the Revelation of Jesus Christ
In His capacity as mediator, our Lord receives from the Father and transmits to His servants, that they may in turn transmit to the world of men, the great panorama of the future, known to Him from before the foundation of the world. Let us not miss the special benediction which is attached to the patient reading and consideration of this wonderful book.
The seven churches represent the one Church under different phases and possibly in successive stages of its history; the letters addressed to them are therefore universally applicable. Notice the august reference to the Holy Trinity-the eternal Father, the sevenfold Spirit, and our Lord. Our Lord bore a faithful witness even to death; that death was a birth into the risen life, as ours may be; all kings are His vassals.
How wonderful it is to be told in the next verse that He loves us, and has not only washed, but loosed us, as though He had broken the terrible entail. “He breaks the power of canceled sin.” Jesus often comes with clouds. We cannot understand His dealings with us, yet those clouds are gold with His light. So He shall come at last. As Alpha He begins, but He never begins without carrying into full effect His purpose as our Omega.