It must have been a wonderful moment to Stephen, when he suddenly saw the Heavens opened, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God; and it must be equally wonderful to any departing child of God, when the veil is drawn aside, and he finds himself suddenly in the visible presence of that blessed Saviour whom, though unseen, he has long since loved and trusted. What a moment must it have been to our dearly beloved friend when his eyes opened in the presence of God! I can imagine the profound humiliation at the sight of Jehovah; the fervent utterances of overpowering love, when he suddenly beheld the Lord Jesus, as the Lamb that had been slain; and the joyful fulness of heart in the three loved and loving brethren, when they found themselves once more together, all brought safe home, by the rich grace of their blessed Saviour, there to wait together for his kingdom, and while waiting, to rejoice together in the fulness of his love. Happy, indeed, are those brotherhoods on earth, that prepare they way for such a brotherhood as, there is I am persuaded, is in Heaven. But we have no account in the Scriptures of the first entrance of the individual believer, and therefore we must forbear from giving too much liberty to the imagination. We have however in this passage a description of something in many respects corresponding to it. In the 7th chapter, we read of the servants of God as represented by the 144,000 scaled ones. The seal was placed on their foreheads just before the four angels loosed the winds that were to desolate the earth. Storm and tempest were about to burst upon the world; and this little company were sealed beforehand by their God in order that, as marked men, they might be kept safe throughout the danger. Accordingly in the desolation produced by the locust woe, when men were hurt all around them, the sealed ones remained untouched. There was woe on every side, but in the midst of it all they were kept safe by their seal. But in this chapter the whole scene is changed. They are no longer in the midst of a world swept by a succession of desolating woes; no longer a bidden people struggling with difficulties on earth; they are now taken up to Mount Zion, and this Mount Zion must be the Heavenly Jerusalem, for, in verse 2 their voice is said to come from Heaven, and in verse 3 they are described as before the throne of God. The Saviour whom, though unseen, they have loved and followed, is now standing conspicuous in the midst of them. The seal is no longer a secret thing, but its true character is brought to light, and the Father’s name is seen written on their foreheads. So they come before God no longer with strong crying and tears, in the midst of strong temptations and overwhelming woes, but now they burst forth in the new song of the new Jerusalem. Nor are they alone in singing it, for the twenty-four elders and four living ones are described as their companions; for when the time comes for this prophecy