Revelation 05 08 14
Worship of the Lamb
Revelation 5:8-14
Introduction:
John is still seeing a glimpse into heaven
vv. 1-7 he saw a scroll that contained the judgments that would be poured out
He also realized, and wept, over the fact that no-one could be found to open it
Then one stood who was worthy and came and took the scroll for Throne of God
I. The worship of the Elders and the Living Creatures vv. 8-10
1. What caused them to worship:
Jesus came and took the book
This demonstrated to them His importance and greatness.
They saw the person of Jesus Christ
What should be the cause of our worship? Jesus. (Period)
They did not worship because they wanted to feel good or have a God experience, they worshipped because they recognized the greatness of Jesus Christ.
2. What they did in worship:
They fell before the Lamb
Worship is worth ship: attributing to someone or something the worth that is due to them
When these saw Jesus in His greatness they recognized that they were unworthy to stand in His presence.
Read Isaiah 6:1-8
Today many look at worship with the attitude of it making them feel good:
Feeling of worship: unworthiness v. 5
Reaction of worship: service v. 8
*How do we know if we truly worship?
*The obvious reaction is one of service
*One who claims to worship w/o service has not!
3. What they had in worship:
1) harp: Music is an important part of worship
Very little turns our mind and thoughts to the Lord like song
Yet music is not all that worship entails:
2) Golden vials: contain the prayers of saints
*what this is not: saints interceding on our behalf (mediators)
Bible says the one mediator is Jesus Christ
Why would we need another?
*does show the importance of prayer in heaven
*Psalm 141:1-2 “LORD, I cry unto thee: make haste unto me; give ear unto my voice, when I cry unto thee. Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.”
*Prayer is a form of worship:
shows trust in God and His worthiness to be called on
Our calling on Him shows we recognize He is greater than we are!
4. What they sang in worship vv. 9-10
1) A new song: Contained the Gospel of Jesus Christ
*Thou art worthy….
*You were slain
*You have redeemed us to God by your blood….
*You have made us kings and priests unto God
*Songs in Scripture are often sung in relation of deliverance
Exodus 15 after deliverance from Egypt
Numbers 21 after they were delivered from the fiery
serpents and traveled on God gave them water
Deuteronomy 31 Moses was to write a song to be sung
To children in promised land to remind of God’s
Deliverance, etc.
Judges 5 Deborah and Barak sang after God delivered
Israel from King Jabin of Canaan
2 Samuel 22:1 David sang after God delivered from hand
of all his enemies including Saul
Psalm 32:7 Psalmist talks of being surrounding by “songs
Of deliverance”
Isaiah 12:2 “Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and
not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my
strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.”
Isaiah 38:20 The Lord was ready to save therefore will we
Sing songs
This song contained all the aspects of our salvation or deliverance:
He is worthy: Why God in the flesh: focused on Jesus’ incarnation
He was slain: His act of obedience in paying the price of death for our sins: Lamb of God
He is the redeemer: redeemer is one who pays the price for another to be free
He made us kings and priests: He gave us a personal relationship with God and personal access to Him as a priest in Christ!!
2) A worship song: “Thou art worthy”
II. The Worship of the Angels vv. 11-12
1. “He is worthy to receive power”
He became the weakest of the weak: Imagine creator becoming man
2. “He is worthy to receive riches”
He became the poorest of the poor 2 Cor. 8:9
For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.
3. “He is worthy to receive wisdom”
On earth men laughed and called Him a fool
Yet He is the wisdom of God
1 Cor. 1:23-24
but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, 24but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
4. “He is worthy to receive strength”
He shared the weakness of humanity: hungry, thirsted, weary, etc.
5. “He is worthy to receive honor and glory
On earth He experienced humiliation and shame as He was ridiculed and reviled.
He was mockingly worshiped with a robe, crown of thorns, etc.
6. “He is worthy to receive blessing”
Galatians 3:13 He became a curse for us
Again the worship lifted up, exalted the person of Jesus Christ
III. The Worship of all Creation vv. 13-14
This is the climax of worship
1st the living creatures and the 24 Elders
2nd Angels join in
3rd All creation enters the worship
I have to believe that He is pleased when we recognize His greatness and fall before Him with humility of spirit and a willingness to serve Him
Yet it all really starts with the song of deliverance. Apart from a personal experience of His deliverance there is no worship nor understanding of what it is all about.