The Revelation of Jesus Christ - The Herald

The sixth, that of Philadelphia, promises a part in the New Jerusalem government, as well
as to be made a pillar, an ornament, a support, in the great antitypical Temple of God, to
go no more out forever, and this because of faithfully manifesting and striving to maintain
the primitive spirit of brotherly love, and of holding fast to the Word of His patience.
The seventh, that of Laodicea, describes a promise of sharing in a dominion, of which no
higher honor could he imagined; because of persevering in separation from the Laodicean
evil conditions.
In whatever way we look at these promises, when taken together, they describe privileges,
blessings and honors, of which the natural eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have
entered into the heart of man. It has been truly said that these seven promises form by far
the most complete description to be found in the Scriptures of the good things which God
has prepared for His people--them that love Him. In the language of Mr. Seiss:
"They set before us a destiny to which all the faithful shall attain, at which the lean,
meagre, shallow, shadowy, flimsy thing some present as heaven, sinks into insipidity and
contempt. They present us with something fitting and competent to brace up the courage
of the Church, to carry her to the pitch of bearing the cross, and crucifying herself with
Christ, and actualizing her profession of expatriation from this world. They open to us
prospects which put upon the commonplaces of heavenly anticipations the disgrace and
shame of scarcely having caught the first syllables of what is laid up for true saints of
God."
"He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches."
Chapter 11: Rev. 4:1-3
The Vision of the Throne
"After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I
heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will
shew thee things which must be hereafter. And immediately I was in the spirit: and,
behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne."--Rev. 4:1,2.
Following the vision of Christ walking in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks, and
after St. John had received the messages which he was to send to the angels of the seven
Churches, he looked and saw a door opened in heaven, and heard for the second time the
trumpet-voice of Christ. This time it was an invitation: "Come up hither, and I will shew
thee things which must be hereafter." Immediately he was "in the spirit." In considering
the expression "a door was opened in heaven" it will assist materially if we observe and
bear in mind that the Scriptures speak of the sky as a solid expanse, or as an extended arch
above the earth. In this expanse or arch the stars are represented as shining. Through
apertures or windows in this expanse, the rain is represented as coming down. (Gen. 7:11.)
This is of course figurative.