CHAPTER XI.

WE now come to some distinct visions in this book, which must be explained before passing to the explanation of the trumpets and vials. The eleventh chapter is one of these, and one of the most remarkable of revelation. Without a deep knowledge of the constitution of revelation, it would be impossible to trace its life veins as they circulate throughout the whole system; and without a clear, definite knowledge of the relation of the Church to Christ as everywhere given, it would be impossible to understand this chapter; or, I should rather say, it is one that opens to us our relation to Christ more than any other in the Bible. It seems intended expressly to open to us that great doctrine of relationship, and to guide us in tracing it throughout the inspired Word.

"And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein." The temple was a type of the Church in the fulness of the Gentiles; and this measuring was for the

Christian Church, figurative language employed from building the temple. When the spiritual temple was revealed to Zechariah, the same figurative language was used (ii. 1, 2); it seems the root of this. And the fortieth and forty-first chapters of Ezekiel very fully explain to us this measuring for the Christian temple. "But the court which is without the temple leave out, measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: And the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months." This was the Jewish Church. The spiritual structure was not to rise, but to be trodden under foot of the Gentiles. "Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled." (Luke xxi. 24.)

This is now literally ful

filled. I cannot conceive how any one can doubt the authenticity of this book, when we find every word of it rooted in the sacred writings.

" And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth." These two witnesses were Christ and the Holy Ghost. "I have given him for a witness to the people." (Isa. lv. 4.) "Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness." (Rev. i. 5.) This name was applied to Christ as the Author of the revelation that makes known to man a full and free salvation. By it, He is our Light, our Wisdom, and our Life. "Antipas, my faithful martyr "

(ii. 13). This was Christ: martyr is only the Greek word for witness. He was so called because He bore witness to the truth,-to God being the only "True," and sealed His testimony with His blood. And I have shown you how Amen means witness," These things saith the Amen; "-the God Amen;-"the faithful and true Witness" (iii. 14). And hence the remark able verse in Isaiah, "He who blesseth himself in the earth shall bless himself in the God of truth; and he that sweareth in the earth shall swear by the God of truth" (lxv. 16). This is, in the Hebrew, "The God Amen." And St. Paul saw in Christ the same faithful Witness when he wrote,-" Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession." (1 Tim. vi. 13.) See Him at that bar,-" For this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice." (John xviii. 37.) "I am the Truth" (xiv. 6). And the God Amen is, too, the faithful Witness of all ages: nothing can escape His vigilance. Thus do we see Him in the seven candlesticks, the faithful Witness of all the Churches. In the Jewish Church, He was there," I saw a watcher, and an holy one." "This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones." (Dan. iv. 13, 17.) The Holy Trinity are intended. "Son of man, I have made thee a watchman

to the house of Israel." (Ezek. iii. 17; xxxiii. 7.) The Church in Babylon learned to know this Witness for God's people; the Church in affliction learns to know Him. (Isa. xxi. 6, 9, 12.) "Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?"

And so, too, the Holy Ghost is called a Witness,— "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God." (Rom. viii. 16.) The seal of the Spirit is the witness of God. (Eph. i. 13.) "The Holy Ghost also is a witness to us." (Heb. x. 15.) “He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself." (1 John v. 7-10.) Throughout the Bible, Christ and the Holy Ghost are the witnesses for God; and by them revelation was given. The Spirit in the hearts of men was the purchase of Christ's blood; and the Word was the Spirit, inspired or begotten. And hence the revelation of God the Spirit, "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 i. 18.)

"Clothed in sackcloth," refers to the humiliation of the God-Man during the period of His work by which inspiration was purchased. "Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments." (Zech. iii. 3.) "Mordecai rent his clothes, and put on sackcloth with ashes." (Esth. iv. 1.)

"These are the two olive trees, and the two candle

(Rev.

sticks standing before the God of the earth." xi. 4.) This verse is rooted in 1 Kings vi. 23, and in Zech. iv. 3, 11, 14. I have so fully explained these two olive trees in Zechariah, that I need not go into them again here. Christ and the Holy Ghost were so called, because they give light and life to the Church, as the pure olive oil caused the lamp in the tabernacle to burn always. (Exod. xxvii. 20.) The spiritual temple is rising by the golden oil of which they are the medium of communication to a world dead in sin. (Zech. iv. 12, 6.) Hence the parable of the wise and foolish virgins.

"If any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed." This fire is the living Spirit of the inspired Word, as seen in the vision of coals of fire, in Ezek. x. "Therefore have I hewed them by the prophets; I have slain them by the words of my mouth." (Hos. vi. 5.) Inspiration came forth from the two witnesses, and if any man doeth violence to the cause of Christ, or to His Word, they will by it be judged, condemned, and by it will be passed the sentence of "the second death." There is no greater evidence of the divinity of the Word than this internal evidence of itself which pervades the whole. He must in this manner be killed: "If any man shall take away from the words of