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Eureka

AN EXPOSITION OF THE APOCALYPSE
Sixth Edition, 1915
By Dr. John Thomas (first edition written 1861)

 

 

Chapter 1

Section 2 Subsection 4

Symbolization of Deity in Spirit.


 
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Now, this "Apocalypse of the Sons of the Deity" is represented in the Apocalypse by different remarkable symbols. The first is that described in chap. 1:13-16, and styled "Son of Man." This does not represent an individual man. It represents Many in One. What John saw among the lightstands was a similitude or likeness, like to a Son of man. The voice John heard proclaimed the reality of this likeness to be "THE LAST" - the Spirit in the last

 

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manifestation; the ONE YAHWEH in many, Elohim. In the time of manifestation it is "the Living One," which anterior to apocalypse "was dead," but being apocalypsed, "is living for the Aions of the Aions;" and as "THE FIRST" before this apocalypse, and limited to Jesus Anointed, "had the keys of the invisible and of death" (Apoc. 1:18).

This apocalyptic plurality in victorious progress was obscurely communicated to Isaiah in the following testimonies: "Who raised up righteousness from the east, ('the kings from a Sun's risings' - the saints, called Him (that which is indicated by the symbol before us) to his foot, gave the nations before him, and made rule over kings?" (Apoc. 2:26, 27). He gave them as dust to his sword, and as driven stubble to his bow (Ephraim and Judah) (Zech. 9:13; 10:3, 4). He (the symbolical Son of man) pursued them, and passed in peace; by the way he had not gone with his feet. Who hath wrought and done this, naming the generations from the beginning (at the Bush)? To which inquiries the Eternal Spirit answers, "!hebrew! ANI YAHWEH, I who will be !hebrew! rishon THE FIRST ONE, and !hebrew! eth-acharonim, THE LAST ONES; !hebrew!, I - HE. The isles saw, and feared; the ends of the earth were afraid, drew near, and came. They helped every one his neighbor, and said to his brother, Be of good courage" (Isa. 41:2-6).

In this passage "the Last" is in the plural, but in Isa. 44:6. it is used in the singular, according to the formula, "Thus saith YAHWEH, king of Israel, and his (Israel's) redeemer, YAHWEH, Tz'vahoth (or, HE who will be of hosts, that is, 'COMMANDER' of them, ch. 55:4). I THE FIRST ONE and I THE LAST ONE; and without me no ELOHIM. And who as I shall proclaim, and declare it, and set it in order for me since I appointed the people of Olahm? And the things that are coming, and shall come, let them show unto them." The "Last Ones" of the forty first chapter are comprised in the "Last One" of the forty fourth, which though expressed in the singular, clearly indicates a plurality by its association with the sentence, "and without me no Elohim" - without the Spirit which quickeneth there will be no glorified saints, for "the flesh profits nothing;" they are "the people of Olahm," destined to reign with the Christ a thousand years (Apoc. 20:6).

And here the reader is requested to bear in mind, that the titles and expressions by which the ETERNAL POWER designates himself in the scriptures of the prophets are all reproduced in the New Testament and the Apocalypse, and therein applied to Jesus and his Brethren when "perfected in spirit," or "glorified together" (Rom. 8:17). Thus, the prophetic YAHWEH ELOHIM styles Himself "the First and the Last," so doth the symbolical Son of man; YAHWEH says he is the only Rock,

 

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Paul speaking of the Rock terms it Christ; YAHWEH styles Himself King of Israel, Christ Jesus calls himself the same; YAHWEH declares that He is a saviour, and that there is none beside Him: the Word made flesh was called Jesus, because he should save his people, or be their saviour - "I, I, YAHWEH, and there is no saviour beside me" (Isa. 43:11).

John saw the Son of man similitude in the midst of the Seven Lightstands, or aggregate of ecclesias, and heard "the voice of the many waters" from their midst, as indicative of the source from whence the persons constituting the reality symbolized by the similitude are derived. The promises symbolized in ch. 2:7,11,17,26-28; 3:5,12,21, are all made to the constituent members of this similitude of the mystical Son of man - the "One Body" the church when victory is complete.

Another vision of the Sons of the Deity in Apocalypse is described in the fourth chapter of the revelation. When John was "in spirit" he saw the similitude of their manifestation when they shall be "in spirit" on the day of the Christ. He saw them enthroned as "the twenty-four elders, clothed in white raiment, and crowned" (ch. 4:4) He saw them enthroned in a stormy period, when "lightnings, and thunderings, and voices" were issuing forth from their enthroned omnipotence (ch. 4:5). He saw the going forth of their power into all the earth in the burning of the Seven Spirits (ver. 5; 5:6), which seven, symbolical of the One Spirit, in judicial exercise upon the dominions of the world, he saw in the similitude of the FOUR LIVING ONES, omnipotent and omniscient - the One Spirit manifested in the redeemed, careering in victorious conflict, and proclaiming the superlative holiness of YAHWEH Elohim almighty, the "Who was, and Who is, and Who is coming." (vers. 7,8). He saw these in progress through the earth, contending for dominion over it, with the full assurance that they would succeed. "WE SHALL REIGN," say they, "ON THE EARTH" (ch. 5:10).

John also beheld the Sons of the Deity in Apocalypse in the mighty angel (10:1). This "comes down out of the heaven invested with a cloud; and a rainbow upon his head, and his face as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire." His lion-roar proclaims the consummation of "the mystery of the Deity as he hath declared the glad tiding, to his servants the prophets" (ver. 7); which accomplishment ultimates in the constituents of this mighty angel taking possession of the kingdom under the whole heaven; and the consequent establishment of the reign Of YAHWEH and of his Elohim for the Aions of the Aions. This is the result of the seventh and last trumpet having exhausted the

 

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judgment pertaining to it. The consummation of this trumpet, which is also the consummation of the Seventh Seal, is the work of the mighty angel, symbolizing the heaven-descended Jesus and his Brethren, the saints. The Seventh Vial is the work allotted for them to do; and in their mission they march to victory with "FACE AS THE SUN, and feet as pillars of fire."

Again they appear upon the apocalyptic page in chapter 14:1. Here they are the sealed nation of ch. 7:4-12, resurrected, with the Lamb, Jesus, in their midst. Their symbolical number, a definite for an unknown, (7:9), is 144,000. In this vision they are stationary, as indicated by "stood" in reference to the Lamb with whom they are. They are standing, awaiting the result of the proclamation which announces to the nations that "THE HOUR OF JUDGMENT IS COME" (14:6, 7). They wait the issue of this before they go forth, as "the Seven Spirits in all the earth," to overthrow Babylon, and to torment the worshippers of the Beast and his Image (14:8-11).

In chap. 15:2, the Sons of the Deity are again apocalypsed. Here they are in the attitude of victory and blessedness. They are in joyous repose, "standing upon a translucent sea, having the harps of the Deity" This sea of nations had been "mingled with fire;" but "they had gotten the victory" over the Beast and his Image, and over his Mark and Number, which as dross had all been destroyed from the sea by the fire of their indignation and power; and they are seen here in "rest from their labors, and their works following them." This scene is the consummation of the Seventh Vial, in which it can be said, "Thy judgments are made manifest" (15:4).

In getting the victory over the Beast they are apocalypsed in the vision portrayed in chap. 19:11-21. Here the Sons of the Deity appear in military array, in clouds of cavalry, styled "the hosts in the heaven," following "THE WORD OF THE DEITY" in his campaigns against the nations; which he smites and conquers in treading "the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of the all-powerful Deity." They tread them "as ashes under the soles of their feet," and bind and shut up the Dragon in powerlessness for a thousand years.

Having obtained this great victory over the kingdoms and dominions of the world, they are manifested as the occupants of thrones peculiarly their own; which continue undisturbed for a thousand years. Their victory inaugurates the universal dominion foreshadowed in the fifth chapter, from ver. 12 to 14. Peace being thus conquered by their omnipotence, "the spirit is quieted, and the earth is at rest." The Gentile earth and heaven have fled away from before them. With the Captain of their salvation they are enthroned as "the Kings of the

 

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earth;" and as a DIVINE MUNICIPALITY, possess the glory and honour of the nations (21:26). In this relation they are apocalypsed as the NEW JERUSALEM, "the city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is the Deity;" looked for, but not yet seen, by the patriarchs and prophets of the olden time (Heb. 11:10: Apoc.21:9-27).

For a thousand years this Beloved City is the light of the nations, which are then "all blessed in Abraham and his Seed," according to the gospel of the kingdom. It is the YAHWEH-Elohistic municipality, symbolized by one hundred and forty-four cubits, each cubit representing one thousand of the numerical symbol of this "Holy Nation," the Israel of God (7:4; 14:1; 1 Pet. 2:9; Gal. 6:16). But, at the ending of these thousand years, during which they have been an Arboretum of healing influences to the nations, the base ingratitude, malice, and envy of human nature find scope to organize rebellion against the Saints and their government. Their camp is beleaguered by countless myriads which gather together against them for war. But the Sons of the Deity are as powerful at the end as at the beginning of the thousand years. Peace and blessedness will not have enervated their incorruptible nature; and they will be prepared to give the rebels a crushing and final overthrow. As the Woman's Seed, their mission is to bruise the Serpent's Head (Gen. 3:15). The war begun, their burning indignation overflows the rebels as a consuming fire, in which they are "tormented day and night" (20:10). Thus "fire comes down from the Deity out of the heaven, and devours them." This establishes "the End," when the kingdom is delivered up to the Father; who will then have put all enemies under the Son's feet. At this crisis death is banished from the earth; the wicked utterly destroyed out of it; and the Deity apocalypsed, or manifested, in his Sons, considerably augmented in number by the accessions of the thousand years, becomes the sole occupant and inheritor of the earth (1 Cor. 15:24; Prov. 10:30; Apoc. 21:3,4).

 

 


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