Revelation Song #3 – Countless Angels and Millions of Creatures

Revelation Song #3 – Countless Angels and Millions of Creatures.

“The revelation of Jesus Christ…” (Rev. 1:1). John the Divine left no doubt about the purpose of his Book of Revelation. His very first words in his prologue were that his vision was an unveiling of Jesus. His baffling and otherworldly writings in this book were not primarily about future events, or the destiny of human life on planet earth, or all those mysterious activities in the heavenly sphere. John was writing first and foremost about the Person of Christ, and he intended everything in the book to point back to Him. Revelation was a lifting of the veil on the full identity and activity of Christ. It is a revelation of Jesus, from God, concerning Christ Himself. The Godhead is both the primary source of John’s vision and its main subject. Everything in this extended vision that came to John straight from heaven is to be understood through the prism of Christ. Regardless of how dramatic, puzzling or profound its contents, everything in John’s vision is intended to help us discover more of Christ and deepen our knowledge of and love for Him. All these events in Revelation that seem to pique the reader’s curiosity are nonetheless streams that are meant to lead us back to the River of Life. Perhaps it would do us all well if we continue to remind ourselves of Paul’s declaration as we read John’s vision… “I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.” (1 Corinthians 2:2). So then, we can’t let ourselves get too sidetracked, too stuck in the weeds, with these fancy special effects in John’s vision… the beasts and the dragons and the angels, the numbers and colors and gemstones, the symbols and metaphors and poetic imagery… After all is said and done in Revelation, St. John has composed an essentially Christ-centered book.

Gold Mine: Another way of looking at the book of Revelation is to strap on your miner’s helmet and search for Biblical gold. In John’s vision are many gold mines that have Jesus Christ as the source… Mines like His appearance in His glorified presence, the Logos of God, the seven titles of Christ, the words to the seven churches, the seven Beatitudes, and the many songs of worship that come straight to us from heaven! And there is more! Mining all the gold in Revelation will make us wealthy with His treasure for all of eternal life. But all those fancy special effects in John’s vision are only fool’s gold if they distract us from Jesus.

Rev. 5:11-14. “Then I looked again, and I heard the voices of thousands and millions of angels around the throne and of the living creatures and the elders. And they sang in a mighty chorus:

‘Worthy is the Lamb who was slaughtered –

to receive power and riches

and wisdom and strength

and honor and glory and blessing.’

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

‘Blessing and honor and glory and power

belong to the one sitting on the throne

and to the Lamb forever and ever.’

And the four living creatures said, ‘Amen!’ and the 24 elders fell down and worshiped the Lamb.”

Can anyone truly imagine this scene? Myriads of myriads, millions of millions of angels around the throne, singing in full voice. And then you can add the four living creatures and 24 elders. Only Christ is worthy to set in motion the last days, to spell out the final days of earthly history. Only the pure and bloodied Lamb is worthy, only the Lamb Jesus holds the future. Evil Satan is defeated and unworthy to wield this power. Satan is not in control, Jesus the Righteous One is in power, and all the heavenly beings rejoice in triumph and gratitude.

The high praise begins at the throne, but then it ripples outwardly to every being in heaven and more outwardly still to all the creatures on earth. The Kingdom of God on earth, humans and animals alike, loudly singing their praises to the Lamb and to the one who sits on the throne, Yahweh. Once the joyous song is sung, one can only sing “Amen!” and fall down in worship before the Lamb. This suitable act of adoration at the end of the song affirms that the glorified Lamb deserves the highest of praise for ever and ever.