This was quite fully explained in articles which appeared not long ago in the "Signs of the Times" on the Revelation itself. The chapter records a vision which John saw. He saw God sitting upon the throne with a sealed book in His hand. He heard a challenge go forth from a strong angel: "Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?" And he tells us farther that no man in heaven or in earth was able either to open the book or to look thereon. It required something more than man could do. That book contained the salvation of men, the great Gospel work of our Lord Jesus Christ. The opening of it cost the very sacrifice of the Son of God, as shown in verses 5, 6, 9. It required God to create men; it required God to redeem men, and our Lord Jesus Christ was the one who was able to meet the challenge of the angel.
