John saw the mercy, the tenderness, and the love of God blending with His holiness, justice, and power.He saw sinners finding a Father in Him of whom their sins had made them afraid.And looking beyond the culmination of the great conflict, he beheld upon Zion "them that had gotten the victory...
stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God," and singing "the song of Moses" and the Lamb.Revelation 15:2, 3.
The Saviour is presented before John under the symbols of "the Lion of the tribe of Judah" and of "a Lamb as it had been slain." Revelation 5:5, 6.
These symbols represent the union of omnipotent power and self-sacrificing love.The Lion of Judah, so terrible to the rejectors of His grace, will be the Lamb of God to the obedient and faithful.The pillar of fire that speaks terror and wrath to the transgressor of God's law is a token of light and mercy and deliverance to those who have kept His commandments.The arm strong to smite the rebellious will be strong to deliver the loyal.Everyone who is faithful will be saved."He shall send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other." Matthew 24:31.
In comparison with the millions of the world, God's people will be, as they have ever been, a little flock; but if they stand for the truth as revealed in His word, God will be their refuge.They stand under the broad shield of Omnipotence.God is always a majority.When the sound of the last trump shall penetrate the prison house of the dead, and the righteous shall come forth with triumph, exclaiming, "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?" (1 Corinthians 15:55)--standing then with God, with Christ, with the angels, and with the loyal and true of all ages, the children of God will be far in the majority.
Christ's true disciples follow Him through sore conflicts, enduring self-denial and experiencing bitter disappointment; but this teaches them the guilt and woe of sin, and they are led to look upon it with abhorrence.
Partakers of Christ's sufferings, they are destined to be partakers of His glory.In holy vision the prophet saw the ultimate triumph of God's remnant church.He writes:
"I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory...stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvelous are Thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are Thy ways, Thou King of saints." Revelation 15:2, 3.
"And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the Mount Sion, and with Him a hundred forty and four thousand, having His Father's name written in their foreheads." Revelation 14:1.In this world their minds were consecrated to God; they served Him with the intellect and with the heart; and now He can place His name "in their foreheads." "And they shall reign for ever and ever." Revelation 22:5.They do not go in and out as those who beg a place.They are of that number to whom Christ says, "Come, ye blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." He welcomes them as His children, saying, "Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." Matthew 25:34, 21.
"These are they which follow the Lamb withersoever He goeth.These were redeemed from among men, being the first fruits unto God and to the Lamb."Revelation 14:4.The vision of the prophet pictures them as standing on Mount Zion, girt for holy service, clothed in white linen, which is the righteousness of the saints.But all who follow the Lamb in heaven must first have followed Him on earth, not fretfully or capriciously, but in trustful, loving, willing obedience, as the flock follows the shepherd.
"I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps: and they sung as it were a new song before the throne:...and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth....In their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God." Verses 2-5.
"And I John saw the Holy City, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband." "Her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal; and had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel." "The twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it." Revelation 21:2, 11, 12, 21, 22.
"And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and His servants shall serve Him: and they shall see His face; and His name shall be in their foreheads.And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light." Revelation 22:3-5.
"He showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations." "Blessed are they that do His commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city." Verses 1, 2, 14.
"And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, And He will dwell with them, And they shall be His people, And God Himself shall be with them, And be their God." Revelation 21:3.
