THE CENTRAL PERSONALITY OF ESCHATOLOGY

The Central Personality of Eschatology

 

The ever spiraling triumph of the Son of God at last reaches a climax in chapter 19 of the Revelation. No longer able to control the mounting emotion of exultation, John falls at the feet of the revealing angel to worship him. The reply of the angel provides for the saints a clear statement of the focus of prophecy - "See thou do it not: I am thy fellow servant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy" (Rev. 19:10).

This means that Christ is the central personality of predictive prophecy. He is the spirit, the life, subject, center, circumfer­ence, everything. Though prophecy may deal with many things, it is essentially about Christ. All other things find their place in relation to Him.

Predictive prophecy reveals Christ as the Living One (Rev. 1:12-18), who in person and position is able to guide the universe through every changing vicissitude in the stream of history into the unending future. It is only as men see Him as the center of the eschatological unfolding of the future that they give to Him in their thinking that place He occupies as Absolute Sovereign.

Predictive prophecy reveals Christ as the Lord of the Churches (Rev. Chapters 2-3). As men look at the Church it is difficult for them to discern the controlling personality. Con­trol seems to rest with the pastor, board, congregation, denomina­tion, council, government. But there is no question where the power resides when viewed in the perspective of prophecy. Christ is the absolute Lord.

Predictive prophecy reveals Christ as the Lion over the Nations (Rev. Chapters 4-20). As a result of sudden, awful, and fierce encounter, Christ exercises His supernatural power and brings the nations into subjection to Himself. At last, as seen through prophecy, all His enemies shall be made His footstool. Then "thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power" (Psa. 110:1-3).

Predictive prophecy reveals Christ as the Lamb of God among the Redeemed (Rev. Chapters 21-22). Eternity past looked forward to that event on Calvary (1 Peter 1:20; Rev. 13:8). In the redeemed there will come to full fruition the purpose of God as the hosts of saved humanity look back with exultation (Rev. 5:9-10) to that event as the central feature in the ministry of the Son of God in providing for the New Heavens and the New Earth.