REVELATIONS 5: 8-14
HE WHO ALONE IS WORTHY
[Daniel 7:9-14]
This section continues the description of the vision of the throne. The scene concerns the One who sits on the throne of heaven, the Living Beings, the elders, and myriads of angels, but the main figure is now the Lion-Lamb. He is the One in heaven who eclipses all others.
Great significance in the preceding passage has been given to the sealed book and the search for One worthy to open it. When the Lamb takes the sealed scroll, all heaven erupts in a song of praise to the Lamb and falls down in worship before Him. For He alone is worthy. He alone can bring about the redemption of man and the purpose for which man and earth were created.
I. THE LAMB’S BLOOD BOUGHT BODY, 8-10.
II. THE NEW SONG OF REDEMPTION, 11-12.
III. THE PRAISE OF ALL HEAVEN, 13-14.
Verse 8 commences the description of what occurs in heaven the moment the Lamb, who alone is entitled and worthy, takes the Book. When He had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.
An exhilarating universal thrill through out the heart of the living occurs when Jesus takes the book of destiny from the right hand of God. The worthiness of this Lamb evokes an outburst of homage, praise, and worship. They fell down before the Lamb. The usual posture of profound worship is entire prostration on the earth (Mt 2:2; 1 Cor. 14:25).
You may wonder, “What is the significance of the objects they held in their hands?” Why a harp and a bowl?" Since old Testament days, the harp has been an instrument of worship. Psalms were often sung to the accompaniment of a harp, by choirs of priests and the congregation. Prophets of old prophesied with them (1 Sam. 10:5; 1 Chron. 25:3; Ps. 49:4). The golden bowls were saucer-like pans used in the tabernacle and the temple. They were filled with the prescribed incense and when ignited sent up an aroma that was pleasing to God. The incense produced an agreeable fragrance and the rising smoke ascending towards heaven represented prayer, the prayers of the saints rising up to the Lord (Ps. 141:2; Lk. 1:10).
The focus of the prayers of the saints is that the Lord would return to make things right. All those prayers that you have poured out to God that Jesus would return and bring His peace to earth are gathered up as in a bowl before God. Every true Christian of every age has prayed, “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.” Such is the desire of all God’s people. And who but God can count the volumes and oceans of such entreaties which to this day remain unanswered? But they are not forgotten. None of them has been lost. They are all treasured in golden bowls.
These prayers are sacred incense before God and before the Lamb. Sweet incense was used in O. T. times, especially before the Holy of Holies. Daily on the altar of incense before the inner veil fresh incense was offered morning and evening to God.
On earth, saints and their prayers are considered of no importance, but in heaven our prayers are precious, so precious that they are brought into the very presence of God Himself. Prayer meeting may be the least attended meetings in America, but our prayers are attended by the Lord God Himself.
Singing and prayer are integral parts of the Christian’s worship experience, both public and private. The two are often linked in Scripture. We may have a scratchy voice or sing off-key, but through song and prayer we can express our adoration to Almighty God. What about your times alone with God, and your public worship? Let them include both harp and bowl or, in other words, worship the Lord with singing and prayer. A heart aflame begins with the kindling of song and prayer in worship.
Once the book of destiny was taken, those in heaven pay adoration to the One worthy to take it. Verse 9 states, “ And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.
The new (êáéíïò- in quality) song (Pss. 33:3; 98:1; 144:9; 149:1) is to celebrate a new act of divine deliverance. Old things are passing away and new things are being declared (Isa. 42:9). The 24 elders and the Living Ones lift a lofty anthem of praise to the Lamb of God for the glorious salvation He has brought to mankind. The sacrificial death of Jesus Christ is ever central to the New Testament (Mk. 10:45; 1 Cor. 6:20). The fact that Jesus was slain as a sacrifice constituted the ground of His worthiness to open the book.
Salvation is pictures as a ransom or purchase. The term was used of a slave’s freedom being purchased by a sum of money. Redemption was accomplished by the payment of a price. Christ has purchased us for God (14:3) so that we become the possession of God and find release from the bondage of sin and death, from the evil and suffering that has plagued earthly existence. The cost of the purchase is Christ’s blood. The blood of Jesus is precious to us all. For it is by the blood of the Lamb that we have been redeemed (1 Pet. 1:18-19).
The song of the redeemed extends to the entire world. It anticipates the fulfillment of the great commission. God’s message of salvation and eternal life is not limited to a specific culture, race or country. Every tribe, tongue and people is called to participate. The power of the blood can redeem any person, any where, any time.
It is only limited to those who will come to God in repentance of sin and by faith accept Him as the Lord of their life. Don’t allow prejudice or bias to keep you from sharing Christ with others. Christ welcomes all people into His kingdom.
Rita Snowden wrote a book in 1937 titled If I Open My Door. In it she described a congregation that was planning to build a new place of worship. Central to its sanctuary would be a stained-glass window depicting children worshiping Jesus.
The congregation hired an artist to paint a picture of the proposed window. He fulfilled the assignment, and that night he dreamed he heard a nose in his studio. Going to investigate, he saw a stranger altering his picture. He cried out, "Stop! You’ll ruin it." But the stranger answered, “You have already ruined it." The intruder then explained that the children’s faces had all been one color, but he was using many colors. When the intruder said that he wanted children of all nations and races to come to Him, the artist realized he was talking to Jesus Himself.
In a world where racial differences often lead to separation and conflict, it’s imperative that Christians work for unity and peace. Jesus went to the cross to bring salvation to people of every nation (Revelation 5:9). Our witness and our fellowship must go beyond the barriers that have historically divided the human family (Romans 1:16; Galatians 3:28).
“Jesus loves the little children, All the children of the world,
Red and yellow, black and white, They are precious in His sight;
Jesus loves the little children of the world.” - Woolston
Jesus loves all people, not just the ones who look like you. Do you reflect Jesus’ love for all people?
[An estimated thirty million people, worldwide, will die without Christ this year. Hundreds of millions around the world worship gods that cannot hear them when they pray. Hundreds of millions more disavow the reality of God’s existence. Six major nations of the world have no known believers. According to some experts, eighty percent of the world’s unreached peoples have no one within their own culture to share Christ with them. The worldwide ratio of unbelievers to career missionaries is a staggering 66,000 to 1. These are facts we cannot escape-but do they move us?
If the facts do not move us, then we are an uncaring people. And if we do care, missions will cease. We must allow that of which we are aware to touch our hearts.]
[The word tribe (öõëçò- phules) means a comparatively small division or class of people associated together. It refers to a family, or race, having a common ancestor, and usually associated or banded together-as one of the tribes of Israel; a tribe of Indians; a tribe of plants; a tribe of animals, etc. It would denote one of the smaller divisions that made up a nation of people; and the meaning would seem to be, that it will be found ultimately to be true that the redeemed will have been taken from all such minor divisions of the human family-not only from the different nations, but from the smaller divisions of those nations.]
Verse 10 tells us the result of our redemption. “You have made them to be a kingdom and a priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth.”
The song of the redeemed praise Christ for His work. Christ by His redemption and sanctification has brought into existence a new creation. He who was slain for us, who purchased us with His blood, is gathering us into a kingdom, making us priest and has appointed us to reign. Jesus has already died and paid the penalty of sin, He is presently making us into a kingdom and into priest. We are now those capable, and becoming more capable, of reconciling man to God. Even now we have immediate access into the presence of God that we might worship and intercede. Though we may be mocked and despised for our faith as Jesus was, in the future we will reign with Him (Lk. 22:29-30; Rev. 20:4, 6). His promises are about to be fulfilled in this vision of the future and prove that the crowns, dignities, and rewards of heaven are not empty statements but truths of God (Dan. 7:27).
Worship God and praise Him for what He has done, what He is doing, and what He will do for those who trust Him with their life. When we realize the glorious future that awaits us, we will find the strength to face our present difficulties.
In verses 11-12 the intense praise and worship expands to include countless angels who proclaim, “Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders; and the number of them was myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands,
The adoring response of rapture in worship spreads wider and wider across the heavens. Notice that harmony and unity of the act of spontaneous worship as they are heard as a merged voice. [44 times John declares he “beheld” or looked and 27 times “heard” in Revelation.]
Thousands of thousands, and ten thousands of ten thousands, is more than 100 million included in this angelic host of heaven. Since ten thousand is the largest number ancient Greek could express it surely means more that this amount. In reference to Daniel 7:10. Though angels stand outside the mystery of redemption they recognize both the grandeur of the Lord’s sacrificial act and its eternal impact.
In verse 12 the countless angels proclaim, “saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain (slaughtered) to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing.”
Like the preceding songs this one also begins with worthy. He is worthy not for His power and majesty, but He is ascribe such excellence again because of His death for men. This countless host of heaven loudly proclaimed that the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world was worthy of all exaltation. The multitude proclaim Jesus worthy to receive seven things which could also indicate they left nothing lacking.
Jesus is worthy to receive power. Power (Greek dynamis) is repeated from Revelation 4:11. All the force of the universe flows not only from (and back to) God Almighty, but also it flows from (and back to) the Lamb. (1 Cor. 1:24).
Jesus is worthy to receive wealth. Wealth (Greek ploutos) means "riches," usually of the material kind. In ancient times, monarchs were brought rich gifts, as the Queen of Sheba did for Solomon (1 Kgs. 10:1-10). The Lamb is worthy to receive all the wealth of the universe. (2 Cor. 8:9; Eph. 3:8).
Jesus is worthy to receive ...Wisdom (Greek sophia) appears here for the first time in Revelation. The Lamb, in traditional Christian language, is omniscient. Whatever wisdom His creatures have, they attribute it to Him.
Jesus is worthy to receive ...Strength (Greek ischys) is closely related to "power." It may also be translated "might" or "capability." Think of the Old Testament character Samson for a human example Judg. 14-16.) Whatever strength creatures have flows from the Lamb, even when they do not acknowledge it. (Eph. 6:10; 2 Thess 1:9).
Jesus is worthy to receive ...Honor (Greek time) was ascribed to God by the elders in Revelation 4: 11. It means to value or esteem highly. (In Eph. 6:2, for instance, Paul admonished children to honor their parents.) The Lamb is worthy of supreme value. (Heb. 2:9; Phil 2:11).
Jesus is worthy to receive ...Glory (Greek doxa) was also included in the elders’ earlier song.. There, God was given glory for who he is as the Creator. In this text the Lamb is given glory for what He has done as the Redeemer. (Jn. 1:14; Heb. 2:9).
Jesus is worthy to receive ... Praise (Greek eulogia) also appears here for the first time in Revelation. The English word eulogy, often translated "blessing," is based on it. It means "to speak well of someone." This word is fitting as the final one in the series, for the entire song can be summarized as a Eulogy. (Mk 11:9f).
Jesus “is worthy to receive all power, for He will never misuse it. He is worthy of all of the world’s riches, for His riches are incorruptible. He is worthy of all wisdom, for all true wisdom comes from Him. He is worthy of all strength, for He is the source of strength and power. How can mortal words express due adoration to such a great Lord and Savior? Our most eloquent whispers or shouts fail in expressing the praise and glory due His name, for He Who is great has done great things.” [The Easy-To-Read Commentary Series]
On March 21, 1969, a US Marine patrol in Vietnam descended a steep bank to fill their canteens in the stream. As they stooped in 2 feet of water, the area suddenly exploded with gunfire and grenades. Several men were hit. According to an official report, one soldier; with complete disregard for his own safety, assisted several Marines. Despite the heavy fire, he made several trips, until he himself was wounded and unable to continue.
Twenty-one years later, one of the men who had been pulled out of the water learned that his rescuer was still alive, So he set out to see that he was recognized for his heroism. The Marine eventually found his rescuer, Jim Lahr, who was paralyzed from the waist down. With a heart full of appreciation, he finally saw Jim receive a much-deserved Bronze Star.
I am deeply moved by this Marine’s desire to honor the one who saved his life. It makes me wonder about the depth of emotion I feel toward the One who paid a far greater price to save my soul. No one deserves the honor that Christ does. Man may be worth of admiration, but only Christ is worthy of adoration. No one has sacrificed so much for so many. No wonder all heaven will praise Him forever and ever.
Father, forgive us for not giving Your Son the honor He deserves. Fill us with praise for Him.
Our Lord is worthy all our days, Of all our love and highest praise; He died to take our sin and shame--Oh, bless the Savior’s holy name. -Egner
III. THE PRAISE OF ALL HEAVEN, 13-14.
Then in verse 13 every created thing get into the scene “And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying, “To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever.”
Once more John’s perspective pulls back to an extreme wide angle lens view. This rolling song of jubilant praise now encompasses the whole of creation, [and its innumerable forms of life]. People from every nation are praising God before His throne.
This time John does not claim to see, but only to hear every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing. Just try to imagine such singing.
[This, of course, means all intelligent life in the universe. In the strictest sense, this cannot happen until the final consummation (Phil. 2:10-11). However, in many places John’s visions record events yet future, so we should not be troubled by this anticipation of the Son’s universal worship.]
Scripture indicates that the universal throne, the throne of all power, encompassing all existence belongs to both the Father and the Son. Heaven’s host also gives them equal worship.
Verse14 relays the homage that continues even at the end of the universal worship of the Lamb. And the four living creatures kept saying, “Amen.” And the elders fell down and worshiped.
The four Living Ones add Amen, (let it be or so be it) affirming the praise and worship that had been offered unto God the Father and the Lamb. They began the chorus of praise and they are there to close it. The twenty-four leaders again drop to the ground and poured out their worship to Him Who is worthy. Jesus is worshiped because He is worthy to open the scroll of the destiny of man. Jesus, not Satan, holds the future. Jesus Christ is in control of History and He alone is worthy to set into motion the events of the last days.
CONCLUSION / INVITATION
So, the Lamb’s ability to open the book is because He opened up the way of salvation for people. He provides the answer to our hopeless despair, and for those who have experience His redemption will lift their voice to Him in resounding praise. If Christ is this powerful, if He can solve the Cosmic Crisis of the ages, He also can solve all the lesser crises we face in this life. His answer to the greatest crisis of humanity puts all other crises in perspective.
We all love to have someone tell us, "Hey, great job. I appreciate you." If several people tell us we are doing something right, that’s even better.
God loves the praise of His people too, and He truly deserves it. Our most important work on earth is to exalt Him (Psalm 96:95), "that in all things God may be glorified (1 Pet. 4: 11). It’s our responsibility and privilege to worship, love, exalt, and serve the Lord.
Revelation chapter 5(:9-13) tells of a future day in heaven when believers from "every tribe and tongue and people and nation" who have been redeemed by Jesus’ blood will surround His throne with praises. All of those individuals-multiplied over the millennia -will add up to a mind boggling congregation of God glorifying people .
God’s greatness is so overwhelming, so unfathomable, and so indescribable that millions and millions of people-all praising Him and bowing before Him in worship will give Him the glory He deserves. How could we keep silent about the One who causes all of heaven to worship so wondrously?
Even now, each of us can participate in celebrating God’s majesty by glorifying Him with our lives. Then in we will join with people from every nation in that massive heavenly celebration.
This day as we think on Christ’s work on the cross and His power to bring about all of God’s purposes in our lives, let us join the chorus and worship Him! Begin the eternal praise God today, if you see Him as worthy.
