What’s New About It?

Revelation 5:9-14

(Heaven’s Song of Redemption)

9“You are worthy to take the scroll

and break its seals and open it.

For you were killed, and your blood has ransomed people for God

from every tribe and language and people and nation.

10And you have caused them to become God’s Kingdom and his priests.

And they will reign on the earth.”

11Then I looked again, and I heard the singing of thousands and millions of angels around the throne and the living beings and the elders. 12And they sang in a mighty chorus:

“The Lamb is worthy—the Lamb who was killed.

He is worthy to receive power and riches

and wisdom and strength

and honor and glory and blessing.”

13And then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea. They also sang:

“Blessing and honor and glory and power

belong to the one sitting on the throne

and to the Lamb forever and ever.”

14And the four living beings said, “Amen!” And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped God and the Lamb.

Psalm Link

Psalm 40:3

He has given me a new song to sing,

a hymn of praise to our God.

Most of us are awed by the book of Revelation with its visions, its symbolism, and all the arguing about its interpretation. But just for today, see if you can put aside all the theological wrangling and just enjoy the music.

The music is coming from chapter 5. The song is a “new” one, yet some of the words are familiar. The scene is heaven. There’s a throne, and the one sitting on it has a scroll in his hand. No one is worthy to open the scroll except the Lion of the tribe of Judah, who looks like a lamb that has been killed. As he takes the scroll, the first of three “new” songs is sung, all songs of praise to the Lion-Lamb.

Revelation, which is often associated with the end of things, also speaks of new beginnings—a new name (2:17); a new Jerusalem (3:12); a new heaven and a new earth (21:1); and all things new (21:5). It reads like a description of New Year’s Eve. Ring out the old; ring in the new!

The music of the Psalms was based on the Old Covenant; the music of Revelation is based on the New Covenant. The Old Covenant spoke much about slain lambs, but the New Covenant’s song is about the Lamb who was slain to redeem us. He alone is worthy to help us face the future.

“Worthy the Lamb that died,” they cry,

“To be exalted thus.”

“Worthy the Lamb,” our lips reply,

“For he was slain for us.”

ISAAC WATTS

Bible Networking

The book of Psalms says much about singing “new songs.” See Psalms 33:3; 40:3; 96:1; 98:1; 144:9; and 149:1.

Notable Quotable

“God has wrought redemption for the world, and those who behold the Lamb never get over it.”

ROBERT E. COLEMAN