IN verse 11 of this chapter we have not the expression"
all the angels" as in chap. vii. 11, but merely many
angels, although the number of the living creatures still
significantly remains the same. There is, indeed, some
quite mysterious peculiarity about these living ones, since
they alone stand between the throne and the elders, and
then come, let this be especially noted, all the other angels.
That the number of these last given here, as in Dan. vii.
9, 10, represents the innumerable, or, at all events, numbers
far transcending human calculation, we for our part
willingly believe. The passage in chap. ix. 16, with its
definite duplication, differs from the indefinite plural used
here, and thus we are taught not even to attempt to reckon
these countless hosts. Again, we are not told why all the
angels do not give praise and worship here as well as in
chap. vii. 11, although all creatures are mentioned as so
doing. It is as though the seer gave us, in this first passage,
the first impression he received of the multitude ;
it was so great that he in his language could only describe
it first by the large number, ten times ten thousand, and
then by indefinite thousands ; in chap. vii. his more posi-
tive expression is intended to convey the assemblage of
the whole hosts of heaven.
"Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power,
and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and
glory, and blessing." Here, as before, it is evident that
the angels comparatively worship from afar, do not
address the Deity as do the redeemed of Adam's race.
They have, indeed, their own share ; it is not only by sympathy
with us that they claim their portion in the blessings
of salvation (see Eph. i. 10 ; Col. i. 20), but they have
not the same near and immediate right of access behind
the veil as we. Wherever the creature gives, or, in other
words, acknowledges the glory of the Lord its God, He is
proclaimed worthy to receive that which in fact inherently
belongs to Him ; we find this significant expression throughout
Scripture (especially in Ps. xxix. 1, 2 ; Ixvii. 35 ;
1 Chron. xxii. 28). For since created beings have no other
words to employ but such as they derive from themselves,
their attributes and their possessions, they must needs give
back to their Creator, in the form of thanksgiving and praise,
what he has given to them, just as, in Rev. iv., the elders
cast down their crowns before the throne of him who is King
of all. In the same way all the strength, the riches, the
treasures of every kind, all the wisdom, etc., that exist in
the world, all spring from him, all revert to him, all belong
to him. Everywhere in such heartfelt praise as God will
accept, we find the same fulness of language that we have
eminently here. The doxology in 1 Chron. xxx. 11 contains
five words ; in Rev. iv. 11, all possible ascriptions of praise
are included under a threefold heading ; here, in this fifth
chapter, we have the mystic number seven, as in the case of
the lamps, the seals, the horns, the eyes ; and in ch. vii. 12,
we find the same number repeated in blessing God that is
here used in blessing the Lamb. We will not attempt
any closer analysis of each separate word ; this has been
often attempted, but never with success.
And now every creature not merely that which has
breath or spirit, but even the inorganic creation (see
Ps. cxlviii.), each after its kind, and by its own actual service
(its fulfilling God's purpose) joins in proclaiming the
glory of the Lamb, the divine majesty of the Conqueror.
The division into three of the whole range of created existences,
which we find in Phil. ii. 10, as well as here in
ver. 1 and ver. 3, may be traced back to the beginning of
Holy Writ, and appears first on the tables of the law
(Exod. xx. 4). There in its original position we at once
discern that the water under the earth has the same significance
as these words, added in Revelation," and such
as are in the sea ;" and that these latter in no way imply
an additional division, a different order of existence, but
that the sea, as being a visible contrast to the habitable
earth, is used as an illustration for the depths of the under-
Forld. It is true that the whole of creacion ascribes a
fourfold praise, but this, as not being especially the utterance
of angels, does not come within our province.
And now to the praise of the whole creation is added
rhe Amen of the four living creatures. What a celestial
liturgy we have here ! How striking and simple the adoption
of the long- consecrated form of worship among the
Jewish people (as now of the Christian Church), in order
to enable us more clearly to conceive of the glorious reality.
The most exalted servants of the heavenly kingdom, add
their Amen to the hymn of the redeemed and of the restored
creation, as if congratulating them on their perfect joy.
Can anything be more sublime than this Amen ? Yes, one
thing, the silent worship that succeeds, of the four-and
twenty elders, representatives of that ransomed humanity
which has a fuller portion in this joy than even cherubim
or seraphim, a worship that recalls the words written in
Psalm Ixv. 1, concerning the earthly Zion, "Praise is
silent for thee." With this silence of the prostrated and
adoring elders the chapter concludes, the genuine text
running thus, "And the elders fell down and worshipped ;"
in profoundest silence worshipped God and the Lamb with
their own special worship, as before, in chapter iv. 10, 11,
they had joined with the angels in praising the Creator.
What an exquisite order we find everywhere observed in
this book ! What an oratorio this fifth chapter would
afford, with its angelic proclamation and its human tears,
its comforting Behold, and its triumphant song, its solemn
Amen echoing on throughout the still more solemn silence.
But who could worthily set it to music ? Better, too, it
should not be so set, for then it might be desecrated by
profane singers ; better, far, that it should remain as it is,
a subject for earthly aspiration and heavenly performance.
