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Writer's picturePastor Mike

March 29 2022


Today, Tuesday March 29

The Weeping Turns to Praising Revelation 5:6-10

And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth. Then He came and took the scroll out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne. 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. 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, And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth."


So far in looking at this chapter, we have talked about how we should worship the Lord Jesus Christ because of Who He is (vv.5-7). He is the Lion of Judah, the root of David and the Lamb that had been slain. Yesterday we talked about how we should worship Him for where He is (vv. 6-10). He is in heaven “in the midst of the throne”! Today, we want to discuss how we should worship Jesus because of what He does (vv. 8-10).


When John saw the Lamb come and take the scroll, the weeping ended and the praising began. Daniel in his vision in Daniel 7:13-14 saw it this way: "I was watching in the night visions, And behold, One like the Son of Man, Coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, And they brought Him near before Him. Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, That all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, Which shall not pass away, And His kingdom the one Which shall not be destroyed.”


God's people and the representatives of God's creation joined their voices in a new song of praise. Note that praise and prayer were united, for incense is a picture of prayer rising to the throne of God (Ps. 141:2; Luke 1:10). We will talk about the "incense prayers" of the saints again in Revelation 6:9-11 and 8:1-6.


What kind of song did they sing? To begin with, it was a worship hymn, for they said, "You art worthy!" To worship means "to ascribe worth," and Jesus alone is worthy. Today, far too many contemporary songs are "I" centered rather than "Christ" centered. They so emphasize the believer's experience that they almost ignore the Lord's glory. Certainly there is a place for that kind of song, but nothing can compare with adoring Christ in spiritual worship. We should never forget the praise hymns like Holy, Holy, Holy.


But this song they sang was also a Gospel song! "For You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood ". The word translated slain means "violently slain" (Rev. 5:6). Literally it pictures a lamb "cut in the throat for a sacrifice." Heaven will be singing about the Cross and the blood for all eternity! Years ago I read about a denomination that revised its official hymnal and removed all songs about the blood of Christ. That hymnal could never be used in heaven, because there they glorify the Lamb slain for the sins of the world. “Without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sins” (Hebrews 9:22).


In Genesis 22, when Abraham was about to sacrifice his son Isaac, the Angel of the LORD stopped him and showed him a ram caught in a thicket nearby and it was substituted for Isaac, which is a beautiful picture of Christ giving His life for the individual. At Passover in the Old Testament, the lamb was slain for each family (Exodus 12:3). Isaiah states that Jesus died for the nation of Israel (Isa. 53:8; John 11:49-52). John the Baptist affirmed that the Lamb died for the whole world! (John 1:29)


The more we meditate on the power and scope of Christ's work on the cross, the more humbled and worshipful we should become. Yes, heaven’s song will be worshipful and center on the wonderful Gospel message!


May the Lord help us to praise Him in our songs in this way even now as we worship Him!


God bless!

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