This book in the hand of God is symbolical of something.  Most of the commentators think it represents the book of Revelation, in which case, of course, it would not include the present description of the book itself, but only of its contents as applied to subsequent chapters.  But this view, of itself, is unsatisfactory for many reasons.  The rules governing the use and the interpretation of symbolic language would forbid the thought of one book’s symbolizing another book; for the main idea conveyed by the term symbol is, that the symbolic object stands as the representative, not of itself, but of something analagous.  Reasoning by analogy, what would the contents of a sealed book in the hand of God symbolize?  Evidently, the infinite counsels and purposes known only to Jehovah.  Its being written within and on the backside would indicate that those purposes were full and complete, being all written out and understood by him who “knoweth the end from the beginning” and “worketh all things after the counsel of his own will.”  Its being sealed denotes that the contents were unrevealed, while its being in the right hand of God—­the hand of his power—­shows that he is able to carry into execution his divine purposes and that none shall be able to alter them or to wrest them from him.

While the events future of John’s time form a part of the great plan and counsels of Jehovah, yet it is taking a very limited view of the subject to suppose that they alone constitute the sealed book of this vision; for then would that greatest of all events, the atonement of Christ and the earliest triumphs of the gospel, have no special part in the sealed, mysterious counsels of the infinite One.  It is much more consistent with the characteristics and attributes of God to make this book a symbol, not merely of a part, but of all his divine plans and purposes in the entire gospel dispensation.  This position gains credence from the fact that the visions of the Revelation cover many times the whole period from the incarnation to the end.  When the very first seal is broken, the early success and triumphs of the gospel, as experienced in John’s lifetime, are portrayed.  According to the vision before us, it was by virtue of Christ’s death that he was able to open the book at all; and the plan of redemption itself, which is based upon his atonement, is declared by the Scriptures to be a “mystery which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God.”  Eph. 3:9.  This redemption scheme was the great center of attraction to the prophets of the old dispensation, who “inquired and searched diligently” that they might comprehend its deep mysteries, “which things the angels desired to look into.” 1 Pet. 1:10-12.