1917_The_Finished_Mystery_Text

REVELATION 4THE AUTHOR OF THE PLANRevelation 4:1After this.— After this first panorama of theseven stages of the Church had passed.I looked, and, behold, a door was opened InHeaven.— It is only as the Lord, who holds thekey, opens the door to the understanding ofHeavenly things, that we are able to comprehendthem.— Matt. 3:16; Ezek. 1:1; Rev. 19:11.And BEHOLD the first voice which I heardwas as it were of a trumpet talking with me.—See comments on Rev. 1:1; 7:2.Which said, Come up hither.— Not that St.John went to Heaven at that time; he was merelygiven a vision of Heavenly things. (Rev. 11:12.)"The seer now obtains a higher spiritualstandpoint."— Cook.And I will shew thee things which must behereafter.— The Divine Plan for the permissionof evil.Revelation 4:2[And] immediately I was in the spirit.— In atrance condition.— Acts 10:10; Rev. 1:10.And, behold, a Throne.— The Throne of theHeavenly Father.— Isa. 6:1; Ezek. 1:26-28.Was set.— Permanently established. The sameword as in, "This Child is set for the fall andrising again of many in Israel." (Luke 2:34.) "Iam set for the defence of the Gospel."— Phil.1:17.In Heaven.— "Whither the Forerunner is for usentered, even Jesus."— Heb. 6:20.And One.— Jehovah, "the God and Father ofour Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Pet. 1:3), the Author ofthe Divine Plan for the permission of evil, in therecreation of a perfect human race, and in thecreation of a race of gods, sons of Himself. "Goddesigned to permit evil, because, having theremedy provided for man's release from itsconsequence, He saw that the result would be to