Revelation Song #5 – Song of Moses and the Lamb
Revelation Song #5 – Song of Moses and the Lamb.
“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. 15:2-4. “I saw before me what seemed to be a glass sea mixed with fire. And on it stood all the people who have been victorious over the beast and his statue and the number representing his name. They were all holding harps that God had given them. And they were singing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb:
‘Great and marvelous are your works,
O Lord God, the Almighty.
Just and true are your ways,
O King of the nations.
Who will not fear you, Lord,
and glorify your name?
For you alone are holy.
All nations will come and worship before you,
for your righteous deeds have been revealed.’
This eternal song of thanksgiving is in the spirit of the Song of Moses in Exodus 15. Moses’ song had tambourines and exuberant worship and dancing. One would not doubt that there could have been dancing during this Lamb song as well. The fact that the Song of the Lamb was sung in front of the glass sea full of fiery flames brings to mind that historical Song of Moses, where they were standing before the Red Sea in victory. The Song of Moses was sung in a victory celebration of Israel’s deliverance from Egypt and Pharaoh. This Song of the Lamb is sung in a victory celebration of believers who were delivered from the power of Satan, the pharaoh of our souls. In his words “sea of glass mingled with fire,” John is trying to describe the indescribable. Earlier in his vision in 4:6, John referred to “a glass sea that was like crystal.” In Exodus, Moses tried to describe the inexplicable, mysterious scene on top of Mt. Sinai in the very presence of God, with its “pavement of sapphire stone, like the very heaven in clearness.” (Ex. 24:10). And Ezekiel had a vision of heaven in which he described “an expanse shining like awe-inspiring crystal.” (Ezek. 1:22).
The Lord Distributes the Harps. God Himself seems to be handing out the heavenly instruments of praise as the believers enter the throne room. Each victorious believer has a harp hand-delivered by God. The Lord wants a worship orchestra, and He’ll provide what it takes to have the full musical expression. God in heaven will provide the musical means to artistically and skillfully express triumphant praise and adoration.
Triumph! This heavenly hymn sung by victorious believers was probably an ancient church hymn sung during its worship liturgy. Which came first, the chicken or the egg? Was this song first in heaven in John’s hearing and then brought into a church setting? Or was it composed on earth in church, and because it is inspired, it is sung in heaven as well? Doesn’t matter. These triumphant and joyous words of praise point faithfully to the true worthiness of God and His eternal attributes in glory.