It often happens that when the head of a great government wishes to communicate very secret and important matter to one of its ministers in a foreign land it adopts a cipher code, that is a language in signs, so as to transmit the message without any one being able to understand it, except the person to whom it is sent. This is precisely what Jesus did in the Book of Revelation. We are told that God gave this revelation to his Son Jesus, and Jesus gave it in signs, or telegraphic ciphers, to an angel, and the angel gave these signs unto John. Hence this last and crowning book of God's word, is written out largely in ciphers. This was done in order that the message might be safely transmitted through the dark ages. If the Romanists had perfectly understood in centuries gone by, all the teachings of this book, they would have destroyed it from the earth; and so God adopted a method of sign language, in order that no one might understand it except those for whom it was especially designed. As the coming of Christ gets nearer, the Holy Spirit is more and more revealing the secrets of this wonderful book to His humble and thoughtful servants in all the earth; and many things which have been concealed through the Dark Ages are now beginning to be unfolded in the clear light, which the Holy Spirit is pouring upon those who are entirely devoted to God. Let us remember, that the Holy Spirit selects His emblems with a perfect scientific accuracy, and all the metaphors and symbols used in Scripture are chosen with infallible wisdom. If we take the pains to read the Book of Revelation, and cull out all the various emblems which are used therein, we will find that all of them are explained in the book itself. And if we can discover the meaning of these various types we have the secret key to unlock nearly everything in the book. It is my purpose in this volume to give an exegesis of the second, third and fourth chapters, showing more particularly the connection between Christian holiness and the coming reign of Jesus on this earth; but I have thought it well to give in this chapter a brief explanation of the various emblems in the book, that the common reader may be able to pursue an individual study of all the book.

"Stars" in this book represent Ministers, more particularly the office of the Minister, not only a church Minister, but also a State Minister. Hence it denotes Princes, or under rulers in Church or State.

"Candlesticks" represent separate congregations of Christians, not a denomination, or a great body, but simply congregations, or a church in its local and social organic form.

"Heaven" in this book, in the majority of instances, means God's Kingdom among men. This will be kept strictly in view, for all sorts of erroneous and fantastic interpretations of this book have resulted from the notion that the word ' 'Heaven'' means the third Heavens where God the Father has His throne of glory. The word "Heaven" as used in the parables of Jesus, refers continually to God's Kingdom among men, and, in nearly every instance, this word Heaven is in the Greek in the plural number, proving that it is a term of large and manifold meaning., Jesus says: "The Kingdom of the Heavens is like a net cast into the sea, in which were gathered both good fish and bad fish," which simply means the Kingdom of God on this earth. In like manner the word Heaven, in most places in Revelation, means the Kingdom of God among men,, and when we read, "I saw a great sign in Heaven," that is in the Kingdom of God on earth. And again, "there was war in Heaven," which refers emphatically to the great Reformation of Martin Luther, and the conflict between the Protestants and the Catholics. The old notion that there was war in the third Heavens, where the Father has His throne, is a teaching of Catholicism and the dream of poets, but utterly unscriptural. No war has ever agitated those bright regions of eternal glory.

"Woman" in this book, is always a type of an organized body of professed Christians. Throughout the entire Bible, woman is a type of the church, and, when used in the plural number, represents the various branches and organized bodies of professed worshipers of God. If this type were always remembered it would save the reader from a great many foolish interpretations of this book. For instance, those who are spoken of in Chapter 14 as the Bride of the Lamb,, are said to be "pure virgins," "who were not defiled with other women." The word "women" means the various branches, and bodies of ecclesiastical systems, which become worldly, and fashionable, and filled up with various carnal practices. But those believers who are sanctified, and wedded to Christ, are delivered from all ecclesiastical corruption. And the picture is that of one pure woman, keeping herself from the various carnal practices of other women, that is of other organized church bodies.

"Sun" in this book, typifies a King, or a Kingdom, that is royal splendor, imperial power. And in many other portions of Scripture, the word "sun" represents kingly authority. When Joseph in his dream saw the sun, moon, and stars bow to him, the sun was a type of Jacob, who was really a King, the moon a type of his mother, who was a Queen, and the stars, a type of his brethren, who were Princes and Ministers of State. Hence, throughout this book, the "sun" means kingly authority, as when John saw the "woman," that is the Christian Church, "clothed with the sun," that is imperial splendor. Again, the angel standing in the sun, to proclaim war, represents the angel of God, stirring up all the royal heads among the nations to declare war.

"Moon" typifies a Queen, or a minor King, or Principality, a sub-King. As when "the woman clothed with the sun," had the moon under her foot, that is the great Catholic church, clothed in royalty, had all the other Kings and Queens and Princes of the Christian world, under her foot, which was literally the case for 1000 years.

"Four beasts" in Revelation, should always be read "four living creatures." The word "four beasts" is a horrible translation of the original, which is the very word used for eternal life. So always read the "four living creatures," which are the same creatures described by Ezekiel, and Isaiah, as the seraphim and cherubim. They always represent glorified saints, especially those who take high rank in the Kingdom of grace and glory. Hence these "four living creatures," are represented as being in the throne with Jesus, during His millennial reign. They certainly are saved and glorified men, for in one place we are told, that they praise God for having been saved and washed in Christ's blood from among the nations. "Beasts," when not connected with the word "four," always represents human governments, and especially professedly Christian governments, which are yet full of tyranny, and oppression, political scheming, and selfishness, and greed. The Greek word for "beast" in all such places, is a very different word from the four living creatures, and signifies a wild, bloodthirsty beast of the forest, a true type of the ambition, and greed, and tyranny of politicians.

"Smoke" in this book, represents whatever comes out of the mouth, in the form of either prayer, or blasphemy. Prayer is represented by incense,, a sweet, fragrant smoke, typifying the fragrance of the prayers of God's servants. But blasphemy and cursing from the mouths of those who are lost, are represented by the smoke of burning sulphur.

''Fowls" in this book, is always an emblem of demons, and evil spirits. In fact this is the type of the fowls of the air. all through the Bible. Jesus says, "the fowls of the air picked up the grain that had been sown by the wayside,'' and afterwards tells us these fowls are devils. In His parable on the Christian church, he represents it as a mustard plant, growing so large that the fowls of the air lodged in its branches, which has been sadly fulfilled, in the fact that myriads of demons lodge in the various branches of the nominal church. Hence the "fowls'' that fatten on the horses, and on captains, and on warriors, represent the demons feasting themselves on a battlefield, for they delight in the slaughter of human beings.

"Waters'' represent the souls of mankind. Hence the woman sitting on many waters, represents the organized church of Rome, presiding over the souls of many nations. Muddy water represents wicked souls, casting up mire and dirt. Clear, glassy water, represents pure souls, cleansed from all sinful tempers and desires, and filled with a beautiful transparency, without guile, without evil tempers, like unto clear glass. This is the picture of what the souls of men will be in the millennial age, when they will be presided over by the glorified saints of the Bridehood, who are represented as standing upon the glassy sea.

"Man-child" in this book, is a type of the martyrs, who were slain by the Romish church during the Dark Ages. It is a great mistake to call the "man-child" in chapter 12 Jesus, for the prophecy in that chapter refers emphatically to something that had not occurred at the time John was alive. The ' 'man-child" represents those Protestants who were converted and sanctified inside the bosom of the Romish church, and which caused her trouble and sorrow.

"Red dragon" is a type of the Romish Inquisition. It was the incarnation of the devil, in an organized institution for bloody murder, to capture and kill the Protestants, as soon as they dared confess their saving faith. Hence the "Red dragon stood in front of the woman," that is in front of the church, to devour her children, that is to slay the Protestants, as quick as they were born, that is, as soon as they confessed their faith.

"Horses" in this book represent organized aggression. In all ages the horse is a type of organized and swift power. The horse is the swiftest of all animals, and the one mostly used in times of war. The word "horse" is used among all nations in Proverbs, as "war-horse," and "swift as a race-horse" and such expressions.

The "white horse" represents organized and aggressive holiness, pushing its way from pentecost out among the nations.

The "red horse'" represents organized opposition to Jesus, and bloody wars against the truth.

The "black horse"' represents organized ignorance, darkness, superstition, such as was the case in the Dark Ages.

The "pale horse"' represents organized forms of ecclesiastical back-sliding, where bodies of believers, professing to be alive, have a pale and ghastly type of life, such as is the case at the present day.

"Winds" represent heresies, terrible delusions, terrific scourgings from God, the great tribulations, which are to be let loose on the earth, just as soon as God gets all His elect Bride w T holly sanctified, and sealed with the baptism of the Holy Ghost and fire.

"Vials'" represent the outpouring of God's wrath and judgment upon different nations, and at different periods, such as the French Revolution, and the late Civil War in America, and similar events.

"Frogs" represent evil spirits, going forth to seduce the people into false systems of faith. These frogs take on the form of spiritualism, Swedenborgianism, Christian science, theosophy, Mormonism, and baal-worship in the various lodges of secret societies.

A "pure river" represents the Holy Spirit, which flows out - eternally from the Father and from the Son.

The "Tree of Life" represents Jesus, as the incarnate Redeemer and Savior.

The number 144,000 represents that elect company through all the ages, who have measured up to a life of perfect faith and obedience, and who have been qualified to form the Bride of the Lamb. This number is used because it is a multiple of 12, for the number 12 in Scripture always represents the Kingdom of God.

Three represents the Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

Four represents humanity, especially redeemed and glorified humanity.

Six represents imperfection, the number by which Satan counterfeits the work of God.

Seven represents salvation, or the Christ life in His saints, for as 3 and 4 make 7, so God and man, united, constitute salvation.

Ten represents the number for multitude, as thousands, or tens of thousands, etc.

Twelve represents the Divine government, for as 3 times 4 make 12, so God multiplies himself in His creatures, which constitutes His government.

Forty represents proving, testing, trying.

Fifty is the complete cycle number, the jubilee number, hence a type of the Millennial Kingdom, when creation will be restored to its normal condition.

There are a few other emblems, which are used, which I may refer to in succeeding chapters. But if these types are kept in mind, the ordinary reader will be able to have a common sense and satisfactory understanding of the knowledge of the things that God has been pleased to make known to us in this wonderful and last book of His infallible word.