Sermon Tone Analysis

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[[@page.3.1.16]][[@bible.87.1.16]]!!!! 3.1.16

- Revelation  [[1:16|bible.87.1.16]]

in His right hand seven stars \\ These /stars/ are the seven angels of the churches as explained in /Revelation 1:20/.

The picture of the stars being within His right hand (the side of favor) is of great comfort to believers for what Christ grasps in His hand cannot be snatched away (John [[10:28-29|bible.64.10.28-64.10.29]]).

The angels and the churches they are associated with need not fear any but God Himself.Christ, we feel sure, could not have placed Himself in the relation which He does to them, as holding in his hand the seven stars, walking among the seven golden candlesticks, these stars being the Angels of the Churches, and the candlesticks the Churches themselves, unless they ideally represented and set forth, in some way or other, the universal Church, militant here upon earth.1

See the discussion of the identity of the angels at /Revelation 1:20/.

See /Seven: Perfection, Completeness/.out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword \\ A heavy broadsword:It [ῥομφαια [hromphaia] , /sword/] is properly the long and heavy broadsword . .

., which the Thracians and other barbarous nations used; and as such to be distinguished from the μάχαιρα [machaira] , the sacrificial knife, or short stabbing sword; . . .

The word occurring six times in the Apocalypse, only occurs once besides in the New Testament (Luke [[2:35|bible.63.2.35]]).2

Some have obtained fanciful interpretations regarding the /two-edged/ sword, such as representing both "the old and the new law."3

The sword goes /out of His mouth/ in agreement with all the creative acts of God which were /spoken forth/ by the Word of God (Gen.

[[1:3|bible.1.1.3]],

[[6|bible.1.1.6]],

[[9|bible.1.1.9]],

[[11|bible.1.1.11]],

[[14|bible.1.1.14]],

[[20|bible.1.1.20]],

[[24|bible.1.1.24]],

[[26|bible.1.1.26]];

2Pe.

[[3:5|bible.82.3.5]]).

It is for this reason that Jesus is the /Word/ (λόγος [logos] ).

The speaking forth of God's will can bring creation /or destruction/.

Isaiah informs us that the mouth of the Messiah is "like a sharp sword" (Isa.

[[49:2|bible.23.49.2]]) and with His lips He will "slay the wicked" (Isa.

[[11:4|bible.23.11.4]]).

The Word spoken through the prophets is a weapon in the hand of God (Hos.

[[6:5|bible.28.6.5]]).

It is the /only offensive weapon/ of the Christian (Eph.

[[6:17|bible.70.6.17]]).

Its power as a sword is seen in its ability to pierce "even to the division of soul and spirit" and discern "the thoughts and intents of the heart" (Heb.

[[4:12|bible.79.4.12]]).

The Word of God has /already/ slain His enemies because it sets forth their impending doom in words "which cannot be broken" (John [[10:35|bible.64.10.35]]).

That which is prophecy today, will be accomplished history tomorrow.

It is in this sense that Jesus slays His enemies with the sword of His mouth (2Th.

[[2:8|bible.74.2.8]]; Rev. [[2:12|bible.87.2.12]]+, [[16|bible.87.2.16]]+; [[19:15|bible.87.19.15]]+).

The sword signifies His judicial power which will be in accordance with His Word (Mtt.

[[25:31-32|bible.61.25.31-61.25.32]];

John [[5:22|bible.64.5.22]];

Acts [[10:42|bible.65.10.42]];

[[17:31|bible.65.17.31]];

Rom.

[[2:16|bible.66.2.16]]; [[14:10|bible.66.14.10]]; 2Cor.

[[5:10|bible.68.5.10]]; 2Ti.

[[4:1|bible.76.4.1]]; 1Pe.

[[4:5|bible.81.4.5]];

Rev. [[20:12|bible.87.20.12]]+).like the sun \\ This is now the second time that John has been privileged to see the Savior's glory shining from His face like the son (Mtt.

[[17:2|bible.61.17.2]])..

At the Mount of Transfiguration, Peter, James, and John were given a preview of "the Son of Man coming in His kingdom" (Mtt.

[[16:28|bible.61.16.28]]).

This glorious vision which John beholds is some small indication of what the entire world will behold at the Second Coming of Christ.I urge you in the sight of God who gives life to all things, and /before/ Christ Jesus who witnessed the good confession before Pontius Pilate, that you keep /this/ commandment without spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ's appearing, which He will manifest in His own time, /He who is/ the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, *dwelling in unapproachable light*, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom /be/ honor and everlasting power.

Amen.

(1Ti.

[[6:13-16|bible.75.6.13-75.6.16]])

[emphasis added]

See /Interpreting Symbols/.----

Notes

1 Richard Chenevix Trench, /Commentary on the Epistles to the Seven Churches in Asia/ (Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock Publishers, 1861), 27.

2 Trench, /Commentary on the Epistles to the Seven Churches in Asia/, 40.

3 Augustine in [Trench, /Commentary on the Epistles to the Seven Churches in Asia/].

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