We left off in Revelation 5 with someone being found who was worthy to open the book that was in the right hand of the Father to open the seals. That would be the Son Himself described as the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David in Revelation 5:5, and the Lamb who was slain for us and is living again in Revelation 5:6. He comes, and He takes the book out of the hand of the Father. Revelation 5:8 is where we begin this part two of the most magnificent worship service described in Scripture.
Revelation 5:8 says, “When He had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.” So, immediately upon taking the scroll, we find that the creatures of heaven begin to worship the Son in this wonderful way. As they do so, it says they are each holding a harp. This is where we get the idea that when we go to heaven, we are carrying harps around forever. I think this is just a picture of what we are about to see, in a moment, which is a wonderful song service with some music. I think that is probably the application. There is no place in Scripture that talks about Christians dying and going to Heaven and having harps. So, I don’t think that’s the picture we are to take from this at all.
I really like the next section, “golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.” What a beautiful picture to think that the prayers of the saints are reserved for God. They are incense it says, in some sense. Incense was part of the Old Testament worship in the tabernacle and in the temple. It played an important role. So, we have a picture of the prayers of the saints – saints being believers like you and I – and our prayers are so precious to God that they are kept, in a sense preserved, as worship to Him in the Throne Room. That is a precious and beautiful picture.
Then we have the song service in Revelation 5:9, and this is where the harps probably come in, “And they sang a new song, saying, ‘Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth.” Notice why they are singing this song of worship. Notice the content of this great song that these angelic beings, or these heavenly beings - whatever they are sing, “Worthy are You to take the book.” Only Christ was worthy to take the book out of the Father’s hands. Only He is worthy to break the seven seals. The reason He is worthy here is not because He is the Creator, that was in Revelation 4. He is worthy because He is the Redeemer, “for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.” He is the Redeemer. He has died for our sins. He has purchased people for Himself by His blood, and for that reason He is worthy to be worshiped. And He has taken those people that He has redeemed, and He has made them into a kingdom, “You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth.” So, we who have been redeemed by His blood have been formed into a kingdom, but it’s not an ordinary kingdom, it’s a kingdom of priests. A kingdom of people who worship and pray and that are part of the worship of God. On top of that, we will reign upon the earth. When we get to the end of the book of Revelation, we find that we will reign with Him forever and ever on the new heaven and on the new earth. All that is set up by what Christ has done . . .
