of men. Gabriel was sent as a worthy messenger to communicate to Daniel
a long series of future events reaching even until the end of time. But
the contents of this roll were such that no created intelligence of
earth or heaven was able to unfold them. All remained unfathomable
mystery--until Christ stepped forward in his character as a sacrificial
Lamb and declared himself able to undertake the task of loosing the
seals and of opening the book. "Unto you it is given to _know the
mystery_ of the kingdom of God" (Mark 4:11), he said to his disciples,
"even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations,
but now is _made manifest_ to his saints." Col. 1:26. "Verily I say unto
you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those
things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things
which ye hear, and have not heard them. Blessed are your eyes, for they
see; and your ears, for they hear." Mat. 13:17, 16.

The fact that the suffering and death of Christ was a past event at the
time when the Revelation was given does not constitute a valid objection
to the position taken, that the contents of the sealed book embrace the
plan of redemption during the entire period of its operation; for the
reason that, in order to form a complete and continuous narrative, past
events are frequently referred to in the Apocalypse. Thus, John saw a
beast with seven heads signifying seven kings; but he was expressly
informed that "_five are fallen_, one is [exists at present], and the
other is not yet come." Chap. 17:10.

When Christ appears on the symbolic stage, he is introduced by the elder
as "the Lion of the tribe of Juda," and "the Root of David." The lion,
being the king of beasts and the monarch of the forest, is indicative of
power, such as Christ possesses. Christ is elsewhere denominated "King
of kings and Lord of lords," and he himself laid claim to "all power in