Revelation 5:14
And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever. And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever.
The four living creatures answer the universal praise with Amen, and the twenty-four elders fall down and worship Him who lives forever and ever. It is the close of the worship John saw in vision, after the Lamb took the sealed book from Him on the throne and all heaven and every created thing ascribed blessing and honor to God and to the Lamb who redeemed people by His blood out of every nation. The worship honors Christ who will forever bear the marks of His death for humanity, whose sacrifice gives immortal life and brings into harmony with heaven all who truly appreciate it. The scene reveals infinite wisdom, infinite love, infinite justice and infinite mercy in the life and mediatorial work of Christ, a truth that grows brighter as it is beheld and lifts to perfection those who receive it by experience. Revelation 5 is therefore to be closely studied by those who will act a part in God's work in the last days, putting away what hinders unity, making right every wrong and leaving no sin unconfessed.
Vision Setting and Sequence
The verse is the close of the heavenly worship John saw in vision on the Isle of Patmos, given as part of what God desired to be given to the people. It follows the Lamb taking the sealed book from the right hand of Him who sits on the throne. That book is the roll of God's providences and the prophetic history of nations and the church, containing His utterances, His authority, His commandments, His laws, the whole symbolic counsel of the Eternal, and the history and influence of every ruling power, nation, tongue, and people from the beginning of earth's history to its close. It is written within and without with no blanks and no space for more writing, and as it is unrolled all who look on it are filled with awe.
Before this closing response, the four living creatures and twenty-four elders with harps and vials of prayers sing a new song that the slain Lamb is worthy to receive power, riches, wisdom, might, honor, glory, and blessing because He redeemed people by His blood out of every kindred, nation, tongue, and people to be kings and priests to reign on earth. Then ten thousand times ten thousand angels around the throne join, and then every created thing in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea ascribes blessing, honor, glory, and dominion forever to Him on the throne and to the Lamb. Then the four living creatures answer Amen and the elders fall down in worship.
Heaven's Worship and Meaning
The four living creatures affirm the universal praise with Amen, and the twenty-four elders fall down and worship Him who lives forever and ever, honoring the eternal God. That closing response seals the heavenly assembly's answer to the Lamb who has taken the sealed book. It places the worship of God within heaven's praise for the Lamb who redeemed people out of every nation.
The worship honors Christ, who will forever bear the marks of His earthly humiliation and death for humanity even as He receives the homage of the redeemed and the angels. His sacrifice gives immortal life, and appreciating it brings people into harmony with heaven. That praise is accompanied by the joy of the redeemed and the reward of those who helped win souls to Christ. It is the same joy and praise of heaven when a sinner is brought back to God.
As the close of the vast heavenly chorus to the slain Lamb who is worthy to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing, joined by every creature in heaven and earth and under the earth and in the sea, the Amen and the falling down in worship form a theme worthy of contemplation. It holds large and comprehensive lessons which all the angelic hosts are now seeking to communicate, revealing infinite wisdom, infinite love, infinite justice, and infinite mercy in the life and character and mediatorial work of Christ. It is a truth capable of constant expansion and new developments that increases in brightness as it is beheld and elevates to the standard of perfection those who receive it by experimental knowledge. The worship of the redeemed host belongs also to the end of the great controversy, after the wicked have been destroyed and the earth purified, when the redeemed bow in adoration, cast their crowns at the Redeemer's feet, and receive the kingdom as their eternal inheritance. The heavenly choir's praise is a song believers can begin to sing here, in hope of joining that choir above.
Call to Study and Unity
Revelation 5 needs to be closely studied because it is of great importance to those who will act a part in the work of God for the last days. This urgency exists because many are deceived and do not realize what is coming on the earth, having become beclouded about what constitutes sin. They have transgressed the law and broken the everlasting covenant, and unless they make a decided change they will be found wanting when God pronounces judgment upon the children of men and gives to each according to works.
The chapter is to be studied in connection with Ezekiel 9 and Ezekiel 2:1-10, showing the Lord's eye upon every transaction. Those chapters reveal His coming judgment upon thieves and wrongdoers whose names are written down unless they repent. The chapter therefore urges believers to put away what hinders unity, to make right every wrong with their brethren, and to leave no sin unconfessed.