the second part of Daniel, and there is a
fine short Apocalypse in Isa. xxiv.-xxvii., where we find striking
passages relating to the resurrection and eternal life. The _Book of
Enoch_ and the _Apocalypse of Baruch_ are later examples of this class
of literature. These books were generally written with the special
purpose of giving encouragement to the {277} servants of God in times
of distress and persecution. The Revelation of St. John was written
under similar circumstances, but is by far the most sublime of these
writings. The interpretation of the Revelation appears to have always
been a standing difficulty, in spite of the fact that there has been no
age of the Christian Church which has not been able to draw consolation
and vigour from its beautiful pages, all illuminated as they are with
glowing pictures. The question as to whether different portions of the
book were written at different dates, and afterwards edited in one
volume by the writer, does not necessarily interfere with the
interpretation. For the book is one work, the materials have been
fitted into one structure.

The connection between the different parts is organic and internal.
Not only is the doctrinal standpoint the same throughout, but the whole
book has an immense number of connecting thoughts and words. The
letters to the seven Churches contain statements which are taken up in
the visions which follow. Among such we may compare ii. 7 with xxii.
2; ii. 11 with xx. 6; ii. 26 with xii. 5, ii. 28 with xxii. 16; iii. 5
with xix. 8; iii. 12 with xxi. 2. The description of the glorified
Redeemer in i. 10-18 is reflected in numerous passages, and the strong
assertion of the author's personality in i. 9 is again presented in
xxii. 8. And the meaning of the book rapidly becomes clearer to the
reader if he sees (a) that the notices of contemporary history in each
of the seven parts of the book are arranged chronologically in
reference to what is contained in that part; (b) that these seven parts
are not related to one another in the order of temporal succession:
each part is complete in itself, and is a full presentation of one
aspect of the whole subject. This is exactly what we find in Isaiah,
Amos, and Zechariah.

This leads us to another fact. Some writers have held that the
Revelation is to be interpreted simply on _historical_ lines, as though
it contained a list of events occurring through the whole of history
since the time of St.