used to deter men from studying the Book of Revelation. There never
cases we have no clue to their meaning. Our first step must be to read them and study them much, so as to become familiar with their outward garb, with the style of composition in which they are clothed. So studying in a prayerful spirit — we may hope that the meaning of their inward contents will be gradually made more plain to our minds.
One thing let us always remember in reading the visions of the Apocalypse. Whether we understand little or much, let us settle it in our minds as a fixed principle, that every vision in the book has a real definite meaning. The time is short. We hasten on towards a day when every page shall be unfolded and unsealed. Every knot shall be untied. Every hard question shall be solved. Then shall we see that the Revelation, like every other part of the inspired volume, was all "very good." Then shall we find that the blessing pronounced on its students was not given in vain, and that those readers whom God blesses, are blessed indeed.
2. Let us consider, in the next place, the OBJECTIONS commonly used to deter men from studying the Book of Revelation. There never have been lacking good men who have cried down the study of Revelation as unprofitable. They have spoken of it as a book too dark and mysterious for use. They have bid men to respect it as inspired — but not touch it; to reverence it at a distance, as part of the Bible — but not draw near to it or handle its contents. To this prejudice we probably owe the unhappy omission of the book from the daily calendar of lessons in the Liturgy of the Church of England. No place was found for a book to the reading of which a special blessing is promised. Truly we may say in this case, "Great men are not always wise — neither do the aged understand judgment" (Job 32:9).
Reader, when such prejudices have existed against the study of the Book of Revelation among good men — you will not wonder that the children of the world should have gone further. Men, more witty than wise, have launched sharp sayings, jests, and jibes at its students. They have not been ashamed to find a mark for witticism in
its solemn and mysterious visions. Scaliger declared that one of Calvin's wisest acts was his abstaining from writing a commentary on the book. Dr. South, a clever writer, though an unsound theologian, said, that the study of Revelation either "found a man mad — or made him so."
But, after all, what is the real worth of the objections commonly made to the study of Revelation? Let us weigh them in the balances and see to what they amount. To my own mind they appear neither so serious nor so unanswerable as is commonly supposed.
One class of objectors dislike the book because it seems to point to a coming state of things in the world, which, to their minds, is monstrous, incredible, and improbable. That God should send plagues and judgments upon the nations of the earth because of their sins against Him; that the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the captains, and the rich, and the mighty, and the bond, and the free — should really flee to hide themselves from the wrath of the Lamb; that the kingdoms of this world should really become the kingdoms of our God and of His Christ; that the saints of the Lord Jesus should ever reign upon the earth, and everything that defiles be cast out — all this is to their minds almost absurd.
"It is contrary to their common sense," they tell us. "It is a mark of a weak mind to believe it. It is extravagance. It is raving. It is enthusiasm. It cannot be! A book from which we draw such strange fanatical opinions can never be a profitable one to study."
I am not careful as to the answer to be given to such objectors. They would do well to remember that the great leading events yet to come, to which Revelation points, are in no way more astonishing than many which have already taken place in the world. The destruction of the old world by the flood — the wasting of Babylon, Nineveh, Tyre, and Egypt — the scattering of the Jews, and their perpetual preservation, notwithstanding, as a separate people — all these were things utterly improbable at the time when they were foretold. But
we know that they all came to pass. And as it has been in days gone by — so it shall be in days to come.
Men, in their pride of heart, forget that in the eyes of an Eternal God, the movements of the nations of the earth are but as the struggles of a few ephemeral insects. Yet a little time, and despotic and constitutional governments, liberal and conservative parties — all, all shall be swept away. God has said it, and with Him nothing is impossible.
As to the manner in which the great events predicted in Revelation shall be brought about — we do not pretend to explain it. There are many things which we accept as facts, and yet would find it impossible to explain. We believe the creation of all things out of nothing. We believe the doctrine of the Trinity in Unity. We believe the fact of the Incarnation. But who would dare to offer an explanation of any of these great mysteries? We have a right to regard unfulfilled prophecy in the same light. We claim belief for its facts, though the mode of their accomplishment is at present hid from our eyes.
I leave this first class of objectors here. I fear the secret spring of their arguments, in too many cases — is the dislike of the natural heart to spiritual things. The heart not taught by the Holy Spirit rebels against the idea of severe judgments against sin — a kingdom of Christ — a reign of the saints. And why? The plain truth is, that it is not so much the Book of Revelation that such a heart really objects to — as the whole Gospel of Christ and all the counsel of God.
Another class of objectors must next be noticed. These are they who deprecate the study of Revelation because of the wide differences which prevail in the interpretation of its contents, and the notorious mistakes into which interpreters have fallen. I do not for a moment pretend to deny the existence of these differences and mistakes.