REVELATION SIMPLIFIED

 

CHAPTER 5.9

Gleanings from the Book of Revelation:

A Weekly Verse-by-Verse Bible Study Series

 

The

REVELATION TO JOHN

(The Apocalypse)

 

Chapter Five

 

 

(Verse 9)

 

And they sung (sing) a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by Thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation.

(Verse 10)

And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.

 

Verse nine and the following verses are a continuation and conclusion of the heavenly scene. The scene is replete with grandeur. It also comprises one of the greatest doxologies (i.e., usually a concluding hymn of praise) ever written. However, notice, the anthem is a new song:

 

And they sung (sing) a new song

Question:

Who are being referred to as they?

Answer:

In the previous verse (v. 8), immediately after the One found worthy to open the scroll, stepped forward and procured the scroll, the first group of heavenly beings --- twenty-four elders, representatives of God's people to this point --- begin the ceremony. With their instruments of harps and golden bowls of incense, they fall down and worship the Lamb, Jesus Christ

 

Next, joining the chorus are four living creatures, representatives of heaven's angelic host. They sing (present tense) and play a new song.

 

A New Song

The word for new in Greek is expressed in two ways: (1) neos (pronounced neh'-os) as in young, youthful, or regenerative, as opposed to kainos (pronounced kahee-nos'), meaning something brand new and fresh. This is noteworthy because a new song sung in Scripture is always aligned with new mercies from God. e.g.:

 

In the Old Testament (commonly found in Psalms):

Psalm 40:3 – And He hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.

 

Psalm 98:1 – A Psalm. O sing unto the LORD a new song; for He hath done marvelous things: His right hand, and His holy arm, hath gotten Him the victory.

 

Psalm 1144:9 – I will sing a new song unto Thee, O God: upon a psaltery and an instrument of ten strings will I sing praises unto Thee.

Only the redeemed will be singing – This is their song.

 

New Things

In the book of Revelation, Jesus Promises He will make all things new (cf. Revelation 21:5):

1.  A new name

Revelation 2:17; 3:12 – He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh…[I]will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.

 

2.  A New Jerusalem

Revelation 3:12; 21:2 – Him that overcometh will I make a…New Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from My God: and I will write upon him My new name.

 

3.  A New Heaven and Earth

Revelation 21:1 - And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. 

 

Saying

The word saying means uttering, telling, or relating in words the jubilation that is being expressed by Jesus regaining the power and dominion over the earth. The chorus chants in this verse:

Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by Thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation.

 

 

(Verse 10)

 

And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.

 

In dedication to the Lamb, the worship song itself reveals the purpose of God's plan of redemption:

1.  You are found worthy to take the book

2.  You are found worthy to open the seals

3.   You were slain and by Your blood 

4.  You have redeemed us back to God, (men) out of every

a.  Kindred (clan, tribe, or race)

b.  Tongue (language, nationality)

c.  People (general populous, people)

d.  Nation (foreign, namely Gentile)

And because of Your finished work…

5.  You have made us kings (the royalty of sonship)

6.  You have made us priests (the right to access and approach God)

7.  You have given us authority to reign (as priests and rulers - God's representatives as Adam once was) on the earth

 

 

(Verse 11)

 

And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands.

 

Immediately after the new song is sung, John hears an innumerable number of angels as they join in the chorus to express the joy in the knowledge of what is about to take place. Myriads (the highest number in the Greek vocabulary) times ten thousand and thousands of thousands (an incomprehensible number) of angelic beings, in a loud joyful assembly and in one accord begin…

 

 

(Verse 12)

 

Saying (chanting) with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.

 

Please take note. The first three words spoken summarize the entire Bible:

1.  Genesis 22 – In the story of Abraham, Isaac asks the question in verse seven: "Where is the lamb?"

 

2.  John 1 – Centuries later John the Baptist answers Isaac's question. He will point to a Man in verse 29 and say: "Behold the Lamb!"

 

 

3.  Revelation 5 – And all of creation will finally proclaim in verse 12: "Worthy is the Lamb!"

 

Jesus Christ, not only as Creator but also as Redeemer, will soon govern the world - Because He was the ultimate sacrifice and paid the price for sin. The praise is appropriately sevenfold (God's perfect number, therefore perfect praise):

1.  To Him belongs the power

1 Corinthians 1:24 - But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God.

 

2.   To Him belongs the riches

Ephesians 3:8 – Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ.

 

3. To Him belongs the wisdom

1 Corinthians 1:24 - But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ…the wisdom of God.

 

4.  To Him belong the strength

Luke 11:22 - But when (Jesus) a stronger than he (Satan) shall come upon him, and overcome him, He taketh from him all his armour wherein He trusted, and divideth his spoils.

 

Psalm 27:1 - A Psalm of David. The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of Whom shall I be afraid?

 

5.  To Him belongs the honor

Philippians 2:11 - And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

 

6.  To Him belongs the glory

John 1:14 - And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

 

7.  To Him belongs the blessing

2 Corinthians 11:31 - The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I (Paul) lie not.

 

 

(Verse 13)

 

And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the Throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.

You recall the first praise is to God the creator (cf. Revelation 4:8-11).

The next praise is fourfold (signifying earthly universality, thus expressing four corners of the earth) to The Lamb:

1. Blessing

2. Honour

3. Glory

4. Power

 

In anticipation of what is about to take place, i.e., when the curse will completely be removed, there will be peace and rest for one thousand years (The seventh dispensation, equivalent to God's seventh day of rest). Verse 13 is a summary amplification of everything and brings closure to the praise and worship service before the Great Tribulation.

 

All God's redeemed and created beings give Him the proper praise and worship due to Him in acknowledgment of all He has accomplished. All means all creation in every part of the universe – The greatest chorus of praise the universe has and will ever hear.

1.  Every creature in heaven (birds of the air, sun, stars, moon, etc.; suggesting all heavenly beings both animate and inanimate)

 

2.   Every creature on earth (all-inclusive, of all nature)

 

 

3. Every creature under the earth (even from beyond death, the chorus of praise rises to him)

 

4.  Every creature in the sea (all beneath, comprehensively)

 

Psalm 69:34 - Let the heaven and earth praise Him, the seas, and every thing that moveth therein.

 

Psalm 150:6 - Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD.

 

Object of Worship

The object of worship is the Lamb of God. Thus, worship is:

1.  Christ-centered

2.   Cross-centered

3. Blood-entered

 

The focus is on Jesus Christ!

Ezekiel 34:37 - And the tree of the field shall yield her fruit, and the earth shall yield her increase, and they shall be safe in their land, and shall know that I am the LORD, when I have broken the bands of their yoke, and delivered them out of the hand of those that served themselves of them.

The Lamb of God will rule and reign forever and ever – Eternally.

 

 

(Verse 14)

 

And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell (fall) down and worshipped Him that liveth for ever and ever.

 

Verse 14 is simply a continuation and conclusion of verse 8.

Amen – "So let it be, so let it be done." Yes, it is true.

Justifiably, the worship goes on forever and ever.  

And so, the curtain closes on this great worship and praise service ensuing at God's Throne Room.

 

In the next lesson: the Great Tribulation Period starts to manifest itself into reality.

 

 

QUESTIONS:

1.   Who is the object of worship?

2.   Why is a new song important?

3.   Identify who is singing and who is chanting?

4.   Why is the Lamb worthy?

5.   Name all the participants in this worship service.

6.   How does this worship compare to our worship today?

7.   What is the significance of chapters 4 and 5?

 

 

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