The Seer has beheld the audience-chamber of the Godhead in itself. He has seen also the Divine Being who is there clothed with majesty, and those who wait upon Him. He next passes to another thought:--
And when the living creatures shall give glory and honour and thanks to Him that sitteth on the throne, to Him that liveth for ever and ever, the four-and-twenty elders shall fall down before Him that sitteth on the throne, and shall worship Him that liveth for ever and ever, and shall cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Worthy art Thou, our Lord and our God, to receive the glory and the honour and the power: for Thou didst create all things, and because of Thy will they were, and were created (iv. 9-11).
In his beautiful comments upon the Revelation Isaac Williams says, "The four living creatures, or the Church of the redeemed, give thanksgiving to God for their redemption; and then the twenty-four elders fall down and attribute all glory to God alone, inasmuch as prophets, Apostles, and all the ministering priesthood, rejoicing in the salvation of the elect, attribute it not to their own instrumentality, but to God."[105] In thus interpreting the passage, however, that commentator can hardly be regarded as correct. It is true that the living creatures are the representatives of redeemed creation, and the twenty-four elders representatives of the glorified Church. But in the song of praise here put into their mouths they have not yet advanced to the thought of salvation. That is reserved for the next chapter. Here they think of creation, with all its wonders; of the heavens which declare God's glory, and the firmament which shows forth His handiwork; of sun, and moon, and stars in their manifold and resplendent glories; of the mountains and the valleys; of the rivers and the fountains of waters; of the rich exuberance of vegetable life, which covers the earth with a gorgeous carpet of every hue; and of all those animals upon its surface which "run races in their mirth:" and for them they praise. To God all creatures owe their origin. In Him they live, and move, and have their being. Because of His will they _were_--let the reading be considered and remembered: "were," not "are"--because of His will they were in His idea from eternity; and when the appointed moment came, they _were created_. Wherefore let them praise. We are reminded of the Psalms of the Old Testament, though it is ours to put into their words a still deeper and richer meaning than they possessed when first uttered by the Psalmist:--
Praise ye the Lord. Praise ye the Lord from the heavens: Praise Him in the heights. Praise ye Him, all His angels: Praise ye Him, all His host. Praise ye Him, sun and moon Praise Him, all ye stars of light. Praise Him, ye heavens of heavens, And ye waters that be above the heavens. Let them praise the name of the Lord: For He commanded, and they were created He hath also established them for ever and ever: He hath made a decree which shall not pass away. Praise the Lord from the earth, Ye dragons, and all deeps: Fire, and hail; snow, and vapour; Stormy wind fulfilling His word: Mountains, and all hills; Fruitful trees, and all cedars: Beasts, and all cattle; Creeping things, and flying fowl: Kings of the earth, and all peoples; Princes, and all judges of the earth: Both young men, and maidens; Old men, and children: Let them praise the name of the Lord: For His name alone is exalted; His glory is above the earth and heaven.[106]
Such then in chap. iv. is the call addressed by the Seer to the Church before she enters upon her struggle, a call similar to that of Jesus to His disciples, "Believe in God."
The fifth chapter continues the same general subject, but with a reference to Christ the Redeemer rather than God the Creator:--