And there is the Lordship of Christ over the world, which is communicated to the Church, who are kings and priests to His God and Father, by virtue of the previous parts of blessing. This last, after the judgment of the Churches in their present state, is the subject of the book of Revelations. This state of the Churches becomes thus very important and appropriately introductory.
After the heading, and four subsequent verses of introduction, including His work, our position (i.e. as kings and priests), and His coming again, we find the announcement, that, come what would, the Lord was the beginning and ending—the Almighty.
Then we have the revelation to one cast out into the wilderness, the depository of the sorrows of the Church, and so of the providence of God—but in the Spirit, on the day typical of the rest of glory which remains. He sees Christ in the midst of the seven candlesticks; not as a servant, with his loins girt, but in holy execution of judgment as Priest, the symbols of the Ancient of Days being withal upon Him. It is not Christ on high. It is not Christ the head of one body.[1] It is not Christ
- ↑ It has therefore passed beyond the condition of the Apostolic Epistles, but not entered on the relation in which Christ stands to the world in government and lordship.
