Jesus Christ In The Writings Of John
WORSHIPPING GOD AND THE LAMB
Lesson Text:
Revelation 5:1-14 (KJV)
Golden Text:
“Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb, forever and ever.” (Rev. 5:13)
Lesson Plan:
1. INTRODUCTION
2. VISION OF THE OPENED HEAVENS
3. VISION OF THE BOOK WITH SEVEN SEALS (VS. 1-4)
4. THE LION OF THE TRIBE OF JUDAH (VS. 5-7)
5. THE NEW SONG (VS. 8-10)
6. THE WORSHIPPERS (VS. 11-14)
7. PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS
Setting of the Lesson:
Time: The Book of Revelation was probably written A.D. 95 or 96, at the close of the reign of Domitian.
Place: It was written either on the island of Patmos, in the Aegean Sea, where the visions were seen by John; or in the city of Ephesus after John’s return from exile.
1. INTRODUCTION
“Chapters 2 and 3 give the message of warning and encouragement to each of the seven churches, and through them to all congregations of the church.1 With chapter 4 begin the series of visions that fill most of the book. Chapters 4 and 5 are introductory to the great conflict of the church that begins with chapter 6. They are pictures of the glory of the heavenly guardians of the church, as they preside over her destinies, and the church herself, as in their strength, triumphs over all her foes. In short, having introduced the church to us in chapters 2 and 3, and having placed her on the field of actual history, the Seer would now give a representation of the victorious progress that awaits her in the conflict immediately to follow.” (Schaff)
Coffman pointed out that “chapter 5 is a continuation of the throne of God scene in chapter 4: the same throne, the same living creatures, the same angels, the same 24 elders, the same solemn worship, and the same Person on the throne are present here.” The new element that comes to light in this portion of the vision is that of the Lamb of God “in the midst of the throne” with the Father. “Chapters 4 and 5 are one passage” (Plummer). Nothing in these two chapters should be interpreted as “things that shall come to pass hereafter,” because obviously they describe present and eternal realities in the spiritual world. As Beckwith stated it: “These are the supreme ‘things that are’ (1:19), out of which the ‘things that are to come to pass’ must flow certainly and completely in spite of the powers of evil.”
2. VISION OF THE OPENED HEAVENS
The scene of this chapter is the same with that in chapter 4. The door of heaven was opened, a voice called him to come, and in the Spirit he went, and looked within. Here he saw symbols of heavenly things, and the powers that, above and invisible to us, watch over and control the affairs on earth.
SCRIPTURE READING: REVELATION 5:1-4
3. VISION OF THE BOOK WITH SEVEN SEALS
5:1 … “In the right hand of him that sat on the throne” i.e., God (4:2, 3). The right hand was open, and the book lay on the open hand; as in ch. 20. “The lying on the open hand imports that on God’s part there was no withholding of His future purposes as contained in this book.” (Alford)
5:1 … “A book.” In the form of a roll, the usual form of ancient books. These rolls can be seen in any Jewish synagogue today. Our volume for a book comes from a word meaning a roll. We can assume that the book was of the scroll type familiar to the people of those times. “They were made of papyrus pith sliced exceedingly thin and carefully joined together in vertical strips and reinforced by an additional layer with the strips laid horizontally, then bonded with glue and water. They were pressed flat and sandpapered for smoothness, giving a sheet of ‘paper’ similar to ones seen today. The scroll was made by piecing many of these sheets together, side to side, to form the roll of required length. In reading, the roll was transferred from the roller in one hand to another roller in the other. A book the length of Romans would have required a roll 11 1/2 feet long.” (Barclay)
5:1 … “Written within and on the back side,” i.e., on both sides of the parchment, contrary to the usual custom; but such scrolls “are mentioned by Pliny, Juvenal and Martial” (Alford). “This fullness of the roll is an emblem of the completeness of the contents, an idea which is implied by the number Seven of the Seals. It indicates that the whole had been determined by God. No other might add to its contents.” (Milligan)
“A characteristic of the scroll was that the strips of papyrus caused a horizontal grain on one side and a vertical grain on the other, called the recto and verso” (Coffman). Usually, scrolls were written only on the side with horizontal grain, because that provided easier writing. Longer writings, however, utilized both sides. From the fact of the scroll in view here having been written "on the back," a rather extensive communication is indicated.
Meaning of the scroll
The fact that it was “in” or “on” the right hand of God certainly has importance, but what is it? Many different answers are available; below are a few:
a. “It contained the whole of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven.” (Plummer)
b. “It is God’s redemptive plan for the denouement of human history, the overthrow of evil, and the gathering of a redeemed people.” (Ladd)
c. “It is the New Covenant, since the New Covenant tells how God will save the church, Israel, the world, and the universe.” (Nee)
d. “This is a book of the future of the world and of mankind.” (Beckwith)
e. "It is some kind of legal document relating to the destiny of mankind" (Beasley-Murray).
f. “The book is surely that which contains the world’s destiny.” (Morris)
There is perhaps a measure of truth in them all. Certainly, there is some bearing which the book had upon the mystery of redemption, and the long-secret device by which God would achieve it in the death of his Son. Human salvation, together with God’s purpose of achieving it and the mystery of how it would be done, is included in it because we cannot agree with the notion that John’s weeping in (5:4) was due merely to disappointment at not seeing the future revealed.
Illustration
In the monastery I observed two very beautiful rolls, containing the liturgy of St. Chrysostom and that attributed by the Greeks to St. James. You begin to read by unrolling, and you continue to read and unroll, till at last you arrive at the stick to which the roll is fastened; then you turn the parchment round, and continue to read on the other side, rolling it gradually up till you complete the liturgy. It was thus written within and without (Paxton).
What was this book?
“A sealed book is a fitting emblem of the future. It’s opening by Divine hand was symbolical of the making known of future events” (MacDonald). The book seems to be still more; the Divine plan and purposes, and the opening of the book was not so much making known the future, as the unfolding of the history itself, the actual development of God’s providence in reference to the church, in its various successive periods. The mere revealing of the future, great as that is, would not be of such importance as is represented in this vision; but the providential control of all things relating to God’s people, the development of the church, the victory over all enemies, the final glorious consummation of the Gospel – this is indeed worthy of the Lion of the tribe of Judah, and none else could accomplish it.
5:1 … “Sealed with seven seals.” Preventing the contents of the book from being known. “If we suppose the seals to be put successively on the margin of the book or scroll as it was rolled up, each opening would extend only as far as the next seal, where the unrolling would be arrested. When the first seal was broken, the book could be unrolled until one came to a second seal; and so in succession of the rest. If these seals were put on so as to be visible at the ends of the roll, then John could have seen the seven seals if the end of the roll was towards him.” (Stuart)
Other views:
“Especially important documents were sealed with multiple seals; and the appearance of seven seals here indicates the inviolate nature of the document. The thought that as each seal was broken a portion of the scroll could be read is not correct. In fact, the scroll was not read at all in this prophecy. Only as the seals were broken, the visions conveyed part of the information to John.” (Coffman)
“The seals sealed the entire roll; all would have had to be broken to ready any of it. The opening of each seal is not undertaken to reveal seven successive lengths of the roll, each length then to be read. Nothing whatever is read. When each seal is opened, it releases the revealing symbolism of what the book contains.” (Lenski)
5:2 … “And I saw a strong [a mighty] angel.” One of highest rank, for the inquiry to be made was one of vast importance; it was to be heard by all in heaven and on the earth. “Homer represents his heralds as powerful, robust men, in order consistently to attribute to them deep-toned and powerful voices.” (Stuart)
5:2 … “Who is worthy to open the book?” In the sense of competent, capable, coupled perhaps with the idea of being honored by God to make this revelation, and unfold the Divine will and work. In other words, who has the requisite endowments of all kinds to enable him to do it?
“The key for unlocking the mystery written in the scroll was not only power, but morality, righteousness, holiness, and justice – worthiness. The great problem to be solved in human redemption was simply this: how could God in justice do it? Paul stated it thus: ‘That he might be just and the justifier of him that is of the faith of Jesus’ (Rom. 3:26). Inherent in this interpretation is the fact that the vision at this point is retrospective in time, looking to the period when the salvation of Adam’s race appeared to be absolutely impossible. As G. B. Caird said, ‘Some of the contents (of the scroll) are already past.’ The situation in this verse appears to be almost identical with that described in Psalm 40:6-8, in which Christ, in His pre-existent state before the Incarnation, responded to the challenge of redeeming mankind in the words: ‘Then said I, Lo, I come (In the roll of the book it is written of me) To do thy will, O God.’ This is the remarkable passage in which the preexistent Christ spoke of ‘the body’ God had prepared for Him.” (Coffman)
5:3 … “And no man [no one] in heaven,” etc. The whole universe is designed by the three divisions mentioned. Coffman points out that “The apostle John, at this juncture in his experience ‘in the Spirit,’ was permitted to share in the perplexity, dreadful uncertainty, and helplessness that encompassed the heavenly host in their contemplation of the seemingly impossible solution of human redemption. Of course, this uncertainty did not pertain either to the Father or to the Son; but the helplessness, even of the supernatural creation, in matters pertaining to human salvation is clearly evident here. This was the same mystery pondered by the angels gazing intently into the mercy seat of which Peter spoke (1 Pet. 1:12).”
5:3 … “Neither under the earth.” The abode of the dead. Regarding this verse, Coffman states in his commentary: “Even some of the great scholars are unbelievably naive in their reference to what they call the concept of a three-story universe. No such concept ever existed, except in the minds of some of the critics. The New Testament clearly speaks of three different heavens, the second and lower heaven being that of the stars and constellations, and the third being the presence of God himself, as in this vision. Paul used this same expression (Phil. 2:9, 10), evidently meaning ‘beings’ in heaven (angelic), earth (human), or under the earth (demonic).”
Adam Clarke commented, "Neither angels, men, nor devils can fathom the decrees of God" (Clarke). Hinds pointed out another important meaning in this: “Men and women yet claim to reveal secrets in the book of the future by some mysterious power or by communicating with the dead, but this vision is proof that the future belongs to God. All the revelations he wants us to have are now recorded in the Bible.”
5:3 … “Was able to open the book, neither to look thereon.” Or therein, in which case the thought is, none could open, much less read, the roll. However, it may be that all who attempted to take the book were unable to face the glory in which it lay. “When Christ revealed Himself to Saul, he could not see for the glory of that light.” (Carpenter)
5:4 … And I wept much.” It had been promised to him (Rev. 4:1) that he would be shown future events; and now it seemed as if this promise was about to be frustrated by the lack of one worthy to open the book; and his tears burst forth in the earnestness of disappointed desire after the fulfillment of the promise (Alford). But still more for one able to guide and control the events of the future, and cause them to work out good to God’s people.
Most scholars accept the interpretation of the apostle's weeping being due to disappointment over not getting to see the visions. Barclay's comment is typical: “The voice had made the promise to him, ‘I will show these things which must be hereafter.’ It now looked as if the promise could not be kept, and as if he had been frustrated. The seer weeps because the promised vision, as he thinks, is not to be.”
However, Coffman rejects this interpretation on the basis that in his view frustration is an inadequate ground for the apostle’s overwhelming grief manifested in this verse.
“Excessive weeping for such a reason would hardly appear commendable in such a character as John. No! Something far more important is in view.” Instead, Coffman agreed with Newell, who wrote: “It was as if sin and Satan were to go on forever in the usurped control of affairs in this world. It was as if it still must be written: ‘Right forever on the scaffold, Wrong forever on the throne.’ The apostle was broken-hearted about this. The Greek word is the same as that for Christ weeping over Jerusalem.”
Concluding his own commentary on this verse, Coffman said: “This clarifies the retrospective throw-back in the vision to a period before redemption was achieved by Christ. But John’s grief was quickly assuaged. God has already progressed far beyond the hopeless condition apparent at first. Indeed, the victory had already been won, and the victorious Lamb of God was already seated on the throne. The time was then far later than the heart-breaking glimpse of the past had indicated.”
Illustration
John’s vision revealed to the church, in its conflicts and persecutions, the higher powers above fighting for them, controlling all things, and leading on to victory; as at Elisha’s prayer his servant saw the air around the prophet full of horses and chariots, a multitude of unseen defenders. It was like being in the smoke of battle, seeing hardly anything, having a vision of the general and his aides on a hill-top in the clear air, directing the whole battle.
SCRIPTURE READING: REVELATION 5:5-7
4. THE LION OF THE TRIBE OF JUDAH
5:5 … “One of the elders saith unto me.” (see 4:4) Many scholars consider the twenty-four elders mentioned to be, not angels, but representatives of the church; agreeing with Barnes that “if the elders were the representatives of the church, there was a propriety that they should address John in his trouble; and they by experience knew the power and worth of the Savior.” However, we agree with Mounce that, “The fact of an elder’s addressing John is of no particular significance.” Coffman states that “It appears to be an inert factor in the vision.”
5:5 … “Weep not.” There is no need to be troubled. There is one who can break the seals and unroll the book. Many commentators quote the beautiful words of John Wesley in this connection: “The Revelation was not written without tears; neither without tears will it be understood.”
5:5 … “The Lion.” This undoubtedly refers to Christ. The lion is an emblem of kingly authority and power, of courage and victory. “This expression does not occur anywhere else in the Bible” (Morris). Despite this, the conception is found in the patriarchal blessing of Judah (Gen. 49:10), who earned the right to have his name stand in a title of the Messiah when he unselfishly offered himself as a ransom for his brother Benjamin (Gen. 44:18-34).
5:5 … “Of the tribe of Judah.” Because Christ sprang from the tribe of Judah (Heb. 7:14), and with reference also to the declaration of the dying Jacob respecting Judah (Gen. 49:9). John’s application of this glorious title to Christ, or rather its being done in heaven, confirms Jesus Christ as the true occupant of the throne of David. Jesus Christ is now the true and only King of the true Israel, “the seed of David” who sits on David’s throne exalted in the heavens. David was the first “lion of the tribe of Judah,” although not so-called in Scripture; but Christ, David’s greater Son, became the true Lion. David, as ruler of the temporal kingdom of Israel, was the type or forerunner of Christ the ruler of spiritual Israel forever. The adoption of this title by Christ is but a continuation of the New Testament pattern of ascribing to Him all of those glorious things of David, such as the tabernacle, the throne, the mercies, the blessings, the key of David, etc.
5:5 … “The root of David.” Not as the root out of which David springs, but as the sucker which, springing from David as a root, grows up to be a stately tree. In him the conquering might of David the “man of war,” as well as of Judah “chosen to be the ruler” (1 Chron. 28:4), comes forth with all the freshness of a new youth. (Milligan suggested comparing for the witness thus given to our Lord, Matthew 17:3 with the parallel texts.)
This title goes back to Isaiah 11:1ff, in which was prophesied that, “A rod out of the stem of Jesse . . . there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people . . . his rest shall be glorious.” As Barclay noted, “This means that Jesus Christ, the son of David, was the promised Messiah.”
5:5 … “Hath prevailed to open the book.” Conquered, gained the victory. Not merely was He able to open the book, but He had acquired this power by a victorious struggle. By such a struggle with trials and sorrows He had opened or prepared the way for the highest honor to be bestowed upon Him – the honor and the right to open the sealed book. “The general idea is that none but the Messiah is capable of revealing the secret counsels of God. He knows them all and therefore is able to disclose them.” (Stuart)
5:6 … “In the midst of the throne,” i.e., not on the throne (cf. v. 7), but in the midst of the company (ch. 4:4), which was “round about the throne.”
5:6 … “And of the four beasts.” Rather, living beings, described in Revelation 4:6-9. These four living beings are in part identical with the cherubim of the Old Testament (compare Ezek. 1:5-10; 10:20), and in part with the seraphim of Isaiah 6:2. As to what is represented by them, there is the great diversity of opinion among commentators, all of whose opinions we will not mention. The leading interpretations are as follows:
a. Alford, Herder, De Wette, and others: The four cherubic forms are representatives of animated nature, of God’s sentient creation – man among all animals, the eagle among birds, the ox among cattle, the lion among beasts – “the whole creative life of nature.” Therefore, we have the throng of God surrounded by His church (represented, they believe, by the twenty-four) and His animated world.
b. Stuart, Lange, and others: The living creatures represent the all-pervading providence of God – intelligent and wise (the man’s face); swift and far-reaching (the eagle); powerful (the ox); kingly, authoritative (the lion). This is modified by some to mean, not symbols of providence, but the living agents by which God’s providential government is carried on.
c. Bush and Kitto: Representatives of the church triumphant – of the great body of the saved who have the characteristics of the cherubim. This last view they hold is confirmed by the face that they join in the new song, saying, “Thou hast redeemed us by thy blood.” This view holds that the elders, then, would be the leaders; the living creatures, the great body of the church.
5:6 … “Of the elders.” Of whom there are 24 (ch. 4:10). As previously stated many scholars believe they are the representatives of the church of our Lord and people, of those whom Christ calls His friends, and who are admitted to know what their Lord doeth (John 15:15). Various reasons have been suggested as to why they should be described as 24 in number:
a. They are the twelve tribes doubled, signifying the union of Gentile and Jew in the body of Christ, the church;
b. They are two sets of twelve, to represent the two Testaments;
c. They are the twelve patriarchs conjoined with the twelve apostles.
“It will be seen that these were all different forms of the same thought, that the 24 elders represent the complete church of our Lord in the past and in the future, in the Jewish and Gentile worlds.” (Carpenter)
5:6 … “Stood a Lamb as it had been slain.” Greek: a little lamb; emphasizing the idea of meekness, purity, innocence. The Lion of the tribe of Judah now appears as a lamb. Both symbols are appropriate for Christ. It is not probable that He appeared in the form of a lamb, but the symbol of His sacrifice for sin symbolized by a lamb.
“The passage is most striking. The evangelist is told the Lion which will open the seals; he looks, and lo, it is a lamb! Yes, a little lamb, for the word is diminutive. There is deep significance in this. When we read of the lion, we think of power and majesty, and we are right; all power in heaven and earth is Christ’s, but it is power manifested in seeming weakness. Righteousness and purity, meekness and gentleness are greater than carnal weapons.” (Carpenter)
Obviously, the Lamb is Jesus Christ the Son of God – in the midst of the throne, sharing eternal and omnipotent authority with the Father Himself. This is the grand truth of this chapter and, for that matter, the whole book. Everything depends on this. Some students of the Word may be aware that unbelieving critics have tried to eliminate this passage; but, as Beckwith said: “The Lamb once slain forms the very heart of the whole scene.
The attempt of Vischer and his followers to expunge the idea destroys the entire paragraph; it is criticism run riot.” “Only in the Johannine2 writings is Jesus called ‘The Lamb’” (Mounce). This provides strong evidence of the same author for all of them, as Mounce points out: “the expression being used “twenty-eight times in Revelation.”
Lo! A Lamb appears in the stead of the Lion. This is the battle whereby the Lion has overcome; viz., that He has suffered Himself to be slain as a Lion. “It is only in the omnipotence of all-suffering love that the greatness of omnipotence could be proved.” (Ebrard)
5:6 … “As it had been slain.” Bearing marks of His past death-wounds. He was standing, though bearing the marks of one slain. In the midst of heavenly glory, Christ crucified is still the prominent object. Nee points out that this actually means, “as though it had been newly slain,” or, as Beasley-Murray says, “the Lamb was standing in heaven ‘with its throat cut.’” In Coffman’s view, “the vision proves that the death of Christ was a historical fact, as was also His resurrection from the dead.”
5:6 … “Having seven horns.” Symbols of power, the seven signifying that His power is full and perfect. As Coffman points out, “horns were familiar symbols of honor, power, authority, and glory in the Biblical and other Hebrew literature.” “By this symbol, John undoubtedly invests Christ with the attributes of deity” (Caird). Coffman adds: “But not merely this symbol does so; they all do. A Lamb standing in heaven with its throat cut undoubtedly does the same thing! In such symbols the character of the vision is evident. Things accounted to be totally impossible in reality are present everywhere in Revelation.”
While stressed in John's writings, presenting Jesus Christ as the Lamb is thoroughly Biblical. For instance, the entire institution of the Passover was built around the sacrifice of the lamb; John the Baptist identified Jesus as: “the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world;” and, Paul’s reference to “Christ our passover,” and the Suffering Passage of Isaiah 53, comparing Jesus to the “lamb dumb before its shearers.” Some suggest using a different word for “lamb” in this passage; but Lenski discounted such as having no significance, stating: “It is merely a linguistic matter in the Greek.”
5:6 … “And seven eyes [symbols of intelligence and insight], which are the seven Spirits of God.” The Holy Spirit3 in all His manifold gifts and works, which Jesus had promised to send to His disciples.
“Seven eyes” These are interpreted for us as “the seven Spirits of God, sent forth into all the earth,” another symbol of the omniscience and divinity of the Son of God. Everything in this passage proclaims this same essential fact. For example, who but God could be in “the midst of the throne” and “in the midst of the elders” and the living creatures also?
It is childish to draw diagrams and propose to locate any of these symbols as unalterably in one place or another. By Christs having “the seven spirits of God,” the quibbles of Jeremias and Windisch, etc., to the effect that in part of the New Testament it is God who sends the Holy Spirit and that in others it is Christ who does so, are refuted. What is done in this respect is done by either or by both (Coffman).
5:7 … “And he came and took the book.” (i.e., in order to open it) From the standpoint of the apostle John, this scene is still in the past tense. “The moment is that of his appearance in heaven, fresh from the suffering and triumph of the cross” (Bruce) – some decades prior to the writing of Revelation. Carpenter noted that the tense of the verbs bears this out: “He came, and he has taken the roll out of the hand of him that sat on the throne.” Mounce and many other interpreters of the same school do not apply this to a past event but “to an event yet to take place at the end of time.” Coffman considered this to be incorrect. Hendriksen’s view is: “The Lamb has taken the scroll out of the hand of Him who was seated on the Throne. This very clearly refers to the fact that Christ, as Mediator, at His ascension received authority to rule the universe.” A careful reading of Matthew 28:18-20 should remove any doubt that this is the proper view of this passage. We concur with Coffman that to properly interpret Revelation, one must have a thorough knowledge of what the rest of the New Testament teaches. People who expect Christ to be enthroned at some future time have forgotten that He is already enthroned. “Psalm 110 indicates the date (when this occurred); it was the moment when Christ sat down on the Throne at God’s right hand” (Lenski). See also Heb. 1:3, 6, 8, 9; 2:9.
SCRIPTURE READING: REVELATION 5:8-10
5. THE NEW SONG
5:8 … “The four beasts [living creatures; see v. 6] … fell down before the Lamb [in adoring worship].” “Worship is reserved only for God (22:9); that the Lamb is worshipped is evidence of His full divinity” (Morris). This verse has an important bearing on the mediatorial office of Christ, as revealed in the New Testament. The view that Bruce held, i.e., “the elders perform priestly functions in heaven,” became popular, as Coffman points out, early in post-apostolic times; and, in time, the conception of the Virgin Mary as a heavenly mediator developed; but nothing like this is known to the New Testament. Barclay traced this superstition back to Daniel 6:2: “Draw near unto God and to the angel that intercedeth for you, for he is a mediator between God and man.” However, as Barclay proceeded to point out: “That is exactly the feeling that Jesus Christ came to take away, for He came to tell us that God is closer to us than breathing, nearer than hands and feet. He came to be the living way by which for every man, however humble, the door to God is open.”
Paul expressed it: “There is one God, one mediator also between God and men, himself man, Christ Jesus, who gave himself a ransom for all; the testimony to be borne in its own times.” (1 Tim. 2:5, 6)
So we must not look for any priestly service or any mediatorial function being performed by those four and twenty elders in heaven. As a matter of fact, in the vision they were not offering any prayers at all. As Barnes pointed out, “It is not said that they offered prayers, but incense representing the prayers of the saints.”
“The incense they offered in this vision stands for the prayers of actual living saints on earth at the time, which is further proof that these twenty-four elders are to be understood as representing the universal church on earth. What the elders were doing in heaven only portrays symbolically the true significance of the prayers of Christians on earth.” (Coffman)
5:8 … “Having every one of them harps.” Alford viewed the harp as “a zithern or kind of guitar, played either with the hand or with a plectrum or quill. These represent the praises of God’s people, and are to aid in singing the new song.”
However, Coffman and Hinds, among other scholars, hold that proponents of instrumental music in the worship of Christ demonstrate a misunderstand of this verse of Holy Scripture, believing instead that the harp here is purely symbolical, not referring to mechanical instruments of music, but of singing, an action in which the heavenly host immediately engaged. Hinds expressed it this way: “From any viewpoint, the pas sage absolutely excludes the mechanical instrument.”
Whatever view one might hold, one thing is sure: the triumphal enthronement of the Son of God in this chapter no sooner takes place, Christ having accepted the office of King of the Universe, “than there is a great burst of triumph and exuberant joy in three doxologies.” (Hendriksen)
5:8 … “And golden vials [Bowls or censers] full of odors,” i.e., incense, composed of gums and spices that produce a perfume when burned. These odors are the prayers of the saints, arising as sweet odors to God, but only when burning on the altar of the heart.
“Of these three sweet ingredient perfumes, alluding to the composition of the temple-incense, namely petition, confession, thanksgiving, is the incense of prayer, and by the Divine fire of love it ascends unto God, the heart and all with it; and when the hearts of the saints unite in joint prayer, the pillar of sweet smoke goes up the greater and the fuller.” (Leighton)
5:9 … “And they sung a new song.” They sing, not sang. The continuous worship of heaven is brought before us. The song was new. “In its substance, because it celebrates what no imagination of man could before have conceived, and no tongue have uttered – the glory of a complete redemption. The song is not sung simply because the roll is opened; its main burden is the ground upon which the Lamb had been found worthy to open it.” (Milligan)
“The glorious outburst in heaven extolled the triumphant death of Christ on the cross, that being where the purchase of a people from all classes and kindreds was actually paid. Very clearly, it is not some far-off millennial morning which is in view here but the scenes of Calvary, the garden of Gethsemane, and the post-resurrection meeting with the apostles in the upper room.” (Coffman)
The new song is about the redemption in Jesus’ blessed name, the “new song” prophesied by Isaiah 42:10. Coffman points out that “in this connection, it is proper to note that ‘forgiveness of sins’ is the newest thing on the planet earth, being never before possible until the death of Jesus on the cross.” He goes on to say, “Christianity is the truly new thing. In it are the new creation, the new name, the new song, the new heaven and the new earth, the new birth, the new life in Christ, etc.”
5:9 … “Thou art worthy … for thou wast slain.” Thou are worthy to reveal, and to guide and control the history of the church of our Lord, for thou didst make the sacrifice through which the church exists.
5:9 … “And hasts redeemed us.” All they have, and are, and hope to be, is from Him.
5:9 … “By thy blood.” The conception of the church of our Lord as a possession, bought by the blood of Christ, is everywhere in the New Testament. For instance: “Ye are not your own; ye are bought with a price” (1 Cor. 6:19, 20). “The church which he purchased with his own blood.” (Acts 20:28), etc.
5:9 … “Out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation.” Every part of the world, every nation, and every race has a part in this redemption. Christ’s religion is a universal religion adapted to all ages and all races. “The universal characteristic of the church is stressed by this. It is the church of our Lord Jesus Christ that actually concerns every man ever born on earth.” (Coffman)
5:10 … “And hast made us kings and priests; and we shall reign on the earth.” Rather, they reign, as in R. V. They reign with and in Christ, but they also reign on the earth. Christ gives them a kingship, even sovereignty, over themselves – the first, best, and most philanthropic of all kingships. He also gives them a kingship on the earth among men, for they are exerting those influences, promoting those principles, and dispensing those laws of righteousness, holiness, and peace, which in reality rule all the best developments of life and history. Carpenter pointed out that “all who traverse these laws are merely intruders, or transitory tyrants, who exert only a phantom power. They are not kinds; they may govern, but they do not reign (compare 1 Cor. 3:21-23; Eph. 2:6).”
Coffman was of the view that in spite of the translation of this verse being disputed, the meaning clearly comes through. The saints of Jesus Christ, the Christians of all tribes and nations, are now reigning on the earth with Jesus Christ. Some people do not wish to believe this, but the dogmatic power of this verse is overwhelming. Christians in this current dispensation reign with Christ. Their reign is in the same sense as that of the apostles “reigning with Christ” (Matt. 19:28), a reign which Jesus Christ Himself affirmed would occur during “the times of the regeneration”; that is, the “times of the new birth,” meaning the current Gospel age. “Any suggestion that the reign of the Christians belongs to an ultimate future is beside the point, since we have now been twice told that they are already kings and priests” (Caird). The apostle Peter spoke convincingly of this in the first epistle (1 Pet. 2:9), where he called Christians a “royal priesthood,” which is exactly what is affirmed here, adding that they are now offering up “spiritual sacrifices” to God, thus also “reigning” with Christ.
Coffman provided a section in his commentary on this verse that offers the spiritual student of God’s Word conclusions, which, hopefully, will induce additional serious, in-depth Biblical study. His thoughts follow: “The first and greatest mistake ancient Israel ever made was rejecting the theocratic government of God and demanding a king like the nations around them (1 Sam. 8); and this mistake was likewise their last, for it blinded them against the coming of their hoped-for Messiah. At the time of the First Advent, the Jewish nation, especially its leaders, wanted nothing either in heaven or upon earth as ardently as they wanted the restoration of their earthly monarchy, obliviously ignorant of the fact that a secular kingdom was contrary to God’s will from the first. By the times of Jesus, their hopes of a Messiah had degenerated into a carnal malignant patriotism; and when they knew that Christ had no intention of organizing an army and chasing the Romans, they crucified him!”
Coffman continued: ‘People of our own times who long for some earthly, secular appearance of Christ to establish some kind of a literal kingdom on this earth are guilty of the same mistake as that of ancient Israel. Christ’s kingdom is not of this world. It is a reign over the passions and appetites of the body, a reign over the lusts and vanities of the flesh, a spiritual reign of a people who, in a sense, are ‘called out’ of the world with its secular value judgments. The very word ‘church’ means ‘called out.’ Every line of the New Testament denies that Christ ever intended or that He ever plans to rule in any temporal sense on this earth. The church age is not to be followed by any so-called ‘kingdom age.’ The church is the kingdom; and the thousand years reign refers to the whole time between the First Advent and the Second Advent of Christ. Many people are not satisfied by the type of kingdom established by Christ, resulting in the projection of all kinds of bizarre and unscriptural notions regarding some ‘future’ kingdom. If people can bear to hear it, the ‘kingdom’ has already been in existence since the first Pentecost following the resurrection of Christ. The saints of the New Testament were baptized into that kingdom; and there is none other.”
SCRIPTURE READING: REVELATION 5:11-14
6. THE WORSHIPPERS
5:11 … “And I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne, and the beasts and the elders.” (i.e., surrounding on all sides, in the more distant space, the smaller circle already described.) The church, as the vehicle of the work of redemption, of which creation is but a part is the central and crowning manifestation of God’s power, love, and wisdom. Alford points out that “round it and Him who is its head the heavenly hosts are ranged in humble admiration; and into its wonders they desire to look (compare Eph. 3:10; 1 Pet. 1:12).” If there is joy in heaven over one sinner that repents, what must be the ineffable joy as they behold the multitudes of the redeemed.
5:11 … “And the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands.” v. 11 introduces the great doxology that follows. Significantly, none are silent in the hosts of heaven, the praise and adoration of the Father and of the Son being unanimous, full, spontaneous, and overwhelmingly joyous. “Needless to say, the numbers are not to be taken literally; they are simply employed to express the countless throng of that innumerable company” (Coffman). See Hebrews 12:22. Alford put it this way: “One hundred millions, myriads of myriads, simply innumerable in its vastness.” “A vast uncounted host, which one could not attempt to enumerate.” (Barnes)
5:12 … “Saying with a great voice.” This passage being introduced with saying and a very similar passage being introduced as singing (Rev. 5:9), “suggest that the angels’ ‘saying,’ ‘Glory to God in the highest, etc.,’ (Luke 2:13, 14) may also be understood as a song.” (Coffman)
5:12 … “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain.” (See v. 9) The idea is that the fact that He was slain, or was made a sacrifice for sin, was the ground or reason for that which is here ascribed to Him. “In view of all that He was, and all that He has done, He is here spoken of as worthy.” (Barnes)
“It is hardly profitable to dwell upon each one of the seven ‘receivables’ in this overwhelming doxology; because even they do not exhaust the worthiness of the Lamb; but rather, in there being seven of them (the number of perfection), they stand for the infinite perfection and worthiness of Jesus Christ our Lord. Practically all of the qualities mentioned in this doxology are ascribed to Jesus elsewhere in the New Testament.” (Coffman)
5:12 … “Riches.” “All riches and fullness, not limited to spiritual riches” (Alford); all that is necessary for supplying the wants of His people.
5:12 … “Wisdom.” The work of redemption required special wisdom; to save men is the height of wisdom. To find out how to forgive, and yet not increase sinning; to intensify every motive for being good – love, hope, fear, duty, so as most powerfully to draw men to God; to come down to men, and yet lift them up to God, required Divine wisdom. Nowhere else has such wisdom been shown – “wisdom to guide all the affairs of the church and the world.” (Mann)
5:12 … “Strength.” “Ability to accomplish His purposes.” (Barnes)
5:12 … “Honor.” The esteem of reverence due or paid to worth.
5:12 … “Glory.” That guality or character that deserves praise and honor.
5:12 … “Blessing.” “Ascribed praise, the will on the creature’s part, though unaccompanied by the power, to return blessing for blessing conferred.” (Alford)
5:13 … “And every creature [every created thing; the third chorus, joining with the redeemed and the angels] … unto him that sitteth on the throng [“the song of the creature world rightly refers to the Creator” (Lange) – the Father God], and unto the Lamb.” Jesus Christ. All creation is better, happier, and richer, because of what Christ’s redeeming work has done. How much more cultured and beautiful the world is under Christian influences and culture. New beauties and powers are being continually developed.
Illustration
The interest all people feel in a great contest or battle, especially right against wrong. The whole world looks at some insignificant village or barren plain, because a decisive battle for the world is fought there. So, too, all the family feel the deepest interest in the one wandering one, and in his efforts to reform, and rise to high manhood again. All God’s family are interested in the success of Christ’s work, and the conflict of good and evil in this world, and the struggle of this lost world to become again like heaven.
Conclusion
In Revelation 5:9, 12, 13, the first two doxologies are addressed to the Lamb, but in the last the Father is included. “This linking of the Father and the Lamb continues throughout Revelation, in their aggregate, providing overwhelming evidence that in the early church Christ was honored in every way as fully God, co-reigning with the Father in heaven and upon earth. These magnificent passages show that there could not possibly be any subsequent honors or glories that Christ could be conceived of as possessing, which He does not already possess. This is one of the great facts of this marvelous prophecy. Many scholars have a tendency to tie in what is said here with the passage in Romans where Paul said, ‘the whole creation travaileth’ (Rom. 8:19-21), but that passage refers to people, not to animals. A different meaning is here; namely, that the lower creations, in their proper way, honor and praise God through their continuity as He directed them.” (Coffman)
In other words, expressed poetically, the whole creation in antiphonal response joined the symphony of praise “unto him that sitteth on the throne”, God, the Creator; and “unto the Lamb”, Christ the Savior. As the host is enlarged to “every creature”, the praise is expanded to include both the One on the throne, and the One in the midst of the throne – God and the Lamb.
7. PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS
a. v. 1: In heaven we see the solution of the mysteries of earth, and the unseen powers that rule all men and all events.
b. It is a great comfort to know, while we are in the smoke of the battle, that there is a wise and loving God on high who sees and controls the warfare, and is certain to gain the victory.
c. vs. 2-5: He that is faithful in humble and painful duties will prove himself worthy of the greater works.
d. Jesus is the Lion of the tribe of Judah, strong and triumphant, because He was the lamb slain to redeem the world. Love, self-sacrifice, devotion, purity – powers that conquer.
e. v. 6: Christ crucified is the center of all things – of all hearts, of all truth, of all power.
f. These four living creatures have the characteristics of the true Christian – patient work, wise intelligence, kingly power, far-sighted and swift-winged, obedience.
g. v. 8: Prayers, like incense, are fragrant only when they are burning in the flames of a loving heart. Then they are like fragrant odors to God, and are never lost.
h. Worship, praise, and prayer are most blessed and helpful. All should join in song and prayer; all should take reverential attitudes; all should worship from the heart.
i. v. 9: New mercies, new memories of old mercies, new views of God’s goodness, demand new songs of praise.
j. We never can thank God enough for what He has done for us. All eternity will not suffice for His praise.
k. There will be great multitudes of the redeemed. It is possible that in the end the lost will not be as many in proportion to the saved, as the number in our prisons is to all the inhabitants in the country.
l. vs. 11-13: The entire universe joins in the praise of Jesus, for His redeeming love. The work of redemption on this little world has an influence and interest throughout the universe; as a battle fought in some obscure village may decide the fate of empires, and the eyes of all civilized nations may watch its issues with interest.
m. Characteristics of worship here, consisting of prayer and praise, is from the heart; is joined in by many; is in reverential form; has responses; expresses gratitude for what God has done for us; is pleasing to God.
Footnotes:
1 For more information on the church, see God’s Church in Contents section of StudyJesus.com.
2 For more information on Johannine writings, see Johannine Studies in Contents section of StudyJesus.com.
3 For more information on the Holy Spirit, see God the Spirit in Contents section of StudyJesus.com.
