Worship and adoration are the appropriate responses to the revelation of the Lamb who has prevailed to open the scroll of God’s judgment. In fact, falling down before the Lamb, presenting prayers before the Lamb, singing to the Lamb, and worshiping the Lamb are all consistent with the revelation of His glory. This activity is not confined to the twenty-four elders (representatives of the church), but extends to “many angels around the throne” along with the “living creatures” and encompassing a great number of worshipers, “and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands” (Rev 5:11).
Christ is praised with a “new song” because He is “worthy to take the scroll, and to open its seals” (Rev 5:9a). Notice one significant difference between the worshipers in heaven and worshipers on earth. Some of God’s professing people on earth do not often talk about God’s judgment and some even seem embarrassed by the Lord’s judgments and try to explain them away. They do not usually admit embarrassment, but their words and actions evidence the disposition of their hearts. Contrary to that attitude the worshipers in heaven see Christ’s execution of vengeance as a reason to sing a new song to Him and praise Him. There is need for the church today to recover this attitude; not with a petty and vindictive spirit, but with a desire to see the justice of God manifested.
Christ is praised because He “was slain, and [has] redeemed us to God by [His] blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation” (Rev 5:9b). This is the Christ of v. 5 who is described as the “Lion of the tribe of Judah” who interestingly appears to John as “a Lamb as though it had been slain” (v.6). The King-Priest of Psalm 110 has accomplished the work the Father had given Him, ascended to heaven, and now receives praise from His people. Revelation 5:9 also indicates another difference between the worshipers of heaven and the worshipers on earth: the multitudes in heaven do not have a problem with particular redemption. Christ did not come to make redemption possible, He came to actually redeem the elect of God by His blood and this glorious truth elicits the praise of the “ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands!” The “Five Points of Calvinism” are not only a soteriological formulation; they are also a doxological foundation. The knowledge of a Holy Redeemer who crushed the head of the serpent ought to promote praise and worship for Christ by His church.
Christ is praised because He has “made us kings and priests to our God; and [has enabled us to] reign on the earth” (Rev 5:10). This statement highlights something of God’s covenantal plan: the nation of Israel was to function as a kingdom of priests in order to mediate God’s blessings to the rest of the earth (Ex 19:6). Of course, Israel failed to execute this because of their sin. Christ as the true Israel fulfills all of His covenantal obligations, saves His elect, and enables them to function as the Israel of God by virtue of their union with Him. The church’s calling is a glorious one because of the redemptive work of her Head, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Christ is praised for having received “power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing!” (Rev 5:12). In Daniel’s description of Christ’s ascension, he writes “Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him” (Dan 7:14). Christ as victor receives great blessing from His Father and the worshipers in heaven ascribe worthiness to Him “who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing” (v.12). This is not a potential Savior or one who helps His people save themselves; Christ saves to the uttermost and is worthy of the praise of His people.
Christ is praised as the One who sits with His Father on the throne “forever and ever” (Rev 5:13b). This praise comes from “every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea” (Rev 5:13a). This is a vivid application of Ps 103: David calls on the entirety of the moral universe to bless the Lord (Ps 103:20-22). The church militant ought to join the church triumphant in that blessed refrain, “Blessing and honor and glory and power be to Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb, forever and ever” (v.13).
