Revelation 5

Revelation 5:2

2. — a strong angel] An angel of chief power. Lowman.

— to open the book, &c.] To know and reveal these great futurities of the church of God. Pyle.

The book sealed with seven seals: which only the Lamb Anno DOMINI 96.

Revelation 5:3

3. And no man in heaven, &c.] Rather, ‘No one in heaven,’ &c. The word “man” is not in the original. Dean Woodhouse. No ‘creature’ in the world. Dr. Hammond. No being throughout the whole creation, either of angels or saints in heaven, or of men alive, or of any departed souls. Lowman.

Revelation 5:4

4. — I wept much.] Knowing what instruction and consolation the church would receive from the contents of the book. Abp. Newcome.

Revelation 5:5

5. — the Lion of the tribe of Juda.] The victorious prince of the house of David in the warlike tribe of Judah, compared to a lion, Gen. xlix. 8—10; whom Isaiah calls “the stern of Jesse,” Isa. xi. 1, 10. Pyle. Under the symbol of a lion, it pleased the Holy Spirit, by the mouth of the dying Patriarch, Gen. xlix. 9, to foretell the victorious superiority of the tribe of Judah, which was seen to take place partially and typically in the person of David and his successors, but was to receive a more sublime and final completion in Christ. For David is declared to be a type of Christ; and on this account, as well as on account of His pre-existence and heavenly origin, Christ became “the root,” as He styles Himself, Rev. xxii. 16, at the same time that He was the offspring of David; that root, of which all men must be branches, otherwise they cannot bear fruit, John xv. 1, 8. Isaiah calls Him the root of Jesse; intimating that David the son of Jesse was only a branch, of which the original stem was in Christ. Dean Woodhouse.

Revelation 5:6

6. — stood a Lamb] Our Lord Jesus Christ, for whom alone so supreme a station could be designed, is frequently represented under this symbol of innocence, led to suffer at the altar for the sins of mankind, as prefigured in the daily service of the temple. He appears in the character of a suffering victim; the character which endears Him, above all others, to sinful and mortal man, and which, thoroughly considered, is found perfectly to agree with that more splendid description of Him, in which He is styled “the Lion of the tribe of Juda.” For it was in this low and suffering form that He fought and obtained the victory. The prophecies of the Old Testament describing the Messiah, sometimes as a despised sufferer, sometimes as an irresistible and triumphant conqueror, appeared dark and irreconcileable, until the event shewed the truth and consistency

of both predictions; when “the Lord of glory” effected the salvation of the world, under the character of an innocent unresisting victim. Dean Woodhouse.

— having seven horns and seven eyes.] “Seven” is a number expressive of universality, fulness, and perfection. See note at chap. i. 4. The “horns” is a symbol of power among Eastern nations. See 1 Sam. ii. 1. Thus by the “seven horns” attributed to the “Lamb,” is signified that universal and irresistible power which our Lord obtained, when, suffering death under this very form of an innocent victim, He thereby vanquished the formidable enemy of man. See Matt. xxviii. 18. As the seven horns of the Lamb signify our Lord’s omnipotence, so do the seven eyes His omnipresence. See Zech. iii. 9; iv. 10. Dean Woodhouse.

Revelation 5:8

8. — golden vials full of odours.] By “vials” seems to be meant a sort of patara, heaven, or other open vessel, on which were deposited, before the altar, the offerings of meal or incense. “Full of odours,” or full of incense. Dean Woodhouse.

At the dedication of the tabernacle, the twelve elders or princes of Israel offered, each of them, a golden spoon full of incense, Numb. vii. 10, 14. Daubus.

— which are the prayers of saints.] Prayer is fully represented under the symbol of incense, according to the comparison of the Psalmist, Ps. cxli. 2, and according to the custom of holy worship with the Jews, who accompanied the offering of incense with their prayers. See Luke i. 10. Dean Woodhouse.

It is hereby denoted that the prayers of God’s true worshippers are acceptable spiritual sacrifices. Abp. Newcome.

Revelation 5:9

9. — a new song.] A new song, as the sufferings and subsequent exaltation of Christ furnished a subject of song unknown to former ages.

— Thus art worthy &c.] Lord and Saviour of God’s people, who besides Thos can be esteemed worthy to enter into the secrets of the Almighty Father, and disclose His future counsels: since to Thy meritorious blood alone it is owing, that we are made members of that kingdom, in which all sincere Christians, Jews and Gentiles, will one day triumph in truth, peace, and righteousness, and partake of honours far exceeding those of any priests or princes on earth. Pyle.

Revelation 5:10

10. — kings and priests:] See note at chap. i. 6. is worthy to open. The opening of the seals in order. Anno DOMINI 96.

the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands;

Revelation 5:11

11. — ten thousand times &c.] “An innumerable company of angels,” Heb. xii. 22; in chap. i. 6, all the angels of God are commanded to worship Him. Dean Woodhouse.

Revelation 5:12

12. — Worthy is the Lamb &c.] All power and wisdom, &c. are most worthily attributed to Christ; all this dignity to Himself, and these advantages to believers are a just reward of the sufferings by which He has dearly bought them. Dr. Hammond.

Revelation 5:13

13. — every creature which is &c.] This is a Hebrew mode of expressing the whole creation, the same with that at Phil. ii. 9—11; the world, taken from its beginning to its end, including the living and the dead, that are to rise again. Pyle.

Thus was represented the pure and primitive worship of the Christian church to be performed towards God and Jesus Christ, through all its periods of time on earth. And it is called “new,” ver. 9, as belonging peculiarly to Christians, for they only worship God through Christ, the only Mediator. Pyle.

Chap. VI. St. John had seen, in the former part of his vision, a representation of the majesty, glory, power, and supreme authority of God; and the sealed book, in which was contained the order of Divine Providence towards the church and the world, delivered to Christ, the Lamb of God, to open and reveal it, for the encouragement of the church to patience and faithfulness, together with the adoration of the church on this solemn occasion. Now this revelation of Christ begins with a prophetic representation of the future state of the church and world, so far as the wisdom and goodness of God thought fit to make it known, for the consolation of His faithful people. This chapter contains the first period of prophecy, and a description of the state of the church under the heathen Roman empire, from the time of the date of the prophecy. Each of the prophetic descriptions is in part some figurative or hieroglyphical picture, or some representation in the style and figurative expressions of ancient prophecy, describing some particular dispensation of Providence, proper and peculiar to the several successive states of the church and empire, during the space of time contained in this period. Lowman.

Ver. 2. — behold a white horse: and he that sat on him

&c.] The opening of the first seal exhibits a white horse, and his rider, an archer, with a crown; which are emblematical of Christ, His victory, triumph, and royalty. The heathen idols and their worshippers are represented as subdued by the shafts of the Gospel, and bowing in submission their necks to the mighty Conqueror. “He went forth conquering and to conquer;” He had not yet completed His conquest, but had laid the foundation of it, to be gradually brought to a full completion. Jos. Mede, Dr. Hales.

Jesus Christ had received a kingdom from the Father, which was to rule all nations; concerning which it had been foretold, that, notwithstanding all opposition, it should be preserved and prevail, so that, finally, all enemies to it should be subdued, and the kingdoms of the world should become the kingdoms of God, and of His Christ. The expressions here used receive further light from the style of the Psalmist, at Ps. xlv. 3, representing Christ in the character of a Conqueror. Lowman.

— and a crown was given unto him.] This is the crown of life, described at chap. ii. 10. Our Lord’s kingdom was not of this world. The crown is the reward of the faithful martyrs who fought and conquered in the cause of Christ. “Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life,” chap. ii. 10. Dean Woodhouse.