Revelation 21

Revelation 21:1

And no man . . . was able to open the book. No one (the word “man” does not occur in the Greek) was found able to open the book, for no one can penetrate the future. It is held in the strong right hand of Him who sits on the throne, the omnipotent disposer of the future, who controls the destiny of churches, men, and nations. The sweep of the panorama, that has pictured forth upon its canvas the destiny of the Church and the world, cannot begin until the seals of this book are opened. Had no one been found able to open the seals, the closing book of the Bible would never have been written.

Revelation 21:2

And I wept much. The exiled apostle is filled with anxiety to penetrate the secrets of futurity, and to know the fortunes of that Church which he loved better than he loved his own life. He was then a prisoner on a rocky isle of the sea. It was a time of persecution. He was separated from the saints, and ardently desires to know the results, in the future, of all the struggles, sufferings and blood of a persecuted people.

Revelation 21:3

And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not. It is one of the twenty-four elders that assures him that the book will be opened; and let it be distinctly noted that such a duty as instructing a prophet in heavenly things was never laid upon a human beings under either covenant. Such duties mark the elders as belonging to the angelic realm. The Lion of the tribe of Juda. See Genesis 49:9. See also Isaiah 11:1,10. Jesus was of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, or descended from David.

Revelation 21:4

And I beheld. When John looked to behold the Lion of Judah, the root of David, who should open the book, he beheld the only being in the universe who could take it from the hand of God. There is none other to whom the future is revealed. He only, to whom all power in heaven and earth has been given, can control the events of earth. He only can hold in his hand the book of destiny, open its leaves, and reveal its record to men. John looked to see this mighty one who was deemed worthy to exercise the prerogative of God. A Lamb. But he appears in symbolic form, as a Lamb of God slain for sins; a sacrificial Lamb bearing wounds, the marks of having been slain. The Lion had become a Lamb. The Lamb became a Lion, a conqueror, and “prevailed” so as to be able to hold and open the book (Revelation 5:5), or to hold the reins of all power by submitting unto death. This symbolic Lamb had seven horns, the perfect number joined to the well-known symbol of power; the seven horns denoting omnipotence; also the Lamb had seven eyes, defined by John to symbolize the omniscience of him who hath the Spirit without measure. See PNT Revelation 1:4 on “the seven Spirits of God”.

Revelation 21:6

When he had taken 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” (see Matthew 28:18 John 13:3). 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. And golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints. 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.

Revelation 21:7

They sung a new song. To the music of their harps. A song that could not be sung until the Lamb had taken the book. For thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred. “Didst purchase unto God with thy blood men of every tribe” (Revised Version). The Common Version (“hast redeemed us to God”) is incorrect, as is now admitted by all scholars. The song does not sing of what Christ has done for those who are singing, but of what he has done for men. The singers are not of those redeemed.

Revelation 21:8

And hast made us. “Hast made them” (Revised Version). Not “us”, as in the Common Version. Kings and priests. A kingdom and priests. See PNT Revelation 1:6. And we shall reign on the earth. “And they reign upon the earth” (Revised Version). Not “we”, as in the Common Version. As coadjutors of Christ. See PNT Revelation 2:10.

Revelation 21:9

And I beheld . . . many angels. The countless multitudes of angels also unite in the praises of the Lamb.

Revelation 21:11

And every creature. All animated creation gives glory to the Lamb.

Revelation 21:12

And the four beasts said, Amen. They, then, though they may be in sympathy with, are different from the animated creation. Four orders join in these honors to the Lamb: (1) The Living Creatures, the Cherubim; (2) the Twenty-four Elders; (3) the Angels; (4) all Animate Creation.

Revelation 21:14

The Opening of the Seals SUMMARY OF REVELATION 6: The Warrior on the White Horse. The Warrior with the Great Sword. The Black Horse and He That Had the Balances. The Pale Horse, Death and Hades. The Fifth Seal, the Seal of Persecution. The Sixth Seal Opened. A Period of Judgment. THE FIRST SEAL. And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals. The statement “I saw” means that when the Lamb opened one of the seals John saw the vision which is described in what follows. As it were the noise of thunder. A deep, impressive, awe-inspiring sound. Come and see. Attend closely to the vision.

Revelation 21:15

And I saw, and behold, a white horse. Let the reader note particularly what John saw, and then remember that it is symbolical, and that instead of looking for a literal fulfillment, we are to ask the meaning of the symbols. There are several features of the vision that fix our attention: (1) The horse; (2) his white color; (3) the armed warrior; (4) his crown; (5) his bow; (6) his mission. It is certain that none of these features would have been named if they did not possess a significance. What do each of these symbols mean? I will consider them in order: (1) THE HORSE.

He was never used by the Jews or Orientals as a beast of burden. The ox and the ass were devoted to that office, and the horse was reserved for war. Whenever the horse is mentioned by the prophets it will be found in connection with warlike employments. That the horse is always associated with war can be seen by consulting Job 29:25 Psalms 76:6 Proverbs 21:31 Jeremiah 8:6 Ezekiel 26:10. Hence this symbol points to a period of war, though it alone does not declare whether the conflict is carnal or spiritual, is triumphant or disastrous. (2) THE WHITE COLOR. As there are three more horses in succession under the three following seals, each of different colors, the color must have a meaning.

White must have a different significance from red, or black, or pale. What is indicated by the color of the first horse? White is the color of prosperity, of happiness, and triumph. Whenever a Roman General was given a triumph his chariot was drawn by milk-white horses. In Revelation 19:11 the Mighty Conqueror who wears many crowns is seen riding on a white horse. Commentators are agreed that the white horse signifies prosperous, victorious wars. (3) THE RIDER.

His significance is due to his arms, his crown, and the white horse he rides. It is enough to state here that he represents either some conqueror, or a conquering age. (4) THE CROWN. “A crown was given to him”. This crown is not “the diadem” (“diadema”) but the “garland crown” (“stephanos”). The last was the crown given as a reward for victory in battle, for great achievements or for victory in games. The Hero of chapter 19 wears many diadems, kingly crowns (Revelation 19:12), but this rider wears the garland crown, the “stephanos”. It is important to note this distinction. (5) THE BOW.

He is armed with a usual weapon of war in that age. The bow may signify that the rider is a great, warlike figure, or there may be a special significance in the fact that he is armed with a bow instead of a sword or spear.

Revelation 21:16

THE SECOND SEAL. And when he had opened the second seal. The second living creature said, “Come and see”, and immediately the first vision is replaced by a second, or a startling character.

Revelation 21:17

And there went out another horse [that was] red. There appears in the field of view a second horse, no longer white, but as red as blood. The horse is the symbol of war, but the changed color indicates that the conditions of war are entirely changed. It is no longer triumphant war in the dominions of their enemies, while within all is peace, but the land is drenched in blood. And [power] was given to him. Upon the horse sat one with a great sword in his hand, to whom power was given “to take peace from the earth”, and to make men “that they should kill one another”. To take peace from the earth. The “earth” contemplated by John was the Roman earth, or empire. From it peace shall be taken away. Nor is it to be destroyed by foreign invaders. That they should kill one another. In as plain language as symbolism can disclose, it is indicated that the next great feature of history is that the land shall be torn by civil war. During the period of the first seal the fertile provinces of the Roman Empire never saw the face of a hostile soldier, unless borne as a captive from the distant frontiers, where the Roman generals waged triumphant wars in the countries of their enemies. All was peace within. But now a period of internal war is indicated.

Revelation 21:18

THE THIRD SEAL. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him. Again there appear a horse and a rider. Again the color of the horse is changed, as well as the instrument held in the hand of the horseman. If the white and red colors, the bow and the great sword, had a significance, this must be true also of the black color and the balances. It has been found that the horse, whatever his color, is the symbol of war. The black horse makes it plain that the land is torn by calamitous war, and is filled with sorrow, mourning and despair. Black is the color of mourning. The prophet (Jeremiah 14:2) says: “Because of the drought Judah mourneth, and the gates thereof languish; they are in deep mourning (’lit. black’) for the land”. Had a pair of balances. The balances used for weighing food are a symbol of scarcity and famine.

Revelation 21:19

A measure of wheat was about a quart, and the penny about sixteen cents, which would make the wheat worth about $5 per bushel; or, if it be borne in mind that one dollar in that age would usually purchase as $5 now, the wheat would be about $25 per bushel in the modern currency. “Bread by weight” always implies scarcity. See Leviticus 26:26 Ezekiel 4:16,17. The prices named also signify the same. Hurt not the oil and the wine. Oil and wine, though common foods, are entirely prohibited. An age of war, mourning, calamity and famine is certainly symbolized.

Revelation 21:20

THE FOURTH SEAL.

Revelation 21:21

Behold a pale horse. Again, for the fourth time John beholds a horse. It is still a time of war. The horse is now pale, the bloodless color of the dead. Upon him sits Death, an undescribed figure. Behind the dread destroyer follows Hades, the unseen world (not “Hell” as in the Common Version) swallowing up the dying mortals and hiding them from human vision. The means employed to destroy men are described. Death and Hades employ the sword (1) of war; hunger, or (2) famine; death, or (3) pestilence, for so is the word here used often to translated, and such is its meaning in this place; and finally beasts of the earth, (4) the destruction caused by the wild beasts of forests and field. The evident meaning of this symbolism is so plain that all can understand its application, and we need only ask if the facts correspond. Do we find the scarcity, want, hunger, and pestilence, indicated by the prophecy, during the latter portion of this period of civil commotion? Do we have an awful reign of Death in the forms signaled by the seal?

Revelation 21:22

THE FIFTH SEAL. And when he had opened the fifth seal. It is evident from the entire change of imagery that, after the fourth seal, the subject of prophetic vision is entirely changed. The horse now disappears, and is seen no more in connection with the opening of the seals. Along with the horse the armed warriors sweep out of sight. The next vision is that of suffering saints. I saw . . . the souls of them that were slain for the word of God. These are clearly Christians who had suffered martyrdom. They had died “for the word of God”. They were under the altar. Since the temple is typical of the church, the altar, the center of worship, points to the church and its worship. The brazen altar stood at the door of the tabernacle, and at the bottom of it all the blood of the offerings was poured (Leviticus 4:7). Their position probably points out that their own blood was poured out for Christ.

Revelation 21:23

And they cried with a loud voice. Their cry denotes that the church had suffered long and severely, and they raise a cry for deliverance.

Revelation 21:24

And white robes were given to every one of them. The robes of justification and victory. It was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season. They are assured that the day when “they will be avenged” will soon come, but that they must wait a little season. That should be killed as they [were]. Others must be added to the number of the martyrs before the number is fulfilled. It is a time of persecution. The fifth seal is the seal of persecution, and it evidently marks some notable era in the history of the Church, when more fiercely than ever before it felt the intolerant hand of “them who dwelt on the earth” (Revelation 6:10). The fulfillment is to be sought in a war of extermination waged against Christianity. Again we ask if, following the events already described, history records events that fulfill this prophecy?

Revelation 21:25

THE SIXTH SEAL. There was a great earthquake. The symbol of political or moral agitation and upheaval. The sun became black . . . and the moon became as blood. The “sun”, “moon”, and “stars” are symbols of earthly dignitaries, great lights in the political or religious heavens. In the dream of Joseph, which so maddened his brethren, these terms are used in this meaning, as well as by the ancient prophets. In the East it was common to liken the king or emperor to the sun, and the stars as the symbols of princes or rulers. For the use of the term we refer the reader to Daniel 8:10. The blackness of the sun and the bloody hue of the moon point out scenes of mourning and bloodshed among rulers and princes.

Revelation 21:26

The stars of heaven fell unto the earth. The falling of the stars would indicate the downfall of those who had high places on the earth, or rather within the Roman Empire.

Revelation 21:27

The heaven departed. The old religions, supposed to be of heavenly origin, pass away. Every mountain and island were moved. “Mountain” and “island” are used to denote earthly rulers and kingdoms, the latter referring more especially to European provinces which are often called “the isles of the sea” in the Bible (Es 10:1 Isaiah 24:15). From the period of Diocletian, the great persecutor, the title “Your Eminence”, or, in other words, “mountain”, was bestowed upon princes. As a mountain stood above the plain, so the rulers of the earth were exalted.