Last Updated on : Saturday, November 22, 2014 |
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Eureka AN EXPOSITION OF THE APOCALYPSE |
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Chapter 21 3. No More Sea |
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“And THE SEA is no more”. The sea referred to in this oracle is that Apocalyptic confluence of “many waters,” or “peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues,” a restless, troubled sea, whose waters cast up mire and dirt (Isa. 57:20), out of which the dominions arose represented by the Beast with seven heads and ten horns, which was turned into “a Lake of Fire burning with brimstone”, when mingled with fire; and which became “before the throne, a sea transparent like to crystal” when the Saints stand upon it as conquerors, celebrating their victory over the beast and his Image, and over his sign, and the number of his name; and singing the song of Moses and the Lamb (Ch. 4:6; 15:2). For a thousand years this sea of flesh and blood continues transparent as crystal, and unruffled by the tempests of human passion, ambition, and wickedness. In all this period the sea of nations is calm; and “every creature in the sea, saith, Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be to him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for the aions of the aions” (ch. 5:13). Being “blessed in Abraham and his Seed,” they have access to the healing leaves of the Tree of Life, which breathe forth an odor, or savor, of life unto life (2 Cor. 2:15,16) by which multitudes of them “are being saved” — ta ethne ton sozomenon Ch. 21:24; 22:2. But flesh and blood, or Sin’s flesh, is radically bad. When Paul subjected the nature he possessed in common with all the race of men, to an enlightened scrutiny, he declared that “in his flesh dwelt no good thing”. He felt that he bore about a loathsome, leprous, nature, which he styled “a vile body;” so that it caused him to exclaim, “0 wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from this body of death?” (Rom. 7:18,24; Phil. 3:21). Such a nature is incurable. It is essentially turbulent, rebellious, and prone to evil; and can only be controlled by the power of Divine principles, or an iron despotism. When either of these are relaxed, it becomes presumptuous, and hostile to authority in doctrine and government. Nations that in the beginning of the Millennial Aion had been “joined to Yahweh and became his people,” will be represented in the end of that Aion, by a generation practically unacquainted with the torment of the judgment hour, when their sea was mingled with fire. Seducers will arise among them, and lead them into revolt. This creates a crisis, in which flesh and blood nations are annihilated; and caused to cease for ever from the earth: whereby is at length fulfilled the saying addressed to Israel in Jer. 30:11, “though I make a full end of all nations whither I have scattered thee, yet will I not make a full end of thee”. When this full end is made, the immortal inhabitants of the earth will be able to say, in the words of this prophecy, “the sea is no more”. Page 340 But, in view of this, what becomes of Paul’s saying in 1 Cor. 15:24, “then cometh the end, when Christ shall have delivered up the kingdom to the Deity, even the Father?” There is no contradiction between Paul, Gabriel, and David. The delivering up is in the sense of that “subjection,” or subordination, to the Father, implied in the abolition of Mediatorship. Hitherto, no one could have access to the Father, but through the Son; for “the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment to the Son; because he is a son of man” (John 5:22,27). But, when “the sea is no more;” when there cease to be men of flesh and blood upon the earth, this reason ceases to have any force. The Father resumes His position of direct relation to all, seeing that he is then “the all things in all”, the dwellers upon earth, who are spirit, or consubstantial with Himself. The delivering up is the change of the constitution of things, made necessary by the destruction of the Devil and his works —the destruction of Sin’s flesh and all pertaining to it. If there had been no sin, there would have been no Mediatorship. Man could always have stood naked in the presence of his Maker without being ashamed. But when “the sea is no more,” the breach between the Deity and man is thoroughly and completely repaired; and the kingdom is placed under a new constitution, or heaven and earth, suited to the altered condition of the world. There being no more judgments to execute, nor gifts and sacrifices to offer for ignorant and erring mortals, the High Priesthood of the Melchisedec Order is vacated, and the priestly office of the Saints abolished; while pre-eminence of rank is continued to them and the Captain of their salvation, as long as the sun and the moon endure.
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