2. THE WORSHIP Revelation 5:8-14 8 And when he had taken the book, the four living creatures and the four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb,--In Revelation 4:8-11 the living creatures and elders are represented as worshiping God upon his throne; in this verse they are seen worshiping Christ by bowing before the being called the Lamb. Since he was able to break the seals and open the book of the future, naturally he was worthy of receiving their adoration. The manner in which their worship vras rendered is described in the following expressions. having each one a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.--Whatever the different features of this vision may signify, we should not forget that John was seeing things in heaven, not on earth. There is no question about the language indicating that the four living creatures and twenty-four elders all fell down to worship the Lamb. The words also seem to mean that each of the twenty-eight had a harp and a bowl of incense; certainly the twenty-four elders did. The text clearly indicates the individual worship of each for each is represented as having a harp. To understand a material harp in a purely spiritual realm, played by spirit beings, is, of course, incongruous. It will be necessary to find what they, as symbols, represent if any application is made to things on earth, just as is necessary in other features of the vision. If all is to be taken as strictly literal and applied to the church, then each Christian would have to use a harp individually in worshiping. This would require as many harps as individuals in the congregation, which is quite enough to show the absurdity of any such interpretation. John declares that the incense represents the "prayers of the saints." Just as incense arose when the priests offered it in the tabernacle and temple, so the prayers of those in the church ascend to God. This symbolic sense of the word "incense" is in harmony with the following texts: Leviticus 16:12-13; Psalms 141:2; Acts 10:4. When John explains the application to be made of this word as being figurative, why conclude that "harp" is to be taken literally. The natural and reasonable application of the word here is that it represents praise. Since Paul tells us to make melody "with your heart to the Lord" (Ephesians 5:19), we know that the human heart is represented as the spiritual instrument that should vibrate (make the melody) in harmony with the sentiments of the song we sing. Each saint has one of these spiritual "harps" which can be used in perfect unison with all other singers. From any view-point the passage absolutely excludes the mechanical instrument. 9 And they sing a new song, saying, Worthy art thou to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou hast slain, and didst purchase unto God with thy blood men of every tribe, and tongue, and people, and nation,--This part of their song of praise states that Christ's worthiness to open the seals of the book is shown by the fact that he shed his blood as the price sufficient to purchase men of every class and nation. In Acts 20:28 he is represented as purchasing the church. In this passage the church is looked upon as a body ; in our text it is viewed as being composed of individuals. This and similar passages furnish the unquestioned proof that Gentiles are included in the purchase price paid. Incidentally it also shows that men are saved by entering the church; for none can be saved without Christ's blood, and none can be saved by it, if responsible for conduct, outside of the institution purchased by the blood. If saved out of the church, then saved without his blood. 10 and madest them to be unto our God a kingdom and priests; and they reign upon the earth.--In verses 9 and 10 here the heavenly host repeats in very similar words the same thoughts which John uttered in 1:5, 6. "Didst purchase" and "madest" are coordinated terms in the same grammatical construction. They express a completed past act, which must of necessity be true regarding his purchase of the church with his blood. Then the church purchased with his blood he made a kingdom. As certainly as the church existed at the time John was writing, just that certain had it been made a kingdom. The kingdom was in existence; hence, the premillennial theory that Christ must come in person to establish a kingdom is of necessity false. The saved in the church had also been made priests. Since the church is described as a tabernacle or temple, those who render service in it are called priests. That relationship was in existence then. (1 Peter 2:5.) This is not denied. Since establishing the Christian priesthood and the purchase of the church are conceded as past events, there can be no reason assigned for denying that the kingdom had been established. The King James Version says "shall reign," but the Revised says "they reign" which is present tense. The distinction is not especially important, for if they were then reigning, they would still reign. But as they were then a kingdom the present tense is evidently the correct expression, especially since the present tense often means continued or repeated action. The reign "upon the earth" is perfectly natural, for the church (kingdom) is upon the earth. Just as the priesthood must be spiritual, so the reign must be. The saints on earth, but under Christ, reign through the teaching and living of Christ's law; they exercise a leading, directing and restraining influence. 11 And I saw, and I heard a voice of many angels round about the throne and the living creatures and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; --Surrounding the company that was worshiping the Lamb, John saw a host of angels of too many thousands to be numbered. 12 saying with a great voice, Worthy is the Lamb that hath been slain to receive the power, and riches, and wisdom, and might, and honor, and glory, and blessing.--The myriads of angels join with the group about the throne in ascribing praise to Christ. Like the preceding song, they base his worthiness upon the fact that he was slain. Being worthy to receive all these things showed he was not only the one to open the seals but to reign. That he had the honors here mentioned at that time is unquestionably a fact. Their words probably mean that he was worthy to possess them as he then did, because he had been made worthy by his death to receive them. 13 And every created thing which is in the heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and on the sea, and all things that are in them, heard I saying,--By a figure of personification even animals and inanimate nature are represented as praising God. (Psalms 148:7-10.) Hearing voices from created things in every realm showed John that all creation in its proper manner must honor God and Christ. Adding this song to the two previous ones of the heavenly beings made the praise universal. Unto him that sitteth on the throne, and unto the Lamb, be the blessing, and the honor, and the glory, and the dominion, for ever and ever.--The same thought is expressed here as in the preceding verse, except that God is also praised. 14 And the four living creatures said, Amen. And the elders fell down and worshipped.--When the hymn of praise closed the four living creatures pronounced the Amen, and the twenty-four elders bowing in worship gave their assent. All of these ascribing to Christ authority and power was a most solemn and impressive way of showing him to be able to break the seals and reveal the future. This feature John introduces in the next chapter. LESSON 11. THE SEALED BOOK Read Rev. 5 1. Describe the book in the hand of him who sat on the throne. Ans. Revelation 5:1. 2. What question was asked by the "strong angel"? Ans. Revelation 5:2. 3. Who was not able to open the book, nor to look thereon? Ans. Revelation 5:3. 4. What caused John to weep? Ans. Revelation 5:4. 5. What did one of the elders say to John? Ans. Revelation 5:5. 6. Which of Jacob's sons was compared to a lion? Ans. Genesis 49:9. 7. Give Jacob's prophecy regarding the reign of Judah. Ans. Genesis 49:10. 8. To which of the tribes of Israel did Jesus belong? Ans. Hebrews 7:14. 9. Who is the "Root of David"? Ans. Revelation 22:16. 10. Describe the Lamb that John saw. Ans. Revelation 5:6. 11. Who is the Lamb of God? Ans. Jno. 1: 29, 36. 12. What do the seven eyes represent? Ans. Revelation 5:6. 13. From whom did he receive the book? Ans. Revelation 5:7. 14. What then was done by the four living creatures and the twentyfour elders? Ans. Revelation 5:8. 15. What did each have in his hand? Ans. Revelation 5:8. 16. What do the bowls of incense represent? Ans. Revelation 5:8. 17. Give the words of the "new song." Ans. Revelation 5:9-10. 18. What did the Lamb of God purchase with his blood? Ans. Revelation 5:9; Acts 20:28. 19. What were his people, or his church, made to be? Ans. Revelation 5:10; Luke 22:29-30. 20. Where do they reign? Ans. Revelation 5:10; Romans 5:17. 21. Whose voice did John hear next? Ans. Revelation 5:11. 22. What were they saying? Ans. Revelation 5:12. 23. What then did all created things in every place do? Ans. Revelation 5:13. 24. What did the four living creatures say, and what did the elders do? Ans. Revelation 5:14.