creatures and the elders; and to these are joined the voices of every creature in heaven, on the earth, under the earth, and in the sea, ascribing to Him that sits upon the throne and the Lamb universal praise. (9) To this loud ascription of praise from far-distant worlds the living creatures respond a hearty _Amen_, and the elders fall down and worship him that lives for ever and ever, ver. 14. The universe is held in wondering expectation of the disclosures which are to be made, and from all parts of the universe there is an acknowledgment that the Lamb of God alone has the right to break the mysterious seals. The _importance_ of the developments justifies the magnificence of {121} this representation; and it would not be possible to imagine a more sublime introduction to these great events. CHAPTER V. AND I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a [194]book written within and on the back side, [195]sealed with seven seals. 1. _And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne._ Of God, ch. iv. 3, 4. His _form_ is not described there, nor is there any intimation of it here except the mention of his “right hand.” The book or roll seems to have been so held in his hand that John could see its shape, and see distinctly how it was written and sealed. ¶ _A book_――βιβλίον. This word is properly a diminutive of the word commonly rendered book (βίβλος), and would strictly mean a small book, or a book of diminutive size――a tablet, or a letter (Liddell and Scott, _Lex._). It is used, however, to denote a book of any size――a roll, scroll, or volume; and is thus used (a) to denote the Pentateuch, or the Mosaic law, He. ix. 19; x. 7; (b) the book of life, Re. xvii. 8; xx. 12; xxi. 27; (c) epistles which were also rolled up, Re. i. 11; (d) documents, as a bill of divorce, Mat. xix. 7; Mar. x. 4. When it is the express design to speak of a small book, another word is used (βιβλαρίδιον), Re. x. 2, 8, 9, 10. The book or roll referred to here was that which contained the revelation in the subsequent chapters, to the end of the description of the opening of the seventh seal――for the communication that was to be made was all included in the seven seals; and to conceive of the _size_ of the book, therefore, we are only to reflect on the amount of parchment that would naturally be written over by the communications here made. The _form_ of the book was undoubtedly that of a scroll or roll; for that was the usual form of books among the ancients, and such a volume could be more easily sealed with a number of seals, in the manner here described, than a volume in the form in which books are made now. On the ancient form of books, see Notes on Lu. iv. 17. The engraving in Job, ch. xix., will furnish an additional illustration of their form. ¶ _Written within and on the back side._ Gr., “within and behind.” It was customary to write only on one side of