5:8. And when He had taken the book.—His worthiness to do so having been proven by His resurrection to the Divine nature. The four beasts.—Justice, Power, Love and Wisdom.—Rev. 4:6, 7. And four and twenty elders.—Messages of the four and twenty Prophets.—Rev. 4:10. Fell down before the Lamb.—Gave their joint homage and adoration to the Conqueror of sin and death. Each having [every one of them harps] A HARP.—Yielding the most exquisite harmony that ever fell on mortal ears.—Rev. 15:1‐4; 4:10. And golden vials.—Incense cups, “spoons,” similar to those used at the Golden Altar.—Ex. 25:29; 30:1‐9. Full of odors.—The sweet fragrance of patient hearts, precious in the Father’s memory, pleading for love and wisdom Divine.—Psa. 141:2; Ex. 30:34‐38; Lev. 16:12, 13; Lu. 1:9, 10; Acts 10:4. Which are the prayers of saints.—Every one of which, by the Father’s arrangement, has been made in the name of the One here honored.—John 16:23; Eph. 2:19. 5:9. And they sung a new song.—“This means that the Divine Plan as a whole was here made known to Him—for He already had knowledge of much of this—but all things were now given Him.”—Z. ’16‐253; Psa. 40:3; Rev. 14:3. Saying, Thou art worthy to take the book.—Worthy of “a name which is above every name.”—Phil. 2:9. And to open the seals thereof.—Disclose the wonderful method by which the Father will develop the _saviors_ of the world.—Obad. 21. For thou wast slain.—He had sacrificed His will, but this was not sufficient. “God wished Him to sacrifice not only His will, but actually to lay down His human life. When all His testings were completed at His death on the Cross, God gave Him a name to which all should bow, both in Heaven and in earth.”—Z. ’16‐252. And hast redeemed.—“_Agorazo._ This word signifies to purchase in the open market.”—E. _443_, 429; 1 Cor. 6:20; Gal. 3:13; Eph. 1:7; Col. 1:14; 1 Pet. 1:18, 19. [Us].—Oldest MS., with evident propriety, omits _us_, since the Divine attributes and prophecies were not redeemed.—Z. ’97‐151. To God.—“What say the Scriptures respecting the sacrifice of Christ, the offering which He made? Do they say that it was made to Satan or to Jehovah God? We answer that in all the types of the Jewish dispensation, which foreshadowed this better sacrifice, which does take away the sins of the world, the offerings were presented to God, at the hands of the priest, who typified our Lord Jesus.”—E. _461_, 449. By Thy blood.—“If the blood of bulls and of goats ... sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who, through the eternal spirit, offered Himself without spot to God.”—Heb. 9:13‐15. Out of every kindred.—“In thy Seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed.”—Acts 3:25. And tongue.—“Every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.”—Isa. 45:23. And people.—“The heavens declare His righteousness, and all the people see His glory.”—Psa. 97:6.