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TOPIC: Gordon, Samuel Dickey - Quiet Talks About Our Lord's Return (Other Topics in this Collection)
SUBJECT: 34. The Sealed Roll
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The Sealed Roll
The third portion of the book deals with coming events. It will help us, to recall the way in which Daniel's vision came to him. There are four visions there; yet all four cover the same space of time, each beginning with the time then present, and each running to the same ending, but each presenting, or emphasizing, some special feature. Now this is the plan on which these succeeding chapters of Revelation are written. It is the same plan as in the four Gospels, where the same period of time, and the same general facts are given, but with distinct differences in each. It is much the same plan as is followed in looking at a painting, where you change position repeatedly to get a different view, and so a better understanding of the whole. It is impossible to see all sides of a building at one view. Now this is the general plan followed by John in these pages.
It is difficult to dip into this book for just a little of what it holds. The constant temptation is to run out into detail. This, of course, is not possible in this brief space. Those interested in more are referred to "Quiet Talks about the Revelation Message" when it gets into its type clothes. But we want now to get something of a clear, simple, brief idea of what is here.
There are here seven different views of the same period of time, and of the same run of events, or of some particular portion included therein. That time is the time of the great tribulation, already found in Daniel, and in the Olivet Talk. Let us turn now to these. It should be noted that in the whole book things are given as they are looked at from above. It's a great thing to get into the way of looking at our lives, and at all events on the earth, as they are looked at from above.
The beginning of all is a wondrous scene in heaven, There is a scene of great, dazzling glory, in which John sees a throne set, a wondrous Being on the throne, and worship and praise being offered continually to Him. [Note: Chapter 4.] In the right hand of Him on the throne is a book, or sealed roll. An angel calls for whoever is able or qualified to take this sealed roll and break the seals.
No one can be found qualified, until there comes forward One who bears the scars of death, a lion in strength and leadership, a lamb in character, whom we quickly recognize as our Lord Jesus. He comes forward and takes the book, so indicating that He is qualified to break open the sealed roll; and His right is acknowledged by Him on the throne, who permits Him to take the book. At this act of His a wonderful burst of praise and worship breaks out from those before the throne, and from countless thousands of angels, and the whole creation. This is the scene which introduces the sevenfold vision following. [Note: Chapter 5.]
It is of interest to stop and find out a little, if we can, about what this taking of the sealed roll by our Lord Jesus means. Following the rule that the key to everything in this Revelation book lies back in the Old Testament, we turn there now to get the key to this bit, if we can find it. That key seems to be in Jeremiah, thirty-second chapter. There is found an allusion to a simple, primitive custom of the Hebrew people in the exchange of real estate, and the claiming of property to which one is entitled. This allusion is a bit of the Hebrew clothed in Greek, which marks the book of Revelation.
The old Hebrew primitive custom was as follows:—when property was purchased the deed to the new owner was made out in duplicate, an open copy and a sealed copy. The open copy was clearly for public information, open to all; the sealed copy as clearly belonged only to the owner of the property as his evidence of ownership. If a new heir came to take possession of an estate, or in case of a dispute over ownership, the claimant who was adjudged the rightful heir or owner would be given the possession of the sealed roll, or deed. And, as so attested by the judge, he only would be properly qualified to "take" the sealed roll, break the seal, read its contents, and formally take possession of the property.
Now it is under the symbolism of this old bit of Hebrew custom that our Lord Jesus is here represented as stepping forward to take possession of the earth, and begin His reign over it. A Hebrew, immersed in the old primitive customs prevailing among his people in Palestine, would understand this allusion at once, however startled or sceptical he might be as to its significance in this connection.
The language used in the song of praise when Jesus takes the roll is significant. They say "Worthy (i.e., qualified) art thou to take the roll, and to break open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and didst purchase unto God with thy blood men of every tribe," and so on. Man had been given dominion of the earth. He had by obedience to the evil one transferred his right to him who is repeatedly called "the prince of this world." Jesus purchased them out of their slavery "unto God," back to their original owner.
Now He is about to take possession of the earth on behalf of men. This is the initial point from which begin the scenes successively depicted in these visions. There will come a time when He who is now sitting at the Father's right hand, will rise and step into action on the earth, the time of patient endurance at an end. When will that time be? No man knows; only He on the throne. But it will be a tremendous time when it comes.
But before He can take possession there must be dispossession of the claimants in possession. The events here depicted are those connected with the dispossession of the evil powers, and the taking possession of the earth by our Lord Jesus. This is the opening event in heaven of the period of time covered by these visions. The closing event in four of the seven—first, second, third, and fifth—is the same thing, a terrible earthquake, so bringing them together at that point. A fifth (the fourth) does not speak of the earthquake, but closes with what is clearly a final event, told in rhetorical figure, which fits in with the earthquake. [Note: Joh_14:14-20.] The last two give details of certain things named in the others.
Let us now look a little at each of these seven outlooks into the terrible tribulation to come.