rtf1ansiansicpg1252deff0deflang1033fonttblf0fnilfcharset0 Georgia;f1fnilfprq2fcharset0 Padua; colortbl ;red0green128blue0; viewkind4uc1pardf0fs24 par b The One Witness And The One Testimony.b0 par par cf11ulbf1fs22 Rev_19:10cf0ulnoneb0f0fs24 par par cf11ulbf1fs22 Rev_22:20cf0ulnoneb0f0fs24. par par John was overpowered with glory. It was but the glory of an angel, and the words were the words of an angel; but the glory and the words were those of one who had come from the presence of God. Perhaps he was like Peter on the mount, who knew not what he did and said. He forgets for a moment that it is written, 'You shall worship the Lord your God,' and he falls down at his feet to worship him. 'Stop!' cries the angel, 'don't worship me!' And if the holy men and women, to whom the idolatry of the Church of Rome is paid, could speak, they would say the same, shrinking back horrified at the robbery of being made equal with God. But it is to the answer of the angel, and his declaration concerning himself, that I ask your attention. par par Who am I, that you should worship me? Am I God? No, I am your fellow servantu8212?and shall the servants worship each other, and forget the Master? No, I am the fellow servant of your brethren who keep the sayings of this book (cf11ulbf1fs22 Rev_22:9cf0ulnoneb0f0fs24). No, I am the fellow servant of the prophets of old (that is, the same angel who ministered to them). No, I am the fellow servant of the prophets of old (that is, the same angel who ministered to them). No, I am the fellow servant of all who 'hold the testimony of Jesus;' for 'the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.' par par Thus then we have a proclamation made to us as to the oneness of the whole Bible. par par b I. The oneness of the TESTIFIER.b0 He is the one God. The sender of the testimony is the one Jehovah; the subject of the testimony is the one Jesus; the inspirer is the one Spirit. Through many lips He has spoken, by many pens he has written; but it is the mind, the will, the purpose, the revelation of the one God that is here. par par b II. The oneness of the MESSENGER.b0 It is intimated here that it was the one angel alone that was employed to communicate the testimony. He was sent to patriarchs and prophets of old, to apostles and brethren in later times. The instrument or medium of communication was a created being, an angel; but it was the same throughout. par par b III. The oneness of the TESTIMONY.b0 It is not many testimonies, but one; it is the word (not words) of God. It was given at sundry times and diverse manners; in fragments and portions, great and small; by many lips and pens; spread out over more than four thousand years, for it began in paradise and ended in Patmos; yet there is unity throughout, not discord or contradictionu8212?marvelous unity, which can only be accounted for on the fact that there was in reality but one writeru8212?He to whom one day is as a thousand years; and that therefore the truths enunciated are the offspring of one mind, the thoughts of one heart. This testimony bore all upon one point, one person, one work, one kingdom. It was the "testimony of Jesus;" that is, it testified of Him from first to last; for b Christ is the all and in all of prophecy, the all and in all of the Bible.b0 par par But let us consider the oneness of this testimony more in detail. par par b (1) Its oneness as to the character of GOD.b0 His is one name throughout, Jehovah. He is the Holy One; righteous, good, true; hating the sin, loving the sinner. He is King eternal, immortal, and invisible; infinite in all things; without variableness or shadow of turning. It is the same good and gracious God that you meet with at man's creation, that you meet at the close of time; it is the same holy God that you find driving Adam out of Paradise, and bringing His deluge over the world, that you find pouring out His vials upon earth, and preparing His judgments for the sons of men. par par b (2) Its oneness as to the character of MAN.b0 He was made upright, but he sought out many evil inventions. And since sin came in, we see him perpetually evilu8212?a dark understanding, a rebellious will, a heart full of sin; thinking evil, speaking evil, acting evil. His "progress" is always downward, not upward. God's testimony to man throughout the Bible is the same. Patriarch, and prophet, and apostle tell us the same thing about the evil of manu8212?and the exceeding sinfulness of sin. It nowhere hides the sins of the good; nor does it exaggerate the crimes of the evil. It bears one unvarying and undeviating testimony to man and man's heartu8212?'deceitful above all things and desperately wicked.' par par b (3) Its oneness as to the way of SALVATION.b0 That salvation is described in many aspects, under many figures and typesu8212?yet it is but one salvationu8212?one way to life for the sinner, through a death and a righteousness not his own. God's free loveu8212?the great sacrificeu8212?the sinner's faith. 'The just shall live by faith.' Salvation free, complete, present, everlastingu8212?this is the announcement of Scripture from first to last. par par b (4) Its oneness as to the SAVIOR.b0 He is the Seed of the woman; the Son of Abraham; the seed of David; the Child of Mary. He is the Man with the bruised heelu8212?finite, yet infinite; created, yet uncreated; dead, yet living forever! Through His death life comes to usu8212?through His blood cleansing comes. He is Jesus the Savioru8212?able to save to the uttermostu8212?Messiah, the Sin-bearer, the Lamb of God. Every book of the bible bears on this with marvelous concord. par par b (5) Its oneness as to the CHURCH'S HOPE.b0 It is resurrection; glory; a kingdomu8212?and all connected with Messiah. 'Behold!' was Enoch's utterance at the beginning. 'Behold! He comes with the clouds!' is John's at the close. One unvarying testimony to our eternal future. par par b (6) Its oneness as to the SINNER'S DOOM.b0 Death, wrath, woeu8212?a fearful judgment, and an endless darkness! Throughout it is the same. It began with, 'You shall die!' It ends with, 'They were cast into the lake of fire, which is the second death.' They shall have death without hope, who have refused the death of the one Substitute.par par par par b The Great Prophetic Theme.b0 par par cf11ulbf1fs22 Rev_19:10cf0ulnoneb0f0fs24. par par The meaning of this passage may be given in the two following propositionsu8212?(1) The theme of prophecy is Jesus. (2) The Holy Spirit who inspired the prophets bears testimony in them throughout to Jesusu8212?His great object in the prophecies is to bear testimony to Jesus. par par 'For' connects the two clauses thusu8212?'I am the angel that ministered to the Old Testament prophets; I now minister to you, communicating the same testimony to you as to themu8212?the one testimony of Scripture concerning Jesus. I am nothing but a creature, a fellow servant with yourself in the same work and mission, testifying to Jesusu8212?do not worship me, but that God from whom I come, to testify of His Son.' Let us take these words in their widest senseu8212? par par b I. The theme of the Bible is Jesus.b0 Not philosophy, nor science, nor theology, nor metaphysics, nor moralityu8212?but Jesus. He is the alpha and omega, the first and the last. We acknowledge Him as the theme of the Gospels; let us no less acknowledge Him as the theme of all Scripture, all inspiration. par par II. The theme of Bible-annals is Jesus.b0 Not mere historyu8212?but history as containing Jesus. Not the mere rise and fall of nations and kingdoms, but these as connected with the promised seed of the woman. par par b III. The theme of the Psalms is Jesus.b0 It is not mere poetry, Hebrew poetry, that we find in themu8212?but Jesus. It is poetry embodying Jesus; it is praise, of which every note is Immanuel. par par b IV. The theme of prophecy is Jesus.b0 It is not certain future events, dark or bright, presented to the view of the curious and speculativeu8212?it is Jesus; earthly events and hopes and fears only as linked with Him. par par What man needs, then, is Jesus; not mere knowledge or wisdom. What humanityu8212?unconsciously and ignorantly, it may beu8212?sighs for, is Jesus. What earth, ruined and accursed because of sin, groans for, is Jesusu8212?nothing less than this. No other prophet or priest or king can meet the exigencies of the race and its dwelling, the earth, but Jesus only. par par Yes, 'the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.' I might take up these words and show how they are fulfilled in the things written concerning His first and second comings. But I prefer taking them up under the two great heads.(1) Himself; (2) His work. This will embrace the whole Christology of the Bible. par par b I. Himself.b0 It is He, His own self, that shines out to us in the prophetic word. There we have His Person announced to usu8212?the God-man; Son of God, and Son of man; the Wisdom of God; the Word made flesh; the Seed of the woman; the Bruiser of the serpent's head; the man with the bruised heel; Seed of Abraham; Seed of Judah; Seed of David; Star of Jacob; Root of Jesse; the Lamb slain; the Lion of the tribe of Judah; Prophet, Priest, and King, Judge and Lawgiver. As the Creator of all things, He has relationship to the universe; as Redeemer of His chosen, He has special relationship to earth. As the Light of the world, he is connected with the present state of the world's darkness; as the Morning Star, He is connected with dawn; as the Sun of Righteousness, He is connected with the promised dayu8212?the day of the Son of man. par par b II. His work.b0 This, of course, is in correspondence with His character and person. It is prophetical work; it is priestly (or sacrificial) work; it is royal work. He is both teacher and lesson, the prophet and the prophecy; He is both priest and sacrifice, the altar and the victim; He is Kingu8212?King of kings; and all things are His, though not yet put under Him. This work is (1) past (2) present, (3) future. par par But let us mark the bearings of this work uponu8212? par par b (1) HEAVEN,b0 and the things of heaven. It has revealed God, in His love, wisdom, power, and righteousness; the three-one God, father, Son and Spirit. It has formed the great lesson for angels; for from it, and the Church redeemed by it, principalities and powers learn the wisdom of God. 'Angels desire to look into it;' and angels in Him have received their head; for He is the head of principalities and powers, and shall yet be manifested as such. He is King of heaven, seated on the throne of the universe! par par b (2) EARTH,b0 and the things of earth. Here it is that His cross once stood, and His blood was shed, and His grave was made. Truly He is connected with earth; for He was of the substance of the Virgin, and therefore linked with the dust of earth. Here it is that He has been saving sinners; redeeming to Himself a Church, a bride; preparing His kings and priests for the universe, as well as for this earth itself. It is from this earth (by virtue of His blood) that He removes the curse; it is of this earth that He says, 'Behold, I make all things new;' it is here that He is to reign as King. par par b (3) The GRAVE,b0 and its inhabitants. He did not enter the tomb merely to show that He could come out again. He entered that He might acquire power over it, in virtue of His death. He is now Lord of the grave, and Conqueror of death. 'O death, I will be your plague; O grave, I will be your destruction.' He is 'the resurrection' as well as the risen One; from Him comes the first resurrection, with all its gloryu8212?the better resurrectionu8212?the resurrection unto life. par par b (4) HELL,b0 and its possessors. He came to pluck brands from the burning; to deliver from the wrath to come; to take the prey from the mighty; to spoil the spoiler; to destroy the works of the devilu8212?him who has the power of death, the prince of darkness. He comes to bind Satan, and shut him up; to smite Antichrist, 'prince of the blood-royal of hell.' He comes to fight the last battle with Satan, when the cup of his iniquity is full; for Satan's enmity to Christ and His Church during these six thousand years is filling that cup; and though Satan has not the guilt of rejecting Him as the Savior, he has the guilt of deliberately warring with Him and His saints. par par Thus, then, Jesus is the great Bible-theme. For Him let us search the Scripturesu8212?for Jesusu8212?nothing less than Him! What do you think of prophecy? What do you think of Jesus? What do you think of the testimony to Him given by the Father and the Spirit? Shall earth be ashamed of her coming King? Shall His Church be ashamed to bear testimony to His royal prerogatives in this dark day of His absence?