Steps to the throne

Front matter

I

I

Chap. Copyright No.

Preface

For twenty-five or thirty years of my life I accepted the old Roman Catholic notion, which is accepted by most Protestants, that the second coming of Jesus would be after the millenium, and at the time of the general judgment. Then, for a few years, I was unsettled in my views on that subject, for I saw so many portions of Scripture that could not have any reasonable interpretation in harmony with that old theory.

Early in 1896 I began to pray very earnestly for the Holy Spirit to open up the scriptures to me clearly on that subject. In two or three weeks afterward the Spirit began unfolding to my mind, in a remarkable way, the Book of Revelation, and the parables of Jesus, and other scriptures on the pre-millennial coming of Christ, and the light on that subject has been increasing ever since. Some years ago I published a small book, called "The Seven Overcomeths," giving only the interpretation that applied to the interior spiritual life, but did not then see their ulterior and perfect relation to the coming of Jesus, and His millennial reign. I have given in this book what the Spirit has given to me of the application of the seven overcomeths, not only to the inner life in the present state, but their application as preparing the be-

PREFACE.

liever to reign with Jesus in His coming kingdom.

If my life is spared, I have several other books to write upon this subject. I trust the blessed Comforter will apply the things in the following pages to the hearts of many thousands, and stir God's children to prepare themselves to meet the coming King.

G. D. W.

Denver, Col., April 30, 1898.

Chapter I. The Emblems In Revelation

IT often happens that when the head of a great government wishes to communicate very secret and important matter to one of its ministers in a foreign land it adopts a cipher code, that is a language in signs, so as to transmit the message without any one being able to understand it, except the person to whom it is sent. This is precisely what Jesus did in the Book of Revelation. We are told that God gave this revelation to his Son Jesus, and Jesus gave it in signs, or telegraphic ciphers, to an angel, and the angel gave these signs unto John. Hence this last and crowning book of God's word, is written out largely in ciphers. This was done in order that the message might be safely transmitted through the dark ages. If the Romanists had perfectly understood in centuries gone by, all the teachings of this book, they would have destroyed it from the earth; and so God adopted a method of sign language, in order that no one might understand it except those for whom it was especially designed. As the coming of Christ gets nearer, the Holy Spirit is more and more revealing the secrets of this wonderful book to His humble and thoughtful servants in all the earth; and many things which have been concealed through

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the Dark Ages are now beginning to be unfolded in the clear light, which the Holy Spirit is pouring upon those who are entirely devoted to God. Let us remember, that the Holy Spirit selects His emblems with a perfect scientific accuracy, and all the metaphors and symbols used in Scripture are chosen with infallible wisdom. If we take the pains to read the Book of Revelation, and cull out all the various emblems which are used therein, we will find that all of them are explained in the book itself. And if we can discover the meaning of these various types we have the secret key to unlock nearly everything in the book. It is my purpose in this volume to give an exegesis of the second, third and fourth chapters, showing more particularly the connection between Christian holiness and the coming reign of Jesus on this earth; but I have thought it well to give in this chapter a brief explanation of the various emblems in the book, that the common reader may be able to pursue an individual study of all the book.

4 'Stars 55 in this book represent Ministers, more particularly the office of the Minister, not only a church Minister, but also a State Minister. Hence it denotes Princes, or under rulers in Church or State.

"Candlesticks" represent separate congregations of Christians, not a denomination, or a great body, but simply congregations, or a church in its local and social organic form.

"Heaven" in this book, in the majority of instances, means God's Kingdom among men. This

THE EMBLEMS IN REVELATION.

will be kept strictly in view, for all sorts of erroneous and fantastic interpretations of this book have resulted from the notion that the word ' 'Heaven'' means the third Heavens where God the Father has His throne of glory. The w T ord "Heaven" as used in the parables of Jesus, refers continually to God's Kingdom among men, and, in nearly every instance, this word Heaven is in the Greek in the plural number, proving that it is a term of large and manifold meaning., Jesus says: "The Kingdom of the Heavens is like a net cast into the sea, in which were gathered both good fish and bad fish," which simply means the Kingdom of God on this earth. In like manner the word Heaven, in most places in Revelation, means the Kingdom of God among men,, and when we read, "I saw a great sign in Heaven,"" that is in the Kingdom of God on earth. And again, "there was war in Heaven," which refers emphatically to the great Reformation of Martin Luther, and the conflict between the Protestants and the Catholics. The old notion that there was war in the third Heavens, where the Father has His throne, is a teaching of Catholicism and the dream of poets, but utterly unscriptural. No war has ever agitated those bright regions of eternal glory.

"Woman" in this book, is always a type of an organized body of professed Christians. Throughout the entire Bible, woman is a type of the church, and, when used in the plural number, represents the various branches and organized bodies of professed worshipers of God. If this type were always remembered it would save the reader from a great many foolish interpretations of this book. For instance, those who are spoken of in Chapter 14 as the Bride of the Lamb,, are said to be "pure virgins, " "who were not defiled with other women." The word "women" means the various branches, and bodies of ecclesiastical systems, w T hich become worldly, and fashionable, and filled up with various carnal practices. But those believers who are sanctified, and w T edded to Christ, are delivered from all ecclesiastical corruption. And the picture is that of one pure woman, keeping herself from the various carnal practices of other women, that is of other organized church bodies.

"Sun" in this book, typifies a King, or a Kingdom, that is royal splendor, imperial power. And in many other portions of Scripture, the word "sun" represents kingly authority. When Joseph in his dream saw the sun, moon, and stars bow to him, the sun was a type of Jacob, who was really a King, the moon a type of his mother, who was a Queen, and the stars, a type of his brethren, who were Princes and Ministers of State. Hence, throughout this book, the "sun" means kingly authority, as when John saw the "woman," that is the Christian Church, "clothed with the sun," that is imperial splendor. Again, the angel standing in the sun, to proclaim war, represents the angel of God, stirring up all the royal heads among the nations to declare war.

"Moon" typifies a Queen, or a minor King, or Principality, a sub-King. As when "the woman clothed with the sun," had the moon under her foot, that is the great Catholic church, clothed in royalty, had all the other Kings and Queens and Princes of the Christian world, under her foot, which was literally the case for 1000 years.

'•Four beasts" in Revelation, should always be read "four living creatures." The word "four beasts" is a horrible translation of the original, which is the very word used for eternal life. So always read the "four living creatures," which are the same creatures described by Ezekiel, and Isaiah, as the seraphim and cherubim. They always represent glorified saints, especially those who take high rank in the Kingdom of grace and glory. Hence these "four living creatures," are represented as being in the throne with Jesus, during His millennial reign. They certainly are saved and glorified men, for in one place we are told, that they praise God for having been saved and washed in Christ's blood from among the nations. "Beasts," when not connected with the word "four," always represents human governments, and especially professedly Christian governments, which are yet full of tyranny, and oppression, political scheming, and selfishness, and greed. The Greek word for k 'beast" in all such places, is a very different word from the four living creatures, and signifies a wild, bloodthirsty beast of the forest, a true type of the ambition, and greed, and tyranny of politicians.

"Smoke" in this book, represents whatever comes out of the mouth, in the form of either

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prayer, or blasphemy. Prayer is represented by incense,, a sweet, fragrant smoke, typifying the fragrance of the prayers of God's servants. But blasphemy and cursing from the mouths of those who are lost, are represented by the smoke of burning sulphur.

''Fowls" in this book, is always an emblem of demons, and evil spirits. In fact this is the type of the fowls of the air. all through the Bible. Jesus says, "the fowls of the air picked up the grain that had been sown by the wayside,'' and afterwards tells us these fowls are devils. In His parable on the Christian church, he represents it as a mustard plant, growing so large that the fowls of the air lodged in its branches, which has been sadly fulfilled, in the fact that myriads of demons lodge in the various branches of the nominal church. Hence the "fowls'' that fatten on the horses, and on captains, and on warriors, represent the demons feasting themselves on a battlefield, for they delight in the slaughter of human beings.

"Waters'' represent the souls of mankind. Hence the woman sitting on many waters, represents the organized church of Rome, presiding over the souls of many nations. Mudd}^ water represents wicked souls, casting up mire and dirt. Clear, glassy water, represents pure souls, cleansed from all sinful tempers and desires, and filled with a beautiful transparency, without guile, without evil tempers, like unto clear glass. This is the picture of what the souls of men will be in the millennial

THE EMBLEMS IN REVELATION.

age, when they will be presided over by the glorified saints of the Bridehood, who are represented as standing upon the glassy sea.

"Man-child" in this book, is a type of the martyrs, who were slain by the Romish church during the Dark Ages. It is a great mistake to call the 4 'man-child" in chapter 12 Jesus, for the prophecy in that chapter refers emphatically to something that had not occurred at the time John was alive. The ' 'man-child" represents those Protestants who were converted and sanctified inside the bosom of the Romish church, and which caused her trouble and sorrow.

"Red dragon" is a type of the Romish Inquisition. It was the incarnation of the devil, in an organized institution for bloody murder, to capture and kill the Protestants, as soon as they dared confess their saving faith. Hence the "Red dragon stood in front of the woman," that is in front of the church, to devour her children, that is to slay the Protestants, as quick as they were born, that is, as soon as they confessed their faith.

"Horses" in this book represent organized aggression. In all ages the horse is a type of organized and swift power. The horse is the swiftest of all animals, and the one mostly used in times of war. The word "horse" is used among all nations in Proverbs, as "war-horse," and "swift as a race-horse/' and such expressions.

The "white horse" represents organized and aggressive holiness, pushing its way from pentecost out among the nations.

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The "reel horse'" represents organized opposition to Jesus, and bloody wars against the truth.

The "black horse"' represents organized ignorance, darkness, superstition, such as was the case in the Dark Ages.

The "pale horse"' represents organized forms of ecclesiastical back- sliding, where bodies of believers, professing to be alive, have a pale and ghastly type of life, such as is the case at the present day.

"Winds" represent heresies, terrible delusions, terrific scourgings from God, the great tribulations, w T hich are to be let loose on the earth, just as soon as God gets all His elect Bride w T holly sanctified, and sealed with the baptism of the Holy Ghost and fire.

"Vials'" represent the outpouring of God's w r rath and judgment upon different nations, and at different periods, such as the French Revolution, and the late Civil War in America, and similar events.

"Frogs" represent evil spirits, going forth to seduce the people into false systems of faith. These frogs take on the form of spiritualism, Swedenborgianism, Christian science, theosophy, Mormonism, and baal-worship in the various lodges of secret societies.

A ' 'pure river" represents the Holy Spirit, which flows out - eternally from the Father and from the Son.

The "Tree of Life" represents Jesus, as the incarnate Redeemer and Savior.

The number 144,000 represents that elect com-

THE EMBLEMS IN REVELATION.

pany through all the ages, who have measured up to a life of perfect faith and obedience, and who have been qualified to form the Bride of the Lamb. This number is used because it is a multiple of 12, for the number 12 in Scripture always represents the Kingdom of God.

Three represents the Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

Four represents humanity, especially redeemed and glorified humanity.

Six represents imperfection, the number by which Satan counterfeits the work of God.

Seven represents salvation, or the Christ life in His saints, for as 3 and 4 make 7, so God and man, united, constitute salvation.

Ten represents the number for multitude, as thousands, or tens of thousands, etc.

Twelve represents the Divine government, for as 3 times 4 make 12, so God multiplies himself in His creatures, which constitutes His government.

Forty represents proving, testing, trying.

Fifty is the complete cycle number, the jubilee number, hence a type of the Millennial Kingdom, when creation will be restored to its normal condition.

There are a few other emblems, Avhich are used, which I may refer to in succeeding chapters. But if these types are kept in mind, the ordinary reader will be able to have a common sense and satisfactory understanding of the knowledge of the things that God has been pleased to make known to us in this wonderful and last book of His infallible word.

Chapter II. "the Seven Churches."

Rev. i : 1 1 .

IN order to arrive at any correct understanding of these three chapters, which we have laid before us for our study in this book, we must endeavor to find out the significance of these seven churches, which Christ selected, to whom the message of the apocalyptic visions were especially sent. The Bible is God's sample book. The Holy Spirit could doubtless have given us thousands of Bibles similar to the one we have, and all of them been filled with remarkable characters and incidents, but He has selected samples of men, and events, and truths, which His wisdom saw were best adapted for our instruction and salvation. From the hundreds of churches which existed in the days of St. John. Jesus selected these seven churches of Asia, with a view of setting forth the various stages of the Christian churches, from the days of John until the coming of Jesus, and the close of the Gentile Age. We see in these seven churches, samples of all the Christian churches of all the Ages. There is not a congregation of professed Christians in the world, which perhaps is not in the condition of one of these seven churches. So that in whatever stage a church may be, either in its holiness or corruption, it will find itself actually mirrored in the looking-glass of the second and

THE SEVEN CHURCHES.

third chapters of Revelation. This same truth applies with equal force to all individual members of the church. Every separate member of the Christian church will find himself represented in one of these various congregations. It is a melancholy reflection, that out of these seven churches there are only two which escape condemnation, or a reproof from the Lord. From this w 7 e learn that a small minority, either of separate congregations, or of individual members, are living in such union with Jesus as to have His perfect approbation. But the main lesson to be drawn from these seven churches is, that here w T e see set forth the various stages of the Christian church, from the days of the apostles until Christ's second coming.

"The Church of Ephesus" represents the Christians in the first century. They are described as ''having abundant works, and patience, and orthodoxy, and they tried those who professed to be apostles, and were not, and they had many extraordinary virtues, yet Jesus said they had left their first love." This word, "first love," must not be understood to mean the love of a young convert, but it was first love in the point of rank and quality. God wants our love, pure and tender, and warm, and personal, over and above all other things, or labors, or sacrifices and nothing grieves the Infinite heart more quickly than to see our personal affection for Him is cooling down. This was the condition of the Christian church, even before the death, or the translation of, St. John, as many suppose he was translated to Heaven,

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"The Church of Smyrna'" represents the condition of Christian believers in the second and third centuries, during the great persecutions from the heathen. Jesus told this church that the devil would cast them into prison, that they should be tried, and have tribulation ten days, and for them not to be afraid of the things they should suffer, and though they had outward poverty, yet in grace they were rich, and that if they were faithful unto death, he would give them a crown of life. During the second and third centuries the Roman Emperor issued edicts of persecution against the Christians, and there were ten of these great imperial persecutions, which was the fulfillment of the "ten days tribulation" prophesied of them. In those persecutions, Christians were frequently covered with tar, and oil, and set on fire at night, to make bonfires for the thousands of heathen Romans to look upon with fiendish delight. At other times they were thrown into an arena of wild beasts, and torn to pieces, while the great amphitheater was filled with people, who shouted and laughed, to see the wild beasts devouring Christians. These persecutions kept the church pure, hence we find there is not a word of reproof for the church of Smyrna, but everything of encouragement and approbation.

"The Church of Pergamos" represents what the Christian church was in the fourth and fifth centuries. In this church we find a mixedness, some were very spiritual, being faithful even to martyrdom, but others were stumbling blocks, and holding on to false and ruinous doctrines, especially the

THE SEVEN CHURCHESc doctrine of the Nicolaitanes, 6 4 which held that the body could commit sin, and be full of iniquity, while the soul could remain pure/' This was the Age in which the Emperor Constantine professed the Christian faith, and reversed all the edicts of persecution, and began to shower favors upon the. church, and load the Bishops and Christian Ministers, with many emoluments and gifts. This "was the beginning of the downfall of spiritual Christianity, and the beginning of the formation of all the Christian societies into one great ecclesiastical system, which became the Roman Catholic Church. Up to this time, the churches were not formed into one organic body of church government, and from this time the love of many waxed cold, and many erroneous doctrines began to creep into the Christian ministry, and there began that horrible amalgamation of heathen philosophy with Christian doctrine. Hence the Romish Church is a conglomerate mass, in w 7 hich Judaism, and heathenism, and Christianity, are all merged into one system.

"The Church of Thyatira" represents what the church was from the sixth to the tw 7 elfth centuries. Thyatira was a wealthy, fashionable city, and silk emporium, and therefore is used to symbolize the worldly and fashionable splendor of backslidden Christianity. There was in the.church at Thyatira, a woman preacher named Jezebel, who taught and practiced the doctrine of free love. Jesus selected this woman, and her teaching and practice, to represent what the Romish Church was during the

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Dark Ages. It was during these centuries, that the Christian Church became united with the State government, which has always been an abomination to the Lord, and is denounced as spiritual fornication. When the Roman Empire was destroyed by the invasion of the Goths and Vandals from the north of Europe, the Caesars were dethroned. Then the Bishops and Rulers of the Christian Church, obtained the ascendency in the politics of Europe, and the church became the dominant power over all State rulers. It was then that Popery was instituted, and it was recognized as the ruler of the world. John saw in his vision, "a woman sitting upon a beast." The ''woman" represents the Roman Catholic Church, and the ''beast" represents the Roman Empire, hence the church governed the politics and Kingdoms of what was former^ the Roman Empire. This was the period which Ave dominate the Dark Ages.

'•The Church of Sardis" typifies the period from the thirteenth to the fifteenth centuries, just before the Great Reformation in Germany and England. Of this church Christ says, thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead. He also says, thou hast a few names even in Sardis, which have not defiled their garments. These few undefiled ones represent those holy persons that arose in the church during that period, as burning and shining lights of perfect love, such as Thomas a Kempis, and John Thaller, and John of the Cross, and many saintly persons, whose writings on spirituality became the seed of the Reformation. It was during these cen-

THE SEVEN CHURCHES.

turies that there came what is called the Revival of Letters. Printing was invented, and many began to study the laws of nature, and poetry, and works on philosophy and science began to be published.

"The Church of Philadelphia" covers the period of the Reformation. This revolt from the darkness and superstition of Romanism began simultaneously in Prance, and Germany, and England, and covered a period of about 200 years, from the fifteenth to the seventeenth centuries. This Reformation embraces the great work of Martin Luther, and his coadjutors in Germany, and the Revival in France under the Huguenots, and in England under Ridley and Wycliff, and a little later under George Fox, the founder of the Quaker society, and broke out afresh a century later, under the Great Wesleyan Revival, All the modern churches of Protestantism had their origin in these Great Reformations, and every one of them began in a revival of Scriptural holiness. These various churches of the Reformation were not under the same church government, but were bound together in a spirit of Christian fraternity. The word "Philadelphia" means "brotherly love," and hence the church in that city was chosen to represent the churches of the Reformation. Against this church there is no condemnation, but Jesus says "He set before it an open door which no man could shut." God providentially opened up to the churches of the Reformation, all of England, and Germany, and the Western world, which was a fulfillment of the words, "I have set before thee an open door." At the close

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of the message to the Church of Philadelphia, Jesus says, "Behold I come quickly, see that no man take thy crown." Here is an intimation, that from the time of the churches of the Reformation, the coming of the Lord would begin to be manifested to his servants, and warning the church of that period to hold fast to the liberty and holiness to which it had attained, that it might be prepared to be glorified with Christ, and with Him wear the crown of dominion through the Millennial Age.

''The Church of Laodicea" covers the period of the backsliding of all the Protestant churches, down to the time when Christ shall appear to glorify the saints, and institute His reign on earth. We are now living in this period, which proves that the end of this Age is nearly finished. Jesus says of the church of this period, "I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot." That is, the churches are full of various kinds of works, but the works £„re partly spiritual, and partly political, and partly scientific, and partly of a mere social character, so that the whole is characterized by lukewarmness. The church of this period, boasts that she is rich, and increased with goods, and has need of nothing, which is exactly the case in the various denominations of churches at the present time. They build fine structures, and great universities, and have great ecclesiastical gatherings, and complicated church machinery, and boast of their learning, and culture, and science, and art, and eloquence, and music, and statistics, and are intoxicated with the dream that

THE SEVEN CHURCHES. 23

they are going to conquer the world, and thereby bring the millennium, without the personal and visible presence of Jesus. But amid all this boasting the Infinite Searcher of hearts declares that these churches are wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked. They are destitute of real heart sanctification, humility of mind, and personal affection for God, and the blessed indwelling of the personal Holy Ghost, they deny the supernatural in the pentecostal displays of saving power, do not believe in deep emotional religion, or in remarkable manifestations, or in ^divine healing, or in those heavenly corruscations of spiritual fire, and love, that characterized' the Church of Pentecost, and the early days of reformation. It is of this church, that Jesus says, "I am about to vomit them out of my mouth." (See Greek.) It is in this period of the Laodicean church, that God has started the great movement of Christian holiness, which has swept for 25 or 30 years through the churches of Christendom, and this movement of sanctification is the hand of God, knocking at the door of all these modern churches, and appealing to their individual members, that if any one of them will open the door, Christ will enter in and cleanse and fill such an one, and sup with him preliminary to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, which is soon to transpire, when He gathers out His elect saints at His appearing. This is the closing message to all the churches of the present Gentile Age.

In the following chapters, let us go back and re-

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view the various promises made to these churches, and see what are the qualifications, and the steps of spiritual victory, requisite for obtaining a place at the table of the Marriage Supper, and a place in the government of the Millennial Kingdom.

Chapter III. * 'hear What The Spirit Saith. "

Rev. 2:7.

AMONG the very first conditions of being qualified for membership in the Bridehood of Jesus is that of having a willing and obedient heart to hear voice of the Holy Spirit. Seven times within the the limits of the second and third chapters of Revelation, Jesus commands us to hear what the Spirit shall say. Our Savior tells us that nobody can come to the Son of God, except the Father shall draw him. It is the office of the Father, through the operation of His law applied by the Spirit, to awaken us and draw us in the spirit of repentance, to go to Jesus for pardon and renewal of life. Then when Jesus receives us, and remits our sins, and gives us power to become sons of God. He then leads us to the personality and fullness of the Holy Spirit. He tells us to tarry until we are endued with power from on high, and that He will pray the Father, and we shall receive another Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, who will sanctify us

HEAR WHAT THE SPIRIT SAITH.

through the truth, and take the things of Christ, and reveal them unto us. When it is said, the Lord is my Shepherd, and He leadeth me beside the still waters, it is simply a picture of Jesus, after saving us from our sins, leading us to the clear river of the ever-flowing Holy Spirit, that we may be filled with pure love, and put under the dominion of the abiding Comforter. Then, when the Holy Spirit gets possession of our nature and life, He in turn leads us back to the eternal Father, and reveals to us in ever-widening and brightening fields of light, the personalities, and love, paid fellowship, of the Father and the Son. The Father leads us to the Son, and the Son leads us to the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit leads us back to the uncreated and unbegotten person of the Father, from whom eternally comes the Son, and from whom eternally proceeds the Holy Spirit. This is the beautiful, fascinating circuit, around which the redeemed soul travels, with ever-increasing light and love.