembling and falling, when the earth—organized society—is being shaken and disintegrated, some will begin to realize that Jehovah's Anointed is taking to Himself His great power and is beginning His work of laying justice to the line and righteousness to the plummet.”—Z. '16-344; Matt 24:30.

And every eye shall see Him.—“He will not be visible to natural sight, but to the eyes of understanding, as these shall open to an appreciation of the punishments and blessings which will flow to mankind from His Reign. Our King will reveal Himself gradually. Some will discern the new Ruler sooner than will others. But ultimately ‘every eye shall see [Greek, horao, discern] Him.’ ”—Z. '16-344.

And they also which pierced Him.—“And I will pour upon the House of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem [the Jewish people], the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon Me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for Him, as one mourneth for his only son.”—Zech. 12:10.

And all kindreds of the earth shall [wail because of] BEWAIL Him.—“At the time of our Lord's Second Advent the world will be far from converted to God; for ‘all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of Him.’ Christ comes before the conversion of the world and for the very purpose of converting all mankind.”—Z. '16-344.

Even so, Amen.—We cannot stop the clouds of the Time of Trouble, or the tears of disappointment, and later, of repentance; and we would not if we could. The trouble and the tears are a necessary preparation for the blessings which follow.

1:8. I am THE Alpha and I AM ALSO THE Omega.—Alpha is the first letter, and Omega the last letter, of the Greek alphabet.

The Beginning and the Ending.—“Our Lord's great honor is shown in that He was not only the first of God's creation, but the last. From this we are to understand that the great Jehovah did not directly employ His own power in creating either men or angels; but that He delegated His power to His Only-begotten Son.”—Z. '93-115.

Saith the Lord GOD.—But not the clergy; they will have none of this doctrine.

Which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.—“It is since His resurrection that the message has gone forth—‘All power in Heaven and in earth is given unto Me.’ (Matt 28:18.) Consequently it is only since then that He could be called the Almighty.”—Z. '93-115; Rev. 1:4; 16:5-7.

1:9. I John, who [also] am your brother.—“Instead of adding titles to his name, as Reverend, Bishop, Overseer of all the Churches in Asia Minor, we find John introducing himself as ‘your brother.’ ”—Z. '01-187.

And companion in tribulation.—“He was sharer with Christ, as a member of His Body, in His afflictions, in His endurance; and the brother of all fellow-disciples, sharers of the same sufferings, and prospectively of the same glory.”—Z. '01-187: Matt. 20:23.

And [In] the kingdom.—Now, while “the Kingdom of Heaven suffereth violence;” and later, when “the Kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the Kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High.”—Matt 11:12; Dan. 7:27.

And patience [of] IN Jesus [Christ].—When Saul persecuted the saints, he persecuted Jesus. When St. Paul suffered as a Christian, it was as part of the “dying of the Lord Jesus.” (Acts 9:5; 2 Cor. 4:10.) What St. John cheerfully endured was endured by Jesus.

Was in the isle that is called Patmos.—“At the time of this vision St. John was a prisoner, exiled to the Isle of Patmos, a penal colony of those days

For the Word of God.—“St. John, with remarkable modesty, passes over his previous service for the Truth (Rev. 1:2), which had brought him his persecution, and lightly passes over the persecution itself, merely noting that he was in the island because of his fidelity to the Word of God.”—Z. '01-187.

And for the testimony of Jesus.—As recorded in the Gospel according to St. John and the three Johannean epistles.

1:10. I was in the spirit.—“Visions are not realities, although symbolically representing them. (Dan. 7:1; Matt. 17:9.) The visions granted to St. John, recorded in the Revelation, are in no sense to be understood as realities.”—Z. '16-343; Acts 10:10.

On the Lord's Day.—“According to our understanding of Bible chronology we today are living in the early dawn of this Day of Christ; and it is here, properly enough, that we begin to see the wonderful things of the Divine Character and Plan. But to see and to understand we must be ‘in the spirit.’ Only those who have become New Creatures in Christ can be expected to appreciate spiritual things; and this is the class which the Apostle John represented.”—Z. '16-343.

And heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet.—“The fact that its location is mentioned implies that it has a symbolic meaning. It signifies that the beginning of [pg 017] this Message was not in St. John's day, nor in the future, but that the things revealed had already commenced and were already to some extent in the past. As some features of the Revelation show, the voice from behind went back to the time of our Lord's earthly ministry.” (Z. '16-344.) “As John heard a voice behind him and looked in that direction, so we who now are having the realities find that the Message is behind us, and turn and look toward the past to see the fulfilment of the various features of the Divine Plan and to hear and understand the Message given to His people by the risen Lord.”—Z. '05-168.

1:11. Saying, [I am Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last: and] What thou seest, write in a book and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia.—“There are many reasons for concluding that while the messages were given to the seven churches specified and were applicable to them, they should properly have a still wider application to the whole Church of Christ, the number seven representing completeness, and the order representing different epochs in the history of the Church. To think otherwise would be to attach more importance to those comparatively small churches of Asia Minor than they would seem to have deserved, and would have implied an ignoring of other churches more numerous and more influential; as, for instance, the churches at Jerusalem, Antioch, Corinth, Colosse, Philippi, Thessalonica, etc. Furthermore, the details of the messages given to these seven churches apply to and fit historically the one Church of the living God, over every member and branch of which the Lord has a care. This thought, that the seven represented completeness, we find emphasized in the other symbolical representations—in the seven golden candlesticks, the seven stars, etc.” (Z. '05-168.) Colosse (Col. 1:2), Miletus (Acts 20:17) and Hierapolis (Col. 4:13) were churches in Asia, not here mentioned. The Asia mentioned is the westernmost province of Asia Minor.

Unto Ephesus.—The Apostolic Age of the Church.

And unto Smyrna.—The Church during the period of persecution by Pagan Rome.

And unto Pergamos.—The Church during the period of the rise of Antichrist.

And unto Thyatira.—The Church during the Dark Ages, the period of Antichrist's glory, and persecution by Papal Rome.

And unto Sardis.—The Church in the dawn of the Reformation.

And unto Philadelphia.—The Church in the period of reformation by sects.

And unto Laodicea.—The Church in the time of the Lord's Second Presence.

1:12. And I turned to see the voice that spake with me.—“The Apostles saw in symbol what the Lord's people may now see with the eye of faith and understanding. He saw One like a son of man—like a man, like a priest, as implied by the clothes described—walking amongst seven golden candlesticks, caring for them, trimming the wicks, seeing to the supply of oil, etc. Thus our Lord Jesus, our glorified Master, has directed respecting His people's affairs, inspecting and caring for the Church as a light-bearer, a candlestick. Alas, how poor the wicks have sometimes been! How feeble the light that has sometimes shone out! How much trimming has been necessary!”—Z. '16-344.

And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks.—“The Golden Candlestick, or Lamp-stand, which stood opposite the Golden Table, and gave light to all in the ‘Holy,’ was of gold—all of one piece hammered out. (Exod. 25:31-37.) It had seven branches, each of which held a lamp, making seven lamps in all—a perfect or complete number. This represented the complete Church, from the Head, Jesus, to and including the last member of the ‘little flock’ that He is taking out from among men, to be partakers of the Divine (gold) nature.”—T. 115; Rev. 1:20; Zech. 4:2; Matt. 5:14-16.

1:13. And in the midst of the seven candlesticks.—“The union, the relationship between them, being supplied by our Redeemer, the antitypical High Priest.”—Z. '16-344.

One like unto the son of man.—“This symbolical picture has precious lessons for us, more valuable than an attempt to describe to our minds the appearance of our Lord as a Spirit Being, ‘dwelling in light which no man can approach unto,’ and which we cannot appreciate until we shall be changed to ‘be like Him and see Him as He is.’—1 John 3:2; 1 Cor. 15:50-53.”—Z. '16-344; Dan. 7:13.

Clothed with a garment down to the foot.—“The glory of Christ was manifested in His own person, in His own ministry, and in that of His Twelve Apostles, His representatives—St. Paul taking the place of Judas; with their death the body of Truth was almost veiled throughout the eighteen centuries intervening, until now.”—Z. '16-344.

And girt about the breast.—The support of the garment at the breast, instead of the neck, left the arms and shoulders uncovered, representing that the early Church was favored with the light of the true Gospel for a considerable time after our Lord and Head had completed His earthly ministry.

With a golden girdle.—Gold is a symbol of the Divine nature; the girdle a symbol of service. (Rev. 15:6.) Throughout the Age the Lord has been serving His Church. “Blessed are those servants, whom the Lord when He cometh shall find watching; verily I say unto you that He shall gird Himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them.” “I am among you as he that serveth.”—Luke 12:37; 22:27.

1:14. His head and His hairs were white like wool, as white as snow.—“The head, with its white hair, is not to teach us that our Lord in glory has the form of a man, with white hairs, but merely suggestive and symbolic of knowledge, experience, wisdom.”—Z. '01-188; Matt. 17:2.

And His eyes were as a flame of fire.—“His eyes like a flame of fire tell us in symbol that our Master is all-seeing, omniscient; that He is not deceived by outward forms and ceremonies; but that He can, and does, read every thought and intent of the heart.”—Z. '16-344; Rev. 19:12.

1:15. And His feet like unto fine brass.—“The feet, described as like furnace-refined copper, seem to say that those who belong to the Body of Christ, and whom the Lord would use in His service, ‘the feet’ members of the Body, must, in their contact and dealings with the world, be refined, purified, clean—‘Be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the Lord's house.’ ”—Z. '01-188; Ezek. 1:7.

As if they burned in a furnace.—“In the end of the Age, the feet members of the Body of Christ will be illuminated by the Truth and will shine forth—not like the Head, but as polished brass. We have shining upon us with almost burning brightness the focused rays of Divine inspiration and revelation from the past 6,000 years. How it should consume in us all the dross of selfishness! How it should purify us! How humble it should make us!”—Z. '16-344.

And His voice as the sound of many waters.—“The many waters signify peoples, nations and languages, as elsewhere explained in this book. Thus our Lord, present with His Church, speaks to her and through her by many tongues, in many languages.”—Z. '01-188; Rev. 19:6.

1:16. And He had in His right hand.—“This One whom we thus know, thus recognize, as the Instructor and Caretaker of the candlesticks, we are also to recognize as having in His right hand—in His favor as well as His power—seven stars, the angels, the messengers, of the seven Churches. That they are in His right hand seems to teach us that these should be considered as in some special sense under the Master's guidance, protection and care in the interest of the Churches which they represented.”—Z. '16-345; Jer. 22:24.

Seven stars.—“Apparently the stars represent special ministers, or servants of the Church. In Revelation 12:1 the Church is pictured as a Woman crowned with twelve stars. These stars evidently represent the Twelve Apostles as the special lights of the Church. Similarly, in the picture before us, the seven stars which the Lord holds in His right hand seem to represent special light-bearers in the Church—in each of its seven phases, or stages, of development. It will be noticed that the messages to the various Churches are sent by these stars, messengers, angels, as though our Lord would have us understand that the appropriate message for each appropriate epoch in the Church's experience would be sent by the Lord through a particular star, or messenger, whom He would especially commission as His representative. Our Lord Himself is represented by the great light of the sun; and His special messengers in the Church throughout the entire period of the Gospel Age are consistently enough represented as stars.”—Z. '16-345; Rev. 1:20.

And out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword.—“No part of the description could more thoroughly convince us that the description of our Lord given here is symbolic. As a symbolic picture, it speaks to us of the Word of the Lord, the Sword of the Spirit, ‘sharper than any two-edged sword.’ (Eph. 6:17; Heb. 4:12.) It reminds us that our Lord's words are not one-sided, not directed merely against sin in one class, but that His Word is sharp, cutting in every direction; that sin is reproved by Him as much when found in His most earnest followers as when found elsewhere. It assures us that none need attempt to pluck out the mote from his brother's eye without first getting rid of the beam in his own eye; and that if we do not show mercy to those who are our debtors we must not expect mercy from Him who has purposed to extend His mercy toward us. How heart-searching is God's Word when we understand it—not merely as a compendium of rules and regulations, but when we catch the spirit of it! Then we come to see that its requirement is love out of a pure heart; first, to the Heavenly Father; secondly, to our Lord and Head; thirdly, to all His brethren; fourthly, to the world in general, groaning and travailing in pain, waiting for the blessings of the coming Day of Christ; and fifthly, toward our enemies also, sympathetically realizing that they are warped, twisted and blinded through the deceitfulness of sin and through the machinations of the great Adversary.—2 Cor. 4:4.”—Z. '16-345; Rev. 2:12, 16; 19:15, 21; Isa. 11:4.

And His countenance [was as the sun] shineth AS THE SUN in his strength.—“And his face was as it were the sun.”—Rev. 10:1; Acts 26:13.

1:17. And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead.—“So great was the splendor that St. John fell as dead, just as Daniel did in the presence of the mighty One whom he saw, and just as Saul of Tarsus did before the majesty presented to him. (Dan. 10:4-11; Acts 9:3-9.) So it is symbolically with the Christian, when once he gets a glimpse of the glories of the Divine Character. When once we get a true view of Him with whom we have to do, as the great Heart-searcher and Caretaker of His Church, we fall before Him, humbled to the dust, realizing that we are imperfect, that we cannot stand before our Master, that we are unworthy of His blessing.”—Z. '16-344; Ezek. 1:28.

And He laid His right hand upon me.—“As our Lord touched St. John gently, raising him up, so He has spoken to us comfort, peace and love, assuring us that we have a High Priest that can be touched with a feeling of our infirmities, One who is able to sympathize and mercifully to assist.”—Z. '16-345.

Saying [unto me, Fear not]; I am the First and the Last.—“We must recognize that our Lord is the One who was the beginning of the creation of God and the end of it, the One by whom are all things, next to the Father in everything pertaining to the affairs of the Universe.—Col. 1:15; Rev. 3:14; John 1:1-3; 1 Cor. 8:6.”—Z. '16-345; Rev. 1:11; 2:8.

1:18. I am He that liveth, and was dead.—“The Lord now liveth, and in order to appreciate this we understand that He was dead for parts of three days—not merely apparently dead, but actually dead—His soul poured out unto death, made an offering for sin.—Isa. 53:10-12.” (Z. '01-189.) “It was because Christ's soul (being) was dead that the Apostles could declare that unless His soul, being, were made alive again by a resurrection there could be no hope in Him as a Savior and a Life-giver.”—Z. '01-122.

And behold, I am alive for evermore, [Amen].—“Death has no more dominion over Him. (Rom. 6:9.) Neither sacrifices of the Mass nor death in any sense or form ever will be needed. His work is perfect. ‘It is finished!’ ”—Z. '16-345; John 19:30.

And have the keys of [hell] DEATH.—“He has the key, the power over death, in order that those who have not yet gone into the tomb, but who are under the death sentence, may all be ultimately delivered into the full liberty of the sons of God—righteousness and life everlasting.—Rom. 8:21.”—Z. '16-345.

And of [death] HELL.—“These words imply that the Lord's people go to Hades, and that the hope when going down to Hades, to oblivion, is that in due time our great Redeemer shall unlock this figurative prisonhouse of death and bring forth the captives. This is the significance of the statement that He has the keys—He can open; all power is given into His hand. In preaching at His First Advent, He declared this to be the Gospel. (Isa. 61:1; Luke 4:18.) How full of meaning are these Scriptures when viewed from the proper standpoint; how confusing and absurd when viewed from any other!”—E. 397, 378.

1:19. Write THEREFORE the things which thou hast seen.—John was personally familiar with the first epoch, then already in the past. What he wrote of that epoch (Rev. 2:1-7) serves as a guide to what follows.

And the things which are.—John was writing in the second epoch, already in its persecution era.—Rev. 2:8-11.

And the things which [shall be] MUST SHORTLY COME TO PASS hereafter.—The five remaining epochs of the Church, and the Kingdom to follow.

1:20. The mystery of the seven stars.—Every true reformer must go contrary to the current of his times; and, in proportion as he has the Master's spirit, he cannot fail to be, like Him, a man of mystery to his own generation—“a Stone of Stumbling and a Rock of Offense”—to those who have not “ears to hear.”

Which thou sawest in My right hand.—Small wonder that these great reformers seemed almost to have charmed lives!

And the seven golden candlesticks.—“The Candlestick, or Lampstand, represents the nominal, rather than the true Church. This is shown by the fact that in addressing each of these churches the Lord finds fault with the many and approves the faithful few.”—Z. '16-344.

The seven stars.—“The star-light is the Heavenly light, the spiritual enlightenment or instruction. The lamp-light is the earthly light, representing good works, obedience, etc., of those who are exhorted to let their light so shine that it will glorify their Father in Heaven.”—Z. '16-345.

Are the angels of the seven churches.—“The title is borrowed from the Jewish Synagogue, in which the angel, or messenger of the assembly, was the person who presided over and arranged the meetings for worship.” (Cook.)—Mal. 2:7; Hag. 1:13.

And the seven candlesticks [which thou sawest] are the seven churches.—“Alas! The Master evidently found but few good works, little glorifying light shining out from His earthly representatives in many of the seven epochs of the history of the Church.”—Z. '16-344; Rev. 1:12; Zech. 4:2.

Revelation 2—St. Paul, St. John, Arius And Waldo

2:1. [Unto] BY the angel.—The special messenger in the Harvest of the Jewish Age was St. Paul. A Hebrew of the Hebrews (Phil. 3:5), he was a free-born Roman citizen (Acts 22:25-29), highly educated (Acts 22:3), spoke Greek (Acts 21:37) and Hebrew (Acts 22:2), and was presumably a member of the Sanhedrin at the time of St. Stephen's death. (Acts 7:58; 8:1; 26:10.) Chosen before his birth (Gal. 1:15), he was supernaturally inducted into the Body of Christ (Acts 9:1-22) to take the place of Judas (Psa. 109:8; Acts 1:20), was privately instructed in the fullness of the Gospel (Gal. 1:11, 12, 17), was specially commissioned to explain this Gospel to the brethren at Jerusalem (Gal. 2:1, 2), did not hesitate to correct the erring Peter (Gal. 2:11), was acknowledged by St. Peter as filled with Heavenly wisdom (2 Pet. 3:15, 16), wrote over half of the books of the New Testament, carried the Gospel into Europe (Acts 16:9), supported himself with his own hands while he preached (Acts 20:32-35), and suffered almost unbelievable hardships of every description—besides having “the care of all the churches.” (2 Cor. 11:24-28.) What a service and honor, here and hereafter, Judas missed by his love of money! St. Paul was beheaded by Nero, A. D. 66.

Of the church [of] IN Ephesus.—The first age of the Church began at Pentecost in the spring of A. D. 33, and ended in the spring of A. D. 73. “It may be proper to mention also what things occurred that show the benignity of that all-gracious Providence, that had deferred their destruction for forty years after their crimes against Christ.” (Eusebius' Ecclesiastical History.) “On the 15th of Nisan, i. e., of April, in the year 73 A. D., the first day of the Easter festival, the same day on which, according to tradition, the God of Israel had led His people out of Egyptian bondage into freedom, the last bulwark of Israel's liberty had fallen, and Israel was delivered into bondage.” (Cornil's History of the People of Israel.) “Masada attained great importance in the war with the Romans.... With the fall of Masada the war came to an end, on the 15th of Nisan, 73.” (The Jewish Encyclopedia.) “The capture of Masada, a Jewish fortress on the southwestern shores of the Dead Sea, put a termination to one of the [pg 024] fiercest struggles recorded in history (73 A. D.)”—Morrison's Jews Under Roman Rule.

“Judea was not entirely subjugated; for three strong fortresses were still in arms: Herodium, Machaerus, and Masada.... The heroes agreed to this proposal (of their leader Eleasar) even with enthusiasm, and on the first day of the great Feast of the Passover (A. D. 73), after slaying their own wives and children, they all perished on their own swords.” (Graetz's History of the Jews, Vol. 2.) “Eleasar accordingly persuaded all his people during that night to kill their wives and children and then themselves, but to burn all their treasures first. The next day the Romans found only 960 dead bodies, whilst but two women and five children hid themselves in caverns and were discovered. The Easter of the year 73, just seven years from the beginning of the great movement and 40 years after Christ's crucifixion, saw this end of the whole tragedy.” (Ewald's History of Israel, Vol. 7, which is entitled “The Apostolic Age,” and which Prof. Ewald makes to end with the year A. D. 73.) Josephus also relates that Masada fell on the 15th of Nisan, April, A. D. 73; but the quotation is too lengthy to be inserted here.

The meaning of the word Ephesus is “permission,” which, understood as “approval,” harmonizes well with the tradition that the meaning is “desirable.” Anything that has approval is desirable.

Write.—St. Paul wrote a third of the New Testament.

These things saith He that holdeth the seven stars in His right hand.—“In the first chapter we have a description of ‘One like unto a son of man.’ Some one or more of the features of this description are mentioned in connection with each of the successive stages of the Church.”—Z. '16-346; Rev. 1:16, 20.

Who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks.—“We could not doubt the love and care of our glorified Head even if He had given us no explicit declaration on the subject.” (F. 401; Rev. 1:13; Lev. 24:2-4.)

2:2. I know thy works.—The early Christians “took joyfully the spoiling of their goods” (Heb. 10:34); in “great trial of affliction” they abounded in joy, and in “deep poverty” were liberal “beyond their power.” (2 Cor. 8:2, 3.) They were living epistles, “known and read of all men.”—2 Cor. 8:2, 3.

And thy labor.—Considered as betrayers of the Jewish faith; living in the midst of heathen idolatry, without railways, steamships, automobiles, bicycles, telegraphs, telephones, printing, postal service, electricity, gas, or kerosene—in the midst of densest ignorance and basest morals—the [pg 025] early Christians traversed the seas and lands of the known world, braving floggings, stonings, hunger, thirst, cold, nakedness and martyrdom, that they might tell the good news of the coming Kingdom.—2 Cor. 11:24-27.

And thy patience.—Hupomonee. “An endurance of wrong or affliction with contentment, without rebellion of will, with full acquiescence in the Divine Wisdom and Love.”—Z. '01-115.

And how thou canst not bear them which are evil.—“How much earnestness it produced in you! what an apology! what indignation! what earnest desire! what zeal! what a punishment! In everything you proved yourselves to be pure in this matter.” (2 Cor. 7:11, Diaglott.) “Sufficient for such a person is this punishment, which was inflicted by the majority; so that, on the other hand, you ought to forgive and comfort him, lest such an one should be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. Wherefore I entreat you publicly to confirm your love towards him.”—2 Cor. 2:6-8, Diaglott.

And thou hast tried.—Made experiment of, Greek implies.

Them which [say they are] CALL THEMSELVES apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars.—“Giving out that himself was some great one,” like the clergy of other times, Simon Magus sought “also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Spirit,” but learned that he had “neither part nor lot in this matter” because his heart was “not right in the sight of God.” (Acts 8:9-24.) Also, there were “certain men which came down from Judea” (Acts 15:1, 2), the “false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ” in Corinth (2 Cor. 11:12-15); “Hymenaeus and Alexander” (1 Tim. 1:20); “Philetus” (2 Tim. 2:17); those who would “pervert the Gospel of Christ” in Galatia (Gal. 1:7); “Phygellus and Hermogenes.”—2 Tim. 1:15; Acts 20:28-30; Rev. 2:6.

2:3. And [hast borne and] hast patience.—Hupomonee, constant, cheerful endurance.

And ALL AFFLICTIONS AND HAST BORNE for My name's sake [hast labored].—“And hast suffered on account of My name.” (Diaglott.) “As concerning this sect, we know that everywhere it is spoken against.” (Acts 28:22.) The natural course is, hatred, slander, then murder. (Matt. 5:21, 22.) It is said that Peter was crucified with head downward (A. D. 70); Andrew was crucified on a cross decussate (X); James was murdered by Herod (A. D. 44), (Acts 12:2); Bartholomew was first flayed alive and then crucified with his head downward; Matthew died a martyr (supposedly); Thomas was impaled on a spear; [pg 026] James the son of Alphaeus was thrown down from the Temple and was then stoned, and his brains dashed out with a club; Simon Zelotes was crucified; Paul beheaded.

And hast not fainted.—“Let us not be weary in well doing: for in due time we shall reap, if we faint not.” (Gal. 6:9.) “Consider Him that endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.”—Heb. 12:3.

2:4. Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee.—The Lord's nominal people of the Apostolic Age.

Because thou hast left thy first love.—“I marvel that ye are so soon removed from Him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel.”—Gal. 1:6.

2:5. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen.—“Call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions; partly, whilst ye were made a gazing stock both by reproaches and afflictions; and partly, whilst ye became companions of them that were so used.”—Heb. 10:32, 33.

And repent, and do the first works.—“Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward.”—Heb. 10:35.

Or else I will come unto thee [quickly], and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.—The nominal church was in grave danger of being disowned and rejected. “By far the larger proportion were not consecrated to death, not of the Royal Priesthood, but merely Levites, doing the service of the Sanctuary, but not sacrificing.”—T. 118.

2:6. But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitanes.—“Conquerors of the people”—the clergy.—Rev. 2:15.

Which I also hate.—When the Lord's people hate the idea of a class that seeks to be “lords over God's heritage” (1 Pet. 5:2, 3), they hate something that the Lord hates.

2:7. He that hath an ear.—To receive and understand the voice of God through His Word.—Matthew 11:15; 13:9, 43; Rev. 13:9.

Let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.—“If they have persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept [observed, ‘heard’] My saying, they will keep yours also.”—John 15:20.

To him that overcometh.—See 1 John 2:13, 14.

Will I give to eat of the tree of life.—“All the trees in Eden were trees of life, and the overcomers of the Gospel Age shall have full liberty to partake of ‘the tree of the knowledge of good and evil’ when the knowledge will be of benefit to them, and not bring a curse.”—Z. '16-346.

Which is in the [midst of the] Paradise of God.—“Paradise, the garden of God, was applicable as a name to the Garden of Eden, in which our first parents resided while they were still in harmony with God, before their disobedience; and the same term is Scripturally applied as a name to the new earth when restitution blessings shall, during our Lord's Second Presence (the Millennium), have brought it to perfection as the fit abode of those who, under Divine favor, shall then prove worthy of life everlasting. It is this same Paradise of the future on this earth that our Lord referred to when addressing the penitent thief, and that is elsewhere referred to as ‘the third heaven’—‘new heavens and a new earth.’ (2 Cor. 12:2, 4; 2 Pet. 3:13.)”—Z. '01-198.

2:8. And [unto] BY the angel.—The mouthpiece of the Lord to the second epoch of the Church was St. John himself. He was the one whom Jesus specially loved (John 13:23; 20:2; 21:7, 20); to him Jesus committed His choicest earthly possession (John 19:26); length of days were implied in the Lord's statement, “If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee?” (John 21:22.) He died at Ephesus at the age of 100, four years after writing the Apocalypse. Polycarp, Ignatius and Papias, his disciples, record that he was a tower of strength to the Church when the Roman Emperors Nero, Domitian and Trajan were endeavoring to destroy the hated sect. When all his capacity to work was gone, and he had no strength even to stand, he used to be carried into the Christian assemblies where he would repeat the exhortation, “Little children, love one another.” “The end of the commandment is love” (1 Tim. 1:5); and it is significant that the epoch of the Church especially under St. John's faithful and loving care receive no reproof whatever from the Lord.

Of the church in Smyrna.—Greek, myrrh. The word means “bitter,” and, as applied to the history of the church from A. D. 73 to 325, is peculiarly appropriate. This era comprised persecutions under Nero, when Christian women were soaked with tar and burned as torches to light the path of his chariot; under Domitian, in the year 95, when 40,000 suffered martyrdom; under Trajan in the year 100; under Antoninus; under Severus in the year 127, when beautiful and amiable young women were stripped naked before insulting mobs and gored to death by wild cattle; under Maximinus in A. D. 235; under Decius in 250, when all Christians were driven from their estates; under Valerian in 257; under Aurelian in 274; and under Diocletian in A. D. 303.

Write.—St. John wrote more of the New Testament than any other except St. Paul.

These things saith the First and the Last.—“In no other sense or way could He be the First and the Last than as the only direct creation of the Father, through whom all else was created. Any other view would be in conflict with the Scriptures. (Rev. 3:14; Col. 1:15; 1 Cor. 8:6; John 1:1-3, Diaglott.)”—Z. '16-346; Rev. 1:11, 17.

Which was dead, and is alive.—This, in itself, must have been a message of comfort and hope to the suffering martyrs.—Rev. 1:18.

2:9. I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty.—“Some of the most sublime pictures of Christian endurance that the world has ever seen were enacted during the Smyrna period of the Church.”—Z. '16-346.

But thou art rich.—“The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich.”—Prov. 10:22; Luke 12:21; 1 Tim. 6:18; James 2:5.

And I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not.—“ ‘They are not all Israel which are of Israel.’ (Rom. 9:6, 7.) ‘He is not a Jew which is a Jew outwardly, neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh; but he is a Jew which is one inwardly, and circumcision is that of the heart.’ ”—Z. '99-68.

But are the synagogue of Satan.—“Sold under sin, by our first parent, Adam, his family became ‘slaves of sin’ through the weakness of heredity. (Rom. 5:12, 21; 6:16-23; 7:14; 8:20, 21.) In this captive condition they have been blinded by the god (ruler) of the present evil world (condition) who puts evil before their minds as good, and darkness for light. (2 Cor. 4:4; Eph. 6:12; Isa. 5:20.) He has general control; first of the masses through ignorance; and secondly, of the more intelligent through pride, selfishness, etc.”—E. 205, 189.

2:10. Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer.—Some were covered with the skins of wild beasts and torn in pieces by devouring dogs; some were tortured in red-hot iron chairs; the throats of Christian infants were cut; and edicts were published in all places against the Christians, who were exposed, without protection, to the common rage.—Matt. 10:22.

Behold, the Devil.—“It is because there are such beasts as lions, bears and leopards, with known characteristics, that governments were likened to them; and so, it is because there is a Devil, with known characteristics, that the fourth empire is likened to him.” (A. 259.) The Devil used the Roman empire as an instrument.

Shall cast some of you into prison.—Restrain your liberties and opportunities for service.

That ye may be tried.—“Those who have read the history of this period can understand the depths of these words.”—Z. '16-346; Jas. 1:2, 3; 1 Pet. 1:6, 7.

And ye shall have tribulation ten days.—“The ten symbolic days refer to the last and most severe persecution under the Roman Emperors—that of the reign of Diocletian, A. D. 303-313.” (Z. '16-346.) “This persecution continued from February 23, A. D. 303, to June 13, A. D. 313. It began in Nicomedia, and became universal. Some were impaled alive; some had their limbs broken, and were left to expire. Some were roasted by slow fires; some suspended by their feet with their heads downward, and, a fire being placed under them, were suffocated by the smoke. Some had melted lead poured down their throats; the flesh of some was torn off with fingers and toes. Houses filled with Christians were set on fire. Numbers of Christians were tied together and thrown into the sea. Seventeen thousand were slain in one month; and during the continuance of this persecution in Egypt alone 144,000 Christians died by violence, besides 700,000 that died through the fatigues of banishment or the public works to which they were condemned. Coins were struck, and inscriptions set up recording the fact that Christian superstition was now utterly exterminated.”—McC.

Be thou faithful unto death.—“It is required of all consecrators that they shall ‘die daily,’ and that the end, with us as with our Lord and Head, shall be literal death. As it is written: ‘I have said, Ye are gods [elohim—mighty ones], all of you sons of the Highest; yet ye shall die like men, ye shall fall like one of the princes’—not like Prince Adam, convicts; but like Prince Jesus, participators in His death. (Psa. 82:6, 7.)”—F. 444.

And I will give thee a Crown of Life.—“The Apostle James speaks of the same crown and calls it the Crown of Life. (Jas. 1:12.) The Apostle Peter speaking of the same calls it the Crown of Glory. (1 Pet. 5:4.) The thought at the bottom of each of these expressions is the same; namely, the custom in olden times of running races and the giving of a crown to the successful runner at the end of the course. Our reward will be the Crown of Life in the sense that we shall get life on the highest plane, inherent life, immortality. It will be a Crown of Righteousness in the sense that only those who are approved of God as righteous will thus be rewarded and glorified—the righteousness of the Lord fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit.”—Z. '03-190; Rev. 3:11; 2 Tim. 2:15; Isa. 62:3; Phil. 3:14.

2:11 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; he that overcometh.—The overcomer of this Gospel Age only.

Shall not be hurt of the Second Death.—His victory is eternal.

2:12. And [to] BY the angel.—The messenger whose testimony was of special value to the Church while the Papacy was rising into power was Arius. He “maintained that the Son of God was totally and essentially distinct from the Father; that He was the first and noblest of those beings whom God had created—the instrument by whose subordinate operation He formed the Universe; and therefore inferior to the Father both in nature and dignity.” (Buck.) “The controversy spread like a flame throughout the empire. Accordingly the first ecumenical council was held at Nice, A. D. 325, consisting of 318 bishops, most of whom were from the East. The gist of the question to be settled by the Council of Nice lay in the argument of Arius: ‘The Father is a father; the Son is a son; therefore the Father must have existed before the Son; therefore once the Son was not; therefore He was made, like all creatures, of a substance that had not previously existed.’ The creed, as finally adopted, condemned the heresy of Arius and fixed the doctrine as it has been held in the church to this day. Of all the bishops only Thomas of Marmarica, and Secundus of Ptolemais, held out against the threat of banishment by the Emperor. Arius was excommunicated and banished, and his books burnt.”—McC.

“From the time the Nicene Creed was promulgated and accepted, A. D. 325, there was practically no more Bible study for over twelve centuries. During all that time Bible study was considered unnecessary, because the Apostolic Bishops had formulated the creeds as proper statements of the Church's faith. To study the Bible would have meant the studying of how to fight against the Emperor and the bishops.” (Z. '15-253.) “As a result of the failure of these bishops to stand by the Word of the Lord, God's people for centuries have been confessing a Divine trinity, which is incomprehensible; and meantime been neglecting the trinity taught by the Bible, which is more reasonable. If the trinity of the creeds was questioned, hands were lifted in horror, and the questioner was told that the subject was a mystery, which he could not possibly understand, but to doubt which would mean his damnation! The mysterious proposition was sometimes stated to be 3 × 1 is 1; but others stated [pg 031] it differently, 1 × 3 is 1. No wonder if some of the more intelligent specimens of our race declared themselves incapable of understanding such mathematics, and too honest to confess and profess what they could not believe!” (B. S. M.) The witness of Arius created a profound impression. “The doctrine was carried, in the fifth century, into Africa, under the Vandals; and into Asia, under the Goths. But it sunk almost at once, when the Vandals were driven out of Africa, and the Goths out of Italy, by the arms of Justinian. However, it revived again in Italy, under the protection of the Lombards, in the seventh century, and was not extinguished till about the end of the eighth. Arianism was revived in the West by Servetus, in 1531, for which he suffered death.”—Buck.

Of the church in Pergamos.—From Purgos, a tower or citadel. “The name was originally given to a remarkable hill, presenting a conical appearance when viewed from the plain, and strongly fortified by nature and art.” (S. B. D.) Concerning the literal city of Pergamos, of which the rising Papacy was the antitype, we read, “The sumptuousness of the princes raised Pergamos to the rank of the first city of Asia as regards splendor. It was a sort of union of a pagan cathedral city, a university town, and a royal residence, embellished during a succession of years by kings who all had a passion for expenditure and ample means of gratifying it.”—McC.

From the witness by Arius in 325 to the witness by the next special messenger of the Church was the long period of 835 years; and during all that time the Papacy was slowly rising, pushing itself higher and higher. “The first ecumenical council of Nice (325), in its sixth canon, makes only an incidental mention of the Roman bishop. The first pope, in the real sense, was Leo I (440-461). The bishops of the African and the Spanish churches submitted to his demands, and he gained an important foothold even in the East. In Gaul, however, he met with a most determined resistance. Gregory I (590-604) saw that the bishops of Rome could not enjoy the ecclesiastical supremacy at which they aimed until they threw off their political dependency. The triumph of the Catholic Church over Arianism in Spain greatly promoted his plans; but he did not as yet actually possess the power of the mediaeval popes. In the seventh and eighth centuries a series of important events gave the popes a high and influential position among the secular governments of the world. The actual power was, however, for several centuries, not commensurate with their claims and aspirations. In 1073, Hildebrand (Gregory VII), after being for [pg 032] about twenty-five years the guide of the Papal policy, boldly set forth the theory of a theocratic rule of the pope over all the nations of the world. The period from Gregory VII onward is an almost continuous conflict between the popes and the secular governments, during which the former, with an iron firmness, endeavored at first to destroy the direct influence of the princes upon the church, and secondly, to subject all secular governments to the church. This conflict was ended by the Concordat of Worms (1122), by which Emperor Henry V, after the precedence of the governments of England and France, surrendered ‘to God, to St. Peter and Paul, and to the Catholic Church, all right of investiture.’ ” (McC.) The Pergamos (“earthly elevation”) era ended in A. D. 1160, as will be shown.

Write.—Arius' writings were destroyed by Constantine.

These things saith He which hath the sharp sword with two edges.—How the sharp sword, God's Word, wielded by Arius before the Emperor and his brother elders at the Nicean Council, must have cut some of them to the heart when they saw the gentle and aged man (Arius was old at the time the controversy arose) banished into the Balkan mountains, one of the most inhospitable places in the world!—Isa. 11:4, 49:2; Hos. 6:5; Eph. 6:17; 2 Thes. 2:8.

2:13. I know [thy works, and] where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is.—“During this period, the true Christians were tested and proved by the introduction and development of Pagan and Papal ideas. The Pagan priests, unwilling to lose their positions of honor and influence amongst the people, while nominally professing Christianity, brought their former ideas with them into the Christian Church.” (Z. '16-346.) The word seat is rendered throne in Lu. 1:32, and refers to Satan's “hellish parody of the Heavenly Kingdom.”—Cook.

And thou holdest fast My name, and hast not denied My faith, [even] in those days wherein Antipas was My faithful martyr.—Throughout all the western part of Europe the Bishop of Rome finally came to be called the papa, or pope, or Father of the church. “Whoever denounced this attempt to disobey the direct command of Jesus (Matt. 23:9), received the promised persecution. (2 Tim. 3:12.) This class in Pergamos is commended by our Lord under the symbol of ‘Anti-pas, My faithful martyr.’ In Greek, anti- means against, and papas signifies father.”—Z. '16-347.

Who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.—We can give but a partial list of the popes who served from the condemnation of Arius to the end of the Pergamos epoch; but it will be instructive to those who trust in human ordination and are in sympathy with the efforts of [pg 033] present-day clergy to get some of the special spirit that is supposed to be imparted by the laying on of hands of these “successors of St. Peter,” or those to whom they imparted their “authority.” “Saint” Gregory I, pope 590-604 A. D., was the great-great-grandchild of Pope Felix II. When Phocas murdered Emperor Maurice and ascended the throne, Gregory wrote, “The Almighty has chosen you and put you on the throne. Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth leap for joy.” Phocas was not ungrateful and in return established the supremacy of the see of Rome over all the other sees. Gregory was the discoverer of Purgatory, it having been revealed to him by means of “apparitions” and visions. See middle of page [127].

Honorius I, 625-638, has been condemned as having taught a heresy ex cathedra (officially). The interest in this lies in the fact that in 1870 the Vatican Council declared the infallibility of all the popes in their ex cathedra utterances. But the pope who declared Honorius a heretic did it ex cathedra also. Hundreds of “learned” volumes have been written in the effort to make this pretty snarl clear to the Roman clergy. It is clear enough to others. “Saint” Agathon, 678-682, claimed to be a miracle worker. He was the infallible pope who denounced the doctrines taught by infallible Honorius I. “Saint” Nicholas I, 858-867, “tamed kings and tyrants, and ruled the world like a sovereign; to the wicked and unconverted he was a terror.” So says a Catholic historian. John VIII, 872-882, must have seriously offended one of the “brethren” at the Vatican; for that dignitary first tried to poison him, and as the poison did not work quickly enough, he finished the job by breaking John's head with a hammer. Stephen VII, 897-898, was offended because his predecessor had at one time gotten the papal throne away from him. Accordingly, his first act was to cause the body of Pope Formosus to be exhumed, mutilated and thrown into the Tiber. Subsequently one of the “brethren” strangled him.

Christopher, 900-903, boldly deposed his predecessor, Leo V, declaring him unfit to reign, which was doubtless true. Leo died “of grief” in prison less than forty days after he had ascended the throne. He probably had something given him to help his grief along. Christopher himself was murdered by his successor. Sergius III, 904-911, having murdered Christopher, ascended the throne and emulated the kings of earlier days. His concubine Marosia bore him several children. John X, 915-928, and Leo VI, 928-929, were both killed by Marosia, to make room for others in whom she was interested. John XI, 931-936, was the son of Marosia by Pope Sergius III. One of the “brethren” [pg 034] poisoned him. John XII, 956-964, was murdered while in the act of committing adultery. He was of licentious habits, associating with women of every station, and filling the Lateran with the noisy profanity of a brothel. Among his mistresses was Joan, popularly known in history as Pope Joan. She was a brilliant woman and actually exercised the chief influence at Rome during John's pontificate. Benedict VI, 972-973, was strangled or poisoned by one of the “saints.” Boniface VII, 984-985, was elected just after the tumult caused by the death of Benedict VI, but had to leave town to escape a similar fate, on account of licentiousness and cruelty. He remained away eleven years, returned, put Pope John XIV in prison, starved him to death and ascended the throne in his place.

Gregory V, 996-999, was poisoned by one of the “regularly ordained” clergy. Benedict IX, 1033-1045, the boy pope whose parents bought the popedom for him when he was twelve years old, was the worst monster that ever held the papal throne. Some, however, claim that honor for Alexander VI, 1492-1503, who had seven acknowledged bastards and many mistresses. Alexander tried to poison nine cardinals at one sitting so that he could sell their offices for the benefit of his brood; but a stupid servant gave him the wrong glass and he departed this life ahead of time. Benedict's vile conduct caused the Romans to expel him from the city. Silvester III was regularly elected to take his place; but after three months Benedict came back and resumed control. Shortly afterward he sold the popedom to Gregory VI, so that he might be free to marry an Italian princess. At one time there were three popes living in Rome contemporaneously, and the city was filled with brawls and murders. A fourth, Clement II, was elected, but after he had served nine months, a friend of Gregory put something into his food besides the regular seasoning; and he never awoke again. Thereupon Benedict came back and reigned three years longer.

2:14. But I have a few things [against thee].—Against the nominal church of the Pergamos epoch.

Because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam.—Balaam was a mouthpiece of the Lord, but unworthy. He desired to curse God's true people, because of the money there was in it, and finally seduced them by fornication (symbolical of union of church and state). The name Balaam means the same as “Nicolaitanes” (conquerors of the people), and refers to the money-loving, power-loving clergy. We have already noted the efforts to obtain worldly power (spiritual fornication) which characterized the Pergamos epoch. Its history also shows that the [pg 035] clergy of that time were quite as fond of money as ever Balaam was. John XX, 1024-1033, tried to sell the Roman primacy over the Eastern church for a pecuniary consideration, but failed to make the sale. “Benedict IX, when a boy of twelve years (A. D. 1033), was elected pope ‘intercedente thesaurorum pecuniae’ ”; i. e., his relatives provided the collateral necessary to secure the office for him. Gregory VI, who had had great repute for sanctity as a priest, obtained the papal chair (A. D. 1044) by purchase from Benedict IX, “who abdicated to marry a girl of noble family.” “At a council at Lyons, the archbishop and forty-five bishops confessed themselves simoniacal” (guilty of buying and selling church offices). In the reign of Lucien II, 1144-1145, the people, hoping for some relief from an intolerable condition, paraded the streets of Rome with a banner, “Caesar should have the things that are Caesar's and the priest the things that are the priest's.” Lucien thought this was a reflection upon himself, and went out in person to put down the “revolution.” The people stoned him to death.

Who taught Balac to cast a stumbling-block before the children of Israel.—“Guided by Balaam, King Balac communicated with the leading people of the Midianites, and urged that their wives and daughters should apparently fall in love with the Israelites, and introduce them to the sensuous religious rites practised by Midian. The scheme was successful. Some of the leading wives and daughters of the Midianites attracted some of the leading men of Israel to adultery, and to idol worship and orgies.” (Z. '13-297; Num. 24:14; 25:1; 31:16; 2 Pet. 2:15; Jude 11; 1 Cor. 10:8.) The words “cast a stumbling-block” are properly rendered, in Rotherham's translation, “throw a snare.”

To eat.—Appropriate to themselves as truths.

Things sacrificed unto idols.—Doctrines twisted, distorted and mutilated to make them agree with creed-idols.

And to commit fornication.—“Papacy perceived its own great power over the peoples of Europe, all of whom at that time ignorantly and blindly acknowledged the Roman Catholic faith. While the kings of Europe were comparatively weak, the suggestion came, ‘Now it must be God's time for setting up the Messianic Kingdom, because now we have the power.’ The answer of others was, ‘Not so. The Bible teaches that Jesus will set up His own Kingdom at His Second Advent in power and great glory, and that the virgin Church will become His Bride and Joint-heir by the power of the First Resurrection.’ The answer to this was, ‘So once we thought. But we have waited for the coming of Messiah for over 800 years; and now we have the thought that He probably wishes us to set up His [pg 036] Kingdom for Him, and in His name to reign over the kings of the earth.’ ” (Z. '16-53.) “So these Pagan priests taught the Church to indulge in spiritual fornication, and thus brought upon her the withering blight of God's wrath.”—Z. '16-346.

2:15. So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes, [which thing I hate] IN LIKE MANNER.—“The ‘doctrine of the Nicolaitanes’ (conquerors of the people) seems to be the theory of lordship or headship in the Church. (1 Pet. 5:3.) At their councils there was a bitter fight for supremacy. It was settled only by a division of the Church; the Eastern, or Greek Church, accepting the Patriarch of Constantinople for its head; and the Western, or Papal Church, acknowledging the Bishop—Pope or Father—of Rome.” (Z. '16-346.) “The sins to which Balaam allured Israel were a type of the sins to which the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes now seduce thee.”—Cook.

2:16. Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly.—Ere you reach the earthly heights to which you aspire.

And will fight against them.—The unfaithful and unrepentant church nominal.

With the sword of My mouth.—With the Scriptures, in the hands of a faithful servant. Such a servant came at that very time, as we shall see.—2 Thes. 2:8; Heb. 4:12.

2:17. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.—Not many have had the “hearing ear.” “There's just one here, one there.”

To him that overcometh will I give [to eat] of the hidden manna.—“Manna was the bread which came down from heaven as a life-sustainer for Israel. It represented the living bread, Christ Himself. One peculiarity of the golden pot of manna ‘hidden’ in the Tabernacle, marking it as the same and yet different from that supplied to the Israelites in general, was that it was incorruptible; hence it well illustrates the immortal, incorruptible condition promised to the Church.”—T. 122; Ex. 16:33, 34; Heb. 9:4; John 6:49, 50.

And [will give him] a white stone.—“In ancient times the Greeks and the Romans had a custom of noting and perpetuating friendship by means of a white stone. This stone was divided into halves, and each person inscribed his name on the flat surface, after which the parts of the stone were exchanged. The production of either half was sufficient to insure friendly aid. Thus the divided stone became a mark of identification. There is an individual and personal relationship between the Lord and the overcomers, who may be said to receive the mark of identification—the antitypical white stone—now, in this life. This mark is the sealing of the Holy Spirit.”—Z. '12-315.

And in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.—The new name signifies a new relationship to Jehovah.—Gen. 17:5, 15; 32:28.

2:18. And [unto] BY the angel.—The messenger to the fourth epoch of the Church was Peter Waldo. “Peter, an opulent merchant of Lyons, surnamed Valdensis, or Valdisius, from Vaux, or Waldum, a town in the marquisate of Lyons, being extremely zealous for the advancement of true piety and Christian knowledge, employed a certain priest, called Stephanus de Evisa, about the year 1160, in translating, from Latin into French, the four Gospels, with other books of Holy Scripture. But no sooner had he perused these sacred books with a proper degree of attention, than he perceived that the religion which was now taught in the Roman church differed totally from that which was originally inculcated by Christ and His Apostles. Struck with this glaring contradiction between the doctrines of the pontiffs and the truths of the Gospel, and animated with zeal, he abandoned his mercantile vocation, distributed his riches among the poor (whence the Waldenses were called poor men of Lyons), and forming an association with other pious men who had adopted his sentiments and his turn of devotion, he began to assume the quality of a public teacher, and to instruct the multitude in the doctrines and precepts of Christianity.

“Soon after Peter had assumed the exercise of his ministry, the archbishop of Lyons, and the other rulers of the church in that province, vigorously opposed him. However, their opposition was unsuccessful; for the purity and simplicity of that religion which these good men taught, the spotless innocence that shone forth in their lives and actions, and the noble contempt of riches and honors which was conspicuous in the whole of their conduct and conversation, appeared so engaging to all such as had any sense of true piety, that the number of their followers daily increased. They accordingly formed religious assemblies, first in France, and afterwards in Lombardy; from whence they propagated their sect throughout the other provinces of Europe with incredible rapidity, and with such invincible fortitude that neither fire nor sword, nor the most cruel inventions of merciless persecution, could damp their zeal, or entirely ruin their cause. All they aimed at was to reduce the form of ecclesiastical government, and the manners both of the clergy and the people, to that amiable simplicity and primitive sanctity which characterized the Apostolic ages, and which appear so strongly recommended in the precepts and injunctions of the Divine Author of our holy religion.

“In consequence of this design, they complained that the Roman church had degenerated from its primitive purity and sanctity. They denied the supremacy of the Roman pontiff, and maintained that the rulers and ministers of the Church were obliged, by their vocation, to imitate the poverty of the Apostles and to procure for themselves a subsistence by the work of their hands. They considered every Christian as, in a certain measure, qualified and authorized to instruct, exhort and confirm the brethren in their Christian course. They at the same time affirmed that confession made to priests was by no means necessary, since the humble offender might acknowledge his sins and testify his repentance to any true believer, and might expect from such the counsel and admonition which his case demanded. They maintained that the power of delivering sinners from the guilt and punishment of their offenses belonged to God alone; and that indulgences in consequence were the criminal invention of sordid avarice. They looked upon the prayers and other ceremonies that were instituted in behalf of the dead, as vain, useless, and absurd, and denied the existence of departed souls in an intermediate state of purification. It is also said that several of the Waldenses denied the obligation of infant baptism. They adopted as the model of their moral discipline Christ's sermon on the mount, which they interpreted and explained in the most rigorous and literal manner; and consequently prohibited and condemned in their society all wars, and suits of law, and all attempts toward the acquisition of wealth.”—Buck.

“Waldo's translation of the four gospels into French was the first appearance of the Scriptures in any modern language. The possession of these books soon discovered to Waldo that the Church was never designed to be dependent on a priesthood, even for the administration of the sacraments; and he became so obnoxious to the church that he was anathematized by the pope. No longer safe in Lyons, Waldo and his friends took refuge in the mountains, and there formed those communities from which the simple doctrines of Christianity flowed out all over Europe. Provence, Languedoc, Flanders, Germany, one after another tasted of the refreshing waters. Waldo traveled in Picardy, teaching his reformation doctrines, hundreds of years before Luther was born. He finally settled in Bohemia, where he died in 1179, the same year in which his tenets were denounced by an ecumenical council. The Waldensian Church was a light on the mountains during the Dark Ages.”—McC.

Of the church in Thyatira.—“Thyatira seems to mean ‘the sweet perfume of sacrifice.’ It was the period of Papal persecution.” (Z. '16-347.) From the time of Peter Waldo's witness in 1160 until the next special messenger to the Church appeared, 1378, was a period of 218 years.

Write.—The first translation of the Bible into a modern language—French—was the work of Waldo.

These things saith the Son of God, who hath His eyes like unto a flame of fire.—“To watch over His faithful ones as they wandered through the dark valleys or hid in the darker caves of earth.” (Z. '16-347; Rev. 1:14.) His eyes search out every secret thought.—Rev. 2:23.

And His feet are like fine brass.—“To walk by their side as they scaled the rugged mountains or wandered footsore and weary, seeking a place to plant the seeds of Truth.” (Z. '16-347; Rev. 1:15.) His feet “trample to fragments everything impure.”—Cook.

2:19. I know thy works.—The Lord remembers that Peter Waldo was the first to translate His Word into a modern language.

And charity, [and service,] and faith, and [thy] patience, and thy works.—The Lord remembers that Peter Waldo literally “sold all that he had and gave to the [Lord's] poor.”

[And] thy last works to be more than the first.—(Diaglott.) “So general and widespread became the so-called heresy that Innocent III determined to crush it out—‘exterminate the whole pestilential race’ was the language of which he made use. The commission he gave to the authorities was to burn the chief of the Vaudois (Waldenses), to scatter the heretics themselves, confiscating their property, and consigning to perdition every soul who dared to oppose the pope. Joined with ‘His Holiness’ in his relentless persecution of the Waldenses was Dominic, the father of the Inquisition. Such has been the history of the Waldenses all through the ages—subject to untold suffering from persecution; then enjoying, in the quiet valleys of Piedmont, comparative tranquility for a time; then assailed by their ever-relentless foe, the Roman Catholic Church, which has spared no pains, by fire and slaughter, and the horrors of the Inquisition, to put an end to the unfortunate victims of their violence.” (McC.) How evident it is that the followers of Peter Waldo have given a larger witness by their sufferings (their “last works”) than they did by the first works (the translation of the Gospel into French)!

2:20. Notwithstanding I have

[Because] THAT thou sufferest that woman Jezebel.—The Roman Catholic Church, as shown in parallel below:

“Elijah was persecuted for fidelity to truth and righteousness. “The Church was persecuted for fidelity to truth and righteousness.
“His principal persecutor was Jezebel, the wicked queen of Israel, who is mentioned by name as the type of the enemy of the saints.—Rev. 2:20; 2 Kings 9:7. “The principal persecutor was the apostate Church of Rome, which claims to be a ‘queen’ and ruler over Spiritual Israel.—Rev. 18:7.
“Jezebel's persecuting power was exercised through her husband, Ahab, the king.—1 Kings 21:25. “Papacy's persecuting power was exercised through the Roman Empire, to which she was joined.
“Elijah fled from Jezebel and Ahab into the wilderness, to a place prepared of God, where he was miraculously nourished.—1 Kings 17:5-9. “The true Church fled into the symbolic wilderness—or condition of isolation—to her place, prepared of God, where she was sustained.—Rev. 12:6, 16.
“Elijah was ‘three years and six months’ in the wilderness, and during that time there was no rain, and a great famine was in the land.—James 5:17; 1 Kings 17:7; 18:2. “The Church was three and a half symbolic years (a day for a year—1260 literal years) in the wilderness condition, during which there was a spiritual famine because of the lack of Truth—the living water.—Rev. 12:6; 11:3; Amos 8:11.
“After the three and a half years, 1260 days, when Elijah returned from the wilderness, the errors of Jezebel's priests were manifested, the true God was honored, and copious rains followed.—1 Kings 18:41-45. “At the end of the 1260 years the power of the Truth and its witnesses was manifested (A. D. 1799); and since then the Truth has flowed at the rate of millions of Bibles every year, refreshing the world and bringing forth fruit.”—B. 256.

Which [calleth herself] SAITH SHE IS a prophetess.—Claims to be an infallible teacher, but really has no right to teach at all—“I suffer not a woman nor to usurp authority over the man [Christ].” (1 Tim. 2:12; 1 Cor. 14:34; F. 270.) “False prophecy, fornication and idolatry are symbolized by the woman Jezebel.” (Cook.) Jezebel was a prophetess of Baal.—1 Ki. 16:31-33; 21:25.

[To teach and to seduce] AND TEACHETH AND SEDUCETH My servants to commit fornication.—Union of church and state.—Rev. 2:14; 2 Ki. 9:22; 1 Cor. 14:34.

And to eat things sacrificed unto idols.—Reverence the creed-idols set up by the various ecumenical councils.—Rev. 2:14.

2:21. And I gave her space.—Chronos, a “time,” 360 years. As noted in comments on 2:20, the prophetic “time, times and a half a time,” or three and a half times, or three and a half years, or forty and two months, or 1260 days, represent 1260 years. A single chronos or “time,” therefore, represents 360 years.

To repent [of her fornication].—Of her unfaithfulness to the Lord. During all this time “the virgin Church was enduring the hardships of the wilderness; while the apostate Church sat on the throne of her royal paramour.”—Z. '16-347.

And she [repented not] WILL NOT REPENT OF THIS FORNICATION.—The Lord foreknew that after 360 years more of living with the kings of earth, and endeavoring to gain dominion over them, the Roman Catholic Church would be unrepentant. The 360 years from Waldo's message in 1160 ended in 1520. Luther's 95 theses were placed on the church doors at Wittenberg October 31, 1517. “These he proposed not as points fully established, but as subjects of inquiry and disputation. The learned were invited to impugn them, either in person or by writing; and to the whole he subjoined solemn protestations of his high respect for the apostolic see, and of his implicit submission to his authority. No opponent appeared at the time prefixed; the theses spread over Germany with astonishing rapidity, and were read with the greatest eagerness.” (Buck.) Luther was summoned in July, 1518, to appear at Rome within sixty days. He wrote a submissive letter to the pope, requesting a trial in Germany. Meantime the German Emperor died; and the pope, absorbed in the choice of a new emperor, paid little heed to the Luther controversy.

“From the reason just now given, a suspension of proceeding against Luther took place for eighteen months, though perpetual negotiations were carried on. The manner in which these were conducted having given our reformer many opportunities of observing the corruption of [pg 042] the court of Rome, its obstinacy in adhering to established errors, and its indifference about truth, he began in 1520 to utter some doubts with regard to the Divine origin of the papal authority, which he publicly disputed with Eccius, one of his most learned and formidable antagonists. The papal authority being once suspected, Luther proceeded to push on his inquiries and attacks from one doctrine to another, till at last he began to shake the foundations on which the wealth and power of the church were established. Leo then began to perceive that there were no hopes of reclaiming such an incorrigible heretic, and therefore prepared to pronounce the sentence of excommunication against him. The college of cardinals was often assembled, in order to prepare the sentence with due deliberation; and the ablest canonists were consulted how it might be expressed with unexceptionable formality. At last it was issued, on the 15th of June, 1520. Forty-one propositions, extracted out of Luther's works, were therein condemned as heretical, scandalous, and offensive to pious ears; all persons were forbidden to read his writings, upon pain of excommunication; such as had any of them in their custody were commanded to commit them to the flames; he himself, if he did not within sixty days publicly recant his errors, and burn his books, was pronounced an obstinate heretic, excommunicated, and delivered to Satan for the destruction of the flesh; and all secular princes were required, under pain of incurring the same censure, to seize his person, that he might be punished as his crimes deserved.” (Buck.) With the excommunication of Luther, “the fat was in the fire”; and it was useless for the Roman Catholic Church to try to stem the tide of the Reformation. Her period for repentance ended with the “chronos,” 360 years, June 15, 1520.—See 3d paragraph, page [41].

2:22. Behold, I will cast her into a bed.—Not a bed of ease, but a bed of pain. See Diaglott. There where she sinned she shall suffer.

And them that commit adultery with her.—All the powers that receive her legates or that maintain representatives at the Vatican. Knowing her character, they are equally guilty.

Into great tribulation.—They are getting some now, and will get more soon.

Except they repent of [their] HER deeds.—This teaches that the present situation in Europe is the direct result of the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church.

2:23. And I will kill her children.—“Both Romanists and Protestants now freely own the relationship of mother [pg 043] and daughters, the former continually styling herself the Holy Mother Church, and the latter, with pleased complacency, endorsing the idea.”—D. 28; Isa. 57:3, 4. See p. [111].

With death.—“They shall be as though they had not been.”—Obad. 16.

And all the churches shall know.—When their secrets are laid bare by the unfolding of the deep things of God's Word.

That I am He which searcheth the reins and hearts.—In olden times the mind was supposed to be located in the reins (kidneys); and the prophecy assumes the same position. Thus David says, “My reins also instruct me in the night seasons”; “In the night his song shall be with me.” (Psa. 16:7; 42:8.) “My reins within me are consumed with earnest desire for that day.” (Job 19:27, margin.) The metaphor is appropriate to the theme.—Psa. 7:9; Jer. 11:20; 17:10; 20:12.

And I will give unto every one of you according to your works.—The light of Truth blazes most fiercely against the ecclesiastical organizations whose offenses have been greatest. As for the Papacy, “her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.”—Rev. 18:5, 6; Matt. 7:16, 20.

2:24. But unto you I say [and unto] the rest in Thyatira.—Waldenses and others outside of the Papal system.

As many as have not this doctrine.—Spiritual fornication, mixture of church and state, the special subject of the message to Thyatira.

[And] which have not known.—Comprehended, realized, entered into.

The depths of Satan.—Rome, pagan and papal.

As they speak.—“So to say,” i. e., “Satan” is a name applicable to Rome, as describing its characteristics.—Rev. 2:10.

I will put upon you none other burden.—The Lord only requires of His people obedience to the light due.—1 John 1:7.

2:25. But that which ye have already.—The truths described in 2:18.

Hold fast till I come.—Some of the light which shone upon the Waldensians has never been entirely extinguished.