Part 5 (1/2)
”After this, I looked, and behold, a door opened in heaven: and the first voice, which I heard, was like a trumpet talking with me; saying, Ascend here, and I will show thee things, which must take place hereafter. And immediately I was in the Spirit: and behold, a throne was set in heaven, and One sat on the throne.
And, He, who sat, was in appearance like a jasper and a cornelian stone: and there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance, like an emerald. And around the throne were twenty-four thrones; and on the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and crowns of gold on their heads. And from the throne came forth lightnings, and voices and thunders. And seven lamps of fire were burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of G.o.d. And before the throne there was a transparent sea like crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and around the throne, were four living beings, full of eyes before and behind.
And the first living being was like a lion, and the second living being like a calf, and the third living being had a face like a man, and the fourth living being was like a flying eagle. And each of the four living beings had six wings around him; and within they were full of eyes: and they rest not day or night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord G.o.d Almighty, who was, and is, and is to be! And when the living beings give glory, and honor, and thanks to Him seated on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever, the four and twenty elders fall down before Him seated on the throne, and wors.h.i.+p Him, who liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Worthy art thou, O Lord, our G.o.d, to receive glory, and honor, and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they existed and were created.”-Rev. 4:1-11.
This vision is preparatory to the revelations of ”things which must be hereafter,” which were given John in the series of visions following.
Their divine origin, and, consequently, the deference with which they are to be received as a revelation from G.o.d, are demonstrated by this symbolization of the presence chamber of the Almighty.
The revelator had before heard a voice speaking to him, (1:10); and turning to look, he beheld the risen Saviour. He then writes the epistles which the Saviour dictated to the churches; and again he turns his eyes to the place where the voice spake to him.
The opening of a door in heaven, appears to be no part of the ”things which must be hereafter;” and is, therefore, no symbol. It was doubtless an appearance of an aperture in the sky above, through which the revelator saw the vision. It indicates that he looked through and beyond the limits prescribed to human vision; and the summons to ”come up hither,” indicates that he was to have free access to the secrets there to be unfolded.
A ”throne set in heaven,” is a symbol of sovereignty there. Consequently the one who sits thereon is the Almighty-his greatness, glory and majesty, being indicated by the ”lightnings, thunderings and voices,” the ”rainbow round about the throne,” and the resemblance to brilliant gems. It is the same Being, seen in vision by Ezekiel (1:28), round about whom was ”as the appearance of the bow in the day of rain;” and who was explained to be ”the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord.”
The ”elders” seated about the throne, and the ”four living creatures,”
improperly rendered beasts, are representatives of the redeemed of our race; for they subsequently unite in the new song, saying to Christ, ”Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to G.o.d by thy blood, out of every kindred and tongue, and people and nation; and hast made us unto our G.o.d kings and priests, and we shall reign on the earth,” 5:8-10. The difference between the two orders, is not fully apparent. They have ”vials full of odors, which are the prayers of saints.” The four beasts are evidently of the same order as the ”living creatures” in Ezek. 1:5; the cherubim of Ezek.
10:20, and the seraphim of Isa. 6:1. The entire hosts of the redeemed are thus represented as interested spectators in the visions which are to be unfolded.
The ”seven lamps of fire,” are explained to be ”the seven Spirits of G.o.d,”
which, as before shown, is expressive of the Holy Spirit.
The ”sea of gla.s.s,” corresponds to the brazen sea, or laver, under the law, which stood at the door of the tabernacle, Ex. 38:8. It was an emblem of purity. Before entering the tabernacle the priest must there wash.
Those admitted on the sea of gla.s.s, are those who are purified and made white in the blood of the Lamb, 15:2.
With this preliminary representation, the first series of events extending to the final consummation, is shown under the symbol of:
The Sealed Book.
”And I saw in the right hand of Him seated on the throne, a book written within and without, sealed with seven seals. And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose its seals? and no one in heaven, or on the earth, or under the earth, was able to open the book nor to look in it. And I was weeping much, because no one was found worthy to open, and to read the book, nor to look in it. And one of the elders saith to me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose its seven seals. And I saw in the midst of the throne, and of the four living beings, and in the midst of the elders, the Lamb standing, as having been slain, having seven horns, and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of G.o.d sent forth into all the earth. And he came and took the book out of the right hand of Him seated on the throne. And when he took the book, the living beings, and twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, all of them having harps, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of saints. And they sung a new song, saying, Worthy art thou to take the book and to open its seals: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to G.o.d by thy blood out of every tribe, and tongue, and people, and nation; and hast made us kings and priests to our G.o.d, and we shall reign on the earth! And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, and the living beings, 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 those on the sea, even all that are in them, I heard saying, Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be to Him sitting on the throne, and to the Lamb, for ever and ever! And the four living beings said, Amen. And the elders fell down and wors.h.i.+pped.”-Rev. 5:1-14.
The written book, must symbolize G.o.d's purposes, which were about to be unfolded on the loosening of the seals. Its being written within and without, indicates the fulness of its contents, the completeness of the record:-G.o.d's purposes being fully and unalterably formed. In like manner Ezekiel was shown ”a roll of a book ... written within and without,”
symbolizing the ”lamentations, mourning and woe” (Ezek. 2:9), which were soon to overtake Israel.
A sealed book is one whose contents are hidden: ”The vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this I pray thee: and he saith, I cannot; for it is sealed,” Isa. 29:11. G.o.d said to Daniel, ”Shut up the words, and seal the book, till the time of the end,” Dan. 12:4.
To open the seals, no one was found worthy. There was no being in heaven among the angels, no human being on the earth, and no disembodied spirit, or demon, under the earth, who was able to unfold the future. The tears of the revelator are, however, dried, and his drooping spirits cheered, by the announcement of one of the elders, that ”the LION of the tribe of JUDAH, the ROOT of DAVID, hath prevailed to open the book,” and to unfold its mysteries. He stood in the midst of the a.s.sembled intelligences,-his human nature and sacrificial office, being designated by his metaphorical t.i.tle of the ”Lamb:”-John seeing Jesus coming to him said, ”Behold the Lamb of G.o.d, which taketh away the sin of the world,” John 1:29. His sovereignty is shown by the ”seven horns,” the symbols of power; and his relation to the G.o.dhead, by the seven eyes, the seven Spirits of G.o.d;-expressive of the Holy Spirit. See p. 25.