Revelation 5:11-14 (NRSV)
11 Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels
surrounding the throne and the living creatures and the elders; they numbered
myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, 12 singing with full
voice,
“Worthy is the Lamb that was slaughtered
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might
and honor and glory and blessing!”
13 Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth
and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, singing,
“To the one seated on the throne and to the Lamb
be blessing and honor and glory and might
forever and ever!”
14 And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” And the
elders fell down and worshiped.
Revelation
5:11-14 concludes the vision of the Lamb and the scroll. Chapters 4-5 have
recounted two unnumbered visions of God and the Lamb. Just prior to this
passage, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders have offered a
new song of praise to the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Rood of David. This one
has conquered. Yet, this one is also the Lamb whom political and religious
authorities had slaughtered. 11 Then I looked, and I heard the voice
of many angels surrounding the throne and the living creatures and the elders;
they numbered myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, 12 singing
with full voice, “Worthy is the Lamb that was slaughtered. Almighty
God, sitting on the throne in Chapter 4, received songs of worship and praise. We
now learn that the Lamb is the one to whom heaven offers songs of praise and
worship. Again, he lists seven desirable attributes for the Lamb to
receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!”
To confess Christ as Lord and King is to lay oneself under the obligation of
complete subservience to him.[1] This
Lamb, the one who was crucified, striped, stabbed, and nailed to the cross to
die the most horrible death, this lamb now stands in the center of heaven. To this slaughtered Lamb God has given power,
wealth, wisdom, might, honor, glory, and blessing. Everything that God has, now the Lamb
has. The Lamb, who knows what it is like
to suffer, to bleed, and to die, now rules with God, as God, at the center of a
great shout of acclamation. The war
still rages, yes, in your life and mine.
There is still death. Yet, God and
the Lamb have fought the decisive battle.
We know how the war ends. 13 Then I heard every creature in
heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in
them, singing, “To the one seated on the throne and to the Lamb
be
blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!” As the
Hallelujah chorus says so well, “And He shall reign forever and ever, Forever
and ever, forever and ever.” 14 Further, the four living creatures said,
“Amen!” Moreover, the elders fell down and worshiped. Much
in creation has no desire to worship, but here worship is the effect of the
redemption that Christ brings.
The
coming of Christ is not simply about “Jesus and me.” The coming of Christ,
especially revealed in the resurrection, indicates that God intends to recreate
and redeem the world. Revelation 5 is a vision of the great, final victory
celebration. Knowing the final vision
gives us hope today. The picture that
Revelation paints is more than just a dream.
John offers a realistic picture of the world, a world to which God is
still giving birth and therefore a world that God is bringing to its
completion.
John's vision
of the heavenly court gives us important clues about how to worship God. Worship
is a public activity in which participants
encounter God and filled with wonder, love,
and praise. Like the 24 elders who represent the people of God, we are
to fall before God with humility, and praise God with joyful thanks for the
creation of "all things" (4:10, 11). Like them, we are also to fall
before Christ and praise him with a new song, in thanks for his redemption of
the world (5:8, 9). We can also identify with the living creatures of heaven
and earth who are exuberant in their praise of God and Christ (5:13). In every
time and place, praise-filled worship is a proper offering to our God and to
the Lamb, the ones who have created, redeemed, and renewed us. This vision of
heavenly worship sums up who God and Christ are, and what God and Christ are
doing in the world. It prepares us to face the many struggles of life,
including a variety of temptations and hardships, by inviting us to carve out
time for worship in the course of our daily lives.
As we offer
songs of praise, the Holy Spirit will open our eyes to the beauty of the world,
the wonder of life and the mystery of love. As we bow in humility, we will
become more confident in God's care and control, and more trusting in Christ
our Savior. As we make space for worship, we will discover that God and Christ
are continuing the work of creation, redemption, and renewal. We will find that
they are always worthy of our honor and blessing, and deserving of our praise: “King
of kings, forever and ever, And Lord of lords, Hallelujah! Hallelujah!”
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