THERE IS ONE WHO IS WORTHY!

5:6 Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth.

The Lamb is the symbol of the lamb slain for the Passover feast of the Israelites. The blood of the lamb had to be put on the sides and top of the doorframes of their homes, so that the angel of death would pass over the Israelites and spare the lives of their firstborn.

Also, the Lamb is symbolized in the lamb that was led to the slaughter and stricken for the transgression of his people.

The Lamb was standing as though it had been slain, which signifies a body that had been cut to pieces but now was healed and able to stand.

The Lamb stood at the center of Gods throne, slain, yet triumphant. The final victory of Christ as the Lion of the tribe of Judah—as the conquering Messiah—is possible only because He has first suffered as the Lamb.

The Lamb was standing in the center of the throne showing His deity and equality with the Father.

The seven horns represent the fullness of power that the Lamb possesses; His omnipotence. The seven eyes denotes His fullness of vision, His omniscience. The seven spirits of God describe His omnipresence, sent out into all the earth.

5:7 He came and took the scroll from the right hand of Him who sat on the throne.

It is the Father (Him who sits on the throne) who imparted the revelation of the last things to the Son, who in turn will bring the end to pass.

It is the right hand of the one sitting on the throne that supplies the scroll to the Lamb, signifying that God entrusts Him with the authority to bring its contents to realization.

5:8 And when He had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.

The one and only person in the entire universe who is worthy and able to take the scroll from the hand of God is the Lamb.

When the Lamb takes the scroll and breaks the seals to open it, the four living beings and the twenty-four elders as representatives of the angel world and redeemed humanity fall in worship before the Lamb.

The the four living beings and the twenty-four elders acknowledge the Lamb’s power and authority; they are jubilant that the contents is of the scroll are now being revealed; they delight in the realization of God’s plan and purpose; and they rejoice in the salvation of his people.

The reference to the prayers of the saints at this point seems to be their prayers for the coming of the Lord, the completion of His kingdom, and the ushering in of the New Heavens and New Earth where righteous will dwell forever. This is an age-long prayer of the church which is now about to be answered.

5:9 And they sang a new song: "You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.

The new song is sung to the Lamb as redeemer, who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll; to establish God’s Kingdom, because of his redeeming death and usher in the New Heavens and New Earth where righteousness will dwell forever.

The adjective new suggests that the new has come forth out of the old as a separate entity. The Old Testament lists new songs celebrating God’s wondrous deeds. But in Revelation, the singers extol the redemption of God’s people through the atonement of Jesus Christ.

The Lamb deserves jubilant praise, because he triumphed over Satan by dying for the redeemed purchased from every tribe, language, people, and nation.

Because of His sacrificial death, the Lamb is worthy to take the scroll out of God’s hand, to break its seals, and to make its contents reality.

The text expresses three points: first, those who have been purchased are placed in God’s kingdom; next, they are made priests; and last, they are given the privilege of ruling as kings.

The idea of priesthood means full and immediate access into the presence of God for the purpose of praise and worship, and the idea of a kingdom means that the redeemed will actually be granted the privilege of reigning with Christ in the New Heavens and New Earth.

5:11-13 Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. In a loud voice they sang: Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise! Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing: To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, forever and ever!

A number of angels that no man can count compose and sing a hymn, dedicated not to God the Father but to the Lamb Jesus Christ. Their song is more compact and even richer in attributes than the hymn sung by the cherubim and elders.

It is unique because of its sevenfold construction: it lists seven nouns in succession that are ascribed to the Lamb: power, wealth, wisdom, strength, honor, glory, and thanksgiving. Seven is the number of completeness.

The four living creatures ascribed glory, honor, and thanksgiving to God seated on the throne, and the twenty-four elders do the same thing except that instead of thanksgivingpower. they use the term

Qualities that belong to God are now ascribed to the Lamb. These qualities are power as inner strength; wealth that comes from God; and wisdom that God freely gives to his people. Strength is a synonym of power and honor and glory frequently appear as a pair. God grants these qualities to his people, and they in turn express their thanksgiving to him and the Lamb.

All intelligent beings in God’s created universe sing his praises: the saints and angels in heaven, the birds in the sky, God’s people on earth, and all living beings on land and in the sea. The overwhelming chorus of all these voices, in praise to God and to the Lamb, defies human imagination. God is the King of creation who delegated the work of creation and redemption to his Son.

As God receives tribute from his creatures, so does the Lamb, for he has completed the tasks that God assigned to him. All intelligent beings in the entire universe sing praises “to the one sitting on the throne and to the Lamb.”

The names God and Jesus are not mentioned. Instead the designations the one and the Lamb show full respect to the Deity. They emphasize, first, God’s absolute power over the universe and, second, the Lamb’s victory over death and the grave.

5:14 The four living creatures said, "Amen," and the elders fell down and worshiped.

The four living creatures and the twenty four elders began the chorus of praise and it is fitting that they should close it. Down at your feet oh Lord is the most high place.

The act of falling down symbolizes total submission to the Lamb who alone is worthy of their praise and adoration.