blessed Saviour redeemed us to be a peculiar, or special people unto
Himself, so that all God’s redeemed are sanctified, or set apart, unto
Him. This is exactly what is taught in the hymn of heaven, for there we
learn that we are redeemed, not merely from sin, but unto God. ‘Thou
hast redeemed us unto God by thy blood.’ ‘We are made kings and priests
unto God.’ It is true of the believer, as it is of the Lord Jesus
Himself, that ‘In that he liveth he liveth unto God.’ By atonement every
barrier is broken down, and the way of access laid open even to the very
throne of God Himself; and by the call of the Holy Ghost we are set apart
unto God, to bear His name, to live as His sons, to do His will, to act
as His witnesses, and to be as it were His representatives in the midst
of a wicked world. We are not redeemed simply in order that we may be
saved, but in order also that God may be glorified. As God’s chosen
people we are brought near to God Himself, in order that we may go forth
into life, to glorify His name.
* * * * *
II. It is clear, therefore, that the account given in heaven of the work
of redemption is exactly the same as that which is taught us throughout
the word of God. Let us pass on to consider what is the heavenly
estimate of the sacred work, or in other words, What do they think of it
there? What value do they set on it?
First. What do the elders and the living ones think of it? The chapter
contains the description of a remarkable scene in connexion with a
certain book, which was seen in the right hand of Him that sat on the
throne. A strong angel proclaims with a loud voice, ‘Who is worthy to
open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?’ But ‘no man in heaven,
nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, and to
loose the seals thereof.’ There was something so sacred about it, that
no man was found worthy even to look on it, and the result was that St.
John wept much. Some people seem to care very little whether the book of
God is closed or not; but he shed many tears when the sacred book seemed
closed to his view. But one of those elders who sat around the throne
said, ‘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.’ So he beheld. He looked for the Lion, but when he looked
there stood a Lamb, a Lamb as it had been slain, the Lord Jesus Christ,
our Redeemer; and He came, and took the book out of the right hand of Him
that sat on the throne. It was this that called forth this hymn of
praise from the living ones, and that led them to sing 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.’ Now
observe that hymn, and note carefully what it was that in their sight
constituted the worthiness of the Lamb. It was not His Divine Sonship;
not His pre-existence as God; not His eternal and unspotted perfection;
not His present exaltation to the right hand of the Father’s throne: but
it was the fact that, in order to redeem, He had been slain. It was the
great act of redemption that gave Him a worthiness far beyond that of any
other either in heaven or earth. He was honoured with an honour far
above anything ever known, even in heaven, and the reason was that as a
Redeemer He had died. If you ask, then, What is heaven’s estimate of
_redemption_? the answer is, That it is thought there to be so gracious,
so wonderful, so divine, that it brings more honour to the Lord Jesus
than all the other glories of His most glorious eternity.
But what do the angels think of it? They are disinterested witnesses.
If the living ones are the spirits resting before the throne, they have
been saved by it; and, therefore, of course they have their deep personal
interest in it. But it is not so with the angels. They never fell, so
they have had no need of redemption, and can only regard it as a work
wrought out for others. But there is no selfishness apparent in their
spirit. I often think that the great charm of the angels’ character is
their complete unselfishness. So there was nothing selfish about their
song, for though they were only lookers-on, or rather ministers, though
they could not say, as we can, ‘Thou hast redeemed us,’ though not one of
their number was saved through the redeeming blood, yet the whole vast
multitude joined heart and soul in the adoration of redeeming mercy, and
as soon as the hymn of the living ones was brought to a close, they all
burst forth in their own song of praise, and said with a loud voice,
‘Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and
wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.’
But the worship did not stop even with them. St. Paul teaches us that
the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now,
for the whole is affected by the fall; and that a time is coming when,
through redeeming grace, the creature itself shall be delivered from the
bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
No wonder, then, that creation itself is here represented as taking part
in the joy of redemption. The whole creation is described as catching
the spirit of praise. The living ones and the angels were not allowed to
have a monopoly of thanksgiving, and, therefore, as soon as the angels’
hymn was ended there was a grand outburst of praise from the whole
creation of God: ‘And every creature which is in heaven, and on the
earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are
in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be
unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb, for ever and
ever.’
And now, dear brethren, what shall we do? Shall we go home indifferent
to the subject? Shall we, whose life depends altogether on redemption
leave it as a thing uncared for? Shall there be no note of praise from
us? Ye that know redeeming grace, shall there be no hymn of praise from
you? Surely we must not wait till we see Him on the throne, and hear the
hymn of the living ones. Those who are on earth according to this
passage are to join in the chorus, so we will lose no time in doing so;
and before we leave the church we will unite in the grand old hymn—
‘Come, let us join our cheerful songs
With angels round the throne;
Ten thousand thousand are their tongues,
But all their joys are one.
Worthy the Lamb that died, they cry,
To be exalted thus;
Worthy the Lamb our lips reply,
For he was slain for us.’
ADVERTISEMENTS.
WORKS BY THE SAME AUTHOR.
1. Redemption.
A Companion Volume to _Sanctification_.
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2. Palestine and Russia.
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3. Rome, Turkey, and Jerusalem.
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‘An admirable parochial book.’—_Evangelical Magazine_.
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‘Selects several important points of a wide subject, and treats them
soundly.’—_Christian Observer_.
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7. The Communion and Communicant.
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Sixth Edition. Fcap. 8vo. sewed, 4_d._
* * * * *
Just published, the Second Revised and Cheaper Edition of
The Family Commentary on the Holy Bible.
By the Rev. CHARLES GIRDLESTONE, M.A.
In 6 vols. Imp. 8vo. Lg. Type, 10_s._ 6_d._ each; or the set in 6
vols. or 3 vols. 3_l._ 3_s._
Vol. I. GENESIS TO DEUTERONOMY. Vol. IV. ISAIAH TO MALACHI.
,, II. JOSHUA TO ESTHER. V. MATTHEW TO JOHN.
,, III. JOB TO SONG OF SOLOMON. „ VI. ACTS TO REVELATION.
The _only_ Family Commentary on the _whole_ Bible.
_Prospectus_, _giving Specimen of Type_, _Opinions of the Press_,
_Clergy_,
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* * * * *
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‘One of the ablest refutations we have yet seen of the erroneous
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