Aids to Revelation by Watchman Nee

1. All the writers of the 1^st 3 centuries agree John’s exile was at the latter part of reign of Domitian, last of 12 caesars, therefore written in 95 or 96 AD. I have quotes by various writers.

2. If it was in Nero’s time Revelations has no spiritual value for us for the future so it is not already fulfilled.

3. Teitan can not be the antichrist for he was never referred to as such in those terms in early Christian writers.

5. Tertullian said Domitan also cruel like Nero often ceased from his attempts (I have quotes). Banishment (as in John) is his more likely avenue whereas Nero would just put you to death.

6. Clement of Alexandria speaks of a tyrant after whose death John returns from exile, referring to Domitan likely.

7. Eusebius in 3 passages states the banishment of John took place in reign of Domitian and that the time of John’s revelation was in the 14^th year reign of Domitan (95 AD).

8. Victorinus of Petau, the earliest extant writer on apocalypse, said John revealed his revelation when he was released from Patmos. 95 AD.

9. Victorinus (martyred in 303 AD) said Domitan was the 6^th king reigning during when the apocalypse was written in reference to the 8^th king talked about in Revelations 17.

10.Jerome (4^th century) said Revelations written at Patmos was written in the 14^th year of Domitan, the second caesar who persecuted Christians.

11. This harmony was ruined by Ephiphanius of Salmis whose testimony is worthless plus its incredible. He was careless and an inaccurate ancient writer. He actually wrote that John at age 90 was released into the reign of Claudius. Claudius was assassinated in 54 AD. If this is true then John would have had to been 33 years older than Jesus Christ in his 63 year when called to apostle.

1. The state of the 7 churches would have required development of 20 or 30 years far beyond the 5 or 6 years allowed by the Neronic date, beyond the condition of the church in Paul’s time.

2. It is evident persecution was evident throughout Asia Minor at the time (at least one martyr in Pergamum) whereas in Nero’s time it does not extend beyond immediate neighborhood of Rome.

4. Jezebel had not only risen to influence in Thyatira, but time for repentance had also been given to her (according to Rev. 2.20, 21).

6. Rationalistic view of preterists does not wash for up to our day the concluding portion of God’s Word still remains prophetic writing concerned future events to come from Revelations 4 on. Even Laodecia is not completed yet. It is neither a book of allegorical history or already fulfilled.

7. Rationalistics attempt to take away this fearful book serving as one of the keenest of the swords of God’s Spirit has been defeated.

Concerning the view that the book of Revelation was written by the apostle John during the rule of Domitian, there are two strong evidences—both external and internal in nature.* First, the external evidence.

* What follows was in large part taken from G. H. Pember, The Greater Prophecies of the Centuries—Concerning the Church (London, Hodder and Stoughton, 1909), pp. 429-432.— Translator

At the outset we may generally say that all writers of the first three centuries, whose statements where found are explicit, agree in ascribing the exile of John and his writing of the Apocalypse (Revelation) to the latter part of the reign of Domitian, the last of the Twelve Caesars, which is therefore to say that it was written in either A.D. 95 or 96.

The first and greatest witness of all is Irenaeus. For he was a pupil of Polycarp, who himself had been one of John’s disciples. Hence Irenaeus is far more likely to have received a true account of John the apostle’s closing days than would any other writer whose works have come down to us. So that, when speaking of the strong probability that the name of the Antichrist would be Teitan, Irenaeus gives the following definite testimony concerning John and his apocalyptic writing:

Tertullian, a contemporary of Irenaeus, observed: "How happy a church is that one which Apostles poured out all their doctrines with their blood! Where Peter endures a suffering like to that of his Lord; where Paul has for his crown the same death as John; and the Apostle John, after having been plunged into boiling oil without suffering any harm, was banished to an island."* Here Tertullian informs us of two facts: first, that John was banished; and, secondly, that the place of his exile was an island. In another passage, after mentioning the persecution by Nero, he continues: "Domitian, too, who was somewhat of a Nero in cruelty, had assayed the same thing; but since he was, also, a human being, readily ceased from his attempt, and even restored those whom he had banished."*

Tertullian thus intimates that banishment was the usual penalty inflicted upon Christians by Domitian; whereas, as far as extant records go, Nero was accustomed to putting them to death.*

Clement of Alexandria does not mention Domitian by name; but he probably intends him, when he speaks of the "tyrant," after whose death John returned from exile.**

Eusebius, in three passages, states that the banishment of John took place in the reign of Domitian. He also states that the time wherein John received his revelation was in the fourteenth year of the reign of Domitian, which would be 95 A.D.***

Victorinus of Petau, the author of the earliest extant commentary on the Apocalypse itself, explains the words, "Thou must prophesy again concerning many peoples and nations and tongues and kings" (Rev. 10.11 mg.), as follows:

Again, when discussing the eighth king that is mentioned in the seventeenth chapter of Revelation, Victorinus tells us in his commentary that the sixth was Domitian, in whose reign the Apocalypse was written.*

In the fourth century, Jerome testifies that when John wrote the Apocalypse he was on the island of Patmos during the fourteenth year of Caesar Domitian (95 A.D.)—the latter being the second Caesar who persecuted Christians, Nero being the first.

During the first three and a half centuries, therefore, no writer appears to have suggested any other date.

But, in the latter half of the fourth century, this harmony was broken by Epiphanius of Salamis; whose testimony, however, is absolutely worthless against that which has been cited, to say nothing of the fact that it is incredible in itself. For Epiphanius was one of the most careless and inaccurate of ancient writers. His remarkable statement is this: that John returned from exile—at the age of ninety—in the reign of Claudius. Now, Claudius was assassinated in A.D. 54; therefore, if John had attained to his ninetieth year by that time, he must have been some thirty-three years older than the Lord, and he as well must have been in his sixty-third year when called to be one of the Lord’s apostles! It is clear, then, that the Claudian date may be summarily dismissed.*

Hence, the balance of external evidence is overwhelmingly in favor of the Domitianic date. There are many other witnesses whom we have not quoted which would support this view as well.

Just as the external evidence is overwhelming, so the internal evidence is equally strong in the same direction. By internal evidence, we mean the evidence in the text, which proves that Revelation was truly written at the time of Domitian. What follows is that evidence.**

** Again, for the information to follow, the author was much indebted to G. H. Pember, op. cit., pp. 432-33.—Translator

(1) The state of the churches of Asia as described in the seven letters of Revelation chapters 2 and 3 would have required a development of twenty or thirty years beyond what their condition was in Paul’s time, and not merely of five or six, which would be all that the Neronic date would allow.

(2) There had already been at least one martyr in Pergamum; and John, in addressing the seven churches of Asia, speaks of himself as having become their companion in tribulation by his banishment to Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. However, the believers in Smyrna were just about to experience a trial of their faith, even to that of death. It is thus evident that a persecution was raging in Asia Minor at the time. And this must have been the persecution of Domitian, since that of Nero does not appear to have extended beyond the immediate neighborhood of Rome; nor does the Neronic persecution seem to have resulted in banishment but simply in capital punishment.

(3) The Balaamites (see Rev. 2.14) had found time to establish themselves in Pergamum.

(4) Jezebel had not only risen to influence in Thyatira, but time for repentance had also been given to her (this according to Rev. 2.20, 21).

The Domitianic date of A.D. 95 or 96 for the writing of the Apocalypse is thus supported both by external and internal evidence.

Due to the fact that Revelation describes itself definitely as a book of prophecy (see 1.3; 22.7, 18, 19), certain Rationalistic teachers have been found to attempt to set the date of writing to the earlier Neronic time, thereby being able to more narrowly apply all the prophecies in the book to the Roman Emperor Nero and the Christians at that time. But we clearly know today that this prophecy had to have been written long after the time of Nero. And up to our present day this concluding portion of God’s word still remains a prophetic writing concerned with future events yet to come. It is neither allegorical history nor already fulfilled prophecy.

By having demonstrated that this book was written at the time of Domitian, the scheme of those Rationalistic teachers to take away this fearful book—it serving as one of the keenest of the swords of God’s Spirit—has been defeated.

(9) Heads of the beast stand for hills (17.9).

(10) Horns of the beast stand for subordinate kings (17.12).

(11) Waters represent peoples (17.15).

(12) Woman symbolizes the great city (17.18).

(13) Fine linen represents righteousness (19.8).

(14) Wife of the Lamb stands for the city of God (21.9, 10).

Hence do not treat this book as one of symbols. Even though there are more than thirty such symbols, half of them have already been explained. On the average, there is less than one symbol to be found in each chapter, and consequently Revelation cannot in all truth be labeled as a book of symbols. The prophecies in its pages are of two kinds, direct and indirect. The indirect prophecies are embodied in symbols, but as we have already mentioned, these symbols have not been consigned to total darkness since many have already been explained. Thus readers should not be intimidated by these symbols, but should distinguish the unexplained from the explained ones and seek to discover their meanings.

In spite of the adoption of symbols as a style of writing, we must not spiritualize the book in toto. Let us keep in mind one important thing, which is, that Revelation is an opened book (see 22.10) and not like Daniel which is a sealed book (see 12.4). It is called “the Revelation of John” and therefore all the things recorded in it are opened up to be understood. It is written according to facts, and hence it can be taken literally. Inasmuch as the matters recorded at the end of the book which must yet occur are actual miracles such as resurrection, rapture, appearing, and so forth, the things given in the earlier part of the volume must also be actual—in this case, punishments—since this is a book of unity. We are told that there are 119 prophecies in the Old Testament concerning the Lord Jesus. How are these prophecies fulfilled? All of them are literally fulfilled. For example, a virgin giving birth to a son, Bethlehem, the coming up from Egypt, the thirty pieces of silver, and so forth, were all literally fulfilled.

Beyond these symbols, the rest of the book contains the plain sayings of God. We acknowledge that spiritual meanings and teachings are implied. Yet these pictorial parts must be explained literally. For instance, at the opening of the seventh seal, we find that seven angels are ready to blow the trumpets. In the blowing of the seven trumpets there are hail and fire, blood, mountain, sea, stars, moon and sun, and so forth. On the one hand, all these should be taken literally, although we still may derive much spiritual meaning and teaching from them. On the other hand, though, we must not accept merely their spiritual meanings and reject the awfulness of the literal punishments. Here we see the wisdom of God. He hides spiritual meaning in the letter so that those who have learned of God may discover the deeper teaching behind the letter. Yet those ordinary believers may also learn directly from the actual phenomena of future tribulations. The word of God is revealed to babes (Matt. 11.25). How can a baby understand the book of Revelation if it is as deep as some people say? We praise the Lord, that in spite of some difficult passages in Revelation, many more of them are to be literally applied, and therefore babes in Christ may understand the book. We also praise the Lord, because even though Revelation is so plain that ordinary believers may know much of it, the book likewise offers many materials for research to the very best of man’s brains. Our God is indeed God!

The character of Revelation is righteous, for from start to finish it manifests the righteousness of God. It is not easy to find in it the grace of God; even towards the Church, it reveals the strict discipline of the Lord. It is, in fact, a book of judgment. In it we see how the Lord judges His Church, the Jews, and the nations. It unveils the Lord Jesus and discloses His judgment.

Due to its character being different from the other books of the New Testament, many people deem Revelation too difficult to understand. Yet it is not really hard to know. The Church has failed, so the Lord can only resort to judgment. What is recorded in chapters 2 and 3 is the foreshadowing of the judgment seat of Christ (2 Cor. 5.10). With the exception of chapters 4 and 5 which narrate matters in transition, the entire record from chapter 6 through chapter 19 belongs to the time of the last seven of Daniel’s seventy sevens. Daniel’s seventy sevens fall into the dispensation of law. The dispensation of grace is inserted between the sixty-ninth seven and the seventieth seven. As soon as the dispensation of grace concludes, the seventieth seven commences, which still belongs to the dispensation of law. Hence all the things spoken of from chapter 6 through chapter 19 turn back into the dispensation of law. No wonder its character is so righteous.

Due to its righteous and legal character, the book carries within itself much of the Jewish flavor. In this book the Church is presented in somewhat different terms from what the Church is described as in Paul’s writings. Although like Paul’s writings Revelation is written in Greek, the book nonetheless employs many Hebraisms—such as Abaddan, for example, and so forth. Even the names of our Lord contain Jewish connotations, such as Jehovah God. The Gospel according to Matthew quotes the Old Testament 92 times; the book of Hebrews quotes it about 103 times; but the book of Revelation does so about 285 times! This proves that Revelation shows how God shall return to the Old Testament ground and deal with the nations as well as the Jews accordingly. For let us not forget that salvation is from the Jews. Hence the saints of the Lord should learn to love the Jews and not to reject them. We ought to love the elect of the Lord.

7. Salvation and Reward

We have now seen that the book of Revelation is a book of righteousness. Yet for us to appreciate its righteous effects, we need to distinguish salvation from reward. The word of God presents a clear distinction between these two. What God has parted, let not men join together. Let us consider this matter carefully and see the contrast between them.

Salvation is that which is given freely. It is not earned by means of man’s works. For it is God who gives grace to us, and not on the basis of our merit.

"Ho, every one that thirsteth [points to the sinner], come ye to the waters [points to God’s salvation], and he that hath no money [points to works or righteous deeds]; come ye, buy, and eat [means all sinners may believe and be saved]; yea, come, buy wine and milk [means the joy of salvation] without money and without price [points to the fact that there is no need of good deeds, since it does not depend on one’s goodness]" (Is. 55.1).

"The gift of God" (John 4.10).

"The free gift of God is eternal life" (Rom. 6.23).

"By grace have ye been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not of works, that no man should glory" (Eph. 2.8, 9).

"Not by works done in righteousness, which we did ourselves, but according to his mercy he saved us" (Titus 3.5).

"He that will, let him take the water of life freely" (Rev. 22.17).

Through these verses which have been quoted and many other Scripture passages not quoted, it is proven beyond any doubt that we receive our salvation freely and not by our works or righteous acts; we are saved by the grace of God, the free gift of God. All we do is to believe. For the work of salvation is wholly done for us by the Lord Jesus. His death on the cross has accomplished our salvation. For us now to be saved and to gain eternal life, there is no need for us to perform more works or to add more merits but simply to believe and receive. This is because none of our good works is acceptable to God. Throughout the entire New Testament there are about 150 instances of such sayings as these: believe and be saved, believe and have eternal life, believe and be justified. Just as soon as we believe, we are saved, receive eternal life, and are justified. This is all freely given: ". . . the witness is this, that God gave unto us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath the life; he that hath not the Son of God hath not the life" (1 John 5.11, 12). All who accept the Lord Jesus as Savior by faith have eternal life according to the word of God. Truly, "he that believeth on the Son hath eternal life" (John 3.36). Believe and you have!

Reward, though, is a different matter. It is not something freely received; it must be obtained through good works. It is given according to the works of each saint. Let us look at the following Scriptures.

"My reward is with me, to render to each man according as his work is" (Rev. 22.12). Note that this word is spoken to the Church (see v.16).

"Each shall receive his own reward according to his own labor" (1 Cor. 3.8).

"Whatsoever ye do, work heartily, as unto the Lord, and not unto men; knowing that from the Lord ye shall receive the recompense of the inheritance ... For he that doeth wrong shall receive again for the wrong that he hath done" (Col. 3.23-25).

"Now to him that worketh, the reward is not reckoned as of grace" (Rom. 4.4).

There are many more Scriptures which could be quoted, but these above are sufficient to prove that reward is not freely received.

According to the teaching of the Bible, reward is added to the believer’s good works. As insignificant as is a cup of cold water (Matt. 10.42), or as hidden as is the counsel of the heart (1 Cor. 4, 5) or as humble as is one’s service (Mark 10.43) or as unknown is the suffering for the Lord’s sake (Luke 6.22)–all such deeds or attitudes may still have the opportunity of being rewarded (cf. Luke 6.23).

According to the Bible, the goal which is set before a person is twofold: when we are yet sinners, our goal is salvation; after we are saved and become believers our goal is reward. For salvation is provided for sinners, whereas reward is provided for believers. Men ought to receive salvation first and then pursue after reward. The perishing should receive salvation; and the saved should win reward. By reading 1 Corinthians 9.24-27 and Philippians 3.12-14, we can readily see that some believers fail to obtain reward. For in these two passages, Paul is talking about reward and not about salvation. He well knows that he is saved. In his other epistles, he frequently expresses himself as one who has received grace. But in these two passages, he tells us of what he is seeking after having been saved—and that is, reward. At this moment he dare not say for sure that he has achieved the reward, he instead is still pursuing. Sinners ought to seek for salvation, while believers ought to seek after reward.

However corrupted a sinner may be, if he is willing to believe the Lord Jesus as Savior, he shall be instantly saved. Once saved and regenerated, he should seek to develop this new life in him and to serve the Lord faithfully so that he may obtain the reward. He is saved through the work of Christ; he is rewarded by his own works. He is saved through faith; he is rewarded by works. God is willing to save an undeserving sinner, but He will not reward an undeserving believer. Before anyone believes in the Lord, if he is willing to acknowledge himself as a sinner, come to the Lord Jesus and believe in His substitutionary death on the cross, he is saved and eternal blessing is guaranteed to him. But according to the Scriptures, after he is saved he is placed by God on the race course of life that he may run. If he wins, he shall be rewarded. If he loses, he will not be rewarded. Yet he will not lose eternal life because of his defeat. For salvation is eternal. Here we find the most balanced teaching, the perfect truth. Unfortunately, many people only know salvation. They are content with merely being saved and do not care about the reward.

How sad that people have mixed up salvation with reward. They reckon salvation is most difficult, requiring their supreme efforts of self-discipline to attain it. But this is not the teaching of the Bible. The Scriptures consider salvation to be that which is most easy to come by, for the Lord Jesus by His own initiative has already accomplished everything for us. But the Scriptures regard reward as that which is somewhat harder to obtain because it depends upon the works which we by our initiative accomplish through Christ.

Let us illustrate the matter in this way. Suppose a certain rich man opens a free school. All who attend are free from all charges since this rich man pays for all their expenses. But those who achieve excellence in learning shall receive a special reward. Accordingly, salvation can be likened to entering this free school. All who are willing to come to the Lord Jesus are saved because He himself has paid the cost of salvation. It is very easy to become a student in this free school since it costs nothing. It is enough just to come. In like manner, then, salvation is most easy. One need not do anything except believe. But for one who is now enrolled as a student, to obtain the reward is not that easy; he must work hard. Similarly, it is not so easy for a believer to win the divine reward; he must have good works.

Let not any reader think that it is enough to be saved and not seek the reward as well. To every truly born-again person, the Lord is calling that one to pursue after spiritual excellence—to win the reward. And it should be a natural thing for him to pursue and win. Yet not for his personal benefit, but to gain the Lord’s heart and pleasure. For whoever is rewarded by the Lord has delighted His heart. Just as a sinner should be saved, so a believer should be rewarded also. Reward to a believer is as important as salvation to a sinner. If a saint fails to achieve the reward, it does not mean that he has sacrificed his profit, it only indicates that his life is not holy and his labor is not faithful and that he has not manifested the Lord Jesus Christ during his pilgrim days.

Recent teachings have swung towards two extremes. Some reckon salvation to be so difficult that it demands people to do a great deal. Thus they nullify the substitutionary death and the work of redemption of our Lord Jesus. Such teaching puts the entire responsibility on man and overlooks what the Bible says about our being saved by grace through faith. Some others think that since all is of grace, then all who believe in the Lord Jesus will not only be saved but also be rewarded with glory and rule in the future with the Lord Jesus. And hence, they lay the entire responsibility on God and neglect what is observed in the Scriptures that some believers—though they be saved—will suffer loss, yet as through fire (1 Cor. 3.15).

Yet there is a most balanced teaching here. Before a sinner believes, the Lord bears His responsibility; after the sinner believes, he must bear the responsibility himself. The work of salvation is totally done by the Lord for him, so it is enough just to believe. But this matter of reward depends wholly on the believer’s works, and therefore to believe alone is not adequate. As a sinner cannot be saved by good works, so a saint cannot be rewarded by only believing. Salvation is based on faith; reward is judged by works. Without faith, there is no salvation; without works, there is no reward. If we carefully study the New Testament, we shall perceive how clearly God separates salvation and reward. Salvation is for sinners, but reward is for saints. Both are divinely ordered: sinners should be saved and saints should be rewarded. Overlooking either of them will incur great loss. Let us therefore not mix salvation and reward together.

What is salvation? It is to not perish but to have eternal life. This is what we all know. Yet this does not decide our positions in glory since those are in fact determined by rewards. What is reward? From the Scriptures we can see that reward is to reign with Christ during the millennial kingdom. Every believer has eternal life; but not every believer will be rewarded by being given the right to reign with Christ. The kingdom of the heavens in the Gospel according to Matthew points to the heavenly part of the millennial kingdom—that is to say, it points to our reigning with Christ. Every careful reader of the Gospel can see the difference between eternal life and the kingdom of the heavens. To have eternal life requires only faith, but to gain the kingdom of the heavens demands violence to oneself (see Matt. 11.12). So that to be saved is to have eternal life, while to be rewarded is to enter into the kingdom of the heavens.

Let us all press on towards the goal. May God enable us to forsake everything for His sake in order that we may win His reward. To be saved is something now and instantaneous, because it is recorded in God’s word that he who believes has eternal life (see the Gospel according to John). Reward is something in the future, for the Scripture says that when the Lord shall come, "then shall each man have his praise from God" (I Cor. 4.5). Salvation is now, reward is then. Let us not mix them up, because there is a great difference in the principles which govern salvation and reward. Salvation shows the grace of God because He does not recompense us according to our sins but rather saves us who believe in the Lord Jesus. Reward expresses the righteousness of God because He recompenses the saints according to their good works. Whoever serves Him faithfully shall receive reward.

Let us never forget that our God is not just gracious, nor is He only righteous; His character bespeaks both grace and righteousness. Saving sinners is His act of grace; rewarding saints is His act of righteousness. We earlier observed that the book of Revelation expresses the righteousness of God. Knowing the difference between salvation and reward is essential to our understanding of this book.

Otherwise it will be difficult to explain the righteous dealing of God with the Saints which is delineated in its pages.

Through John God reveals the word of eternal life. In his Gospel, he shows the way to eternal life. In his epistles, he describes the manifestations of eternal life. But in the book of Revelation, he discloses the judgment of the saved. And hence the last book of the Bible touches very little on the matter of the salvation of believers but rather strongly on the question of their reward. Its pages speak of righteousness, and reward is God’s righteous act. By reading chapters 2 and 3 we come to see not the matter of salvation but that of the Christian life, believers’ works, and their victory. Such knowledge will help us to grasp hold of not only these two chapters but of the rest of the book as well.

8. Four Judgments

Having differentiated between reward and salvation, we can now touch upon a related problem—the subject of judgment. Without judgment, how can it be determined who is saved and who is unsaved? Without judgment, how can it be known who will be rewarded and who will suffer loss? The Bible unfolds to us four different kinds of judgment: (1) the Lord Jesus was judged for us on the cross; (2) the believers will be judged as to their works before the judgment seat of Christ; (3) the nations will be judged on earth (Matt. 25.31-46); and (4) God’s judgment of the dead (or, of the great white throne) (Rev. 20.11-15). Of these four judgments, one has already passed, but three are coming in the future. All who are willing to believe in the Lord Jesus as their Savior will have their problem of sins forever solved due to the effect of Christ having been judged for sins on the cross. They are therefore saved, they have received eternal life, and they will be judged no more (see John 3.18, Rom. 8.1). They will not be judged for sins anymore because the Lord Jesus has suffered for them on the cross.

But although believers will not be judged for sin, the Bible nonetheless indicates that they will still be judged (2 Cor. 5.10; Rom. 14.10-12; Matt. 25.14-30; 1 Cor. 3.10-15; etc.). What judgment is that? Not the judgment as to whether one is saved or perishes, since this issue has already been resolved for the believer by the cross. Moreover, 1 Corinthians 3.15 states that in this judgment there is no danger of perishing. Hence this judgment is that judgment of the works of saints. The judgment of the cross concludes our lives as sinners. The judgment seat of Christ concludes our lives as believers.

Before the judgment seat of Christ we are going to be examined as to our lives lived from the day we first believed in the Lord and onward. Sins which have been confessed will not be brought up. Some believers will have served the Lord faithfully—having suffered much and forsaken all things, having done the will of God without any ulterior motive except to please Him. These people will be rewarded and will reign with Christ in unspeakable glory. How great and good this will be! For the Lord’s heart will be pleased, and they will receive glory. Let us seek for it! Some others may have faltered at times, but if they have confessed their sins, they will be washed by the precious blood so that they may renew their pursuit and follow the Lord along the narrow path of the cross. These too shall receive His reward. As to others, however, they may not have sinned, but their works were like wood, hay and stubble since they sought after the approval of men and worked with a double motive. These shall not be rewarded at all but will suffer tremendous loss. And then there will be still others who after being saved will have continued to commit many sins—unconfessed and unrepented of; such people will be punished instead of rewarded. Although their eternal salvation is an unshakable matter, they will nonetheless be severely disciplined by the Lord. Revelation 1-3 discloses the attitude of the Lord Jesus in judging His saints. It is the prelude to the judgment seat of Christ.

The third of these four judgments—the judgment of nations—will be determined according to how each nation will have treated the Jews during the Great Tribulation. This judgment will take place at the end of the Tribulation but before the commencement of the millennial kingdom. What is to take place as described in Revelation 16.12-16 and 19.11-21 has reference to this judgment.

The fourth and final judgment is that of the great white throne—that is to say, God’s judgment of the dead (see Rev. 20.11-15).

Since the book of Revelation speaks so much of judgment, an awareness of these four judgments to be found in the Scriptures will help us to understand the different judgments spoken of in this final book of the Bible.

independence, which admits of no other; it expresses the power of God. 1 implies a sufficiency which needs no other; it shows forth the abundance of God. 1 is the beginning of all numbers; it demonstrates the greatness of God. For He is the source of all things. He is unique. He is the Head of all things. We will receive much help by looking at the way 1 is used in the Bible.

Passover marks the beginning of months; it is to be the first month of the year (Ex. 12.2). This points to the redemption of God. The redemptive work at Calvary heads up all things. That which God created on the first day was light; this is the power of God. The first book of the Bible is Genesis which reveals God’s power and glory. All the firstborn of the sons of the Israelites belong to the Lord, for they are holy to the Lord (Ex. 22.29). The first of the firstfruits of the ground must be brought into the house of God, for He should be served first (Ex. 23.19). Unfortunately, many of God’s children do not realize that He is one and that therefore they should honor Him as the First. We ought to let Him have the preeminence in all things (Col. 1.18).

1 also speaks of harmony or oneness: "The dream of Pharaoh is one" (Gen. 41.25).

1 also signifies peace: "that they may be one, even as we are" (John 17.11). It shows a relationship. To sum up, we may say that since 1 is the foundation of all numerals, it is God’s number. All things begin at 1; God is the beginning of all things. 1 is the fundamental unit, the summing up of all numbers; and hence God holds all things together in himself. No numeral precedes 1, and thus it represents the absolute God in heaven.

Although this numeral is primarily for God, when it applies to man, it implies an evil sense. It may speak of man’s independency, disobedience and rebellion.

God is three in one and one in three. Within the Trinity, the holy Son is the second Person. Thus, "2" is the number of the Lord Jesus. He is called the second man (1 Cor. 15.47). He has two natures—that of God and man. His works fall into two stages—suffering and glory. In reading Leviticus, we find that a person who sins shall bring two turtle-doves or two young pigeons to God as his trespass-offering: one is to be offered as a sin-offering and the other as a burnt-offering (Lev. 5.7). A sin-offering is offered up for the sake of sin; a burnt-offering is offered up for the sake of the person. God forgives sin and accepts the person. This also is two-sided. All this represents the salvation of the Lord Jesus. 2 is likewise the number of salvation. The second Person in the Godhead—the Lord Jesus—is the Savior of the world.

2 also speaks of addition, help and fellowship: "Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow; but woe to him that is alone when he falleth, and hath not another to lift him up. Again, if two lie together, then they have warmth; but how can one be warm alone? And if a man prevail against him that is alone, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken" (Eccl. 4.9-12).

2 is the number of testimony as well. The testimony of two different individuals is true. Please read Deuteronomy 17.6, 19.15, Matthew 18.16, 2 Corinthians 13.1, and 1 Timothy 5.19. The witness of God towards men is seen in the Old Testament and the New. The names of the disciples are given in twos (Matt. 10.2-4). The disciples went forth to bear witness two by two. The tablets of the testimony are two in number. During the Great Tribulation, there will be two dramatic witnesses (Rev. 11.3). The second Person of the Godhead is the Word of God and the Faithful Witness (Rev. 19.13; 1.5).

2 has another meaning: it speaks of division, difference and contrast. For instance, during the second day of creation, God divided the waters from the waters. The animals entered the ark in pairs (Gen. 6.19,20). A woman who bore a maid-child would be unclean for two weeks, doubling the days for bearing a male-child (Lev. 12.5).

2 has still another meaning: it is the number of production. 2 is the first number after 1 is added on; it is therefore not a complete number. More numbers may be added onto it to make it perfect. The Holy Father and the Holy Son are not complete without adding the Holy Spirit to the Trinity. The husband and wife are joined in one, but in God’s eyes the family is not complete till children are added.

"3" is the number of personal completeness. It is the number of the Godhead, it standing for the triune God. It is formed by 1 plus 1 plus 1. But if the 1’s are multiplied, the result is still 1. So that God is 3 in 1 and 1 in 3. In geometry two lines do not make a cube. Hence 2 is an incomplete number while 3 is the first complete number. It therefore represents God. A complete man is formed with spirit, soul and body. A complete family is composed of father, mother and children. A complete faith consists of knowledge, works and experience.

3 is also a number of resurrection. The Lord Jesus is resurrected on the third day. The earth came out of the water on the third day. A person is born again through the preaching of the gospel which comes not in word only but also in power and in the Holy Spirit (1 Thess. 1.5). Jonah was in the belly of the fish for three days. The restoration of the nation of Israel is also connected with the numeral 3 (Hosea 6.1,2).

This number 3 is frequently related to God; such as when people are baptized into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit (Matt. 28.19). The benediction of the apostle Paul is also couched in the Triune formula of 3 in 1 (2 Cor. 13.14). The Lord Jesus was tempted three times; and He prayed three times in the garden of Gethsemane. Peter denied the Lord three times; he was asked three times by the Lord: "Lovest thou me?"; and three times he was told, "Feed my sheep" (John 21.15-17). "There are three who bear witness" to the Son (1 John 5.8). In praising God, the seraphim cried one to another: "Holy, holy, holy" (Is. 6.3). The four living creatures are also found saying, "Holy, holy, holy" (Rev. 4.8). The largest piece of furniture in the tabernacle is the altar, which is capable of containing all the rest of the tabernacle furniture. The altar stands for the cross which satisfies the righteousness of God. It is three cubits tall, signifying that the righteousness of the cross has reached the standard of God. When God judged men’s sin in Christ, the heaven and earth were darkened for three hours. According to Hebrews 9.23-28, the Lord Jesus appears three times: the first time He appeared to put away sin (v.26); the second time He appears before the face of God to intercede for us (v.24); and the third time He shall appear to them who wait for Him to the redemption of their body (v.28).

"4" is the number of the world. God apportions the world dominion to four kingdoms: Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece and Rome. The materials representing world power in Nebuchadnezzar’s image are gold, silver, brass and iron (Dan. 2). The world kingdoms in God’s eyes are like four beasts (Dan. 7). 4 as the number of the world may also be seen in this number’s relationships with the world. The world has four seasons: spring, summer, fall and winter. It has four corners: east, west, south and north (Num. 2). It has four basic elements: earth, air, water and fire. It has four winds (Rev. 7.1). The river which flowed out of the earth’s paradise—the garden of Eden—was parted and became four heads (Gen. 2.10-14). The living creatures which represent the created world are four in number (Rev. 4.6). In Ezekiel we are told that the cherubim, which are the same as the living creatures, have four faces: that of the lion, ox, man, and eagle; and they have also four wings (ch. 1). Mankind on earth is described in a foursome: peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues (Rev. 17.15). The heart conditions of men, according to the parable of the sower as spoken by the Lord Jesus, are of four kinds (Matt. 13.3-9, 18-23). The tribulations which come as judgment upon the world are also four in number: war, famine, pestilence and earthquake (Matt. 24.6,7 AV; cf. Luke 21). Those which bear witness to the Lord Jesus are the four Gospels which reveal the four aspects of Christ. At the height of men’s sin, the four soldiers divided among themselves the garments of the Lord Jesus (John 19.23). The altar set up for men is "foursquare" with four horns (Ex. 27.1,2). The fourth of the Ten Commandments is the first of the remaining ones that touch upon the things of the world (Ex. 20). The fourth clause in the so-called Lord’s Prayer is also that which commences to deal with matters pertaining to this earth (Matt. 6.9-13). The things God created on the fourth day were to rule over the days and nights on earth. The fourth book of the Bible, Numbers, relates the experience of the wilderness which is a type of the world.

4 comes from 3 plus 1; and 3 is the foundation of 4. As 3 represents God, so 4 represents the created ones who depend on the Creator. 4 is the first number which allows of simple division, even as 2 is the number which divides it. It is therefore the symbol of weakness. The created have really nothing of which to boast.

"5" has several meanings which are all closely related. 5 is an incomplete number and the number of man’s responsibility before God. Owing to its incompleteness, it suggests responsibility. 5 is 4 plus 1. 4 represents the created man, while 1 represents the independent God. So that 5 is man before God. Accordingly, it on the one hand stands for God giving grace to man; it on the other hand represents man bearing responsibility before God. Upon receiving God’s grace, man is naturally held responsible to God.

The incompleteness of the numeral 5 can easily be seen. Man’s five fingers and five toes are but half the total fingers and toes. On the fifth day God created the living creatures of the sea, but there was yet no life on earth. At the opening of the fifth seal, how anxious are the martyrs of the ages because they have not yet received their crowns (Rev. 6.7-11). The wrath of the fifth bowl is poured on the throne of the beast, but the power of the beast still waits to be completely destroyed (Rev. 16. 10,11). Of the virgins, five are wise and five are foolish (Matt. 25.2); so at the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ not all the saved are ready.

5 also speaks of man’s responsibility through grace. The consecration of Aaron and his sons (Lev. 8) and the cleansing of the leper (Lev. 14) are full of meaning. Blood is applied on the tip of the right ear, the thumb of the right hand, and the big toe of the right foot. Ear, thumb and toe are all related to the number 5. Ear is one of the five organs; thumb is one of the five fingers, and big toe is one of the five toes. These three represent the whole person—how he must use his ear to listen to God’s word, his hand to do God’s work, and his foot to walk in God’s path. Together they express man’s responsibility before God. He first receives grace through the application of the precious blood. Then having been cleansed by the precious blood, his whole being is responsible before God to walk worthy of the grace of his calling.

4 is a weak number; without adding one more to it so as to become 5, it is not able to bear any responsibility. Take the hand illustration: though the four fingers are quite lively, yet without adding the thumb, the hand is not able to take up responsibility. The Lord Jesus uses five loaves to feed the five thousand hungry (Matt. 14.17); this expresses the Lord’s grace. David chooses five smooth stones to overcome Goliath (1 Sam. 17.40); this manifests man’s responsibility. The fifth book of the Bible, Deuteronomy, relates how God gives grace and how people are responsible afterwards. The fifth kingdom of the world will be the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ (Dan. 2.35,44; Rev. 11.15). All who desire to enter His kingdom and to reign with Christ have tremendous responsibility! Matthew 5-7 lays down the conditions. Deuteronomy, the fifth book of the Bible, speaks also of how the people must behave after entering the promised land, which is a type of the kingdom of our Lord Jesus.

Pentecost is the fiftieth day after Passover. It typifies the coming of the Holy Spirit and the forming of the Church with Jews and Gentiles (see Lev. 23.15-21, where the two loaves represent the Church which is composed of both the Jews and the Gentiles). People receive the Holy Spirit by grace; but whoever lies to the Holy Spirit shall receive severe judgment, and this is responsibility. The book of Leviticus uses five offerings to represent the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus once and for all, to which men are held responsible. The curtains of the tabernacle are 5 in number coupled together one to another, and the pillars of the screen are 5 in number. 5 is the number used frequently in the measurement of the tabernacle.

"6" is the number of the devil. It is also the number of man because man has sinned by listening to the word of the devil, and hence he is joined with the devil. Before dawn, the darkness of the night seems to deepen; likewise, the number 6 before the complete number 7 is also at its worst. 6 is a number which can be divided; it is therefore a weak number. Men as well as the devil are always weak. That number is lower than the number 7; consequently, men and the devil can never overcome God. May people always realize that their number is 6.

Man was created on the sixth day (Gen. 1). Men should work for six days in a week (Ex. 23.12). A Hebrew serves as slave for only six years (Deut. 15.12). The land of Canaan is to be cultivated successively for six years (Lev. 25.3). Human history is altogether about six thousand years. Moses waited in the mountain for six days before God appeared to him (Ex. 24.15-18). The throne of Solomon has six steps to ascend (1 Kings 10.19). The hours of the day may be divided by 6. Athaliah usurped the throne for six years (2 Kings 11.3). In Genesis 4.16-24, we read that the descendants of Cain are recorded up to the sixth generation. The sixth letter to the Church mentions the hour of trial upon the whole earth (Rev. 3.10). The sixth seal reveals the wrath of the Lamb upon mankind (6.12ff.). The sixth trumpet predicts the killing of one third of the world population (9.13ff.). The sixth bowl prepares the way for the kings of the world—under the instigation of the unclean spirits—to war against Christ (16.12ff.). The human name of the incarnated Word is Jesus, which in the Greek original is composed of six letters. Six times the Lord Jesus was attacked as demon possessed; how the natural man is always ready to attack our most holy Lord.

When man under the hand of Satan opposes God, his number is frequently connected with the number 6. Goliath is the first example mentioned: his height was six cubits and a span, and his spear’s head weighed six hundred shekels of iron (1 Sam. 17.4,7). The golden image of Nebuchadnezzar is the second example: its height was sixty cubits, and its breadth was six cubits (Dan. 3.1-3). The future Antichrist is the third example: his number will be 666 (Rev. 13.18). One comforting thought should be mentioned here: no matter whatever men or the devil may do, the number is only 6, whereas the number of our God is 7; as a consequence, men and devils can never measure up to God.

"7" is the number of perfection. It is formed by adding 3 to 4. 4 represents man and 3 represents God. And hence it is the joining of God and man. It is therefore perfect. (Note, however, that 7 is also a number of temporary perfection; "12" is the number for permanent perfection.) It often alludes to the proximity of God and man, to the joining of the created to the Creator.

There are numerous examples of 7 as a symbol of perfection. The first seven appears as the Sabbath of God, a holy day in which God rested (Gen. 2.1-3)–a perfect rest. Enoch is the seventh from Adam (Jude 14)—a perfect man. After Noah entered the ark, God gave seven days of grace (Gen. 7.4)—a perfect waiting. Jacob served Laban for Rachael seven years (Gen. 29.20)—a perfect service. Egypt had seven years of abundance and seven years of famine (Gen 41)—perfect grace and punishment. The golden lampstand in the holy place had seven branches (Ex. 25.37)—a perfect association. Aaron and his sons must wear the holy garments for seven days (29.29,35)—perfect holiness. If anyone should sin, the priest must dip his finger in the blood and sprinkle the blood seven times in the presence of the Lord before the veil of the sanctuary for that person (Lev. 4.6)—a perfect cleansing. Aaron and his sons must abide in the tabernacle for seven days (Lev. 8.35)—a perfect abiding. The blood of the Day of Atonement must be sprinkled seven times before the mercy seat (Lev. 16.14)—a perfect redemption. During the feast of unleavened bread, an offering made by fire must be offered for seven days (Lev. 23.8)—a perfect consecration. The feast of the tabernacles was kept for seven days (Lev. 23.42)—perfect glory. In the seventh year the land was not to be sown (Lev. 25.4)—a perfect rest. In fighting against Jericho, seven priests blew seven trumpets as the people of Israel marched around the city for seven days before the city fell (Joshua 6)—perfect obedience and perfect victory. Solomon built the temple in seven years and held the feast of dedication for seven days (1 Kings 6.38; 8.65,66)—a perfect work and perfect worship. Naaman bathed in the river Jordan seven times (2 Kings 5.14)—perfect trust. Job had seven sons (Job 1.2)—a perfect blessing. Job’s friends sat on the ground and bemoaned silently for Job seven days and seven nights (Job 2.13)—perfect sorrow. Later they offered seven bullocks and seven rams as a burnt-offering (Job 42.8)—a perfect repentance. The Lord Jesus spoke seven words on the cross–expressions of perfect grace. Seven deacons served the tables (Acts 6.3)—perfect labor.

The Old Testament uses the seven feasts of the children of Israel to typify the temporary way God will treat the world. The New Testament uses seven parables to reveal the conditions of the mysteries of the kingdom of the heavens (Matt. 13). The book of Revelation records seven letters to foretell the conditions of the Church at various periods (Rev. 2 and 3). All these, however, are for a time and may soon pass away.

In the book of Revelation we can notice many sevens. A brother has observed that Revelation is a book of "sevens": it has seven visions, seven words of praising the Lord God and the Lamb, seven Spirits before the throne of God, seven golden lampstands, seven lamps of fire, the Lamb having seven horns and seven eyes, seven angels blowing seven trumpets, seven thunders, seven heads of the beast, seven bowls of God’s seven plagues, and seven mountains representing seven kings. Altogether the book uses "7" 56 times. Since it discloses how God will treat men at the final age, this number 7 stands for dispensational perfection, which is temporary perfection.

"8" is the number of resurrection. The Lord Jesus was resurrected from the dead on the first day of the week, which is the eighth day. Noah is the eighth person preserved by God (2 Peter 2.5) and he has a family of eight (1 Peter 3.20). They came out of the ark (the flood representing death) and multiplied and filled the new earth. God commanded Abraham to circumcise all the male children on the eighth day of birth (Gen. 17.11-14). The meaning of circumcision is the "putting off of the body of the flesh" (Col. 2.11). This agrees with "we are [God’s] workmanship, created in Christ Jesus" (Eph. 2.10). David was the eighth son of Jesse (1 Sam. 16.10,11), and he established the new Israel. The leper was cleansed on the eighth day (Lev. 14.10,23) and hence he was declared to be a new person. The sheaf of the firstfruits was waved before the Lord on the eighth day—that is to say, "on the morrow after the sabbath" (Lev. 23.11). Fifty days later was the feast of Pentecost (v.16), which signifies the coming of the Holy Spirit and the commencement of the new age. The feast of the tabernacles lasted for seven days, and on the eighth day there was a holy convocation (v.36); inasmuch as the feast typifies the millennial kingdom, the holy convocation speaks of the new rest after the millennial kingdom. The priests were also consecrated for seven days, and on the eighth day they began their new office (Lev. 9.1). In the eighth year, the children of Israel sowed the land again (Lev. 25.22). Psalm 8 speaks of the kingdom of the Lord (cf. Heb. 2.5-9). The transfiguration of our Lord Jesus happened on the eighth day (Luke 9.28), which event foretells His power and His appearing (2 Peter 1.16-18). The name "Jesus" in Greek is composed of six letters, all of them carrying various numerical values respectively. By adding these numerical values, the total number in the Greek name for "Jesus" comes to 888. The disciples gathered to break bread on the first day of the week, which is the eighth day (Act. 20.7); this is a new day for gathering. On the eighth day, also, the disciples gave their offering (1 Cor. 16.1,2), which action was not according to the statute of the Old Covenant. The eighth head of the beast will be the seventh head resuscitated (Rev. 17.11). The unclean spirit came back with seven other spirits more evil than itself; so eight of them reentered into the heart of the one who did not receive the Lord Jesus (Matt. 12.43,45). Three of the ten horns on the fourth beast mentioned in Daniel were destroyed, but another horn, a little one, came up as the eighth one, who again spoke blasphemously (see Dan. 7).

"10" is the number of world perfection; it is also the multiplication of the basic number "5" by 2, and therefore it represents the total responsibility of men before God. A normal person has ten fingers and ten toes for work and for walking. For human rebellion, God punished the Egyptians with ten plagues. At the height of the power of the nations there will be ten kingdoms, which are suggested by the ten toes and ten horns (Dan. 2, 7.7; Rev. 17.12). There are ten commandments given to Israel as their responsibility before God. Ephraim represented the ten tribes of the nation of Israel and was therefore directly responsible to God; Ephraim was not included in Judah. After His resurrection, Christ appeared ten times. How great was the responsibility of those who knew His resurrection!

The church in Smyrna shall have tribulation ten days (Rev. 2.10). The disciples prayed for ten days before they were baptized in the Holy Spirit (Acts 1). The final conditions of the Christians are represented in the parable of the ten virgins (Matt. 25.1,2); among whom five are wise and five foolish but all are held responsible at the arrival of the bridegroom. The woman with ten pieces of silver (Luke 15.8-10) shows that the whole world (at the time of speaking this may have represented only the children of Israel) belongs to God. The ten servants received ten pounds to trade with until the Lord returned (Luke 19.13). They were not to be careless about that which they received. The first servant earned ten pounds, so he was rewarded with ten cities. God required the children of Israel to give one tenth; this proves the greatness of the Lord since everything was given to them by Him. Ten is a number used extensively in the tabernacle, the temple of Solomon, and the temple mentioned in Ezekiel; for all are in this world (Ex. 26.27; 1 Kings 6; Ez. 40).

"12" is the number of permanency. As the basic number "7" represents temporary or dispensational perfection, so 12 speaks of permanent perfection. 7 is made up of the basic number "4" (man) added to the basic number "3" (God)—the joining together of the created with the Creator. 12 is 4 multiplied by 3, and therefore it is the created being united with the Creator. 7 represents the coming together of man and God, whereas 12 speaks of how God gives grace to man so that the created can be united to the Creator. The former number signifies the contact of the created with the Creator; it is perfect, yet it is only temporary; but the latter number shows forth the union of the created with the Creator, so that it is not only perfect but also permanent. Let us understand that both 7 and 12 come from the two numerals 4 and 3; except that 7 is the adding of these two numerals together, whereas 12 is the multiplying of them together. To add is to put together, to multiply is to unite in one. Hence the meaning of multiplication is deeper than that of addition. Here we see the importance of being united with God.

Other instances of the biblical use of the number 12 can be seen in the following. A year has twelve months. The nation of Israel was composed of twelve tribes. Mounted on the breastplate of the high priest were twelve precious stones (Ex. 28.21). On the golden table of shewbread were placed twelve loaves of bread (Lev. 24.5,6). Elim had twelve springs (Ex. 15.27). There were twelve men sent to spy out the land (Num. 13). Joshua put twelve stones into the river Jordan (Josh. 4.9). Elijah used twelve stones with which to build an altar (1 Kings 18.31,32). The Lord Jesus went to Jerusalem at twelve years of age (Luke 2.42). He chose twelve apostles and promised them the right to sit on twelve thrones to judge the twelve tribes of Israel (Matt. 19.28). He healed the woman who had had an issue of blood for twelve years (Luke 8.43,44). He raised the twelve-year-old daughter of Jairus from the dead (Luke 8.42,54,55). The leftovers from the five loaves and two fishes after feeding the five thousand were twelve basketsful (Matt. 14.20). The Lord could have, had He desired, asked the Father to send twelve legions of angels to rescue Him (Matt. 26.53).

In reading the book of Revelation, we find that the number 12 is used more frequently than in any other book. There will be twelve stars making up the crown on the woman’s head (Rev. 12.1). The New Jerusalem will have twelve gates made of twelve pearls (21.21). At these gates there will be twelve angels (v.12), and the names written above the gates are to be the names of the twelve tribes of Israel (v.12). The city wall will have twelve foundations with the names of the twelve apostles on them (v.14). The tree of life is to bear twelve different fruits (22.2). In the light of all this, we need to notice that in the eternal kingdom of the new heaven and the new earth, all the numbers are to be twelve, none will be seven. In the first half of the book of Revelation, 7 is frequently the number used because it speaks of the conditions of this temporary age. But for the eternal kingdom, 12 is the number used. It is thus proven beyond doubt that 7 is representative of temporary perfection whereas 12 is representative of permanent perfection.

In the Bible can be found many other numerals, all of which are full of meaning; but for our purpose, what we have just now explained should be quite sufficient. Let us look, though, at some adjoining numbers and see the wonderful meanings implied. As we have come to recognize, the basic numbers from 1 to 7 form a cycle in the Bible; and their order is quite meaningful. All the other numerals in the Bible emerge from the adding or multiplying of these seven numbers, and consequently these seven numbers serve as the radicals for all other numerals. Each of these numbers has its own meaning as well as its good or bad application. For example, if the number 1 has reference to God, it is looked upon as being good; but if it should have reference to man, it is perceived as being bad.

The numerals 1, 2, and 3 express the satisfaction of God—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. God must precede all numbers; He has the preeminence in all things; otherwise we would see chaos.

4 is the symbol of the created. According to the Scriptures, 4 is divided into 3 and 1. 4 is the first number after 3. If 3 represents God, 4 signifies that which comes out of God—the created. It also reflects the relationship between the created and the Creator. The created comes from the Creator. How sad that people do not realize or acknowledge that. Apart from the Creator and the created, there is nothing else in the universe. Hence 3 plus 4 form a perfect number.

5, 6, and 7 use 4 as its basic root. 1, 2, and 3 are the first three numbers in the numeral 7; they represent the greatness of the Creator. 4 stands in the midst of the numeral 7; it represents the created. 5, 6, and 7 are the last three numbers in the numeral 7, and therefore they stand for the conditions of the created. 5 is 4 plus 1; 6 is 4 plus 2; and 7 is 4 plus 3. 3 is the number of God, and 4 is the number of man. The relationship of God’s number and man’s number is limited to 7, and so 7 is a perfect number.

5 is 4 plus 1; it shows how the created (4) is contradictory to the Creator (1). However, it is 4 plus 1, and hence the number 5 speaks of how the created stands before the Creator. It reflects a sense of responsibility. Although the Creator has grace, the world is not thereby freed from responsibility. Any numeral with multiples of the number 5 in it always carries the meaning of responsibility, such numerals for instance as 10, 40, etc.

6 is 4 plus 2; such a number signifies how inadequate and full of strife (2) is the created (4). It also indicates how the created (4) receives help and deliverance (2). 6, therefore, shows forth the actual condition of the fallen world.

7 is 4 plus 3; this number indicates the acceptance of the created (4) by the Creator (3). 7 is a perfect number.

If we study the numerals in the Bible and what they represent, we will not fail to praise God for His wisdom and to marvel at His thought and instruction! By knowing the general concept of these numbers, we will add new meaning to our study of the book of Revelation.

Recently the study of prophecy had earned for itself a bad reputation among believers because of the so-called year-day theory. According to this theory, many numbers of days in the Scriptures are computed as though a day were a year [even Isaac Newton made this mistake with all kinds of calculations], thus fostering predictions as to the precise date for the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ—an exercise of the mind which is plainly contradictory to the Lord’s announcement: for no one knows the date of His return, not even Jesus himself. Then, too, some commentators on Revelation have twisted God’s word in ways that are meant to fit in with this year-day theory. We have no intention to argue about this theory; we only desire to point out a right understanding of the “days” that are mentioned in the Bible.

The advocates of the year-day theory base their conception on Numbers 14.34 and Ezekiel 4.6. Let us first examine Numbers: "After the number of the days in which ye spied out the land, even forty days, for every day a year, shall ye bear your iniquities, even forty years, and ye shall know my alienation." Here we are told that due to their unbelief, the children of Israel were disciplined by God for forty years, a year for every day they had spied out the land. But this does not apply equally to other "days" mentioned in Scripture, and certainly not to the "days" found in Revelation. As to Ezekiel: "And again, when thou hast accomplished these, thou shalt lie on thy right side, and shalt bear the iniquity of the house of Judah: forty days, each day for a year, have I appointed it unto thee." Here we see that God commanded Ezekiel to lie down in a certain position as a response to the iniquity of Judah. This has nothing to do with the other "days" found in the Bible.

(1) "And yet seven days, and I will cause it to rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights" (Gen. 7.4). Did God wait for seven years and then have the rain fall for forty years? No, for the record goes on to explain as follows: "And it came to pass after the seven days, that the waters of the flood were upon the earth. . . . And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights" (vv.10,12). Here, a day is not a year.

(2) "Joseph said unto him, This is the interpretation of it: the three branches are three days; within yet three days shall Pharaoh lift up thy head" (Gen. 40.12,13). Was it that after three years the chief butler was released from prison? Not at all: "And it came to pass the third day . . . [that] he restored the chief butler unto his butlership again" (vv.20,21).

(3) "Then said Jehovah unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day . . . And it shall come to pass on the sixth day . . . [that] it shall be twice as much as they gather daily" (Ex. 16.4,5). The children of Israel went out to gather manna every day, not once a year.

(4) God gave meat to the children of Israel to eat for "a whole month" (Num. 11.19, 20). They did not eat meat for thirty years.

(5) "Within three days ye are to cross this Jordan" (Joshua 1.11). What actually happened afterwards? Did the children of Israel cross over Jordan after three years? No, they crossed after three days.

(6) "For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the whale; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth" (Matt. 12.40). Was the Lord Jesus in the heart of the earth for three years? We know from the biblical record that He was there for only three days and three nights.

From this evidence, therefore, we can easily conclude that the year-day theory is erroneous. If some of the "days" appearing in the book of Revelation are to be taken as years, then the rest of the "days" found therein should also be treated as years. And in that case, the three and a half years of the Great Tribulation would have to be calculated as a thousand two hundred and sixty years; and the millennial kingdom would have to be extended out to three hundred and sixty thousand years. Obviously, we know that such calculations as these cannot be true.

May we therefore trust the Holy Spirit to guide us correctly as we read the word of God. Let us not seize upon strange ideas like this. Even though the Bible is most wonderful, it is not to be explained in any quaint or bizarre way. We ought to learn to be more obedient to God in our thought. And then we will not be likely to misinterpret His word.

The work of John, though, is quite different. He does not teach dispensational truth. In his Gospel, he makes no mention of the ascension of Christ; in his Epistles, he does not point out the heavenly position of the saints. He concentrates instead on the Lord Jesus as the Word becoming flesh, a coming from heaven to earth. He looks upon the Lord Jesus as the eternal life. And hence, in his Gospel, John announces the birth of that eternal life; and furthermore, in his Epistles, he explains the nature of this eternal life.

The year 70 A.D.—when Jerusalem was destroyed—is a transitional time for dispensational truth. The Jewish Church formed on the day of Pentecost came to an end (actually, it had already been ended, only this was publicly made manifest then). The truths of Christ and of Judaism are not totally separated. Christians ought now to go out of the camp of Judaism. The Church which Peter established among the Jews has failed; Christ is no longer ruling over it.

As this became true among the Jews, so this is also true among the Gentiles: the churches which the Lord used Paul to establish among the nations have also fallen away so that they are unable to inherit the lost inheritance of Israel: "They all seek their own," wrote Paul, "not the things of Jesus Christ" (Phil. 2.21); "All that are in Asia [including the church in Ephesus] turned away from me" (2 Tim. 1.15). Those who knew the Church truth best were unable to stand firm in faith! Indeed, apostasy has already begun and the mystery of lawlessness has also germinated.

The works of Peter and Paul suffer dispensational change, but the work of John transcends the dispensational framework. He shows forth the Lord Jesus as the eternal life, and eternal life, as we know, is unchanging. Although dispensations may change and human events may encounter change, the eternal life found in the Lord Jesus or in the believers never changes. Though the Church may be spewed out of the Lord’s mouth, the Lord himself remains the same. The work of John follows upon the works of Peter and Paul, and it supplies their lack. Time-wise, he joins together the first and the second comings of Christ, and his work covers the duration. He preaches on the person of Christ and the eternal life.

In spite of the fact that the outward dispensation has changed and been corrupted, the eternal life remains unchanged. This we see in the last two chapters of John’s Gospel. Chapter 20 represents what is to transpire from the resurrection of Christ to His acceptance by the Jewish remnant in the last day. Thomas, looking at the pierced Savior, serves as a type of this. And chapter 21 typifies the gathering in the millennial kingdom. At the end of chapter 21 we are shown the specific works assigned to John and Peter (Paul’s Church truth is all heavenly, so it is not mentioned here). The flock of Christ as of Israel is committed to Peter; but he will die before John, and hence his work is not permanent but has an ending. Later on, in fact, Peter’s work is terminated, the Church of the Circumcision is left without a shepherd, and not long afterwards Jerusalem is destroyed. Thus this work comes to a complete end.

But then we may recall that Peter asks the Lord Jesus about the work of John. It is rather amazing that our Lord does not mention John’s death but only calls Peter to follow Him (to die and to finish the work). He hints, though, that the work of John may continue on till His return. Though John himself will die, his work does not die. His writings will continue to have their impact until the second coming of the Lord.

The works of these three apostles are therefore most important for us to grasp. The work of John spans the two comings of Christ. Now we may see the Church truth. Peter tells us of the failure of the Jewish Church, and Paul, of the failure of the Gentile Church. John, being a minister neither to the Circumcision nor to the Uncircumcision, is not entrusted with dispensational truth; and hence he makes no mention of the change in the Jewish or the Gentile Church. What he records in Revelation is instead the actual conditions of the churches at that time. He does not trace the history of the Church to its current state; he merely reports the various conditions of the churches in failure and also the pertinent judgments of the Lord pronounced upon them. After the works of Peter and Paul have ended, John continues on with their works: he simply narrates the fallen condition of the churches at his time.

The churches John writes about, aside from Revelation 22.17, are quite different from those written about by Paul. The testimony of John is to view every local assembly by itself. Some lampstands have the danger of being removed. The churches he sees are by and large already fallen and are now judged by Christ. The Church has failed! The Gentiles who by faith are grafted into the olive tree do not abide in the mercy of God. Paul teaches the church in Ephesus much on Church truth, but now she has left her first love and her lampstand will soon be removed! Just as Israel was cut off by God in the past, so the Church will now also be cut off. Just as God was formerly patient with Israel, so He is now patient towards the Church today. Yet the Church, like Israel, is not able to testify for God in the world.

The Church has already been corrupted and defeated, no matter how long the dispensation is to be extended; at the time of the writing of Revelation God has at least begun to be dissatisfied with His Church. He is going to take a new departure. Hence the Holy Spirit expresses on the one hand God’s dissatisfaction with the Church and on the other hand Christ’s obtaining of the kingdom. Hereafter the kingdom will be the objective. The Lord uses the seven churches existing in those days to represent the Church in order to let people know that He is dissatisfied with her and that the end is coming. Should the Lord delay His return, then these seven local churches in their current condition will be sufficient to represent and to delineate the entire external history of the Church on earth. And in so doing, the Lord reveals that the end is come and that He can return at any time. This is the wisdom of the Holy Spirit! And as the Lord does indeed delay His coming again, the second and third chapters of Revelation can and do in fact serve to disclose the conditions of the entire Church from the time of John up to the very day before the return of the Lord.

We ought to recognize the fact that during the time of Peter and Paul, the Church had already fallen. Such knowledge will help us in understanding the teaching concerning the Church to be found in the first three chapters of Revelation. In view of the failure of the Church, we ought to see here that Christ is not acting in the capacity of an intercessory priest but rather in that of a judging priest. We are thus instructed that there is not a perfect Church, and hence we can be delivered from entertaining any false hope about the Church. We will then know what kind of attitude we ought to take towards the Church. For God alone is true, but every man is a liar (cf. Rom. 3.4a).

This principle of interpreting Scripture with Scripture is of great importance. The failure of many commentators to accurately handle the word of God can be attributed to the violation of this very principle. "Knowing this first," observed Peter. Any breach of this principle will inevitably cause confusion. How very easy it would be if we could indeed interpret privately. The difficulty created in interpreting Scripture is because correct interpretation always requires that a particular passage agree with the testimony of the whole Bible. Let us consequently study the passages before us by comparing them with other portions of the Scripture so that what we arrive at will not be speculative imaginations but well-founded accurate interpretations.

Let us first read Daniel chapter 2. Here we are confronted with a vision or dream of a human image, this particular one of which—in biblical typology—represents the four Gentile kingdoms. In the King’s dream it was subsequently smashed by a stone which became a great mountain that filled the whole earth. This stone is obviously symbolic of the Lord Jesus and His kingdom which will destroy all the kingdoms of the world and replace them on earth. The kingdoms of the earth are not being gradually leavened by the kingdom of God until they finally become God’s kingdom. Not at all. These kingdoms will have succeeded one another until they shall suddenly be destroyed by the kingdom of God. The smiting by the stone is of course an event that will occur in the future. We shall shortly come to perceive its relationship with the book of Revelation.

In Daniel chapter 7 it is recorded that the prophet saw another vision which also spoke of the four Gentile kingdoms. The difference between this and what we saw in chapter 2 is that here they are beasts, while there it was a man. The appearing of the kingdom of God was due to the appearing of the Son of man. We are also told even more clearly that the commencement of the kingdom of God is to come after the kingdoms of the earth are at that time destroyed. There will arrive "a little horn" that speaks blasphemously against God and persecutes the elect of God. But his time will only be three years and a half. After that period, the one represented by the little horn shall be destroyed and the Son of man will come to set up His kingdom. The kingdoms of men do not coexist with the kingdom of God. Only when the first are destroyed will the second be set up.

Now let us look at Daniel chapter 9. After Daniel had confessed the sins of his people, God sent Gabriel to say this to him: "Seventy weeks are decreed upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most holy" (v.24). Since Daniel prayed to God for His people and His holy city, God in His answer also mentioned "thy people and thy holy city." Let us understand that "thy people" points to the children of Israel, and "thy holy city" refers to Jerusalem. What God means is this: When the seventy sevens are passed, the transgression of Israel and the holy city will be finished, their sins will come to an end, their iniquity will receive reconciliation, and the everlasting righteousness will be brought to them. Have all these been fulfilled? No, the children of Israel continue today to be "Lo-ammi . . . not my people" (Hosea 1.9). Hence her restoration is yet in the future. These things still remain unfulfilled because the prophecy concerning the seventy sevens has not been fulfilled. But at the second coming of the Lord Jesus, all the prophecies shall be fulfilled.

"Know therefore and discern," continued Gabriel, "that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the anointed one, the prince, shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: it shall be built again, with street and moat, even in troublous times. And after the threescore and two weeks shall the anointed one be cut off, and shall have nothing: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and even unto the end shall be war; desolations are determined" (Dan. 9.25,26). "Troublous times" may also be translated as "brief times." This probably points to the seven sevens, which in terms of time is so much shorter than the sixty-two sevens. The rebuilding of Jerusalem happened within the seven sevens spoken of, which, as calculated by some commentators, come to forty-nine years. Although in the original it merely says "seven"—with no designation of days or years—most commentators believe it refers to the "year" measurement of time, and hence forty-nine years. Sixty-two sevens after the city is rebuilt there shall come the Anointed One.

Here we will not investigate as to when the seventy-sevens actually commenced. One fact is enough for us, however, which is, that we know the Anointed One did come after the sixty-nine sevens (seven sevens plus sixty-two sevens). From the time of the decree concerning the rebuilding of Jerusalem to the moment of the coming of the Anointed One, there were to be four hundred eighty-three years. Now that the sixty-nine sevens have already passed and the Anointed One (Christ) has also come, what is left is the last seven. As soon as the last seven is fulfilled the children of Israel will receive the fullness of blessing of Daniel 9.24. However, within the seven years of the death of Christ, was there any day which could have been deemed as a time when transgression was finished for the children of Israel and upon Jerusalem? No, not even a single day. And have there not been over nineteen hundred more years since the time of Christ and still no end of transgression? Hence, it is quite evident that the seventieth seven did not follow immediately after the sixty-nine sevens.

Why is it that this one seven has not been fulfilled and that the children of Israel have not yet received the full blessing? Because "after the threescore and two weeks [the sixty-two sevens mentioned above] shall the anointed one be cut off, and shall have nothing." Christ has died, and consequently the children of Israel did not receive the blessing. It was because they would not receive Him with willing hearts but crucified Him instead, and therefore punishment came upon them. "The people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary" (v.26). When the Jews insisted on killing the Lord Jesus, they openly declared: "His blood be on us, and on our children" (Matt. 27.25). Naturally God is treating them according to their own word by temporarily rejecting them and showing grace towards the Gentiles. But after the number of the Gentiles has been fulfilled, He will give grace once again to the children of Israel. And at that time, this last seven shall be fulfilled. As soon as the last seven is over, God will deliver the children of Israel according to promise (Dan. 9.24).

"The people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary." All students of Revelation know that this refers to the Romans. After the death of Christ the Jews incurred God’s severe judgment: the Romans came and destroyed Jerusalem and its temple sanctuary in 70 A.D. Since the term "the people" refers to the Romans, many accordingly think that the term "the prince" obviously points to the Roman prince Titus who led the Romans. But there are many reasons to refute this conclusion. Why is it that the Scripture here does not say the prince shall destroy the city but rather says the people of the prince? Although the prince must work through his people, it is still unnatural to say the people and not directly say the prince. Since the Holy Spirit mentions both the prince and the people, while nevertheless putting a primary emphasis on the people, can it be that He is implying by this that these people represent the people of that prince who is yet to come? If so, then the prince in question here is not Titus, and the people who attacked Jerusalem in the former day were in spirit and in attitude morally the people of the future prince. This prince whom Daniel prophecies about will be a world renown figure in the future, who is the Antichrist. "The prince that shall come" is therefore the Antichrist.

"The end thereof shall be with a flood, and even unto the end shall be war; desolations are determined" (v.26). "The end" here is not the end of the city nor of the sanctuary. According to correct grammatical construction, "the end thereof" should be connected to the phrase "the prince that shall come." The fulfillment did not come at the time of Titus but is yet to come in the future. The people of the prince who shall come shall destroy this city and the sanctuary, but "the end thereof" (that is to say, the end of the prince)*shall come as a flood. We know that this superman is soon to come, and the world will have no peace. But thank God, we shall be gone before the Antichrist arrives.

* The Revised Standard Version (1952) recognizes this construction of the verse, as follows: ". . . and the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. His end shall come with a flood . . ." (9.26 mg.).—Translator

"And he shall confirm a covenant with the many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease" (v.27a Darby). The preceding verse tells us of the destructive actions of Antichrist; this next verse continues to speak of his action. The last seven is divided into two halves. At the beginning of the last seven, the Antichrist will confirm a covenant with many. This covenant is not the Old Covenant which God singularly covenanted with His people, for the use of the indefinite article "a" here proves it. The phrase "the many" with the use of the definite article "the" refers to a special group of people — even the Jews. So that this covenant will be a political pact between the Jews and the Antichrist. The duration of the pact is to be seven years, but in the middle of this term of years