MORE ACTIVITY IN THE THRONE ROOM
Revelation 5:8-11 NKJV
8 Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. 9 And they sang a new song, saying:
“You are worthy to take the scroll,
And to open its seals;
For You were slain,
And have redeemed us to God by Your blood
Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,
10 And have made us kings and priests to our God;
And we shall reign on the earth.”
11 Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands,
In chapter four, John describes the aspects of worship around the throne of God. It is amazing. In chapter five, the focus shifts from the worship of God to Jesus the Lamb slain. Jesus is also called the Lion of the tribe of Judah. Interesting that Jesus is referred to as a Lion and a Lamb. The Lion who prevailed over death, hell, and the grave, and the Lamb who was the sacrifice slain for us.
In our verses for today, the four living creatures and the elders are worshiping Jesus. The elders are holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they are singing a new song to Jesus the Lamb.
Declaring Jesus to be worthy to open the sealed scroll and read it. If anyone is going to be worthy, it will be Jesus. And what He has done for us is part of the song that was sung to Him.
He was slain. We know that because Christianity hinges around the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. He was slain, but He did not stay that way. In the first chapter of Revelation, Jesus declares that He is the One who lives and was dead. But He is risen, never to die again. And with His blood that He poured out on the cross, He has redeemed or bought us back to God. His blood was the purchase price for our freedom. So now we belong to God. Paul referenced our being purchased in 1 Corinthians 6:20. Peter mentions being redeemed with the precious blood of Christ 1 Peter 1:18-19. So we have been bought at a steep price that covered every tribe, tongue, people, and nation. I am sure that put a wrench into the theology of those who preached that only certain ones could be saved. Jesus died for all.
And not only did Jesus buy us back, He made us something that we were not before. He made us kings and priests to God. Many translations differ at the kings idea. But whether we are a king and a priest or a kingdom of priests, we are much better off by the sacrifice of Jesus. But the new song that was sung said we shall reign on the earth. Not rain like the rain in Spain but reign as in rule with authority. When Jesus establishes His kingdom on the earth, and everyone is subject to Him, we will rule with Him. Sounds like a kingly role to me. In either case, we have been made priests able to enter the presence of God and worship Him. No longer do we need someone to go to God for us. No longer do we need an earthly priest to intercede on our behalf. Now, everyone who has been bought by the Lamb of God can freely approach the throne of God's grace with confidence. The more we recognize what Jesus has done for us, the more we appreciate Him, and the more we understand why all heaven is worshipping Him.
Verse eleven is a verse I wanted to include simply because it reveals some of the magnitude of heaven. Angels are singing around the throne, and there are many of them. Ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands. That is a mind-boggling number and has to be a mind-boggling sight. No wonder when Jesus was on earth, He said He could ask, and God would send him more than 12 legions of angels. That would be anywhere from 36 to 72,000 angels with plenty left to spare.
There is going to be a lot of singing and worshipping in heaven. We may as well get started now.
PRAYER
Thank You, Lord, for redeeming me with Your blood. You are worthy of my life, my praise, my best.