A Heavenly Celebration, Revelation 5:6-14
by Carmen Harb
December 18, Friday – Psalms 40, 54, 51; Zech. 7:8–8:8; Rev. 5:6–14; Matt. 25:14–30
(ESV Daily Office Readings Online)
IMAGINE: All eyes centered on Jesus Christ the once slain now risen Lamb of God.
In Rev. 5 three songs of praise rise to Jesus, the Lamb, who put into action God’s plan for creation and man’s redemption. It seemed no one in all the universe was qualified to open the scroll causing John to sense the profound significance of the scroll’s content. This led to John’s intense sorrow. Yet, the elders command John not to weep; and John looked to the center of the throne, and saw a Lamb bearing the wounds of sacrificial slaughter.
The Lamb took the scroll from the “right hand of him who sat on the throne.” The Lamb’s act gave rise to the INTENSE, RESOUNDING praise from the living creatures and the 24 elders. They “sang a new song,” the first of three hymns that filled heaven when the Lamb took the scroll.
Heaven is a place of authentic, unrestrained celebration.
IMAGINE AGAIN: The resounding praise, the sweet harmonies, the beautiful voices, the crashing cymbals, the trumpeting horns! This new song began with a declaration that Jesus was worthy of all honor and glory and power; because he was the Lamb who was slain, whose death provided the ransom for mankind.
The Crescendo of worship is next seen in the second song of praise which comes from the “voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and thousands times ten thousands.”
IMAGINE AGAIN: Countless angels as far as John could see singing with intense joy and reverence declaring the Lamb’s 7 fold perfections: power, riches, wisdom, strength, honor, glory, and praise.
Finally, the third song shows the whole creation joining in the praise of God the Father.
The amazing wonder of what Jesus did on the cross for undeserving, unworthy sinners can never be exhausted. It will be the theme of heaven’s music for all eternity. Rev 5 reminds us that heaven is a place of the perpetual celebration of God’s triumph in Jesus Christ. What a privilege we have to center our praise on the one who is the source of all faith, hope, and love. Jesus is uniquely worthy of our eternal worship.
“At the name of Jesus every knee should bow… and tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. “ Phil 2:9-10. Come quickly Lord Jesus.
