# Der Lutheraner_St. Louis Missouri_1854 12 19_S66
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

66

would grasp and hold fast, the world straitened the heart still more, as it already, alas, does, and yet works to the salvation of the members of Christ? Then everyone would surely feel as though he were lifted from the pestilential breath of low vapors onto a high Alp and all at once breathed fresh mountain air, who firmly believed what Revelation 20, 9 writes: "And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city, and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them!"

Therefore I thought it would not vex this or that reader of the "Lutheraner" if he heard me croak once more, and in this hope I promised Professor Walther a series of brief remarks on "the Revelation of St. John." These shall follow in order, God willing. Today, by way of trial, something on the fourth chapter: for the first three, as everyone knows, concern the seven congregations of Asia Minor, which at the time when St. John wrote his Revelation were still standing, but have long since experienced the judgment that was announced to them at that time.

But let there stand first what the blessed Luther writes in his preface to the Revelation of St. John up to this chapter.

"Many kinds of prophecy are found in Christendom. Some prophesy thus, that they expound the writings of the prophets, of which St. Paul speaks 1 Cor. 12 and 14 and in more places. This is the most needful, and one must have it daily, as that which teaches the Word of God, lays the foundation of Christendom, and defends the faith, and in sum, which governs, upholds, appoints and administers the ministry of preaching.

"Some prophesy of things to come, which are not previously in the Scripture, and this is of three kinds. The first does it with express words, without image and figures, as Moses, David and such prophets besides prophesy of Christ, and as Christ and the apostles of Antichrist and false teachers, etc.

"The second does it with images, but yet sets beside them also the interpretation with express words, as Joseph interprets the dreams, and Daniel interprets both dreams and images.

"The third, which does it without word or interpretation, with bare images and figures, as this book of the Revelation, and the dreams, visions and images of many holy people, which they have from the Holy Ghost. As Acts 2, 17 St. Peter preaches out of Joel: Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams.

"And so long as such prophecy remains uninterpreted, and gets no certain interpretation, it is a hidden dumb prophecy, and has not yet come to its use and fruit, which it is to give to Christendom. As has also befallen this book hitherto. Many have indeed tried their hand at it, but to this day have brought forth nothing certain, some having brewed into it a great deal of unseemly stuff out of their own heads.

"On account of such uncertain interpretation, and hidden meaning, we have hitherto let it lie, especially because it was held also by some old Fathers that it is not of St. John the Apostle, as stands in Lib. 3. Hist. Eccles. Cap. 25 (Luther means the church history of Eusebius of Caesarea (d. 340).) In which doubt we will let it remain also for ourselves. Yet that no one be hindered from holding it to be of St. John the Apostle, or as he will.

"But because we would nevertheless gladly have the meaning or interpretation made certain, we will give other and higher minds occasion to ponder, and give our own thoughts also to the day, namely thus: Since it is to be a revelation of future history, and especially of future tribulations and misfortune of Christendom, we judge that this should be the nearest and surest grip for finding the interpretation, that one take the histories and misfortunes that have befallen in Christendom hitherto out of the chronicles and hold them against these images, and thus compare them with the words, where it would then fit well together and agree, one could build upon it as upon a certain, or at least as upon an unobjectionable interpretation.

"Accordingly we hold, as the text itself says, that the first three chapters, which speak of the seven congregations and their angels in Asia, mean nothing else than simply to show how the same then stood, and are admonished that they remain and increase, or amend. Moreover we learn from it, through the word angel hereafter, in other images or histories, to understand bishops and teachers in Christendom. Some good, as the holy Fathers and bishops; some evil, as the heretics and false bishops, of whom there are more in this book than of the former.

"In the 4th and 5th chapters is prefigured the whole of Christendom, which is to suffer such future tribulation and plagues. There are 24 elders before God (that is, all bishops and teachers in unity) crowned with faith, who praise Christ the Lamb of God with harps, that is, preach, and serve with censers, (that is, exercise themselves in prayer) all this for the comfort of Christians, that they may know that Christendom shall nevertheless remain amid future plagues."

Remarks on the 4th Chapter of the Revelation.

Here the kingdom of Christ is set forth, how in spite of the judgments which in whole lands overturn the candlestick it goes on building itself ever and again in the peace of God.

V. 1. "The first voice" calls again, to show that it is still wholly the same kingdom, though place and time change.

V. 2. "A throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne": thereby is described the unshakable dominion of Christ. He needs no favorable circumstances for it, nor the power of the great ones in the world, that His kingdom may remain on earth; in heaven His throne is set. One seemed to have thrust Him from the throne, when the Confession had to change its place: but behold, He did not first sit down, but sat as before; a cloud had only for a while concealed His government from short-sighted men.

V. 3. Now Christ together with all that He creates is depicted under the image of precious stones. An excellent likeness, with gems, to make comprehensible to human senses Him who has ennobled human nature again! The jasper is white and signifies the innocence and essential holiness of the LORD JESUS. The sardine is red: thereby the Holy Ghost aims at the suffering and dying of the Lamb. Round about the throne a rainbow, the sign of peace: for as far as Christ rules, a blessed magic circle is drawn round about, which with its powers inclines heaven, with God and the angels, graciously toward those who enter in through faith. The fair green emerald must lend this rainbow its significant image of the new life full of hope: for as from dead branches in spring the green foliage breaks forth, so where Word and Sacrament build Christ's kingdom, mankind that died in Adam becomes living again.

V. 4. Now comes the turn of those whom the Lord uses as instruments, that His dominion, firmly founded in heaven, may be made known on earth. Here one sees how highly honored before God is the holy office of preaching, above which men so gladly exalt themselves that no imperial throne equals it. White raiment and golden crowns are the image of royal glory. The number 24 must also not be overlooked. It is twice as great as that of the apostles. Thereby the Holy Ghost points to this, that after the dying-off of the apostles the number of the preachers of the Gospel shall not diminish, but increase. At the same time it is composed of 4 and 6. The 4 refers to the quarters of heaven, the 6 to labor. In all the world they teach who labor at the Word until the LORD comes, until the seventh day, the day of blessed rest. It is further to be remarked that among these 24 none sits higher than another, that they all sit round about the throne of Christ: that is, the preachers are immediately subject to the LORD Christ and to Him alone, wherefore the papacy has no ground in Scripture, which enslaves all ministers of the church under one visible head.

V. 5. The work and the manifold gifts of the Holy Ghost. From the throne comes all this, that is, Christ Himself gives His servants mouth and wisdom and gives their word success. "Lightnings and thunderings" signify the Law; "voices" the Gospel; the "seven lamps" are the spirits of the prophets and the