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Sermon preached on Revelation 5 by Rev. W. Reid Hankins during the Morning Worship Service at Trinity Presbyterian Church (OPC) on 01/26/2025 in Petaluma, CA.
Sermon Manuscript
Rev. W. Reid Hankins, M.Div.
We continue today with this vision of the heavenly throne room of God. After those seven letters Jesus gave to his churches on earth in the opening three chapters, last week we turned to get a glimpse of heaven. John saw a vision of the sovereign God who sat above all creation, worthy of worship for who he is and for creating all things. Attending him in that heavenly glory were these four creatures that represented the mighty angels who worship and serve him, along with twenty-four elders who represent those triumphant saints who have died and gone to be with the Lord, rewarded and blessed in the heavenly places with their Lord. We also observed the Holy Spirit before the throne, those seven spirits as Revelation has been describing them. Today’s chapter continues this scene with an additional thing that John saw in verse 1. He observed that God had a special scroll which was sealed with seven seals. That becomes the setting for this chapter where we also see Jesus, the lion of Judah, represented by this lamb that was slain.
Let us begin in our first point today by considering verses 1-5 and considering this question of “Who is worthy?” This is the question sparked when John sees this scroll. John’s not told anything yet about this scroll. Yet, by seeing it and hearing the question in verse 2, he senses how important it is to open it. There, in verse 2, a mighty angel boldly proclaims this question about, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” Sadly, the answer is at first, no one can be found. Not a single soul anywhere in heaven or on earth. In glorious suspense, John at first begins to weep when no one can be found. Imagine we were given some amazing gift and it was locked and no one could find the key. John weeps until he is told to stop weeping, because a worthy one has indeed been found. It is none other than Jesus, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, the Root of David. He has conquered. So he can open it. This declares the uniqueness of Jesus, our Savior.
Let’s appreciate this description of Jesus. For Jesus to be the Lion of the tribe of Judah, it brings us all the way back to Genesis. The patriarch Jacob blessed each of his twelve sons who were heads of their respective tribes. When Jacob blessed Judah in Genesis 29, he described him as a lion. A lion is strong among wild animals and often considered king of the jungle. It’s naturally been a metaphor for a king. Indeed, Jacob’s blessing of Judah goes on to foretell how the scepter of kingship would come to the tribe of Judah in an enduring way. Jacob’s benediction on Judah ultimately promised an enduring king to come. Jesus fulfils that promise. He indeed is the Lion of the tribe of Judah.
For Jesus to be also called here the root of David connects us with prophecy from Isaiah 11. That foretold how God would rebuild the fallen Davidic kingdom which had become like chopped down tree after God’s chastened it due to its great spiritual waywardness. Yet, from that stump, from that root, a new shoot would come forth in the line of King David. That new shoot would grow into a glorious, and everlasting kingdom. Jesus is that new shoot from the root of David.
Why is this lion named Jesus worthy to open this scroll with its seven seals? In these opening verses, only one word is given to answer that question. He’s “conquered”. More on that in our second point. But for now, remember that in Jesus’ letters to the seven churches, this is what he held out to each of them. Each letter ended with a promise to the one who conquers. There is a close connection here. Jesus will reward us Christians who conquer because Jesus himself has already conquered. Even the seals that Jesus opens next chapter will ultimately lead to the full and complete salvation for us who endure and overcome in Christ. His worthiness to open the scroll is good news!
Let’s turn now to our our next point and consider this new song in verses 6-10. This explains how Jesus conquered and is therefore such a worthy one. Immediately after declaring that Jesus is the Lion that is worthy to open the scroll, the vision turns to give us an apocalyptic glimpse of this Lion there in that heavenly throne room. But to our surprise, what is seen is not a Lion but a Lamb. To clarify, the Lion is this Lamb, both images are simultaneously true. The conquering lion is simultaneously the Lamb described here in verse 6. Revelation speaks repeatedly of Jesus as conqueror, and that Lion imagery is especially fitting. But Revelation will also refer more than twenty-five times to Jesus as the Lamb, showing a strong preference for that description. Indeed, Jesus is a conquering Lion especially because of what he did as a Lamb.
What Jesus did as the Lamb is described right away by the imagery that this Lamb looks like it had been slain. This will be sung about further in the song. But it immediately presents Jesus as the crucified savior who gave up his life on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins. It’s as John the Baptist declared about Jesus in John 1:29, that he is the “Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world.” As Isaiah 53 prophesied, Jesus was as a lamb led to the slaughter, to be a guilt offering for the sins of God’s people. Jesus’ propitiatory sacrifice made atonement for us and it is at the heart of why he is the conquering Lion. But recognize that this Lamb only looks like it was slain in the past. The Lamb is right now standing there very much alive. The Lamb was slain, but now he lives! This first glimpse at the Lamb declares both his death and his resurrection!
The description of the Lamb continues there in verse 6 by explaining that it has seven horns and seven eyes. At this point, we should remember how God was described last chapter in this same throne room. God was described as the Almighty. Here, this Lamb has horns which is usually an imagery of strength, and seven of them suggestions completeness. This previously slain Lamb was never weak. He has the fullness of strength as seen in these horns, a complementary picture of God who is Almighty. Likewise, last chapter, verse 5, saw before God’s throne seven torches of fire which were interpreted as the seven spirits of God. We said that this was the Holy Spirit proceeding from the throne of God, using the imagery that Revelation has been using that was sourced from Zechariah 4. That description appears here as well about the lamb, also quoting Zechariah with the description of seven eyes that are sent out into all the earth,” and with the same interpretation of the seven spirits of God. So, the same Holy Spirit that last chapter came forth from God, here is seen as coming forth from Jesus. It’s as the Nicene Creed confesses, that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son. This reveals Jesus’ divinity even while the reference to his tribe had described his humanity.
So then, Jesus symbolized by this Lamb takes the scroll from God. At that point, an amazing response happens. The four creatures and the twenty-four elders immediately fall down and worship the lamb. Twice later in Revelation we’ll see John start to fall down and worship an angel in reaction and in both cases he is immediately told to not do that, but instead to only worship God. No such objection is made here when they start to worship Jesus. The conclusion is obvious. Jesus is God. So, he rightly is to be worshipped. The twenty-four elders are seen here holding harps and golden-bowls of incense. The harps surely represent their song they are bringing to Jesus. The incense is interpreted as the prayers of the saints, which helps confirm that these elders represent those saints. This also shows that prayer rightly goes to Jesus.
Indeed, their worship of Jesus is expressed then in this new song they sang in verses 9-10. You will notice that the construction of the song follows the praise given to God last chapter in verse 11. Both start off with “Worthy are you,” followed by describing why they are worthy. Again, the similar form of praise shows that Jesus and God both rightly receive divine worship.
Let us remember then what a “new song” is in Scripture, as verse 9 describes it. Such songs describe some redemptive act of God or some reason to thank God or praise God. So, when God does some new things worthy of praise, that becomes the occasion for a new song to be written about it. That’s seen wonderfully in the Old Testament book of Psalms which has a wide range of historical time frames when the various psalms in it were written. As we get into the New Testament, God’s people are still writing songs, even in this chapter. On a side note, you’ll see in this chapter and last there are basically five songs of praise. Only this one is actually described as a song that was sung. The others are just described as being said. But the similarity between all five as poetic doxologies suggests surely any of them could be sung, spoken, or prayed.
The content then of the song in verses 9-10 is the most detailed in this chapter and it is all about Jesus. It explains in further detail that question I raised earlier, namely, “Why is Jesus worthy to open this scroll?” The reason is because of his saving, redemptive work in what he accomplished in his sacrificial death. Verse 1 speaks again of how Jesus was slain, and by his blood he ransomed people for God. The more literal translation is not ransomed but purchased. He bought people for God. In other words, without the cleansing blood of Jesus, God’s people were enslaved to the consequences of their sin, namely, death and eternal damnation. But Jesus “bought” us out of that slavery when he washed away our sins by his blood. As Peter says in 1 Peter 1, we were redeemed by the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot,” describing Jesus’ death with the language of a sacrifice.
Especially wonderful is how verse 9 goes on to explain that his sacrifice was effective to save people from all the world, “from every tribe and language and people and nation.” As foretold by various prophecies, the Messiah’s saving work would gather up peoples from all the earth. The New Testament is clear that God’s elect includes people from both Jewish and Gentile backgrounds. Jesus is making one saved people of God, made up of all who have been washed clean by Jesus.
The final position of such a redeemed people is there in verse 10. Jesus is making us into a kingdom and priests unto God, that will reign on earth. This is what Jesus foretold in the Beatitudes. It was also what God promised Israel in Exodus 19:6. Again, how wonderful to see that its final realization includes peoples gathered from all the world in Christ, the Messiah. We are gathered into his kingdom as kings and priests.
This kingdom refers to a redemptive kingdom. It does not refer to how God in general reigns now over everything. This refers to the special kingdom made up of all the people Jesus saves. This kingdom has already come in a real sense, even as Jesus declared after the resurrection that all authority in heaven and earth has been given to him, and even as we see him reigning on high in this vision. Every saved person, every disciple of Christ, even now has citizenship in this redemptive kingdom. Yet, the book of Revelation will show how this kingdom is yet being consolidated and ultimately will be consummated at our Lord’s return.
In our last point for today, I’d like to turn to briefly consider verses 10-14 where we find two more words of praise as all heaven and earth join in on the praise. The next word of praise is there in verse 12. We see that it is given by a tremendous multitude of angels, thousands upon thousands, and ten thousands of ten thousands (that’s what a myriad is). So, while we saw the four angels before the throne singing to Jesus, now this much larger chorus of angels joins in. Daniel saw a similar number of angels in his vision of the divine throne room.
Here these many angels also worship Jesus. Their song is essentially a shortened version of what we had in the previous new song. It also speaks of Jesus’ worthiness. It also mentions his sacrificial death. It then ascribes a seven-fold bestowal to him of power, wealth, wisdom, might, honor, glory, and blessing. He is worthy to receive all of that. What fullness of praise. Whatever height of riches and glory that King David or King Solomon had, none of it ever approached what this sings of. All the angels in heaven say such praise is fitting for Jesus!
But not only do the heavenly angels declare this, but the last song of the passage then turns to see every single creature everywhere join in with the praise. A couple important things to notice. First, in verse 13, the list of every creature includes both heaven and earth and even under the earth. This universal praise has to include then not only God’s redeemed people, but even his opponents. We can remember a passage like Philippians 2 which foretold that one day every knee will bow to Jesus in submission to his kingship and in praise to God. This vision anticipates that praise. In fact, I believe it shows some of the recapitulation I mentioned in my first sermon on Revelation. Here, it sees all creation praising God like this, something that we know hasn’t happened yet, but elsewhere we know will happen at the end of this current age when Christ returns. Then, even Christ’s enemies will be forced to bow the new in worship before they taste the wrath of God’s judgment in the eternal lake of fire. Yet, next chapter this vision will continue with the seven seals and it will effectively reset to this current age to describe things happening right now. So, we are reminded that Revelation does not present a simple linear chronology but has several times where it brings us to the end only to rewind and speak again about the present. Yet, I digress. What I really want you to notice is how all the earth joins in with the heavenly chorus of angels and saints in glory in worship.
The other thing to notice about this final word of praise is that the specific audience is different than the previous two songs. This final doxology is directed to both God and Jesus. It is directed to him who sits on the throne, i.e. God the Father, and to the Lamb, i.e. Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Then there is a final five-fold ascription of blessing, honor, glory, and might. It says for all eternity these are to be bestowed upon God and his Messiah.
Look at how the chapter ends in verse 14. It brings our focus back to the heavenly throne room. There the four creatures give their word of affirmation with a hearty “Amen”! And the elders give a response of further worship.
Trinity Presbyterian Church, when we take last chapter and this chapter together, we get this wonderful picture of God and his Christ and why they are worthy of our worship. God is worthy to be worshipped especially for who he is and for creating us. Jesus is worthy to be worshipped especially for saving us from our sins and granting to us life and blessedness in his everlasting kingdom.
I would like to address any here today who have not yet known Jesus as Lord and Savior. This passage reminds us that ultimately, everyone will worship God, but that implies a question to ask. Will you worship the Lord now freely as those have been saved into Christ’s kingdom? Or will you persist in faithless defiance until you have no choice but to bow the knee at the end of history. Your future doesn’t need to end in God’s judgment. Behold today your creator who deserves your worship. Recognize your rebellion against him, and how you are not worthy of life on your own record. See the Lion and the Lamb who conquers sin and death even by his becoming the perfect sacrifice for you. Repent of your sins and turn in faith to Jesus for forgiveness and grace, then you can know that you too have been purchased for God. Even today you can have the confidence to know that you have been purchased by Jesus to be a part of God’s people.
So then, for us who do belong to Christ’s kingdom, we have been made a kingdom of royal priests. That means we are to be a worshipping people. We are to sing, speak, and pray our praise to God and his Christ. This passage even illustrates the fittingness of antiphonal worship. That’s the worship that has a responsiveness to it, with different groups vocalizing different parts. There are various examples of it in God’s Word. Let us worship in the antiphony of praise that is our fitting response to our worthy God and our worthy Messiah. Indeed, his Holy Spirit speaks even now to our hearts to spur us to respond in such worship and with a hearty, “Amen.”
Copyright © 2025 Rev. W. Reid Hankins, M.Div.
All Rights Reserved.
