The Pulpit Commentary — Revelation — Section 160

Vera. 6-10.-0hri,f the E ~ of tlie mysury. "And I beheld, an~, lo,".~- Thie passage presents to us (Jhri,t G1 Che &poWlde,o ~ the mystery of 1M D11nn9 government. Various orders or intelligence surround him as he takes the "book ; •• they prostrat.e themselves at hil footstool with "harps" and .. viala" and "l!Ollg." Notice- I. Chrilt, u the Exxiounder of the mystery or the Divine government, OOCVPIE 4 CENTRAL POBITIOl!f Alll> AIIBUJlEll THll KOST l!lXTBAOBDIIAB Y ABPEO'l'B. 1. Look at. the poation he o ~ He is in the " midst of the throne;" he is in the very centi. of the intelligent eiut(on. He attracts all, he enlightens all, he govems !-1,l, he blesaes all with new nfe and· beauty. 2. Look at the a.JJ"t he a8fflme& In h1i1 Person an combined the nwb' or IWfering humanity and the att1ibutes of perfect Divial&y. -"StoodaLamb•as it.bad been slain,'' t.he marks or Calvary on filsl'ersdn, ba'ring •• seven horns," perfect power, and "seven eyes," perfect knowledge. Blwlsed ,thought. Ou,,,·t'MJlun ii aaaociated mitl Divimty on the thrtYRe of thtJ rmi_.-. . Its human scars preach, in mute but thrilling· force, love and juslice. in the ear of all c11pir!tll; and its Godhead glories command the reverence and praise of,all. ·.· IL That Christ, as the Expounder of the-mystery of the Div.ine government, .AWllJIN8 Ill ALidlL.&88BII OJ' BOL'I' JUlm DIEJT-AilLE. DELIGHT. ""And when he had .mm the book, the four beasts andfOtll' and twenty eldenifell down before the Lamb, baving ever, .one of them harps," etc. These numbers probably designate in<letiniie •awliitnd•. ohepr81elltative clasae&. Their attributes and.aspects are further developed lnco~er:places.of this book. The language here employed. may.denou the chanc,. ieristica-of their delight. 1. Here is humility, They "foll down before the Laµib." 'l'beprofoundest reverence mingled with .their joy. 2. Hera la harmrmy. . Here ·lire harps, emblems of music. I do not know that we are authorized ,to &Slltnne. from•fflch •,mboliool la.nguage that there is vocal or instrumental music in heaven. • It· is not tihe sound but the spirit of music that is there.· 3•. Here ia.acceptablenaa. " Golden ,iiaJs full or odours." Its breathing ecstasies ascend as fragrant incense to God.. -~ Here is p m ~ · "The prayers of saints." Death-terminates the saint's uenof:pray~for Dertain objects, such as ,forgiveness, deliverance from error, and. victory over· foes, but. :not..the ,pim of prayer-the spirit of felt deJJ6ndence. upoil God. This bumble, har- D11Jniooa; ,acceptable, and prayerfal delight Ohriat awakens in the univme as .the ~ or God's great plan. , · · · ,, Ill, That Obrist, as. the Expounder or the Divine govemmeqt,is J>EEMED WORTHY op 'l'BE On"IOE BISOA:USB Ol'filB BEDEMPTIVE AOHIRVEJll.l!;NT. .. 'l'hou art worthy to ~ke the book, and to.open the eeals.,. Why? •• For thou wast slain, and hast redeemed .us to God.'r Observ.a: 1•.He has r ~ '!'he redemption of God consists in a deliverance from ~ power or sin. 2. He has redeemed by sacrifice. What; was the eaori&ce ? A few self~nying efforts? a world P No; ·his li/e. By the 880rifice. bthis life itself. 3. · He has .JQ!eemed, by sacrifice, all dana. "Out of every kindred,:. and·tongue; and people.; ao.d nation.•• ~ He has redeemed all claaees by BaCmice.'°' 1M higkerilwnouni' "And hast 1nade,u. uutoour God kings and priesta:. and we ahall teign on tne earth!' They ~ prieata .in relation to their Maker, offering:up the aaarifu:e of a,dtiVout .and. gt'/\teful 10ul; they are kings in relation- to 'their -race, wieldiDg a gove,ning .indiwloe ,over,t.heiD 1Qpughtt, 'and hearts. ,.A true Oh.ristian is a ·moral BOV$"eign, . , . , i.' .: · .- Whatia work i& thil.redemptl.-o:iforkL -Well may ¥8 universe deem Jeaus: ~ to.~open.:the book," beeaulle ofwhat·h11; has done t.oave,tha world..:!,-.D./F.: · ' .. ·•. · · Ver. :9.....,7'M fl)()rlmp: of Aea~ . '"They Bllng • new song." Th-·•few ~ 111«gedt two thoughts conooming the toorship qf hea.ve,i. · · . ·. · ,. · .. ,J.-:li\IS roBILABT, "They•mug." Singing is the .natural .language of·joy. The wonihip is not mechanicsl, not irksome. . It is the out breaking of tha soul illto mpture ~the.rapture of gratitucle.,,admiration, reverence, and love. ·. · . · , ·. , . ILi IT JS J"BBl!ll,. "A new «>ng.'' There iii nothing• monotonous. ,_ Soul1t- bave an iDBUQCtive,cruving for vanety, and,the Creator has ainply:prowied ,for this iJlBtinilt.. In the life of so-.us there is something fresh every hoUt-fram J1Cmeriu, fresh OCCGr- ,.,,.c,,,. fresh nagagunents. fresh tMughtt.-.-D. T. V~-- 9.-Tn,\miq~ of <Jh~f, 'bl~, or'' his ,acrificea life. ••Redeemed.us to .God' ~seq. Versio11, 'purchased_ un~ God'] by thy blood.n The expression, •• blooil qf <Jhrwt" is used by niilliQ.na who h;Lve no accurate idea.concerning itidmport. Blood ia-llfe, and the essentjal idea is Chrid, ~if-la.Crifice,J life. Notice- . , L 'l'Bl!IBJUB IJ9¥ETJIIlrG StrBLIJil~LY, UNIQUll IN ITH. :tiA~°'°' Things an, said of it that could not possibly be said with propriety or the blood of any other man in IUlY age pr ~ whq has sacrificed his life. - ~lio~ of ~n have been sacriii~; _they have loet theii: )ife, bat not in t\le way m which Christ was Jl&Criliced.. Some haye_,be~ ,pfioed by a681Jfflnation, some by war, S()me by capital ~ishment, some by acciae;nl ; }!108\ against thtiir will, although some voluntaril_y, either by suicide or 1uperst.ithrus Jana.tii;ism. · But in ~e case of Christ's sacrificed. li~ there was nothing lilte this. Two _.f,,i.oi. . ~ y ;DPU"ls;ed o1f 4is ~ life ..from ~ Df an1 othe.r i,acrificed_ life.  1> U 1Mi ;ln _,..,,.~ tDit.HAf •naZ ~ of God, •4,He wp the Lamb· slain froa the foundation ·of the world."· 'l'here was nothing aooidenta.li 11,bou\ ~~ nothing, ou.&, 9f keeping.wiLh-11he eternal order of things. 2. 1, um wiltm.ta.ry 111-.~·eeuein. which..ff9 -~Vter-man'•deatl,, wa,t.t/Olunta7?1• .Am.on!!St the milliOlll of ,nien who have died ""'fl freely., not. one has: felt· that he need not die ~ all i( he chose-.-that he could oontinl18 hem for ever. Dut .this Christ folt., Th!lle was.no. law in heaven or earth to foree bilJl to the fate. " I have power to lay down my me, and power to take it up." & ~ lif11he ~ . 1'Jcld a,,_Qluttly /re6/rqm ""'4 impr/e4:ti<JAA :N~ one of alUhe teeming myriads who,depa.rted this life b.aa been en.tirely free from s~ • All have had on them. to a gr.eater or less extent., the co1n.:mon, stain. »\lt Christ was iIIupacula.te. ID.a greatestenemles could not. convict•him of 11iu.:, Pil~te and all ~ judges.could find..11p fault in .him. He was .f' holy,"."hi,.rm-," a.ud "1J8PM8te frQW, ~ , , , .Anotlµir remark suggeated eom:eming Uie blood: of .(1bri~ is- ., · · · . . . · '. • .. 11. THAT rr IS SOHETBINO BUBL[HELY UNIQUE m rrs EFFEC'l'll. . In diff'er,e1,tt~ in th-, N&W 'l'esta.me»t. resultlJ rare. 4t80ribed to .tltjs, J>l~ which -coµ\d,, not,; witlr !LDY propriety brth.e·slightest 11,pproa.c~ to.truth, be a.scriµed to, the blopd ol·!UlJ. .. ,9t~r~ 1. ··T/ieu e.ffect, ar,, w,riowly , rtprf;fen~. It. is :repr~pte~ ·as recencal~~ IJis sacrificed.lik wu the at1»1trment. lt ill. represented &11,f'lft;/ying,. "Jt Cffl!,Dat!tl,. (fl?lP ,all sin," ;.'l'breugb i_t ,men anl'" µiade. whi~" . •~ Uµtq, liUJI. tlu!,t 1Qye4 p~ ~d..,~ as an essential e ~ <,f ~W'-. "Wlws9 drjJlket.lfmy ua," etc. It is represented 7blood-halh.eternljl lifeJ'-something t,hat.has not oµJyto be applied t,o-the .ta.ken into it; U is. represented eaa ,ra~om. ",RedeellNKl, \¥1 to; G.911, by his ~ ! • but.'°~• "purcbued.-by bis blood." It iB, the.power to deliver. froJD .the ,guilt li.nd dQIDi1~Ion 9f -am. 1t is repre&enttid aa. a ooogtetring /<nee, ~~ Overoaw,e by ~he blood of i;h,e La.li}~~ or whoee bk>od hl\V~ these ffl>ults ever. been p.r~lca~ or ~n ever bi\ P,, . ~ ~ effects are .tmiiiersal in their inflU£nce. It "cleanseth. from all sin;" it mak~ iJ;ip "gN&i tnultltud.Cll which no tnan can num~/' white. . &w extsq,ive .has been; its .l,entificent inffoer:iee · on humanlty already I But it:4 ,pr~t ~a pf jnflu~; as,OOD;jj;- J)81'8d with its future, is less than e. .little Jake to. the ocean, ... ~~: X/1,'4 .f/11~ .~ ae1·nal in their bl•ng1. "Whoso drinketh my hk!od.- ~th ~tern,.,l Ufe.~ :, .. , , ; CoNCLUBIOlf,: 'l'he subject:. L &we, ,~ tiqllain ooth, ~ ~~.pj tkeg,,!!24 a.f/.d:a. essence qf personal1wliness. Chr.ist's ._crificed life is tb~ ,go,ewJ, 3.rul ;}~en~ _t~ Yl!'rJ' effects tbat,8Te .here ascribed to. his. 'bl<>Qd a.re-else,w:h.ere ascr.i.biid,to tjie. gos. .to. the . P 6 .i t . .