This chapter is a joy to every true Christian. It presents our Lord Jesus as exalted to the highest pinnacle of glory, the object of worship from every creature and corner of the universe of God, who “hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a Name, which is above every Name” (Phil. 2:99Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: (Philippians 2:9)).
He who sits on the throne has in His right hand a book, a roll like the ancient books, with writing on each side, and sealed up with seven seals. The scene is one of solemn majesty. A strong angel, with a voice loud enough to be heard by all the dwellers in the heavens, throws out the challenge—“Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?” There was no response since no man was found in all the universe who could even look on the book, still less open it. This was a grief to John, who was moved even to tears as a consequence. But one of the elders had the secret. While on earth, from the Word of the Living God, which they had made their own, the elders knew what to expect, namely “the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David.” Elsewhere we read that Christ is both “the root and the offspring of David” (Rev. 22:1616I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star. (Revelation 22:16)) and “it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Judah” (Heb. 7:1414For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood. (Hebrews 7:14)). He had prevailed, or overcome, so as to open the book, and loose its seals. It is a book full of God’s judgments in the earth. “When Thy judgments are in the earth the inhabitants of the world, will learn righteousness” (Isa. 26:99With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness. (Isaiah 26:9)). The One who maintained God’s glory in putting away sin by His cross will not fail to glorify God in the execution of judgment on the ungodly, and subsequent reign of righteousness during millennial days.
What a moment in heaven when Judah’s Lion comes forward. He appears “in the midst” of everything, the throne, the living creatures, and the elders—“a Lamb as it had been slain” having “seven horns”—plenitude of power for subjugation of enemies—also “seven eyes” from which nothing can be hid. “He came and took the book out of the right hand of Him that sat upon the throne.” This means He received the book from God Himself. Once He had been despised and rejected of men (Isa. 53:33He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. (Isaiah 53:3)), and in His humiliation His judgment was taken away (Acts 8:3333In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth. (Acts 8:33))—finally “by wicked hands ... crucified and slain” (Acts 2:2323Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: (Acts 2:23)). Now all is reversed. “The government shall be upon His shoulder, and His Name is called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Father of Eternity, Prince of Peace” (Isa. 9:66For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6)).
His taking the book produces a wondrous scene in heaven. As this is written I know am to have part in it! The four living creatures and the twenty four elders fall down before the Lamb. “Every knee to Jesus bending, all the mind in heaven is one.” Harps they have for the sweet music of heaven, but also golden bowls (see Note 1) full of odors, which are the prayers of saints. This is noteworthy since worship, rather than prayer, characterizes the elders (the heavenly saints). Chapter 8:1-5 sheds light on this subject. When the church is raptured there will be on earth a fulfillment of Isaiah 66:88Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children. (Isaiah 66:8)—“Shall a nation be born at once?” The godly remnant of the Jews will be cast out of the temple (see Note 2) suffering persecution and death at the hands of their countrymen. Revelation 6:9-119And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: 10And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? 11And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled. (Revelation 6:9‑11) shows their souls under the altar, etc. I believe our having “golden bowls full of odors, which are the prayers of saints” means that we are in entire sympathy with our Jewish brethren who are suffering for their testimony on earth, and this finds a suitable expression from our hearts as we fall down before the Lamb. Let us not forget that Abraham will be among the elders. Will the saints of Old Testament times not be peculiarly interested in what is going forward, now that God has resumed His connection with His earthly people?
Here the harps come into use as a new song is sung. The subject is the worthiness of the Lamb and His redemption glory, since by His blood—could it be omitted?—He has redeemed to God out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation. How we look forward to that moment—“where all the saints of every clime shall meet, and each with all shall all the ransomed greet.” What a height of blessedness is ours too, not only “redeemed to God” but made unto Him “kings and priests’’ to reign OVER (not on) the earth. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and the other Old Testament saints will receive the kingdom on its heavenly side (as also those of the godly remnant of Israel slain during the tribulation). Now the angels join the living creatures and the elders in an ascription of praise to the Lamb. Here we have a “loud voice,” since angels do not sing. “Crown Him Lord of all” comes to mind from a verse of an old hymn, and this is what we have in the wonderful thirteenth verse. The entire universe of God renders “glory to the Lamb.” Surely it is the fulfillment of the last verse of the last Psalm—“let everything that hath breath praise the Lord” (Psa. 150:66Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord. (Psalm 150:6)). Finally the living creatures add an “Amen,” but the elders fall down and “worship.” May the Lord hasten it in His time (Isa. 60:2222A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation: I the Lord will hasten it in his time. (Isaiah 60:22)).
The “Seventy Weeks” of Daniel the Prophet
At this point it is advisable to introduce a word on the subject of “the seventy weeks” of Daniel which will help us as we move further into the Revelation in the following chapters.
The prophet Daniel, carried away to Babylon, was “of the King’s seed and of the Princes” (Dan. 1:33And the king spake unto Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring certain of the children of Israel, and of the king's seed, and of the princes; (Daniel 1:3)). He was a royal prince of the house of Judah. To him the angel Gabriel communicated the prophecy concerning the seventy weeks which were determined upon his people, that is the Jews. The seventy weeks are weeks of years.
The prophecy is divided into three parts, namely seven weeks, sixty two weeks, and one week. On the return of the Jews from the Babylonish captivity the City and its walls were restored; this refers to the first part of the prophecy—“seven weeks.” After sixty-two weeks, (plus the seven weeks already referred to)—sixty-nine weeks in all—Messiah, to us the Lord Jesus Christ, would be cut off and have nothing. Between the end of the sixty-ninth week and the beginning of the seventieth, when God will resume His dealings with His earthly people, there comes in the lengthy period of now nearly two thousand years during which the church is being gathered out of the world for glory. But since the prophecy concerns Israel the church period is ignored in the computation.
Careful study of the last, or seventieth week is essential. Varying views on the subject have been expressed by learned and able Bible teachers. Some think that the first half of the last week, that is three and a half years, has already run its course in the Lord’s earthly ministry of three and a half years. Others think that the whole of the last week remains to be fulfilled. Now we can verify from Scripture itself that only the last half of the week is specifically referred to in the Book of Revelation. There are two references to this period in Daniel—“a time, and times, and the dividing of time” (Dan. 7:2525And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time. (Daniel 7:25)), and “for a time, times and a half” (Dan. 12:77And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished. (Daniel 12:7)) and five mentions of it in the Book of Revelation, as follows:
Rev. 11:2 - Forty and two months
Rev. 11:3 - A thousand, two hundred and threescore days
Rev. 12:6 - A thousand, two hundred and threescore days
Rev. 12:14 - A time, and times, and half a time
Rev. 13:5 - Forty and two months
After study and reflection during a lifetime, I have come to the following conclusions:
The first beast of Revelation 13, the head of the revived Roman Empire (see Note 3) emerges and is seen obtaining his power from the dragon. He commences his allotted period of continuance namely forty and two months—three and a half years. Now I do not think these things happen immediately after the church has been translated, and therefore consider that there are many and important events leading up to the Beast’s enthronement before it takes place, and before the last half of the week commences. Scripture is silent as to the first half of the week here, and I have long thought that between the rapture and the commencement of the last half of the week there is an undefined period during which events such as described in Chapter 6 etc. take place.
It seems unlikely that the Roman ‘beast’ and the Antichrist appear in their respective roles immediately when the church is gone to heaven, because, as already pointed out, there are many time consuming events to take place subsequent thereto and prior to the inauguration of these two actors. If the first half of the week has elapsed in Christ’s ministry on earth, as some think, (also there being no mention of a first half week in the Revelation), I have felt there may be a period of undefined duration between the Lord’s first coming for His saints and the commencement of the last half of the seventieth week, during which such events will take place as, for example, the opening of the seals in Revelation 6, unfolding the spectacle of civil war in Europe, famine etc., culminating in the upheaval of society and its present way of life. This event alone (and other judgments also) would require quite some time to accomplish, in my opinion much more time than three years and a half.
Further, I feel that God has, in wisdom, hidden something here. It will be known in due time to the Jewish remnant, like the meaning of the number 666, neither of which is needful for us in the church period. I leave the subject to the meditation of the reader.