Revelation 5:9, commentary and pictures

In heaven the slain Lamb takes the sealed book from the hand of Him on the throne, and the four living creatures and twenty-four elders fall down with harps and incense to sing a new song to Him joined by myriads of angels and every creature. The book is the complete record of God's providences, utterances, law and prophetic history of nations and the church from beginning to end, which no one in heaven or earth could open or look upon until Christ prevailed. He alone is worthy to take it and loose its seals because He was slain and by His blood bought back sinners to God, bearing the world's sin and shame on Calvary to bridge the gulf made by sin. That ransom gathers people out of every family, tongue and nation as His purchased possession made kings and priests to God, for whom the same infinite price was paid without barrier of race, class or condition. The cross thus becomes the ceaseless science and song of eternity, which can be learned on earth in homes and trials and is sung at last only by those transformed by grace and fitted for the holy company.

Heavenly Scene and Singers

The Lamb stands in the midst of the throne as slain, having seven horns and seven eyes which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. He is the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, who prevailed to open the book and to loose its seven seals. No man in heaven or earth or under the earth and no angelic intelligence was able to open and read the book or even to look upon it until He came. He takes the book from the right hand of Him who sits upon the throne, from God's hand into His own open hand.

When He has taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fall down before the Lamb. They hold harps and golden bowls and vials full of odors and incense, which are the prayers of the saints. Then they sing the new song declaring Him worthy to take the book and open its seals because He was slain and redeemed people to God by His blood out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation. The redeemed and the heavenly host thus sing to the Lamb and play golden harps in heaven in praise of that redemption.

Ten thousand times ten thousand angels and every creature join that praise, ascribing riches and power and blessing to the Lamb and to Him upon the throne forever. An innumerable company of angels awaits His coming, surrounds their majestic Commander with deepest adoration, bows before Him, casts glittering crowns at His feet, and touches golden harps. All heaven is filled with rich music and songs to the Lamb who was slain yet lives again in majesty and glory. The redeemed receive harps from Jesus Himself, and with commanding angels first striking the note every voice and harp joins in rich and perfect music. After bowing to cast their glittering crowns before Jesus they rise to touch their golden harps and fill heaven with songs to the Lamb. Angels sing a lovely song, then cease singing and take their crowns from their heads and cast them glittering at the feet of Jesus while crying with melodious voices Glory, Alleluia. The crowns of the faithful are cast at His feet in that future worship.

It is a new song of grace and redemption, centered on Christ and the cross, which had never before been sung in heaven. The heavenly host sings with harps a note higher than they had sung before, praising the great mercy and condescension of God in yielding up His dearly beloved Son to die for a race of rebels. That higher song pours forth praise and adoration for the self-denial and sacrifice of Jesus in consenting to leave the bosom of His Father and choose a life of suffering and anguish and die an ignominious death to give life to others. It is joined by many voices and instruments in united praise from heart and tongue. When God's ways are fully seen it resounds through heaven after earthly warfare is finished, revealing His providence connecting the different dispensations.

The Sealed Book

The book in His hand is the roll of God's providences and the prophetic history of nations and the church. It contains His utterances, His authority, His commandments, His laws, and the whole symbolic counsel of the Eternal. It holds the history and influence of every ruling power and of every 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, complete in its record with no room for additions. As it is unrolled all who look upon it are filled with awe.

No man in heaven or on earth or under the earth, and no angelic intelligence, was able to open and read the book or even to look upon it. The Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, prevailed to open the book and to loose its seven seals. He alone is worthy to take it from God's hand and open its seals because He was slain and has redeemed people to God by His blood out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation. Those redeemed from every nation, people, language, and family are identified with the book's world-spanning prophetic history of God's providences, nations, and church.

His atoning sacrifice remains effective through every age without losing power, and enthroned He gives the covenant blessings purchased by His death and pleads His blood for His people in heaven. Those redeemed from every nation give praise and thanks to God and the Lamb, and saving people for Christ brings their voices into that praise. Taken with Ezekiel 9 and Ezekiel 2:1-10, the vision shows that the Lord's eye is upon every transaction and that His judgment will come upon those who do wrong unless they repent.

Worthy Through Sacrificial Death

He is declared worthy to take the book and open its seals because He was slain and redeemed people to God by His blood, and the redeemed exultantly praise His incarnation, atoning sacrifice and saving love. Their song celebrates His saving work and the gathering of the redeemed from every kindred and language and people and nation, including those won through faithful labor, and dwelling on that love and the glory of heaven gives strength in the fight against sin. The just suffered for the unjust and bore the sins of the whole world, that by His precious blood He might redeem sinners to God.

Beautiful and lovely, He left the realms of glory for this dark and lonely world to give His precious life and die for us and for our sins. For us He bore cruel mocking and scourging, wore the platted crown of thorns, and sweat great drops of blood in the garden while the burden of the sins of the whole world was upon Him. He who created and upheld unnumbered worlds, the Beloved of God adored by cherub and shining seraph, humbled Himself to uplift fallen humanity. He bore the guilt and shame of sin and the hiding of His Father's face until the woes of a lost world broke His heart and crushed out His life on Calvary, the Maker of all worlds laying aside His glory from love to humanity, and the cross remains the science and song of the redeemed forever with understanding ever unfolding while never forgetting what salvation cost.

Like a seed that must die to produce grain, He had to give up His life to bring sons and daughters to God and make eternal life possible for them, a vast harvest from every nation and kindred and tongue and people. Slain yet living again in majesty and glory as a mighty conqueror, He is honored in heaven with songs of victory. He continues to bear the marks of having been slain for humankind as a lasting witness to humanity's redemption and its infinite cost, bringing those who recognize it into harmony with heaven.

His atoning sacrifice remains effective through every age and never loses its power. Enthroned, He gives the covenant blessings purchased by His death, including His righteousness to those who believe, pleads His blood and sufferings and death for sinners, and makes all the treasures of heaven, living hope, immortality and glory available to God's children so they are not abandoned to temptation. Slain in man's stead to redeem the human family by His blood, He gave His life for the life of the world, clothing His divinity with humanity and enduring the test Adam failed to endure. Conquering in man's behalf, His obedience is counted as righteousness to His people, placing them on vantage ground and giving them probation to return to loyalty by keeping God's law, in which He sees the travail of His soul and is satisfied.

His infinite sacrifice exalts and honors the law, makes known the exalted unchangeable character of God's government, and restores its honor before unfallen worlds and the heavenly universe. By bearing the penalty to show the heavenly universe the conditions of the covenant of redemption, He forever settles all doubts, proves God's administration without flaw, and settles the charge about justice and mercy, so that the cross is looked upon by unfallen worlds, the heavenly universe, satanic agencies and the fallen race, every mouth stopped, with every voice in heaven and out of heaven one day testifying to the justice, mercy and exalted attributes of God. His merits bridge the gulf made by sin to reconcile people to God, and His death makes it possible for human beings to receive life like the life of God. Having in humanity borne every temptation without swerving from allegiance, He died to rescue people from Satan and death, to make them partakers of the divine nature and glorified with Himself, gathering a vast company from every people and nation and tongue whose triumph He foresaw, who will abide with Him through eternal ages after all tribulation and conflict have ended.

Redeemed From Every Nation

He redeemed people to God by His blood out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation, gathering a world-embracing company from all nations, families, languages and peoples whose ransom calls for deepest homage and service. His worthiness to take the book and open its seals rests on being slain and buying people back to God, and their song celebrates His saving work and the gathering of those won through faithful labor with praise and thanksgiving to the Redeemer. The redeemed made by that death come from every nation and people, and the call that accompanies their redemption is to unity and to putting right wrongs among believers.

Those rescued from death at His resurrection and presented beside the Father's throne with immortal crowns placed upon their brows are representatives and samples of that redeemed company who will come forth from the dead when He calls the just from their graves at His second coming. They were bought at the price of His own life, redeemed in the same way as all who will be raised, and they will see the marks of Calvary in His glorified body and find their greatest joy in the presence of Him who sits on the throne. They are made kings and priests unto God who shall reign on the earth, members of God's royal family whose white robes are Christ's righteousness, a wondrous gift purchased by His blood. That redemption binds them to Him in divine love so they owe allegiance only to God, exalts them to the highest ranks and adopts them as heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ with an inheritance boundless as the universe and enduring as eternity, incorruptible, undefiled, that fadeth not away.

The same infinite price was paid for the salvation of people of every race, class, wealth, learning, status, influence and talents, and all redeemed are equally dependent on Christ as blood-bought souls. Black skin is no barrier and does not affect the question of salvation, for redemption by the blood of the Lamb is for all out of every kindred and people and belongs to men of the humiliated colored race as fully as to white Christians. Colored and humiliated people stand equal in mind and soul and bodily frame, standing in God's sunlight like other men, entitled to worship God without being marked inferior or confined, and colored fatherless and motherless children and outcasts are the purchase of Christ's blood, not to be despised for color they cannot change while character can be changed under consecrated teachers laboring in religious education with kindness, respectful treatment, no scolding and no indifference. To slight one Christ redeemed because of color is to slight Christ, misrepresents Jesus, and shows selfishness, tradition and prejudice polluting the soul unsanctified through the truth, while those sanctified through the truth are brought into oneness as blood-bought souls at Jesus' feet where differences of wealth, learning, status and caste lose importance. To take a position that stamps them with humiliation, exposes them to insult and slight, and drives sensitive minds to brood over oppression until they become jealous, soured and embittered is a shame for the redeemed.

To be redeemed unto God by the precious blood of Jesus is to be His purchased possession and the purchase of His blood, belonging to God through Jesus' death and to God and Christ and not to any human owner, no longer Satan's property. Even when a person's life comes up full of wrongs and they tremble with fear that they cannot stand and feel unworthy to be with the lovely Jesus and fear separation to go with Satan to dark regions, Satan's claim is rejected on this ground and he flees and has no rightful claim because Jesus paid for them. Every soul is purchased to God by the blood of the Son of God, including souls who wilfully depart from light and knowledge and obedience to God's holy law as Adam and Eve did in seeking to become as gods, and Calvary testifies how God loves even those souls, with men only instruments in the Lord's work of breaking deception and leading them to the cross. Cruelty inflicted on those who bear His name and are claimed as His people is counted as done to Him, and the redeemed presented without spot or wrinkle to the Father fill the soul with gratitude and thankfulness and give a face lighted by light reflected from the face of Jesus as they rise to meet the angels.

His death provides personal redemption that claims each person as His own, for the Saviour died to redeem you to God and calls for opening the heart to Him. Children belong to Him as His purchased ones, and parents are to raise them as children of God and prepare them for immortal life in heaven. Keeping the seventh-day Sabbath is acknowledged in the heavenly courts as the sign of allegiance to Him as Redeemer, and His redeemed are found in different companies all over the world who observe the Lord's Sabbath and let their light shine amid moral darkness while the holy assembly in heaven gathers before the throne and worships God and the Lamb with the cry of salvation. Being redeemed unto God is an inestimable privilege received when truth is presented in its purity and beauty so souls fall in love with it and are sanctified through it, being made rich and washed in the blood of the Lamb. Those thus rescued by messengers and finally saved shine as stars forever and ever in crowns of rejoicing under Christ's bloodstained banner, cleansed from sin as members of God's royal family, giving to all eternity the satisfaction of having done what could be done to save them.

Eternal Song of Redemption

The cross and redeeming love remain the science and song of the redeemed through ceaseless eternity, a theme angels desire to look into, ever unfolding in understanding while never forgetting what salvation cost. In Christ glorified they still behold Christ crucified, never forgetting that He who created and upheld unnumbered worlds, adored by cherub and shining seraph, humbled Himself to uplift fallen humanity, bore guilt and shame and the hiding of His Father's face until the woes of a lost world broke His heart and crushed out His life on Calvary, laying aside glory from love to humanity. As they behold the Father's eternal glory shining in His face and His everlasting throne and endless kingdom, they break forth in rapturous song declaring Him worthy because He was slain and bought them back to God by His most precious blood. The ransom paid reveals the true value of a human soul and becomes the measure by which time and talents are valued, and the study of Jesus' love becomes an endless study filling eternity with song. It reveals God's providence connecting the dispensations, so that when His ways are fully seen the history of the church on earth and the redeemed church in heaven is understood in the light of the cross.

It is sung after earthly warfare is finished in triumph over conflict, sin and self, by conquerors whose names stand in the Lamb's book of life and who are fitted for the company of saints and angels. Only conquerors in the warfare against sin will sing it when gathered around the great white throne after probation closes, with no one cold or formal but every soul earnest and every heart full of thanksgiving for marvelous love and overcoming grace. With a loud voice they ascribe salvation to God sitting upon the throne and to the Lamb. The redeemed, given golden harps and crowns by Christ Himself, bow to cast glittering crowns at His feet, rise to touch golden harps, and fill heaven with rich, perfect music and songs to the Lamb. Commanding angels first strike the note and every voice and harp joins, echoing that He saves by grace, ransoms from the fall, and is crowned Lord of all.

The song is sung in the golden city after Christ leads His purchased, spotless church through the pearly gates and throws open the gates to bless those who kept the truth, when He looks upon them and sees the travail of His soul and is satisfied and His countenance lights the city. It honors Him because He endured deep humiliation and suffering on the cross in their behalf and went through every phase of temptation and suffering, so none can say He does not know how to suffer and pity them, calling for sympathy, love and imitation of His character. There, after working for the Master and hearing "Well done, thou good and faithful servant," they sing "Worthy, worthy is the Lamb that died for us" because of His matchless charms, sharing eternal glory and rejoicing through endless ages. Holy angels join it though they cannot sing it from personal experience as washed and redeemed, yet understanding the peril from which people were saved and having been sent to lift a standard against the enemy, they fully share the glowing joy of those who overcame by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony. Heaven sings its praise when a sinner is brought back to God, angels praising God and the Lamb for mercy and loving-kindness and all heaven rejoicing over one lost person recovered.

The saved are His trophies of victory proving He did not die in vain, monuments of mercy and love over whom He and His co-laborers look, see travail satisfied, and forget anxious hours and sorrow over the refused, welcoming them with triumph. Christ enters heaven with the redeemed whose salvation by the blood of the Lamb is evidence that His suffering fulfilled its purpose, and those saved through soul-winning enter wearing crowns, recognize the part others played in bringing them to Christ, and lay their crowns at Jesus' feet as they join heaven's praise with shouts of thanksgiving through its arches. They ascribe salvation to God on the throne and to the Lamb, give all glory to Christ and none to man, and join the heavenly victory song giving honor to God and the Lamb. This bliss before God's throne stands in contrast with the wailing of the lost, and the redeemed from every nation will also sing the song of Moses and the Lamb declaring they are redeemed by His blood, as conquerors and heirs with Him who took humanity upon Himself. Only those who now begin to live Christ's life, making it heaven to themselves and those around them by helping and lifting the cast down and despondent, will sing that triumph at last when He opens the golden gates, invites them to enter, and places the harp in their hands.

Learning and Sharing Redemption

The themes of the heavenly song can be caught on earth and echoed in earthly homes, and that echo draws hearts closer to the heavenly singers around the throne. Faith hears the song of the redeemed now, looking beyond present burdens and cares to the great hereafter where all that perplexes shall be made plain, seeing Jesus as Mediator at the right hand of God and beholding the mansions, robe and crown prepared for the overcomer. Heaven is full of joy resounding with praise for the wonderful sacrifice for the redemption of the human race, and the church on earth should be full of praise and publish throughout the world the joy of serving Christ. Those who will join the angelic choir must learn the song on earth, whose keynote is thanksgiving, facing difficulties that try faith and patience bravely, looking on the bright side and going forward rejoicing in the Lord, which begins heaven's communion on earth.

Only those in harmony with the heavenly host can sing the new song of praise to God and to the Lamb. Those whose sympathies are corrupt and debased, with darkened minds and untrained powers, are out of harmony with heaven and cannot unite in ascribing praise. They would not feel at home in the society of the pure and holy and would be unhappy there.

The song of redeeming love above belongs to those interested in God's cause on earth who freely dispose of this world's goods to send saving truth to perishing souls, sharing Christ's self-denial and valuing His gift of life for humanity. His death was for sinners, the just for the unjust, that by precious blood He might redeem unto God, bearing cruel mocking and scourging, the platted crown of thorns, and great drops of blood in the garden under the burden of the sins of the whole world, and now pleading His blood, sufferings and death for sinners. Those who profess to follow Him yet withhold God's money, count it a great thing to help the cause of salvation, and refuse to support carrying the saving truth to others cannot enter heaven and can never sing that song.

Singing it at last belongs to those who begin now to live the life of Christ, making it heaven to themselves and those around them by helping and lifting up the cast down and despondent, humbled to walk in meekness and lowliness and understanding what it means to share His self-denial and self-sacrifice. The song must be learned on earth by singing of His goodness and talking of His power now, with character changed here because no one can enter heaven carrying sin along. It will be fulfilled when the gates are opened and only those who have kept the truth and kept His word and commandments enter in, with families unbroken and children welcomed with rejoicing, taking right hold of Jesus Christ by faith every step without giving up the battle because there is a heaven to win and a hell to shun. Then Christ opens the golden gates, invites them to enter, places a golden harp in their hands and the crown of the overcomer upon their heads, and they sing a song of triumph declaring the slain Lamb worthy for winning them to God and to heaven, beholding the King in His beauty and filling heaven with rich music, which means saved, everlastingly saved in the kingdom of glory with a life that measures with the life of God.

Saving people for Christ brings their voices into that praise, for the redeemed celebrate His saving work in gathering the redeemed from every nation and people, including those won through faithful labor. Being redeemed is an inestimable privilege received when truth is presented in its purity and beauty so souls fall in love with it and are sanctified through it, made rich and washed in the blood of the Lamb, and those thus rescued shine as stars forever in crowns of rejoicing. Those saved through soul-winning will enter the city wearing crowns, recognize the part others played in bringing them to Christ, go to everyone who tried to help them to thank them and fall on their necks, and lay their crowns at Jesus' feet as the harps are touched and heaven is filled with rich music. Such gratitude to those God used does not diminish the glory due to God, as the brought and those who brought them rejoice together and give thanks for redeeming mercy, and every soul saved swells the anthem and calls to zealous labor and readiness now to graduate into the higher school.

Music forms a part of God's worship in the courts above, where heavenly choirs sing in harmony that earthly songs of praise should approach as nearly as possible. Proper training of the voice is not to be neglected, and singing as part of religious service is as much an act of worship as prayer, requiring the heart to feel the spirit of the song to give it right expression. Music was made to serve a holy purpose to lift thoughts to that which is pure, noble and elevating and to awaken devotion and gratitude to God rather than to exalt self or allure the mind from duty and eternal things.

The heavenly scene calls for unity and for putting right wrongs among believers, for dwelling on saving love and the glory of heaven gives strength in the fight against sin. The cross reveals the value of a human soul, for the ransom paid for redemption is the measure by which time and talents are valued, and the redeemed study the love of Jesus as their science and song through eternity. Faith is the victory that overcomes the world by looking beyond the present, and Christians should publish the joy of serving Christ.

Remembering redemption is to be constant in the home, at the mercy-seat and at the cross, buying with a price by the great gift of God, with parents telling children of the sacrifice made to provide mansions in the heavens for them. Christ gave His life so children may develop Christian character, be welcomed into God's city, and sing the Redeemer's praise with harp and crown, for children belong to Him as His purchased ones to be raised as children of God and prepared for immortal life. Such remembrance keeps from indifference and calls to deal honestly with the Lord's plan, to deny self so all gifts bear the signature of self-denial and offerings are increased, to set forth Christ the Redeemer and show Christian sympathy and fellowship for all the needy and oppressed, and to work out salvation since spiritual advancement here means life in the higher world.

Christ is worthy because He was slain and redeemed from every kindred, tongue, people and nation, and that ransom calls for deepest homage and service so that even deepest devotion and service seem an inadequate offering in comparison. Praising the Redeemer for His incarnation and atoning sacrifice will occupy powers through eternity. That praise belongs to Him alone, for safety is found only in giving praise to God and not exalting sinful human beings for supposed excellencies, and mind, heart and voice must be educated and used in His service to glorify God our Saviour.

By His blood believers are redeemed to God as His purchased possession, bound to Himself in divine love so they owe allegiance only to God and not to any earthly power or human owner. The redemption exalts them to the highest ranks and adopts them into the royal family as heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, with an inheritance boundless as the universe and enduring as eternity, incorruptible, undefiled, that fadeth not away. All the treasures of heaven are available to God's children, who are not abandoned to temptation but have a living hope and the promise of immortality and glory, and the light of truth is to shine among them amid moral darkness. Those He redeemed must not throw themselves away but put on every piece of the whole armor of God to be strong in the Lord, because wrestling is not against flesh and blood but against principalities, powers, rulers of the darkness of this world and spiritual wickedness in high places.