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The Book of Revelation: An Exposition of the First Eleven Chapters
An incomplete commentary by an 'unknown' author on a book which has already had so many expositors may seem a surprising adition to the Geneva Series. As publishers our prejudice against an imcomplete commentary was overcome by the sheer worth of these pages.
518 pages, Hardcover
First published December 31, 2013
3 people are currently reading
13 people want to read
About the author
James B. Ramsey
4 books1 followerLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
This is James Beverlin Ramsey (1814- )
This is James Beverlin Ramsey (1814- )
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
May 30, 2019
Marvelous book and very pastoral considering it is an exposition of the Revelation. Ramsey writes with a missionary's zeal, a pastor's heart, and a theologian's accuracy. In some passages, you can tell his heart is heavy from the destruction he witnessed during the Civil War, which makes the book all the more fascinating.
Pre-millennial dispensationalists will find Ramsey is in disagreement to their entire approach to prophecy, but I would encourage everyone, no matter their eschatological school, to read Ramsey's book just for the richness of his material and to catch some of his love for the Savior. His expositions that deal with the glory of Christ and our blessings in Him are worth the price of the book.
Pre-millennial dispensationalists will find Ramsey is in disagreement to their entire approach to prophecy, but I would encourage everyone, no matter their eschatological school, to read Ramsey's book just for the richness of his material and to catch some of his love for the Savior. His expositions that deal with the glory of Christ and our blessings in Him are worth the price of the book.
February 4, 2024
An applicable, comforting exposition of Revelation 1-11. I wish it covered all the chapters of Revelation. I'm not enough of an eschatological theologian to comment on the finer points, but I found it biblical as far as I can judge. The explanations make sense biblically and are internally consistent. I disliked that several of the Bible quotes are given without reference. It's easy enough to find them by googling, but I would've preferred their inclusion.
This was first published in 1873. The introduction is by Charles Hodge.
Notes
Introduction
Prophetic visions often represent as contemporaneous things which are widely separated in time.
Chronological succession in visions are so few and indefinite that prior to fulfillment you can't write history out of prophecy.
We must not read prophecy too literally. In reading Messianic prophecy, Jews were too literal.
Prophecy isn't given to clearly describe details and chronological order of fulfillment, but to keep faith and hope of believers alive and active. Acts 1:17.
Reject literal interpretation if it involves impossibility; makes prophet contradict himself; is inconsistent with mode of its accomplishment; contradicts New Testament.
The Divine Nature and Spiritual Privileges of the Kingdom
Almost everything in Revelation is elsewhere in Scripture stated in plain language. Revelation presents truths in distinct forms and striking symbols and pictures so they're more memorable and influence more deeply. They seem obscure when we try to learn what they're not meant to convey (such as future history), but are clear in giving spiritual comfort, guidance, hope.
4:6-8. Creatures represent the spiritual life: human nature as redeemed and regenerated, united to Christ, partaking of divine nature.
5:1-7. Book/scroll represents God's gracious divine plan for his church. It's written even on back to show there are no gaps in God's plan.
Seals represent Jesus's supreme dominion; trumpets represent conflict and judgments of summons of gospel; vials represent divine wrath. These all take place throughout history.
8:1. 7th seal begins silence, representing Eternal Sabbath.
6:12-17
Describes utter overthrow of all world's powers and organizations to bring eternal triumph of spiritual kingdom; revolution in political, social, moral world.
Can't be literal (impossible in nature) and no reason to be literal. Similar to "removing of those things that are shaken" in Hebrews 12:27.
Each of the symbols here are used by old prophets to predict great changes that have already occurred (when Ramsey wrote this book), fully or partially, in reference to governments and systems opposed to God's people.
Description of rocks and mountains similar to Isaiah 2:19; Hosea 10:8.
Description of stars falling similar to Isaiah 13:10; 34:4; Joel 2:28-32; Hag 2:6.
This destruction of powers that oppose Christ began to be fulfilled in destruction of Jewish state, and will be finally fulfilled at end.
Such language is never used to describe destruction of physical universe.
Angels in Revelation aren't always the spiritual beings we call angels; they may represent "invisible instrumentality which God employees in carrying on his providential government."
8:2-6. Fire from altar cast into earth represents truth of Christ's sacrifice coming into conflict with world.
8:7-13
First four angels smite all of nature with God's displeasure, but mercy limits effect to 1/3.
First angel strikes social life, civilization, social and political order. Second angel causes anarchy, carnage, desolation. Third angel strikes earthly happiness, social affections, moral feelings. Fourth angel causes withdrawal of light of truth.
Storm of hail, fire, blood represent barbarian incursions and other attacks on Christian nations, which destroy order and prosperity.
Volcanic mountain represents government that causes misery and ruin.
Wormwood falling from heaven represents church falling from spiritual power to mere political and earthly power.
Truth going dark (fourth angel) necessarily follows fall of civil governments and church power.
"Inhabiters of the earth" are worldly-minded, not heavenly-minded.
These judgments occur in all ages.
9:1-11
Locusts represent heresies and false doctrines that poison souls that reject gospel.
Horse shape represents belligerent, powerful agency. Crowns represent pretense of authority and honor. Faces of men represent professions of humanity and benevolence. Hair of women represent voluptuous, licentious, alluring agency. Teeth of lions represent cruel, devouring nature. Breastplates represent imperviousness to arrows of truth and appeals of suffering victims. Sound of wings represent fomenting strife and war. Scorpion tail represents venomous, deceitful, malicious nature. Torment represents small but poisonous wound that spreads.
Torment limited to 5 months represents limited duration of deception and delusions; they exhaust themselves.
9:12-21
That a woe is past doesn't mean it occurs once in history, but that the description of the course of the woe throughout history is complete. Woes are in order of results, not chronological.
Voice from altar represents Christ as intercessor answering prayers.
Euphrates represents ungodly world; Babylon was built on that river.
Four angels are lust of wealth, political power, sensual indulgence, worldly knowledge being released.
Number of horsemen is vast but limited. Lion-like heads represent brutal violence and power. Power in mouth and tails is similar to Isaiah 9:15. Horsemen and horses represent world's reaction to corruptions of false Christianity, combination of worldly power and worldly wisdom to throw off spiritual delusions and spreading fascination with science, philosophy, art. Example: French Revolution.
Rev 10
Mighty angel descending from Heaven is Christ.
Little open book represents gospel revealed. It's small like mustard seed, feeble from human perspective. John eating book represents Christian receiving and living by gospel. Sweetness of book represents joy Christian receives from gospel. Bitterness represents trials, brought on by living by gospel in ungodly world.
Lion roar refers to line of Judah.
Seven thunders represent perfect display of God's power.
11:1-2
John measuring temple represents duty of church to closely examine God's truth to understand it.
That John was given reed to use to measure shows that God gives church divine standard (His Word); church doesn't use human standard.
"Temple, altar, and them that worship" represent God reconciled and dwelling among men, blood of atonement, consecrated people, respectively. Parallels Ex 29:44-45.
Measuring Temple means everything in God's church must be regulated according to God's word. Measuring altar means terms of atonement are divinely set in God's word. Measuring worshippers means God's Word defines character of true worshipper.
11:2
Gentiles represent those who aren't of true Israel (people of God); spiritually uncircumcised.
Court cast out and city trodden represent secularizing of external church; world using church's ordinances, organizations, political connections.
42 months parallels 1260 days and 3.5 years, used elsewhere to refer to organized political power opposing church. Also means time is limited.
3.5 years is half of 7 (number of perfection or completion), showing worldly powers can't go more than halfway towards goals. See 3.5 years of drought at time of Jezebel; Daniel 11: 31; 12:7-11.
11:3-10
These revelations of angel cover same period as 6 trumpets, up to end of Revelation 10.
Sackcloth represents sorrow, mourning because of prevalence of worldly power, corrupting church.
Olive trees, candlesticks are reference to Zechariah. Candlestick represents church (Zechariah 4:1-6); olive trees represent offices of king and priest (Zech 4:11-14).
Witnesses represent church as light of world, and that this is done in offices of king (church government) and priest (worship). Power of Witnesses are reference to Elijah and Moses, and our same plagues of first six trumpets to end of Revelation 10. Fire from mouths represents fire of wrath, eternal death for rejecting testimony. Reference to Jeremiah 5:14 "I will make my words in thy mouth fire."
Witnesses represent church in its spiritual functions; so killing of Witnesses doesn't represent killing of people. It represents world corrupting church to such an extent that its worship and government cease. Same event described in Revelation 9:2, 11; 13:1-8; 17:8.
Principles of conflict between church and corrupting world takes place throughout history, but passage indicates a simultaneous, universal silencing of testimony beyond what has yet occurred (as of 2017).
11:11-14
Witnesses being dead 3.5 days represents incomplete death; not beyond revival. Resurrection represents revival of true religion. Ascension represents church's spiritual elevation above earthly influences.
Earthquake represents overthrow of worldly powers.
11:15-18
"The kingdom of this world has become the kingdom of our Lord" means Christ has established universal reign, not that all civil government and political organizations are Christianized.
This is consummated end of redemption; Christ's everlasting kingdom on renovated earth; it's the seventh (perfect, complete) trumpet and "last woe." This isn't a millennial reign on earth, with Christianized government and society. Those conditions may temporarily occur in history, and are represented by resurrection and ascension of Witnesses.
This was first published in 1873. The introduction is by Charles Hodge.
Notes
Introduction
Prophetic visions often represent as contemporaneous things which are widely separated in time.
Chronological succession in visions are so few and indefinite that prior to fulfillment you can't write history out of prophecy.
We must not read prophecy too literally. In reading Messianic prophecy, Jews were too literal.
Prophecy isn't given to clearly describe details and chronological order of fulfillment, but to keep faith and hope of believers alive and active. Acts 1:17.
Reject literal interpretation if it involves impossibility; makes prophet contradict himself; is inconsistent with mode of its accomplishment; contradicts New Testament.
The Divine Nature and Spiritual Privileges of the Kingdom
Almost everything in Revelation is elsewhere in Scripture stated in plain language. Revelation presents truths in distinct forms and striking symbols and pictures so they're more memorable and influence more deeply. They seem obscure when we try to learn what they're not meant to convey (such as future history), but are clear in giving spiritual comfort, guidance, hope.
4:6-8. Creatures represent the spiritual life: human nature as redeemed and regenerated, united to Christ, partaking of divine nature.
5:1-7. Book/scroll represents God's gracious divine plan for his church. It's written even on back to show there are no gaps in God's plan.
Seals represent Jesus's supreme dominion; trumpets represent conflict and judgments of summons of gospel; vials represent divine wrath. These all take place throughout history.
8:1. 7th seal begins silence, representing Eternal Sabbath.
6:12-17
Describes utter overthrow of all world's powers and organizations to bring eternal triumph of spiritual kingdom; revolution in political, social, moral world.
Can't be literal (impossible in nature) and no reason to be literal. Similar to "removing of those things that are shaken" in Hebrews 12:27.
Each of the symbols here are used by old prophets to predict great changes that have already occurred (when Ramsey wrote this book), fully or partially, in reference to governments and systems opposed to God's people.
Description of rocks and mountains similar to Isaiah 2:19; Hosea 10:8.
Description of stars falling similar to Isaiah 13:10; 34:4; Joel 2:28-32; Hag 2:6.
This destruction of powers that oppose Christ began to be fulfilled in destruction of Jewish state, and will be finally fulfilled at end.
Such language is never used to describe destruction of physical universe.
Angels in Revelation aren't always the spiritual beings we call angels; they may represent "invisible instrumentality which God employees in carrying on his providential government."
8:2-6. Fire from altar cast into earth represents truth of Christ's sacrifice coming into conflict with world.
8:7-13
First four angels smite all of nature with God's displeasure, but mercy limits effect to 1/3.
First angel strikes social life, civilization, social and political order. Second angel causes anarchy, carnage, desolation. Third angel strikes earthly happiness, social affections, moral feelings. Fourth angel causes withdrawal of light of truth.
Storm of hail, fire, blood represent barbarian incursions and other attacks on Christian nations, which destroy order and prosperity.
Volcanic mountain represents government that causes misery and ruin.
Wormwood falling from heaven represents church falling from spiritual power to mere political and earthly power.
Truth going dark (fourth angel) necessarily follows fall of civil governments and church power.
"Inhabiters of the earth" are worldly-minded, not heavenly-minded.
These judgments occur in all ages.
9:1-11
Locusts represent heresies and false doctrines that poison souls that reject gospel.
Horse shape represents belligerent, powerful agency. Crowns represent pretense of authority and honor. Faces of men represent professions of humanity and benevolence. Hair of women represent voluptuous, licentious, alluring agency. Teeth of lions represent cruel, devouring nature. Breastplates represent imperviousness to arrows of truth and appeals of suffering victims. Sound of wings represent fomenting strife and war. Scorpion tail represents venomous, deceitful, malicious nature. Torment represents small but poisonous wound that spreads.
Torment limited to 5 months represents limited duration of deception and delusions; they exhaust themselves.
9:12-21
That a woe is past doesn't mean it occurs once in history, but that the description of the course of the woe throughout history is complete. Woes are in order of results, not chronological.
Voice from altar represents Christ as intercessor answering prayers.
Euphrates represents ungodly world; Babylon was built on that river.
Four angels are lust of wealth, political power, sensual indulgence, worldly knowledge being released.
Number of horsemen is vast but limited. Lion-like heads represent brutal violence and power. Power in mouth and tails is similar to Isaiah 9:15. Horsemen and horses represent world's reaction to corruptions of false Christianity, combination of worldly power and worldly wisdom to throw off spiritual delusions and spreading fascination with science, philosophy, art. Example: French Revolution.
Rev 10
Mighty angel descending from Heaven is Christ.
Little open book represents gospel revealed. It's small like mustard seed, feeble from human perspective. John eating book represents Christian receiving and living by gospel. Sweetness of book represents joy Christian receives from gospel. Bitterness represents trials, brought on by living by gospel in ungodly world.
Lion roar refers to line of Judah.
Seven thunders represent perfect display of God's power.
11:1-2
John measuring temple represents duty of church to closely examine God's truth to understand it.
That John was given reed to use to measure shows that God gives church divine standard (His Word); church doesn't use human standard.
"Temple, altar, and them that worship" represent God reconciled and dwelling among men, blood of atonement, consecrated people, respectively. Parallels Ex 29:44-45.
Measuring Temple means everything in God's church must be regulated according to God's word. Measuring altar means terms of atonement are divinely set in God's word. Measuring worshippers means God's Word defines character of true worshipper.
11:2
Gentiles represent those who aren't of true Israel (people of God); spiritually uncircumcised.
Court cast out and city trodden represent secularizing of external church; world using church's ordinances, organizations, political connections.
42 months parallels 1260 days and 3.5 years, used elsewhere to refer to organized political power opposing church. Also means time is limited.
3.5 years is half of 7 (number of perfection or completion), showing worldly powers can't go more than halfway towards goals. See 3.5 years of drought at time of Jezebel; Daniel 11: 31; 12:7-11.
11:3-10
These revelations of angel cover same period as 6 trumpets, up to end of Revelation 10.
Sackcloth represents sorrow, mourning because of prevalence of worldly power, corrupting church.
Olive trees, candlesticks are reference to Zechariah. Candlestick represents church (Zechariah 4:1-6); olive trees represent offices of king and priest (Zech 4:11-14).
Witnesses represent church as light of world, and that this is done in offices of king (church government) and priest (worship). Power of Witnesses are reference to Elijah and Moses, and our same plagues of first six trumpets to end of Revelation 10. Fire from mouths represents fire of wrath, eternal death for rejecting testimony. Reference to Jeremiah 5:14 "I will make my words in thy mouth fire."
Witnesses represent church in its spiritual functions; so killing of Witnesses doesn't represent killing of people. It represents world corrupting church to such an extent that its worship and government cease. Same event described in Revelation 9:2, 11; 13:1-8; 17:8.
Principles of conflict between church and corrupting world takes place throughout history, but passage indicates a simultaneous, universal silencing of testimony beyond what has yet occurred (as of 2017).
11:11-14
Witnesses being dead 3.5 days represents incomplete death; not beyond revival. Resurrection represents revival of true religion. Ascension represents church's spiritual elevation above earthly influences.
Earthquake represents overthrow of worldly powers.
11:15-18
"The kingdom of this world has become the kingdom of our Lord" means Christ has established universal reign, not that all civil government and political organizations are Christianized.
This is consummated end of redemption; Christ's everlasting kingdom on renovated earth; it's the seventh (perfect, complete) trumpet and "last woe." This isn't a millennial reign on earth, with Christianized government and society. Those conditions may temporarily occur in history, and are represented by resurrection and ascension of Witnesses.
August 25, 2012
James Ramsey's 19th century lectures on the first eleven chapters of the book of Revelation is a remarkable work. He is especially interested in explaining how Revelation applies to 1) the church and 2) individuals. To that end, you won't find anything here about dates or times, or what nation matches up with what symbolic representation. Instead, he explains the text as a picture of the relationship between Christ and the church and the final triumph of the cross over the sin of God's people.
Though I didn't always buy his interpretations of symbolic language, Ramsey's application was almost always spot-on.
Highly recommended to anyone who wants to think more carefully about the meaning of one of the most difficult books of the Bible. Also worth reading is the (included) introduction by Charles Hodge.
A sampling of quotes:
Speaking of the church at Laodicea (Rev. 3:14-20)
"For a church, or a follower of Jesus Christ, while recognizing His divine claims, His infinite love, His precious blood, His almighty Spirit, His sweet and holy service, and His promised glory, to treat it all with indifference, to be unmoved, or slightly moved by it, to manifest no warm affection, no earnest devotion, no self-denying and self-sacrificing zeal, is specially insulting to Him, and indicates a degree of insensibility almost past hope." (179-180)
Speaking of the "golden candlesticks" (Rev. 1:12,20)
"Hence this visible church, as God's light-bearer in a dark world, becomes the great central object of this whole book. The grand struggle is to make and preserve her purity:- that so she may truly represent the spiritual kingdom... To neglect or turn away from the privileges of this church is to reject God and His Son. If you have any love to the King Himself, and to His invisible spiritual kingdom, you cannot but love and cherish this visible kingdom which He has ordained to represent it and to be the channel of its blessings to a perishing world. If you love the light, you will love the golden candlestick which supports it, and without which it would soon go out, or at least give forth its light but feebly and in a narrow sphere. It is the worlds only hope."
Speaking of the praises of the Lamb that was slain (Rev. 5:8-14)
[This new song] never can cease. Its strains swell with secret joy in the heart of every struggling believer here, and its unmingled and rapturous praises must for ever be the theme of those whose conflicts are ended, who have received their immortal crowns, and been admitted to the presence of the lamb. Every gospel offer invites us to join in it. What joys like these? What joys will there soon be, without these? If we would sing this song in heaven and eternity, we must learn it here, and now. The way to learn it, prescribed by grace itself, is no laborious, pains-taking effort under the goadings of a troubled conscience, no mysterious process of self-purification, but this plain and simple direction, perfectly adapted to our utter helplessness, 'repent and believe, then sing.' Repent and believe, and you cannot help singing." (300)
Though I didn't always buy his interpretations of symbolic language, Ramsey's application was almost always spot-on.
Highly recommended to anyone who wants to think more carefully about the meaning of one of the most difficult books of the Bible. Also worth reading is the (included) introduction by Charles Hodge.
A sampling of quotes:
Speaking of the church at Laodicea (Rev. 3:14-20)
"For a church, or a follower of Jesus Christ, while recognizing His divine claims, His infinite love, His precious blood, His almighty Spirit, His sweet and holy service, and His promised glory, to treat it all with indifference, to be unmoved, or slightly moved by it, to manifest no warm affection, no earnest devotion, no self-denying and self-sacrificing zeal, is specially insulting to Him, and indicates a degree of insensibility almost past hope." (179-180)
Speaking of the "golden candlesticks" (Rev. 1:12,20)
"Hence this visible church, as God's light-bearer in a dark world, becomes the great central object of this whole book. The grand struggle is to make and preserve her purity:- that so she may truly represent the spiritual kingdom... To neglect or turn away from the privileges of this church is to reject God and His Son. If you have any love to the King Himself, and to His invisible spiritual kingdom, you cannot but love and cherish this visible kingdom which He has ordained to represent it and to be the channel of its blessings to a perishing world. If you love the light, you will love the golden candlestick which supports it, and without which it would soon go out, or at least give forth its light but feebly and in a narrow sphere. It is the worlds only hope."
Speaking of the praises of the Lamb that was slain (Rev. 5:8-14)
[This new song] never can cease. Its strains swell with secret joy in the heart of every struggling believer here, and its unmingled and rapturous praises must for ever be the theme of those whose conflicts are ended, who have received their immortal crowns, and been admitted to the presence of the lamb. Every gospel offer invites us to join in it. What joys like these? What joys will there soon be, without these? If we would sing this song in heaven and eternity, we must learn it here, and now. The way to learn it, prescribed by grace itself, is no laborious, pains-taking effort under the goadings of a troubled conscience, no mysterious process of self-purification, but this plain and simple direction, perfectly adapted to our utter helplessness, 'repent and believe, then sing.' Repent and believe, and you cannot help singing." (300)
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