Once again, we come to this grandest of books in the scriptures, THE Revelation of JESUS CHRIST. We make no boast or claim that we can interpret or delineate each and every verse in it as some do. We put forth no chronological schemes or futuristic scenarios that unfold at particular times as many love to display for their amazed hearers. Nor do we try to pattern our thoughts around the commonly held theories of the various mysteries contained within it. But we do believe that the overall purpose of the book, is to manifest the absolute glory of JESUS CHRIST as the KING of kings, LORD of lords, and the REDEEMER of HIS chosen people.
It is an unfortunate misuse of this book to make it into a “Biblical Fairy Tale”, even though such presentations can surely mesmerize those whose desire is to be regaled by biblical fortune tellers and predictors of the future. If a man can count every hair on the white horse’s tail and give an interpretation of each one, but misses the glory of HIM who sits astride that horse, then he has missed the whole point of the book.
In like fashion a man may fancy that he can define every “seal” which is opened but if he does not fall upon his face in adoring wonder at HIM who alone is able to open that “sealed Book” then he is blind to both the meaning of that Book and the knowledge of HIM who wrote it “within and on the backside” (Rev.5:1) JESUS CHRIST, that MAN who was “a LAMB as it had been slain” (Rev.5:6) is both the AUTHOR of that sealed Book and the ONE who is able to reveal (i.e.; open the Book) the purpose of GOD which was hidden from the foundation of the world. (see Eph.3:9; Col.1:26; 2:3 )
This Book was written within and on the backside, meaning that nothing can be added to it and because it is sealed nothing can be altered or removed from it, nor can it be seen by men apart from HIS revelation. “Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his.” (2 Tim 2:19)
Though men might behold the wonders of creation, (see Rom.1:19-21) no man could have ever had any knowledge of the true glory that surrounds the blessed GOD apart from the revelation of that glory which is seen in the MAN, JESUS CHRIST. “Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.” (1Tim 6:16) “No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.” (John 1:18) “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” (2 Cor 4:6)
Many, in the present day, are yet looking for a kingdom of flesh and blood in the same fashion that caused the Jews to reject CHRIST as KING. Yet the Kingdom which the LORD came to establish, and which was prophesied from the beginning, is a Mediatorial Kingdom over which HE rules without rival and which HE has manifested by HIS certain and complete triumph over all of HIS enemies, most especially any who might bring any accusation against those which HE came to redeem from sin’s curse and death’s grip. HE has obtained their redemption by the offering up of HIS own blood, once forever.
We read in the book of Hebrews; “It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:” (Heb 9:27) To be brought into a court of law when one is guilty of a crime or crimes is a fearful thought. Even if someone has arranged to pay the fines and penalties associated with those crimes, yet the very fact that guilt is attributed to the one standing before the bar is an unwelcome prospect. Yet if one has committed no crimes and is completely innocent of any wrongdoing then such a court holds forth no terrors and any adjudication which is made must be a delight and a vindication of those brought before it.
The latter scenario is the case of all of those who are found hidden in the righteousness of CHRIST. They are as these who are described in verse 5: “they are without fault”. Some will, no doubt, be quick to tell us that this is referring to the 144,000., which we would in no wise dispute. Yet we are certain that the righteousness of all of the saints is exactly the same, whether they have stained their garments with the blood of martyrdom or are those who are “saved by fire” (see I Cor.3:12) CHRIST’s perfect righteousness is imputed to all who are found in HIM and they are “without fault” before the throne of GOD, even as HE did no sin neither was guile found in HIS mouth. They are seen by GOD as those who have never sinned nor even been inclined thereto.
To stand at the judgment bar of GOD clad in anything else but the perfect righteousness of CHRIST is to surely perish before HIM who will not at all acquit the wicked or by any means clear the guilty. (see Nah.1:3; Exo.34:7) Yet to stand there as the “apple of HIS eye” and the one in whom HIS “soul delighteth” is a most pleasant prospect for those who have been shown that JESUS CHRIST is the RIGHTEOUSNESS of GOD and does so clothe those HE has loved from before the foundation of the world.
The basis of election is the love which the FATHER has had for all of those whom HE has given to CHRIST. “Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father,” (1Pet 1:2) does not have reference to HIS ability to see the future but rather describes the everlasting love which HE has had for them from the beginning. GOD has not randomly or haphazardly selected some of fallen mankind to be saved. Rather HE has designed the redemption of those whom HE has loved from before the foundation of the world or there was ever such a thing as a sinner.
The elect of GOD were “without fault” in CHRIST, before they were ever made subject unto vanity. (see Rom. 8:20) They were accepted in the BELOVED (see Eph. 1:1-6) before they ever fell into sin and were enveloped in nature’s night and the darkness of unbelief.
Even when they had “fallen” into this quagmire which threatened their very existence, and were found to be dead in trespasses and sins, yet they were beheld by HIM as a people “without fault” because they were hidden in the bosom of HIM who declares HIS love for them. “Now when I passed by thee, and looked upon thee, behold, thy time was the time of love; and I spread my skirt over thee, and covered thy nakedness: yea, I sware unto thee, and entered into a covenant with thee, saith the Lord GOD, and thou becamest mine.” (Eze 16:8)
There has never been a time when the sons of GOD have not been “without fault before the throne of GOD”, yet it has pleased the FATHER to manifest HIS grace in HIS creation by redeeming them from the slavery and just (according to HIS own law) sentence of death by sending HIS own SON into the world made like unto sinful flesh that HE might bear the penalty of their sin (as lawbreakers) and to “justify” them according to that same law.
All have sinned and come short of HIS glory, yet JESUS CHRIST has cancelled the sin debt of every one of those whom HE has loved. They were “without fault” by virtue of HIS love for them and their inclusion into the RIGHTEOUSNESS of CHRIST, but they are doubly so now, since they, having embraced sin, HE has taken away that sin by the offering up of HIMSELF on Calvary’s cross. The law cannot condemn them because HE has made them “without fault before the throne of GOD.”
mam