the acts of the apostles-第86部分

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come　into　possession　of　them　and　will　reveal　the　merits　of　the　Saviour's
sacrifice；　the　protection　of　His　righteousness；　the　fullness　of　His　wisdom；
and　His　power　to　present　you　before　the　Father　〃without　spot；　and
blameless。〃　2　Peter　3：14。




（568）

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　56

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Patmos


More　than　half　a　century　had　passed　since　the　organization　of　the　Christian
church。　During　that　time　the　gospel　message　had　been　constantly　opposed。　Its
enemies　had　never　relaxed　their　efforts；　and　had　at　last　succeeded　in
enlisting　the　power　of　the　Roman　emperor　against　the　Christians。

In　the　terrible　persecution　that　followed；　the　apostle　John　did　much　to
confirm　and　strengthen　the　faith　of　the　believers。　He　bore　a　testimony　which
his　adversaries　could　not　controvert　and　which　helped　his　brethren　to　meet
with　courage　and　loyalty　the　trials　that　came　upon　them。　When　the　faith　of
the　Christians　would　seem　to　waver　under　the　fierce　opposition　they　were
forced　to　meet；　the　old；　tried　servant　of　Jesus　would　repeat　with　power　and
eloquence　the　story　of　the　crucified　and　risen　Saviour。　He　steadfastly
maintained　his　faith；　and　from　his　lips　came　ever　the　same　glad　message：
〃That　which　was　from　the　beginning；　which　we　have　heard；　which　we　have　seen
with　our　eyes；　which　we

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have　looked　upon；　and　our　hands　have　handled；　of　the　Word　of　life；　。　。　。
that　which　we　have　seen　and　heard　declare　we　unto　you。：　1　John　1：1…3。

John　lived　to　be　very　old。　He　witnessed　the　destruction　of　Jerusalem　and　the
ruin　of　the　stately　temple。　The　last　survivor　of　the　disciples　who　had　been
intimately　connected　with　the　Saviour；　his　message　had　great　influence　in
setting　forth　the　fact　that　Jesus　was　the　Messiah；　the　Redeemer　of　the
world。　No　one　could　doubt　his　sincerity；　and　through　his　teachings　many　were
led　to　turn　from　unbelief。

The　rulers　of　the　Jews　were　filled　with　bitter　hatred　against　John　for　his
unwavering　fidelity　to　the　cause　of　Christ。　They　declared　that　their　efforts
against　the　Christians　would　avail　nothing　so　long　as　John's　testimony　kept
ringing　in　the　ears　of　the　people。　In　order　that　the　miracles　and　teachings
of　Jesus　might　be　forgotten；　the　voice　of　the　bold　witness　must　be　silenced。

John　was　accordingly　summoned　to　Rome　to　be　tried　for　his　faith。　Here　before
the　authorities　the　apostle's　doctrines　were　misstated。　False　witnesses
accused　him　of　teaching　seditious　heresies。　By　these　accusations　his　enemies
hoped　to　bring　about　the　disciple's　death。

John　answered　for　himself　in　a　clear　and　convincing　manner；　and　with　such
simplicity　and　candor　that　his　words　had　a　powerful　effect。　His　hearers　were
astonished　at　his　wisdom　and　eloquence。　But　the　more　convincing　his
testimony；　the　deeper　was　the　hatred　of　his　opposers。　The　emperor　Domitian
was　filled　with　rage。　He　could　neither

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dispute　the　reasoning　of　Christ's　faithful　advocate；　nor　match　the　power
that　attended　his　utterance　of　truth；　yet　he　determined　that　he　would
silence　his　voice。

John　was　cast　into　a　caldron　of　boiling　oil；　but　the　Lord　preserved　the　life
of　His　faithful　servant；　even　as　He　preserved　the　three　Hebrews　in　the　fiery
furnace。　As　the　words　were　spoken；　Thus　perish　all　who　believe　in　that
deceiver；　Jesus　Christ　of　Nazareth；　John　declared；　My　Master　patiently
submitted　to　all　that　Satan　and　his　angels　could　devise　to　humiliate　and
torture　Him。　He　gave　His　life　to　save　the　world。　I　am　honored　in　being
permitted　to　suffer　for　His　sake。　I　am　a　weak；　sinful　man。　Christ　was　holy；
harmless；　undefiled。　He　did　no　sin；　neither　was　guile　found　in　His　mouth。

These　words　had　their　influence；　and　John　was　removed　from　the　caldron　by
the　very　men　who　had　cast　him　in。

Again　the　hand　of　persecution　fell　heavily　upon　the　apostle。　By　the
emperor's　decree　John　was　banished　to　the　Isle　of　Patmos；　condemned　〃for　the
word　of　God；　and　for　the　testimony　of　Jesus　Christ。〃　Revelation　1：9。　Here；
his　enemies　thought；　his　influence　would　no　longer　be　felt；　and　he　must
finally　die　of　hardship　and　distress。

Patmos；　a　barren；　rocky　island　in　the　Aegean　Sea；　had　been　chosen　by　the
Roman　government　as　a　place　of　banishment　for　criminals；　but　to　the　servant
of　God　this　gloomy　abode　became　the　gate　of　heaven。　Here；　shut　away　from　the
busy　scenes　of　life；　and　from　the　active　labors　of　former　years；　he　had　the
companionship　of　God　and　Christ　and　the　heavenly　angels；　and　from　them　he
received　instruction

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for　the　church　for　all　future　time。　The　events　that　would　take　place　in　the
closing　scenes　of　this　earth's　history　were　outlined　before　him；　and　there
he　wrote　out　the　visions　he　received　from　God。　When　his　voice　could　no
longer　testify　to　the　One　whom　he　loved　and　served；　the　messages　given　him
on　that　barren　coast　were　to　go　forth　as　a　lamp　that　burneth；　declaring　the
sure　purpose　of　the　Lord　concerning　every　nation　on　the　earth。

Among　the　cliffs　and　rocks　of　Patmos；　John　held　communion　with　his　Maker。　He
reviewed　his　past　life；　and　at　thought　of　the　blessings　he　had　received；
peace　filled　his　heart。　He　had　lived　the　life　of　a　Christian；　and　he　could
say　in　faith；　〃We　know　that　we　have　passed　from　death　unto　life。〃　1　John
3：14。　Not　so　the　emperor　who　had　banished　him。　He　could　look　back　only　on
fields　of　warfare　and　carnage；　on　desolated　homes；　on　weeping　widows　and
orphans；　the　fruit　of　his　ambitious　desire　for　pre…eminence。

In　his　isolated　home　John　was　able　to　study　more　closely　than　ever　before
the　manifestations　of　divine　power　as　recorded　in　the　book　of　nature　and　in
the　pages　of　inspiration。　To　him　it　was　a　delight　to　meditate　on　the　work　of
creation　and　to　adore　the　divine　Architect。　In　former　years　his　eyes　had
been　greeted　by　the　sight　of　forest…covered　hills；　green　valleys；　and
fruitful　plains；　and　in　the　beauties　of　nature　it　had　ever　been　his　delight
to　trace　the　wisdom　and　skill　of　the　Creator。　He　was　now　surrounded　by
scenes　that　to　many　would　appear　gloomy　and　uninteresting；　but　to　John　it
was　otherwise。　While　his　surroundings　might

572

be　desolate　and　barren；　the　blue　heavens　that　bent　above　him　were　as　bright
and　beautiful　as　the　skies　above　his　loved　Jerusalem。　In　the　wild；　rugged
rocks；　in　the　mysteries　of　the　deep；　in　the　glories　of　the　firmament；　he
read　important　lessons。　All　bore　the　message　of　God's　power　and　glory。

All　around　him　the　apostle　beheld　witnesses　to　the　Flood　that　had　deluged
the　earth　because　the　inhabitants　ventured　to　transgress　the　law　of　God。　The
rocks　thrown　up　from　the　great　deep　and　from　the　earth　by　the　breaking　forth
of　the　waters；　brought　vividly　to　his　mind　the　terrors　of　that　awful
outpouring　of　God's　wrath。　In　the　voice　of　many　watersdeep　calling　unto
deepthe　prophet　heard　the　voice　of　the　Creator。　The　sea；　lashed　to　fury　by
the　merciless　winds；　represented　to　him　the　wrath　of　an　offended　God。　The
mighty　waves；　in　their　terrible　commotion；　restrained　within　limits
appointed　by　an　invisible　hand；　spoke　of　the　control　of　an　infinite　Power。
And　in　contrast　he　realized　the　weakness　and　folly　of　mortals；　who；　though
but　worms　of　the　dust；　glory　in　their　supposed　wisdom　and　strength；　and　set
their　hearts　against　the　Ruler　of　the　universe；　as　if　God　were　altogether
such　a　one　as　themselves。　By　the　rocks　he　was　reminded　of　Christ；　the　Rock
of　his　strength；　in　whose　shelter　he　could　hide　without　fear。　From　the
exiled　apostle　on　rocky　Patmos　there　went　up　the　most　ardent　longing　of　soul
after　God；　the　most　fervent　prayers。

The　history　of　John　affords　a　striking　illustration　of　the　way　in　which　God
can　use　aged　workers。　When　John　was　exiled　to　the　Isle　of　Patmos；　there　were
many　who

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thought　him　to　be　past　service；　an　old　and　broken　reed；　ready　to　fall　at　any
time。　But　the　Lord　saw　fit　to　use　him　still。　Though　banished　from　the　scenes
of　his　former　labor；　he　did　not　cease　to　bear　witness　to　the　truth。　Even　in
Patmos　he　made　friends　and　converts。　His　was　a　message　of　joy；　proclaiming　a
risen　Saviour　who　on　high　was　interceding　for　His　people　until　He　should
return　to　take　them　to　Himself。　And　it　was　after　John　had　grown　old　in　the
service　of　his　Lord　that　he　received　more　communications　from　heaven　than　he
had　received　during　all　the　former　years　of　his　life。

The　most　tender　regard　should　be　cherished　for　those　whose　life　interest　has
been　bound　up　with　the　work　of　God。　These　aged　workers　have　stood　faithful
amid　storm　and　trial。　They　may　have　infirmities；　but　they　still　possess
talents　that　qualify　them　to　stand　in　their　place　in　God's　cause。　Though
worn；　and　unable　to　bear　the　heavier　burdens　that　younger　men　can　and　should
carry；　the　counsel　they　can　give　is　of　the　highest　value。

They　may　have　made　mistakes；　but　from　their　failures　they　have　learned　to
avoid　errors　and　dangers；　and　are　they　not　therefore　competent　to　give　wise
counsel？　They　have　borne　test　and　trial；　and　though　they　have　lost　some　of
their　vigor；　the　Lord　does　not　lay　them　aside。　He　gives　them　special　grace
and　wisdom。

Those　who　have　served　their　Master　when　the　work　went　hard；　who　endured
poverty　and　remained　faithful　when　there　were　few　to　stand　for　truth；　are　to
be　honored

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and　respected。　The　Lord　desires　the　younger　laborers　to　gain　wisdom；
strength；　and　maturity　by　association　with　these　faithful　men。　Let　the
younger　men　realize　that　in　having　such　workers　among　them　they　are　highly
favored。　Let　them　give　them　an　honored　place　in　their　councils。

As　those　who　have　spent　their　lives　in　the　service　of　Christ　draw　near　to
the　close　of　their　earthly　ministry；　they　will　be　impressed　by　the　Holy
Spirit　to　recount　the　experiences　they　have　had　in　connection　with　the　work
of　God。　The　record　of　His　wonderful　dealings　with　His　people；　of　His　great
goodness　in　delivering　them　from　trial；　should　be　repeated　to　those　newly
come　to　the　faith。　God　desires　the　old　and　tried　laborers　to　stand　in　their
place；　doing　their　part　to　save　men　and　women　from　being　swept　down