would embrace all who come under one sovereignty or rule; as, for example, the British nation, however many minor _tribes_ there may be; however many different _languages_ may be spoken; and however many separate _people_ there may be――as the Anglo-Saxon, the Scottish, the Irish, the people of Hindoostan, of Labrador, of New South Wales, &c. The words here used by John would together denote nations of every kind, great and {129} small; and the sense is, that the blessings of redemption will be extended to all parts of the earth. 10 And hast made us unto our God [207]kings and priests: and we shall [208]reign on the earth. 10. _And hast made us unto our God kings and priests._ See Notes on ch. i. 6. ¶ _And we shall reign on the earth._ The redeemed, of whom we are the representatives. The idea clearly is, in accordance with what is so frequently said in the Scriptures, that the dominion on the earth will be given to the saints; that is, that there will be such a prevalence of true religion, and the redeemed will be so much in the ascendency, that the affairs of the nations will be in their hands. Righteous men will hold the offices; will fill places of trust and responsibility; will have a controlling voice in all that pertains to human affairs. See Notes on Da. vii. 27, and Re. xx. 1‒6. To such a prevalence of religion all things are tending; and to this, in all the disorder and sin which now exist, are we permitted to look forward. It is not said that this will be a reign under the Saviour in a literal kingdom on the earth; nor is it said that the saints will descend from heaven, and occupy thrones of power under Christ as a visible king. The simple affirmation is, that they will _reign_ on the earth; and as this seems to be spoken in the name of the redeemed, all that is necessary to be understood is, that there will be such a prevalence of true religion on the earth that it will become a vast kingdom of holiness, and that, instead of being in the minority, the saints will everywhere have the ascendency. 11 And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the [209]number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands;