Revelation 5:8

And when he had taken the book, the four beasts ... - The acts of adoration here described as rendered by the four living creatures and the elders are, according to the explanation given in Rev 4:4-7, emblematic of the honor done to the Redeemer by the church, and by the course of providential events in the government of the world.

Fell down before the Lamb - The usual posture of profound worship. Usually in such worship there was entire prostration on the earth. See the Mat 2:2 note; 1Co 14:25 note.

Having every one of them harps - That is, as the construction, and the propriety of the case would seem to demand, the elders had each of them harps. The whole prostrated themselves with profound reverence; the elders had harps and censers, and broke out into a song of praise for redemption. This construction is demanded, because:

(a)The Greek word - ἔχοντες echontes - more properly agrees with the word “elders” - πρεσβύτεροι presbuteroi - and not with the word “beasts” - ζῶα zōa;

(b)There is an incongruity in the representation that the living creatures, in the form of a lion, a calf, an eagle, should have harps and censers; and,

(c)The song of praise that is sung Rev 5:9 is one that properly applies to the elders as the representatives of the church, and not to the living creatures - “Thou hast redeemed us to God by thy blood.”

The harp was a well-known instrument used in the service of God. Josephus describes it as having ten strings, and as struck with a key (Ant. Rev 7:12, Rev 7:3). See the notes on Isa 5:12.

And golden vials - The word “vial” with us, denoting a small slender bottle with a narrow neck, evidently does not express the idea here. The article here referred to was used for offering incense, and must have been a vessel with a large open mouth. The word “bowl” or “goblet” would better express the idea, and it is so explained by Prof. Robinson, Lexicon, and by Prof. Stuart, in loco. The Greek word - φιάλη phialē - occurs in the New Testament only in Revelation Rev 5:8; Rev 15:7; Rev 16:1-4, Rev 16:8,Rev 16:10, Rev 16:12, Rev 16:17; Rev 17:1; Rev 21:9, and is uniformly rendered “vial” and “vials,” though the idea is always that of a “bowl” or “goblet.”

Full of odours - Or rather, as in the margin, full of incense - θυμιαμάτων thumiamatōn. See the notes on Luk 1:9.

Which are the prayers of saints - Which represent or denote the prayers of saints. Compare Psa 141:2, “Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense.” The meaning is, that incense was a proper emblem of prayer. This seems to have been in two respects:

(a)As being acceptable to God - as incense produced an agreeable fragrance; and,

(b)In its being wafted toward heaven - ascending toward the eternal throne.

In Rev 8:3, an angel is represented as having a golden censer: “And there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. The representation there undoubtedly is, that the angel is employed in presenting the prayers of the saints which were offered on earth before the throne. See the notes on that passage. It is most natural to interpret the passage before us in the same way. The allusion is clearly to the temple service, and to the fact that incense was offered by the priest in the temple itself at the time that prayer was offered by the people in the courts of the temple. See Luk 1:9-10. The idea here is, therefore, that the representatives of the church in heaven - the elders - spoken of as “priests” Rev 5:10, are described as officiating in the temple above in behalf of the church still below, and as offering incense while the church is engaged in prayer.

It is not said that they offer the prayers themselves, but that they offer incense as representing the prayers of the saints. If this be the correct interpretation, as it seems to be the obvious one, then the passage lays no foundation for the opinion expressed by Prof. Stuart, as derived from this passage (in loco), that prayer is offered by the redeemed in heaven. Whatever may be the truth on that point - on which the Bible seems to be silent - it will find no support from the passage before us. Adoration, praise, thanksgiving, are represented as the employment of the saints in heaven: the only representation respecting prayer as pertaining to that world is, that there are emblems there which symbolize its ascent before the throne, and which show that it is acceptable to God. It is an interesting and beautiful representation that there are in heaven appropriate symbols of ascending prayer, and that while in the outer courts here below we offer prayer, incense, emblematic of it, ascends in the holy of holies above. The impression which this should leave on our minds ought to be, that our prayers are wafted before the throne, and are acceptable to God.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Rev_5:8-10

Golden vials full of odours.

Golden vials full of odours

I. The prayers of Gods people are as sweet to Him as incense.

1. This is not due to any natural excellence or merit which they possess in and by themselves. Christ Jesus possesses such an abundance of precious merit that He puts fragrance into our supplications. I think it is Ambrose who uses a very pretty figure concerning believers prayers. He says we are like little children who run into the garden to gather flowers to please their father, but we are so ignorant and childish that we pluck as many weeds as flowers, and some of them very noxious, and we would carry this strange mixture in our hands, thinking that such base weeds would be acceptable to him. The mother meets the child at the door, and she says to it, Little one, thou knowest not what thou hast gathered; she unbinds this mixture and takes from it all the weeds and leaves only the sweet flowers, and then she takes other flowers sweeter than those which the child has plucked, and inserts them instead of the weeds, and then puts back the perfect posy into the childs hand, and it runs therewith to its father. Jesus Christ in more than motherly tenderness thus deals with our supplications.

2. Note well, that true, acceptable intercession must be composed of the prayers of saints. Golden goblets full of the prayers of saints. Nothing is here said of the prayers of officials, hirelings, and functionaries. And who are the saints? They are men whom the Lord has made holy by the power of His Spirit, whose nature He has purified. Then, in the matter of intercession, one of the most important things is the character of the person. We must, by the Spirits power, maintain the saintly character; we must walk apart from worldliness and covetousness; we must put aside uncleanness, anger, wrath, and every evil thing, or else we shall not be able to present unto the Lord such sweet odours as His soul delighteth in.

3. Note next, that these prayers must be compounded of precious graces; for they are compared to incense, and, as you know, the incense used in the temple was made up of divers sweet spices, compounded according to the work of the apothecary. In prayer, that which is sweet to God is not the words used, though they ought to be appropriate; not anything perceptible to the outward senses, but in secret qualities, comparable to the essence and aroma of sweet spices. Let us bless God that the Holy Ghost is the believers apothecary. He helps each believers infirmities, and makes for us a mixture of all choice graces, so that when we pray our pleadings are accepted as sweet incense.

II. Blended prayers are peculiarly acceptable to God. The prayers of saints. The prayers of a saint are sweet, but the prayers of saints are sweeter. United prayers possess the power of harmony. In music there is melody in any one distinct note; but we have all recognised a peculiar charm in harmony. Now, the prayers of one saint are to God melody, but the intercessions of many are harmony, and to God there is much that is pleasing in the harmony of His peoples prayers. No two children of God pray exactly alike. There is a difference of tone. If taught of God each one will pray graciously, but there will be in one prayer what there is not in another. If all the fruits of the garden be luscious, yet each one has its own special flavour. All the bells may be of silver, and yet each one will have its own tone. Now, if these varying tones are melted into one, what masterly harmony they make! Therefore, the Lord promises great things when two of us agree as touching anything concerning His kingdom.

III. And now, lastly, let us blend our prayers, however faulty and feeble they may be, with the general supplications of the period. If united prayer be sweet to God, oh, let us give Him much of it. (C. H. Spurgeon.)

The perfume of prayer

There is an exquisite beauty in this thought that true prayer is fragrance to God. The pleadings and supplications of His people on the earth rise from lowly homes, from sick rooms, from darkened chambers of grief where loved ones kneel beside their dead, from humble sanctuaries, from stately cathedrals, and are wafted up before God as the breath of flowers is wafted to us in summer days sweet fields and fragrant gardens. And God smells a sweet savour. Prayer is perfume to Him. (J. R. Miller, D. D.)

They sung a new song.

The heavenly singers and their song

I. First, behold the worshippers; for, remember, that we must be like them if we are to be with them. It is a well-known rule that heaven must be in us before we can be in heaven.

1. The first point about the worshippers is this, they are all full of life. I should not like to dogmatise upon the meaning of the four living creatures; but still they do seem to me to be an emblem of the Church in its Godward standing, quickened by the life of God. At any rate, they are living creatures; and the elders themselves are living personages. Yet alas, that it should be needful to say so trite a thing; but the dead cannot praise God! The living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I do this day. Yet how many dead people there are in this great assembly to-night! Those in heaven are all full of life; there is no dead worshipper there, no dull, cold heart that does not respond to the praise by which it is surrounded; they are all full of life.

2. And further note, that they are all of one mind. Whether they are four-and twenty elders, or four living creatures, they all move simultaneously. With perfect unanimity they fall on their faces, or touch their harps, or uplift their golden vials full of sweet odours. I like unanimity in worship here.

3. Note, next, that as the heavenly worshippers are full of life, and full of unity, so they are all full of holy reverence. In heaven, they fall down before the Lamb; should not we serve God better if we did more of this falling down to worship the Lamb?

4. Note, next, that while they are all full of reverence, they are all in a praising condition: Having every one of them harps. They did not pass one harp round, and take turns in playing it; nor was there one who had to sit still because he had forgotten his harp; but they had, every one of them, his harp. I am afraid those words do not describe all Gods people here to-night. Where is your harp? It is gone to be repaired, is it not? Where is your harp? You have left it on the willow-tree, by the waters of Babylon, so you have not one here.

5. They are all ready for prayer. Are they not crying, O Lord, how long? Why should they not pray, Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven? They would understand that prayer better than we do. We know how Gods will is not done on earth, but they know how it is done in heaven. Well, they, all of them, had golden vials full of odours. Are we always furnished and prepared for prayer?

II. Now, having thus spoken of the worshippers, I want you to hearken to their songs.

1. It is rather an unusual thing to take a hymn and treat it doctrinally; but, for your instruction, I must take away the poetry for a moment, and just deal with the doctrines of this heavenly hymn. The first doctrine is, Christ is put in the front, the Deity of Christ, as I hold. They sing, Thou art worthy, Thou art worthy. Next, the doctrine of this hymn is that the whole Church delights in the mediation of Christ. Notice, it was when He had taken the book that they said, Thou art worthy to take the book. To have Christ standing between God and man is the joy of every believing heart. But now, notice, in the Churchs song, what is her reason for believing that Christ is worthy to be a Mediator. She says, Thou art worthy, for Thou wast slain. We rejoice in our Mediator because He died. Well then, notice that they sing of the redemption which His death effected, and they do not sing of the redemption of the world. No, not at all: Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by Thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation. So much about the heavenly hymn doctrinally.

2. Now about it experimentally: Thou hast redeemed us to God. I have said that you cannot sing this song unless you know something of it now. Have you been redeemed? Has the embargo that was on you through sin been taken off you? Do you believe in Jesus Christ? For every man who believeth in Jesus Christ has the evidence of his eternal redemption. That was their experience: Thou hast redeemed us. They felt free; they remembered when they wore their fetters, but they saw them all broken by Christ. Have you been set free?

3. Thus have l spoken of the song doctrinally and experimentally: now let me speak of it expectantly. There is something to be expected: And we shall reign on the earth. (C. H. Spurgeon.)

The singing legions of God

Evidently more is made of music in heaven than we are wont to make of it here on earth.

1. There was first the believers song. Its theme was redemption, the salvation of the soul through the blood of the Lamb. So its singers were the ransomed.

(1) This song was new necessarily, for the theme was absolutely fresh in celestial history. There had been sin in heaven, and there had been justice wrought on those who had sinned. Some of the angels had fallen from their high estate. No atonement was ever made or offered in their behalf. Here was therefore a subject never before celebrated in the songs of Gods house. It was exclusive also, for only those who knew what it meant could sing it with the spirit and the understanding. Emphasis must be laid upon the expressions of personal acknowledgment. Thou hast redeemed us; Thou hast made us unto our God kings and priests. The experience of each child of God is individual. Reminiscence is a part of his duty, and it always leads to gratitude, and starts a new song.

(2) It was a great song. For the multitude of singers was simply innumerable. So the sound rose like mighty thunderings, and the voice of many waters.

(3) It was likewise a royal song. The redeemed do not say we shall reign, but we are reigning. Christians are the regal and the regnant race in the world now.

2. Next came the song of the angels. The theme of this was the character and rank of Jesus Christ. Observe the vast numbers of the singers, and the stress they put on their strain with a loud voice And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels, etc. Observe the vast ascription of honours to Christ: Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb, etc. This seems to include everything that mind can conceive of supreme ownership and control. They lay the universe down at His feet. Observe the special reason they suggest for their surrender. It is as the Lamb that was slain that they exalt Him to the eminence. These angels had no part in the atonement, but they knew just where Christs greatest exploits had been done. They had for ages desired earnestly to look into this mystery of His humiliation; now they understood what it meant.

3. Then the choir of creatures begins the anthem assigned to them; and now the theme is the dominion of the Lord Jesus Christ (Rev_5:13). Just notice the very singular voices employed in this choir. Birds and beasts, and worms and fishes--oh, wonder! how will such creatures be able to sing together? God is to listen, and He will understand them and be satisfied. God hears and loves what does not ever reach us; our silences may be full of singing to Him.

4. Now we reach the grand chorus with which the singing concluded. Led by representatives, whose mysterious nature and office we cannot altogether explain, it would seem as if the whole three choirs burst forth into one final ascription: And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped Him that liveth for ever and ever. (C. S. Robinson, D. D.)

The new song

I. A new song. If a new tune be started in church there is only here and there a person that can sing it. It is some time before the congregation learn a new tune. But not so with the new song of heaven.

II. A commemorative song. We are distinctly told that it makes reference to past deliverances. Oh! how much they have to sing about.

III. It will be an accompanied song. I love the cymbals, for Israel clapped them in triumph at the Red Sea. I love the harp, for David struck it in praising the Lord. I love all stringed instruments and organs, for God demands that we shall praise Him on stringed instruments and organs. There is, in such music, much to suggest the higher worship.

IV. An anticipative song. Why heaven has hardly begun yet. All the world is yet to be saved. After that there may be other worlds to conquer. Mightier song as other garlands are set on the brow of Jesus. Mightier song as Christs glories unfold. I stayed a week at Niagara Falls, hoping thoroughly to understand and appreciate it. But, on the last day, they seemed newer and more incomprehensible than on the first day. Gazing on the infinite rush of celestial splendours, where the oceans of delight meet, how soon will we exhaust the song? Never! never!

V. An unanimous song. There will, no doubt, be some to lead, but all will be expected to join. It will be grand congregational singing. All the sweet voices of the redeemed. Grand music will it be when that new song arises. God grant that at last we may all sing it. But if we do not sing the praise of Christ on earth, we will never sing it in heaven. (T. De Witt Talmage.)

The worship of heaven

I. It is jubilant. They sang. Singing is the natural language of joy. The worship of heaven is not mechanical, not irksome. It is the outbreaking of the soul into rapture, of gratitude, admiration, reverence and love.

II. It is fresh. A new song. There is nothing monotonous in heaven. Souls have an instinctive craving for variety, and the Creator has amply provided for this instinct. In the life of souls in heaven, there is something fresh every hour--fresh sceneries, fresh occurrences, fresh engagements, fresh connections, fresh thoughts; it is a new song. Heaven is ever fresh. (Homilist.)

The perfect song

Love and joy are said to make a musician. How few become proficients here; but in heaven every one will be perfect. (W. Wayte Andrew.)

Thou art worthy to take the book.--

Jesus, the delight of heaven

I. The bright ones before the throne adore the Lord Jesus as worthy of the high office of mediator. They put in no claim for worthiness, but by their silence, and their subsequent song when Christ came forward, they admitted that He alone could unfold the purposes of God and interpret them to the sons of men. Notice care fully to what they ascribe this worthiness--Thou art worthy to take the book, and open the seals thereof: for Thou wast slain. As mediator our Lords worthiness did not merely arise from His person as God and perfect man: this fitted Him to undertake the office, but His right to claim the privileges written in the Magna Charta which God held in His hand, His right to take possession for His people of that seven-sealed indenture lies in this, that He has fulfilled the condition of the covenant, and hence they sing, Thou art worthy, for Thou wast slain.

II. In heaven they adore the Lord as their redeemer. Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by Thy blood. The metaphor of redemption, if I understand it, signifies this. A thing which is redeemed in the strict sense belonged beforehand to the person who redeemed it. Under the Jewish law lands were mortgaged as they are now; and when the money lent upon them, or the service due for them, was paid, the land was said to be redeemed. An inheritance first belonged to a person, and then went away from him by stress of poverty, but if a certain price was paid it came back. Now all souls are Mine saith the Lord, and the souls of men belong to God. The metaphor is used--and, mark, these expressions are but metaphors--but the sense under them is no metaphor; it is fact. We come back to God again, to whom we always and ever did belong, because Jesus has redeemed us unto God by His blood. And notice that the redemption they sing about in heaven is not general redemption. It is particular redemption. Thou hast redeemed us to God by Thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation. Oh, may we have a share in this particular, efficient redemption, for this alone can bring us where they sing the new song.

III. In heaven they praise Christ as the donor of their dignities. They are kings and reign. We too are kings; but as yet we are not known or recognised, and often we ourselves forget our high descent. Up there they are crowned monarchs, but they say, Thou hast made us kings. They are priests too, as we are now, every one of us. The priesthood of Gods saints, the priesthood of holiness, which offers prayer and praise to God--this they have in heaven; but they say of it, Thou hast made us priests. What the saints are, and what they are to be, they ascribe to Jesus. They have no glory but what they received from Him, and they know it, and are perpetually confessing it.

IV. They in heaven adore the Saviour as divine. Depend upon it, you never will go to heaven unless you are prepared to worship Jesus Christ as God. They are all doing it there: you will have to come to it, and if you entertain the notion that He is a mere man, or that He is anything less than God, I am afraid you will have to begin at the beginning and learn what true religion means. You have a poor foundation to rest upon. I could not trust my soul with a mere man, or believe in an atonement made by a mere man: I must see God Himself putting His hand to so gigantic a work. I cannot imagine a mere man being thus praised as the Lamb is praised. Jesus is God over all, blessed for ever. (C. H. Spurgeon.)

Thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by Thy blood.--

The song of redemption

I. What the heavenly singers think of their Redeemer, or whom they take Him to be. The very words, Thou, He, Him, imply that their Redeemer is a person--a living being--who has willed their good, and to whom grateful acknowledgments are due. But whom do these saints take their Redeemer to be? They call Him Lord and they call him Lamb. They would not call Jesus Lord, especially in the presence of the Eternal Throne, and in the very same breath with which they say, Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come, if they were not assured that He still thinks it is no robbery to be equal with God. They would not call Jesus Lamb if they did not recognise In Him that true human nature which He wore on earth, when John called Him the Lamb of God, and in which He made Himself an offering for sin.

II. How this song describes the manner and the nature of redemption. Thou wast slain. Death is a very common thing in this worlds history. Nor is it even an uncommon thing to be slain! In this wicked world life has been the frequent victim of violence. There is nothing, then, in the purity of Christs character to make it surprising that He was slain. But numerous as have been the martyrdoms of the world, and honoured and blessed as are the martyrs before God, there is only one of them whose honours are celebrated in heaven. And He is Jesus Christ. There must be something peculiar in His martyrdom, something to single it out from every other. The next note of the song reveals the peculiarity of the death of Christ--Thou hast redeemed us by Thy blood. If Christ has ten thousand fellow martyrs, He has not one fellow redeemer. He gave His life a ransom for many, and by that ransom the many are redeemed. The words of the song of redemption, while they distinguish the death of Christ from every other, teach us the true nature of the redemption of which the gospel tells us. It is a redemption by blood, and of consequence we know that it must be a redemption from guilt. The poet and the sentimentalist may dream of a redemption of which he has some vague sense of need, but which he does not understand; the gospel believer rejoices in a redemption which is felt by him a simple reality, and in virtue of which he stands pardoned and sanctified before his Maker

III. Consider The Perfected Fruits Of Redemption As Celebrated In This Song Of Heaven.

1. Thou hast redeemed us to God. There is something remarkably instructive in this little phrase--to God. They were lost to God--His creatures, but, in the strictest sense of the terms, unprofitable servants, cumberers of His ground. Again, they were enemies to God. And in that position they were separated from God, both by their own enmity and by the legal liabilities of their guilt. They had wandered from their centre, and, consequently, out of their orbit, they were wandering in darkness; the moral world within them was reduced to disorder, chaos, and death. But now restored, the light of God shines full upon them, and order, beauty, and life again adorn and animate the soul. Redeemed to God, they are redeemed into a state of nearness to Him whose infinite fulness supplies a universe with good, and are the objects of His love whose favour is life, whose loving-kindness is better than life.

2. They have been made kings unto God. That is, they have been exalted to a state of royal, or more than royal honour. They may have been slaves on earth, they are kings in heaven.

3. And, as their song intimates, they are priests likewise. They realise in its fullest import the prayer of David (Psa_27:4). Not some, but all the redeemed are priests unto God. Such are the perfected fruits of redemption.

IV. Consider the praise which is offered to Christ on the ground of the redemption which He has wrought. The very angels, with voices whose number is ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands, say Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, etc. It is not the redeemed alone that say this--there can be no suspicion that grateful emotion exaggerates the benefit, or is too lavish of its praise. They that needed no redemption sing the praise of the Redeemer as well as those who were redeemed by His blood. There is no high quality manifested in the works of creation and providence which does not shine forth more illustriously in the work of redemption. Do you speak of power? It is here in all its irresistible might, as well as there, though in other forms. Do you speak of wisdom as manifested in the creation and government of the world? In the work of redemption you have the perfection of wisdom (Rom_11:33). Do you speak of holiness and righteousness? The song of creation and the song of providence will both embrace these attributes in tones of varied praise. But the song of redemption will speak of them with a fulness and emphasis all its own. Both Sinai and Calvary will be summoned to bear witness that God is a holy and righteous God. In conclusion, the very idea of song of redemption involves in it two great lessons.

1. It teaches us that we need redemption.

2. You are taught by this song of heaven that you are worth redeeming. Christ adjudges every one of them of more value than a world. (John Kennedy, M. A.)

The death of Christ an inexhaustible theme of wonder and praise to the Church

1. Who He was that was slain.

2. This memorable decease was no casual event. The true spring, both of His death and of that eternal purpose by which it was foreordained, was no other than the free, unmerited, and sovereign love of a three-one God to sinners.

3. According to all the principles that are capable of influencing human nature, the highest evidence of love that can be given is for a man to lay down his life for his friend (Joh_15:13; Rom_5:7). But they for whom Christ died were neither righteous nor good.

4. Our matter of praise and wonder is still increased when we consider how Christ died.

(1) As to what He suffered, it was not simply death such as ordinary persons undergo. He may be said to have begun to die as soon as He was born. And He died ten thousand deaths in one.

(2) If we take a view of the manner in which He suffered all this, it was not leas wonderful. Though His sufferings were thus severe, He was far from repining or murmuring under them.

5. We have additional matter, both for praise and wonder, when we consider what great designs He had in view, and actually accomplished by being slain.

(1) He appeased the justice of God and made way for our restoration to His favour.

(2) He blotted out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us and was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to His Cross.

(3) He broke down the middle wall of partition that was betwixt Jew and Gentiles, and so made way for the introduction of the posterity of Japheth, to dwell in the tents of Shem.

(4) He overcame all our spiritual enemies who held us in bondage and stood in the way of our enjoying the benefit of that redemption which He purchased for us.

6. We have matter of the highest praise, as well as of the deepest wonder, when we consider that though Christ was once slain, He is now alive, and is set down on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens.

Lessons:

1. The people of God have a ready answer to all the charges that the law of God brings against them, and to all the accusations of conscience; for Christ was slain.

2. There is no want of spiritual provision in Gods house for any sinner that is willing to make use of it.

3. Here is a strong incitement to the duty of mortification.

4. We see here a plain and patent way, yea, a new and living way, opened and consecrated for us, into the presence of God, through the veil of the flesh of a slain Redeemer.

5. There is good reason why all who profess to be Christians should submit with cheerfulness to the government of Christ as King of Zion.

6. The disciples of Christ need never be at a loss for a subject of sweet meditation by themselves, nor for a subject of sweet counsel, as they go to the house of God in companies.

7. Here is a broad and sure foundation for the faith of every hearer of the gospel, of whatever character or condition he be. The Lamb of God was slain, and, through His death, eternal life is freely offered. (John Young, D. D.)

The song of redemption

I. The need of redemption.

1. It is proved by the conduct of the species; by the various modes of expiation to which men of all ages and nations have had recourse.

2. It finds an evidence in the breast of every individual.

II. The sufficiency of redemption by the blood of Christ.

1. The victim was provided by Jehovah Himself. Infinite goodness and love had nothing more to give.

2. Nor should it ever be forgotten that the vicarious suffering was endured to its full extent--to blood and to death!

3. We may rely on the competency and perfection of redemption by the blood of Christ, inasmuch as its success has already appeared in the actual salvation of so many of Adams race.

III. The truth of mans redemption by the blood of Christ.

1. One objection advanced by the enemies of the atonement of Christ is, that repentance and amendment constitute of themselves an acceptable and adequate means of reconciliation with God. Confidently as this maxim is advanced, we do not see that it takes place in the governments and legal institutions of men.

2. Another of the most plausible of those objections adduced against the doctrine of redemption by the blood of Christ is that we can perceive no reason for, or connection between, the shedding of that blood and the acceptance and salvation of men. But is the statement in this objection true? Might we not say that when the Son of God became obedient unto death, even the death of the Cross, an act of obedience so stupendous became a reason or consideration not only why God should highly exalt Him and give Him a name above every name, but also why He should forgive and accept all who repent and believe in Him?

IV. The practical influence of this momentous doctrine.

1. It is eminently qualified to impress us with holy fear.

2. It should inspire us with the fullest confidence.

3. It should compel our gratitude and praise. (James Bromley.)

The Lamb slain worshipped in heaven

The death of Christ for the redemption of sinners constitutes the distinguishing peculiarity of His work and the high ground for His adoration.

1. Like the chapter before us, the Scriptures everywhere teach us to regard the death of Christ in a peculiar manner. While the Scriptures have recorded the history of His birth, of His life, of His sufferings and conversation, they have manifestly done this only in explanation of His character and to give us a just view of His amazing condescension; and all these things they concentrate to one point, as they gather them all around the crowning matter of the whole--His amazing death! He became incarnate that He might be able to die.

2. The manner in which He met death was peculiar. He met it as no living man could have expected; as no righteous man that we know of ever did. How would you expect Christ to die, who lived without sin, if a life of holiness was His main work here, and if He had no more of difficulty to encounter with the king of terrors than falls to the lot of the righteous? He had more. And hence He quailed at the prospect. Willing to die, ready, He still trembles; in agony He prays, Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me.

3. The sacred Scriptures uniformly speak of this death in a manner totally different from that in which they mention the death of any other being. Isaiah, Abel, Zecharias, Stephen, Peter, James, Paul--not one of the whole army is spoken of as making atonement for sin or any procurement of eternal life. But, on the contrary, the death of Christ is uniformly mentioned as having such an intention and such a result.

4. On the ground of this death the Scriptures found the argument for even the common morality of life.

5. The holy Scriptures uniformly expect to affect us most, and to furnish us the highest lessons of holiness, by affecting our hearts with the contemplation of the death of Christ. They want faith to fix there. Christ loved me and gave Himself a ransom. They expect to furnish an antidote to the love of sin by leading us to faith in Him who died to expiate it.

6. This death of Christ is an incomparable manifestation of Divine love, and hence is calculated to have an unequalled moral influence. All else must yield to it.

Conclusion:

1. This is the adoration of heaven. Hearts on earth ought to assort with hearts in heaven over every contemplation of the atoning sacrifice of the Son of God.

2. As love constitutes the mode in which God seeks to save us, and at the same time constitutes the highest manifestation of His unfathomable perfections, the religion, whereby we hope to be at peace with Him, must very much consist in the same kind of affection. Open your heart to God, just where God opens His heart to you. Consent to love Him as His child.

3. There is no occasion for that gloomy despondency which sometimes feels that it may not confide in Christ, because it has nothing but a heart to offer. Christ wants nothing but your heart.

4. You need not fear to worship Christ. He is worshipped in heaven.

5. Finally, what unequalled humility and penitence become us at the communion-table! (I. S. Spencer, D. D.)

The Redeemers sufferings

I. The remembrance of the Redeemers sufferings is constantly kept up by the blessed inhabitants of heaven.

II. With what peculiar advantages do the worshippers above pursue their researches into the mystery of the cross of Christ.

1. The inhabitants of heaven enjoy an undisturbed leisure.

2. They possess perfect, inward rectitude and vigour. No irregularity of thought, no languishing of affection, can invade them.

3. They are wonderfully illuminated in the knowledge of those Divine truths, which are supposed in the gospel mystery, and on which it is built.

4. They have the fulness of evangelical illumination.

5. The presence of the Lamb, or of the Mediator in His human nature, in the midst of them.

6. The presence and experience of the glorious fruits of His death.

III. The happy and precious effects which constantly attend those perfect views of the Redeemers sufferings, in the minds of saints and angels.

1. Their views of these wonderful sufferings are the chief means of their beatific vision of God.

2. While the blessed thus look upon the Three-One God, they love Him with an increasing, and most joyful and pure love. They rest, delight, and rejoice in God with ineffable pleasure.

3. While they thus love God supremely, they are knit together in the most endeared mutual affection to each other; each member of that vast assembly passionately loves the whole, and is beloved by all.

4. These inward feelings are attended with most perfect acts of worship to God, and expressions of kindness to each other. (J. Love, D. D.)

Redemption to God by blood

These words show that, naturally, we are in a state of bondage, and under condemnation. We are enthralled by sin, from which we need to be redeemed by price and by power. Then the words call attention to the wonderful personage by whom we are redeemed. None but Emmanuel, the eternal Word Incarnate, was adequate to the work. Note another truth: That the theme of praise in heaven and on earth is one. Here the strain is learned: there it is consummated.

I. Christ redeemed us To God, to be His property, His children, His freedmen; to live with Him and for Him.

1. We are redeemed to God for our own happiness; we are brought near to Him, united to Him, made like to Him. In Gods favour is life: His lovingkindness is better than life. How shall guilty sinners obtain peace with God? By washing in the fountain opened for sin and for uncleanness. Our iniquity is forgiven, our sin is covered. Again, the Redeemer brings us into the family of God. Adoption is bestowed on us as an act of free grace for His sake. The prodigal sons are welcomed back to the plenty and endearments of their Fathers house. We have boldness to enter into His presence by the blood of Jesus. But further, besides reinstating us in the favour and family of God, Christ restores within us His image. Our eyes are opened that we may see Him, and our hearts renewed to love His holiness. Once more, we were brought to the enjoyment of God. Being freely justified, we have a right to be happy; and amidst the tears which bereavements cause, and the anxieties which arise from blighted harvests and empty stalls; when health fails, and friends forsake, and life is a-departing, may we not joy in the God of our salvation?

2. Let us view our redemption to God as it respects His glory. For example, Gods power is magnified. For the Son to bear the sins of an apostate world is more than to poise the earth upon nothing, and stretch out the heavens like a curtain. He bruised Satans head, magnified the law, punished sin, and saved sinners. Divine holiness, likewise, and justice and truth, are glorified. How marvellously were all the promises and all the threatenings accomplished! And rather than one jot or tittle should fall to the ground, the sword was awaked against Jehovahs Fellow! Comparable with this, where is there an evidence of truth and righteousness? We are redeemed, also, to the glory of Gods wisdom. Finally, what shall be said of the mercy and the love which shins, as they nowhere else shine, in redemption?

II. The text tells us of the price by which Christ redeems us to God, not by the simple fiat of power, or by the bare exercise of mercy, nor by any compromise or unworthy concession, nor with corruptible things, as silver and gold; but with His own precious blood, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. Scripture uniformly testifies, that the ransom which the Son of Man paid was His own life. But it is very worthy of regard how frequently it is described by this name of blood. In the books of Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers, and in the Epistle to the Hebrews, you may see what a value was attached to blood under the Old Testament. Why is the Saviours blood thus prominently, in both dispensations, pressed on our attention? One end which this mode of expression serves is to certify to us the reality of His death. We see His heart pierced, and the blood drawn off; and we know that the penalty has been borne, and our peace secured. I suggest two additional reasons for this interesting phraseology.

1. That we may be constantly reminded of the manner of His death. It was not natural, but affected by violence. It was not by hanging or suffocation; it was bloody. Conscious of innocence, of benevolence, of the greatest love to His enemies, the buffetings of His body were only emblems of the grievous wounds with which His soul was stabbed.

2. In order to affect us, to excite to penitence, gratitude and love. (J. C. Herdman, M. A.)

Hast made us unto our God kings and priests.--

The kingly priesthood of the saints

I. The Redeemers doings.

1. He made us kings and priests, virtually, when He signed the covenant of grace.

2. But He did not stop there. It was not simply agreeing to the terms of the treaty; but in due time He filled it all--yes, to its utmost jot and tittle.

3. Christ finished the great work of making us what we are, by His ascension into heaven. If He had not risen up on high and led captivity captive, His death would have been insufficient. He died for our sins, but He rose again for our justification.

II. The saints honours.

1. His royal office: a Christian is a king. He is not simply like a king, but he is a king, actually and truly. However, I shall try and show you how he is like a king. Remember his royal ancestry. Again, the saints, like monarchs, have a splendid retinue. Kings and monarchs cannot travel without a deal of state. If you had eyes to see, you would perceive a body-guard of angels always attending every one of the blood-bought family. Now, notice the insignia and regalia of the saints. Kings and princes have certain things that are theirs by perspective right. For instance, Her Majesty has her Buckingham Palace, and her other palaces, her crown royal, her sceptre, and so on. But, has a saint a palace? Yes. I have a palace! and its walls are not made of marble, but of gold. Have Christians a crown too? Oh, yes; but they do not wear it every day. They have a crown, but their coronation day is not yet arrived. They have been anointed monarchs. They have some of the authority and dignity of monarchs; but they are not crowned monarchs yet. Kings are considered the most honourable amongst men. They are always looked up to and respected. A monarch generally commands respect. Ah! we think that worldly princes are the most honourable of the earth; but if you were to ask God, He would reply, My saints, in whom I delight, these are the honourable ones. Lastly--

1. Kings have dominion: and so have the saints.

2. Saints are not only kings but priests.

We are priests because priests are Divinely chosen persons, and so are we. No man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron. But we have that calling and election; we were all ordained to it from the foundations of the world. Then next, we are priests, because we enjoy Divine honours. None but a priest might enter within the vail; there was a court of the priests into which none might ever go, except the called ones. Priests had certain rights and privileges which others had not. Saint of Jesus! heir of heaven I thou hast high and honourable privileges, which the world wots not of! Then another remark shall be, we have a Divine service to perform. ( C. H. Spurgeon.)

Kings by the grace of God

(with Pro_16:32):--Wilberforce was once asked, who was the greatest man he had ever known. He replied, Out of all comparison, Pitt, but I never think of his superiority without reflecting, that the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. So real, earnest, supremely noble, is a true Christian life. The best things in it are not those which dazzle by their glitter and their glare. It was an old heathen saying, the wise alone are kings. Of those who have been made wise unto salvation, it is infinitely more true that they alone are kings. They have been made kings unto God by Jesus Christ. From Christs pierced hand we receive a royal sceptre to reign on earth. The song of the redeemed in heaven is descriptive of our dignity in this world, and our glory in the next, as kings unto God. This royal honour, with the sovereign power it insures, we are slow to appropriate. It is a truism, perhaps, to say that to lead a healthy Christian life, we must live by the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus, seeking the accomplishment of right objects in a right spirit, subduing the world, the flesh, and the devil, in a way that men cannot do who live after the law of a carnal commandment. We are under great temptations of living so that we may make money, and gain influence and power, and this to the almost total exclusion of the grander requirements of self governance. Christ has made us kings, and the first subject He gives us to rule is our own spirit. The man who ruleth his own spirit is greater than he that taketh a city. To rule our spirit, to get the ascendancy over ourselves, to be able, under all circumstances, to do the thing that ought to be done, not only in the right way, but under the influence of the right motives--this ought to be the life-long endeavour of every true Christian. No grander empire, no brighter crown can be won. The ruler of his spirit is the only real potentate. He who has no command of himself is like a city broken down and without walls--defenceless, open to the attack of every enemy, an object of reproach to every beholder. The man in such a plight is weak at the very place where he should be strong; and this weakness impels him to play the coward, when he ought to be valiant in the fight. He flees from himself and seeks company. He can live in turmoil, business, amusement, and enjoy his activities there; but he sadly lacks the courage to seek a solitude--to close and grapple with the enemy, the evil which he consciously knows and feels is gaining the tyranny over him. Hence it is that some of the earths greatest heroes have been the basest moral cowards, because they have shirked self-discipline and self-control. For a man to overcome himself is to overcome the world; for a man is a microcosm, a little world, So, when Epictetus was asked, Who is free? he replied, He who masters himself--with much the same tone of expression as Solomon, He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city. This leads to the inquiry, wherein lie the rebelliousness and disobedience of the spirit we are to rule? Our spirit is loosed from law by transgression. Our foes are those of our own household: sinful thoughts, carnal desires, unholy dispositions. These must be repressed, subjugated, conquered. We are to do battle with the inward corruptions and propensities of our degenerate nature. The town of Mansoul is like a besieged city, having within its citadel an enemy not unwilling to help the besieger; sometimes, indeed, really anxious to put into his hands an important battery or stronghold. Incessant watchfulness, untiring warfare is needed, until the traitor has been either expelled or crushed. Of all the faculties of the human soul we may affirm that they are good servants but bad masters. Every one of them must be ruled and regulated by right reason and Gods pure counsel, so as to perform its proper work at the right time, and in the spirit of loving obedience to our Redeemer-King. Our judgment must not be overthrown by wild desire or vaulting ambition, yet covetousness is good, if I covet earnestly the best gifts; and ambition is good, if its object be to excel in all that is pure and lovely and of good report. The ambition that would wade remorselessly through slaughter to a throne, if directed to a worthy end, would become an enthusiasm for goodness and God, which could say of itself, The zeal of Thy house hath eaten me up. Stiff-necked stubbornness and firm determination to have our own way are not evil in themselves. They are good, ennobling, and Christ-like, when with unflinching courage we seek through their action the God-like and the true. When, in doing our own will, we are doing Gods will, there is only one road to go, and that is straightforward, without bend or divergence to the right hand or the left. It was thus that Christ, our Lord, was so self-possessed--so thoroughly master of Himself It was His meat to do the will of Him that sent Him. And herein He left us an example. The gospel of Christ does not propose to root out our desires, or even to repress them in any way. It proposes rather to purify, regenerate, and intensify them, only turning them away from what is selfish and mean to what is worthy and good. Christ has made us kings, not unto ourselves but unto our God; not for our own selfish ends, but for His glory and the good of men. Therefore, we are to get the governance of our spirits, to make them nobler and loftier, more Christ-like in character, more unselfish in aim. Of one of our English kings it was said that, endowed with a great command over himself, he soon obtained an uncontrolled ascendancy over his people. This is the royal road to real power. Every one of us has his own battle to fight; the battlefields may vary, but the conquest in every case is to be for self-conquest, for rule of spirit, for the inheritance of the conqueror. The struggle, taxing and tasking all our energies, becomes through Christ a triumph. Made kings by Him, we are made more than conquerors through Him. Our very struggles for self-mastery become a possession, crowning us with a glory which apart from them we could never acquire, and we come to realise in our own experience that he that ruleth his spirit is better than he that taketh a city. (Wm. Leitch, B. A.)

Royal prerogatives and royal giving

I. Power. His power is applied in three directions.

1. Selfward. One of the first blessings conferred by the gospel is self-control. Our kingship is not merely prospective. We are to live like kings.

2. Manward. The most Christian nations are to-day the most powerful.

3. God-ward. By our relation to Christ we are raised to a rank where we may treat with heaven. The Christian has power with God.

II. Great possessions. Who would not be a Christian?

III. Administration. The whole question of royal right, duty and responsibility, may be summed up in one word, administration. And this word, with its sublime right of meaning, applies with full force to the Christian. In a high and kingly sense, and in a sacred, priestly sense, he is administrator for the kingdom of God in this world. True Christians are not only royal livers but royal givers. (J. C. Allen.)

All saints kings and priests

It was a new song--new, because its topics were new; for what so new and strange as God incarnate shedding His blood upon the Cross, and by virtue of that offering redeeming the most distant nations of the earth, and making them, however low in estate, to reign kings and priests upon the earth--new, because it is the song of the new creation; the song of those to whom behold all things have become new, new hearts, new lips, new hopes, new graces.

I. Kings--that is, half, the lasting, eternal half of their Christian greatness. They are kings, because they are members of that Christ who is King of kings and Lord of lords. This royalty of Christ on earth, thus partaken by the Church His body, is clearly stated in many passages of Holy Scripture. To Christ as man, all power was given both in heaven and in earth (Mat_28:18); and, again, all things are delivered unto Him by His Father (Luk_10:22). He is the heir of the world, so that all is of right His. And it is the Fathers good pleasure to give this kingdom to His little flock (Luk_12:32), that is, the Church; whereby the meek, that is, the little ones (Mat_5:5), the saints of God, become in Him the rightful inheritors of the earth.

II. Thus are they kings; but they are also priests. In earlier days, before the blood of sprinkling had been shed, and men made members of the great High Priest, they had no access to God themselves. If they desired to approach Him it could be by some intermediate help, some priest who, deprecating the wrath of God by the blood of victims, might on their behalf offer prayers for them, and, if it might be, become the channel of blessing to them. But Christ being come, the only true Priest (Heb_9:7-14; Heb_9:24; Heb_10:19-22) and the single Victim of price, the access to God is opened, the veil rent, the entrance to the holiest unclosed. Thenceforth may every member of His body exercise a childs right of approaching his Father. In connection with the great doctrine, which in its consequences is obviously of great importance to the whole theory of the Church, its powers, and privileges, there are, in these distracted days, two main errors, held on two opposite sides, both of which are of imminent danger. The one of these is the doctrine of some of the liberalising or neologian party, the other, that of the Roman Catholics. The former, or neologian party, so hold fast the doctrine of the separate priesthood of Christians as to deny and disown altogether all authority and power and priestly offices as exercised towards some Christians by others; thus making each single Christian his own standard of doctrine, life, authority, and worship. The latter, or Roman Catholic party, so hold the existence of authority and priestly offices within the Church, exercised towards Christian people, that they really deny, in a great many important points, the royal priestliness of single Christians. The former reject lawful and necessary authority, for the sake of vindicating the personal rights of baptized people; the latter tyrannise over the just and inalienable rights of baptized people, for the sake of maintaining an excessive And unscriptural authority. (Bp. Moberly.)

We shall reign on the earth.--

The reign of the saints on the earth

I. The fact that the Church of God will eventually triumph over every obstacle, and that all its members will partake in the joys of its bloodless victory, is as certain as anything in revelation. According to heathen mythology, Astraea, the daughter of supreme power anal law, and therefore the protector and benefactor of men, dwelt with them during the golden age, in free and familiar association. On the introduction of the silver age which followed, she ceased such friendly intercourse, and made her abode chiefly among the lonely mountains; and though she occasionally still visited the abodes of men, it was only amid the shades of evening when she could not be seen. But when the brazen age began, she fled to heaven to return no more. Such is the classic myth; and well does it display the hopelessness in which heathen fable finds and leaves the human race. But we have the fact, not the fable; and the fact, thank God, is far more cheering than the fable. Tis true the golden age has passed away, and the silver age has come, and, worse than that, the brazen and the iron age. It is true also, that because the fine gold has become dim and the pure gold adulterated, a curse has fallen on our world, and the Divine favour has been in a measure withdrawn. But still, not wholly. Though in measure God has turned away His face from us, yet, with loving-kindness and tender mercy is He gathering us again to Himself. The origin and history of the Church of God and Christ are proof. Every civilised nation this moment on the earth is in possession of Christianity, in one degree or another. Christianity made them civilised; for though in some cases, in a measure, civilised before its introduction, alas, what a civilisation! how false and how impure!

II. The form or mode of this dominion--how the saints shall reign upon the earth. When we would rightly understand these words of promise, that the saints shall reign upon the earth, we must east out of our minds everything that panders to the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life, and look for a meaning more spiritual and heavenly.

1. The saints shall reign, as reigning implies holiness. Every true servant of God, in a measure, now reigns over sin and Satan--over an evil nature, and over the Prince of this world; and so far forth, therefore, he reigns in holiness.

2. They will, in the next place, reign numerically. Now the true and undoubted servants of Christ are a small minority in the world; and yet, even now they exert a mighty influence. But, in the happy times to which we are permitted to look forward, what is now but partial will be almost total. Christians will have the control of all things; it will belong to them of right, numerically, and it will belong to them because of their fitness to use it. They will fashion public opinion, because, in fact, they will constitute the public.

3. Again, they will reign because their Master will then triumph. He is triumphing now in every individual that is converted to God, in every increase of holiness in the Church, in every new introduction or further spread of the gospel in heathen or Mahometan lands. But His triumph then is to be more marked and decisive.

4. Lastly, the saints will reign in millennial times, as reigning implies happiness. The great English dramatist makes one of his monarchs say, Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown; and no doubt there is much truth in it; but still, the secret conviction of poor human nature is more faithfully expressed in the proverbial phrase, Happy as a king. On the strength of this we may say, that when it is foretold that the saints shall reign upon the earth, it is meant to be intimated by the figure, in conformity with this universal feeling, that they shall be highly blessed and enjoy great felicity. Can it be doubted that such will be their lot? (W. Sparrow, D. D.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Rev 5:8-10. And when he had taken the book, the four living creatures fell down — Now is homage done to the Lamb by the whole Christian Church and all its members, represented by these four living creatures. These, together with the elders, make the beginning, and afterward (Rev 5:14) the conclusion. They are together surrounded with a multitude of angels, (Rev 5:11,) and together sing the new song, as they had before praised God together, Rev 4:8, &c. Having every one — That is, each of the elders, not of the living creatures; harps — Κιθαραν, a harp, which was one of the chief instruments of thanksgiving in the temple service; a fit emblem of the melody of their hearts; and golden vials — Cups or censers; full of odours — Or incense, producing odours; which are the prayers of the saints — That is, fit representations of them. As if the apostle had said, As I understood these elders to be the representatives of the church, I apprehended that, in allusion to the incense offered in the temple, while the people were praying, this circumstance had a reference to prayer, and was intended to show how acceptable it is to God, when it proceeds from a holy and an upright heart. And they sung — Or, rather, sing, αδουσιν, a new song — One which neither they nor any others had sung before; saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, &c. — That is, to undertake the work of revealing and accomplishing the designs of God’s providence toward the world, and of his grace toward his church; for thou wast slain — A sacrifice of propitiation; and by thy blood hast redeemed us to God — So the living creatures also were of the number of the redeemed; but this does not so much refer to the act of redemption, which was long before, as to the fruit of it; namely, deliverance from the guilt and power of sin; the tyranny of Satan; the curse of the law; and the wrath of a justly offended God, whose servants and favourites they were now become. Out of every kindred; &c. — That is, out of all mankind. And hast made us, who are thus redeemed, unto our God kings and priests — Consecrated to his service, and honoured with the liberty of a near approach to his presence, to offer up prayers and praises acceptable in his sight; and we shall reign on the earth — The Christian cause shall prevail through all ages, while those happy persons who have passed courageously through their trials on earth shall, at the appointed season, share the honours of thy triumphant kingdom in the new heavens and new earth.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Successive songs of praise to the Lamb, Rev_5:8-14.

8. When he had taken—Greek aorist, when he took, making the triumphal chant of the cherubic beasts and the elders in instantaneous consequence. The four, as nearer the throne, and as creation is antecedent to the Church, precede in the act of grateful adoration. This remarkable prostration is before the Lamb—an unquestionable divine honour.

Having—Probably referring to the elders alone; for, 1. The word would not well, grammatically, in the Greek, refer to beasts; 2. The words hast redeemed could hardly include the representatives of the creation; and 3. The part of the beasts seems to have been the final responsive Amen of Rev_5:14.

Harps—The κιθαρα, (cithara, whence our guitar,) the Septuagint name for David’s harp, is described by Josephus as fitted with ten strings, and when played was usually struck with a plectrum or key: yet it is described in the Psalms as struck by David with the fingers. Probably both modes were used.

Golden vials—Rather, saucers. They were the censers, or broad shallow bowls, exposing as much surface as practicable from which to roll up the incense.

Odours—Incenses. For the composition of the incense, see note on Heb_9:14.

Which are—That is, represent.

The prayers—The censer, with its glowing ingredients, represents the human heart with its devout emotions, and the rise of the fragrant incense represents the ascent of acceptable prayers.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

5:8 fell down before the Lamb: The crucified and risen Christ has divine authority to initiate the events of this age; he is fully worthy of worship. • The prayers of God’s people become a significant basis for the judgments and plagues (6:9-11; 8:2-5).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Rev_5:8. ὅτε ἔλαβεν (when he had taken it).[1924] The aor. is to be understood just as in Rev_6:1; Rev_6:3, etc.[1925] Simultaneousness[1926] would have been expressed by the impf.[1927] Naturally, upon the act of the Lamb, which displays the glory belonging exclusively to him, there follows the song of praise, in which the glory just evinced is celebrated.

As in ch. 4, the four beings, the representatives of the entire living creation, and the twenty-four elders, the representatives of redeemed humanity, have worshipped the enthroned God in alternate songs of praise, so here there sounds their united song of praise to the Lamb, before whom they together fall down in adoration; for the Lamb shares in the divine glory of the Enthroned One.[1928] This song of praise finds a response first in Rev_5:12, in the angelic hosts, and then, in Rev_5:13, is taken up by all creatures everywhere, and that, too, so that at the close a doxology, in a manner concentrated, sounds forth at the same time to the One sitting on the throne and to the Lamb, and finally dies away in the amens of the four beings who had begun the praise of the enthroned God (Rev_4:8); and, at the same time with the twenty-four elders, that of the Lamb (Rev_5:9).

ἔχοντες ἔκασιος

ἁγῖων belongs only to οἱ πρεσβύτ.: for this is indicated, first, by the masc. form (ἔχοντες ἔκαστος); secondly, the unnaturalness of ascribing to beings as fashioned in Rev_4:7, harps and vials; and thirdly, the incongruence which would result if the representatives of the creation had the office of offering the prayers of saints. The latter is suitable only to elders.[1929]

The elders have each a harp, the instrument with which they accompany their song of praise,[1930] and golden vials full of frankincense, viz., as is self-evident, each one a vial, so that we possibly are to think of a vial in the right hand, while the left holds the harp.[1931] The vials filled with frankincense have a symbolical meaning corresponding to the emblem of the harp: ΑἽ ΕἸΣΙΝ ΑἹ ΠΡΟΣΕΥΧΑῚ ΤῶΝ ἉΓΊΩΝ. The ΑἹ may, by attraction, be referred to the ΘΥΜΙΑΜΆΤΩΝ,[1932] yet the formally more simple reference to ΦΙΆΛΑς may be adopted, as the vials are just such as are filled with incense. Concerning the symbolical meaning its, cf. Rev_8:3; Psa_141:2; Eze_8:11. Arbitrarily and against the meaning of the context, Hengstenb. understands by the prayers symbolically offered only intercessory prayers, whose chief subject is the protection and perfection of the Church, and judgment upon enemies; while he regards the harps as referring to prayers of adoration and thanksgiving.[1933]

ΤῶΝ ἉΓΊΩΝ, i.e., of Christians.[1934] Cf. Rev_8:3-4, Rev_13:7; Rev_13:10, Rev_11:18, Rev_18:20. The misunderstanding of this as referring to saints already in heaven[1935] is inapplicable for the reason that the idea that the prayers of the saints are offered to God by the elders[1936] presupposes the fact that the saints themselves are not present with God. With this agrees the mode in which the elders, Rev_5:9, speak of the saints.

The remark of C. a Lap.: Note here against Vigilantius, Luther, Calvin, and other Hagiomachoi, that the saints pray for vs, and offer our prayers to God, is, in other respects, entirely wrong: because, first, the elders are in no way identical with the saints who are meant; secondly, while, on the Lutheran side, it is not at all denied that the members of the Church triumphant pray for those of the Church militant [see Note XLVI., p. 217], there is no allusion whatever to the invocation of saints contended against on the Lutheran side; and, finally, it is entirely incorrect to regard the forms of the twenty-four elders included in the plan as real personages, and without any thing further to construct a dogmatical statement upon the act symbolically ascribed to them. Erroneous also is De Wettes conjecture that John appears to know nothing of a mediatorial office of Christ. Of this, nothing can be expressly said in the present passage, although of course the entire Christology of the Apoc. essentially includes that fundamental Christian thought.

[1924] De Wette.

[1925] Cf. Mat_7:28; Mat_9:25.

[1926] Als er nahm, Luth.

[1927] 1Co_13:11.

[1928] Cf. Rev_5:13; Rev_22:1.

[1929] In other respects the λέγοντες, Rev_5:9, has a different relation.

[1930] Cf. Rev_14:2 sqq., Rev_15:2; Psa_146:7; Psa_150:3.

[1931] Vitr., Ebrard.

[1932] Vitr.

[1933] Cf. De Wette, Ebrard, etc.

[1934] De Wette, Ew. ii.

[1935] Hengstenb.; cf. Beng.

[1936] Cf. Tob_12:2.

NOTES BY THE AMERICAN EDITOR

XLVI. Rev_5:8. αἵ προσευχαὶ τῶν ἁγίων

See Apology of the Augsburg Confession (E. T., p. 236): We concede, that just as when alive they pray, in general, for the Church universal, so in heaven they pray for the Church in general. This is sufficient without resorting to the expedient that representatives of the Church triumphant are not here thought of. Quenstedt (Theol. Didact.-pol., iv. 365): That the saints in heaven triumphing with Christ pray, in general, for the Church, is probably inferred from this passage. But, from this, it cannot be inferred that they have a special knowledge of all things, and are to be religiously invoked. By odors, are not meant prayers of saints who are in this life, but of those blessed ones who are reigning with Christ in heaven. These prayers are not ἱλαστικαὶ, propitiatory, meritorious, and satisfactory, as though, by virtue of their merit, they intercede by them for others, but εὐχαριστικαὶ as described (Rev_5:9-10).

Meyer — Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament — English translation by Peter Christie, edited by Frederick Crombie (T&T Clark, 1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Rev 5:8 . A thrill of satisfaction over Christ’s ability. “It is the manner of God thus to endear mercies to us, as he endeared a wife to Adam. He first brought all creatures to him, that he might first see that there was not a helpmeet for him among them” (Goodwin). John lays dramatic emphasis on Jesus only . ἐνωπ . τ . ἀ . (as before God himself, Rev 19:4 ). γ . θ ., cf. Soph. Oed. Tyr. 4, πόλις δʼ ὁμοῦ μὲν θυμιαμάτων γέμει . An essential feature in the rites of Roman sacrifice was music played on tibicines ; the patera , a shallow saucer or ladle with a long handle attached, was also employed to pour wine on the altar. Harps held by living creatures who had no hands but only wings, and the collocation of a harp played by a person who is at the same time holding a bowl, are traits which warn us against prosaically visualising such visions. Hirscht compares the adoration of Rameses II. before the sun-god, the monarch’s left hand holding his offering, his right grasping a sceptre and scourge. The fragrant smoke of incense rising from the hand of a worshipper or from an altar in the primitive cultus ( cf. Eze 8:2 ) to lose itself in upper air, became a natural symbol for prayer breathed from earth to heaven; see Philo’s τὸ καθαρώτατον τοῦ θύοντος , πνεῦμα λογικόν . αἱ … ἁγίων , probably an editorial gloss like Rev 19:8 b , suggested by the verbal parallel in Rev 8:3 (so, e.g. , Spitta, Völter, Briggs, Julicher, J. Weiss, Wellhausen, etc.). Contrast with this verse (and Rev 5:4 ) the description of the enthusiastic seamen and passengers who “candidati, coronatique, et tura libantes,” praised and blessed Augustus in the bay of Puteoli as “He by whom we live, and sail secure, and enjoy our freedom and fortunes” (Suet. Vit. Aug. 98.)

The scene or stage of the apocalyptical drama is occupied by an angelic and heavenly chorus, who upon this solemn and glad occasion give their plaudite or acclamation of glory to the Lord, The future which God rules is revealed by him through Christ; and this moves enthusiastic gratitude, till the universe rings from side to side with praise.

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Now follow in the end the accidents of the Revelation last spoken of that all the holy Angels, and men did sing unto him: both the chief, verses 9, 10, and common order of Angels, verses 11, 12, and of all things created, verse 13, the princes of both sorts agreeing thereunto, verse 14.

The symbols or signs of praise, sweet in savor, and acceptable unto God. See Rev. 8:3.

See Rev. 9:3.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

had taken--Greek, "took."

fell down before the Lamb--who shares worship and the throne with the Father.

harps--Two oldest manuscripts, A, B, Syriac and Coptic read, "a harp": a kind of guitar, played with the hand or a quill.

vials--"bowls" [TREGELLES]; censers.

odours--Greek, "incense."

prayers of saints--as the angel offers their prayers (Rev 8:3) with incense (compare Psa 141:2). This gives not the least sanction to Rome's dogma of our praying to saints. Though they be employed by God in some way unknown to us to present our prayers (nothing is said of their interceding for us), yet we are told to pray only to Him (Rev 19:10; Rev 22:8-9). Their own employment is praise (whence they all have harps): ours is prayer.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 8. The four beasts - fell down before the Lamb] The whole Church of God, and all his children in heaven and earth, acknowledge that Jesus Christ is alone worthy and able to unfold and execute all the mysteries and counsels of God. See Clarke on Re 5:9.

Having every one of them harps] There were harps and vials; and each of the elders and living creatures had one.

Odours, which are the prayers of saints.] The frankincense and odours offered at the tabernacle were emblems of the prayers and praises of the Lord. That prayers are compared to incense, see Ps 141:2: Let my PRAYER be set forth before thee as INCENSE. Hence that saying in Synopsis Sohar, p. 44, n. 37: "The odour of the prayers of the Israelites is equal to myrrh and frankincense; but on the Sabbath it is preferred to the scent of all kinds of perfumes." The words which are the prayers of saints are to be understood as this is my body, this signifies or represents my body; these odours represent the prayers of the saints.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(8) And when he had taken . . .—Better, And when He took the roll, the four living beings and the twenty four elders fell before the Lamb, having each a harp, and golden vials (or, censers) full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints (or, the holy ones). It is not the Church alone which is interested in the revelation which will throw light on life’s mysteries and the delay of the kingdom: the whole creation groaneth, waiting for the reign of righteousness; and therefore the four living beings, who represent creation, join with the elders, who represent the Church, in the adoration of the Lamb who holds the secret of life’s meaning in His hand. The vials (which seem to be censers, as they hold the incense) and the harps, it is perhaps more natural to suppose, were in the hands of the four-and-twenty elders, and not of the living creatures. Here, then, we have the praises (represented by the harps), and the prayers (represented by the censers) of the world-wide and age-long Church of Christ. The comparison of prayer with incense is in strict accordance with Old Testament language. “Let my prayer be set forth before Thee as incense” (Psa_141:2). The incense held a conspicuous place in the ritual of the Temple. The greatest care was to be taken in the composition of the incense, and the same compound was not to be used anywhere but in the sanctuary. These precautions suggest its typical character. The true odours are the heart-prayers of God’s children. “Of these three sweet ingredient perfumes,” says Archbishop Leighton, alluding to the composition of the Temple-incense, “namely, petition, confession, thanksgiving, is the incense of prayer, and by the divine fire of love it ascends unto God, the heart and all with it; and when the hearts of the saints unite in joint prayer, the pillar of sweet smoke goes up the greater and the fuller.” Every prayer which broke out in sob from an agonising heart, every sigh of the solitary and struggling Christian, every groan of those groping God- ward, mingles here with the songs of the happy and triumphant.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

8. having every one of them] Perhaps refers to the elders only; though it is not more difficult to picture the living creatures holding harps than the Lamb taking the Book and breaking the seals; nor is it more unfit that Cherubim and Seraphim should present the prayers of Saints than that a single Angel should bless them, as in Rev_8:3 sq.

golden vials] i.e. broad open bowls; more like saucers than any vessel in modern use.

which are the prayers] If the strict grammar of this sentence is to be pressed, it is the “vials” not the “odours” which are identified with the “prayers.” See Rev_8:3 and note there. Cf. Psa_141:2.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And when he had taken the book,.... The Vulgate Latin version reads, "when he had opened the book", very wrongly; for the opening of it by unloosing the seals, one after another, is hereafter mentioned, in Rev 6:1, but when it was observed, that the Lamb took the book, and his commission to open, unseal, and fulfil it,

the four beasts, and four and twenty elders, fell down before the Lamb; by way of religious worship and adoration of him; which shows that he was not a mere creature, who assumed human nature, suffered, and died, and is the Mediator between God and men, but is truly God, and is the proper object of worship; and so he is regarded by all his faithful ministers, and true churches, which are here signified by the four living creatures, and four and twenty elders; who are represented as

having everyone of them harps; which were instruments of music, and with which the saints formerly used to praise God, Psa 33:2; and so may here intend the praises and thanksgivings of the saints, of everyone of them, greater or lesser, upon the present occasion; having their hearts in right tune, making melody with them to the Lord, and giving thanks unto him for all their blessings, temporal and spiritual, and particularly for the Lamb, and his worthiness to open the book, and unloose the seals:

and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints; this is said in allusion to the golden censers full of incense, which ascended upwards, and was of a sweet smell; the vessels on the shewbread table, in which incense was put, are by Josephus (h) called "golden vials", as here; his words are, upon the loaves were put two , "golden vials", full of incense: the prayers of the saints are compared to "odours", or "incense", as the word may be rendered, and as they are called, Psa 141:2; partly because as incense goes upwards, so do they go up to God, and are received, regarded, and had in remembrance by him; and partly because as incense is of a sweet smell, so the prayers of the saints, put up in the name and faith of Christ, are very grateful and acceptable to God: the "golden vials" said to be "full" of them, may design the hearts of believers, in which they first are, and from whence they proceed; true prayer is that which is inwrought in the soul, and comes from the heart, even from a heart pure like gold, purified by faith in the blood of Christ, a true heart, that asks in faith, nothing wavering; such as are really saints, true believers in Christ, are praying souls; they are full of prayers for themselves and others; they pray always, and for all saints: this makes nothing for praying to angels and saints departed; for these prayers were their own, and not others; and besides, these four living creatures, and four and twenty elders, were not angels, for they are said to be redeemed by the blood of Christ, and are distinguished from angels in the following verses; nor the saints in heaven, but ministers and churches on earth, and who were to reign with Christ on earth, Rev 5:10; it may be observed, that the Jews sometimes represent prayer in such like figures as here;

"prayer (they say) ascends with those spices which are mentioned in Sol 4:14; and at the time that prayer ascends it is perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, and of this the holy blessed God asks, "who is this that comes up", &c. (i) Sol 3:6;''

and they say, prayer is greater than all offerings (k). See Rev 8:3.

(h) Antiqu. l. 3. c. 6. sect. 6. (i) Raya Mehimna in Zohar in Exod. fol. 48. 3. (k) Yalkut Simeoni, par. 2. fol. 40. 3.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

8 And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.

Ver. 8. Fell down before the Lamb] As they had done before the throne, Rev 4:10-11 cf. Joh 5:23. Divine adoration is an honour due to the manhood of Christ also, as it is taken into union with the Godhead.

Golden vials, &c.] Vessels narrow beneath and wide upwards: so is the heart of a believer, narrow below, almost sharpened to a point, that it might touch the earth no more than needs must; and wide above, to receive the influence of heaven. Gold is pure and precious; so are the prayers of a pure heart.

Full of odours] Therefore sweet to God, because Christ pours into them of his odours, Rev 8:3.

Which are the prayers of saints] That is, their own prayers and praises, recorded Rev 5:9. And this is added as an exposition to let us know what is meant by odours. See the like, Joh 2:21; Joh 7:39; Rev 1:20.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

When the Lamb that had been slain had obtained of him that sat on the throne to open the book of God’s secret counsels relating to his church, mentioned Rev 5:1, and had taken it out of his right hand, John saw the four beasts, the four living creatures, mentioned Rev 4:6-8, by which seemed to be represented the ministers of the gospel, or the whole church of Christ;

and the four and twenty elders, that had on their heads crowns of gold, mentioned Rev 4:4, by which, we said, were represented either the ministers of the church, or the whole church.

Fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours: he alludeth to the worship of God under the Old Testament, where in the temple they were wont to praise God with instruments of music, and offering up of frankincense: see 1Ch 13:8; 15:16; 2Ch 5:12; Neh 12:27; Psa 33:2; 141:2; 150:3. These vials of odours, he tells us, signified

the prayers of the saints. The whole verse signifies the prayers and praises, even all that adoration which God, under the gospel, should have from his ministers and people, for constituting his Son the Head of his church, and making him their Prophet, Priest, and King.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

And when he had taken the book. "Had taken" (elabe) is here aorist, not perfect, as in ver. 7. The text should probably read, when he took the book; that is to say, the adoration offered coincides in point of time with the act of taking the book. The four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb. The four beasts as representing animated creation; the four and twenty elders as representative of the Church. (see on Rev_4:4, Rev_4:6) Having every one of them harps. (On the difficulty of how each one could hold harps and bowls, see on ver. 6) It is possible that the phrase refers only to the elders; for these seem more suitably employed in offering the prayers of the saints than the representatives of all creation. If, however, as Wordsworth considers, the four living beings and the twenty-four elders together symbolize the Church, the phrase would apply to both. The kinura of 1Sa_16:16, 23 (the kiyara of this passage) was played with the hand, and the instrument indicated was probably more of the nature of a guitar than the modern harp. And golden vials full of odours . The Revised Version "bowls" is better than "vials." The idea is, no doubt, taken from the shallow bowls which were placed upon the golden altar, (Exo_30:1-10) and in which incense was burned. The odours are the incense. In the same chapter of Exodus directions are given concerning the preparation and use of the incense, which was always a symbol of prayer, and always offered to God alone. (cf. Psa_141:2, "Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense;" also Luk_1:9, 10 Isa_6:3, Isa_6:4) Which are the prayers of saints. The saints; that is, the members of the Church of God. Some authorities consider "vials" the antecedent of" which;" but it seems best to refer "which" to "odours," though the sense is not materially different, since the former includes the latter.

Vers. 8-10. The song of the redeemed host.

The triumphant host, the redeemed possession, purchased unto God, give their glory. The whole Church in their representatives give ceaseless praise to him who in humility bare their sins in his own body on the tree.

I THE SONG OF THE CHURCH IS EVER UNTO, AND IN PRAISE OF, THE LAMB. Never can those harps be unstrung; never can the song of redemption cease to mingle with the song of the universe. Ever will he be "matter of all their praise.

II THE SUBJECT OF THE SONG IS THE WORTHINESS OF THE LAMB. "Thou art worthy" to receive and hold the title deed of the inheritance. The possession he has purchased. It is his. His be the title to it. He claims, and justly claims, a redeemed race as his. To this the sealed book is the title deed. The taking possession by power of that which he had purchased by price is the work represented throughout the Revelation.

III THE SONG IS THE TRIBUTE OF THE REDEEMED HOST TO HIM TO WHOM THEIR REDEMPTION IS DUE. The lowly song of the redeemed stands over against the humiliation of "the Lamb." His "worthiness" takes the place of the "curse" which he bore. The jeers of the multitude on earth are exchanged for the song of the thankful host in heaven, tie who was slain now liveth forever. Truly he sees the travail of his soul, and is satisfied.

IV THE SONG REVERTS TO THE GRACIOUS PROCESS OF REDEMPTION.

1. The acknowledged need. He who confesses Jesus to be a Saviour thereby acknowledges his lost condition.

2. Sacrificial death of the Redeemer: "Thou wast slain.

3. The redemptive character of his work: "And didst purchase with thy blood.

4. The redeemed a Divine possession. They are purchased "unto God;" they are made a kingdom and priests "unto God.

V THE SONG RISES INTO A JOYFUL RECOGNITION OF THE EXALTED STATE OF THE REDEEMED. Seen:

1. In their relation to God.

2. In their compact union as a kingdom under Divine rule.

3. In their universal priesthood holding its privileged and acknowledged approach unto God.

4. In their elevation to highest dignity in the dominion assigned to them on earth. This last a secret comfort to the persecuted and downtrodden Church. In the final triumph, honour, and glory, the suffering host of God to find its reward. R.G.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And when he took the book, the four living creatures fell down - Now is homage done to the Lamb by every creature. These, together with the elders, make the beginning; and afterward, chap. v, 14, the conclusion. They are together surrounded with a multitude of angels, chap. v, 11, and together sing the new song, as they had before praised God together, chap. iv, 8, &c. Having every one - The elders, not the living creatures. An harp - Which was one of the chief instruments used for thanksgiving in the temple service: a fit emblem of the melody of their hearts. And golden phials - Cups or censers. Full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints - Not of the elders themselves, but of the other saints still upon earth, whose prayers were thus emblematically represented in heaven.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

beasts

living creatures. (See Scofield "Eze 1:5").

The Scofield Reference Bible (1917 edition), notes by C. I. Scofield — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The song of the elders:

v. 8. And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps and golden vials full of odors, which are the prayers of saints.

v. 9. And 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 every kindred and tongue and people and nation;

v. 10. and hast made us unto our God kings and priests; and we shall reign on the earth.

Jesus the Savior is here the sole center of interest; everything revolves about Him: And when He had taken the scroll, the four living beings and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, every one having a harp and golden bowls filled with incense, which are the prayers of the saints. The taking of the scroll by the Lamb was a signal for a general demonstration of adoration. The strange and wonderful living beings, the four cherubs which John had described chap. 4:7, united with the elders, as the representatives of the Church of Christ, in bringing homage to the Lamb. They fell down in an attitude of submission and worship; they presented their bowls of incense, the prayers of the saints on earth, of all faithful believers everywhere: they made ready their harps for a striking hymn of praise. The bowls of gold were truly types of the believing hearts in whom the daily burnt offering of the New Testament is burning without ceasing, a sweet savor unto the Lord. Note that no distinction is observed between the Church Militant and the Church Triumphant; for these two are in reality one, and it is the same spirit in which they together bring praise and honor to Christ.

Now their hymn is recorded: And they sang a new song, saying, Worthy art Thou to receive the scroll and to open its seals, because Thou wast slain and didst redeem us to God by Thy blood from every tribe and language and people and nation, and Thou hast made us to our God a kingdom and priests, and we shall reign upon the earth. In the first part of the vision the hymn had been addressed to God the Creator, but here it is directed to the Lamb as Redeemer, for the cost and scope and result of His redemption. It is a new song, which will never grow old, which will never be omitted in the Church, neither here in time nor hereafter in eternity. Every new revelation of the glory of the Lamb renews the beauty of the first mercy, by which He became our Savior. All the elders join in this song, since it is the hymn of the whole Church. They praise the Lamb as worthy of the greatest honor in the kingdom of God, of being the intimate of the Father in the secrets of His eternal counsel, of knowing the things which are written in the scroll of God’s decrees. This worthiness is enhanced by the fact that the Lamb was sacrificed for us, that His body, His blood became the true expiatory sacrifice for the sins of all mankind. To God we have been redeemed by the holy, innocent blood of His only-begotten Son. It is a salvation which was earned for all men: regardless of tribe and language and people and nation: to all men the free grace of God in Christ Jesus is offered. The believers, then, those that are enjoying the fruit, of this glorious redemption, are not only called into His fellowship, to receive from Him, of His fullness, daily, and grace for grace, but the Lord has even constituted them a kingdom, a royal priesthood, chap. 1:6; 1Pe 2:9, He has appointed them to rule with Him on earth. Although we are now despised and rejected of men, we are in reality partakers in Christ’s rule of the world, and the time will come when this power will be revealed to the astonished unbelievers, to their eternal discomfiture.

Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

8. When he took the book. The deliverance to him of the book was a signal for the four living creatures and the elders to fall before the Lamb, as they had fallen before the throne. They recognize in the fact that he has the book “that all power in heaven and earth is given into his hands.” Hence, they offer him homage as Divine. Having every one of them harps. For praise. The grammatical construction seems to include both living creatures and elders. Golden vials full of odors. These symbolize the prayers of the saints. The imagery represents these heavenly assistants presenting these in heaven in behalf of the saints on earth. The comforting thought is that these prayers are not lost, but are presented at the throne of God and before the Lamb.

B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.

the Lamb

This is a young male sheep. Here is it used symbolically to refer to Christ. See how you translated this in Revelation 5:6. (See: Symbolic Language)

twenty-four elders

"24 elders." See how you translated this in Revelation 4:4. (See: Numbers)

fell down

"lay down on the ground." Their faces were toward the ground to show that they were worshiping the Lamb. They did this on purpose; they did not fall accidentally.

Each of them

Possible meanings are 1) "each of the elders and living creatures" or 2) "each of the elders."

a golden bowl full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints

The incense here is a symbol for the believers' prayers to God. (See: Symbolic Language)

translationWords

lamb

harp

incense

pray

saint

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

8. ἕχοντες ἕκαστος. א reads ἕκαστος ἔχοντες; Hipp[200] omits ἕκαστος.

[200] St Hippolytus. The readings not given by Tischendorf are from the newly published 4th book of his commentary on Daniel.

κιθάραν. Text. Rec[201] reads κιθάρας with 1 Hipp[202] And[203]? and all Latins.

[201] Rec. Textus Receptus as printed by Scrivener.

[202] St Hippolytus. The readings not given by Tischendorf are from the newly published 4th book of his commentary on Daniel.

[203] Andreas Archbishop of Caesarea.

αἵ εἰσιν. אB2 have ἅ εἰσιν.

8. ἔχοντες ἕκαστος κιθάραν. The singular is certainly right, though nearly all Latin Versions, and fathers, and most late Greek MSS., alter it to suit φιάλας. If we attempt to carry the image into detail it is obvious that it was as impossible for the elders literally to play their harps and hold their bowls as it would be to speak while holding a two-edged sword in the mouth; up to a certain point it is not more difficult to picture the Living Creatures holding harps than the Lamb taking the Book and breaking the seals; nor is it more unfit that Cherubim and Seraphim should present the prayers of Saints than that a single Angel should bless them, as in Rev 8:3 sq.

φιάλας χρυσᾶς. The “vials” are broad open bowls; more like saucers than any vessel in modern use: it is a curious question how the word came to mean a bottle: apparently the φιάλη was intermediate between the κρατήρ and the drinking cup: it served the purpose of a bottle, and so the bottle, when it replaced it, took its name: the oldest French instance of fiole in the sense of bottle is in Joinville’s Life of St Louis, who kept a large bottle of wine and another of water on his table so that his knights might mix for themselves; but the change is probably older, as Henry 3. provided an onyx phiola for his shrine of Edward the Confessor, which probably resembled the perfume jars of the same material called ἀλάβαστρα, as having no handles, used in French cathedrals to hold the holy oil.

αἵ αἰσιν αἱ προσευχαί. If αἵ be right, and if we are to press the grammar, it is the “vials” with their contents, not merely the “odours,” which are identified with the “prayers.” See Rev 8:3 and note there. Cf. Psalms 141 (140 LXX.):2 κατευθυνθήτω ἡ προσευχή μου ὡς θυμίαμα ἐνώπιόν σου.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

8-10.] Song of praise following thereupon. And when he took (the aor. ἔλαβεν is not an imperfect, “when he was taking,” “als es nahm,” Luth.: nor again is it a pluperf. “when he had taken,” as E. V. (our idiom perhaps so requiring it), and many Commentators (even De W. and Düsterd.);—but a pure past: the context, and not the word itself, indicating that the act to be described was subsequent to that thus expressed. And so in all places commonly cited for aorists “put for” pluperfects) the book, the four living-beings and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb (who shares the divine throne, and honour, and worship, cf. ver. 13; ch. 22:1; and ch. 3:21), having each (of them) (ἔχοντες ἕκαστος apparently applies only to the elders: not for any grammatical reason, but on account of the symbolism: for

1) it is unnatural to suppose figures described as the four living-beings are, having harps or vials; and even if this is not to be pressed (see above on ver. 7), yet

2) it is inconsistent with the right view of the four living-beings, as representing creation, that they should present the prayers of the Saints) a harp (κιθάρα, properly a zithern or kind of guitar: the harp of David, which the LXX call κινύρα in 1Ki 16:16, 1Ki 16:23, al., but always κιθάρα in the Psalms, is described by Josephus, Antt. vii. 12. 3, ἡ μὲν κινύρα, δέκα χορδαῖς ἐξημμένη, τύπτεται πλήκτρῳ: and then he adds, ἡ δὲ νὰβλα, δώδεκα φθόγγους ἔχουσα, τοῖς δακτύλοις κρούεται. But David, in the passages above cited, appears to have played with his hand: so that perhaps the κινύρα or κιθάρα was played in both ways), and golden vials (cups, or bowls, or, by the context, censers) full of incense (θυμίαμα is generally used in the plural, e. g. Herod. ii. 86, διηθέουσι θυμιήμασι τετριμμένοισι: viii. 99, ἐθυμίων θυμιήματα), which (αἵ might well have θυμιαμάτων for its antecedent, being fem. to suit προσευχαί below: but it is perhaps more likely that φιάλας is its antecedent—each vial being full of incense) are (represent: see reff.) the prayers of the saints (see reff.: especially ch. 8:3: Psa 140:2, κατευθυνθήτω ἡ προσευχή μου ὡς θυμίαμα ἐνώπιόν σου. The twenty-four elders, representing as they do the whole church of God, offer the praises and the prayers of the whole church: the harps symbolizing the former, the censers the latter. Of any thing approaching intercession on the part of the glorified saints for the church below, or indeed of the glorified saints at all, there is not the least mention, nor does this passage at all touch the question of the fact of such intercession. In the division of the two employments, the most of prayer falls to the lot of the church in trial, and the most of praise to the church in glory: and this is perhaps the reason why, while they have harps on which they themselves play, they only offer or present the vials of incense. De W. remarks, that the Writer of the Apocalypse seems not to know any thing of the intercessory office of Christ. But that office is prominent through this whole scene. What is the lamb as it had been slain—what the ἠγόρασας τῷ θεῷ ἐν τῷ αἵματί σου, but recognitions of it? It underlies the whole book): and they sing (why present? Is it because the sound still lingered in his ears? Or more probably, as describing their special and glorious office generally, rather than the mere one particular case of its exercise?) a new song (new, because the occasion was new; the manifestation of the worthiness of the Lamb calls forth fresh words springing from fresh and living thoughts. These words which follow could not be spoken except by those who had seen Christ’s redemption complete; therefore they must needs be new), saying, Thou art worthy to take the book and to open the seals of it: for Thou wert slain, and didst redeem (the object is not expressed, nor need it be: see similar constructions with ἐκ, Mat 25:8; 1Jn 4:13. The ἡμᾶς, which is in the mss. added or prefixed to the verb, has considerable authority, but on the whole seems more likely to have been inserted, considering the prevalent early interpretation of the elders as Apostles and Prophets, than omitted because they were imagined to be angels) to God through (ἐν, as the vehicle, and conditioning element of redemption) thy blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation (the only thing to be noticed is the quadruple number of these specifications, as indicating universality: see again below, ver. 13. To identify φυλῆς as Bengel, or λαοῦ as Züllig, with the Jewish people, seems forbidden by the πάσης), and madest them a kingdom and priests, and they reign upon the earth (“this clause differs from that in ch. 1:6, both by the καί before ἱερεῖς, and by the important addition καὶ βασιλ. κ.τ.λ. This last would be superfluous, if we were with Hengstb., al., to adhere to the rec. βασιλεῖς, or if βασιλείαν could have the sense given to it by Hengstb. in ch. 1:6, ‘a people invested with kingly power.’ Here we have three particulars: 1) that those who are bought to be God’s own are made into a kingdom, viz. God’s,—2) (καί) that they are made into priests,—3) (καί) that they are invested with kingly power. So rightly Ebrard.” Düsterd.

The present βασιλεύουσιν is not to be rendered as a future, but keeps its own meaning (the whole aspect and reference of this heavenly vision being not future, but present: the world and church as now existing, cf. Eph 2:6). The Church even now, in Christ her Head, reigns on the earth: all things are being put under her feet, as under His: and even if this meaning be questioned, we have her kingly rank and office asserted in the present, even in the midst of persecution and contempt).

11,

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Had taken [ελαβεν] . Lit., took. The aorist is resumed.

Every one of them harps [εκαστος κιθαρας] . Rev., less clumsily, having each one a harp. Each one, that is, of the elders. Kiqara harp signifies an instrument unlike our harp as ordinarily constructed. Rather a lute or guitar, to which latter word kithara is etymologically related. Anciently of a triangular shape, with seven strings, afterwards increased to eleven. Josephus says it had ten, and was played with a plectrum or small piece of ivory.

Vials [φιαλας] . Only in Revelation. The word vial, used commonly of a small bottle, gives a wrong picture here. The fialh was a broad, flat vessel, used for boiling liquids, sometimes as a cinerary urn, and for drinking, or pouring libations. Also of the shallow cup, usually without a foot, in which libations were drawn out of the mixer. Herodotus says that at Plataea the Spartan Helots were bidden by Pausanias to bring together the booty of the Persian camp, and that they found "many golden mixers and bowls [φιαλας] , and other ejkpwmata (drinking - vessels)" (ix., 30). From its broad, flat shape Areov fialh bowl of Mars was a comic metaphor for a shield. It was also used for sunken work in a ceiling. In the Septuagint the word is frequently used for bowls or basons. See Num 7:13, 19, 25, 31, 37, 43, etc.; 1Ki 7:50; Zec 9:15. Here, censers, though several different words of the Septuagint and New Testament are rendered censer; as quiskh, 1Ki 7:50; qumiathrion, 2Ch 26:19; Eze 8:11; Heb 9:4; libanwton, Rev 8:3. Quiskh however is the golden incense - cup or spoon to receive the frankincense which was lighted with coals from the brazen altar, and offered on the golden altar before the veil. The imagery is from the tabernacle and temple service.

Incense [θυμιαματων] . The directions for the composition of the incense for the tabernacle - worship, are given Exo 30:37, 38.

Prayers. For incense as the symbol of prayer, see Lev 16:12, 13; Psa 141:2. See on Luk 1:9. Edersheim, describing the offering of incense in the temple, says : "As the President gave the word of command which marked that 'the time of incense had come, ' the whole multitude of the people without withdrew from the inner court and fell down before the Lord, spreading their hands in silent prayer. It is this most solemn period, when, throughout the vast temple - buildings, deep silence rested on the worshipping multitude, while within the sanctuary itself the priest laid the incense on the golden altar, and the cloud of odors rose up before the Lord, which serves as the image of heavenly things in Revelation (viii. 1, 3, 4). The prayers offered by priests and people at this part of the service are recorded by tradition as follows : 'True it is that Thou art Jehovah, our God and the God of our fathers; our King and the King of our fathers; our Savior and the Rock of our salvation; our Help and our Deliverer. Thy name is from everlasting, and there is no God beside Thee. A new song did they that were delivered sing to Thy name by the seashore. Together did all praise and own Thee as King, and say, 'Jehovah shall reign who saveth Israel. '" Compare "the Song of Moses," chapter Rev 14:3, and "a new song," verse 9.

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.