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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadQuiet Talks by Samuel Dickey: Gordon, Samuel Dickey - Quiet Talks on Life After Death: 23. The Patmos Book
TOPIC: Gordon, Samuel Dickey - Quiet Talks on Life After Death (Other Topics in this Collection)
SUBJECT: 23. The Patmos Book
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The Patmos Book
John's Patmos Book begins with a wondrous look at the glorified Jesus, and then gives four looks into the upper spirit world. In that look at Jesus Himself, as seen glorified, there's the simple striking description of His person which quite overwhelms John. But when Jesus begins to talk it is the same sort of talk John was used to from his Master. The gentle right hand touches him again, and the quieting words come,
"Fear not: I am the First and Last, and the Living One; and I became dead and behold! I am alive; I am alive endlessly; and more than that, I have the keys, the absolute control, of death and of the whole spirit world, Where men go at death" (Rev_1:17-18 paraphrased). That's pretty clear unmistakeably plain talk about life after death from One whom we are disposed to trust to the last ditch.
Then there are four looks at those who are allied in heart with Jesus. In the first, those who have suffered martyrdom for His sake are seen in His own immediate presence, honored and comforted, and told to be patient a bit longer while things are working out on the earth up to the great climax (Rev_6:9-11).
In the second look, there's a vast uncountable number who have been caught up out of the great tribulation. They have been purified by the blood of Jesus. Now they are in the immediate presence of the glorified Jesus, singing rapturously, with shining faces and every mark of delight and victory and fullness of life (Rev_7:9-17). They're busily occupied in service, doing the errands and tasks assigned them, and on terms of closest intimacy with Jesus Himself.
The third of these gives the same sort of description (Rev_14:1-5). The completed number of the redeemed are in the very presence of the Lord Jesus, singing the wondrous song of the re-deemed, purified now, and in fullest fellowship with their Lord, whom they follow absolutely without question or quibble.
Then the last of these looks up into the real world, the headquarters world, comes at the last. All the church has come to love that closing bit of John's Revelation for the winsomeness of the picture drawn. John's own spirit is so stirred in this last book that his grammar has a hard time.
His native Hebrew spirit and thought have a hard time of it trying to tell out the full story in the Greek language which most of the Church he is writing to used. He actually makes new grammatical adjustments. When we see Jesus' face there'll be a good many adjustments, some of them pretty radical ones, too.
Here he sees men of the earth gathered about the Father, as a great family gathers in the evening of a long day about the fireplace in the old home (Rev_21:3-7). God and men are living together. Death is gape. Tears and pain are only a memory!
There is the sweetest intimacy between God and men, as between a father and his dear son.
Then the scene shifts out to the garden of the home (Rev_22:1-5). Here again they are all together in fine fellowship. Men are face-to-face with their wondrous Father-Mother-Saviour God. They are busily occupied with glad errands and tasks at His bidding. Sin's curse is gone. Sickness is no more. Healing is everywhere. It's one long glad daytime, in the gracious sunshine of Jesus' own presence.