THOUGHTS ON THE REVELATION.
The Heavenly Sanctuary—Continued.
Verse 1. And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals. The one holding the sealed book is evidently the Father, as the Son, under the figure of a lamb, verse 7, takes the book from his right hand. The book contained an important chain of prophetic history of the Christian church. Of this book Benson says: "In short, we should consider this book as being such an one as the ancients used, whose books were not like ours, but volumes, or long pieces of parchment, rolled upon a stick, as we frequently roll silks. Such was this volume or roll, consisting of seven volumes all sealed. Not as if the apostle saw all the seals at once, there being seven volumes wrapped up one within another, each of which was sealed; so that upon opening and unrolling the first, the contents only of one volume were laid open, and the second appeared to be sealed up till that was opened, and so on to the seventh." Scott, in the Comprehensive Commentary, says: "It appeared as a roll, consisting of several parchments, according to the custom of those times; and though it was supposed to be written within, yet nothing could be read till the seals were loosed. It was afterward found to contain seven parchments or small volumes, each of which was separately sealed; but if all the seals had been on the outside, nothing could have been read till they had all been loosed; whereas the loosing of each seal was followed by some discovery of the contents of the roll; yet the appearance on the outside seems to have indicated that it consisted of seven, or at least of several, parts." Verse 2. And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof? This angel is doubtless one of great eminence. With a loud voice he comes out as a crier, and seems to challenge all creatures in the universe to try the strength of their wisdom in opening the counsels of God. Verses 3, 4. And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon. And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon. No being, heavenly, earthly, or infernal, was able to open the book, neither to look upon it. Clarke says: "And no man] oudeis—No person or being." "In heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth] That is, none in the universe; for these are the three great regions into which the whole creation is divided." Upon the phrase, "and I wept much," the same writer gives the following beautiful remarks: "Being greatly affected with the thought that no being whatsoever was to be found able to understand, reveal, and accomplish the divine counsels, fearing they would still remain concealed from the church. This weeping of the apostle sprang from greatness of mind. The tenderness of heart which he always had appeared more clearly now he was out of his own power. The Revelation was not written without tears, neither without tears will it be understood." Verse 5. And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof. Christ is here presented under the figure of a lion, representing his power. He is also called the Root of David. God created all things by Jesus Christ. Heb. i, 2; John i, 3; 1 Cor. viii, 6; Col. i, 16, 17; Eph. iii, 9. In this sense Christ is the root of David, as to him David owed his existence. He had undertaken to save man, and in the contest with Satan, who opposed the work of Jesus Christ in laying the foundation of man's redemption, he had prevailed. He had endured Satan's temptations, the agonies of the cross, and had arisen in triumph over death and the grave, hence was worthy to open the book and to loose the seals thereof. Verses 6, 7. And I beheld, and lo, in the midst of the throne, and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns, and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne. Here Christ is represented under the figure of a lamb. Doddridge translates, "And I beheld, in the middle space between the throne and the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, there stood a Lamb," &c. In the center was the throne of the Father, and by it, in the open space about it, was the Son, represented by the slain lamb. Around these were the redeemed saints, represented by the four living creatures, forming the first circle; then the elders formed a second circle; and the angels, verse 11, formed a third circle. The worthiness of Christ, as he stands in the figure of a slain lamb, is the admiration of all the holy beings in heaven. Woodhouse, in the Comprehensive Commentary, says: "The Greek implies that the lamb appeared with a wounded neck and throat, as if smitten at the altar as a victim." Dr. Clarke, on the phrase, "as it had been slain," says: "As if now in the act of being offered. This is very remarkable; so important is the sacrificial offering of Christ in the sight of God, that he is still represented as being in the very act of pouring out his blood for the offences of man. This gives great advantage to faith; when any soul comes to the throne of grace he finds a sacrifice there provided for him to offer to God." The seven horns of the lamb represent perfection of strength—horn is a symbol of power—and the seven eyes represent that in him is perfection of wisdom; hence the heavenly host, verse 12, are heard saying with a loud voice, "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing." Verses 8-10. And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odors, which are the prayers of saints. And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof; for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; and hast made us unto our God kings and priests; and we shall reign on the earth. We have before suggested that those represented by the four living creatures, and the four and twenty elders, embrace the "many" who rose from the dead with Christ, Matt. xxvii, 52, 53, and the "multitude" who ascended to heaven with him, and that these were assistants in the heavenly priesthood. This last idea seems very much strengthened by the statement that every one of them had golden vials full of odors, which are the prayers of saints. On this point A. Barnes says: "The idea here is, therefore, that the representatives of the church in heaven—the elders—spoken of as 'priests,' are described as officiating in the temple above in behalf of the church still below, and as offering incense while the church is engaged in prayer." The song, "Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof, for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood," is called new in respect to the occasion and the composition. They were the first that could sing it. They were the good and the holy from every kindred, tongue, people, and nation of those who lived and died before the first advent of Christ. They are kings and priests, probably, in the sense that they are overcomers, are redeemed, and have a part to act in connection with the government of heaven, in reference to this world. And, notwithstanding, they are redeemed, and surround the throne of God, are in the presence of the Lamb that redeemed them, and are surrounded with the angelic hosts of heaven, where all is glory ineffable, yet their song contemplates a still higher state, when the great work of redemption shall be completed, and they, with the whole redeemed family of God of every age, shall reign on the earth, which is the promised inheritance of the saints. Gen. xii, 7; Gal. iii, 16; Rom. iv, 13; Gal. iii, 29; Matt. v, 5; 2 Pet. iii, 13; Isa. lxv, 17-25; Rev. xxi, 1-5. Verses 11-14. "And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing. And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever. And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshiped him that liveth for ever and ever." We have seen that the new song contemplates redemption completed, when the saints will reign upon the earth, at the close of the 1000 years of chap. xx. Verse 11 commences a new scene. This is indicated by the phrase, "And I beheld." It is the new earth state introduced by the new song of verse 10. This scene is most sublime. It presents the whole universe engaged in the worship of the Lamb, in four divisions. 1. The angels, forming a third circle round about the throne, in number "ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands." The first computation makes one hundred million; then add the second—"thousands of thousands"—and we have what Paul calls "an innumerable company of angels." Heb. xii, 22. These all with a strong voice strike the song: "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing." 2. Every creature in heaven, on the earth, under the earth, and in the sea, sung praises to God and the Lamb. Wakefield translates, "The whole creation." The Syriac reads, "Every created thing." All of God's creatures throughout the universe join in this song. Its melody is not marred by the shrieks of the damned in some corner of the universe—some say in the center of the earth, others in the moon—weeping and wailing and gnashing their teeth to all eternity. No! no!! Before this, the Devil, his angels, and all wicked men, are "devoured" by the fire from God out of heaven, chap. xx, 9, and now there is spread out before the Prophet's clean universe, from which arises from every created being, "Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever." 3. "And the four beasts said, Amen." 4. "And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshiped Him that liveth for ever and ever."