mystic meanings, but we do not remember reading the mystic symbolism of Asia, nor yet

of Patmos. When Peter addressed his epistle to the sojourners of the dispersion, in

Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, he meant those actual districts to be

understood, and not some mythical or fanciful meaning that might be extorted from them.

It will be seen from this reference that Asia is only a small place. Ephesus was its

principal city, and consequently to Ephesus the first epistle is addressed. The order in

which the assemblies are named is the order in which a messenger would visit them. A

glance at the map will show that from Ephesus the road runs north to Smyrna, the second

assembly mentioned, then on still further north to the third church Pergamos, then it turns

south-east to Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea. The order is as fixed as

though they were stations on a railway. The developments which are being made in

Mesopotamia will cause the province of Asia to become of great importance, for it is on

the line of development, and just a little north of Pergamos in Bithynia that the railroad

which joins the East with the West commences.

The prophecies of the Revelation, and indeed of the O.T. Prophets, cluster around

Jerusalem and Babylon, and in the closing days immediately preceding the revelation of

the Lord the region round about these cities will be the arena of the most awful activities.

Indications are not wanting at this moment that this region will be the scene of

international contention. The Lord knows that in those days there will be little gatherings

of faithful ones under sore pressure who will need the words of this book. To these,

primarily, the book of Revelation is addressed. The overcomers are before the mind from

first to last. The various subjects revealed in the book are all concerning them. Every

epistle in chapters 2: and 3: is urgent in its word, "to him that overcometh" (ho nikon).

Chapters 4: and 5: bring before us THE true overcomer (nikaõ 5: 5). Chapter 6: 1, 2

introduces a view of the false christ, "conquering and to conquer" (nikõn kai hina

nikesei), and so on through the book. The overcomers are seen arrayed in white robes,

they overcome because of the blood of the lamb, and finally we see them, according to

the promise to the church of Laodicea, sitting upon the throne (20: 4), inheriting the all

things of 21: 7, and having a right to the tree of life (22: 14). Just as the nations and

their doings are recorded in the O.T. according as they figure in Israel's history, so the

Beast, the False Prophet, the plagues, the persecutions, the conflicts in heaven and earth

are all described and explained in their relation to the feeble remnant of faithful ones, and

written for their encouragement and guidance.

Of course we too can learn much for our blessing. Others also beside these seven

churches will receive the blessing and need the exhortation of these epistles, and these

seven churches, literal and actual as they are, in their turn do become in this symbolical

book representations of the people of God on the earth at the time. This is quite in

harmony with the trend of the book, and is not to be confused with the other idea of

making the seven churches typify seven phases of Christendom.

Asia is mentioned some fifteen times in the Acts, and was the scene of much spiritual

activity. Peter, as we have seen, addressed the dispersion in Asia, and to two cities,

Ephesus and Colosse, the apostle Paul addressed epistles from his prison at Rome. It is

no wonder then that seven churches in Asia should be addressed as representative