“After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter. And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne” (Revelation 4:1,2).

Following the vision of Christ walking in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks, and after St. John had received the messages which he was to send to the angels of the seven Churches, he looked and saw a door opened in heaven, and heard for the second time the trumpet-voice of Christ. This time it was an invitation: “Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.” Immediately he was “in the spirit.” In considering the expression “a door was opened in heaven” it will assist materially if we observe and bear in mind that the Scriptures speak of the sky as a solid expanse, or as an extended arch above the earth. In this expanse or arch the stars are represented as shining. Through apertures or windows in this expanse, the rain is represented as coming down (Genesis 7:11). This is of course figurative.

The simple meaning in this vision is that it was to St. John, as if such an opening had been made in the sky, and he was permitted to view a scene in heaven. What he saw was not an actual occurrence, but a vision representing such. The expression “in the spirit” denotes that he was in a state in which all his natural faculties were under Divine control. In this condition he beheld the visions recorded in the rest of the book of Revelation. The visions of the book from chapter six to its close may well be likened to a drama which tells the story of developments in both the true and nominal Church as well as in the world down to the time of Christ’s glorious triumph over sin and death. The careful student will observe that the vision recorded in chapters four and five is largely synoptical and more in the nature of an introductory scene to this Divine drama which follows.

In this vision the Apostle saw first a throne set in heaven, and on the throne was seated the Eternal One. St. John does not attempt to describe the one on the throne, except by the simple statement that “He that sat thereon was like a jasper and a sardine stone.” Perhaps this expression is intended to be suggestive or descriptive of the glorious qualities of this Divine One. That the one who is here represented in the symbol is the Heavenly Father, there can be no question. All the symbolic transactions in the scene demonstrate that the Great Jehovah the Author of the Divine Plan, is the One represented, and was such as to impress St. John and the Church with the signal importance of the communications about to be made.

He next beheld a rainbow, completely encircling the throne (see Diaglott). The rainbow in the vision was not such as is seen from the earth — an incomplete circle. This which the Apostle saw completely encircled the All-Glorious and Perfect One. Looking at this symbolical rainbow in the light of the Genesis account (Genesis 9:12-17), will assist us to understand its significance. There we learn that the rainbow is the token of God’s promise and agreement with the earth and mankind that there should never be another flood. The waters had just abated, and the sun for the first time was shining out through the last fragments of the mists and clouds as the storm of judgment was retreating. This it was that produced the rainbow effect, and seems to teach that the many troublous times portrayed by the visions throughout the Revelation, culminating at last in a general storm of judgment, will eventually be for man’s good, for his correction, for his everlasting blessing. It is through these troubles and severe experiences that the followers of Christ are developed and perfected and will finally be made joint-heirs with him in his Kingdom for the blessing of all mankind. The rainbow then seems to announce that earth’s storms are to cease, and speaks of the hope of life, of peace and blessing to come out of the trials encountered by the true Church, and out of the final storm of judgment experienced by the world, all of which is in full harmony with the Divine promise of blessed refreshment and restitution for man and his home, the earth — a “new heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness” (2 Peter 3:13).

It is then manifest that the rainbow-encircled throne, in this aspect of the vision, describes Jehovah’s sovereignty in its general attitude and conduct towards man in redemptive grace, in providing deliverance for him from the slavery to sin and death. We have in the Scriptures several symbolic descriptions of God’s throne, but they differ widely in their surroundings from this one. The “emerald” appearance of the rainbow (greenish in color) is significant of the “olive leaf” of hope and promise that was brought to Noah by the dove when the waters of the flood were subsiding. The “emerald” effect of the rainbow therefore seems to suggest the springing up of new life — the restitution times, subsequent to the closing scenes of this dispensation, after the Church is complete and the world has passed through its judgment-troubles. Then all nations shall come and worship before God (Revelation 15:4).

The conclusion is unavoidable that the throne and its surroundings are symbolical of the rule of Jehovah; not, however, the rule of Jehovah as it is related to His government of the universe; nor the rule of Jehovah as represented by the “Great White Throne” of judgment during the Millennial Age; but rather it represents the exercise of his sovereignty and power in the execution of the Divine purpose for the blessing of the Church and the world. The vision then is designed to be a sublime introduction to the visions that follow, which portray the trials of the Church as it comes in conflict with the world powers, civil and religious; and is intended to show the supremacy of Jehovah, the Divine interest in and supervision of this feature of the Divine Plan — the preparation of the Church for the blessing of the world — as it progresses to completion.

The Sealed Scroll

The Apostle had been told that he was to be shown “things which must take place hereafter.” He was, therefore, in this trance condition, in a state of expectancy. He was not to have revealed to him the future things themselves, but rather the symbolic visions that represented these future scenes and developments. After beholding the symbolic actors and surroundings of the throne vision, which will be considered later on, St. John’s attention was called to a sealed book, or scroll, in the right hand of Him that sat on the throne. The sealed scroll was evidently a symbol. It could have but one meaning — that there were certain things in connection with God’s plans and purposes for mankind that up to the time of Christ’s resurrection had been kept secret, had not been revealed to even the Savior himself. The next symbolic transaction further proves that this is its significance: “And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?” (Revelation 5:2).

At first St. John heard no response to this solemn question; and to him it seemed as though there was none to be found qualified or worthy to open the book and to make known its contents. It would be in harmony with the transactions of the vision to think that the Apostle John in this trance state supposed that the things to be made known to him were contained in the sealed scroll. Thus we account for his words: “And I wept much because no one was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon” (Revelation 5:4). We may be sure that these transactions were of intense interest to him. That his disappointment was inexpressible, is shown in the fact that he “wept much.” While he was weeping, one of the twenty-four elders spoke to him words of comfort and encouragement: “Weep not: behold the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.”

Following this, the Apostle beheld, seemingly for the first time, another symbolic actor in the vision: “And I beheld, and lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four living ones, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth” (verse 6). St. John immediately recognized in this one, the Lamb of God that was to take away the sin of the world. The vision was designed to show Christ receiving some of the rewards of his great sacrifice. The Apostle watched what was next to occur, and beheld the Lamb approach the Eternal One and receive the book out of His right hand. That the reception of the book by the Lamb marked in symbol an event of vast magnitude and became the means of solving some great problem is clearly taught by the fact that immediately, not only the actors about the throne joined in what would seem to be a hallelujah chorus of praise, thanksgiving, and worship, but the Revelator heard additionally voices of a mighty throng which reverberated throughout heaven and earth, proclaiming blessing and honor and glory unto Him that sat upon the throne and unto the Lamb.

Concerning the significance of this majestic scene — the Lamb’s receiving the sealed book, and the breaking of the seals, the observations of Mr. Russell are indeed luminous:

“The Heavenly Father, the Ancient of Days, is shown seated on the heavenly throne, and in His hand a scroll written inside and outside, sealed with seven seals. That scroll, representing the Divine Plan, known only to the Father, Jehovah Himself, was kept in His own power — in His own hand — until someone should be proved worthy to know it, and became its executor as Jehovah’s honored agent and representative. The symbolic picture proceeds to show that up to the time our Lord Jesus suffered for us at Calvary, ‘the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God,’ no one had ever been found (proved) worthy to take up the Divine Plan and even understand it. But when our Lord Jesus had proved his loyalty to the Heavenly Father by his obedience, not only in humbling himself to take man’s estate for the suffering of death, but also in his obedience ‘even unto death,’ and still further, ‘even unto the [ignominious] death of the cross,’ then and thereby he did prove himself worthy of every confidence and trust.”

The fact that our Lord did not receive the scroll before his death, and did not understand what was on the inside, would not conflict with the thought of his wonderful knowledge of Divine Truths during his earthly ministry. That he did have special knowledge was particularly indicated by the statement that at his baptism the heavens were opened unto him. This which he saw during his ministry would seem to correspond to what was written on the outside of the scroll referring to certain general information and knowledge. But the minutia and detail of the Divine Plan with respect to many of the things future were not revealed to him until he received the scroll and opened the seals after his resurrection. The same writer continues:

“Our Lord Jesus received the anointing of the holy Spirit when he came up out of the water at his baptism. Then the heavens were opened unto him. The higher things which he had not previously understood became clear. The Scriptures were unfolded to his view … During these three and a half years he was the Messiah, the Sent of God. He was the Lion of the tribe of Judah. He had sacrificed his will, but this was not sufficient. God wished him to sacrifice not only his will, but actually to lay down his human life. Here the words of our text find their answer. The inquiry [Who is worthy?] compassed the period from before Jesus came into the world up to his resurrection from the grave. God had given the most honorable one of all the host of heaven the first opportunity to prove his worthiness to loose the scroll of God’s great Plan, and to fulfill its provisions. He was given this opportunity because, as the First-born of Jehovah, He had the right to the first privilege of service. And he did not allow the privilege to go by. He accepted it. He was faithful. He humbled himself to human nature, and thus he became the Lion of the tribe of Judah, of which tribe he was born as a man. …

“Our Lord’s worthiness was not then proved. It was not until he cried with his dying breath, ‘It is finished!’ that the demonstration was complete. Speaking in vision of the three and a half years during which our Lord is represented as slain, St. John the Revelator says, ‘I beheld and lo, a freshly slain Lamb!’ And the voices of myriads of angels were heard proclaiming, ‘Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing!’ (Revelation 5:12). Jesus had not proved himself worthy of this great honor when he made his consecration, but when he had finished his course in death he was then worthy to receive glory, honor, and power.”

We believe we may safely draw the lesson, first, that the receiving of the scroll by Christ is designed to show that a full, complete knowledge of the Divine purposes for both the Church and the world, was given to him, as well as all power and authority to carry to completion the Heavenly Father’s plans and purposes. This occurred even before his ascension, for he said to his disciples: “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth” (Matthew 28:18-20).

Second, that the time when the events of the vision of this throne scene began to occur was after our Lord’s resurrection when he received the scroll.

Third, that the opening of the scroll, the breaking of the seals, etc., show the progressive order of the fulfillment of the events symbolized by the four horsemen, etc.

In a succeeding chapter the opening of the seals will be discussed at length. It will be to our profit at this point, however, to have before the mind a brief summary:

(1) The white horse and its rider is pictorial of the early Church arrayed in garments of simplicity and purity, with its immaculate doctrines and perfect unity, courageously riding forth, bearing the “Good Tidings” over the earth with the design to conquer such as had hearing ears.

(2) The red, black, and pale horses and their riders of the second, third, and fourth seals, depict those conquering forces that had to do with the gradual rise and development of the persecuting Antichrist, and the worldly, formal, false Church over which he ruled (Revelation 6:3-8).

(3) The fifth seal discloses a vision of a band of faithful martyrs who suffered during the supremacy of both Pagan and Papal Rome (Revelation 6:9-11).

(4) The sixth seal opens with a literal and symbolical darkening of the sun and moon, and falling of stars, and an earthquake. This brings us to the “time of the end.” It is in connection with the fulfillment of the symbols of this seal, that the sealing of the “one hundred and forty-four thousand” is accomplished. In the closing events of this seal, this class is seen as the “temple” in heaven; another class also, the “Great Company,” is seen serving before the throne, having come out of the “great tribulation” — the last great time of trouble which marks the change of dispensation from the rule and dominion of Satan to that of Christ (Revelation 6:12-17, 7:1-17).

It is therefore most obvious that the six seals cover the entire Gospel Age. This fact should be noted very carefully as it has an important bearing upon the interpretation of the succeeding visions, and will assist to an understanding of the events referred to in the breaking of the seventh seal.

(5) Under the seventh seal a new series of visions is brought to view, which, it will be manifest, covers to a great extent the same period of time as the previous six seals. In other words, as the trumpets sound under the breaking of the seventh seal, we are to look for the events symbolized by the first trumpet as also beginning near the Apostle’s day.

This would seem to locate the “half hour’s silence in heaven,” which precedes the sounding of the seven trumpets (Revelation 8:1), as the period of the ten days of waiting for the promise of the Father of the gift of the holy Spirit, during which time nothing was to be done by the disciples. The “silence in heaven” would reasonably symbolize the quietness in the spiritual realm of operations so far as our Lord’s disciples were concerned, during those days of waiting, previous to the day of Pentecost.

In the light of this view we are enabled to rightly understand and apply, in harmony with the types of the High Priest of the typical tabernacle, the symbol- ical vision of the angel that came to the altar receiving the “much incense for the prayers of the saints” (Revelation 8:3-5). The angel, of course, as the symbols show, represents Christ. Of this, however, we shall speak more particularly when we come to examine that vision.

In the vision of chapter 5, when the Lamb had taken the book out of the hand of Him that sat upon the throne, St. John saw: “The four living ones and the four and twenty elders fall down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps and golden vials full of odors, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sung 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 with Thy blood, out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation; and Thou didst make them to our God a Royalty and a Priesthood, and they shall reign on (over) the earth” (Revelation 5:9,10).

“It is at this point that the picture we are considering shows our Lord Jesus as the Lamb that had been slain, before whom obeisance was made, and who was proclaimed, ‘Worthy the Lamb!’ … Thus is pictured to us the high exalta- tion of the Heavenly Father’s representative, the ‘messenger [servant] of the Covenant.’ Because of his humility and complete submission and obedience to the Father’s will he is proclaimed thenceforth the sharer of the Father’s throne, and, by the Father’s own arrangement, the proclamation was made throughout the Heavenly hosts, ‘Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing,’ and finally ‘every creature’ shall catch the thought that Jehovah has very highly exalted His Only Begotten Son, even to association with Himself in the Kingdom, and shout their approval, saying, ‘The blessing, and the honor, and the glory, and the power be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne [of the universe — Jehovah] and unto the Lamb.’ ”

It will be noted that this last expression of obeisance (verse 13) is prophetic, and looks forward to the time of the consummation of the Father’s great Plan.

Other Significant Symbols

In view of the foregoing considerations the Revelator’s statement, chapter 4, verse 5, becomes more luminous. “Out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices.” This language is descriptive of the general effect and results upon mankind in connection with the carrying out of this great drama — the Divine Plan. Several times throughout the book of Revelation, St. John describes in this language what he heard and saw. Lightnings are force- fully significant of diffusions or flashes of knowledge, truth. “His lightnings enlightened the world” (Psalms 97:4). Voices signify proclamations and general discussions of subjects by those being enlightened. Thunderings are symbolic of tumults, controversies accompanying the dissemination and spread of knowledge. Down through the centuries as the Divine Plan has progressed, these effects — enlightenments, disturbances, commotions — have been noted among mankind, and particularly are these results to be seen in connection with those events that mark the close of this dispensation, the overthrow of Satan’s empire and the coming in of the Kingdom of God, of which we shall say more hereafter (Revelation 8:5, 11:19, 16:18).

Summarizing the teaching of this fifth chapter: St. John evidently represents the Church; his seeing the visions represents the Church seeing the fulfillment of them; the words, “to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass,” as also the words, “Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter,” plainly teach that the prophetic visions are open for the Church’s study; not, however, that they would be understood all at once, but gradually, a little at a time, as the events of the Church’s history unveiled their meaning. This vision of chapters four and five explains most fully and clearly the opening verse of the Apocalypse, in the light of which we are enabled to para phrase it thus:

“The Revelation of Jesus Christ [symbolized by the scroll seen in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne], which God [the one on the throne] gave unto him [symbolized by the Lamb receiving the scroll], to shew unto his servants [the Church] the things which must shortly come to pass [the things symbolized by the sealed scroll — the prophecies of this book]; and he sent and signified it [made it known by signs or symbols] by his angel unto his servant John.”

In brief, let us note the matter in the following order:

(1) God gave to Christ an understanding of all the prophecies of this book. This occurred after his resurrection, before his ascension to heaven.

(2) Christ gave, or caused St. John to see, over sixty years after, all the visions that were represented in this sealed scroll.

(3) St. John, according to Divine instructions, wrote these visions and gave them to the Church at that time.

(4) The visions themselves have been in the possession of the Church ever since that time.

(5) St. John, seeing the visions represented by the things in the sealed scroll gradually, a little at a time, represents the Church seeing the fulfillment as history has unveiled their meaning.

(6) They have therefore been unsealed, that is, open for the Church’s study since they were given.

(7) The Church is very specially exhorted to read or hear the words of this prophecy, and is promised a blessing in so doing. The reason for this is that “the time is [was then] at hand.”

(8) The facts of history show that some of the Lord’s servants all down through the age have read, and, of course, studied the visions. The results of their studies have been published and they show a gradual, progressive understanding of the visions up to the present time. The visions, therefore, have been unsealed — open for study — and more or less clearly understood ever since St. John’s day.

While it is true that God’s servants are not commanded to study the Revelation of Christ, it is undoubtedly true that those who have, in the proper attitude of mind and heart, heeded the encouraging and persuasive words of the Savior to read or hear it read, have received the blessing promised. It is most reasonable to suppose that to receive any blessing whatsoever, at least a measure of understanding is required and is therefore given.