to him. But we are not to suppose that there Are no more in heaven than the number specified : for they are in reahty a multitude that no man can number, out of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues ^"]
There are they adoring him with unceasing songs of praise —
[The song in which they join, though not specified here, is made known to us in a former chapter. It is " a new sono-;" because it was unknown to the bright morning stars which were first created, nor could possibly be sung by those who never fell. Hence it is said to be " a song which no man could learn, except those who had been redeemed from the earth." Hear the song itself, as reported to us by him who heard it : " They sang a new song, saying. Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood, out of evei-y kindred and tongue and people and nation ; and hast made us unto our God kings and priests : and we shall reign on earth." He then adds, " 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 ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice. Wor- thy is the Lamb that was slain, to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and blessingV Here are two things to be noticed ; one is, that the song was new ; for it could not be sung till the Lamb was slain ; and the other is, that the angels are unable to join in the song of the Redeemed : for whilst the Redeemed celebrate his praises as having been " slain for them, and having redeemed them to God by his blood," the angels can only join so far as to acknowledge, that He is ''worthy to receive" the praises that are so offered to him.
This chorus of the Redeemed, swelled as it is by the accla- mations and amens of all the angelic hosts ^, is " as the sound of many waters, and loud as thunder itself:" yet is the song so melodious, that every one of the Redeemed accompanies it with his harp ; for it is " the voice of harpers harping with their harps." The music of the temple-service in the days of Solomon must have been grand beyond all that men of this age can conceive : but not Solomon in all his glory could form a conception of that melody which John heard, and which, I pray God, we may be admitted to hear, and join in, to all eternity.
It is said of all this band, that " they follow the Lamb whi- thersoever he goeth." Whilst they were in this world, they endeavoured to walk in his steps, and to follow him in all his
ways ;
' Rev. vii. 9. 'ilev. v. 9— 12 '^^ ib. ver. 13, 14.