William Burkitt Notes and Observations - Revelation 13:7 - 13:7

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William Burkitt Notes and Observations - Revelation 13:7 - 13:7


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Observe here, 1. A war proclaimed; the beast makes war upon the saints, by bloodshed and persecution, and by the force of those weapons overcomes them; that is, to outward appearance, and in the opinion of the world, they seem to be totally overcome, because visibly slain: but really do the saints overcome him, by their patience and constancy under sufferings; and by rejecting his cursed idolatry, and adhering to the truth.

Observe, 2. The large extent of the beast's power that was given him, namely, over all kindreds, tongues, and nations. This must not be understood of individual persons, nor universally of all nations, but of the nations belonging to the Roman empire: whole nations were carried away with his idolatry, though not all of every nation. Christ's flock is a little flock, compared with antichrist's herd: how wrong a note then is multitude of the right church!

Observe, 3. That as the power of the beast is universal, so is the worship also: All that dwell on the earth shall worship him, that is, the generality of the Roman empire shall obey and honour him, and comply with him in his idolatry; few comparatively refusing it.

Yet, 4. We have a number excepted, whose names are written in the book of life. Blessed by God for this comfortable restriction: all are not worshippers of the beast. Christ has his number of faithful ones, who are not defiled by antichrist's pollutions; a number whose conversations are in heaven, and whose names are written there, in the book of life, called the book of the Lamb; because it is by him, and by the merit of his blood, that we obtain eternal life.

Observe lastly, The title here given to our Lord Jesus Christ, he is styled the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world, and that in several respects:

1. In the purpose and decree of God.

2. In the promise of God made from the beginning, Gen_3:15.

3. In respect of the types, shadows, and sacrifices, whereby his death was prefigured and represented; Christ was slain typically in those sacrifices which Adam and Abel offered up unto God daily.

4. In respect of the virtue and efficacy of his death, which was effectual to all that truly believe in him, from the first promise made of him. The merits of Christ's death have saved all that have been saved from the foundation of the world.

Behold here, The tender care of God in providing for our salvation before we were, yea, before the world was; and observe also, that the saints of God, in all ages, have been saved the same way, and by the same mean, namely, by faith in the death of Christ, which has extended itself to all true believers from the beginning of the world; and the efficacy of it will reach to all such, even to the end of the world; the virtue of the sacrifice is as fresh as the first moment it was slain, the death of Christ is of eternal efficacy.