'Pleasure in them that do

'Had pleasure in

unrighteousness' (2 Thess.

'Neither were thankful'.

'God hath created to be

received with thanksgiving

of them which believe and

know the truth' (1 Tim.

Another feature that contributes to the build -up of the actual purpose

that runs throughout the Revelation is the use of the title 'Lamb', arnion.

Apart from the one reference, John 21:15, 'feed my lambs', the

remaining twenty -nine occurrences are all found in the Revelation.  Although

the first thought that comes into mind when we think of Christ as 'The Lamb

of God' is the One Who takes away the sin of the world, no such association

is made in the Revelation.  We read of 'the wrath of the Lamb' and even of

those who 'drink of the wrath of God ... in the presence of the Lamb' (Rev.

6:16; 14:10).  We read of 'the throne of the Lamb' and of 'the marriage of

the Lamb' and 'the book of life of the Lamb' (Rev. 22:1; 19:7; 13:8).  We

read of those who overcome by 'the blood of the Lamb'; of those who are

'firstfruits' unto God and to the Lamb, and of those who sing the song of

Moses ... and of the Lamb, with which the seven vials of wrath is associated

(Rev. 12:11; 14:4; 15:3 -8).  The only time that redemption is associated

with the Lamb is in Revelation 5:9 and 14:3,4.  At the opening of the sealed

book by 'the Lamb that had been slain' a new song was sung: 'Thou wast slain

and hast redeemed us (or them) to God by Thy blood out of every kindred, and

tongue, and people, and nation; and hast made us (or them) unto our God Kings

and Priests: and we (they) Shall Reign on (over) The Earth'.  Epi is

translated 'over' in Revelation 2:26; 6:8; 13:7; 16:9 and 17:18.  Another new

song is recorded in Revelation 14:3,4 where once more redemption is found:

'The hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the

earth ... these were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits

unto God and to the Lamb'.

These are exclusive and exceptional, but they are the only ones

'redeemed' so far as this book is concerned.  Redemption in the evangelical

sense, as deliverance from sin and issuing in forgiveness, does not enter

into the record.  We come then once again to Revelation 20:6.  These 'priests

of God and of Christ' who 'reign with Him' are not an earthly priesthood,

they are heavenly, and minister and reign from their exalted position in the

Heavenly Jerusalem.  Heaven has its 'Temple' (Rev. 11:19; 15:5,6,8), its

'Ark' (Rev. 11:19), its 'Altar' (Rev. 8:3), its 'Incense' (Rev. 8:3,4) and

consequently has a heavenly priesthood.  The 'overcomer', his suffering, his

endurance, his deliverance and his reign as a priest with Christ in the

heavenly Jerusalem, is the theme of the Apocalypse, and limits the use of the

word 'millennium' so much that every passage from either the Old or New

Testament which is labelled 'Millennial' by countless commentators, must be

challenged lest by a zeal without knowledge we rob the Millennium of its

distinctive character and are found entertaining instead a vision of our own

hearts.  The 'nations', the 'camp' and the 'beloved city' are of necessity on

the earth during the Millennial reign, but have no such distinct place in it

as do these overcomers.  We must consider their place in another article.

Meanwhile to any who may be disturbed or even angry, we still commend the