The Revelation of Jesus Christ - The Herald

He had not previously understood became clear. The Scriptures were unfolded to His
view . . . During these three and a half years He was the Messiah, the Sent of God. He was
the Lion of the tribe of Judah. He had sacrificed His will, but this was not sufficient. God
wished Him to sacrifice not only His will, but actually to lay down His human life. . . .
Here the words of our text find their answer. The inquiry [Who is worthy?] compassed the
period from before Jesus came into the world up to His resurrection from the grave. God
had given the most honorable One of all the host of heaven the first opportunity to prove
His worthiness to loose the scroll of God's great Plan, and to fulfill its provisions. He was
given this opportunity because, as the First-born of Jehovah, He had the right to the first
privilege of service. And He did not allow the privilege to go by. He accepted it. He was
faithful. He humbled Himself to human nature, and thus He became the Lion of the tribe
of Judah, of which tribe He was born as a man. . . .
"Our Lord's worthiness was not then proved. It was not until He cried with His dying
breath, 'It is finished!' that the demonstration was complete. . . . Speaking in vision of the
three and a half years during which our Lord is represented as slain, St. John the Revelator
says, 'I beheld and lo, a freshly slain Lamb!' And the voices of myriads of angels were
heard proclaiming, 'Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, to receive power, and riches, and
wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing!' (Rev. 5:12.) Jesus had not
proved Himself worthy of this great honor when He made His consecration, but when He
had finished His course in death He was then worthy to receive glory, honor, and power."
We believe we may safely draw the lesson, first, that the receiving of the scroll by Christ is
designed to show that a full, complete knowledge of the Divine purposes for both the
Church and the world, was given to Him, as well as all power and authority to carry to
completion the Heavenly Father's plans and purposes. This occurred even before His
ascension, for He said to His disciples: "All power is given unto Me in heaven and in
earth." --Matt. 28:18-20.
Second, that the time when the events of the vision of this throne scene began to occur was
after our Lord's resurrection when He received the scroll.
Third, that the opening of the scroll, the breaking of the seals, etc., show the progressive
order of the fulfillment of the events symbolized by the four horsemen, etc.
In a succeeding chapter the opening of the seals will be discussed at length. It will be to
our profit at this point, however, to have before the mind a brief summary:
1. The white horse and its rider is pictorial of the early Church arrayed in garments of
simplicity and purity, with its immaculate doctrines and perfect unity, courageously
riding forth, bearing the "Good Tidings" over the earth with the design to conquer such as
had hearing ears.
2. The red, black, and pale horses and their riders of the second, third, and fourth seals,
depict those conquering forces that had to do with the gradual rise and development of