Heaven? Worship? That’s It?-Rev 4:1-5:14

September 8, 2013 New Testament, Revelation, Sermons

Revelation 4:1-5:14; Key Verse: Rev 4:2, 10

“…there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it.” “…and worship him who lives for ever and ever.”

What is heaven? Yesterday (9/7/13), Nick and Minda married in Hyde Park. In his wedding address, Joshua Hong, my friend, asked, “What is happiness?” He said, “Happiness is togetherness.” I loved it. In regards to my sermon today which is about heaven, I asked, “What is heaven?” My answer? “Heaven is worship.” In Revelation 4-5, all of heaven is worshiping the One on the throne (Rev 4:2, 8-11), the Lamb who was slain (Rev 5:6, 9-14), and the seven Spirits of God (Rev 5:6b). The prime, premier and predominant activity of heaven is an ongoing continuous worship of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. If one does not truly enjoy worshiping God during the daily moments of their life on earth, will they really enjoy being in heaven?

Quote for thought: Who is your god? “Whatever controls us is our lord. The person who seeks power is controlled by power. The person who seeks acceptance is controlled by acceptance. We do not control ourselves. We are controlled by the lord of our lives.” ― Rebecca Manley Pippert (Christian author, international speaker), Out of the Saltshaker and Into the World.

Wrong and right worship. The most memorable, joyful and hilarious moment of the wedding yesterday was during the reception when Minda shared her honest thoughts about Nick when she first met him. She said that she rejected him because he was fat, smelly and not handsome, unlike the three American husbands that her three sisters in Christ from Manila (Sharon, Mercy and Arlene) had married. It sounds so horrible! Yet everyone was laughing with uncontrollable joy and levity. Why? Because it was a moment that clearly expressed the grace of God. It was because her joy and thanksgiving in marrying Nick was clearly palpable and exhilarating at the wedding. Why was her view of Nick so negative and horrible initially? It was because she was seeking a wrong one to worship through her marriage. But when she found the One truly worthy of her worship, she was completely transformed. Then her image and impression of Nick completely changed. She saw him no longer superficially based on external appearances. Rather, she saw him for who he truly is, as one loved by Jesus, created by God, and filled with the Holy Spirit. She especially saw him as one whom God had specially prepared and graciously provided for her in advance. She saw him as one who is gentle, kind, faithful, loving, brilliant and very handsome—as he truly is. Everyone at the wedding fully agreed and rejoiced. Even our “horrible” sins reveal (not our shame but) the marvelous grace of Jesus which is totally undeserved. When we worship correctly and rightly, life becomes a blast.

Some questions:

Heaven? Really? How can heaven be relevant to my life?
How can I know for sure?
What happens in heaven?
How does this apply to my life on earth?

The short answers are:

Yes. It is the ultimate reality.
Ultimately, only through Christ (Jn 1:18; 3:13; 1 Cor 15:47, 49).
Worship. (All the beings around God’s throne are worshiping God.)
We were made to worship (Dt 6:5; Mt 22:37; Mk 12:30; Lk 10:27). All of life is worship. If Revelation has a single theme, it is God and his greatness, who alone is worthy of worship, which Revelation 4-5 shows.

Before considering worship, let us briefly consider heaven.

Should I bet that heaven and God exists (since it cannot be proven based on reason alone)? Pascal’s Wager is an argument in apologetic philosophy which was devised by the 17th-century Christian philosopher, French mathematician, physicist, inventor and writer Blaise Pascal (1623-62). Pascal reasons that humans all bet with their lives either that God exists or does not exist. Given the possibility that God actually does exist and assuming the infinite gain or loss associated with belief in God or with unbelief, a rational person should live as though God exists and seek to believe in God. If God does not actually exist, such a person will have only a finite loss (some pleasures, luxury, etc.). In Pensées (thoughts), which presents a defense of Christianity, he says, “If you gain, you gain all; if you lose, you lose nothing. Wager, then, without hesitation that He (God) is.” [In sharp contrast, should one not believe in God and God does exist, his loss would be a devastating infinite and eternal loss.]

To prepare for this sermon, I read 3 commentaries, chapters from 4 books and read or listened to several sermons in my attempt to structure an outline for my sermon. I settled on Tim Keller’s sermon, Heavenly Worship (Rev 4:8-5:10), where he explains:

The need for worship (Ps 19:1-2)
The way to worship (Mt 13:44)
The focus of worship (Rev 5:9-12)

In other words, this sermon will consider the why, how and what or who of worship.

Why We Worship: The Need for Worship

Why do we need to worship? We were created to worship something greater than ourselves; we absolutely need to worship one on a throne (Rev 4:1), one greater than ourselves. All creation was created by the Creator to worship and to glorify God (Ps 19:1; Gen 1:31; 1 Cor 10:31). Nature and all creatures in all of creation worship. But we human beings do not worship (Rom 3:23). Everyone worships something: football (the Bear’s season begins this week), romance/relationships/sex (our ideal “soul mate”; Minda’s lovely confession during her wedding at Hyde Park: she was seeking to worship a “wrong one” through her marriage), celebrities (Miley Cyrus performance at the 2013 Music Video Awards), the 7 deadly sins. How do I identify it? Whatever moves you to tears, takes your breath away. This is not scientific or rational but religious. It guides/controls our lives. It becomes the center of our lives. Worship is all consuming; in consumes our entire being.
Why does the Bible say repeatedly that God wants us to worship/praise Him? Is God insecure? Egocentric? God does not need our praise/worship. We need his praise. When we truly praise/worship God, we are truly fulfilled and satisfied. Joy is the result. No one can live without joy. If we have nothing to worship or live for, our lives wither away (like a sad old patient of mine). When we do not praise and worship God, we invariably seek pitiful and pathetic counterfeits. Whether we like it or not, we will worship–either God or an idol, which is a counterfeit god.
We will praise/worship something bigger, greater, better than ourselves. Otherwise we will never have joy. We all need to worship. Everything in all creation worships.

How We Worship: The Way to Worship

Worship is not just emotion or sentiment. It keys off exposition of the truth; it ignites out of, launches off and explodes off of truth. Worship is logic on fire, not simply raw emotion.
Worship comes from an old English word “worthship.” Worship is to ascribe worth.
Mt 13:44.
What do we do with the one we worship?

We lay our crowns down before him (Rev 4:10). When we realize the worth of God, we give him anything, everything. We give up everything. We relinquish control of our life to him. We allow him to be Lord, and to be in charge of everything. Nothing else matters but him. Losing control is scary. But we always lose control to anything that we worship, that gives us meaning and sense of worth, that is the crown of our life (the one we will marry, spouse, children, career, money, church, certain forms of pleasure we cannot live without). Those who do not want anything to control them, are worshiping control. If you live for control, then control has you under its control. No one has ultimate control over one’s life. Until we give it up to the One on the throne, we will be controlled by someone or something else against our will and against our power to resist.
We feel like a priest and a king (Rev 5:10; 1:6). When we truly worship the One worthy of our worship, we will feel as glorious as He is. God will make us feel as royal and as powerful as a king, and as pure and as acceptable as a priest. We let the value and the worth of God become our very own. We become truly free and the truth (of who God and Jesus truly is, and who we truly are) will set us free (Jn 8:32). Do you have a sense of power and of purity about yourself? Do you truly feel like a king and a priest? As kingly as a powerful king whom no one can defeat, and as pure as a holy priest, who feels like a pure virgin bride?

III. Who or What to Worship: The Focus of Worship

Who should we worship? We should not worship anything. We should worship the right thing. Revelation 4-5 say the the only One worthy of our worship, the only One we should ascribe worth to is the One on the Throne (Rev 4:2) and the Lamb who was slain (Rev 5:6, 9-13) and the seven spirits of God (Rev 5:6). There is only One who can open the scroll (Rev 5:5-8) and One who holds the future in His hands.
How do we know He is the only One worthy of our worship? He is the only One throughout human history who ever kept the 2 rules of life and holiness (Mt 22:37-39; Mk 12:30-31).
How can we know who we truly are? You will never be who you truly are until and unless you worship the One worthy of your worship. Annie Dillard (author and Pulitzer prize winner) said, “I had been my whole life a bell, and never knew it until at that moment I was lifted and struck.” This is to know who created you, and who you truly are.

The Lamb who was slain should have been the King who was exalted. But slain he was for us, that we who should be slain would be exalted only by his grace. Worthy is the Lamb who was slain. Worthy is he for me to give my all to him.

References:

Keller, Timothy. “Heavenly Worship” (Rev 4:8-5:10). Sermon, 6/20/1993.
Johnson, Dennis E. Triumph of the Lamb: A Commentary on Revelation. Pillipsburg: P&R Publishing Company. 2001.
Sermons on the Book of Revelation. Kim Riddlebarger, Sr. Pastor, Christ Reformed Church. Anaheim.

Additional Notes:

The vision of the One on the throne and of the Lamb. In Revelation 2-3, Jesus addressed the strength and weaknesses of the seven churches, which represents all churches (Rev 2:23). Then he summons John “in the Spirit” to heaven (Rev 4:2), where John sees a vision of God on his throne and of the slain Lamb, whose triumph qualifies him to open a scroll and execute God’s future purposes for history–the judgment and destruction of all his foes, and the vindication of those who trust in him, the saints who receive salvation. John’s vision of the One on the throne and of the Lamb is permeated with their supreme worthiness (Rev 4:11; 5:9-10, 12; cf. Rev 4:8; 5:13), and by the awe of all who see them. In essence they are all in a constant state of worship of the One on the throne and of the Lamb.

What John saw. In Revelation chapter 4-5 John describes what he saw when he entered the open door in heaven (Rev 4:1):

One who sits on a throne in heaven (Rev 4:2),
what his appearance is like (Rev 4:3),
who surrounds him (Rev 4:4),
the description around the throne (Rev 4:5-6),
what the four living creatures were like and what they were doing and saying (Rev 4:7-11),
a scroll sealed with seven seals in the right hand of God (Rev 5:1),
no one worthy to open the scroll (Rev 5:2-4),
one like a Lion and a slain Lamb who is worthy to open the sealed scroll (Rev 5:5-7),
all those around the throne worshiping and singing a new song (Rev 5:8-14).

Rev 4:1-5:14 may be considered with the following words that are descriptive of God:

Holy: majestic in glory (Rev 4:1-8).
Worthy: the only one worthy of man’s worship (Rev 4:9-11).
Lion: he will fulfill his redemptive purpose.
Lamb: the way he fulfills it.

God is Holy (Rev 4:1-8)

“After this” (Rev 4:1) means that the vision which follows, was revealed to John after the vision recorded in Rev 1-3. It does not mean that the events of this vision are to occur in history after the events in Rev 1-3. There is an overlap between John’s vision of the resurrected Christ and the letters to the seven churches with that of the worship described in Rev 4-5. In Rev 1-3, Jesus speaks to the seven churches–symbolic of the church during the last days–encompassing the time between Jesus’ first and second coming. But in Rev 4-5, John is describing the same period of time from the vantage point of God’s throne in heaven.

The heavenly scene. An open door (Rev 4:1a) means that John is permitted to see things barred from human sight. John hears again Christ’s voice he had heard in Rev 1:12. “And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, `Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this’” (Rev 4:1b). John is given a vision of the last days from the perspective of heaven, whereas the earlier vision had been given from the perspective of Christ’s presence with his churches. Like Ezekiel who was raptured by the Spirit so to see heavenly things, John says, “At once I was in the Spirit” (Rev 4:2a). Through the Holy Spirit, John is given a vision of the heavenly scene, so that he might now proclaim what he sees to Christ’s church. (Dispensational teaching says that this verse is describing the rapture of all Christians off the earth, and that the rest of Revelation concerns the seven-year tribulation. But this verse has to do with John being caught up into heaven to describe what follows.)

God is indescribable. He lives in unapproachable light. Like Ezekiel, Isaiah and Daniel, John is granted sight of things we can but imagine–the throne of God, “there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it” (Rev 4:2b). John never describes God, only the divine glory and the creatures who surround him. God is Spirit (Jn 4:24). God is described as “a consuming fire” (Deut 4:24; Heb 12:29) who dwells ‘in unapproachable light” (1 Tim 6:16) and glory. John describes the scene around the throne and the creatures who attend him, but not God, only his glory. “And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and ruby. A rainbow, resembling an emerald, encircled the throne” (Rev 4:3). The precious gems refract light in almost all the shades of the color spectrum pointing to God’s indescribable glory, while the rainbow recalls God’s covenant oath and faithfulness in providing for the salvation of his people. As the rainbow was the sign of the new creation after the flood, so too the rainbow in heaven points to the new creation which began with the resurrection of Christ.

The 24 elders are the people of God (the “church”) in both testaments. John turns his focus away from God’s glory to the creatures who attend the divine throne: “Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads” (Rev 4:4). They are the subject of much debate. 24, points to the church: the 12 tribes (OT) and the 12 apostles (NT).

Lightning and thunder signify the presence of the Spirit of God. God’s glory in heaven is accompanied by the phenomena associated with God’s judgment and presence found on earth throughout redemptive history. According to John, “From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder” (Rev 4:5a). Since these same phenomena repeatedly appear at key moments in the biblical drama, it is not accidental that they appear in Revelation as the seven judgments are to be revealed. The presence of lightning and thunder reminds God’s people that God has not forgotten them in the midst of their earthly struggles. John also sees “Before the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits of God” (Rev 4:5b). Drawing upon the visions of Zechariah and Ezekiel connecting lamps with the Spirit of YHWH and with the Spirit of Christ present with his churches in Rev 1, this is clearly a reference to the seven-fold fullness of the blessed Holy Spirit.

The calm sea in heaven contrasts the stormy sea on earth. “Also before the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal” (Rev 4:6a). This echoes Exodus 24: Moses, Aaron, Nadab and Abihu went up Mt. Sinai and saw God. They reported that under his feet they saw a pavement of sapphire, clear as the sky itself (Ex 24:10). This may refer to a transparent pavement which surrounds the throne. The heavenly sea is tranquil, like glass. The seas of earth are frequently the scene of storm and tempest. The sea is also depicted in Revelation as the place of chaos and rebellion, from which the beast emerges to wage war upon the saints (Rev 11:7; 13:1). But in heaven, the sea is calm, like glass, clear as crystal. There is no storm or tempest here, only calm and peace.

The four living creatures. Like Isaiah, John sees other creatures attending the one who sits on the throne. “In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings” (Rev 4:6b-8a) Similar creatures were seen by Ezekiel in his vision of God’s throne (Eze 1:5-21). These creatures were also were seen by Isaiah, who tells us, “I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another: `Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory” (Isa 6:1-3). Such an amazing sight overwhelms Isaiah with a sense of his own sinfulness.

Four is the number of the world, the entire created order. In Revelation, numbers are used symbolically. Four is the number of the world: the earth has four corners (N,S,E,W), four winds, divided into four regions; earth, sea, rivers/springs, heavens. The four living creatures represent the entire created order. They depict the earth’s great creatures: man, lion, ox, eagle. They are part of the royal entourage surrounding the throne who continually worship the one seated there. Covered with eyes they see everything.

The four living creatures worship God and the Lamb and also execute God’s judgments upon the earth. In Rev 6, these living creatures will go forth to bring judgment upon the earth when the first four seals of judgment are opened. But in Rev 4 their function in worship, “day and night they never stop saying: `Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come’” (Rev 4:8b). The heavenly hymns they sing remind us that God is holy, that he is triune (the three-fold repetition “holy, holy, holy”), eternal (without beginning and end) and sovereign (he is the Almighty). Given these glorious attributes and Tri-unity of God, he alone is worthy of praise; he has been from all eternity.

God is Worthy (Rev 4:9-11)

All creation (4 living creatures) and all redeemed people of God (24 elders) worship the only One worthy of worship. These living creatures represent the whole of creation praising the Creator. When they worship–as they have from all eternity–the 24 elders join them. All creation (four living creatures) and all of God’s redeemed people (twenty-four elders) worship the one who is alone worthy of our worship. “Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne, and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say: `You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being’” (Rev 4:9-11). This reminds us of God’s unspeakable greatness, and that the heavenly scene should become the pattern for all Christian worship on earth.

How does this apply? Glorious hope in persecution. For the persecuted and struggling churches of Asia Minor, this scene gives great encouragement. It confirms that God’s will is being done on heaven, even while Satan wages war upon them on earth. It points ahead to a time when God’s will will be done on earth. It confirms the blessed state awaiting all those who die in Christ. Therefore, when the beast puts God’s saints to death, that saint comes to life and reigns with Christ. The persecuted saints on earth know what awaits them in heaven when they die. It comforts Christians facing death at the hands of the beast. It also comforts those who stood beside the graves of those we love. They come to life and reign with Christ for a thousand years, as they await the great and glorious day of the resurrection.

This heavenly scene informs our understanding of worship.Christian worship must be directed toward God; he alone is worthy of our worship. Any other conception of worship is idolatrous.God is the audience of our worship. Our worship is directed to the one seated on the throne and to the Lamb in our midst. The congregation assembles to worship God in heaven. We do not come to church to watch what goes on in the front of the church or to listen to the band. We come to add our voices to those of the elders, the angels, the four living creatures and multitude of departed saints who worship God in heaven at this very moment.

Our attitude of worship. This eliminates worship designed to entertain the congregation or to meet the felt-needs of seekers. We do not do what we like in worship–we worship as God directs us to worship, in light of this text. Worship is serious business. We must not view the Sunday service like going to a Bear’s game, a concert, or a movie. People arrive whenever they want. They leave early. They get up and wander around and chat with friends. This is not worship when God is our audience and visitor. The criteria for worship is not whether the pastor was funny, the band was great, or whether or not we received a blessing. The only acceptable criteria is whether or not God received the blessing of his people in accordance with his word. In worship, we enter into God’s presence.

The greatest of Christian privileges. Calvin described that the greatest of Christian privileges is to enter the presence of God and be numbered among the assembly of those who are allowed to worship the Creator of the world and the Redeemer of the saints. God could have left each one of us in darkness and bondage to sin. If he did the only time we enter his presence is to hear the words, “depart from me, I never knew you” (Mt 7:23). But in Christ, God chose us despite our unworthiness. He sent Christ to die for our sins and raised him from the dead for our justification. He called us to faith through the preaching of the gospel and confirmed those promises through his Word. He did all this to number us among the assembly of those who enter his presence and add our voices to the heavenly choir.

The end to which God’s people are called. With them we sing, “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory, honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being” (Rev 4:11). We have been given a glimpse of God’s throne in heaven and realize that this is the end to which we have been called. How can we not but fall before the throne and worship the One seated there and the Lamb? Amen!

III. God is the Lion of Judah (Rev 5:1-5)

Shift from the One on the throne holding the scroll to the Lamb who is worthy to open it. Rev 5 continues the vision of the heavenly throne begun in Rev 4. But the focus shifts (Rev 5:1) from the glory of the One seated upon the throne and the 24 elders and 4 living creatures who attend him, to the Lamb who is the only One worthy to open the scroll: “Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals.” The scroll has writing on both the front and the back. In his prophetic vision, Ezekiel too was given a scroll (Eze 2:9-10). He was commanded to eat the scroll, a symbolic act pointing to his preparation to preach its contents (Eze 3:1-4). But the scroll which John sees is sealed. Someone must be found who is worthy to open it.

Some historical background. In John’s day people immediately grasp the significance of the sealed scroll. It served two functions: official documents or a last will and testament. The official document was sealed with wax and with the author’s official, personal mark–his signet ring or official seal–to ensure authenticity and authority of the sealed document’s, privacy, and that only one with recognized authority could open and read it. The double-sided writing was a common Roman practice in legal documents. A will had to also be witnessed and sealed by seven witnesses–the seven fold Spirit of God present before the throne (Rev 4:5). The will could be executed only upon the death of the testator. Thus, by virtue of his death for his people, the seven seals contained in the scroll are to be opened by the Lamb who is the author, and who was slain and reckoned worthy to execute it.

Daniel’s scroll was sealed. That no one is worthy to open the scrolll causes John great consternation. “And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, `Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?’ But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside” (Rev 5:2-4). In Dan 12:4, the angel says, “But you, Daniel, close up and seal the words of the scroll until the time of the end.” Perplexed by this instruction, Daniel “asked, `My lord, what will the outcome of all this be?’ He replied, `Go your way, Daniel, because the words are closed up and sealed until the time of the end. Many will be purified, made spotless and refined, but the wicked will continue to be wicked. None of the wicked will understand, but those who are wise will understand’” (Dan 12:8-10). The wise who understand are given ears to hear, those who struggle on earth against the beast.

The time of the end has arrived. Daniel’s prophecy was sealed until “the time of the end” (Dan 12:4), because the OT saints could not understand how God would bring about the blessings of the messianic age without knowing Christ. But the time of the end has come. Once Christ conquered death and the grave, human history enters its final phase. What was sealed can now be revealed. With Christ’s coming 700 years after Daniel, that which was sealed will be opened. But “what is in this scroll and who can open it?”

How will redemption be accomplished? The scroll in John’s vision would describe events associated with the final chapters of redemptive history. The main theme of Revelation is about God and his glory, and God’s glory is made manifest for all to see through the redemption accomplished by the Lamb. In the redemptive story, God promised that Adam would reign over the earth if he obeyed the covenant of works–“do this and you shall live.” Adam disobeyed and plunged the entire human race into sin and death, bringing God’s curse on all creation. Christ the Second Adam will undo the damage brought by the fall. The scroll explains how this final redemption of all things will come to pass.

The Lamb brings all redemptive history to its glorious climax. Like all God’s dealings with man, the scroll must be covenantal. It reveals God’s dominion over the earth, his promised inheritance for his people, and God’s judgment on all who broke his covenant and are under his curse. The themes of blessing and curse reappear again. The scroll is the declaration (testament) of the Lamb, as to how God will bring all of redemptive history to its glorious and final climax. This was given to Daniel but sealed.

Why only Christ is worthy to open the scroll. Since the promises in the scroll are God’s promise to a redeemed people, it can only be opened by a human, Because of sin, no one is worthy to open it. Only Jesus, the Lamb who was slain and is both God and man, fulfilled what God demands of his people under the covenant of works in the Ten Commandments. He alone kept God’s law perfectly and is without sin. In the midst of their earthly struggles and war with the beast, God’s people will understand God’s purpose which will come to pass.

Only Jesus alone triumphed over death and the grave. It is glorious news to John when “one of the elders said to me, `Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals’” (Rev 5:5). The Lamb is described in terms of his messianic glory as the lion of Judah (Gen 49:10). Jesus is the root of David (Isa 11:1). In his resurrection from the dead he triumphed over humanity’s greatest enemy, death and the grave! Therefore, Jesus alone is worthy to open the scroll and its seals.

Christ’s victory over Satan is already an accomplished fact. Christ’s triumph does not lie ahead in the distant future at his Second Coming. Christ’s victory over Satan is already an accomplished fact. With the unsealing of the scroll, the time has now come for the Conquering One to execute his righteous judgments over Satan on behalf of his people.

God is the Lamb who was Slain (Rev 5:6-14)

The secret of God’s redemptive work: The Lamb conquers by dying. “Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders” (Rev 5:6). The slain Lamb ties together God’s redemptive work made throughout redemptive history: the Passover and the shedding of the blood of sacrificial animals; Isaiah’s prophesy of God’s suffering servant who is like a sheep lead to the slaughter (Isa 53:4-7). Ironically, the Lamb conquers by dying (Jn 1:29; 1 Pet 1:19). Unless “given ears to hear” by the Holy Spirit this glorious truth remains mysterious.

The Holy Spirit will empower the churches to preach the gospel throughout the world. “He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth” (Rev 5:6b). “Horns” suggests conquest. “Seven” symbolizes perfection/fullness. “Seven horns” indicates great power (Ps 18:2; Dan 7:24; Zech 1:18-21), his triumph over death and the grave. “Seven eyes” are the “seven spirits” of God (Rev 1:4) from Zech 4:10. The “seven horns and seven eyes” of Zechariah’s prophecy are OT pictures of the Holy Spirit. He will empower the church to preach the gospel to advance Christ’s kingdom on earth.

Only the Lamb is worthy to approach God’s throne. The Lamb came “and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne” (Rev 5:7). This echoes Dan 7:13-14: “In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.” John and Daniel describe the same scene. That the Lamb is worthy enables him to approach God’s throne and open the scroll and its seals.

To worship the Lamb is to worship God. When the Lamb draws near to the one seated upon the throne, heaven worships him: “when [the Lamb] had taken [the scroll], the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God’s people” (Rev 5:8). The Lamb possesses the same glory, majesty and authority as the One sitting on the throne. When heaven worships the Lamb, they are worshiping God. No mere creature ever possesses such glory. The elders (the redeemed) and the living creatures (creation) fall before the Lamb and worship him. Christ’s glory and worthiness is equal to that of God.

Vindication of God’s people. In Rev 6:9-11; 8:4 the saints pray for vindication of martyred believers. They cry out for judgment upon the ungodly. That these prayers ascend to God’s throne and to the Lamb suggests that the opening of the scroll is connected with their vindication. The judgments yet to come and contained in the scroll will, in part, bring about the vindication of God’s people. The elders holding harps and singing (Rev 5:8) is reminiscent of the Levitical priests who were commissioned to lead the people in the praise and worship of YHWH. “And they sang a new song: `You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth’” (Rev 5:9-10).

Singing a new song of redemption commemorating Christ’s victory in purchasing his people from every nation. Throughout the OT, a new song is sung to praise God for granting his people victory over their enemies. This new song commemorates Christ’s victory over sin, death, the inauguration of the new creation, and expresses Jesus’ death for his chosen ones purchased people from every tribe, language and nation. All God’s people participate in his kingdom rule by virtue of the new birth in Christ, which John later calls “the first resurrection.” All who are Christ’s reign with him because death has no hold upon them. The Beast may kill them, but they will reign with Christ. When Christ comes back at the end of the age, God’s people will rule indeed with him upon the renewed heaven and earth in the age to come.

The whole of heaven worships the Lamb. “Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders” (Rev 5:11). These are the angels and legions of heaven who return to earth with Christ on the day of judgment. But before that dreadful day of judgment, they worship the Lamb along with the elders and living creatures. “In a loud voice they sang: `Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!’” (Rev 5:12)

Now and forever more redeemed creation worships the Lamb. This wonderful scene points ahead to a great and glorious day yet to come. As this chapter comes to a close, John’s vision is extended from the present to the time of the end, when universal acclaim is offered to Christ by a redeemed creation at the end of the age. “Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing: `To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!’ The four living creatures said, `Amen,’ and the elders fell down and worshiped” (Rev 5:13-14). John not only sees the worship of the Lamb in the present, he also sees that worship of the Lamb by a redeemed creation which takes place at the end of time.

One day we will rule with Christ. The vision of the heavenly throne ends with all of creation and all of God’s redeemed worshiping the one seated upon the throne and the Lamb. When Daniels’ vision was sealed, when Ezekiel and Isaiah saw the throne, their visions were incomplete because they did not see the Lamb who was slain. Only after Christ came, only after he died for our sins, only after he was raised for our justification, are we fully able to understand the meaning of the new song. The new song centers upon what God has done in Christ to free us from our sins, to make us a kingdom of priests and to ensure that one day we will rule with Christ upon a redeemed earth.

One day God’s will will be done on earth. In the midst of our earthly struggles, let us always keep John’s vision before our eyes, knowing that even as God’s will is being done in heaven, one day it will be done upon the earth. And until it is, let us add our voices to those of the multitude in heaven. “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain!” Amen!

More miscellaneous notes (Rev 4:1-5:14):

Christians on earth face slanderous accusations of those who oppose the gospel. They struggle to not compromise with the spirit of the age. They fight against surrounding worldly influences, against the Beast–the satanically inspired Roman government which was putting Christians to death who did not acknowledge the divinity of Caesar and which also prevented them from buying and selling. Now John gives these Christians a glimpse of heaven. The purpose of this vision is to remind Christians in the midst of their struggles against these earthly foes, that God’s will is being done in heaven, and that one day God’s will will be done upon the earth.

This would be a great encouragement to believers struggling to fight the good fight of faith under the most difficult of circumstances. Despite the apparent victory of the Beast in taking the lives of Christians, keeping the heavenly scene before our eyes should remind God’s people that despite the wrath of Satan against them, God’s people will be victorious. This is because on Calvary’s cross and in the garden tomb, the Lamb has already defeated the serpent. Therefore, in Rev 4, John’s focus is upon the glory of the one who sits upon the throne, while in Rev 5, the focus shifts to the Lamb who was slain and who alone is worthy to open the scroll. One day the Lamb’s triumph over Satan on the cross will extend to all the earth. At the end of the redemptive drama, Satan and his henchmen will be cast into the lake of fire, never to torment God’s people again.

In Rev 4:1-5:14 there are elements drawn from Daniel 7, Ezekial 1-2 and Isaiah 6:1-7. But John will do what the OT prophets could not. He will point directly to the Lamb who alone is worthy to open the scroll which was sealed until the time of the end. Through the use of apocalyptic imagery, John ties together a number of OT themes, giving the church on earth, heaven’s perspective on Jesus’ words in the Lord’s Prayer, “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” In this scene we are given a glimpse of God’s will being done in heaven. Therefore, in these two chapters we are given a summary of history of redemption, viewed from a heavenly perspective. Christ not only rules over his church, he rules over the entire cosmos. Before the redemptive drama reaches its conclusion, the outcome is already certain. Because God’s will is being done in heaven, one day it will be done on the earth, despite the apparent victory of the beast over the saints. “Thy will being done on earth” is exactly what God has promised and that for which Jesus asked us to pray. In Revelation 4-5 we see God’s will being done in heaven, giving us hope for what will one day be a reality upon the earth.

The first three chapters of Revelation focused upon John’s vision of the resurrected Christ as he walks in the midst of his churches, empowering them through the Holy Spirit to be witnesses of his grace and mercy to those around them. This became clear in the seven letters the Risen Christ addressed to the seven churches of western Asia Minor mentioned in Revelation 2-3. In each of these letters, Jesus knew the exact circumstances facing his people. He spoke words of encouragement to them. He promises blessing for obedience and curse for disobedience. But these seven churches are also typological of Christ’s church in every age, and so what Jesus says to these churches, he says to us as well. What he has promised to the seven churches, Christ has also promised to us.

In Revelation 3:21, Jesus promised those who overcome in Laodicea that one day they will sit with him upon his throne, ruling over the nations. This is important to God’s people since many of these Christians faced persecution and death from the satanically-empowered beast who sought to force Christians to confess that Caesar was Lord. A number of people had lost their lives and livelihoods. Other Christians faced slander and persecution from those Jews who sought to stop these churches from preaching the gospel. Most of these congregations struggled with the question of how to remain faithful to Christ while living in the midst of pagan culture. Hard-pressed, hated and persecuted, and repeatedly tempted to compromise with the spirit of the age, the Christians in these seven churches are promised that if they overcome by remaining faithful to gospel, they will receive all of the blessings promised them by Christ.

Therefore, it is no accident that John’s vision of heaven immediately follows upon the letters to the seven churches. The best way to encourage suffering and persecuted churches is to give them a glimpse of God’s throne. A glimpse of God’s power will give us courage to face the beast, for the final victory is certain and the beast will be defeated. A glimpse of heaven reminds us of God’s goodness and justice, reinforcing the promise that righteousness will triumph and the wicked will be punished. A glimpse of the Lamb who was slain, reminds us as God’s people that our redemption is an accomplished fact in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This heavenly vision reminds the saints that in the midst of their trials, their suffering, and in their temptation, God sovereignly controls all things. One day, God’s will, which is now being done in heaven, will indeed be done upon the earth.

A final note of introduction needs to be mentioned before we turn to the text. In the second commandment we are told that we must worship God only as he commands. Therefore, it should be obvious that when we come to a passage such as this which describes the worship of God which takes place at this very moment in heaven, we should be looking for patterns in the worship depicted in this heavenly scene so that we might pattern our Lord’s Day worship after that which transpires in heaven. There is even a sense when we as the people of God gather together on the Lord’s day to worship the one who sits upon the throne and the Lamb, we add our worship to that which presently takes place in heaven. At the very least our worship here on earth should prepare us to worship in heaven, for one day we will all take our places among the multitude who surround the glassy sea and add our voices to the heavenly choir. Worship is not only one of the great joys of the Christian life, it is serious business.

This is why Christians from the very beginning have used a liturgy similar to the historic Protestant liturgy we use each Lord’s Day. We hear God’s word of greeting. We sing his praises and come into his very presence. We pray as Jesus taught us to pray in the Lord’s Prayer. We confess our sins and hear Christ’s word of forgiveness so that we worship without guilt or fear. We confess our faith in the words of the creed, a testimony to those around us of the worthiness of the one who sits on the throne and of the Lamb. Then God replies to us, speaking to us in his word, and confirming to us his promises.

Benjamin Toh

Number of Views: 110