Revelation 5:1-4 And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals.… 1. Whereas John is comforted by one of the elders, we see that the Lord never leaves His own comfortless. 2. Where He says, "Behold the Lion of the tribe of Judah," etc., we are taught for all solid comfort to look up to Christ the fountain thereof; and as Samson got honey out of his slain lion, so shall we the sweetness of comfort from Him. 3. The elder speaks of Him in His titles out of Moses and Isaiah; and so do all faithful teachers speak of Him according to the Scriptures. 4. Christ is said to be not only a Lamb for meekness, innocence, and patient suffering, but also a Lion for power and prevailing against all His foes and ours, which is both a comfort to His own and terror to His enemies. 5. Also where He is said to be of the tribe of Judah, and so to be man of our nature and come of men; it is likewise greatly to our comfort that He has so dignified our nature in His person, wherein now it is glorified, passing by the angels. 6. Where He is called "the Root of David," who was also a Branch or the Son of David, we see as He was man; so likewise God, and the root or stock which bears up all the faithful and can never fail. 7. He is said to have prevailed to open the book, etc. — to wit, with the Father-as our Mediator and Advocate, which is to our great comfort, that whatever (for the good of His Church) He seeks of the Father, He prevails therein; yea, whatever we shall seek in His name, it shall be granted us. 8. He prevails to open the book and the seven seals thereof. It is He, then, only who is "The Word," as the Wisdom of the Father to decree, so the Word to declare, and the Power to effectuate, that Great Prophet of His Church who came from the bosom of the Father to reveal the Lord's counsel, and His goodwill to men: hear Him. (Wm. Guild, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals. |
    |