A New Song – Jesus is Worthy Revelation 5:9

John the apostle went to heaven, and he, “beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth, and he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne, 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 odors, which are the prayers of saints”. In chapter five and verse nine of Revelation John shared how the twenty-four elders, “sung a new song, saying, You are worthy to take the book” where we read:

And they sung a new song, saying, You are worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for you were slain, and have redeemed us to God by your blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;

The verse reads, “And they sung a new song, saying, You are worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof:” John began with the words, “and they sung” which means “and the twenty-four elders praised with lyrical emotion of devout and grateful souls” “a new song” which means “a recent, fresh, unused, unworn, unprecedented, novel, uncommon and unheard of ode or lay”, “saying” or “uttering, proclaiming and declaring”, “you are worthy” which means “Jesus has weight, is befitting, congruous, of value and worth” “to take the book” or “to receive, hold, own and possess the written document or scroll in God's right hand”, “and to open” which means “and to unfasten and loose” “the seals thereof” or “the signet seals upon the scroll”. John heard the “twenty-four elders” sing this “new song” which concerned the worthiness of Jesus to not only “receive” the scroll in God's right hand but also to “unseal” it.

The verse continues, “for you were slain, and have redeemed us to God by your blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;” John added the words, “for you” which means “because and since you Jesus” “were slain” or “were slaughtered, butchered, put to death by violence and mortally wounded”, “and have redeemed us” or “and have purchased and bought back the twenty-four elders” “to God” which refers to “toward the Godhead bodily and trinity which is comprised of God the Father, Christ the Son and the Holy Spirit” “by your blood” or “through Jesus' bloodshed” “out of every kindred” which means “away from each, all and everyone of the races, clans and tribes”, “and tongue” or “the languages and dialects used by particular people which is distinct from that of other nations”, “and people” which refers to “people groups, tribes and all those who are of the same stock and language”, “and nation” or “companies, multitudes, troops and people groups”. The song of the “twenty-four elders” revealed the reason Jesus was recognized as “worthy” to receive the “scroll” and “open the seals thereof” - He had “redeemed” or “repurchased” people from all over the world to God.

When we think through John's words in this verse, we discover why John saw the “Lamb as it had been slaughtered” and why Jesus was “worthy” to receive the “title deed” to the earth. Jesus was beaten, spit upon and crucified for the sins of the world, and because He was sinless, He purchased the right of ownership of the “earth” through His death. Not only is He the rightful owner of the “earth”, but He is also the “redeemer” to all who receive Him as their personal “Savior and Lord”. Jesus said, “the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man has found, he hides, and for joy thereof goes and sells all that he has, and buys that field” (Matthew 13:32), and when Jesus paid the price for “sin”, He not only purchased the “earth” but also everyone within it. This is “song worthy”, and the “twenty-four elders” which represent the church from all over the world are able to sing this “new song” - the song of the “redeemed”. Praise be to Jesus' Holy Name! He is “worthy”!

Next time John shares more of the “living beings” and “twenty-four elders” song where they sing “and have made us unto our God kings and priests”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.