Notes on the book of Revelations/Chapter 5

by John Nelson Darby

Layout 2

 

In the fifth chapter the Book is introduced to us. The throne first established,—whatever happened now, was what hung on the throne. In the right hand of His power who sat on the throne was a book.

There may be some allusion in this, and the little open book, to Jeremiah xxxii; but it is (to say the least) very faint. A title to open a book is a distinct thing from a book containing a title, the evidences of a title: besides, it was a book to be read, to be opened and read, as containing communications of the mind of God.

But the death of Christ doubtless gave Him the title to the inheritance morally, and to open the book; and purchased and redeemed the joint heirs.

It is not, moreover, here the kingdom merely of the Son of Man, as given to him, nor the title of the Offspring of David (that is not brought in until the end), but the root of David, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, David’s Lord, not his son—He hath prevailed. The redemption, or purchase, here, is of the Church—a new song, not a Jewish one. It was a book in the hand of God, Him that sat on the throne, not antecedently revealed, nor the subject of ordered prophecy before, and founded, not on promise which man could have had on uprightness, as the Jewish promises, but solely on the exaltation of the Lamb that was slain; and his being on the throne who was rejected on earth, and specially in the character of the head of these promises to the Jews; and none, therefore, but He, could open it or look on it. The title, too, is one higher than the official or given inheritance of the Son of Man, deeper in its ground, and much more exalted. It is a place and a title, held in the throne—the Lamb slain there. This was not a title properly given to a mediatorial person in peace; but a title due, perhaps, as to person, but acquired by excellency, and humiliation, and perfectness.

In this place, the communication is with the Elder, as representing, I apprehend, the Church cognizant (“for you hath he reconciled”) of the title and glory of the Lamb.

We are then shewn the Lamb slain; He who did not resist evil, but gave himself even unto death, and was led to the slaughter, “as he had been slain;” the full power actually, the seven horns, and full knowledge, seven eyes being in Him, and this universal permeance of knowledge. His eyes were the seven spirits sent forth into all the earth. Those spirits, the light and power of the holiness of God before the throne, thus characterising His presence, were now the agents of the active discernment and power of Him who was justly exalted. It was not then the Son of Man, in his titles of inheritance, but the Lamb who opened the book: to Him and the Church, in measure as one with Him as suffering, rejected, and exalted in her head, the opening of the book appertains.

He came and took the book. The moment he had done this, the beasts and elders (i.e. in principle and title, creation, providence, and redemption), all own his headship, the headship of this humbled but exalted one; for, though the Lion of the tribe of Judah had undertaken it, yet the Church knew His titles as Root of David, and yet the Lamb slain, but now exalted to the throne as such. The book unfolded what in his hand concerned them; all was the counsel of God to bring all out into their place in his mind and purpose. Verse 9 should be, “they sing,” not “they sung.” This is what they do in heaven, as under the Lamb. This being so, “us” would be no difficulty; perhaps we are bound to take the correction of Griesbach, which would remove even its appearance to the eye, the sense remaining the same. It is remarkable, that while the same confidence and title is expressed by St. John writing to the saints on earth in the first chapter, and here by those around the Lamb on the throne, they add here, to shew their state of expectancy, “We shall reign.” That was needless to say, though true, to the saints on earth: it was pretty plain to sufferers that they were not reigning: we might have thought that these were; they are therefore shewn to us in this state of expectancy.^[1]

The four beasts are ever mentioned first, as connected with Divine power, and entirely distinct from the angels. I see not exactly, how one searching Ezekiel, and their places here, can doubt their general force. They are more intimately connected with redemption, because all that displays creation and providence being connected with, and come under, the power of evil subjectively, they are especially interested in it. The angels merely celebrate the person of Him that was slain, and his excellent dignity; and, after them, all the actual creation, of which as creatures they are head, they, having owned the Lamb as worthy, celebrate Him that sitteth on the throne and the Lamb together; and the four beasts, who sum all its moral import, say Amen. And the elders, the intelligent redeemed, fall down and worship him that liveth for ever and ever. This is His highest and essential character; and in this they close the doxology. First redemption; then the angels own the Lamb; then every creature Him that sits upon the throne and the Lamb; the living beasts saying, Amen: and then the elders Him that liveth for ever and ever, filled with all the fulness of God. This is particularly the portion of the elders, though it is He that is honoured by the beasts; but their word is continuance,—rather Jehovah-continuance,—was, and is, and is to come—relative continuance—not intrinsic life;—for, though the throne is the great head and source of all, yet redemption leads us more deeply into the knowledge of Him that sits upon it, and puts all things in their place.

This, then, is a position which bears upon the whole to the end, though much intermediate important matter may come in under different heads; but the position of this bears upon all the intrinsic exaltation of the Lamb to the throne. Many dispensatory arrangements and providences may come in subordinately, but this is the key to the result. Further, this is connected with the immediate relationship of the Church with Christ. The Church knows Him as such, and should be the follower of Him, and representative of Him as such here. The Lord may act on the dispensation by many external circumstances and orderings; He does not act in it but in this character: as such, He is primarily glorified: as such, the world is against Him, and Satan’s rage in its deepest and intrinsic character. The Church is seen in its dispensed perfectness (seven is the number for its abstract mystic perfection) ; because, though all through this period it was yet imperfect, yet here the government of the world is viewed,^[2] not the dealing with the Church; and therefore, in placing the parties (if I may so speak, the dramatis personæ), the Church is viewed as a distinct whole. Although it is the supreme throne which is above all, and the source of all (it is He that sits on the throne, that makes all things new, and is here the object of supreme worship), yet, relatively it is not the throne of God at Jerusalem. It is not the filial relation of the Church, nor the ordered throne of the Son of man, but the throne in heaven;^[3] and there the Lamb in the throne, with the power, knowledge, and holiness belonging to it in exercise, and that over the earth.

1. This sets the saints in heaven but awaiting their inheritance of the earth, the place, in principle, of Christ now.
2. Viewed, that is, in its protracted character on earth.
3. This can clearly apply but to two periods properly. The protracted period subsequent to owning the Churches upon earth, and the preparatory scene of judicial and providential governance subsequent to the taking up of the Church, and previous to the reign of the Son of man.