The bowls are the saints' prayers brought to God by the angelic elders (cf. Rev. 8:3-4), whereas the incense is Christ added to the saints' prayers. See note Rev. 8:34d. That in their worship to God the twenty-four angelic elders are holding the golden bowls full of incense shows that they, as priests, are ministering to God by bringing the saints' prayers to Him.
Rev. 8:3; cf. Exo. 30:34-38
Lit., incenses.
The song here is new because the Lamb whom it praises had just been slain.
In the whole universe no one is worthy to open the mystery of God's economy but Christ, the overcoming Lion and the redeeming Lamb. As the overcoming Lion, He defeated Satan for God, and as the redeeming Lamb, He put sin away for us. He is the only One qualified to unveil and carry out the mystery of God's economy.
Lit., in.
According to Greek grammar, the antecedent of which is seven eyes. Hence, the seven Spirits of God refer only to the seven eyes of the Lamb, and not to His seven horns.
Eyes are for observing and searching. Christ as the redeeming Lamb has seven observing and searching eyes for executing God's judgment upon the universe to fulfill God's eternal purpose, which will consummate in the building up of the New Jerusalem. Therefore, in Zech. 3:9 He is prophesied as the stone, the topstone (Zech. 4:7, lit.) with seven eyes for God's building. These seven eyes are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth, and they run to and fro through the whole earth (Zech. 4:10). See note Rev. 1:143c.
cf. Deut. 33:17; Psa. 132:17
Horns signify strength in fighting (Deut. 33:17). Christ is the redeeming Lamb, yet He has horns for fighting. He is the fighting Redeemer. His fighting is complete (perfect and complete) in God's move, as signified by the number seven.
Having just been slain indicates that the Lamb had just been slain and also that the scene in the heavens that is depicted in this chapter took place immediately after Christ's ascension into the heavens.
Rev. 5:8, 12, 13; 6:1, 16; 7:9-10, 14, 17; 12:11; 13:8; 14:1, 4, 10; 15:3; 17:14; 19:7, 9; 21:9, 14, 22, 23, 27; 22:1, 3; John 1:29; 1 Pet. 1:18-19; Isa. 53:7
In ch. 4 is the scene in the heavens, its center being the throne of God, on which God sits, ready to execute His universal administration for the fulfillment of His eternal purpose. Here in ch. 5 is the same scene in the heavens after Christ ascended there. He was recommended to the apostle John as the Lion of the tribe of Judah by one of the elders, but He appeared to John as a Lamb. As the Lion, He is the Fighter against the enemy; as the Lamb, He is the Redeemer for us. He fought to redeem us, and He won the battle over the enemy and accomplished redemption for us. To the enemy He is a Lion; to us He is a Lamb. Hence, He is the Lion-Lamb.
As the Lion of the tribe of Judah, Christ overcame and defeated the rebellious Satan, the enemy of God, and as the redeeming Lamb, He took away the sin of fallen man. By so doing, He removed the hindrances to the fulfillment of God's purpose. Therefore, He is worthy to open the scroll concerning God's economy.
Rev. 22:16; cf. Isa. 11:1, 10; Rom. 15:12
The title Root of David (He is also the Root of David's father, Jesse — Isa. 11:1) signifies that Christ is the source of David. Therefore, David, His forefather, called Him "Lord" (Matt. 22:42-45).
Gen. 49:9-10; cf. Num. 24:9; Micah 5:8
The lion is a symbol of Christ, portraying Him as a strong fighter against the enemy, as prophesied in Gen. 49:8-9. Christ's overcoming qualifies Him to open the scroll and its seven seals.
If actually no one in the whole universe was found worthy to open the scroll, we would surely need to weep, for the whole universe would be vanity, with none qualified to unveil its secret.
The seven seals with which the scroll is sealed up are actually the contents of the scroll and the contents of the book of Revelation. The book of Revelation is just the opening, the unveiling, of the seven seals.
This scroll must be the new covenant, the grand title deed in the universe, enacted with the blood of the Lamb for God's redemption of the church, Israel, the world, and the universe. This book is a record of God's thought concerning the church, Israel, the world, and the universe.
Them refers to the redeemed ones (v. 9). That the twenty-four elders referred to these redeemed ones as them in their praise proves that the praising elders are not of the church but of the angels.
The kingdom is for kingship, for the exercising of God's authority, and the priests are for the priesthood, for the accomplishing of the divine ministry.
Or, over.
The many angels, represented by the twenty-four elders, follow the elders to render to the Lamb the angelic praise.
All the creatures, who are represented by the four living creatures, follow the living creatures to give the Lamb the universal praise of all creatures other than the angels.
