Revelation of Jesus Christ - Part 3 of 10 — T. Austin-Sparks

The Vision of the Son of Man in Revelation 1

I'm going to read four verses from the first chapter of the book of the Revelation. Look at the Revelation chapter one and verse twelve. I turned to see the voice which spake with me, and having turned I saw seven golden lampstands.

And in the midst of the lampstands, one like unto the Son of Man, with a garment down to the foot, gelt about at the breast with a golden, and his head as white as white wool, white as snow, and his eyes were as a flame of fire, and his feet like unto burnished brass, as if it had been refined in a furnace, and his voice as the voice of many was seated, a sharp two-edged sword, and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his eyes.

Jesus already indicated those words as its title. He is gathered in tremendous government of this universe by God, centered in his Son, Jesus Christ. The process is the culmination of this world's history.

In that setting, this afternoon, we are occupied of God's Son, the first chapter. We take this first section, these four verses, set forth the character that lies behind that victory. It's a mighty victory.

We have seen of himself as the living one who became dead, but is not the witness of his victory. We have seen small part that was exercised and exerted by the great Roman Empire for the kingdom of Jesus Christ.

In the vision of that empire in the book of Daniel, symbolized by our symbol, our power to break everything, the strength of that, the mightiest of the empires, directed toward and concentrated upon the testimony of Jesus, was that he is Lord.

That Jesus, exhausting of that mighty power, triumphed over and is alive unto the ages of the ages. No small testimony to the greatness of his victory. Combined with the Roman Empire was the Jewish nation.

The Victory of Christ over Rome and Israel

Take a lot of time, conditions of the Jewish nation of the New Testament. I myself impressed, read anew during the account given by the great Jewish historian, Josephus, about the wickedness of the Jews at this time.

As a Jewish historian, he says that there never was anything so utterly wicked as the condition of the Jewish people in New Testament times. And he shows how that was. And it is only what the Lord Jesus meant when he said, this wicked generation, right wicked are those people.

Not only crucifying the Lord Jesus, but their condition behind all their religion, that moral condition, using that word in its most general sense. And they, as we know, exhausted that malice of the Lord Jesus and all that he represented.

Catharsis, their representative and agent. He himself should not relic. Executed this way unto the dead. Men and women he cast into prison. All that behemoth surrounded and over it. And he is bowing upon all their wrists.

As I am he that liveth, I became dead, but I am alive unto the ages of the ages. What a victory. Say, is there anything left? If our Christian faith is true, if what we declare as to the resurrection and exaltation of Jesus Christ is true, that is the message.

As we said before, that is the blessing of this book. If he can do all that. But when we have said all that about his victory, and the much more that we could add to it, in fact, remains the victory, the throne, the government of Christ and the church is based upon his essential character.

It is not just objective and official. It is something that is done by the exercise of superior might as might. It is something that is accomplished in virtue of his glorious character. Here is a combination of two things which mark you always go together with God.

Character as the Foundation of God's Government

The combination and character. Nature and strength. With God, character is power. He seems to have written this large in the universe, in nature. It almost appears that he has established it as a law that these two things go together.

You see, all that God does combines these two things. You go into the Alpine country. You are on the one side impressed with the massive and awesome strength of the mountains. The terrific volcanic force eaves them up.

The mighty strength that they represent as they power. It is awesome. And yet they are massive in their crevices and on those slopes you find the beautiful, the beautiful flowers. The combination of nature has done it.

Two things. Come to the English countryside. You see the massive and nestling at its roots, the beautiful violet. Just nature. Not arranged. Spontaneous. Strength and beauty. And we could go on like that.

On creation. But you go back through your Old Testament. You find in the typology and the symbolism all that comes from heaven. This wonderful. Here it is. In all this and particularly in this passage before us we have God saying dominion, victory, ascendancy, might.

There has got to be goodness. And if there is goodness, it is the nature that is set forth here which is the foundation of his kingdom. So you turn or portraiture of him. His eye. Voice of many waters.

The sound of many waters. His mouth. Out of which his countenance. All that is the symbolism of power. But go back again. His garment. The girdle about his breast. Darkness of his hair. Purity represented by the refined brass of his feet.

All that speaks of the other side. It speaks of his nature. It is that we are going to be occupied with for the time at our command tonight. But may I remind you that we are here in the presence of one who is called the son of man.

We ought to be duly impressed with that. He is not here in this book. He is there. But for the purposes of this book his title is that of the son of man. We are familiar with that title in the Old Testament.

In the prophets. In Ezekiel. In Daniel. And we are familiar with it in the gospels. In the gospels only the title is used of him eighty-five times. No fewer. In the Old Testament as applied to the prophets.

In the New Testament as applied to him it is the son of man. What they were, the very title itself, or the son of man, is related to God's full thought for his people. In the prophets, as we have pointed out already today, their business was the recovering of God's full thought for his people.

And so they were representative of that thought, son of man. And that very thought of God, or those thoughts of God, had to be wrought into their very experience and life and history. They became the embodiment of those thoughts.

Hence. And that is the essence of this very title, son of man. When you come to the Lord Jesus, you find that in the full and utter and final way he is the son of man in this sense. That he embodies to the full God's primal conception for man.

God ever had in his mind inconstant humanity ideas. The manhood, peculiar creation. Realize this one here in whom all God's thoughts were in his presence here as you notice. One like unto, inadequately, had the features of this.

I turn, having turned, like unto the son of man. Of course there has been a division of opinion as to what that garment was. Dr. Campbell Morgan said it was the garment of the governor. Equally able expositors have said it's the garment of the priest.

I'm not at all concerned to take sides in that matter. It doesn't trouble us which it was. What we want to get at is the meaning of a garment at all. Not what kind of a garment it was exactly. Why a garment at all down to his feet.

Whatever the robe was, whether of governor or of priest, it speaks of character. For garments always did from the beginning speak of character. They were the symbol of the man through right up to date.

The garments, the dress betray the person. I won't dwell upon that too much. It's dangerous ground. But nevertheless it's true. The first garments that ever man wore made by God himself. Garments have always been the symbol of the person.

Indicating what kind of a person sometimes thinks of himself or herself. Character. I mean in the days of the Lord Jesus they loved to wear long garments. And make broad their phylacteries. They pretended that they were not.

But that was their character. A pretence. But that was the people. Revealed in the way they dressed. See the point. Here whatever the garment was officially, undoubtedly it was symbolic of the person.

Does not say so. I have no doubt that in the light of things which follow in this book. That it was a white. It was the white. That would be true of priests. From this very book. The white linen is the righteous acts of the saints.

And we know from the Old Testament typology. The white linen garments always spoke of the character of righteousness. Covering the unrighteousness of man. That no flesh should appear before him. And here right in the very first.

Describing this one of man. You have him enfolded and then wrapped in a character. A regal position to say that. Believe it. But this girt up with a golden girdle. Significance. Well a girdle is always the symbol of strength.

In the Bible is always a symbol of what is precious. Among mineral or metal. Symbols of devotion. If you put those three things together. What a wealth they contain. This one is characterized. Passionate devotion.

That which is precious to God. With this. Runs right through this book. Comes right out at the other end with the city. An underlying fundamental thing. And as I repeatedly say. It is the key to the throne.

All, all where God is concerned. This is going to be a very searching thing through this book. It's going to be a very deciding thing. Everywhere in the churches. We shall meet it again. When we come to the churches.

And the deciding thing as to the rise and the fall of the church. The rise and the fall of individual Christians. And the rise and the fall of nations. Be the deciding thing. Come back to that again. Well there it is.

Purity, Truth, and Spiritual Strength

A spiritual victory. You get this figure in the book of Daniel. And it's the Ancient of Days that describes this one. You get age. If you like. Eternity. Not always true that white hair is the mark of age.

But usually it is. Symbolism is a very common one. That which outlasts. That which transcends. That which is not of time. But which is of eternity. Speaks of purity. And seeing that this is his head. And his strict and exact interpretation of the symbol.

We have the endurance. Purity. Here are in his thought. Nothing unenamored of the symbolism. Truth. Behind all this. It is again that his kingdom. Which is an everlasting kingdom. Is that the absolute truth.

It is a mind of mixture. The Apostle Paul writing to the Philippians said. Think on these things. A mind. Think on these things. What sort of things are lovely. But here it is. That is what he is like.

Something that is a very strong thing where God is concerned. If we can only get the viewpoint of the Lord. If we can only see as the Lord sees. If only we can get the mind of the Lord about a person or a situation.

We are in a tremendously strong position. Let me put that the other way. So much of our weakness and our failure and breakdown is our wrong mindedness. Isn't it? Like that. We have got the wrong attitude of mind.

We haven't the sense of mind for the glory of God. We are affected by how. He was never like that. He was never like that. And that character of right judgment of absolute truth and is the strength of his government.

Of his kingdom. Let these things come out of the Bible and out of this high symbolism to us as spiritual lesson. And endure and abide. Do you want spiritual strength? Spiritual strength. There is not something that he can give you.

That he can give you as from the outside. Or how we ask for power. How we ask for strength. It's something that he can do in us. He'll make us strong by making us good. What a lot that explains. And when we ask for experience that is going to change something in us.

Our attitude. Our mentality. That's his way. His eyes. These eyes symbolizing his discernment. Real discernment. And seeing into things and seeing through things. And arriving at right conclusions. Mind what we have said it is.

Like that. You know dear friends, discernment is a tremendous thing in the Christian life. Oh what a lot of mistakes we make for want of real spiritual discernment. If only, if only we had this spiritual discernment.

We were able to perceive, to recognize, to discern, to understand the meaning of things. What a lot we would be saved. There is a great deal of strength in spiritual discernment. People who are always making confusion and messes because they lack real discernment.

In a state of weakness. See the meaning of things. See through beyond appearances. What is on the outside. Because his spirit is what it is, is what it is. He is able to rightly discern everything. Oh we are going to come onto this when we come to the churches.

Seeing things as they are. No deception can come through those eyes. He is in the mighty strength. Clear discernment. His eyes are nothing but truth. No falsehood. No carnal mindedness to use Paul's phrase.

Therefore he can see. In heart. What we see depends upon the state of our heart. His eyes as a flame of fire. Were that. Because. Represent. That toward which he is moving. The object of his movement.

Feet everywhere. The Bible. The going. Here we have. The cross is always in the Bible as you know. The symbol of strength. Righteousness. The sness which has come out of the cross. The Old Testament says it is the girdle of his loins.

And the foundation of his throne. Here again. The objects. The interests. The movements. The ways. The goings. Of the Lord Jesus are always. Purged ways. Cleansed goings. No self interest in this thing but.

The pleasure of God. I come to do thy will. Oh my God. His ways are all. Purged of all. Unworthy motives. His voice. Was as. Many waters. It is very beautiful. Many waters. What is the sound. Not of much water.

The Voice of Many Waters: Unity in Diversity

Of many waters. From all directions. This way and that way. The other way. Rivers and the rivulets are all. Coming. Converging. And blending. And harmonizing. And this one has its note. And that one has its note.

The other one has another note. And yet. In their converging and coming together. They form a beautiful harmony. Like a choir of many notes. Many waters. Diversity and unity. The unity in diversity. Now you say that's all a beautiful picture.

And it sounds all very nice. What do you mean? Well go back. To your gospels. And sit and listen to the Lord Jesus. Or follow him with open ears. Listen to his voice. You will hear sometimes the note.

Of deepest sympathy and tenderness. His kindness. Where a situation calls for. That note. It comes. Gentleness. And kindness. And sympathy. And understanding. Leave her. Against my burial she's done this.

And many other. Instances of the sympathetic understanding. Kindly voice. We dare not. Take the time. For it all. But you will find sometimes. A rebuke. A clap of thunder. Out they go. Convicted. Bliss to the youngest.

Flash of lightning. There's sympathy. There's judgment. There's condemnation. Every note. In his voice. He's the combination of them all. His voice is the sound of many waters. You and I. Have heard that.

Sometimes we have heard. His voice of sympathy. And consolation. Sometimes we've heard his voice of rebuke. Sometimes of exhortation. And encouragement. It varies. But his is the voice. Many waters. You're going to come up against that.

When you come to the seven churches. You'll find there are seven notes. In his octave. A wonderful harmony. As the voice. As the sound of many waters. And out of his mouth proceeded. A letter to the Hebrews.

The Word as a Two-Edged Sword

Chapter 4. Verse 12. Interprets that for us. The word of God is quick. Powerful. Sharper than any two-edged sword. Piercing to the dividing of souls. Discriminating. Dividing. Putting things in the place to which they belong.

That belongs there. And that belongs there. And you've to put those things in their right place. And call something. By a name that does not belong to it. Dividing. Asunder. Sharp two-edged sword. This is his character.

That he cannot have confusion. And mixture. And contradiction. Two things that do not agree. That is the character of the Lord Jesus. And mark you. There's a great deal of spiritual strength in that. One thing that God's always hated is mixture.

Is mixture. Contradiction. In the same place. Speaking with two voices at the same time. There's one thing about God that is true. It is that he is of one mind. He's perfectly clear as to what he means.

And what he wants. Two-edged sword. Divides. Puts things where they belong. And there's a great deal of strength in doing that, dear friends. Countenance. Was as the sun shineth in its strength. Countenance is the sum of all the features, isn't it?

Christ as the Light Without Darkness

It is the expression of the person. Possible, of course, to hide yourself behind an expressionless. But in the main, generally, the countenance behind it. The expression of the life within. So the countenance here is the sum of all his features.

When you sum up everything, what do you have to say? There is no darkness at all. There are no shadows here. It is as the sun shineth in his strength. In him was light. In him is no darkness at all. There is no variableness with him.

Neither shadow cast by being of too much. He is all light. We've got to sum it up. Set out to show. End of it all is. Not only Christ in the place of sovereignty and lordship and kingship and dominion.

But his church with him. His church with him. It is the church. Come there. Let us not make it too objective and far off. Belonging to some remote or near future time. Let us see that he's at work upon this thing in us now.

Conformity to the Image of God's Son

Paul has given it in the revelation. Him has told us that we were foreordained to be conformed to the image of his son. Paul had this in view when he first drew you and me to the Lord Jesus. And if he has meant anything in our lives at all.

This is the thing that he has been engaged upon and is engaged upon to conform us to the image of God's son. Walking into us with a view. Oh I wish I could remember this always. Wish you could remember it always.

When he's trying to do something inside. In the life, in the nature, in the character to change it. When he's dealing with something that is not Christ. Hammering, shattering it. Awful. What we are in our seeking to make room and way for the Lord Jesus in our characters.

That out of this shall come something that is more like the Lord. Of patience, of love, of thoughtfulness and generous impulse. And all that that is Christ like to bring that in. But not that that is an end in itself.

That kind of person and that kind of church that is going to be his instrument of government in the ages. And gave himself for it that he might. A glorious moment at the end from the Lord Jesus. Begins with the church.

When we have said that. Got to the end of the contemplation of himself. The Lord leads us on in this. We shall see how all this is brought down to the seven churches. And that everything there is tried, tested and dealt with on the basis of this.

Suffering, Tribulation, and Reigning with Christ

Now does this show, throw some light upon what he's doing? He is allowing in our lives and all that he is working at in us. He suffers. We shall reign. And it is through the suffering, the tribulation that we are going to come to the throne.

And tribulation. Enter the king together with him. It is necessary for us to see the Lord Jesus. The revelation of Jesus Christ. I suggest to you, I urge upon you dear friends. That your constant and earnest prayer shall be.

Show me Christ. Let me see the Lord Jesus. Not objectively in some vision. Let me see what Christ is. May make me more and more uncomfortable as to myself. But then ever remind me that the work of the Holy Spirit is to reveal him.

Make me like him. We shall be like him as we see him. That must be our prayer. May the vision of Christ break upon our hearts. Desires. And is working at where we are concerned. And all again. All again.

With the throne. I think we are learning just now. That government and ascendancy is a spirit. The Roman Empire without head. Simply means that the kingdom of Christ is a spiritual kingdom. Not made by man.

And it's a much more powerful thing than all the kingdoms and dominions that man made. Whether they be Nebuchadnezzar or the Caesars. That is the truth that you and I have got to learn. The truth.