Talk/Thoughts on Revelation 21
San Fernando, California
April 10, 1910
Previously unpublished.
Revelation 21:1-6. What are they athirst for? It is a thirst for the heavenly, not the earthly. It is the things which shall be given to us when we shall come into possession of our inheritance, because we have made Christ our friend, and we have given our life to Him, to follow Him. Thank God. “He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.” [Verse 7.] Now I wanted to read that to every one of you, because we want it. That is just what we are after. That is why we are having these meetings. 25LtMs, Ms 82, 1910, par. 1
That is why we have this building, and I think none of you regret that we have this building. Just such places in different parts are being provided, that we may present the truth as it is in Jesus. We are preparing and we want to understand it, for just this thing. We are getting ready for it. We are to be fitted up for it. We are to be sanctified through a belief of the truth; therefore we are very anxious not be found in heresy, but in the truth. 25LtMs, Ms 82, 1910, par. 2
“I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.” [Verse 6.] What a blessed promise! Now let every one of us take it. Do not keep in a state of hesitancy, not knowing whether you are the Lord’s child or not. 25LtMs, Ms 82, 1910, par. 3
Verses 7 to 11. I am glad that these children can hear this. That is worth striving for, children, that you may have a place in that city. Every one of you can have a place there, and I want to meet every one of you children that are here, and my brethren and sisters. 25LtMs, Ms 82, 1910, par. 4
I will not read all of this chapter because I want to say a few words, and yet it is very beautiful. You can read it when you get home. It describes the city and the gates, and I want to meet every one of you in the city of God. I mean to be there. I do not mean to fail, because God wants me to be there, and if He did not want me to be there, He would not have given us Jesus. He knew that they would not bear Him on the earth. Who would not bear Him? The very ones that were turned out of heaven because they would not accept Jesus as their Head, and God as their Father. 25LtMs, Ms 82, 1910, par. 5
Now we want to be in that position that every day we shall feel a gladness of heart. Why should we not? It is Christ that has given His life for us. Why should we not feel a gladness? Should not we be in hope and courage and faith? Why should not we be praising God a great deal more than we do? Why should we not show our gratitude to God for all this? 25LtMs, Ms 82, 1910, par. 6
Verses 22-27. And it goes on showing what beauties there are. 25LtMs, Ms 82, 1910, par. 7
“And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.” [Revelation 22:1, 2.] Now mark this, for it is something which has been presented to me, that I have marked decidedly and never can forget. 25LtMs, Ms 82, 1910, par. 8
“And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: and they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.” [Verses 3, 4.] 25LtMs, Ms 82, 1910, par. 9
Well now, let every one that understands this work honor the Lord and glorify Him. While we are not trying to make everything around us expensive, remember that the truth is to be carried into all parts of our world, and every one of you from the oldest to the youngest is to seek to honor the Lord and glorify Him here. And seek with your means and with your sanctified influence daily to exert such an influence through the atmosphere about you that the Lord Jesus will be glorified through you. We want every soul to feel that they can have the sanctifying influence of the Holy Spirit (for heaven is full of it) imparting all the time, and yet there is a heaven full of it still, never to fail. We want all of you to consider that we have a heaven to gain and a hell to shun. 25LtMs, Ms 82, 1910, par. 10
I want to say to this company that I look upon, I want to meet every one of you in heaven. I mean to be there myself. Although I am in my eighty-third year, if God spares my life, I mean to go east and west, north and south, to give the message, to tell the people that they have a heaven to win. Every one of you today are under obligations to win it. And then what? Why you will help all that are around you. Keep that hasty word to yourself. Do not let it come forth from your lips, but seek earnestly for the Holy Spirit every day. 25LtMs, Ms 82, 1910, par. 11
I touched upon the subject of the fallen angels, those that wanted to be first in the place of Christ. God did not mean that they should be first, and they showed by their very actions that they were not the ones that should be first. They are at work and they are going to work in every way possible, and I will tell you what they will do. They will present the knowledge that they had in heaven; they will speak in beautiful language that knowledge that they had there, and they will through their influence make merchandise of many to the loss of their souls. The beautiful language they will present in heresies in books. That is where it will come, and we want that every one that is here, and in every place where we shall go to warn them that these beautiful things that seem to be so expressive and wonderful, shall not be deceived and allured as some have been, and a good many that I could mention. We cannot afford it. They have had their warning, but they chose to follow their own way and judgment, and it will lead them so that they will have no part in this inheritance, and it makes my heart ache. 25LtMs, Ms 82, 1910, par. 12
Now I would say, Let every one help the next one. Refrain from that word that would cause a disturbance in the heart. Think that good angels and evil angels are right around you. Say, Whom shall I please, the good angels or the evil angels? And I want the children to consider that Christ Jesus was always helping children and He delighted in speaking words of encouragement to children. There are many youth in this congregation, and I want to urge upon you that you should sanctify the words that shall come from your lips; and these words God will sanctify if you will speak them properly. 25LtMs, Ms 82, 1910, par. 13
Be kind, tender, courteous. We would have almost a heaven upon earth if we would do this, and every man and woman will have to do it, and the children will have to do it, if they enter through the pearly gates into the city of our God. It is best to begin as early as possible and see what a heavenly atmosphere you can create around you. See what a blessing you can have in speaking kindness, and helping this one that needs help and that one that needs help. We can have a little heaven here below, preparing for that grand entrance: the gates of the city are to be swung back upon their glittering hinges and the nations that have kept the truth enter in. Fathers and mothers that have taken such care with their children, and the children that have accepted that care and kindness and have tried to respond and help the parents in their training, why, we can have a heaven right here below. Is it not worth while to stop that hasty temper, to ask God as you go out and as you come in, to give you words to speak in your family that shall not discourage and lead to despondency and gloom. Because it is just the influence that you reflect upon your children that is reflected back to you. Now we are asking these youth to be washing their hands in innocency. We asked these children to pray as they have never prayed before. Why, all heaven is looking upon this company to see what kind of characters you are forming, whether you are fitting for the courts above. 25LtMs, Ms 82, 1910, par. 14
When I saw this place in the vision of the night, before it was purchased, it was as this place, only some more should have been added to it. But make the most of what you have. We are almost home. The end is very near, and He that is to come will come and will not tarry. I ask you every one to be fitting up for the higher courts. Let not your lips speak guile. Let your characters be kept without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, because you can not enter heaven above unless you are purified and refined. 25LtMs, Ms 82, 1910, par. 15
Revelation 22:17. How long will we reign? Forever and ever. Is there any end to that? Just enter the gates of the city of God and have the name transcribed upon you. There shall be no night there. Oh, let every one of us seek to glorify God! You are deciding what position you will occupy in the heavenly courts. The reward to every man is to be according to his works. Read this whole chapter. 25LtMs, Ms 82, 1910, par. 16
Now I would say that I have a deep interest in you all here. I shall never forget the beginning of the work at this place. There was but a handful gathered together in this building, and I spoke to them then. Now here is this company I am speaking to. Let us thank God, and let every one of us purify his soul by obeying the truth. I will say, God bless you all. Pray for me, and pray for my laborers. I have a company of laborers to do all the time as the Lord told me, and that is to keep a record of the light as it came day after day, and I am doing it all the time. The Lord bless you, is my prayer. I shall remember this place, and now I will say, Good day. 25LtMs, Ms 82, 1910, par. 17