“THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST.”
XIII. The Seven-Sealed Book.
CHAPTERS four, five, and six are records of one vision, in three distinct parts, which men have divided into three chapters. Read the chapter through as a whole; note the book, the intense interest in its contents, what its opening cost, and the ascriptions and songs of praise and triumph. Its treasures will be better unfolded as we question the text. What did John see on the right hand of the One on the throne? “And I saw in the right hand of Him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the back close sealed with seven seals.”¹ Verse 1. What challenge did he hear? “And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a great voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?”² Verse 2. What was the answer to this challenge? “And no one in the heaven, or on the earth, was able to open the book, or to look thereon.”³ Verse 3. How did this result affect John? “And I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open the book or to look thereon.”⁴ Verse 4. What comfort did he receive? “One of the elders saith unto me, Weep not; behold, the Lion that is of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath overcome to open the book and the seven seals thereof.” Verse 5. What did the prophet then see? “I saw in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, a Lamb standing as tho it had been slain, having seven horns, and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God, sent forth into all the earth.”⁵ Verse 6. “And He came, and He taketh it out of the right hand of Him that sat on the throne.”⁶ Verse 7. How did His work affect the living creatures and elders? “And when He had taken the book, the four living creatures and the four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having each one a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.” Verse 8. What new song do they sing? “Worthy art Thou to take the book, and to open the seals thereof; For Thou wast slain,
And didst purchase unto God with Thy blood
Men of every tribe, and tongue, and people, and nation,
And madest them to be unto our God
A kingdom and priests;
And they reign upon the earth.”⁷ Verses 9, 10. “And I saw, and I heard a voice of many angels round about the throne and the living creatures and the elders, and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands.”⁸ Verse 11. What was the angels’ song? “Worthy is the Lamb that hath been slain to receive the
Power,
and Riches,
and Wisdom,
and Might,
and Honor,
and Glory,
and Blessing.” What was the grand climax of the Lamb’s sacrifice? “And every created thing which is in the heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and on the sea, and all things that are in them, heard I saying,
Unto Him that sitteth on the throne,
And unto the Lamb,
Be the blessing, and the honor, and the glory, and the dominion,
Unto the ages of the ages.”⁹ Verse 13. What response was heard to this? “And the four living creatures said, Amen. And the elders fell down and worshiped.”¹⁰ Verse 14. 1. The Book.—He who “sat on the throne,” whose kingdom rules over all, is “the Father,” “the Lord God,” “the Almighty” (Rev. 1:6, 8). The book, the scroll, is not within His closed hand, but as in the margin, the literal Greek, “on the right hand,” open, as tho held out freely to all. “Written within and on the back close sealed with seven seals,” is generally understood to mean written on both sides. But rather was it not written within, and on the back close sealed with seven seals? Grotius renders, “written within; sealed without.” Dr. Clarke and others suggest that on the back were the titles of what was written within with the seals. We have given a crude illustration of how it might have been that John saw all the seals at one time. The thought rather than the actual shape of the book or scroll is what the illustration on the next page is designed to make plain. 2. The Challenge.—The importance of the2 (82)contents of the book is indicated by the challenge to all the universe, the fact that no one could be found, and the sorrow of hopeless humanity as represented by John. Note the character required. The angel does not ask who is wise enough to open the book, who is strong enough, who is rich enough, but who is worthy. God’s chambers of mysteries are not opened by the wheat of wisdom, the barley of riches, or the rye of power. The sesame which unlocks His infinite treasures is that of worthiness, righteousness, holiness. “The secret of Jehovah is with them that fear Him; and He will show them His covenant.” And the fear of Jehovah is to depart from evil, or to do righteousness. Only the heart in harmony with God can learn His secrets. 3. None Worthy.—There was no one “able” in heaven or in earth, which means there was no one worthy. Only holy hands could break its seals, only holy eyes could read its contents. God is willing that it shall be done; He holds it free to the universe, but none can take it. 4. Why Weep?—“I wept much,” says John. Why? Surely it was not because one little line of prophecy might be hidden from the world, that John wept. Others of equal importance had been given in the past. Neither did he weep for himself alone. He represented a class of God’s creatures held back, separated by their unworthiness, from the Father’s will which He longed to reveal, and the problem to all human seeing could not be solved. 5. One Found.—God chooses a white-robed one to bear His message to John: “Weep not: behold the Lion that is of the tribe of Judah hath overcome.” It cost conflict, it cost suffering, it cost death to overcome, to prevail, to win the worthiness, to open the book. It cost the emptying of self, the hunger and thirst, the “prayers and supplications,” the “strong crying and tears,” the bloody sweat, the darkness of Calvary, the death of the cross. But He overcame, and overcame by what He suffered. John was told to behold a Lion, and he looked and beheld a “Lamb,” nay more, One wounded and slain. Not by might nor army did the Lion win, not by the fierceness and cruelty of the king of beasts, not by crushing and mangling His foes; but by the meekness and gentleness of the lamb. Yet in that Lamb dwelt all the fulness of the elements of riches and power, represented by the seven horns; and all the fulness of knowledge and wisdom, represented by the seven eyes. Universal was the effect of His suffering and victory; the throne, the elders, the four living ones, representative of all in heaven and earth, are partakers of the victory; He was slain, and stood a conqueror in the presence of them all. 6. What Did the Book Contain?—The gift of the God of all love is to be opened to a needy world. What did it contain?—The plan of redemption, the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glad tidings of a purchased pardon full and free, the power of God unto salvation, the solution of the great problem that the entrance of sin had brought into the universe, the fact of the promises of God, the vindication and revelation of God’s character. Through all the centuries Satan has belied and maligned the character of God. He has represented Him as cruel, malignant, arbitrary, hateful. In other words, Satan has invested God, in his representation of Him to men, with his own malignant character. Inducing God’s mortal children to sin, he has gloated over his triumph, and thrown back their defeat upon God. Sin has locked them in Satan’s prison house of the grave, and the few occasions on which men have been released from its bonds by God’s goodness and power, through satanic insinuation have been largely regarded as myths. True, God had promised all fulness to His children, but the fulness was by Satan denied; and in proof of his denial he could point to the closed graves and the earth growing ever more and more sin-burdened. A few believed and hoped against what seemed overwhelming darkness and despair. “But when the fulness of the time came God sent forth His Son.” The light of the world came and irradiated all its dark places. What else mean all these scriptures? “The people that sat in darkness saw a great light, and to them that sat in the region and shadow of death, to them did light spring up.” Matt. 4:16. “I will open My mouth in parables; I will utter things hidden from the foundation of the world.” Matt. 13:34. “Now to Him that is able to establish you according to my Gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which hath been kept in silence through times eternal, but now is manifested, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God, is made known unto all the nations unto obedience of faith.” Rom. 16:25, 26. “Which [the mystery of the Gospel] in other generations was not made known unto the sons of men as it hath now been revealed unto His holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit.” Eph. 3:5. “The mystery which hath been hid from the ages and from the generations; but now hath it been manifested to His saints, to whom God was pleased to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Col. 1:26, 27. That mystery, so long hidden in its fulness, was revealed to the world in God “manifest in the flesh” of men in Jesus Christ, a promise and pledge to all believers of the surety of salvation in Him. That book held on the hand of the Most High, and which the Lion-Lamb suffered, died, and overcame to open, is the book of God’s Gospel in Jesus Christ. 7. The Ascription of Praise.—“Harps” are symbols of praise to God, and, skilfully played, are full of sweetness and melody. “Incense” represents the grace and virtue of our God in Christ Jesus which make the prayers acceptable. Man can plead no promise by virtue of his worth, but by virtue of his need. The worthiness, the fragrance, the acceptableness, is furnished by the Overcomer. The proof of His worthiness is demonstrated by the fulness of the sacrifice—“Thou wast slain.” The Son of God became nothing that we might inherit everything. Because of the absolute self-effacement, God could thus use Him. Phil. 2:5–10. Christ has purchased all by His blood, His life, but all will not accept His salvation. But His love will be demonstrated in redeemed men from every tribe, and land, and tongue. Neither will men have to wait till the glorious consummation to be kings and priests; they may reign over sin, and minister of the gifts of God’s grace whatever their condition in life. 8. The Angels.—What a mighty host of glad servants has our God. 10,000 × 10,000 = 100,000,000. But this does not exhaust them; there are thousands upon thousands more. Truly, they are an “innumerable company.” Heb. 12:22. These are ministers to and with God’s people of His manifold grace. Heb. 1:14. Under all Satan’s master misrepresentations they have been loyal, longing to know the outcome. They have believed in their Prince, Michael the Archangel. They almost despaired when He hung upon the cross, and themselves silent witnesses of His agony, must leave Him to bear it alone, while Satan exulted in hellish glee. Now they see the Conqueror; no wonder that they offer their sevenfold ascription of praise which makes heaven’s arches ring. 9. The Grand Climax.—Like the prophecies frequently, the grand climax is anticipated, the result of His sacrifice and victory, of what all God’s creation shall be when Christ’s work is finished. Sin is utterly banished; all who have finally chosen it have perished with it, its effects have been forever obliterated, and all creation joins in one great diapason chorus to God and the Lamb. 10. “Amen.”—The response of the four living creatures well represents the satisfaction which will be felt by all creation, now represented as groaning and travailing in pain. God’s agencies among the nations of earth, bringing order out of confusion, shedding light in the darkness, respond “Amen” to the anticipated hymn of praise; and His redeemed ministers respond in grateful worship too deep for mortals to appreciate.