An Exposition of Revelation .pdf

not yet discriminated as such. The glorious vision of Him who sits on the throne may include therefore
both the Father and the Son; it is rather God as such, than the revelation of each in the Godhead, the
general or generic nature, not personal distinction.
But here in the opening verses a formal challenge is made which at once displays the glory,
worth, and victory of the Lamb, the holy earth-rejected Sufferer, whose blood has bought for God
those who were under sin, and indeed all creation. There is to be in consequence the full blessing of
man and of the creature on God's part; yea, saints not only delivered, but, even before the deliverance
is displayed, led into full understanding of God's mind and will. Christ is just as necessarily the
wisdom of God as He is the power of God. Without Him no creature can apprehend His ways or
purposes, any more than a sinner knows salvation without Him. We need, and how blessed that we
have, Christ for everything! Thus, whatever the glory of the scene before the prophet in chap. iv., that
which follows shows us the wondrous person and way in which man is brought into the consciousness
of the blessing, and the appreciation of the divine plan and glory.
"And I saw on the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the back,
sealed up with seven seals. And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a great voice, Who [is] worthy
to open the book, and to loose its seals? And no one in the heaven, or on the earth, or underneath the
earth, was able to open the book or to look on it. And I wept much because no one was found worthy
to open the book or to look on it. And one of the elders saith to me, Weep not: behold, the Lion that
[is] of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath overcome, to open the book and its seven seals."
What creature could open these Seals? None anywhere. But the strong angel proclaims, and the Lord
Jesus comes forward to answer the proclamation. He takes up the challenge after a sufficient space to
prove the impotence of all others. The comfort assured to John by the elder is thus justified; for the
elders understand. And he sees the Lion of the tribe of Judah to be the Lamb, despised on earth,
exalted in heaven, who advances and takes the book out of the right hand of Him that sat on the
throne. The Lamb is here described as the Root of David; at the close (22: 16) He describes Himself as
the Root and the Offspring of David. How great is His grace! Then they all, living creatures and elders
together, fall down before the Lamb with a new song.
"And 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 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 [it] out of the right hand of the sitter on the
throne. And when he took the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fall before the
Lamb, having each a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And
they sing a new song, saying, Worthy thou art to take the book, and to open its seals, because thou
west slain and didst purchase to God with thy blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and
nation, and madest them to our God a kingdom and priests; and they shall reign over the earth." The
Lamb is marked by perfect power and wisdom, but it is in the Spirit on high as before on earth (cp.
Acts 1: 2). And His own sing of His shed blood.
It is striking that after this, as we are told, "And I saw and heard a voice of many angels round
about the throne and the living creatures and the elders: and their number was ten thousands of ten
thousands, and thousands of thousands, saying with a great voice, Worthy is the Lamb that hath been
slain to receive the power and riches and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and blessing."
Here we have the angels, who are now distinctly named. How comes it that no angels appear in Rev.
4? And why have we them in Rev. 5? There is always the wisest reason in the ways of God of which
scripture speaks, and we are encouraged by the Spirit to inquire humbly but trustfully. The inference it
warrants seems to be this: that the assumption of the book into the hands of the Lamb, and His
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