Notes on the Old and New Testaments

f)lacidity of the divine administration — iive an undisturbed and unruffled ocean of glass. Perhaps, however, we should not press such circumstances too far to find a symbolical meaning. ^ And in the midst of the thro?ie. iv [liac^ tov ^p6vuv. Not occupying the throne, but BO as to appear to be intermingled with the throne, or "in the midst" of it, in the sense that it was beneath the centre of it. The meaning would seem to be, that the four living creatures referred to occupied such a position collectively that they at the same time appeared to be tender the throne, so that it rested on them, and around it, so that they could be seen from any quarter. This would occur if their bodies were under the throne, and if they stood so that they faced outward. To one approaching the throne they would seem to be around it, though their bodies were under, or "in the midst" of it as a support. The form of their bodies is not specified, but it is not improbable that though their heads were different, their bodies, that were under the throne, and that sustained it, were of the same form. ^ And round about the thro?ie. In the sense above explained — that, as they stood, they would be seen on every side of the throne. ^\{eYofo2ir beasts. This is a very unhappy translation, as the word beasts by no means conveys a correct idea of the original word. The Greek word — ^wov — means properly a living tUifig; and it is thus indeed applied to animals, or to the living creation, but the notion of their being living things, or living creatures should be retained in the translation. Prof. Stuart reiiiers it, " living creatures." Isaiah (vi.), in his vision of Jehovah, saw two Seraphim; Ezckiel, whom John more nearly resembles in hi^ description, saw four " living creatures" — moving beings. The words "living beings" would better convey the idea than any other which could be employed. They are evidently, like those which Ezekiel saw, symbolical beings; but the nature and purpose of the symbol is not perfectly apparent. The ** four and twenty elders" are evidently 12*

four • beasts, full of eyes, before and behind.

human beings, and are representatives^ as above explained, of the church. In ch. V. 11, angels are themselves introduced as taking an important part in the worship of heaven, and these living beings, therefore, cannot be designed to represent either angels or men. In Ezekiel, they are either designed as poetic representations of the majesty of God, or of his providential government, showing what sxigtains his throne: — symbols denoting intelligence, vigilance, the rapidity and directness with which the divine commands are executed, and the energy and firmness with which the government of God is administered. The nature of the case, and the similarity to the representation in Ezekiel, would lead us to suppose that the same idea is to be found substantially in John, and there would be no difiiculty in such an interpretation, were it not that these " living creatures" are apparently represented in ch. v. 8, 9, as uniting with the redeemed from the earth, in such a manner as to imply that they were themselves redeemed. But perhaps the language in ch. v. 9, "And they sung a new song," &c., though apparently connected with the " four beasts" in ver. 8, is not designed to be so connected. John may intend there merely to advert to the fact that a new song was sung, without meaning to say that the "four living beings" united in that song. For, if he designed merely to say that the " four living beings," and the "four and twenty elders" fell down to worship, and then that a song was heard, though in fact sung only by the four and twenty elders, he might have employed the language which he actually has done. If this interpretation be admitted, then the most natural explanation to be given of the " four living beings" is to suppose that they are symbolical beings designed to furnish some representation of the government of God — to illustrate, as it were, that on which the divine government rests, or which constitutes its support — to wit, power, intelligence, vigilance, energy. This is apparent (a) because it was not unusual for the thrones of monarcha to be supported by carved animals of rarious forms, which were designed undoubtedly to be somehow emblematic of government — either of its stability, vigilance, boldness, or firmness. Thus Solomon had twelve lions carved on each side of his throne — no improper emblems cf government. 1 Kings x. 19, 20. (6) These living beings are described as the supports of the throne of God, or as that on which it rests, and would be, therefore, no improper symbols of the great principles or truths which give support or stability to the divine administration, (c) They are, in themselves, well adapted to be representatives of the great principles of the divine government, or of the divine providential dealings, as we shall see in the more particular explanation of the symbol, (d) Perhaps it might be added, that, so understood, there would be completeness in the vision. The "elders" appear there as representatives of the church redeemed; the angels in their own proper persons render praise to God. To this it was not improper to add, and the completeness of the representation seems to make it necessary to add, that all the doings of the Almighty unite in his praise; his various acts in the government of the universe harmonize with redeemed and unfallen intelligences in proclaiming his glory. The vision of the "living beings," therefore, is not, as I suppose, a representation of the attributes of God as such, but an emblematic representation of the divine government — of the throne of Deity resting upon, or sustained by, those things of which these living beings are emblems — intelligence, firmness, energy, &c. This supposition seems to combine more probabilities than any other which has been proposed, for according to this supposition all the acts, and ways, and creatures of God unite in his praise. It is proper to add, however, that expositors are by no means agreed as to the design of this representation. Prof. Stuart supposes that the attributes of God are referred to; Mr. Elliott (i. 93) that the "twentyfour elders and the four living creatures BjTnbolize the church, or the collective body of the saints of God; and that as there are two grand divisions of the church, the larger one that o/ the departed in Paradise, and the other that militant on earth, the former is depicted by the twenty-four elders, and the latter by the living creatures;" Mr. Lord (pp. 53, 54;) that the living creatures and the elders are both of one race, the former perhaps denoting those like Enoch and Elijah, who were translated, and those who were raised by the Saviour after his resurrection, or those who have been raised to special eminence, the latter the mass of the redeemed; Mr. Mede that the living creatures are symbols of the church worshipping on earth; Mr. Daubuz that they are symbols of the ministers of the church on earth; Vitringa that they are symbols of eminent ministers and teachers in every age; Dr. Hammond regards him who sits on the throne as the Metropolitan Bishop of Judea, the representative of God, the elders as diocesan bishops of Judea, and the living creatures as four apostles, symbols of the saints who are to attend the Almighty as assessors in judgment! See Lord on the Apocalypse, pp. 58, 69. ^ Full of eyes. Denoting omniscience. The ancients fabled Argus as having one hundred eyes, or as having the power of seeing in any direction. The emblem here would denote an ever-watchful and observing Providence; and in accordance with the explanation proposed above, it means that, in the administration of the divine government, every thing is distinctly contemplated; nothing escapes observation; nothing can be concealed. It is obvious that the divine government could not be administered unless this were so; and it is the perfection of the government of God that all things are seen just as they are. In the vision seen by Ezekiel (ch. i. 18), the "rings" of the wheels on which the living creatures moved, are represented as " full of eyes round about them," emblematic of the same thing. So Milton,

• "As with stars their bodies all, And wings were set with eyes; with eyes the wheels Of beryl, and carecniag fires between.""

^ Before. In front. As one looked on their faces, from whatever quarter the throne was approached, ho could see a multitude of eyes looking upon him. ^ And behind. On the parts of their bodies which were under the throne. The meaning is, that there is universal vigilance in the government of God. Whatever is the form of the divine ad

7 And the first beast was like a lion, and the seccnd beast like a

ministration; whatever part is contemplated; however it is manifested — whe- *her as activity, energy, power, or intelligence, it is based on the fact that all things are seen from every direction. There is nothing that is the result of blind fate or of chance.

7. And the first beast was like a lion. A general description has been given, applicable to all, denoting that in whatever form the divine government is administered, these things will be found,• a particular description now follows, contemplating that government under particular aspects, as symbolized by the living beings on which the throne rests. The first is that of a lion. The lion is the monarch of the woods, the king of beasts, and he becomes thus the emblem of dominion, of authority, of government in general. Comp. Gen. xlix, 9; Amos iii. 8; Joel iii. 16; Dan. vii. 4. As emblematic of the divine administration, this would signify that he who sits on the throne is the ruler over all, and that his dominion is absolute and entire. It has been made a question whether the ichole body had the form of a lion, or whether it had the appearance of a lion only as to its face or front part. It would seem probable that the latter only is intended, for it is expressly said of the " third beast" that it had *' the face of a man," implying that it did not resemble a man in other respects, and it is probable, that, as these living creatures were the supports of the throne, they had the same form in all other particulars except the front part. The writer has not informed us what was the appearance of these living creatures in other respects, but it is most natural to suppose that it was in the form of an ox, as being adapted to sustain a burden. It is hardly necessary to say that the thing supposed to be symbolical here in the government of God — his absolute rule — actually exists, or that it is important that this should be fairly exhibited to men. ^ And the second heast was like a calf. Or, more properly, a young bullock, for so the word — h6<txo9 — means. The term is given by Herodotus (ii. 41; iii. 28) to the Egyptian god Apis, that is, a young bullock. Such an emblem, standing under a ihrone as one of it? supports, would symbolize firmness, endurance, strength (comp. Prov. xiv. 4); and, as used to represent qualities pertaining to him who sat on the throne, would denote stability, firmness, perseverance: — qualities that are found abundantly in the divine administration. There was clearly, in the apprehension of the ancients, some natural fitness or propriety in such an emblem. A young bullock was worshipped in Egypt as a god. Jeroboam set up two idols in the form of a calf, the one in Dan, and the other in Bethel. 1 Kings xii. 28, 29. A similar object of worship was found in the Indian, Greek, and Scandinavian mythologies, and the image appears to have been adopted early and extensively to represent the divinity. — The following figure is a representation of a calf-idol, copied from the collection made by the artists of the French Institute at Cairo. It is recumbent, with human eyes, the skin fleshcolored, and the whole afterparts covered with a white and sky-blue drapery: the horns not on the head, but above it, and containing within them the symbolical globe surmounted by two feathers. The meaning of the emblems on the back is not known. It is copied here merely to show that, for some cause, the calf was regarded as an emblem of the divinity.

It may illustrate this, also, to remark that among the sculptures found by Mr. Layard, in the ruins of Nineveh, were not a few winged bulls, some of them of large structure, and probably all of them emblematic. One of these was removed with great difficulty, to be deposited in calf, and the third beast had a face the Britisli Museum. See Mr. Layard's " Nineveh and its Remains," vol. ii. pp. 64r-75. Such emblems were common in the East; and, being thus common, they would be readily understood in the time of John. ^ And the third beast had a face as a man. There is no intimation as to what was the form of the remaining portion of this living creature, but as the beasts wero " in the midst of the throne," that is, under it as a support, it may be presumed that they had such a form as was adapted to that purpose — as supposed above perhaps the form of an ox. To this living creature there was attached the head of a man, and that would be what would be particularly visible to one looking on the throne. The aspect of a man here would denote intelligence — for it is this which distinguishes man from the creation beneath him; and, if the explanation of the symbol above given be correct, then the meaning of this emblem is, that the operations of the government of God are conducted with intelligence and wisdom. That is, the divine administration is not the result of blind fate or chance; it is founded on a clear knowledge of things, on what is best to be done, on what will most conduce to the common good. Of the truth of this there can be no doubt; and there was a propriety that in a vision designed to give to man a view of the government of the Almighty, this should be appropriately symbolized. It may illustrate this to observe, that in ancient sculptures it was common to unite the head of a man with the figure of an animal, as combining symbols. Among the most remarkable figures discovered by Mr. Layard, in the ruins of Nineveh, were winged, human-headed lions. These lions are thus described

by Mr. Layard: — " They were about twelve feet in height, and the same number in length. The body and limbs were admirably portrayed; the muscles and bones, although strongly developed, to display the strength of the animal, shoAved, at the same time, a correct knowledge of its anatomy and form. Expanded wings sprung from the shoulder and spread over the back; a knotted girdle, ending in tassels, encircled the loins. These sculptures, forming an entrance, were partly in full, and partly in relief. The head and forejmrt, facing the chambers, were in full; but only one side of the rest of the slab v?as sculp.

tured, the back being placed against tlie wall of sun-dried bricks." — Nineveh and

its Remains, vol. i. p. 75. The preceding cut will give an idea of one of these human-headed animals, and will servo to illustrate the passage before us — alike in reference to the head, — indicating intelligence, and the icings, denoting rapidity. On the use of these figures, found in the ruins of Nineveh, Mr. Layard makes the following sensible remarks— remarks admirably illustrating the view which I take of the symbols

before us: — **I used to contemplate for hours these mysterious emblems, and muse over their intent and history. What more noble forms could have ushered the people into the temple of their gods? What more sublime images could have been borrowed from nature by men who sought, unaided by the light of revealed religion, to embody their conceptions of the wisdom, power, and ubiquity of a Supreme Being? They could find no better tj'pe of intellect and knowledge than the head of a man; of strength, than the body of the lion; of rapidity of motion, than the wings of a bird. These winged, human-headed lions were not idle creations, the offspring of mere fancy; their meaning was written upon them. They had awed and instructed races which flourished 3000 years ago. Through the portals which they guarded, kings, priests, and warriors had borne sacrifices to their altars, long before the wisdom of the East had penetrated into Greece, and had furnished its mythology with symbols long recognized by the Assyrian votaries." — Nineveh and its Re-

mains, i. 75, 76. ^ And the fottrth least was nice a flying eagle. All birds, indeed, fly; but the epithet fying is here employed to add intensity to the de- Bcription. The eagle is distinguished, among the feathered race, for the rapidity, the power, and the elevation of its flight. No other bird is supposed to fly 60 high; none ascends with so much power; nono is so majestic and grand in his ascent towards the sun. That which would be properly symbolized by this would be the rapidity with which the commands of God are executed; or this characteristic of the divine government, that the purposes of God arc carried into prompt execution. There is, as it were, a vigorous, powerful, and rapid flight tcwai-ds the accomplishment of the designs of God — as the eagle ascends unmolested towards the sun. Or, it may be that this symbolizes protecting care, or is an emblem of that protection which God by his Providence extends over those who put their trust in him. Thus in Ez. xir.. 4:* "Ye have seen how I bore you on eagles' wings." Ps. xvLi. 8: "Hide me under the shadow of thy wings." Ps. Ixiii. 7: "In the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice." Deut. sxxii. 11, 12: " As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings, so the Lord alone did lead him," <fec. As in the case of the other living beings, so it is to be remarked of the fourth living creature, also, that tho form of the lady is unknown. There is no impropriety in supposing that it is only its front aspect that John here speaks of, for that was sufficient for the symbol. The remaining portion " in the midst of the throne," may have corresponded with that of the other living beings, as being adapted to a support. In further illustration of this it may be remarked, that symbols of this description were common in the Oriental world. Figures in the human form, or in the form of animals, with the head of an eagle or a vulture, are found in the ruins of Nineveh, and were undoubtedly designed to be symbolic. "On the earliest

Assyrian monuments," says Mr. Layard (Nineveh and its Ruins, ii. 348, 349), " one of the most prominent sacred types is the eagle-headed, or the vultureheaded, human figure. Not only is it found in colossal proportions on the walls, or guarding the portals of the chambers, but it is also constantly represented in the groups on the embroidered robes. When thus introduced, it is generally seen contending with other mythic animals, — such as the humanheaded lion or bull; and in these contests it is always the conqueror. It may hence be inferred that it was a type of the Supreme Deity, or of one of his principal attributes. A fragment of the Zoroastrian oracles, preserved by Eusebius, declares that ' God is he that has the head of a hawk. He is the first, indestructible, eternal, ^inbegotten, indivisible, dissimilar; the dispenser of all good; incorruptible; the best of the good, the wisest of the wise; he is the lather of equity and justice, self-taught.

8 And the fcnir beasts had each of them six * Trings about him;

physical and perfect, and wise, and the only inventor of the sacred philosophy/ Sometimes the head of this bird is added to the body of a lion. Under this form of the Egyptian hieraco-sphinx it is the conqueror in combats with other symbolical figures, and is frequently represented as striking down a gazelle or wild goat. It also clearly resembles the gryphon of the Greek mythology, avowedly an eastern symbol, and connected with Apollo, or with the sun, of which the Assyrian form was probably an

emblem." The following figure found in Nimroud, or ancient Nineveh, may furnish an illustration of one of the usual forms.

and tliey were full of eyes within: and they * rest not day and night,

If these views of the meaning of these symbols are correct, then the idea which would be conveyed to the mind of John, and the idea., therefore, which should be conveyed to our minds, is, that the government of God is energetic, firm, intelligent, and that in the execution of its purposes it is rapid like the unobstructed flight of an eagle, or protective like the care of the eagle for its young. When, in the subsequent parts of tho vision, these living creatures are represented as ofiTering praise and adoration to Him that sits on the throne (ver. 8. ch. v. 8, 14), the meaning would be, in accordance with this representation, that all the acts of divine government do, as if they were personified, unite in ^ne praise which the redeemed and the angels ascribe to God. All living things, and all acts of the Almighty, conspire to proclaim his glory. The church by her representatives the " four and twenty elders" honor God; the angels without number, unite in the praise; all creatures in heaven, in earth, under the earth, and in the sea (ch. v. 13) join in the song; and all the acts and ways of God declare also his majesty and glory: — for around his throne, and beneath his throne, are expressive symbols of the firmness, energy, intelligence and power with which his government is administered.

8. And the four beasts had each of them six wiiigs about him. An emblem common to them all, denoting that, in reference to each and all the things here symbolized, there was one common characteristic— that in heaven there is the utmost promptness in executing the divine commands. Comp. Isa. vi. 2; Ps. xviii. 10, civ. 3; Jer. xlviii. 40. No mention is made of the manner in which these wings were arranged, and conjecture in regard to that is vain. The Seraphim, as seen by Isaiah, had each one six wings, with two of which the face was covered, to denote profound reverence; with two the feet, or lower parts — emblematic of modesty,• and with two they flew — emblematic of their celerity in executing the commands of God, Isa. vi. 2. Perhaps without impropriety we may suppose that in regard to these living beings seen by John, two of the wings of each were employed, as in Isaiah, to cover the face — token of profound reverence; and that the remainder were employed in flight — denoting the rapidity with which the divine commands are executed. Mercury, the messenger of Jupiter among tho heathen, was represented with wings, and nothing is more common in the paintings a^ndbas-reliefs of antiquity than such representations. % And they -were full of eyes within. Prof. Stuart more correctly renders this — " around and within are full of eyes;" — connecting the Avord "around," not with the wings, as in our version, but with the eyes. The meaning is, that the portions of the beasts that were visible from the outside of the throne, and the portions under or within

9 And when those beasts give glory, and honor, and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who " liveth for ever and ever,

the throne, were covered with eyes. The obvious design of this is to mark the universal vigilance of divine providence. ^ And they rest not. Marg. have no rest. That is, they are constantly employed,- there is no intermission. The meaning, as above explained, is, that the works and ways of God are constantly bringing praise to him. ^ Day and night. Continually. They who are employed day and night fill up the whole time — for this is all. 'H Saying, Holy, holy, holy. For the meaning of this, see Notes on Isa. vi. 3. ^ Lord God Almighty. Isaiah (vi. 3) expresses it, "Jehovah of hosts." The reference is to the true God, and the epithet Almighty is one that is often given him. It is peculiarly appropriate here, as there were to be, as the sequel shows, remarkable exhibitions of power in executing the purposes described in this book. ^ Which was, and is, and is to come. Who is eternal — existing in all past time; existing now; and to continue to exist forever. See Notes on ch. i. 4.

9. And when those beasts give glory, &c. As often as those living beings ascribe glory to God. They did this continually (ver. 8), and, if the above explanation be correct, then the idea is, that the ways and acts of God in his providential government are continually of such a nature as to honor him.

10. The four and twenty elders fall aowfi before him, &o. The representatives of the redeemed church in heaven (Notes, ver. 4) also unite in the praise. The meaning, if the explanation of the symbol be correct, is, that the church universal unites in praise to God for all that characterizes his administration. In the connexion in which this stands here, the sense would be, that as often as there is any new manifestation of the principles of the divine government, the churck ascribes new praise to God.

10 The four and twenty elders fall dewn before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns * before the throne, saying,

Whatever may be thought of this ex. planation of the meaning of the symbols, of the fact here stated there can be no doubt. The church of God always rejoices when there is any new manifestation of the principles of the divine administration. As all these acts, in reality bring glory and honor to God, the church as often as there is any new manifestation of the divine character and purposes, renders praise anew. Nor can it be doubted that the view here taken is one that is every way ajipropriate to the general character of this book. The great design was to disclose what God was to do in future times, iu the various revolutions that were to take place on the earth, until his government should be firmly established, and the principles of his administration should everywhere prevail; and there was a propriety, therefore, in describing the representatives of the church as taking part in this universal praise, and as casting every crown at the feet of him who sits upon the throne. ^ And cast their crowns before the thro?ie. They are described as " crowned" (ver. 4), that is as triumphant, and as kings (comp. ch. v. 10), and they are here represented as casting their crowns at his feet in token that they owe their triumph to him. To his providential dealings, to his wise and merciful government, they owe it that they are crowned at all, and there is, therefore, a propriety that they should acknowledge this in a proper manner by placing their crowns at his feet.

11. Thou art worthy, 0 Lord. In thy character, perfections, and government there is that which makes it proper that universal praise should bo rendered. The feeling of all true worshippers is, that God is worthy of tha praise that is ascribed to him. No man worships him aright who does not feel that there is that in his nature and to receive glory and honor and power: • for thou hast created all

Lis doings ^vliich malies it proper that lie should receive universal adoration. ^ To receive glory. To have praise or glory ascribed to thee, ^f ■^'"■'^ honor. To be honored: — that is, to be approached and adored as worthy of honor. ^ And power. To have power ascribed to thee, or to be regarded as having infinite power, Man can co?ifer no power on God, but he may acknowledge that which he has, and adore him for its exertion in his behalf and in the government of the world. ^ For thou hast created all thi7igs. Thus laying the foundation for praise. No one can contemplate this vast and wonderful universe without seeing that he who has made it is worthy to "receive glory and honor and power. Comp. Notes on Job xxxviii. 7. ^ A7idfor thy pleasure they are. They exist by thy will — 5id rd SiXriiid. The meaning is, that they owe their existence to the will of God, and therefore their creation lays the foundation for praise. " He spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast." " He said, Let there be light, and there was light." There is no other reason why the universe exists at all than that such was the will of God; there is nothing else that is to be adduced as explaining the fact that anything has n ow a being. The putting forth of that will explains all; and consequently whatever wisdom, power, goodness is manifested in the universe, is to be traced to God, and is the expression of what was in him from eternity. It is proper, then, to " look up through nature to nature's God," and wherever we see greatness or goodness in the works of creation to regard them as the faint expression of what exists essentially in the Creator. '^ A7id were created. Bringing more distinctly into notice the fact that they owe their existence to his will. They are not eternal; they are not self-existent; they were formed from nothing.

This concludes the magnificent introiuetion to the principal visions in this book. It is beautifully appropriate to the solemn disclosures which are to be made in the following portions of the book, and as in the case of Isaiah aud

things, and for thy pleasure they are and -were created.

Ezekiel, was eminently adapted to impress the mind of the holy seer with awe. Heaven is opened to his view; the throne of God is seen; there is a vision of Him who sits upon that throne; thunders and voices are heard around the throne; the lightnings play, and a rainbow, symbol of peace, encircles all; the representatives of the redeemed church, occupying subordinate thrones, and in robes of victory, and with crowns on their heads, are there; avast smooth expanse like the sea is spread out before the throne; and the emblems of the wisdom, the power, the vigilance, the energy, the strength of the divine administration are there, represented as in the act of bringing honor to God, and proclaiming his praise. The mind of John was doubtless prepared by these august visions for the disclosures which follow; and the mind of the reader should in like manner be deeply and solemnly impressed when he contemplates them, as if Ae looked into heaven, and saw the impressive grandeur of the worship thcr^ Let us fancy ourselves, therefore, with the holy seer looking into heaven, and listen with reverence to what the Great God discloses respecting the various changes that are to occur until every foe of the church shall be subdued, and the earth shall acknowledge his sway, and the whole scene shall close in the triumphs and joys of heaven.

This chapter introduces the disclosure of future events. It is done in a manner eminently fitted to impress the mind with a sense of the importance of the revelations about to be made. The proper state of mind for appreciating this chapter is that when we look on the future and are sensible that important events are about to occur; when we feel that that future is wholly impenetrable to us; and when the efforts of the highest created minds fail to lift the mysterious veil which hides those events from our view. It is in accordance with our nature that the mind should be impressed with solemn awe on such circumstances; it is not a violation of the laws of our nature that one who had an earnest desire to penetrate that future, and who saw the volume before him which contained the mysterious revelation, and who yet felt that there was no one in heaven or earth who could break the seals, and disclose what was to come, should weep. Comp. ver. 4. The design of the whole chapter is, evidently, to honor the Lamb of God, by showing that the power was entrusted to him which was confided to no one else in heaven or earth, of disclosing what is to come. Nothing else would better illustrate this than the fact that he alone could break the mysterious seal which barred out the knowledge of the future from all created eyes; and nothing would be better adapted to impress this on the mind than the representation in this chapter — the exhibition of a mysterious book in the hand of God; the proclamation of the angel, calling on any who could do it to open the book: the fact that no one in heaven or earth could do it; the tears shed by John when it was found that no one could do it; the assurance of one of the elders that the Lion of the tribe of Judah had power to do it; and the profound adoration of all in heaven and in earth and under the earth, in view of the power entrusted to him of breaking these mj^sterious seals.

The main points in the chapter are these; — (1) Having in eh. iv. described God as sitting on a throne, John here (ver. 1) represents himself as seeing in his right hand a mysterious volume — written all over on the inside and the outside, yet sealed with seven seals — a volume manifestly referring to the future, and containing important disclosures respecting coming events. (2) A mighty angel is introduced making a proclamation, and asking who is worthy to open that book, and to break those seals — evidently implying that none unless of exalted rank could do it, ver. 2. (3) Tliere is a pause: — no one in heaven, or in earth, or under the earth, approaches to do it, or claims the right to do it, ver. 3. (4) John, giving way to the expressions of natural emotion — indicative of the longing and intense desire in the human soul to be made acquainted with the secrets of the future — pours forth a flood of tears because no one is found who is worthy to open the seals of this mysterious book, or to read what was recorded there, ver. 4. (6) In his state of suspense and of grief, one of the elders — the representatives of that church for whose benefit these revelations of the future were to be made (Note on ch. iv. 4) — approaches him and says that there is one who is able to open the book; one who has the powfir to loose its seals, ver. 5. This is the Messiah — the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David — coming now to make the disclosure for which the whole book was given, ch. i, 1. (6) immediately the attention of John is attracted by the Messiah, appearing as a Lamb in the midst of the throne— with horns, the symbols of strength, and eyes, the symbols of all-pervading intelligence. He approaches and takes the book from the hand of him that sits on the throne — symbolical of the fact that it is the province of the Messiah to make known to the church and the world the '^vents which are to occur, vs. 6, 7. He appears here in a different form from that in which he manifested himself in v'h. i., for the purpose is different. There he appears clothed in majesty, to impress the mind with a sense of his essential glory. Here he appears in a form that recalls the memory of his sacrifice; — to denote perhaps that it is in virtue of his atonement that the future is to be disclosed; and that therefore there is a special propriety that he should appear and do what no other one in heaven or earth could do. (7) The approach of the Messiah to unfold the mysteries in the book; the fact that he had " prevailed" to accomplish what there was so strong a desire should be accomplished, furnishes an occasion for exalted thanksgiving and praise, vs. 8-10. This ascription of praise in heaven is instantly responded to, and echoed back, from aU parts of the universe — all joining in acknowledging the Lamb as worthy of the exalted office to which he was raised, vs. 11-13. The angels around the throne — amounting to thousands of myriads — unite with the living creatures and the elders; and to these are joined the voices of every creature in heaven, on the earth, under the earth, and in the sea, ascribing' to him that sits upon the throne and th9

ND I saw in the right hand of him that aat on the throne a

Lamb universal praise. (9) To this loud ascription of praise from far-distant worlds, the living creatures respond a hearty Amen, and the elders fall down and worship him that lives forever and ever, ver. 14. The universe is held in wondering expectation of the disclosures which are to be made, and from all parts of the universe there is an acknowledgment that the Lamb of God alone has the right to break the mysterious seals. The importance of the developments justifies the magnificence of this representation; and it would not be possible to imagine a more sublime introduction to these great events.

1. And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne. Of God. Ch. iv. 3, 4. His form is not described there, nor is there any intimation of it here except the mention of his "right hand." The book or roll seems to have been so held in his hand that John could see its shape, and see distinctly how it was written and sealed. ^ A book (fitfiXiov). This word is properly a diminutive of the word commonly rendered book (Pi^\os), and would strictly mean a small book, or a book of diminutive size — a tablet, or a letter. Liddell and Scott, Lex. It is used, however, to denote a book of any size — a roll, scroll, or volume; and is thus used (a) to denote the Pentateuch, or the Mosaic law, Heb. ix. 19, x. 1; (l) the book of life, Rev. xvii. 8, xx. 12, xxi. 27; (c) epistles, which were also rolled up, Rev. i. 11; (d) documents, as a bill of divorce. Matt. xix. 7, Mark x. 4. When it is the express design to speak of a small book, another word is used {l3ipXapi6iov}, Rev. X. 2, 8, 9, 10. The book or roll referred to here was that which contained the revelation in the subsequent chapters, to the end of the description of the opening of the seventh seiil — for the communication that was to ha made was all included in the seven seals; and to conceive of the size of the V)ook, therefore, we are only to reflect on the amount of parchment that would naturally be written over by the communications here made. The form of the book was undoubtedly that of a scroll or roll; for that was the usual form of books among the ancients, and such a volume could be more easily sealed with a number of seals, in the manner here described, than a volume in the form in which books are made now. On the ancient form of books, see Notes on Luke iv. 17. The following cut will furnish an additional illustration of their usual form. ^ Written within and on the hack side. Gr. ' Within and behind.' It was customary to write only on one side of the paper or vellum, for the sake of convenience in reading the volume as it was unrolled. If, as sometimes was the case, the book was in the same form as books are now — of leaves bound together — then it was usual to write on both sides of the leaf, as both sides of a page are printed now. Rutin the other form it was a very uncommon thing to write on both sides of the parchment, and was never done unless there Avas a scarcity of writing material; or unless there was an amount of matter beyond what was anticipated; or unless something had been omitted. It is not necessary to suppose that John saAV both sides of the parchment as it was held in the hand of him that sat on the throne. That it was written on the feac^- side he would naturally see, and, as the book was sealed he would infer that it was written in the usual manner on the inside. ^ Sealed with seven seals

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?

On the ancient manner of sealing, see Notes on Matt, xxvii. 66; comp. Notes on Job sxxviii. 14. The fact that there were seve7i seals — an unusual number in fastening a volume — would naturally attract the attention of John, though it might not occur to him at once that there was any thing significant in the number. It is not stated in what manner the seals were attached to the volume, but it is clear that they were so attached that each seal closed one part of the volume, and that when one was broken and the portion which that was designed to fasten Avas unrolled, a second would be come to, which it would be necessary to break in order to read the next portion. The outer seal would indeed bind the whole; but when that was broken it would not give access to the whole volume unless each successive seal were broken. May it not have been intended by this arrangement to suggest the idea that the whole future is unknown to us, and that the disclosure of any one portion, though necessary if the whole would be known, does not disclose all, but leaves seal after seal still unbroken, and that they are all to be broken one after another if we would know all? How these were arranged, John does not say. All that is necessary to be supposed is, that the seven seals were put successively upon the margin of the volume as it was rolled up, so that each opening would extend only as far as the next seal, when the unrolling would be arrested. Any one by rolling up a sheet of paper could so fasten it with pins, or with a succession of seals, as to represent this with sufficient accuracy.

2. And I saw a strong angel. An angel endowed with great strength, as if such strength was necessary to enable him to give utterance to the loud voice of the enquiry. " Homer represents his heralds as powerful, robust men, in order consistently to attribute to them deep-toned and powerful voices." Prof. Stuart. The enquiry to be made was one of vast importance; it was to be made of all in heaven, all on the earth,

3 And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon.

and all under the earth, and hence aq angel is introduced so mighty that his voice could be heard in all those distant worlds. ^ Proclaiming with a loud voice. That is, as a herald or crier. He is rather introduced here as appointed to this office than as self -moved. The design undoubtedly is to impress the mind with a sense of the importance of the disclosures about to be made, and at the same time with a sense of the impossibility of penetrating the future by any created power. That one of the highest angels should make such a proclamation would sufficiently show its importance; that such an one, by the mere act of making such a proclamation, should practically confess his own inability, and consequently the inability of all of similar rank, to make the disclosures, would show that the revelations of the future were beyond mere ci-eated power. «[ Who is worthy to open the hook, &c. That is, who i? " worthy" in the sense of having a rank so exalted, and attributes so comprehensive, as to authorize and enable him to do it. In other words, Who has the requisite endowments of all kinds to enable him to do it? It would require moral qualities of an exalted character to justify him in approaching the seat of the holy God to take the book from his hands; it would require an ability beyond that of any created being to penetrate the future, and disclose the meaning of the symbols which were employed. The fact that the book was held in the hand of him that was on the throne, and sealed in this manner, was in itself a sufficient proof that it was not his purpose to make the disclosure directly, and the natural enquiry arose whether there was any one in the wide universe who, by rank, or character, or office, would be empowered to open the mysterious volume.

3. A7id no man in heaven. No one — ivhui. There is no limitation in tht original to man. The idea is, that there was no one in heaven — evidently alluding to the created beings there — who oould open the volume. Is it not taught

4 And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon.

here fhat angels cannot penetrate the future, and disclose what is to come? Are not their faculties limited in this respect like those of man? ^ Nor i?i earth. Among all classes of men — sages, divines, prophets, philosophers, who among those have ever been able to penetrate the future, and disclose what is to come? ^ Neither under the earth. These divisions compose, in common language, the universe: — what is in heaven above; what is on the earth; and whatever there is under the earth — the abodes of the dead. May there not be an allusion here to the supposed Bcience of necromancy, and an assertion that even the dead cannot penetrate the future, and disclose what is to come? Comp. Notes on Isa. viii. 19. In all these great realms no one advanced who was qualified to undertake the oflBce of making a disclosuz-e of what the mysterious scroll might contain. ^ Was able to open the book. Had ability — hZvvaro — to do it. It was a task beyond their power. Even if any one had been found who had a rank and a moral character which might have seemed to justify the effort, there was no one who had the power of reading what was recorded respecting coming events. ^ Neither to look thereon. That is, so to open the seals as to have a view of what was written therein. That it was not beyond their power merely to see the book, is apparent from the fact that John himself saw it in the hand of him tbat sat on the throne, and it is evident also (ver. 5), that in that sense the elders saw it. But no one could prevail to inspect the contents, or so have access to the interior of the volume as to be able to see what was written there. It could be seen, indeed, (ver. 1) that it was written on both sides of the parchment, but what the writing was no one could know.

4. A7id I wept much, becatise no man was found worthy, <fec. Gr., as in ver. 3, no one. It would seem as if there was a pause to see if there Avcrc any response to the proclamation of the angel. There ^eing none, John gave way to 'his deep

5 And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion " of the tribe of Juda, the

emotions in a flood of tears. The tears of the apostle here may be regarded as an illustration of two things which are occurring constantly in the minds of men: — (1.) The strong desire to penetrate the future; to lift the mysterious veil which shrouds that which is to come; to find some way to pierce the dark wall which seems to stand up before us, and which shuts from our view that which is to be hereafter. There have been no more earnest efl"orts made by men than those which have been made to read the sealed volume which contains the record of what is yet to come. By dreams, and omens, and auguries, and astrology, and the flight of birds, and necromancy, men have sought anxiously to ascertain what is to be hereafter. Compare, for an expression of that intense desire, Foster's Life and Correspondence, vol. i. p. Ill, and vol. ii. pp. 237, 238. (2.) The weeping of the apostle may be regarded as an instance of the deep grief which men often experience when all efi"orts to penetrate the future fail, and they feel that after all they are left completely in the dark. Often is the soul overpowered with grief, and often are the eyes filled with sadness at the reflection that there is an absolute limit to the human powers; that all that man can arrive at by his own eflTorts is uncertain conjecture; and that there is no way possible by which he can make nature speak out and disclose what is to come. No where does man find himself more fettered and limited in his powers than here; nowhere docs he feel that there is such an intense disproportion between his desires and his attainments. In nothing do we feel that we are more absolutely in need of divine help than in our attempts to unveil the future, and were it not for revelation man might weep in despair.

5. And one of the elders saith unto inc. See Notes on ch. iv. 4. No particular reason is assigned why this message was delivered by one of the elders rather than by an angel. If the elders were, however, (See Notes on ch. iv. 4) the representatives of the church, there

Root * of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof. 6 And I beheld, and lo, in the

was a propriety that they should address John in his trouble. Though they were in heaven, they were deeply interested in all that pertained to the welfare of the church, and they had been permitted to understand what as yet was unknown to him, that the power of opening the mysterious volume which contained the revelation of the future, was entrusted particularly to the Messiah. Having this knowledge they were prepared to comfort him with the hope that what was so mysterious would be made known. •[[ Weep not. That is, there is no occasion for tears. The object which you so much desire can be obtained. There is one who can break those seals, and who can unroll that volume and read what is recorded there. ^ Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda. • This undoubtedly refers to the Lord Jesus; and the points needful to be explained are, why he is called a Lion, and why he is spoken of as the Lion of the tribe of Juda. (a) As to the first: — This apptllation is not elsewhere given to the Messiah, but it is not difficult to see its propriety as used in this place. The lion is the king of beasts, the monarch of the forest, and thus becomes an emblem of one of kingly authority and of power (see Notes on ch. iv. 7), and as such the appellation is used in this place. It is because Christ has power to open the seals — as if he ruled over the universe, and all events were under his control, as the lion rules in the forest — that the name is here given to him. (6) As to the other point: — He is called the "Jjion of the tribe of Juda," doubtless with reference to the prophecy in Gen. xlix. 9, " Judah is a lion's whelp; from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion;" and from the fiict that the Messiah was of the tribe of Judah. Comp. Gen. xlix. 10. This use of the term would connect him in the apprehension of John with the prophecy, and would suggest to him the idea of his being a ruler, or having dominion. As such, therefore, it would be appro- 13*

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

priate that the power of breaking these seals should be committed to him. ^ The Boot of David. Not the Root ef David in the sense that David sprung from him as a tree does from a root, but in the sense that he himself was a "rootshoot" or sprout from David, and had sprung from him as a shoot or sprout springs up from a decayed and fallen tree. See Notes on Isa. xi. 1. This expression would connect him directly with David, the great and glorious monarch of Israel, and as having a right to occupy his throne. As one thus ruling over the people of God, there was a propriety that to him should be entrusted the task of opening these seals. ^ Haih prevailed. That is, he has acquired this power as the result of a conflict or struggle. The word used here — iviKrjatv — refers to such a conflict or struggle, properly meaning to come off victor; to overcome; to conquer; to subdue; and the idea here is that his power to do this, or the reason why he does this, is the result of a conflict in which he was a victor. As the series of events to be disclosed, resulting in the final triumph of religion, was the effect of his conflicts with the powers of evil, there was a special propriety that the disclosure should be made by him. The truths taught in this verse are, (1) That the power of making disclosures in regard to the future is entrusted to the Messiah; and (2) that this, so far as he is concerned, is the result of a conflict or struggle on his part.

6. And I beheld, and lo, in the midst of the throne. We are not to suppose that he was in the centre of the throne itself, but he was a conspicuous object when the throne and the elders and tho living beings were seen. He was so placed as to seem to be in the midst of the group made up of the throne, the liA'ing beings, and the elders. ^ And of the four beasts. See Notes, ch. iv. 6. •f Stood a Lamb. An appellation often given to the Messiah, for two reasons: (1) because the lamb was an emblem of innocence; and (2) because a lamb was offered commonly in sacrifice. Comp.

and seven eyes, * which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.

Notes on John i. 29. ^ As it had been slain. That is, in some way having the appearance of having been slain; having some marks or indications about it that it had been slain. What those were, the writer does not specify. If it were covered with blood, or there were marks of mortal wounds, it would be all that the representation demands. The great work which the Redeemer performed — that of making an atonement for sin — was thus represented to John in such a way that he at once recognized him, and saw the reason why the office of breaking the seals was entrusted to him. It should be remarked that this representation is merely symbolic, and we are not to suppose that the Redeemer really assumed this form, or that he appears in this form in heaven. We should no more suppose that the Redeemer appears literally as a lamb in heaven with numerous eyes and horns, than that there is a literal throne and a sea of glass there; that there are "seats" there and " elders," and *' crowns of gold." % Havi7ig seven horns. Emblems of authority and power — for the horn is a symbol of power and dominion. Comp. Deut. xxxiii. 17; 1 Kings xxii. 11; Jer. xlviii. 25; Zech. i. 18; Dan. vii. 24. The propriety of this symbol is laid in the fact that the strength of an animal is in the horn, and that it is by this that he obtains a victory over other animals. The number seven here seems to be designed, as in other places, to denote completeness. See Notes on ch. i. 4. The meaning is, that he had so large a number as to denote complete dominion. ^ A7id seven eyes. Symbols of intelligence. The number seven here also denotes completeness, and the idea is, that he is able to survey all things. John does not say any thing as to the relative arrangement of the horns and eyes on the " Lamb," and it is vain to attempt to conjecture how it was. The whole representation is symbolical, and wo may understand the meaning of the symbol without being able to form an exact conception of the /igure as it ap-

7 And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne.

peared to him. *[ Which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. See Notes on ch. i. 4. That is, which represent the seven Spirits of God; or the manifold operations of the one divine Spirit. As the eye is the symbol of intelligence — outward objects being made visible to us by that — so it may well represent an all-pervading spirit that surveys and sees all things. The eye, in this view, among the Egyptians was an emblem of the Deity. By the " Seven Spirits" here the same thing is doubtless intended as in ch. i. 4; and if, as there supposed, the reference is to the Holy Spirit considered with respect to his manifold operations, the meaning here is, that the operations of that Spirit are to be regarded as connected with the work of the Redeemer. Thus, all the operations of the Spirit are connected with, and are a part of, the work of redemption. The expression " sent forth into all the earth," refers to the fact that that Spirit pervades all things. The Spirit of God is often represented as sent or poured out; and the meaning here is, that his operations are as v/he was sent out to survey all things and to operate everywhere. Comp. 1 Cor. xii.6-11. 7. And he came and took the book out of the right hand, &c. As if it pertained to him by virtue of rank or office. There is a difficulty here arising from the incongruity of what is said of a lamh, which it is not easy to solve. The difficulty is in conceiving how a lamb could take the book from the hand of him who held it. To meet this several solutions have been proposed. (1) Vitringa supposes that the Messiah appeared as a lamb only in some such sense as the four living beings (ch. iv. 7) resembled a lion, a calf, and an eagle; that is, that they bore this resemblance only in respect to the head, while the body was that of a man. He thus supposes that, though in respect to the upper part, the Saviour resembled a lamb, yet that to the front part of the body hands were attached by which he could take the book. But there are great difficulties in this supposition. Besides that nothing of this kind is intimated by John, it is contrary to every appearance of probability that the Redeemer would be represented as a monster. In his being represented as a lamb there is nothing that strikes the mind as inappropriate or unpleasant, for he is often spoken of in this manner, and the image is one that is agreeable to the mind. But all this beauty and fitness of representation is destroyed, if we think of him as having human hands proceeding from his breast or sides, or as blending the form of a man and an animal together. The representation of having an unusual number of horns and eyes does not strike us as being incongruous in the same sense; for, though the number is increased, they are such as pertain properly to the animal to which they are attached. (2) Another supposition is that suggested by Prof. Stuart, that the form was changed, and a human form resumed when the Saviour advanced to take the book and open it. This would relieve the whole difficulty, and the- only objection to it is, that John has not given any express notice of such a change in the form; and the only question can be whether it is right to suppose it in order to meet the difficulty in the case. In support of this it is said that all is symbol; that the Saviour is represented in the book in various forms; that as his appearing as a lamb was designed to repi-esent in a striking manner the fact that he was slain, and that all that he did was based on the atonement, so there would be no impropriety in supposing that when an action was attributed to him he assumed the form in which that act would be naturally or is usually done. And?,s in taking a book from the hand of another it is wholly incongruous to think of its being done by a lamb, is it not most natural to suppose that the usual form in which the Saviour is represented as appearing would be resumed, and that he would appear again as a man? — But, is it absolutely certain that he appeared in the form of a lamb at all? May not all that is meant be, that John saw him near the throne, and among the elders, and was struck at once with his appearance of meekness and innocence, and with the marks of bis having been slain as a sacrifice, and spoke of him in strong figurative language as a lamb? And where his " seven horns" and "seven eyes" are spoken of, is it necessary to suppose that there was any real assumption of such horns and eyes? May not all that is meant be that John was struck with that in the appearance of the Redeemer of which these would be the appropriate symbols, and described him as if these had been visible? When John'the Baptist saw the Lord Jesus on the banks of the Jordan, and said, " Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world" (John i. 29), is it necessary to suppose that he actually appeared in the form of a lamb? Do not all at once understand him as referring to traits in his character, and to the work which he was to accomplish, which made it proper to speak of him as a lamb? And why, therefore, may we not suppose that John in the Apocalypse designed to use language in the same way, and that he did not intend to present so incongruous a description as that of a lamb approaching a throne and taking a book from the hand of him that sat on it, and a lamb too with many horns and eyes? If this supposition is correct, then all that is meant in this passage woi;ld be expressed in some such language as the following: ' And I looked, and lo there was one in the midst of the space occupied by the throne, by the living creatures, and by the elders, who, in aspect, and in the emblems that represented his work on the earth, was spotless, meek, and innocent as a lamb; — one with marks on his person which broivght to remembrance the fact that he had been slain for the sins of the world, and yet one who had most striking symbols of power and intelligence, and who was therefore worthy to approach and take the book from the hand of him that sat on the throne.' It may do something to confirm this view to recollect that when we use the term "Lamb of God" now, as is often done in preaching and in prayer, it never suggests to the mind the idea of a lamb. We think of the Redeemer as resembling a lamb in his moral attributes and in his Eacrifice, but never as to form. This supposition relieves the passage of all that is incongruous and unpleasant, and may be all that John meant.

8 And when he had taken the book, the four " beasts and four and twenty elders, fell down before the Lamb, having every one of

8. And when he had taken the book, the four beasts, &c. The acts of adoration here described as rendered by the four living creatures and the elders, are, according to the explanation given in ch. iv. 4-7, emblematic of the honor done to the Redeemer by the church and by the course of providential events in the government of the world. % Fall down before the Lamb. The usual posture of profound worship. Usually in such worship there was entire prostration on the earth. See Notes on Matt. ii. 2; 1 Cor. xiv. 25. •[ Having every one of them harps. That is, as the construction, and the propriety of the case would seem to demand, the elders had each one of them harps. The whole prostrated themselves with profound reverence; the elders had harps and censers, and broke out into a song of praise for redemption. This construction is demanded, because (a) the Greek word — e^ovTcs — more properly agrees with the word elders — irpea^vTepoi — and not with the word beasts — ^&a; {b) there is an incongruity in the representation that the living creatures — in the form of a lion, a calf, an eagle, should have harps and censers; and (c) the song of praise that is sung (ver. 9) is one that properly applies to the elders as the representatives of the church, and not to the living creatures, " Thou hast redeomed us to God by thy blood." The Jiarp was a well-known instrument used in the service of God. Joscphus describes it as having ten strings, and as struck with a key. Ant. 7. 12. 3. See Notes on Isa. V. 12. ^ A7id golden vials. The word vial with U3, denoting a small slender bottle with a narrow neck, evidently does not express the idea here. The article here referred to was used for offering incense, and must have been a vessel with a large open mouth. The word bowl or goblet would better express the idea, and it is so explained by Prof. Robinson, Lex., and by Prof. Stuart, in loc. The Greek word — ^ta'A^ — occurs in the New Testament only in Revelation (v. 8, xv. 7, xvi. 1, 2, 3, 4, them harps, ^ and golden vials full of ' odors, which are the prayers ** of saints.

8, 10, 12, 17, xvii. 1, xxi. 9), and is uniformly rendered vial and vials, though the idea is always that of a bowl or goblet. ^[ Full of odors. Or rather, as in the margin, full of incense — ■Sii//td7(i»v. See Notes on Luke i. 9. ^ Which are the prayers of saints. Which represent or denote the prayers of saints. Comp. Ps. cxli. 2, " Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense." The meaning is, that incense was a proper emblem of prayer. This seems to have been in two respects: (a) as being accei^table to God — as incense produced an agreeable fragrance; and (S) in its being wafted towards heaven — ascending towards the eternal throne. In ch. viii. 3, an angel is represented as having a goJden censer; "And there was given untt bim much incense, that he should offei it with the prayers of a''!?aint3 upon the golden altar which was before the throne." The representation there, undoubtedly is, that the angel is employed in presenting the prayers of the saints which were offered on earth before the throne. See Notes on that passage. It is most natural to interpret the passage before us in the same way. The allusion is clearly to the temple service, and to the fact that incense was offered by the priest in the temple itself at the time that prayer was offered by the people in the courts of the temple. See Luke i.

9, 10. The idea here is, therefore, that the representatives of the church in heaven— the elders — spoken of as " priests" (ver. 10), arc described as officiating in the temple above in behalf of the church still below, and as offering incense while the church is engaged in prayei-. It is not said that they offer the prayers themselves, but that they offer incense aa representing the prayers of the saints. If this be the correct interpretation, as it seems to be the obvious one, then the passage lays no foundation for the opinion expressed by Prof. Stuart, as derived from this passage (in loc), that prayer is offered by the redeemed in heaven. Whatever may be the truth on that point — on which the Bible seems to b«

9 And they sung a new " song, saying, Thou art worthy to take

silent — it will find no support from the passage before us. Adoration, praise, thanksgiving, are represented as the employment of the saints in heaven; the only representation respecting prayer as pertaining to that world is, that there are emblems there which symbolize its ascent before the throne, and which show that it is acceptable to God. It is an interesting and beautiful representation that there are in heaven appropriate symbols of ascending prayer, and that, while in the outer, courts here below we offer prayer, incense, emblematic of it, ascends in the holy of holies above. The impression which this should leave on our minds ought to be, that our prayers are wafted before the throne, and are acceptable to God.

9. And they sung a new song. Comp. ch. xiv. 3. New in the sense that it is a song consequent on redemption, and distinguished therefore from the songs sung in heaven before the work of redemption was consummated. We may suppose that songs of adoration have always been sung in heaven; we know that the praises of God were celebrated by the angelic choirs when the foundations of the earth were laid (Job xxxviii. 7); but the song of redemption was a different song, and is one that would never have been sung there if man had not fallen, and if the Redeemer had not died. This song strikes notes which the other songs do not strike, and refers to glories of the divine character, which but for the work of redemption would not have been brought into view. In this sense the song was new; it will continue to be new in the sense that it will be sung afresh as redeemed millions continue to ascend to heaven. Comp. Ps. xl. 3, xcvi. 1, cxliv. 9; Isa. xlii. 10. % Thou art worthy to take the book, &c. This was the occasion or ground of the " new song," that by his coming and deafei he had acquired a right to approach vhere no other one could approach, and to do what no other one could do. •[ For thou wast slai7i. The language here is such as would be appropriate to a lamb slain as a sacrifice; the idea is, that the fact that ho was thus the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy slain constituted the ground of his worthiness to open the book. It could not be meant that there was in him no other ground of worthiness, but that this was that which was most conspicuous. It is just the outburst of the grateful feeling resulting from redemption, that he who has died to save the soul is worthy of all honor, and is fitted to accomplish what no other being in the universe can do. However this may appear to the inhabitants of other worlds; or however it may appear to the dwellers on the earth who have no interest in the work of redemption, yet all who are redeemed will agree in the sentiment that he who has ransomed them with his blood has performed a work to do which every other being was incompetent; and that now all honor in heaven and on earth may appropriately be conferred on him. ^ And hast redeemed us. The word here used — ayopd^bt — means properly to purchase, to buy, and is thus employed to denote redemption, because redemption was accomplished by the payment of a price. On the meaning of the word, see Notes on 2 Peter ii. 1. ^ To God. That is, so that we become his, and are to be henceforward regarded as such; or so, that he might possess U9 as his own. See Notes on 2 Cor. v. 15. This is the true nature of redemption, that by the price paid we are rescued from the servitude of Satan, and are henceforth to regard ourselves as belonging unto God. ^ By thy Mood. See Notes on Acts xx. 28. This is such language as they use who believe in the doctrine of the atonement; and is such as would be used by them alone. It would not be employed by those who believe that Christ was a mere martyr, or that he lived and died merely as a teacher of morality. If he was truly an atoning sacrifice, the language is full of meaning; if not, it has no significance, and could not be understood. *[ Out of every kindred. Literally, ' of every ti-ibe' — (pvXiis. The word tribe means properly a comparatively small division or class of people associated together. Prof. Stuart. It refers to a family, or race, having a commou ancestor, and usually associated or banded together — as oue of the tribes of Israel; a tribe of Indians; a tribe cf plants; a tribe of animals, kc. This is such language as a Jew would use, denoting one of the smaller divisions that made up a nation of people; and the meaning would seem to be, that it will be found ultimately to be true that the redeemed will have been taken from all such minor divisions of the human family — not only from the different nations but from the smaller divisions of those nations. This can only be true from the fact that the knowledge of the true religion will yet be diffused among all those smaller portions of the human race j that is, that its diffusion will be universal. ^ And tongue. People speaking all languages. The word here used would seem to denote a division of the human family larger than a tribe but smaller than a nation. It was frrrsierly a fact that a nation might be made up of those who spoke many different languages — as, for example, the Assyrian, the Babylonian, or the Roman nations. Comp. Dan. iii. 29, iv. 1. The meaning here is, that no matter what language the component parts of the nations speak, the gospel will be conveyed to them, and in their own tongue they will learn the wonderful works of God. Comp. Acts ii. 8-11. ^ And people. The word here used — Xadj — properly denotes a people considered as a mass, made up of smaller divisions — as an association of smaller bodies,— or as a multitude of such bodies united together. It is distinguished from another word commonly applied to a people — Stjiios — for that is applied to a community of free citizens, considered as on a level, or without reference to any minor divisions or distinctions. The words here used would apply to an army, considered as made up of regiments, battalions, or tribes; to a massmeeting, made up of societies of different trades or professions; to a nation, made up of different associated communities, Ac. It denotes a larger body of people than the previous words, and the i^iea

10 And hast made us unto our God kings ' and prieets: and we shall "^ reign on the earth.

is, that no matter of what people or nation, considered as made up of such separate portions, one may be, he will not be excluded from the blessings of redemption. The sense would be well expressed by saying, for instance, that there will be found there those of the Gaelic race, the Celtic, the Anglo- Saxon, the Mongolian, the African, <fcc. % And natio7i. E^voj. A word of still larger signification; the people in a still wider sense; a people or nation considered as distinct from all others. The word would embrace all who come under one sovereignty or rule — as, for example, the British nation, however many minor tribes there may be; however many different languages may be spoken; and however many separate people there may be — as the Anglo- Saxon, the Scottish, the Irish, the people of Hindustan, of Labrador, of New South Wales, <fcc. The words here used by John would together denote nations of every kind, great and small; and the sense is, that the blessings of redemption will be extended to all parts of the earth.

10. And hast made us unto our God kings and priests. See Notes on ch. i. 6. ^ A7id we shall reign on the earth. The redeemed, of whom we are the representatives. The idea clearly is, in accordance with what is so frequently said in the Scriptures, that the dominion on the earth will be given to the saints; that is, that there will be such a prevalence of true religion, and the redeemed will be so much in the ascendency, that the affairs of the nations will be in their hands. Bighteous men will hold the offices; will fill places of trust and responsibility; will have a controlling voice in all that pertains to human affairs. See Notes on Dan. vii. 27, and Bev. xx. 1-6. To such a prevalence of religion all things are tending; and to this, in all the disorder and sin which now exist, are we permitted to look forward. It is not said that this will be a reign under the Saviour in a literal kingdom on the earth; nor is ii

11 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

said that the saints will descend from heaven,, and occupy thrones of power under Christ as a visible king. The simple aflSrmation is, that they will reign on the earth; and as this seems to be spoken in the name of the redeemed, all that is necessary to be understood is, that there will be such a prevalence of true religion on the earth that it will become a vast kingdom of holiness, and that, instead of being in the minority, the saints will everywhere have the ascendency.

11. And I beheld. And I looked again. ^ And Iheard the voice of many ajigels. The inhabitants of heaven uniting with the representatives of the redeemed church, in ascribing honor to the Lamb of God. The design is to show that there is universal sympathy and harmony in heaven, and that all worlds will unite in ascribing honor to the Lamb of God. ^ Eound about the throne and the beasts and the elders. In a circle or area beyond that which was occupied by the throne, the living creatures, and the elders. They occupied the centre as it appeared to John, and this innumerable company of angels surrounded them. The angels are represented here, as they are everywhere in the Scriptures, as taking a deep interest in all that pertains to the redemption of men, and it is not surprising that they are here described as uniting with the representatives of the church in rendering honor to the Lamb of God. Comp. Notes on 1 Pet. i. 12. ^ And the number of them was ten thousand times te7i thousand. One hundred millions — a general term to denote either a countless number, or an exceedingly great number. We are not to suppose that it is to be taken literally. ^ And thousands of thousands. Implying that the number before specified was not large enough to comprehend all. Besides the *' ten thousand times ten thousand" there was a vast, uncounted host which «4ne could not attempt to enumerate.

12 Saying with a loud voice, Worthy ' is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches,

The language here would seem to be taken from Dan. vii. 10: " Thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him." Comp. Ps. Ixviii. 17: " The ckariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels." See also Deut. xxxiii. 2; 1 Kings xxii. 19.

12. Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain. See Notes on vs. 2, 9. The idea here is, that the fact that he was slain, or was made a sacrifice for sin, was the ground or reason for what is here ascribed to him. Comp. Notes on ver. 5. ^ To receive power. Power or authority to rule over all things. Comp. Notes on Matt, xxviii. 18. The meaning here is, that he was worthy that these things should be ascribed to him, or to be addressed and acknowledged as possessing them. A part of these things were his in virtue of his very nature — as wisdom, glory, riches; a part were conferred on him as the result of his work — as the mediatorial dominion over the universe, the honor resulting from his work, &c. In view of all that he was, and of all that he has done, he is here spoken of as "worthy" of all these things. % And riches. Abundance. That is, he is worthy that whatever contributes to honor, and glory, and happiness, should be conferred on him in abunda7ice. Himself the original proprietor of all things, it is fit that he should be recognized as such,• and having performed the work which he has, it is proper that whatever may be made to contribute to his honor should be regarded as his. 1 And wisdom. That he should be esteemed as eminently wise; that is, that as the result of the work which he has accomplished, he should be regarded as having ability to choose the best ends, and the best means to accomplish them. The feeling here referred to is that which arises from the contemplation of the work of salvation by the Redeemer, as a work eminently charao-

and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing.

13 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,

terized by wisdom — •vvisdom manifested in meeting the evils of the fall; in honoring the law; in showing that mercy is consistent with justice; and in adapting the whole plan to the character and wants of man. If wisdom was any where demanded, it was in reconciling a lost world to God; if it has been any where displayed, it has been in the arrangements for that work, and in its execution by the Redeemer. See Notes on 1 Cor. i. 24; comp. Matt. xiii. 54; Luke ii. 40, 52; 1 Cor. i. 20, 21, 30; Eph. i. 8, iii. 10. % And strength. Ability to accomplish his purposes. That is, it is meet that he should be regarded as having such ability. This strength or power was manifested in overcoming the great enemy of man; in his control of winds, and storms, and diseases and devils; in triumphing over death; in saving his people. ^[ And honor. He should be esteemed and treated with honor for what he has done. ^ And glory. This word refers to a higher ascription of praise than the word honor. Perhaps that might refer to the honor which we feel in our hearts; this to the expression of that by the language of praise. ^ And blessing. Every thing which would express the desire that he might be happy, honored, adored. To bless one is to desire that he may have happiness and prosperity; that he may be successful, respected and honored. To bless God, or to ascribe blessing to him, is that state where the heart is full of love and gratitude, and where it desires that ho may be every where honored, loved, and obeyed as he should be. The words here express the wish that the universe would ascribe to the Redeemer all honor, and tliat he might be every where loved and adored.

13. A?id every creature wh'ch is in kcaven. The meaning of this verse is, that all created things seemed to unite Ji rendering honor to him who sat on Jpe throne and to the Lamb. In the

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.

previous verse, a certain number — a vast host — of angels are designated as rendering praise as they stood round the area occupied by the throne, the elders, and the living creatures; here it is added that all who were in heaven united in this ascription of praise. % A7id on the earth. All the universe was heard by John ascribing praise to God. A voice was heard from the heavens, from all parts of the earth, from under the earth, and from the depths of the sea, as if the entire universe joined in the adoration. It is not necessary to press the language literally, and stUl less is it necessary to understand by it, as Prof. Stuart does, that the angels who presided over the earth, over the under-world, and over the sea, are intended; it is evidently popjiZar language, and the sense is that John heard a universal ascription of praise. All worlds seemed to join in it; all the dwellers on the earth and under the earth and in the sea partook of the spirit of heaven in rendering honor to the Redeemer. ^ Under the earth. Supposed to be inhabited by the shades of the dead. See Notes on Job x. 21, 22; Isa. xiv. 9. % And such as are in the sea. All that dwell in the ocean. In Ps. cxlviii. 7- 10, "Dragons and all deeps; beasts and all cattle; creeping things, and flying fowl," are called on to praise the Lord; and there is no more incongruity or impropriety in one description than in the other. In the Psalm, the universe is called on to render praise; in the passage before us it is described as actually doing it. The hills, the streams, the floods; the fowls of the air, the dwellers in the deep, and the beasts that roam over the earth; the songsters in the grove, and the insects that play in tlio sunbeam, in fact declare the glory of their Creator, and it requires no veiy strong effort of the fancy to imagine the universe as sending up a constant voice of thanksgiving. ^[ Blessing and /ijjwr, &c. There is a slight change heea frc|S.

14 And ■ the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty

ver. 12, but it is the same thing subetantiaily. It is an ascription of all glory to God and to the Lamb.

14. And the four beasts said, Amen. The voice of universal praise came to them from abroad, and they accorded with it, and ascribed honor to God. ^ A7id the four and twenty elders fell dov>n, <fcc. The living creatures and the elders began the work of praise (ver. 8), and it was proper that it should conclude with them; that is, they give the last and final response. Prof. Stuart. The whole universe, therefore, is sublimely represented as in a state of profound adoration, waiting for the developments to follow on the opening of the mysterious volume. All feel an interest in it; all feel that the secret is with God; all feel that there is but one who can open this volume j and all gather around, in the most reverential posture, awaiting the disclosure of the great mystery.

1. The knowledge of the future is with ^od, ver. 1. It is as in a book held in his hand, fully written over, yet sealed with seven seals.

2. It is impossible for man or angel to penetrate the future, vs. 2, 3. It seems to be a law of created being, that the ability to penetrate the future is placed beyond the reach of any of the faculties by which a creature is endowed. Of the past we have a record and we can remember it; but no created being seems to have been formed with a power in reference to the future corresponding with that in reference to the past: — with no faculty of /ores/^Af corresponding to memory.

3. It is natural that the mind should be deeply aflfected by the fact that we cayinot penetrate the future, ver. 4. John wq)t in view of this; and how often is the mind borne down with heaviness in view of that fact. What things there are, there must be, in that future of interest to us! What changes there may be for us to experience; what trials to pass through; what happiness to enjoy; what scenes of glory to witness! What progress may we make in know-

elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever.

ledge; what new friendships may we form; what new displays of the divine perfections may we witness! All our great interests are in the future; in that which is to us now unknown. There is to be all the happiness which we are to enjoy, all the pain that we are to suffer; all that we hope, all that we fear. All the friends that we are to have are to bo there; all the sorrows that we are to experience are to be there. Yet an impenetrable veil is set up to hide al) that from our view. We cannot remove it; we cannot penetrate it. There it stands to mock all our efforts, and in all our attempts to look into the future, we soon come to the barrier, and are repelled and driven back. Who has not felt his heart sad that he cannot look into that which is to come!

4. The power of laying open the future to mortals has been entrusted to the Redeemer, vs. 5-7. It is a part of the work which was committed to him to make known to men as much as it was proper to be known. Hence he is at once a prophet, and is the inspirer of the prophets. Hence he came to teach men what is to be in the future pertaining to them, and hence he has caused to be recorded by the sacred writers all that is to be known of what is to come until it is slowly unfolded as events develop themselves. The Saviour alone takes the mysterious book and opens the seals; he only unrols the volume and discloses to man what is to come.

5. The fact that he does this is the foundation of joy and gratitude for the church, vs. 8-10. It is impossible that the church should contemplate what the Saviour has revealed of the future without gratitude and joy; and how often in times of persecution and trouble has the church joyfully turned to the developments made by the Saviour of what is to be when the gospel shall spread over the world, and when truth and righteousness shall be triumphant.

6. This fact is of interest to the angelic beings, and for them also it lays the foundation of praise, vs. 11-12 Thia may arise from these causes: — (a) from the interest which they take in thp ciurri, iu ti bhe happiness Trhicli tliey have \ro a wnj thitig that increases its numbers ex augments its joy; (Z>) from the fact that in the disclosures of the future made by the Redeemer, there may b*" much that is new, and of interest to them (comp. Notes on 1 Pet. i. 12); and (c) from the fact that they cannot but rejoice in the revelations yhich are made of the final triumphs oi truth in the universe.

7. The universe at large has an interest in these disclosures, and the fact that they are to be made by the Redeemer lays the foundation for universal joy, vs. 13, 14. These events pertain to all worlds, and it is proper that all the inhabitants of the universe should join in the expressions of adoration and thanksgiving. The universe is oco; and what affects one portion of it really pertains to every part of it. Angels and men have one and the same God and Father, and may unite in the same expressions of praise.

This chapter contains an account of the opening of six of the seven seals. It need hardly be said to any one who is at all familiar with the numerous — not to say numberless — expositions of the Apocalypse, that it is at this point that interpreters begin to differ, and that here commences the divergence towards those various, discordant, and many of them wild and fantastic theories, which have been proposed in the exposition of this wonderful book. Up to this point, though there may be unimportant diversities in the exposition of words and phrases, there is no material difference of ojiinion as to the general meaning of the writer. In the epistles to the seven churches, and in the introductory scenes to the main visions, there can be no doubt, in the main, as to what the writer had in view, and what ho meant to describe. He addressed churches then existing (chs. i.-iii.), and set before them their sins and their duties; and he described scenes passing before his eyes as then present (chs. iv., v.), which weie merely designed to impress his own mind with the importance of what was to be disclosed, and to bring the great actors on the stage, and in reference to which there could lo little ground for diversity in the interpretation. Here, however, the scene opens into the future, comprehending all the unknown period until there shall be a final triumph of Christianity, and all its foes shall be prostrate. The actors are the Son of God, angels, men, Satan, — storms, tempests, earthquakes, — the pestilence and fire; the scene is heaven, earth, hell. There is no certain designation of places; there are no mention of names — as there is in Isaiah (xlv. 1), of Cyrus, or as there is in Daniel (viii. 21, X. 20, xi. 2), of the "king of Grecia;" there is no designation of time that is necessarily unambiguous; and there are no characteristics of the symbols used that make it antecedently certain that they could be applied only to one class of events. In the boundless future that was to succeed the times of John there would be, of necessity, many events to which these symbols might be api^lied, and the result has shown that it has required but a moderate share of pious ingenuity to apply them, by different expositors, to events differing widely from each other in their character, and in the times when they would occur. It would be too long to glance even at the various theories which have been proposed and maintained in regard to the interpretation of the subsequent portions of the Apocalypse, and wholly impossible to attempt to examine those theories. Time, in its developments, has already exploded many of them; and time, in its future developments, will doubtless explode many more, and each one must stand or fall as in the disclosures of the future it shall be found to be true or false. It would be folly to add another to those numerous theories, even if I had an}' such theory (see the Preface), and perhaps equal folly to pronounce with certainty on any one of those which have been advanced. Yet this seems to be an appropriate place to state, in few words, what principles it iff designed to pursue in the interpretation of tlie remainder of the book.

1. It may be assumed that large portions of the book relate to the future that is, to that which was future when John wrote. In this all expositors are agreed, and this is manifest indeed on the very face of the representation. It would be impossible to attempt.i-n intei ' pretation on any other supposition, ft&d

Bomewhereira that vast future the events are to he found to which the symbols here used had reference. This is assumed, indeed, on the supposition that the book is inspired: — a fact which is assumed all along in this exposition, and which should be allowed to control our interpretation. But assuming that the book relates to the future, though that supposition will do something to determine the true method of interpretation, yet it leaves many questions still unsolved. Whether it refers to the destruction of Jerusalem, on the supposition that the work was written before that event, or to the history of the church subsequent to that; whether it is designed to describe events minutely, or only in the most general manner; whether it is intended to furnish a syllabus of civil and ecclesiastical history, or only a very general outline of future events; whether the times are so designated that we can fix them with entire certainty; or whether it was intended to furnish any certain indication of the periods of the world when these things should occur; all these are still open questions, and it need not be said that on these the opinions of expositors have been greatly divided.

2. It may be assumed that there is meaning in these symbols, and that they were not used without an intention to convey some important ideas to the mind of John and to the minds of his readei-s — to the church then, and to the church in future times. Comp. Notes on ch. i. 3. The book is indeed sui— passingly sublime. It abounds with the highest flights of poetic language. It is Oriental in its character, and exhibits everywhere the proofs of a most glowing imagination in the writer. But it is also to be borne in mind that it is an inspired book, and this fact is to determine the character of the exposition. Jf inspired, it is to be assumed that there is a meaning in these symbols; an idea in each one of them, and in all combined, of importance to the church and the world. Whether we can ascertain the meaning is another question; but it is never to be doubted by an expositor of the Bible that there is a meaning in the words and images employed, and that to find out that meaning is worthy of earnest study •nd prayer.

are often necessarily obscure to man. It cannot be doubted, indeed, that God could have foretold future events in the most clear and unambiguous language. He who knows all that is to come as intimately as he does all the past, could have caused arecord to have been made, disclosing names, and dates, and places, so that the most minute statements of what is to occur might have been in the possession of man as clearly as the records of the past now are. But, there were obvious reasons why this should not occur, and in the prophecies it is raje that there is any such specification. To have done this might have been to defeat the very end in view; for it would have given to man, a free agent, the power of embarrassing or frustrating the divine plans. But if this course is not adopted, then prophecy must, from the nature of the case, be obscure. The knowledge of any one particular fact in the future is so connected with many other facts, and often implies so much knowledge of other things, that without that other knowledge it could not be understood. Suppose that it had been predicted, in the time of John, that at some future period, some contrivance should be found out by which what was doing in one part of the world could be instantaneously known in another remote part of the world, and spread abroad by thousands of copies in an hour to be read by a nation. Suppose, for instance, that there had been some symbol or emblem representing what actually occurs now, when in a morning newspaper we read what occurred last evening at St. Louis, Dubuque, Galena, Chicago, Cincinnati, Charleston, New Orleans. It is clear that at a time when the magnetic telegraph and the printingpress wex-e unknown, any symbol or language describing it that could be employed must be obscure, and the impression must have been that this could be accomplished only by miracle — and it would not be difficult for one whb was disposed to scepticism to make out an argument to prove that this could not occur. It would be impossible to explain any symbol that could be employed to represent this until these wonderful descriptions should become reality, and in the mean time the book in which the symbols were found might be regarded as made up of mere riddles and enigmas;

but when these inventions should be actually found out, however much ridicule or contempt had been poured on the book before, it might be perfectly evident that the symbol was the most appropriate that could be used, and no one could doubt that it was a divine communication of what was to be in the future. Something of the same kind may have occurred in the symbols nsed by the writer of the book before us.

4. It is not necessary to suppose that a prophecy will be understood in all its details until the prediction is accomplished. In the case just referred to, though the fact of the rapid spread of intelligence might be clear, yet nothing would convey any idea of the mode, or of the actual meaning of the symbols used, unless the inventions were themselves anticipated by a direct revelation. The trial of faith in the case would be the belief that tJie fact would occur, but would not relate the mode in which it was to be accomplished, or to the language employed to describe it. There might be great obscurity in regard to the symbols and language, and yet the knowledge of the fact be perfectly plain. When, however, the fact should occur as predicted, all would be clear. So it is in respect to prophecy. Many recorded predictions that are now clear as noon-day, were once as ambiguous and uncertain in respect to their meaning as in the supposed case of the press and the telegraph. Time has made them plain; for the event to which they referred has so entirely corresponded with the symbol as to leave no doubt in regard to the meaning. Thus many of the prophecies relating to the Messiah were obscure at the time when they were uttered; were apparently so contradictory that they could not be reconciled; were so unlike any thing that then existed, that the fulfilment seemed to be impossible; and were so enigmatical in the symbols employed, that it seemed in vain to attempt to disclose their meaning. The advent of the long-promised Messiah, however, removed the obscurity, and now they are read with no uncertainty as to their meaning, and with no doubt that those predictions, once so obscure, had a divine origin.

The view just suggested may load us *o some just conceptions of what is necessary to be done in attempting to explain the prophecies. Suppose then, first, that there had been, say in the dark ages, some predictions that claimed to be of divine origin, of the invention of the art of printing and of the magnetic telegraph. The proper business of an interpreter, if he regarded this as a divine communication, would have consisted in four things: — (1) to explain, as well as he could, the fair meaning of the symbols employed, and the language used; (2) to admit the fact referred to, and implied in the fair interpretation of the language employed, of the rapid spread of intelligence in that future period, though he could not explain fiow it was to be done; (3) in the mean time it would be a perfectly legitimate object for him to inquire whether there w<ire any events occurring in the world, or whether there had been any, to which these symbols were applicable, or which would meet all the circumstances involved in them; (4) if there were, then his duty would be ended; if there were iioty then the symbols, with such explanation a>s could be furnished of their meaning, should be handed on to future times io be applied when the predicted events should actually occur. Suppose, then^ secondly, the case of the predictions respectina, tbe Messiah, scattered along through many books, and given in various forms,?<nd by various symbols. The proper business of an interpreter would have been, as in the other case, (1) to explain the fair meaning of the language used, and to bring together all the circumstances in one? connected whole, that a distinct conception of the predicted Messiah ir^ighi be before the mind; (2) to admit thai facts referred to, and thus predicted, however incomprehensible and appa rently contradictory they might appear to be; (3) to enquire whether any ono had appeared who combined within himself all the characteristics of the description; and (4) if no one had thus appeared, to send on the prophecies, with such explanations of words and symbols as could be ascertained to be correct, to future times, to have their full meaning developed when the object of all the predictions should be accomjdished, and the Messiah should appear. Then the meacing of all would be plain; and then the argument from proj;hecy would be complete. This is obviously now the proper state of the mind in regard to the predictions in the Bible, and these are the principles whioh should be applied in examining the book of Revelation.

5. It may be assumed that new light will be thrown upon the prophecies by time, and by the progress of events. It cannot be supposed that the investigations of the meaning of the prophetic symbols wUl all be in vain. Difficulties, it is reasonable to hope, may be cleared up; errors may be detected in regard to the application of the prophecies to particular events; and juster views on the prophecies, as on all other subjects, will prevail as the world grows older. We become wiser by seeing the errors of those who have gone before us, and an examination of the causes which led them astray may enable us to avoid such errors in the future. Especially may it be supposed that light will be thrown on the prophecies as they shall be in part, or wholly fulfilled. The prophecies respecting the destruction of Babylon, of Petra, of Tyre, of Jerusalem, are now fully understood; the prophecies respecting the advent of the Messiah, and his character and work, once so obscure, are now perfectly clear. So, we have reason to suppose, it will be with all prophecy in the progress of events, and sooner or later the world will settle down into some uniform belief in regard to the design and meaning of these portions of the sacred writings. "Whether the time has yet come for this, or whether numerous other failures are to be added to the melancholy catalogue of past failures on this subject, is another question; but ultimately all the now unfulfilled prophecies Avill be as clear as to their meaning as are those which have been already fulfilled.