WORDS OF PRAISE AND VICTORY IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION!
Even though the content of
much of the book of Revelation is a picture of end time events, the purpose of the book is to call believers to faithful witness and worship of God and His son Jesus Christ. Revelation was written not only to feed the interest of people about end time events, but also to encourage faithfulness to the Lord in times of persecution and to assure people of God’s ultimate victory in the face of increasing evil and uncertainty. It is meant to gives us hope in time of trouble and show us the certainty of the final victory. By peeking behind the scenes to see that God is reigning on his throne and is being worshipped by angels and redeemed humanity, the events of everyday life, like the actual depressing covid situation, are put into a proper perspective. And this is the purpose of this study, to dwell on faith, hope and our God of love. Philippians 4:8 “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”
REV.4:6-11 Before the throne there was a sea of glass, like crystal. And in the midst of the throne, and around the throne, were four living creatures…and they do not rest day or night, saying: "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!" Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying: "You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, And by Your will they exist and were created." In that tremendous heavenly throne scene, it appears like the main yearning of the 24 elders and the four living creatures or beasts is to be continually praising God, giving Him glory, honor and thanks! Of course, we’re going to fall down before the Lord and cast our crowns before Him like the 24 elders!
Every time we start praising the Lord, we're going to forget all about that crown and it's going to tumble off right at His feet, when we bow down and give Him the glory, casting our crowns at His feet! But anyhow, He gave it to us, so we'd better pick it up again and wear it, because that's the one He gave us. We wouldn't throw away a thing like that, would we? A bride doesn't throw away her ring if she still loves her husband, and that's sort of the ring He's going to give us! That's what's going to show what we have done for the Lord. Isn't that beautiful?
REV.5:9-14 And they sang a new song, saying: "You are worthy to take the scroll, and to open its seals; for You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth." Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, 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 who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing!" 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, I heard saying: "Blessing and honor and glory and power be to Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, forever and ever!" Then the four living creatures said, "Amen!" And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped Him who lives forever and ever.
“And they sang a new song” speaks of praise to our God, for we see all the creatures and elders burst into songs of praise before the Lamb of God. Here, those who sing simply love the Lord, and for a very good reason: millions who would have been lost eternally through sin, have been “redeemed” (saved) by Jesus Christ, who became sin for us (2 Co.5:21) and gave His blood (was slain) that we might live.
There shall be a new world! The restoration of all things shall surely come, and we are in training for it; for one day we shall reign on the earth and share the government with Christ, according to His Word. We shall rule and reign over the whole Earth, as His kings, queens and priests in the Kingdom of God that Christians pray for to come, as they pray every Lord's Prayer: "Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on Earth as it is in Heaven!" And we give all the glory to Jesus, "for Thine be the Kingdom and the power and the glory for ever and ever!" (Mt.19:16-22; Rev.5:10; Mt.6:9-13)
The phrase “thousands of thousands” represents a very large undefined number; the largest single number used in the Greek language. It is very likely there were millions or perhaps what we would consider an “infinite” number of beings present at that moment. In the center of them all, is the Lamb who has redeemed us to God by His blood. Those present are addressing and worshiping the Lamb, Jesus Christ. He is the center of all that is. REV.7:9-12 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; and cried with a loud voice, saying, salvation to our God who sits upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God, saying, amen: blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.
Verse 9 is the great hosts of Heaven and earth who believe in Jesus Christ--be they Jews or Gentiles, be they Israelites or goyim--because there's no longer any Jew or Gentile in Christ Jesus, no male nor female, no black or white, no rich or poor, no difference in the Kingdom of Christ now! Our praise here on earth is preparation for praise in Heaven. Several instances in Revelation describe what loving and worshipping God in heaven will look like “every nation, tribe, and tongue” loving God before His throne. Crying out “Salvation belongs to our God.” Emphasis on our God. We're all the same to Jesus, all brothers and sisters in the one great Family of God!
…and worshipped God, saying, amen: blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen. Revelation 7: 12
REV.11:16-17 And the twenty-four elders who sat before God on their seats fell on their faces and worshiped God, saying: "We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty, the One who is and who was and who is to come, Because You have taken Your great power and reigned. It is not that He didn’t reign before, for ‘the Most High rules in the kingdom of men’ all the time (Dan 4:17; 5:21) and has never vacated his throne. But there is coming a day when God shall take this world by the scruff of the neck, and He shall establish his authority, and His will shall be ‘done on earth, as it is in heaven’. Dan.7:13-14 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days... And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed. DAN.2:44 And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. PSA.10:16 The LORD is King for ever and ever: the heathen are perished…
In other words, it’s time for God to take over! It's time for Jesus to come! And in the mind of God and in their minds, it was already done as far as they were concerned! For He says, “…which art, and was, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned” REV.15:2-4 And I saw something like a sea of glass mingled with fire, and those who have the victory over the beast, over his image and over his mark and over the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, having harps of God. They sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying: "Great and marvelous are Your works, Lord God Almighty! Just and true are Your ways, O King of the saints! Who shall not fear You, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy. For all nations shall come and worship before You, For Your judgments have been manifested." “Them that had gotten the victory over the beast” John saw the Tribulation saints in Heaven just before the Wrath of God was to begin, which again shows clearly that the Church will be on earth through the Tribulation but will be in Heaven during the Wrath. It is so important to realize there is a chronological difference between the Tribulation and the Wrath periods. They are two distinct events. (1Thes.5:9)
** Exo.15:1-18 Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the LORD, and spake, saying, I will sing unto the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea. The LORD is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father's God, and I will exalt him. In the Old Testament, Exodus Chapter 15, Moses of old sang his song of victory when God delivered Him and the children of Israel out of Egypt by a miraculous parting of the Red Sea and then destroyed all his enemies with the same sea by letting its waters return on the Egyptians, drowning them in a flood. Now in Chapter 15 of Revelation the end time children of God are singing the song of Moses and Jesus (the lamb) whom God used to rescue them at the Rapture from the clutches of their modern pharaoh, the Antichrist! There we stand, we who love Jesus and who have suffered through all of this hell on earth and the opposition and persecution of our enemies! There we will be with Christ at last, supreme, glorious, radiant, happy, singing the songs of Moses and of the Lord! And they will praise the Lord and say, “Who shall not fear thee, O Lord”. Who in the World could possibly not fear God after all of this? In the 13th chapter you found the whole World wondering after the Beast, but this time, in Heaven above, they wonder after Jesus! Praise God!
JER.10:7 Who would not fear thee, O King of nations? For to thee doth it appertains: forasmuch as among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their kingdoms, there is none like unto thee. PSA.86:9 All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee, O Lord; and shall glorify thy name. PHI.2:10-11 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. REV.16:5-7 And I heard the angel of the waters saying: "You are righteous, O Lord, The One who is and who was and who is to be, Because You have judged these things. For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, And You have given them blood to drink. For it is their just due." And I heard another from the altar saying, "even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are Your judgments."
As bad as these judgments are, they deserve them. Everyone likes to think of God as love, but few remember, that He is also the Judge of the world. (Psa.7:11; Ps.75:7) Thank God His grace saved us. He is patient, not willing that even one should perish. However, there is a time for judgment and retribution and God will judge everyone fairly. This will be such a time. REV.19:1-7 After these things I heard a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, "Alleluia! Salvation and glory and honor and power belong to the Lord our God! "For true and righteous are His judgments, because He has judged the great harlot who corrupted the earth with her fornication; and He has avenged on her the blood of His servants shed by her." Again they said, "Alleluia! Her smoke rises up forever and ever!" And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sat on the throne, saying, "Amen! Alleluia!" Then a voice came from the throne, saying, "Praise our God, all you His servants and those who fear Him, both small and great!" And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thundering, saying, "Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns! "Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready."
1CHR.29:11 Thine, O LORD is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all. Jer.9:22-23 Thus says God: Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might; let not the rich man glory in his riches. But let him that glories, glory in this: that he understands and knows Me, and that I am God, Who practices mercy, justice and righteousness on the earth; for in these things I delight, says God." Everybody's shouting Hallelujah! If you're in Heaven when all this is going on, you're going to be shouting Hallelujah, when you see what's happening on Earth. "For the Lord God omnipotent reigns!" Hallelujah! Who is taking over? Who's going to reign now? God is going to reign! Here Babylon is destroyed and God's raining out His judgements on Earth while we are having a celebration Upstairs, the marriage of the Lamb! And they are all praising God, thanking God! --A great victory over the enemy! Because they have been released and rescued out of this Hell on Earth, this wicked World and they're in Heaven with Jesus having a wonderful party, a Marriage Supper, a Wedding Reception, a wonderful time while there's Hell on Earth as God dumps His judgements upon their wicked enemies they left behind!
Revelation deals with the final days of those who worship the beast and its image. And it shows people in heaven who sing praises to God. In short, Revelation shows that the Lord alone—our Creator, our Savior, our Judge—is worthy of our devotion and praise. This is a good example for us to follow as we can be prone to fear and discouragement.. Even though today’s world seems upside down, the daily news is depressing and we hear and see the enemy’s rapidly taking control, deceiving and molding people’s minds like never before, it is the more important for us, believers, to use our spiritual weapon of praise, putting all fears and worries in His capable hands and just taking time to love and worship our Lord. Who is like unto Thee, O Lord? Who is like Thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders? Thou in Thy mercy hast led forth the people which Thou hast redeemed: Thou hast guided them in Thy strength unto Thy holy habitation. Thou shalt bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of Thy inheritance, in the place, O Lord, which Thou hast made for Thee to dwell in, in Thy Sanctuary, O Lord, which Thy hands have established. And Thou shalt reign for ever & ever. We sing unto Thee, O Lord, for Thou hast triumphed gloriously. (Exo.15:11, 13, 17, 18, 21)
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