Matthew Poole on Revelation (cont.)

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Christian, we have job to do.

The Church is called to bear witness to the whole counsel of God, everything that Jesus has taught us in doctrine and precept.

That witness is not yet complete; there is progress to be made and work to be done.

Let us follow and imitate our Jesus, the faithful and true witness.

Poole on Revelation 3:15.
 
Our culture tells us that we suffer from low self-esteem. But in reality we thinks so much of ourselves, and our own thoughts, that we routinely prefer our own way to that of the Omniscient, All-wise God.

We think much of ourselves, and so it is not easy to receive criticism. However, we must humble ourselves, and receive Christ's evaluation, if we are to see ourselves as we really are...

Poole on Revelation 3:17.
 
Christian, are you feeling the chastening hand of the Lord?

Don't be discouraged? It is a sign of Christ's tender care for you. Rather, "be zealous, and repent," reorient yourself from your sin to the Savior.

Poole on Revelation 3:19.
 
The shame that we suffer for and with Christ in this life is only temporary. Soon, we will be seated with Him on the throne of His glory, reigning with Him forever!

Press on...

Poole on Revelation 3:21-22.
 
Archibald Hall's Gospel Worship: 'Yes; thou, and only thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive all glory, and blessing, and honour, and power; [cf. Revelation 4:11; 5:12] for thou hast created all things, thou art the God of the whole earth; [cf. Isaiah 54:5] and what is superlatively good to sinful men, thou art in Christ the God and Father of the church. Thine awful and amiable glories shine on men with unutterable comfort, while thou sittest on thy throne, to look upon like a jasper, and a sardine stone; and a rainbow round about thy throne, in sight like unto an emerald, Revelation 4:2-3.'

Poole on Revelation 4:2.
 
Let Christ's ministers leave off the proclamation of man-centered religion, and call the people of God to the worship of the Holy One of Israel, glorious in majesty, beautiful in purity!

Poole on Revelation 4:8.
 
Loraine Boettner's Studies in Theology: 'The book of Revelation is one sustained hymn of praise to Christ as King, setting forth the glory of His person and the triumph of His kingdom. He is declared to be "the Ruler of the kings of the earth," Revelation 1:5. He has "made us to be a kingdom, to be priests unto His God and Father; to Him be the glory and the dominion for ever and ever," Revelation 1:6. In Revelation 5 He is pictured as sitting on the throne and receiving homage and worship from all the hosts of heaven and earth. All opposition is to be utterly crushed: "and out of His mouth proceedeth a sharp sword, that with it He should smite the nations: and He shall rule them with a rod of iron. ... And He hath on His garment and on His thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS," Revelation 19:15-16,—not that He will use violence or military force, but rather that His conquest of the nations is to be accomplished by the preaching of the Gospel, as is indicated by the fact that the sword proceeds "out of His mouth;" and, continuing with the same figure of speech, while it will be an immeasurable pleasure and privilege for His people to be ruled by Him, His rule will be as complete and effective as if enforced with a rod of iron.'

Poole's Outline of Revelation 5.
 
Alexander McLeod's Messiah, Governor of the Nations of the Earth: 'Similar to this vision with which Daniel was favoured while captive in Babylon, was the representation made to John the apostle, while in his banishment in Patmos. Revelation 5:1-2, 5, 7. And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book, written within, and on the back side sealed with seven seals. And I saw a strong angel, proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book and to loose the seals thereof. And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold the lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof. And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne. The purposes of the divine mind, like a sealed book, remain to be unfolded and executed. These decrees, and the right to execute them, are Jehovah's. The book is in his hand who sits on the throne. God seeks an actual administrator of his purposes. Proclamation is made, Who is worthy to open the book? Messiah, amidst the approving shouts of innumerable intelligences, approaches the throne, and receives the important appointment. The Lamb slain, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, receives the book, and looses all its seals. Who shall refuse to acknowledge thee, O Jesus, as Prince of the kings of this earth?'

Poole on Revelation 5:1.
 
Thomas Boston's Man's Fourfold State: 'Our Lord Jesus as administrator, is, in the first place, the Trustee of the covenant; having the covenant, and all the benefits thereof, committed to his trust. Colossians 1:19, "For it pleased the Father, that in him should all fulness dwell." This greatest of all trusts, too great for any mere man or angel, our blessed Redeemer was perfectly qualified for; and so was set over the house of God, the most precious things thereof being put under his hand. What is sealed up from the highest angel, he hath access to; he is trusted to loose the seals, for he is worthy, Revelation 5:2-5. A holy jealous God put no trust in his servants, and his angels he charged with folly: for they wore fallible; there was a possibility of their betraying their trust, Job 4:18. But it pleased him to trust the blessed Jesus, that in him, as an infallible administrator, all fulness should dwell.'

Poole on Revelation 5:2.
 
Thomas Boston's "Christ, the Son of God, Gifted to Sinners": 'Ransack the earth and seas, the whole vault of heaven; go through the upper house amongst all the shining angels: no person, no thing, shall be found so suitable for our case as this gift which is given us; Acts 4:12, "Neither is there salvation in any other; for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved." Hebrew 7:25, "Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost, that come to God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them." The earth, seas, and air, afford for the back, belly, and purse; but there is nothing there to give life to a dead body, far less to a dead soul. But (1 John 5:12) "He that hath the Son, hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God, hath not life." The angels in heaven might have condoled our loss, but could not repair it like him; Ruth 4:6, "And the kinsman said, I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I mar mine own inheritance; redeem thou my right to thyself, for I cannot redeem it." Nay, they could not have shewn how to do it; Revelation 5:3, 5. But there is in Christ what is suitable to all the cases of all sinners.'

Poole on Revelation 5:3.
 
William Gurnall's Christian in Complete Armour: 'Bless God for the translation of the Scriptures. The word is our sword. By being translated, this sword is drawn out of its scabbard. What use, alas! could a poor Christian, that hath but one tongue in his head—that understands but one language, I mean, which his mother taught him—make of this sword when presented to him as it is sheathed in Greek and Hebrew? Truly, he might even fall a weeping with John at the sight of the sealed book, because he could not read in it, Revelation 5:4. O bless God that hath sent not angels, but men, furnished by the blessing of God on their indefatigable labours and studies, with ability to roll away the stone from the mouth of this fountain! And were it not sad to see the water of life brought to you with the expense of their spirits and strength (wasted in the work), to be spilled on the ground, and basely undervalued by you, so as hardly to be put into the catalogue of mercies which you praise God for? O God forbid! It cannot be, if ever you had but the sweetness of any one promise in it milked out unto you, or the power of one of its divine truths impressed on your hearts. Melchior Ad. tells us that Bugenhagius—whom Luther used, with others, for his help in translating the Bible—when the work was brought to a happy period, he was so affected with the incomparable mercy therein to the churches of Christ in Germany, that every year he invited his friends to a solemn feast that day whereon the work was finished, which they called, "The feast of the translation of the Bible."'

Poole on Revelation 5:4.
 
Jonathan Edwards' "Observations on the Deity of Christ": 'Again, it is evident, that the Spirit of God is the Spirit of Christ, as much as a person's eyes are his own eyes. Revelation 5:6, "And I beheld, and lo in the midst of the throne stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth." Alluding to Zechariah 3:9, "Upon one stone shall be seven eyes." But these seven eyes, in the next chapter, are spoken of as representing the Spirit of God, and the eyes of Jehovah: Zechariah 4:6, "Not by might nor power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord." Zechariah 4:10, "And shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel, with those seven. They are the eyes of the Lord, which run to and fro though the whole earth."'

Poole on Revelation 5:6.
 
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