Commence our service by singing part of hymn 122. The tune is Samuel 560, and we will sing verses 1 to 4. Join all the glorious names of wisdom, love, and power, the ever mortals new, the angels ever bore, all are to me to speak his worth, to mean to set my Saviour forth. Hymn 122, singing verses 1 to 4, the tune is Samuel, 560. I know the glorious name of wisdom, love, and power. That heaven altos in God angels' heaven falls, O'er alter'd in His secret strength, To me, to Santa Fe, we'll go. Utter what gentle tone from this heavenly place, God's our Redeemer, whose truth teaches heavenly grace. Thy eyes, with joy and fondness see, The globes of Buffy bestow thee. Arrayed in mortal flesh, He, like an angel, stands, And holds the promises and banners in His hands. Cohesion from His Father's throne, to make His praise to God's own throne. Reckon it, O my God, my tongue, your flesh, thy name. By thee the joyful hymns of our salvation ring. The joy for years our sins forgiv'n, Love has softened, and we too will learn. Let us read together from the Holy Word of God in the book of the Revelation and chapters 4 and 5. The Revelation chapters 4 and 5. After this I looked, and behold, door was opened in heaven and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me which said come up hither and I will show you the things which must be hereafter and immediately I was in the spirit and behold a throne was set in heaven and one sat on the throne and he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone and there was a rainbow round about the throne in sight like unto an emerald and round about the throne were four and twenty seats and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting clothed in white raiment and they had on their heads crowns of gold and out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne which are the seven spirits of God and before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal and in the midst of the throne and round about the throne were four beasts full of eyes before and behind and the first beast was like a lion and the second beast like a calf and the third beast had a face as a man and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle and the four beasts had each of them six wings about him and they were full of eyes within and they rest not day and night, saying, holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. When those beasts give glory and honor and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth forever and ever, the four and 20 elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth forever and ever and cast their thrones cast their crowns before the throne saying thou art worthy oh lord to receive glory and honor and power for thou hast created all things and for thy pleasure they are and were created And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne, a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals. And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, who is worthy to open the book and to loose the seals thereof. And no man in heaven nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon. and I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon. One of the elders said unto me, Weep not. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book and to loose the seven seals thereon. and I beheld and lo in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts and in the midst of the elders stood a lamb as it had been slain having seven horns and seven eyes which are the seven spirits of God sent forth into all the earth and he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints. And they sung a new song, saying thou art worthy to take the book and to open the seals thereof, for thou was slain. and has redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation and has made us unto our God kings and priests and we shall reign on the earth and I beheld and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands. Saying with a loud voice, worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and blessing. And every creature which is in heaven and on earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea and all that are in them, heard I say, Blessing and honour and glory and power be unto him that sitteth upon the throne and unto the Lamb for ever and ever. And the four beasts said Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever. May the Lord bless the reading of his own precious word, grant unto us a spirit of real prayer. Holy, holy, holy Lord God Almighty, which is an art, an article, we bow before thy glorious majesty. We desire a spirit of true worship. We desire that the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God our Father and the sacred fellowship of the Holy Spirit may rest and abide upon us. We pray, Lord, for that needful help of thy Spirit to confess our sins. and to pour out our heart unto thee. We pray for that spirit of real repentance and godly sorrow for sin. Convince us of our sin and lead to Jesus' blood and to our wandering eyes reveal the secret love of God. O gracious God, blessed Spirit, truly do this for us this evening hour. Thou hast said in thy word that if I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me. Lord, may we not regard iniquity in our heart, but may we confess our sins. And if ye confess your sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. We pray for those divine drawings of our Heavenly Father, drawings unto thine only begotten Son, our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, for none come except the Father draw. We pray for the spirit of adoption, whereby we may cry, Abba, Father. We pray, most gracious Lord, that we have clear views of our Lord Jesus Christ, clear views of that wonderful mercy that flows through him, clear views of that holy life of our Lord Jesus Christ and that holy sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ and in that holy life everlasting righteousness has been brought in, the law has been fulfilled and honoured and magnified and thy name has been glorified. And we thank thee that in that sacrifice of Calvary, sin has been put away, divine justice has been satisfied, God and sinners are reconciled and peace is made between God and man. O Lord, we pray thee, grant that we may have clear views of that sin atoning sacrifice, a clear sense and realisation that his blood has cleansed away our sin. The blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, cleanseth us from all sin. Oh, that we may be favoured, O Lord, to truly feel and know these blessed truths as we gather round thy word. at this evening hour. And may we be favoured to realise that he died for our sins. He paid that ultimate price. And thou hadst said, the soul that sinneth it shall die. And he that did no sin died for our sins. Because upon him thou didst lay the iniquity of us all. O that thou wouldst lead us by thy Spirit into the sacred glories of the atonement of our Lord Jesus Christ. We do pray that thou wouldst remember us as a church and as a congregation, and that thou wouldst work mightily and powerfully and effectually among us, that we may see thy work, that thy work appear unto thy servants and thy glory unto her children, O Lord, we beseech thee for thy great namesake. Lord, it's thy work we long to see, the work of thy blessed Spirit in bringing poor sinners, bringing them to this house of prayer, bringing them to Jesus Christ, bringing them in and among us as a church. Lord, we long to see thy work and thy power and thy glory And we pray, most gracious Lord, that in our services we may be led of the Spirit of God. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. Lord, do so work. Even as thou hast promised in thy word, I will work. And who shall let it? Remember our brethren, the deacons. Give wisdom, give grace, give help. and undertake for them. Remember our dear sister Audrey, and continue thy healing hand and thy restoring mercies. We do humbly beseech thee, and be with them as a family at this time, we do pray thee. We're thankful, Lord, to have with us our dear brother and sister from Holland, and we pray that they may be richly blessed of thee. And be with them, Lord, as they return home on the coming day, and be with them, Lord, we pray thee, as they listen to the services online, and as they join with us at the prayer meetings. Grant thy presence, O Lord, we pray, and grant thy blessing to rest upon them. Be with them in all their pathway, and thou knowest all their concerns, and that, Lord, Lovingly commend them to thee and to the word of thy grace. Lord, we pray that thou in thy precious mercy would bless the families, the little children, bless them indeed. Put the fear of the Lord, which is the beginning of wisdom, into their hearts and teach them thy ways and lead them in thy path. O Lord, we do beseech thee. And Lord, we pray that thou would remember the young friends, work mightily, powerfully, effectually, bring them to live in faith in Jesus Christ, make them true followers of thee and of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. Grant that there may be a seed that shall be raised up that shall call thee the Redeemer, Grant that we may see the prodigals return, and by wonderful grace in this, hear us, O Lord, we humbly beseech thee. We think of the village and the surrounding villages and hamlets, and we think of those wonderful gospel promises. I will bring thy sons from far, and thy daughters from the ends of the earth, and they shall come from the north and from the south and from the east and from the west. Lord, we long to see thy work and thy power in the gospel. We long to see the pulling down of the strongholds of Satan, the setting up of the kingdom of the Lord Jesus in the hearts of sinners. Lord, hear us. Grant that we may unitedly cry unto thee for these wonderful blessings to be upon us as a church and as a congregation. Remember all in the midst of the journey of life, bearing the heat and the burden of the day. Oh, remember them with the favour that thou bearest unto thy people. Visit them with thy great salvation. Remember parents, give wisdom, give grace to bring up their children, to nurture. And in the admonition of the Lord, we do humbly pray thee. And O Lord, we do pray that thou in thy precious mercy would remember those of us that are in the evening time of life's journey. And that we pray that thou would guide us safely unto thy heavenly kingdom. for Lord with us the longest can't be long. And that we have been reminded, O Lord, in these recent weeks and months of the frailty of life, and just how frail we are. And thou hast said in thy word, and the psalmist declares about the frailty of life, and that thou dost remember that we are but dust. O Lord, we do pray that thou would remember all thy servants as they labour in word and doctrine upon the walls of Zion and set them free and at liberty. And as shine, Lord, we pray thee, in this dark day, yet gather precious souls unto Christ and bring them forth to declare what thou hast done for their souls. We do humbly beseech thee. O hearken, O Lord, we pray, Wilt Thou not revive us again, O Lord? Lord, we do thank Thee then for that wonderful glory of the incarnation of the Son of God, and that wonderful glory in Him of the law fulfilled and everlasting righteousness brought in. And we do thank Thee for that wonderful way of salvation. and how we see in it the love of our eternal father, God so loved the world, he gave his only begotten son. Oh, we do thank thee for the everlasting love of our eternal father and the glorious eternal love of the son of God, our Lord Jesus Christ. And we do thank thee for thy blessed spirit for his heavenly power, for his divine unction, for his living power in our hearts. Oh, we do pray that even tonight, as we gather round the world, that it may be opened to our heart, to our understanding. There may be a living power to be known and felt. We do humbly beseech of thee. We thank thee for every favour and every blessing. Pray that thou would come and touch one's lips with a live coal from off the heavenly altar. Do make up in giving where we do so fail in asking. Do forgive all our many, many sins. For Jesus Christ's sake. Amen. Let us now continue to sing hymn 122 and we'll sing verses 5 to 8. And the tune is St John 960. Be thou my counsellor, my pattern and my guide, and through this desert land still keep me near thy side. O let my feet ne'er run astray, nor rove, nor seek the crooked way. Hymn 122, singing verses 5 through to 8, Tune St John 960. ♪ He's a fine man, he's a fine man ♪ ♪ And to be chosen and to keep me near the bright star ♪ And as I lay there on the strain, Drowning to sleep and pray, and pray. ♪ I am my Savior's voice ♪ ♪ His altar I shall be ♪ ♪ My room, His throne, and the crowns of domination ♪ In excelsis Deo, in excelsis Deo, in excelsis Deo, in excelsis Deo, in excelsis Deo, in excelsis Deo, in excelsis Deo, in excelsis Deo, in excelsis Deo, in excelsis Deo, in excelsis Deo, in excelsis Deo, in excelsis Deo, in excelsis Deo, in excelsis Deo, in excelsis Deo, in excelsis Deo, in excelsis Deo, in excelsis Deo, in excelsis Deo, in excelsis Deo, in excelsis Deo, in excelsis Deo, in excelsis Deo, in excelsis Deo, in excelsis Deo, in excelsis Deo, in excelsis Deo, in excelsis Deo, in excelsis Deo, in excelsis Deo, in excelsis Deo, ♪ In this peaceful mystery ♪ ♪ Where are you in my thoughts? ♪ ♪ The answers have opened its covers ♪ ♪ And where are you? ♪ ♪ If of my soul every luster ♪ ♪ I should be made the death of death ♪ ♪ Jesus, how sweet the sound ♪ Father, Son, and Christ, I will be conscientious to sacrifice this time. It's so good to be concerned, to learn and be free to go where I'm going. Greatly feeling to need the Lord's gracious help, I direct your attention to the fifth chapter of the book of the Revelation. And we will read verses five and six for our text. Revelation chapter five, verses five and six. And one of the elders saith unto me, weep not, Behold, the lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof. And I beheld, and lo, in the midst of the throne, and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. There are really two parts to the book of the Revelation. We have the previous three chapters, the first three chapters, and where we have the introduction of our Lord Jesus Christ to his servant John on the Isle of Patmos. And then that commission that Christ gave to him to write the letters to the seven churches of Asia. And that really consists of the first part of the book of the Revelation. And this chapter four commences the second part. After this I looked and behold a door was opened in heaven and the first voice which I heard was as it were a trumpet talking with me which said unto me come up hither and I will show thee things which must be hereafter. Those wonderful things that are prophesied here in the book of the Revelation. And we must never forget the first clause of the book of the Revelation, chapter one and verse one, the revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him. And that is what we should be looking for, but when we seek to read and study, because in the book of the revelation, because that is exactly what it is. And we miss the very point and essence of the book. If we start, as it were, wandering around in the book and has this happened, has that happened, is this going to happen? There are things that it tells us. The book of the revelation covers the period of time from the first coming to the second coming of Jesus Christ. That is the period that is covered in this book. So it's the times in which we live. And the gospel is to be preached in every nation, kindred, tongue, and tribe, and people. And there'll be great opposition according to what we read in the book of the revelation there'll be great opposition to the preaching of the gospel the devil and his angels the false prophets they will rise up against the church against the lord jesus christ against his rule against his law against his work we see it probably more clearly now in the days in which we live what is called the spirit of antichrist it's so prevalent in the day in which we live but it's prophesied here in the book of the revelation that these things shall come to pass and he says here in verse 2 of chapter 4 and immediately i was in the spirit I was in the Spirit. What a mercy, my beloved friends, when we are in the Spirit. In the first chapter, we read of John and he says, I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day. What a great mercy to be in the Spirit. You might say, what does it mean to be in the Spirit? It's when you feel the sweet movings of the Spirit of God in your heart. When you feel and are very sensible of your sin and sinfulness, it's only the Holy Ghost that can do that and can make you feel that. And when you also feel your heart drawn in love to Jesus Christ, that's the divine work of the Spirit of God. gives you to feel your hunger. He makes us to hunger and thirst spiritually so that there's a longing, a yearning after God, after godliness. And wonderful promises are spoken in the Word of God to those that are hungering and thirsting after righteousness. Now he says here in chapter 4, and these chapters 4 and 5 really go together so clearly, he says in verse 3, and he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine star, a very bright and light, in him is light, And in him is no darkness at all. So he that sits upon the throne, the eternal God, the light that shines. And there was a rainbow round about the throne in sight like unto an emerald. Now, emerald is green and the middle color of the rainbow is green. And to my mind, it seems to speak to us of reconciliation. And this is what the gospel speaks of. reconciliation unto God. Be ye reconciled unto God. And you might say, well how can a poor sinner be reconciled unto God? By the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, as revealed by the Holy Ghost. When the Holy Ghost works faith in the heart of his children, Christ is revealed, Christ is made precious, Christ becomes the altogether lovely one. There's reconciliation. So this beautiful language is setting before us spiritual things, a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald, the reconciling grace of God. But round about the throne were four and twenty seats, And upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders clothed in white, raiment, and they had on their heads crowns of gold. It's the Old Testament church and the New Testament church. The twelve tribes of the children of Israel from the Old Testament church and the twelve apostles of the Lamb in the New Testament. and that is what is represented here the whole church of God around the throne of God and these four and twenty elders and it speaks in the fifth verse of chapter four the thunderings and lightnings the seven lamps of fire burning before the throne which are the seven spirits of God and we come across the number seven many times in the book of the Revelation. In fact if you look at chapter 3 and verse 1 these things says he that hath the seven spirits of God and the seven stars the seven spirits of God but there's only one spirit of God and what this means is this one spirit of God seven denoting the number of perfection. He's the perfect eternal spirit of the eternal God, the Holy Ghost. And that is what is being spoken of here, the divine and glorious person of the Holy Ghost. And in this symbolic language, there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven spirits of God. And then we read in verse six of this, before the throne there was a sea of glass. And in the midst of the throne and round about the throne were four beasts full of eyes, before and behind. At your leisure you can look at Ezekiel chapter one. And in Ezekiel chapter one, Ezekiel had a very, very similar vision to what we have here. These four beasts, Daniel had a similar vision also and if you look at Ezekiel 1 it says here in verse 7 of chapter 4 and the first beast was like a lion and the second beast like a calf and the third beast had the face as of a man and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle and at your leisure look at Ezekiel 1 and you'll find all those faces were upon the four beasts in Ezekiel so they had the same vision of the eternal God and the the four beasts had each of them six wings about him and they were full of eyes within and they rest not day and night saying holy holy holy this wonderful reference to the Trinity the Holy Father the Holy Son and the Holy Ghost holy holy holy Lord God Almighty which was, and is, and is to come. Like we've often explained to you, it's the paraphrasing of the name Jehovah, this one true God, the Lord Jehovah, but subsisting in the Godhead, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. And those beasts give glory and honor and thanks to him that sat on the throne. We read in Ezekiel that whether the Spirit was to go, they went. And when the Spirit rested, they rested. So wherever the Spirit was to go, there's four bees denoting the four corners of the earth, which are called in Holy Scripture, North, South, East, and West. The Holy Spirit works North, South, East, and West in this earth. And when the beast go, the four and 20 elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne. In that lovely hymn, all hail the power of Jesus' name. And the last verse, it says, cast in all our crowns before him, lost in wonder, love, and praise. Thou art worthy. O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power, for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. It's a wonderful teaching here, my beloved friends. For thou hast created all things. We go back to Genesis chapter 1. In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth, for thou hast created all things. The apostle says, it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves. We worship our creator, for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. Now we come into chapter five. I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside sealed with seven seals. So this book, what does this book represent? It's in the right hand of him that sat on the throne. A book written within on the backside that means a complete book. It was written within and also the back page and so it's finished. And these divine decrees of the eternal God are all contained in this book which had seven seals. It's the book of those eternal decrees of the almighty God who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will, who knoweth the end from the beginning. He is called the first and the last, the beginning and the end. And again, I am he which is, and which was, and which is to come. I am he which is, the present. I am he which was, that's eternity past. I am he which is to come, that's eternity to come. Jehovah, that's the meaning of the name Jehovah, the self-existent and the eternal, the almighty God. He says here in verse 2 of chapter 5, I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, who is worthy to open the book and to loose the seals thereof. No man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth was able to open the book, neither to look thereof. And I wept much. John, he says, I wept much because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon. And one of the elders said unto me, you know, John was in the church militant, the elder was in the church triumphant. And we have here the church triumphant comforting the church militant, the church that is still in her warfare here upon earth. And I wept much because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon. And one of the elders said unto me, weep not. Weep not. You see, the revelation of Jesus Christ Behold the lion of the tribe of Judah, the revelation of Jesus Christ. In the book of Genesis, chapter 49, we have it recorded there in the blessings that were upon the tribe of Judah. And we read elsewhere, Judah is a lion's wealth. And as you know, each one of the tribes knew so at a standard. flag, a banner, to carry as they went forward through the wilderness together. And the banner of the tribe of Israel was a lion. And Christ was to be born of the tribe of Judah, of David. David was of the tribe of Judah. One of the elders said unto me, weep not, Behold the lion. You know, a lion, it's known as the king of beasts. It's fearless. It'll attack anyone. Very aggressive, very powerful. And here the Lord Jesus Christ is likened to a lion. He's the eternal son of the eternal God. He said himself to the disciples, all power is given unto me in heaven and in earth, the lion of the tribe of Judah. And we read in those names that are given to him, my mind just goes to Isaiah chapter nine, his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. Wonderful names that are given to our Lord Jesus Christ. Weep not, behold the lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David. At the end of the book of the Revelation in chapter 22, the Lord Jesus says, I am the root and offspring of David, the bright and morning star. I am the root. I've often said to you, when you take a cursory look at that verse, I am the root and offspring of David, and it appears to contradicts itself. How can he be the root and the offspring? Well, that is open to us in the word of God, in the revelation of Jesus Christ. As the eternal son of God, he was David's root. And when David here came upon earth and David fighting against his enemies, his strength, his wisdom was in God. It was all in God. He was dependent upon the eternal God. His root was the son of God. I am the root. That's why David prevailed against his enemies. That's why David was triumphant against all his enemies, because he was rooted in Christ, in the eternal Son of God. Behold, the lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, has prevailed to open the book and to loose the seven seals thereof. This book of the eternal, councils of salvation, of redemption, the elect in love of the Father, the redeeming love of the Son, the sanctifying love of the Holy Ghost. It's all in these decrees that the Father chose a people from the ruins of the Adam fall. And as we're told in a number of places in Holy Scripture, he did that before the foundation of the earth. before man was created. He chose a people from the ruins of the Adam fall. Nothing takes God by surprise, no. Nothing happens by chance. God knows everything. I know it's a great deep and it's a profound thing to try and convey, but God lives in one eternal now. We read in Isaiah 57, Thus saith the high and lofty one that inhabiteth eternity. He inhabits eternity. He doesn't live in time. He inhabits eternity. From everlasting to everlasting thou art God. It goes this infinite understanding and being of God You know we can grasp in our poor finite minds God knowing everything that has happened before But my beloved friends He knows everything that is going to happen in the future He lives in one eternal now He knows everything that is going to happen Nothing happens by chance with God. It's all divinely ordered. It's all divinely purpose. It says in Ephesians, he who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will. All things, not just some things, all things. And that is what the Apostle Paul is referring to in Romans chapter 8. all things work together for good to them that love God to them that are the called according to his purposes all things and there's a there's a great comfort my beloved friends to know that there is one sitting upon a throne this is what we have revealed here working all things after the counsel of his own will his own purposes. You see, and one of the elders said unto me, weep not, behold the lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, hath prevailed to open the book and to loose the seven seals thereof. And I beheld. Now this opens to us the deeper mystery of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And I beheld, and lo, in the midst of the throne, and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb, as it had been slain. And John the Baptist, he says twice, doesn't he? Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. And we read in Isaiah concerning our Lord Jesus Christ, he was led as a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep before her shearers is done, so he opened not his mouth. He prevailed as a lamb. He is the lion of the tribe of Judah, but he prevailed as a lamb. A meek and a lowly lamb. You couldn't get more different animals, could you? The great, the powerful lion and the weak little lamb. What a contrast. But we see both these things in Jesus Christ. We see the Lord Jesus Christ, we see the Son of God, made flesh, dwelling among us. We see a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief in the Lord Jesus Christ. We see his weakness and yet he is Lord of all. We see in the garden of Gethsemane when the sin of the church was laid upon him there, And he bows before his Holy Father, Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me, but not my will, but Thine be done. This cup of suffering, this cup of sorrow, this cup of agony, this tremendous weight of the sin of the church. I beheld and know in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, And in the midst of the elders stood a lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. That, like I was trying to explain to you, the word seven means that perfect, that fullness, The seven spirits of God, it don't mean there are literally seven Holy Spirits. It means his work is perfect. It means he's in all places at all times. Seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. The Holy Ghost is everywhere. He's like the Father and the Son. Omnipresent. David brings that out in Psalm 139. It didn't matter where he went, the Lord was there. He says in Psalm 139, if I make my bed in hell, behold thou art there. If I go up into heaven, behold thou art there. He had a realization of the omnipresence of God. If I go into the uttermost parts of the sea, even there, shall thy hand lead me and thy right hand shall hold me. The Lord will never leave his people. That the Holy Spirit is ever watchful of the people of God. Indeed that omnipresence of the Holy Ghost is clearly explained in the word of truth that every Every true believer has the Holy Ghost dwelling in them And that proves the omnipresence of the Spirit of God The Holy Ghost is in every one of the Lord's people and that is what makes them one of the Lord's people And in the midst of the elders stood a lamb, as it had been slain. You see, my beloved friends, weep not, for the lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, hath prevailed to open the book. Now, how did he prevail? It surely explains so clearly here, he prevailed as the lamb of God. He took our sins, and he nailed them to his cross. when he came here upon earth, the man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. He fulfilled the law. He honored and magnified the holy law of God. I come not to destroy the law, but to fulfill it. And that is what our Lord Jesus Christ has done. He's fulfilled the holy law of God. In his holy life, that suffering saviour, that man of sorrows and acquainted with grief, he humbled himself. He took upon him the form of a servant that was made in the likeness of man and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself. He didn't only humble himself as God, which he did, to take into union with his divine nature, a holy human nature. But then he humbled himself as a man and became obedient unto death. I like the way it's spoken of there in Philippians chapter 2. And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself. He loved not his life unto death. He gave his life a ransom for all to be testified in due time. He humbled himself. And I beheld, and lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain. I love that beautiful hymn. but of Joseph Hart, hymn number 23. A man there is, a real man, with wounds still gaping wide, from which rich streams of blood once ran, in hands and feet and sigh. And Joseph Hart, he goes on to say that we're not speaking here metaphorically, no metaphor we speak, no. That same dear man in heaven now reigns, who suffered in our stead, the Lamb, in the midst of the throne. The Apostle Paul, he says in the Hebrews chapter four, for such a high priest have we, who is passed into the heavens. Jesus, the Son of God, is passed into the heavens. and in the midst of the elders stood a lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns. Horns represent power, having seven horns, again the number of perfection. All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth, seven horns and seven eyes. which are the seven spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. The Lord Jesus was anointed with the spirit without measure. And the Holy Spirit will remain with every single child of God when they get to heaven. The Lord Jesus in that lovely discourse in John 14, 15, and 16, speaking of the Holy Ghost, You see, he speaks when he the spirit of truth has come, like when he comes to a sinner's heart. And he says in that same context, and he will dwell with you forever. The Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost that quickened your soul. The Holy Ghost that convinced you of sin. The Holy Ghost that led and taught and guided and directed you in this wilderness journey. that the Holy Ghost that worked faith in your heart and brought you to living faith in Jesus Christ the Spirit of the Living God He anoints the sacred human nature of the Son of God and He anoints every child of God and He dwells in their hearts and I beheld and low in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts. And in the midst of the elders stood a lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God, sent forth into all the earth. And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne. And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and the four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints. Those prayers that are laid up, it speaks of it in Holy Scripture, but the prayers of the saints, they're laid up like incense, speaks of it here in the book of the Revelation, the prayers of the saints. And they sung a new song saying thou art worthy to take the book and it tells us why and to open the seals thereof for thou was slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred and and people and nation has redeemed us to God. He alone could take the book. The Lord Jesus, there was found no man, so the Son of God became a man. And he wondered, it says in Isaiah, doesn't it, that there was no man. And his own arm brought salvation unto him, the glorious eternal God. God so loved the world he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him shall be saved, saved eternally. Thou art worthy to take the book and to open the seal thereof. Why? Because he lived here upon earth as a man, he fulfilled, he honoured the holy law of God on the behalf of his people, He took our sins and he nailed them to his cross. He suffered and bled and died on Calvary's tree. Thou art worthy. And this will be the song of the redeemed forever. Thou art worthy to take the book and to open the seals of, for thou art slain. And has redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation. and has made us unto our God kings and priests. And we shall reign on the earth. Jesus shall reign where the sun does its successive journeys run. He shall reign from shore to shore. He shall reign eternally. It says it here, we read it together. He shall reign forever and ever. we see the redeemed church here in verse 11 and I beheld and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands saying with a loud voice worthy is the lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessings. And every creature which is in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I say, blessed, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb forever and ever. And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth forever and ever. Forever and ever. Set him before us. You see, I am come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly. That's what our Lord Jesus Christ said. Have it more abundantly. They have life. and they have life eternal. He says, I give unto my sheep eternal life. Once the Holy Spirit enters the heart of a poor sinner and quickens that soul into life and brings them to live in faith in Jesus Christ, that their eternal destiny is fixed. It is. He that hath begun a good work in you shall perform it. unto the day of Jesus Christ. He will, forever and ever. I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. He said unto the disciples and he says it now unto his people. Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. in that lovely promise, that multiple of promises in Isaiah 41. Fear not, I am with thee. Be not dismayed, I am thy God. I will help thee. I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. I will, I will. God has promised. God has promised to be with you to the end. God has promised to land you safely in eternal glory, to be with him forever and ever. It's eternity's greed, it's eternally purposed. I give unto my sheep eternal life. Same with a loud voice. Worthy is the lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and blessing. That glorious person of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Oh, that the Lord would make these things live in truth in our hearts. Live in truth in our hearts. A realisation that the Lord has begun a good work in you and he will perform it unto the day of Jesus Christ. He has said, And the hymn writer says, doesn't he, what more can he say than to you he has said, you who unto Jesus a refuge have fled. He can't say more. He's promised that you're eternally safe, that you're eternally secure, that your heavenly father has chosen you and given you to his son, Jesus Christ, and that the Lord Jesus Christ has redeemed you. He was slain. He shed his precious blood. And the blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, cleanseth us from all sin. He brought in everlasting righteousness. And that clothes a poor, wretched sinner to stand in the presence of the Eternal God forever. And one of the elders said unto me, Behold, the lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof. And I beheld, and lo, in the midst of the throne, and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a lamb, as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God, sent forth into all the earth. May the Lord have His blessing. Let us now sing the remaining four verses of Hymn 122, verses 9 to 12. The tune is St. Godric, 556. My advocate appears for my defence on high. The Father bows his ears and lays his thunder by. Not all that hell or sin can say shall turn his heart, his love, away. Hymn 122. verses 9 to 12. Tune St. Broderick, 556. ♪ O come all ye faithful joyful and triumphant ♪ ♪ La la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la My dear almighty Lord, my conqueror and my king, thy scepter and thy sword, thy reigning face I see. I listen, and behold, I sing, In heaven and on earth, with thy peace. Now let my soul arise And tip the sceptre down My curtain leads me home Take comfort from the crowd. A feeble strain shall be my head, Or death and hell obstruct. ♪ Away ♪ ♪ Shield of the courts of death ♪ ♪ And house of heaven above ♪ but that the dreadful thought of rage and mischief. I shall be saved, for Christ is raised, Now may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, the sacred fellowship of the Holy Spirit, rest and abide with us each, both now and forevermore. Amen.