The end verses of Revelation 5 tell us about three songs of praise raised in Heaven. This devotional reading looks at the first of those hymns.
Nuggets
- The elders and the living creatures took their musical instruments without hesitation and sang to the Lamb with one accord.
- The ransomed will be rewarded with titles of kings and priests.
The elders and living creatures had fallen down to worship the Lamb Who was slain. Many times, worship includes songs.
In this instance, there were three songs recorded in the closing verses of Revelation 5.
Let's Put It into Context
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Devotions in the Worshiping the Lamb Who Was Slain series
A New Song
“And they sang a new song, saying, ‘Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation’” (Rev. 5: 9 ESV)
The elders and the living creatures took their musical instruments without hesitation and sang to the Lamb with one accord.
Heaven was immediately filled with song. They were commemorating the opening of the scroll — or at least they will in the future because, remember, this is a vision of things to come.
It is a new song, but it could be based on God’s Word. “Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel” (Ex. 19: 5-6 ESV).
- It hinges on obedience – “… if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant …” (Ex. 19: 5 ESV).
- It is for every tribe and nation of the whole world (Jn. 3: 16) – “… for all the earth is mine” (Ex. 19: 5 ESV).
- God’s kingdom is set apart – “… you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ …” (Ex. 19: 5-6 ESV).
Are you kind of scratching your head as to how that verse connects? I know. I did, too.
But think about it. That is what the living creatures and the elders were – set apart to obey God.
That is what is expected of us.
I know worldview people want to label us as doormats and submissives. The worship bubbled out of the living creatures and elders because they were full of a life they enjoyed. “The living, the living, he thanks you, as I do this day; the father makes known to the children your faithfulness” (Isa. 38: 19 ESV).
If Someone is forcing us to do something we don’t want to do, I don’t think we would be singing with the reverence given to the Lamb. We would be kicking and screaming.
Instead, this worship was real and heartfelt.
Worthy
The song starts and ends with Christ. He alone is worthy to open the scroll.
Spurgeon told us what that really means. He wrote, “To have Christ standing between God and man is the joy of every believing heart.
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Jesus is constantly standing in the gap for us. This ties in with His job as Mediator. He is an intermediary between us and God – until we are allowed to see God face to face.
What is perplexing me is that this theme hadn’t been sung in Heaven before this time. I can get it that, even though the Plan of Salvation and the knowledge that Jesus would be the Savior was known before the foundation of the world, it wasn’t set to song.
Jesus could have backed out up until the time He said, “It’s finished.” Face it, most of us would have been having second, third, unteenth thoughts about getting out of Dodge and missing the blood and gore.
I could see them not praising Jesus until it was a done deal.
But Jesus had ascended back to heaven years before. It had probably been around 60 years since the last time John had seen Jesus.
Why didn’t they praise Jesus for His obedience when the Plan of Salvation was completed?
In any case, it wasn’t until John was invited to be in the audience.
For You Were Slain
Yes, Jesus had to die. It is only through His shed blood that we are saved.
We are naturally condemned because of Adam and Eve’s original sin. We are also condemned because we choose to sin.
“Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God” (Jn. 3: 18 ESV).
Sacrifices dedicated to God always called for the spilling of blood. This was no different. This was to God, and blood was needed.
The song focuses on Jesus’ obedience. The operative word is the Lamb Who was slain.
Jesus wasn’t going to complete the Plan of Salvation sometime in the future. He had already done it.
That is totally the case, but look at it this way, too. This happened 2,000+ years ago. There was a lot of saving that was waiting to happen – including you and me.
This just demonstrates Jesus’ love for us.
We can’t think that, just because Jesus was slain, He is still dead. He isn’t. He arose victorious.
Jesus is very much alive.
We can never forget that Jesus died for us. We might think He would do that for a friend or someone who was worthy.
Paul told us not so. “For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die — but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5: 7-8 ESV).
From Every Tribe and Language and People and Nation
There was a reason why Jesus shed His blood. It was for our redemption. That is the theme of this song.
Jesus didn’t play favorites. “… you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation” (Rev. 5: 9 ESV).
Yes, the Israelites are God’s chosen people. He also chose us for whom to lay down His life for our redemption.
However, it wasn’t a blanket redemption for the whole world. Redemption is only available to those who ABCD.
Why? Because we are being redeemed to God. We have to be forgiven of our sins to have access to God.
Those who have not ABCDed are still mired in their sin. God cannot grant them an audience.
Salvation must start here in this life. We can’t expect to get to Heaven on the Day of the Lord and be rewarded for a life that was not lived for God. This life is a training ground for Heaven.
This is interesting. The English Standard Version and the Complete Jewish Bible translate this basically the same. “… you ransomed for God persons from every tribe, language, people and nation” (Rev. 5: 9 CJB).
The King James Version has a slightly different take – or it could be read as that. “… and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation” (Rev. 5: 9 KJV).
Yes, all three have the everybody component. The KJV makes the elders a part of that component. That would seem to validate that the elders are the sons of Israel and the Apostles.
Some believe that only the elders are singing the song. I even read in one instance that the living creatures had their own song.
No, I don’t think the living creatures came from earth and were changed to be the creatures described. I believe they are heavenly beings.
I think the living creatures are singing the same song. “And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song, saying, ‘Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals …” (Rev. 5: 8 ESV emphasis added).
It can go another way. We must have a personal relationship with Jesus.
Church attendance doesn’t cut it. Having a family that is believers in Him doesn’t do anything for us.
We have to make a conscious and sincere decision to believe in Jesus and submit to God in order to be saved.
Each of us has to sing the song and mean it.
We also have to consider that the song was sung specifically because John was in the audience. He needed to know that he – and the Church – were included in the everybody component.
A Reward for the Ransomed
“and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth” (Rev. 5: 10 ESV)
The ransomed will be rewarded with titles of kings and priests.
Made Them a Kingdom and Priests
I know we’ve talked about this before. So, let’s just look at what Spurgeon said. He wrote,
“They are kings and reign. We too are kings; but as yet we are not known or [recognized], and often we ourselves forget our high descent. Up there they are crowned monarchs, but they say, ‘Thou hast made us kings.’ They are priests too, as we are now, every one of us. The priesthood of God’s saints, the priesthood of holiness, which offers prayer and praise to God — this they have in heaven; but they say of it, ‘Thou hast made us priests.’ What the saints are, and what they are to be, they ascribe to Jesus. They have no glory but what they received from Him, and they know it, and are perpetually confessing it.”
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We are already royalty but not crowned, and we are already priests. Yes, we are already supposed to be holy saints. The world is supposed to see a difference in us.
That difference is the Lamb Who was slain. We are royalty because Jesus is the King of kings, and we’ve been adopted into God’s family.
We are only kings and priests when we have given our allegiance to the Lamb Who was slain. It is only through the exaltation that we receive for making that decision do we become this.
We are royals and priests because of grace. We are priests because we have access to God.
Leitch really put it into perspective. He wrote, “Christ has made us kings, and the first subject He gives us to rule is our own spirit.”
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Ooo, baby. That isn’t what most have in mind, is it?
But that is what our salvation is about. We have to rule our own spirit so that we do not want to continue to sin.
Yes, we will because we are still in this physical, sinful bodies. It is our attitude that must change.
No, that doesn’t give us license to sin. It shows us we do not have to throw in the towel when we do.
Our goal should not be to be royals. We know the least shall be greatest. “But many who are first will be last, and the last first” (Mt. 19: 30 ESV).
Reign on the Earth
We’ve already talked in these devotions about the concept of us reigning on earth. Here it pops up again.
We are tabling this discussion until Revelation 20.
Walker gave us a good reminder about the song as a whole. He wrote, “Let us mark here not merely the fact that it is a scene of triumphant song, but especially the object that causes the gladness, and the difference in the mode of expressing it.”
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We don’t worship just to sing. We worship to praise the Lamb that was slain.
Making the Connections
Oh, if we would only worship Jesus like that! Immediate submission. Heartfelt adoration. Worship for the correct reason.
Too many times, we worship based on our own agenda. We want the fire insurance, but nothing else. We want the blessings without the obedience.
How Do We Apply This?
- Know Jesus as Savior and Redeemer is in control of the past, present, and future.
- Give Christ the reverence He deserves.
- Be comforted in the fact that, though Book of Revelation contains many frightful things, believers will be singing His glorious praise.
- Worship Jesus as the elders and living creatures do.
Resources
Father God. Thank You for allowing us to be introduced to the song of the elders and living creatures. We want to praise You in the way most fitting the Sovereign God, the Creator of the universe. Amen.
What do you think?
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