is also held captive in the present time. But you, Lord, will free the truth, soon, soon. Before this happens, truth will be tied down by iron. People will believe that they have destroyed truth but suddenly the chains will be broken, the door of the prison opened, and truth will show itself to the people with more brilliance and will fill them with joy and pleasure. The redemption of Jesus Christ will reach all over the earth.
Then I saw between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders a Lamb standing as if it had been slaughtered, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. (Rev 5:6)
Between the throne and the four living creatures was a Lamb slaughtered for the sins of the world. This Lamb without stain has erased all of our iniquities. He let himself be immolated as an innocent victim to send the truth to human beings and let it be manifested to destroy error and lies. The immolated Lamb washed the robe of human beings in his blood, covered them with his wool, and nourished them with his flesh. This holy victim without stain still lives in his immolation between the creatures and the elders because it is he who makes the happiness of all the saints and the consummation of all the states. O Lamb who was immolated and died for love, how do all people not die of love for you!
The Lamb has seven eyes and seven horns: the seven eyes are the lights of his Spirit and his truth. The seven horns are the abundance of his graces that he distributes to human beings. So it is said, that he was full of grace and truth (John 1:14). The graces are the horns and the truth the eyes. These truths are spread by the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit and these spirits and these graces are sent out into all the earth and one day will be received throughout the earth everywhere. There will be one flock, one shepherd, one spirit, as Paul says, there is only One Spirit through all and in all (Ephesians 4:4–6).
He went and took the scroll from the right hand of the one who was seated on the throne. 8 When he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell before the Lamb, each holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. (Rev 5:7–8)
O Lamb, you took the scroll from the right hand of the One who sits upon the throne since you receive the truth from him in his eternal generation. You receive this truth for yourself from the One who begets you. But here, after your temporal birth, and after having been immolated, you receive from your Father the power to communicate this truth to human beings.
The living creatures and the elders fell before the Lamb to show their respect, joy, and recognition that the Lamb will manifest his truth on the earth. The Lamb will remove the chains that holds humanity captive. The harps they hold show their praise and the agreement of their will with God’s will, to which they have not the least opposition, difference, or contrariety. The golden bowls are the prayers of the saints. This shows well how the saints intercede for our brothers and sisters and present their prayers to have God’s answer. These prayers are in bowls of gold to show that these prayers come from the purest love. These prayers are well described as a perfume because the true prayer is that of annihilation. Just as the perfume comes only out of the destruction of the gum sap, our prayers come out of the fire of annihilation which devours us.
They sing a new song: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slaughtered and by your blood you ransomed for God saints from every tribe and language and people and nation.” (Rev 5:9)
The soul in her consummation is placed in a state to sing a new song known only to God of deliverance and joy, of happiness and contentment. The soul did not sing before its perfect renewal. She did not even know she was to sing a song that looks at God only as now all the interests of the creature are perfectly annihilated. We can say nothing about this song except it is inexplicable.
They rejoiced that Jesus Christ is worthy to take the scroll of truth and open its seals that had been hold captive and to manifest it to all the earth. They praise him that he ransomed them and all humanity by the price of his blood because he ransomed them for God, so that they belong to God, removing them from the captivity of the demon and putting them in freedom of the truth. You ransomed them, O Lord, to manifest your truth to them, to all tribes, that is to say, all Christians and all people and nations. There will be no exceptions to this, all religions and all people, including the Jewish and Islamic faiths, and even the most barbarous, will be associated with the sequel to the kingdom of Jesus Christ. They will all receive the Spirit of truth, which will be spread all over the earth. We will see in eternity the wonderful inventions of providence to save all people.
“You have made them to be a kingdom and priests serving our God, and they will reign on earth.” (Rev 5:10)
The annihilated souls are kings because they reign over all creatures. They are in perfect contentment without subjection. They are priests who sacrifice incessantly to God a host of praises. They reign not only in heaven but also on the earth. Their reign as king begins in this life. O that the ambitious should have this noble ambition to rule in this way! Their reign would be full of peace, exempt from all trouble, chagrin, and worry.
Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels surrounding the throne and the living creatures and the elders; they numbered myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, 12 singing with full voice, “Worthy is the Lamb that was slaughtered to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!” (Rev 5:11–12)
The angels surrounded the throne of God and the living creatures and the elders. This shows two things. First, there are saints in the rank of angels and even higher than the angels. Except for the seven spirits, which are the seven lamps that are always in front of the throne of God, there is no hierarchy where there are not saints. These blessed spirits have an inexhaustible love for human beings. These innumerable holy spirits continually praise God before the throne according to the magnificence of the majesty of God. O God, your goodness is infinite! You are happy throughout eternity. However, as if you had not been fully satisfied with enjoying yourself, you wanted to create creatures who could participate in this happiness. You caused an increase in accidental glory, but not an increase in essential glory. You wanted not only to love yourself but to make yourself loving. This is the design of creation, to make creatures capable of loving you and enjoying you, and that you love and enjoy yourself. You wanted to extend outside what you do inside of yourself. In contemplation, you engender your Word. In loving, you produce your Holy Spirit. You have made everyone capable of contemplating and loving which is the ability that both angels and saints in heaven and human beings on earth have. You create your own Word in them. You love them and produce your Holy Spirit in them. Therefore, the end of creation is to make human beings who love and contemplate. However, some humans believe that loving and contemplating is an impossible thing for humans and so they condemn this. Actually, human beings love and contemplate naturally.
They sang in a full voice to be heard in all the earth, that the Lamb without a stain, who was killed, who was immolated for love, was worthy to receive sovereign power, which was due to him through his eternal birth as God. He is also due sovereign power as conqueror and victor through his death. The wealth of Divinity, that is to say the glory of God, is on Jesus Christ because his humanity is united with the glory of God. He is due wisdom because he is wisdom incarnate and full power. He is due honor, glory, and blessing for all and in all things.
Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, singing, “To the one seated on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!” 14 And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” And the elders fell down and worshiped. (Rev 5:13–14)
This passage helps us see two things, the reunion and harmony of all creatures who will one day give God glory due to him with a common voice. It is said, every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea sings, that is to say, everybody without exception.
All
