Part 14 (2/2)

The great city ruling over the kings of the earth in John's day and situated on seven mountains, or ”mounts,” is ROME; as the city represents the woman Babylon who is the symbol of the false Church of Christ, then you have a false church of Christ seated (and remember, the word is ”_seated_”) in Rome. A Church seated in Rome is a _Roman Church_; and as the city rules over the earth, over the world; and a world-wide rule is a universal rule; and the word for universal, worldwide, is, also, ”catholic,” you have a catholic church; and, _seated_ in Rome (Rome its capital centre), THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH.

This Church is said to be drunken with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus; and the pages of history glued together with the blood of these same martyrs, and the burning, blistering record of the ”Holy Inquisition,” affirm that the astounding picture is true in all its crimson and scarlet details.

But the striking feature in the picture, and the one that is first presented to us, is that the woman (the Church) is carried by a beast. This beast is a symbol of government and teaches that the Church ”rules” over the governments of the world, is sustained by the State, has attained to ”temporal power.” As the picture occurs in the _third division_ of the book, and that division relates to things still future, we have here a distinct prophecy that this Apostate Roman Church shall again attain to temporal power, become a State Church, supported and carried officially by the nations of the earth.

The exact.i.tude with which the picture has been painted, and that, too, at a time when Rome had not yet come into the place of full -blown apostasy and power; the startling way in which, step by step, the prophetic outlines have been fulfilled even in our day, are tremendously suggestive concerning the possibility of its complete and final fulfilment; and bid us ask most earnestly--whence came the mental eyesight which enabled the writer of the book to sketch out for us centuries ahead of time, that which the page of after history reveals to us as facts?

The social, financial, governmental, religious and moral condition of the present time have been portrayed in the book we call the Bible. The coming of a special cla.s.s called ”rich” men as a particular characteristic of this age, the revolt of labor, and its cry against the wrongs of capital, were all set forth in the epistle of James, nigh two thousand years ago, with an accuracy that is not to be explained on natural grounds. So absolutely unnatural is it, that it is perfectly safe to say--these things are not such as a man _could_ write if he _would_.

That the book is not to be explained on natural grounds is evident from the fact that it is not a CONSTRUCTION, but a GROWTH; not an ORGANIZATION, but an ORGANISM, growing up from Genesis to Revelation like a tree from root through trunk and branch to leaf and fruit.

Each book of the Bible will be found on examination to stand related organically to one another; and that each occupies its necessary and sequential order.

In _Genesis_, you have the beginning of things, the germ and outline of everything afterwards revealed.

_Exodus_ gives the redemption by blood of a people foreseen and covenanted in Genesis, their deliverance by the hand of G.o.d from the power of the king and the dangers of the land.

In _Leviticus_, the redeemed people draw nigh to G.o.d by virtue of the blood of sacrifice and find access to the presence of G.o.d through the intercession of a priest.

In _Numbers_, this blood-redeemed people are seen on their journey to the better land; we read of their trials, their temptations, their unbelief, their backslidings and continual moral failure by the way, and the never-failing grace and love of a covenant-keeping G.o.d who leads them in a pillar of cloud by day and of fire by night.

In _Deuteronomy_, the people have the way over which they have come, and the dealings of G.o.d, rehea.r.s.ed to them, and are instructed and prepared for the land whither they go.

In _Joshua_, the _second_ generation (which stands always for regeneration) gets into the promised land.

_Judges_ tells how, after being blessed with all covenant blessings in the covenant land, the people fell into a state where every man did that which was right ”in his own eyes.”

_Ruth_, the Gentile woman, becomes the bride of a Hebrew Lord; and the covenant promise of G.o.d concerning Israel goes straightway down from a Gentile mother and a Hebrew father towards the throne which is set up in David and owned of G.o.d as the throne of Christ.

The books of _Samuel, Kings_ and _Chronicles_, take up the story of the kingdom, and the Old Testament leads us on through symbol, figure and open prophecy, to a Coming Messiah and a glorious kingdom till, when we reach the last verse in Malachi, we lean across four centuries of prophetic silence, waiting to greet that promised Christ who shall be born in Bethlehem; and who is to be called the Son of the Highest; who is to sit on the throne of his father David, ”to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice, from henceforth even forever.”

We listen for the angelic song and the salutation to men of good will; and we are expecting, later on, to see Zion's king riding up the slopes to the Holy City and all the people coming forth to cry, ”Hosanna to the Son of David,” and ”Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the Lord.”

When you open the New Testament you find four books--Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

The order of these books is fixed--it cannot be changed.

If _Mark_ be subst.i.tuted for _Matthew_, then the New Testament begins without an account of the birth or genealogy of our Lord Jesus Christ; no intimation is given that he is born king of the Jews, and is the expected Messiah.

If _Luke_ be given the place of _Matthew_, little mention will be found of the Jewish kingdom of heaven; and our Lord will be seen with a leaning towards the Gentiles.

If the Gospel of _John_ begin the New Testament instead of _Matthew_, then we shall read of him who is Son of G.o.d rather than King of the Jews, and the expectation raised by Malachi will seem unfulfilled.

But the moment the order named is followed all is perfect, all is harmony.

_Matthew_ presents our Lord Jesus Christ as the Son of _Abraham_ and Son of _David_; heir of the covenant _land_, and the covenant _throne_, and at once links the New Testament with the Old.

_Mark_ announces that this King of the Jews came into the world to be the _Servant_ of G.o.d and a blessing in his service to men.

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