A WORSHIP SERVICE IN HEAVEN

In the last post we established that the context most readily lends itself to identifying the 24 elders as angels.  They joined the four beasts in singing the praise of the Lamb for His work of redemption of mankind.

NIV (per information in previous post) Revelation 5:9–10 “And they sang a new song: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.”

As they sang, they were offering incense before the Lord that was identified as “the prayers of the saints.”

Revelation 5:8 “And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.”

Our communion time with God in prayer is pleasing to Him.  It would seem that the more we pray the more incense will be available to offer before the throne.  Note that these actions again connect the elders to the 24 courses of the priesthood established in the Old Testament since some of the duties of the priests were to offer incense and sing the praises of God.

Revelation 5:11-12 “And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.”

  

I think John is overwhelmed by the sight and sound of all the angels of heaven surrounding the throne of God.  He makes a special point of declaring that the number of this multitude was so great that he could never hope to count it, so he expressed it the best way that he could:  10,000 x 10,000 + 1,000’s of 1,000’s—and this is after having lost the third who chose to follow Lucifer/Satan.  This also confirms that Satan has a great army of evil angels.  He can’t be everywhere at the same time like God can, but he can sure blanket the earth with his forces of evil.

The numbers given to John were also given to Daniel:

Daniel 7:10 “A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.”

            Hebrew: “ten thousand” = myriad or indefinite number

All the rest of the angels had joined the “beasts” (cherubim) and the elders (watchers, the supreme court of angels) to praise the Lamb and declare His worthiness to take the inheritance that was His by right of His willing sacrifice for man—to die that I might live.

Revelation 5:13-14 “And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever. And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever.”

It seems that at this point John was allowed to see that scripture would be fulfilled when all creation bow their knees in worship of our Savior.

Isaiah 45:22-23 “Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else. I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.”

Philippians 2:9-11 “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

This part of John’s record is similar to prophecies given to the Old Testament prophets—viewing prophecy from mountain peaks with valleys of time in between.  I can’t imagine that this universal chorus of acknowledgement and worship will happen until Jesus rules on earth.  In fact, I think this event will probably find its complete fulfillment before the white throne of judgment described in Revelation 20.

(to be continued…)