The Revelation of Jesus Christ - The Herald

tribe and tongue and people and nation; and Thou didst make them to our God a Royalty
and a Priesthood, and they shall reign on (over) the earth."--Rev. 5:9,10.
"It is at this point that the picture we are considering shows our Lord Jesus as the Lamb
that had been slain, before whom obeisance was made, and who was proclaimed, 'Worthy
the Lamb!' . . . Thus is pictured to us the high exaltation of the Heavenly Father's
representative, the 'messenger [servant] of the Covenant.' Because of His humility and
complete submission and obedience to the Father's will He is proclaimed thenceforth the
sharer of the Father's throne, and, by the Father's own arrangement, the proclamation was
made throughout the Heavenly hosts, 'Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, to receive
power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing,' and
finally 'every creature' shall catch the thought that Jehovah has very highly exalted His
Only Begotten Son, even to association with Himself in the Kingdom, and shout their
approval, saying, 'The blessing, and the honor, and the glory, and the power be unto Him
that sitteth upon the throne [of the universe--Jehovah] and unto the Lamb.'"
It will be noted that this last expression of obeisance (Verse 13) is prophetic, and looks
forward to the time of the consummation of the Father's great Plan.
Other significant symbols
In view of the foregoing considerations the Revelator's statement, chapter 4, verse 5,
becomes more luminous. "Out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and
voices." This language is descriptive of the general effect and results upon mankind in
connection with the carrying out of this great drama--the Divine Plan. Several times
throughout the book of Revelation, St. John describes in this language what he heard and
saw. Lightnings are forcefully significant of diffusions or flashes of knowledge, truth. "His
lightnings enlightened the world." (Psa. 97:4.) Voices signify proclamations and general
discussions of subjects by those being enlightened. Thunderings are symbolic of tumults,
controversies accompanying the dissemination and spread of knowledge. Down through
the centuries as the Divine Plan has progressed, these effects--enlightenments,
disturbances, commotions--have been noted among mankind, and particularly are these
results to be seen in connection with those events that mark the close of this dispensation,
the overthrow of Satan's empire and the coming in of the Kingdom of God, of which we
shall say more hereafter.--Rev. 8:5; 11:19; 16:18.
Summarizing the teaching of this fifth chapter: St. John evidently represents the Church;
his seeing the visions represents the Church seeing the fulfillment of them; the words, "to
shew unto His servants things which must shortly come to pass," as also the words, "Come
up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter," plainly teach that the
prophetic visions are open for the Church's study; not, however, that they would be
understood all at once, but gradually, a little at a time, as the events of the Church's history
unveiled their meaning. This vision of chapters four and five explains most fully and
clearly the opening verse of the Apocalypse, in the light of which we are enabled to
paraphrase it thus: