The worthiness of the Lamb, Jesus Christ, to open the sealed book, which represents the title deeds to the world and the execution of divine judgments. It highlights the scene in Revelation 5 where the Lamb, having been slain, is the only one found worthy to take the book, leading to worship from the elders, living creatures, and eventually all of creation. The passage from Luke 4 where Jesus reads from Isaiah is used to illustrate that His first coming was for salvation, while the opening of the seals in Revelation signifies the coming day of vengeance. The sermon emphasizes that the redeemed will reign with Christ as kings and priests, a future glory far surpassing present sufferings, and that all creation will ultimately join in praising the Lamb.
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Okay. I'd like to read the chapter through. We went halfway through the chapter last week, your lesson sheet on page eleven. And now we come to the conclusion of page eleven on the last section, the lower part of the lesson sheet. But we would like to read the chapter through to get the connection. Chapter five, reading at verse one. John writing by the Holy Spirit and saying, and I saw... in the right hand of him that sat on the throne, a book written within, and on the back side, sealed with southern seal. Without question of doubt it was the old-fashioned scroll, as it was written in ages past on both sides of it.
And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof. No man in heaven nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon. And I went much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon, and one of the elders said unto me, Weep not. Behold, the lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, hath prevailed to open the book. and to loose the seven seals thereof. And I beheld and lo, in the midst of the throne, and in the midst of the living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a lamb.
Written in the original text in the diminutive, literally a little lamb, as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God, sent forth into all the earth. And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne. When he had taken the book, the four living creatures and four and twenty elders fell down before the land, having every one of them hearts and golden vials full of odors, fragrance and incense, which are the prayers of saints. They sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, to open the seals thereof.
For thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood, out of every kindred and tongue, and people and nation. And it made us unto our God, kings, and priests, and we shall reign on or over the earth. And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne, and the living creatures and the elders. The number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands. saying with a loud voice, worthy is the land that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing.
And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in manhood, I say, blessing and honor, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb forever and ever. And the four living creatures said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth forever and ever. May the Lord bless the reading and the hearing of his precious and his holy words. This is one of the greatest chapters in the book of the Revelation. It warms the hearts of a believer in the Lord Jesus.
When we realize As we noted in chapter four, John was translated in the Spirit to heaven itself. Very typical of that wonderful event that we wait as believers for, the rapture of the saints, when the Lord Jesus will come for his bride. And may we repeat again, chapters four and five, find the saints, typified by the elders, twenty-four elders, The saints are found in heaven itself, round the eternal throne of God. And may I, for just a moment, digress to think with you, how precious a recognize where we will be.
In that blessed moment when the Lord Jesus descends from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and the trump of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first, Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them, in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall we ever be with the Lord. May I put before you as well as my known heart, for we need its comfort. It will happen in a moment. Paul writes of that in First Corinthians fifteen, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, and at the last trump. The dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
What a moment. The word moment in that particular scripture, may I add, some of you may have heard me tell it before, but in the original Greek text that word moment is the word atom. A-T-O-M-O-S. The only place in your New Testament you have the word atom. And when I was a boy in school and I looked around at him, most of you too, perhaps, the word atom meant indivisible. It couldn't be divided. But now we know they split the atoms. They divided it. Someone made the facetious statement. After they split the atoms, they wondered now whether they made a wise crack after all.
They've really got a big problem on their hands, haven't they? Beloved, now please let me say, let me give you this thought. It's precious to me. Going back to the reference we made of first Thessalonians for, that we should be caught up to meet the Lord where? In the air. Now, ever since my boyhood, and many others here, there have been wonderful discoveries relative to the air. I think it was so Walter Scott wrote a poem called Lockhill's Warning, and it was relative to a dear old couple, and in their elderly years sitting by the fireside, They were reminiscing, but they were also expecting that their true would be in eternity.
And he quotes the words in that poem, saying, Coming events cast their shadow before. This old couple recognizing the shadow of a death was approaching them. Now when you think of the Lord's coming, coming events cast their shadow before, in the air, But I suppose about thirteen, maybe twelve, I saw my first airplane being taken through the city where I lived with an attempt on the outside to fire. Now think of the development in the air since then. Then came the radio.
Think of that development. Then came radar. And now we could go on. And you'll find the discoveries of the air as in prominent in this century. And I think they have a significant meaning for a believer. The greatest event that is next in the program of God is to take the saints to meet the Lord in the air and to be forever with the Lord. And in chapters four and five of the book of Revelation, we are seen in heaven itself. It's a joy. It's a blessing to realize this is where we will be as well as what we should be. when we shall be there in all the likeness of our blessed Lord around the throne of God above.
Now we found in the opening of chapter five, contrary or in distinction from chapter four, where worship was given to God on the ground of his creedorial glory, in chapter five, one person is the center of worship, the Lamb, who was slain for us through his redemptive work, worthy of our praise. Now we have noted, as John thus heard the challenge of the angel, and went because none could produce himself to be pitted to open the sealed book. But we have these words, if you will go with me in verse seven, where we begin today, the latter part of your section on page eleven, the significant result of the Lamb's actions And it's understood by all that are in heaven.
Let me read verse seven. He came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne. Now, beloved, that book is the title deed to the kingdoms of the world, virtually. And that book contains the execution of divine judgment that are yet to come upon the world. As the book of Revelation develops, the seal judgment, the trumpet judgment, the vile judgment. He alone, as the sin declares it's the worthy one to take the book. Now if you have your Bible, I want to make a connection with something in the life of the Lord Jesus in chapter four of the Gospel of Luke.
Chapter four in the Gospel of Luke. Now I want you to notice the significance of the Lord Jesus taking the book as the land in the book of the Revelation. But in chapter four of the gospel according to Luke, let me begin reading, if I may, at verse, if I may, in this fourth chapter, I think at verse four, fifteen, where the Lord Jesus goes into the synagogue. In verse sixteen, he came to Nazareth where he had been brought up, and as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day and stood up for the reed. Now let me please say, before we read any further, this is the first occasion, according to the gospel record of the Lord Jesus preaching publicly, and in the synagogue of his own hometown, Nazareth.
And he stands up, which was the customary thing to do, if one desired to read the scroll of the Holy Scriptures. And we read on, there was delivered unto him the book of the prophecy Isaiah for Isaiah, And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written. Now, of course, he didn't have the chapter and verse like you and I may, but he found the scripture that he desired to read. Now, let's note the scripture. This is what he read. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives.
recovering the sight to the blind, to set at liberty then to the bruise, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord. Then read on. He closed the book and gave it again to the minister, and he sat down. Now please note where he closed the book. When he came to the expression, the acceptable year of the Lord, and the preceding word. Now go with me to Isaiah chapter sixty-one. I wanted to see in the book of Isaiah what he was reading, and why, and where he closed the book. In chapter sixty-one of the prophecy of Isaiah, in our Bible, it is the sixty-first chapter of Isaiah, and we'd like to begin reading at verse one.
And you will please note, and I'll note with you very carefully, And it's very significant where he closed the book. He closed the book when he read where you and I would never stop reading. And if we had stopped reading, the teacher would have said, Now listen, that's not right. It's ungrammatical. Now may I say this, God doesn't care too much about man's grammar. To him it can be insignificant. But please note the words. Now we begin with verse one, and I'll stop where he stops. The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meat. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captive, the opening of the prison to vendor the bound, to proclaim the acceptable gift of the Lord.
And what did you have in your Bible? You have a comma, don't you? And if you read in school, if you stop reading in school and close your book there, the teacher would really reprimand you. that he closed the book. Now why did he close the book? For if he had read on, note the words, And the day of vengeance of our God. Now, beloved, we know, let me please emphasize that. He closed the book because it wasn't the day of vengeance. Not yet. That day is coming. We shall see it in the book of Revelation particularly. It's the day of salvation.
Well, Paul well wrote, quoting Isaiah again, I believe, in Corinthians chapter, first Corinthians six. Now is the day of salvation. It's not the day of tension. May I say humbly, and I like to say very solemnly, I feel convicted in meditating upon our coming lesson in the book of the revelations. How little we as Christians realize when the Lord opens the book again, it means it's the day of vengeance. I'm glad I'm saved. So the gratitude that one can feel in his and her heart could know they'll not be the object of divine vengeance.
Oh, may I humbly say, go back to Revelation then. Look then in this chapter five, as we have it, when we look at verse seven. He came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne. He only is the executive of divine judgment. When we should get into chapter six, God willing, as soon as possible, we'll find him loosing the seven seals. Later on, issuing into the seven trumpet judgments, and then finally the vile judgment. Beloved, let me just say this. When we come to chapter six and onwards, we will be covering the day of God's vengeance upon the Christ-rejected, sin-loving, God-hating, Bible-rejecting world.
And you know, I'm convicted that I do not appreciate, as I should, the danger that the unsaved are in. Oh, I thought yesterday, Lord, I don't seem to feel it the way I should. The concern that around us on every hand, souls, lives, will be subjected to God's day of vengeance. And we shall see. But now note the significance in our chapter when he takes the book, with its results. When he had taken the book, now look at your lesson sheet, please. Well, we read verse eight, first of all. When he had taken the book, the poor living creature, The four and twenty elders fell down before the land, having every one of them half.
If you never played a half, it looks as though you're going, huh? And gold and vials full of odes or fragrance, which are the prayers of saints. Our beloved, when you look, as your lesson sheet says, the living creatures as well as the redeemed saints, they prostrate themselves before the land. Oh, my beloved, please let me say, what a tremendous throng of redeemed people, together with these heavenly living creatures beyond our comprehension, that all they fall down before the Lamb. Oh, the joy of realizing, prostrate we shall be on our faces before Him.
I remember being in Kennedy Airport one time. A man came to me and asked, I couldn't understand, he was a foreigner, I could tell he was, evidently he was a Muslim. He was asking which way the East was, well, I'm sure which way the East was inside the terminal. But some people right near me heard him ask and understood what he wanted and told him which way the East was in that particular building. Well, the first thing I saw as I watched him, he took out a prayer rug at the belly that he was carrying. He laid it on the floor of the building, and he began bowing toward the east, worshiping Allah. Then, right down on his face.
And in that coming day, we'll all be on our faces before the Lamb. And what a joy to be with one movement and with one united faith. heart of affection and praise and worship of the land will prostrate also. Fall in the heavenly throne with the living creatures close to that throne and all the saints fall down and worship the land. What a day that will be. But then please note the song. I want you to note it very much. When he had taken the book, they sung a new song. Now perhaps we might think it's the same old story, the same old song that we sing of redemption on the earth, but I want to tell you it's going to be a new song.
Just before coming, White was asking me something about this scripture. She said, I want to understand it, Daddy. And I tried simply and to explain to her, I said, you and I are going to be together singing before the Lord. Oh, she says, I can't sing now, but I sure will sing then. Right. sing a new song and what a joy it will be one thing it'll be in a new place too won't it but it'll be a this song well someone wrote a hymn and put it this way tis old you never knew i know i know it is true and what a joy to realize the newness of that song you know let me tell you something sometimes you know what you do take your bible in the book of revelation and you find the occasion when god says uses the word new, new, new, new, new, new creation, new heaven, new earth, new song, new name.
See, the Bible, everything up there is new. There's nothing down here new. As Solomon said in the book of Ecclesiastes, there's nothing new under the sun. You buy a new car, drive it out on the seat from the garage and it's old second-handed already. That's true. Same with everything you had down here. As soon as you got it, you call it new. It's already old. And if you don't believe, it's fine sellers. But they don't have everything. Oh, God says in Revelation twenty-one five, behold, I create all things what? New. And that new thing.
Please let me say, thank God. It's not going to be rock and roll either. And all the noise that we may get down here. Well, very frankly, I think of a dear man in Raleigh in one of the music stores, an established music store that was there. I was in the store. And some colored boy came in after wanting to get some rock and roll song. He looked at the boy man. He said, look, the rock and roll department's over there. Here, this is the music department. But there is a distinction. And we need to make that distinction. Most of it sounds like the jungle of Africa. Vain repetition of the heathen is what it is.
Vain repetition of the heathen. Oh, beloved. You know, the theme of the song. Let's look at it. Look at it. But first of all, they fall down before the Lamb having every one of them. Ah, my what a joy will be. And the golden vials full of odors, which are the prayers of saints. And beloved, what music it will be? Oh, may I say, I'll be glad when I hear forever some heavenly music. Heavenly music. Ah, the joy of knowing that will be the music of heaven, the choirs of heaven. Oh, beloved, look.
Hey, by the way, who will be the choir leader? The lamp. The lamp. Do you ever notice something? Do you notice in your Bible in the book of Psalms sometimes in the heading of some of some translations they had it to the chief musicians? Well, what it meant was this. I think sometimes it ought to be at the end of the Psalm because when David or whoever wrote a Psalm, they sent to the chief musicians in the temple to put it in Psalm. And when you read in Psalm forty and you read in Hebrews chapter two about the Lord Jesus, He said, on Psalm twenty-two and then Hebrews chapter two, in the midst of the congregation will I sing praise unto thee.
Let me tell you something. The best song leader to lead you and me in singing is the Lord Jesus. And in the... He's the only one standing up. And realize he'll be thus leading the great song and the object of their song. with their hearts of music playing. And the very prayers of the... Why, beloved, please let me see. Notice this. There's two things. Praise and prayer. Praise and prayer. They go well together. Let me give you the thought. Even down here, frankly, we need more of it together.
In chapter sixteen of Acts, remember Paul and Silas in the jail? That's bleeding, torn. And he said, they sang and prayed. Prays and prayers. And what a joy to know. God keeps all the praises and the prayers of his people and the prayers of his people and the prayers of his golden bodies. They're precious to him. They're precious to him. I think if we knew our precious prayer was to God from the hearts of his children, we do more praying. But in that day the hearts of praise will ring, and the voices will sing, and the prayers of the hearts of God's people will be all held in remembrance before that blessed one day.
But they know verse nine. Let's see the song. They sang a new song, which read verse nine and ten, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, shall open the seals thereof, for thou wast slain, Hath redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation, and hath made us unto our God, kings and priests, and we shall reign on or over the earth. Note, if you please, your little outline on your lesson sheet, on the letter D, on that second section of your lesson. The redeemed saints sing the new song of praise. First, they sing his worthiness to take the book.
Thou art worthy. Thou art worthy. And beloved, frankly, there's no one in all of the universe worthy but him to take this book and to receive the praises and love of his dear people. Now note the ground of their song as you have it in the second reference. They sing their reason for it. Here's redempted word. Let me read those words again right in the middle of verse nine. For thou wast slain. May I give you this suggestion and believe the Greek idiom bears the truth of it out.
We shall look upon him and we'll have a comprehensive knowledge of his precious death for us better than we've ever had before. Some have translated it as if he were freshly slain. Beloved, may I say this? We think of him sometimes. Oh, make me understand this. Help me to take in him what it meant to be the Holy One to take away my sin. And I don't think we can fully understand this. Not down here. Thank God there can be an increasing appreciation of it and for him. But I believe it's when we see him in that glorious heaven, in all the midst of his redeemed people gathered in that glorious place.
We'll look upon him. as if he had been freshly scraped. Can I give you this song? Well, no, when we go on, let me read on first. Thou hast redeemed us to God's house by thy blood. May I give you this song? All of us were, do you ever notice in chapter four where we read there, we will be sitting, clothed in white raiment. Take the angel, robed in white too, but there's only one person who has the mark of blood upon him, as it were, the Lord Jesus. Can I give you this thought?
I believe it's true that in all the glory of heaven, all the saints will be perfect in body. Now, you may have some scars, patches, onions, little paint of your body down here, defects. But remember, we're going to get new bodies. flashing like unto his own glorious body. A sickness, sinless, deathless, glorified body. And let me tell you, for there will be no scars, no evidence of wounds upon our bodies. But he wears them. There will still be upon him.
As Thomas saw him in his resurrection body, Jesus said, Thomas, reach either thy hand, put it into my thy face and put them into my hand, reaching to thy hand and put it into my side. Be not faithful, but believing. Thomas worshipped my Lord and my God. How may I say, be I say frankly, here is one whose body alone will bear the marks and the evidence of his sufferings on Calvary to redeem her. The old hymn writer put it well.
When my life's work is ended and I cross the swelling tide and the bright and glorious morning I shall see, I shall know my Redeemer when I reach the other side, how? By the marks of the nails in his hand. And oh, beloved, surely he alone will be the landslain. The first mention of his title here as the man in the book of the Revelation in this chapter five, and redeemed it by his blood. You know, it's sad, is it not? There are many in Christendom today that would deny redemption by blood.
Many times they accuse us of believers of believing in a slaughterhouse religion. You've got redemption by blood all the way through the Bible, from Genesis, even through Revelation. You see the blood in Eden. You see the blood on the altars of the patriarch. You find the blood in Egypt with the Israelites. You find the blood in the nation of Israel, you find redemption by blood. And then when Christ comes, behold the Lamb of God, said John the Baptist, who taketh away the beareth away the sin of the world. And you find him on the cross. Redemption by blood, not for an individual nor a nation, but for the whole world. And then when you come to the revelation, the blood in heaven.
Redeemed by blood. Now it's redeemed as unto God by blood. Precious to realize his blood alone washes sin stains away. And what joy it is to realize that. And what joy it is to have known it. in experience, and out of every kindred, tongue, people, nation, all from all quarters of the world, he will have gathered his own around him then. And in that day, we'll not only think, let me say, we little grasp what he's done for us, and what he's going to do for us, even in the ages to come.
We shall, thou hast made us king unto our God, kings and priests. We shall reign on or over the earth. Beloved, what a joy to recognize. We're going to be associated with him. Remember our study in the book of Romans, and our last session is studied last year. And in Romans eight, verse seventeen, I believe, Paul writing, The sufferings of this present while are not worthy to be compared to the glory that shall be revealed in us. And in that fashion he calls us heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ. Beloved, we're going to share with kingdom.
We're going to share with glory. May I say then, don't be particularly, though I know it gratifies the heart. It cheers the soul to know that we are redeemed by his blood, and we shall never see judgment or eternal hell. But remember, not only what he saved you from, but what he saved you to, to share the glory with him, the kingdom with him. Oh, may I say, you know, the magnitude of that kingdom. It's not Peter writes of it. is not only an earthly kingdom that he will have on the earth for a thousand years of millennial glory, but an everlasting kingdom, Peter writes of us.
The everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. And that kingdom is one of eternal, universal flaws. May I say, please, may I say it? I don't know how many of you sometimes listen to the news. Sometimes I wish I didn't. But very recently, graphically in the present sessions in Geneva where I was trying to get the countries together regarding future wars or not. And the grasp of what man is reaching even in what they call Star Wars and space wars. People, may I say, look, speaking in the vernacular, there may be a little slang, what they're doing is but penis to what God's going to do.
They may reach some of the planets around, but they haven't scratched all the glory of that universe that God has. I have not seen, ear has not heard, neither hath it entered the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for them to love him, and beyond. of the greatest telescope. I understand they're building a new telescope out in California that will reach further than any other hand in the heavens around. What the eye cannot see, God reveals to the child of God.
What the ear cannot hear. And the echoes of sound through the universe, men are beginning to find. but beyond all that the ear can, and beyond all that the imagination of the human heart can invent. What God has prepared for them that love. I remember a dear friend. He taught science at the University of New York in New York City. He and I used to talk a great, a great language. He helped my poor unscientific mind, and we shared together the joy of going over the scriptures.
But I remember one time, as we were together talking, he said, John, I believe that when we're in the glory of God's universe to come, we shall, one thing we shall be doing, we'll have the joy of exploring that universe. Praise God. He can never become forever, won't he? Please let me say, it's not beyond, it is beyond human imagination, but it's not beyond human belief when you know the Lord. We shall reign on and over the earth. For that reign again, let me please remind you, as Peter said, is the never-lasting kingdom.
Our Lord Jesus is going to be the governor of the whole universe. And he said, I want my thanks to share it with me. He has saved us through his precious blood, but he has made us a kingdom of priests to reign on and over the earth. And may I say lovingly, it's not the biggest person or the most publicized Christian that may be the greatest in the kingdom. It may be the one who is here. I would think it would be the heed and humblest himself shall be exalted.
And the humble believer that seeks to do the will of God from his and her heart will be exalted above some of the others. Oh, belovedly, let me say, the Lord Jesus set the example. You think of that piece that he was at in Luke chapter fourteen? He was invited. He went to that piece. And he watched. He saw how some of them took the upper rooms, tried to get the highest seat in that feast, to be in the public eye, and exalt themselves. And he warned him, look, don't do that. He says, let the governor of the feast come and say, come on, step down.
He's a better man than you. He deserves to be there. And so it is just in the coming of that kingdom and its glory. Surely, don't. trying to be great in the kingdom down here while walking through it. But to be humble and faithful. And should he like that? Or should you frankly? The Lord's going to set everyone in the right place. And all the joy of knowing in that day we are going to be kings and priests unto our God. I love this song. Royalty as well as priests. Royalty. You know, it's a nice thing to belong to the nobility of heaven, isn't it?
Hmm. Oh, I remember in the old country, we had our, we had our royalty over there, and we had the barrenness thing, we had the many in the altar of the sign. Some of them were godly Christians, thank God, a few of them without question of doubt. But I, in heaven above, in heaven above, we're all belonging to the royalty of heaven. And in that coming day we'll all have our play. And oh, God grant. Can I say this? I hope you and I all be together somewhere there. My wife said to me today, I said, now I said, you and I'll be singing together.
Oh, she said, Daddy, I said, I'd like that. Well, sure, and the joy of knowing we'll share together. And what a joy it is to realize it. May I give you this thought too? And you'll be telling the young couples, I marry if they're all written. Find the scripture in first Peter chapter three, I think verse seven, that they should, that they should, should stole them to the heirs together of the greats of life. For we can carry into eternity and into the glory the results and the rewards of our Christian testimony of husband and wife.
What a joy to know that. My wife's very much troubled that she wants me to go to heaven with her. Well, I hope no after she comes, we will. But the joy of knowing, airs together, airs together. Beloved, thank God, we're looking at what we shall be and where we would be to And one blessedness. But now note, verse eleven, if you please. Look, we go to verse eleven. And we've got here in verse eleven and twelve. Now please get the picture. Let me see if I can visualize it with you. Here is the scene in heaven. The center of that heavenly glory is the lamb, right in the midst.
And as we saw in verse six, he's in the midst of the throne, he's in the midst of the living creatures, he's in the midst of the elders. Now may I point out something? The arrangement is not like we have here. But we're all in a great, the whole throng is in a great circle. Living creatures, elders or saints, in a great circle, around the throne. And the throne is in the center. And in the central place of that throne is the Lamb. And from every direction the saints are facing the land.
And that's the picture we have, literally. And then when you come to the outer edge of the throne, there are the angels. And will you please know something? You and I are going to be nearer the Lord than the angels are. Please! The saints are going to be nearer the Lord physically than the angels will be. Maybe some of the eggs will look at you. What are you doing here? No, no, they won't be able to do that either. Because all will be washed in the blood of the land. Washed in the blood of the land. But please know, as John writes, I beheld and I heard the voice of many angels. No, no, round about the throne, round about the living creatures, round about the elders, still on the outer circle.
I love the picture. It's a beautiful picture. To see the great throng of myriads of saints. In all that great throng, every one of them facing the throne. I'd like to give you this thought. That throne represents God's government. That throne represents his character. That throne represents all that God is in himself. And what a joy to know. You and I will be in proper, perfect, and eternal relationship to the throne of God forever.
Let me give you this thought. While we're here upon the earth, we represent that throne. We represent the throne of God. Perhaps there's some illustration on from the book, from the Old Testament. There in Israel, in the tabernacle, or in the temple, there was an ark of the covenant. And that Ark of the Covenant was the most sacred vessel to the heart of God and should have been to the people of God, Israel. That that Ark of the Covenant represented the throne of God in the midst of his people. And they were to represent him in this world by their lives glorifying him before all the nations.
And that's the responsibility you and I have of Scripture. We represent the throne of God. Now may I say, thank God you may be proud that you're an American citizen, but may I say you've got something more responsible to remember, and that is you belong to the throne of God. You represent the throne of God on the earth. But in that glorious day, we shall be in perfect relationship, and not forever, doing the will of God according to his throne. And what a joy that will be. Oh, today, We may fail. We may have shortcomings. Not in that day. And we will surely be faithful to our endless ages to carry out the will of that throne forever and ever.
But now the angels are round about it. And we find, if you please note, they are myriad. The number of them was ten thousand, thousand, thousand. Will you please note your lesson, she? As we read verse on the letter C. The angelic hosts join in the celebrations of the land. The faith are in the inner circle, as we've stated, in relation to the throne and the land. The angels form the outer circle of this vast heavenly throne, myriads upon myriads of angels. The expression that you have here is such that it tells you they're without number. Beyond counting.
Beyond counting. When you start to think of it, let me see if we can visualize a little bit. How great will be the song if the age of the numberless? Think of all the saints taken out of the scene of earth. We had a song we used to sing years ago. Millions have reached that blissful shore. And still there's room for millions more. One wonders how many more can give in. But anyway, how many saints? It's going to be a mighty big meeting. Mighty big song. Oh, beloved. And one thing's sure.
Everybody are being in perfect control. Perfect control. Just perfect control. In relation to God, in relation to the land in that scene. And the angels round about looking up. What amazing it would be. Will you look with me in Ephesians chapter three for a moment? I want you to note something. Something we should take to our hearts even now. May I go to verse eight, please. Chapter three in the Ephesian epistle. And note with you what Paul writes relative to the saints of today. In verse eight he says, unto me who am less than the least of all saints is this great given, that I should preach among the Gentiles, the nations of the earth, the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery which from the beginning of the world has been hidden God, who created all things by Jesus Christ.
Now the mystery that Paul refers to is the great mystery of the church being formed, the reverse tense, to the intent that now under the principalities and powers in heavenly places. And that expression means the angelic host, whether it be the angelic host of Satan or the angelic host of God, that they might be, that they might be known by the church, the manner for wisdom of God. Please let me say, I believe you in all earnestness, The angels are amazed that God will take a poor, guilty, undeserving sinner, and translate him to be a saint, and glorify him to be of Christ.
Please, can I say this? Let it humble you. Let it humble me. The Lord Jesus passed by the angels in his work of redemption. He went by the angels, and he took upon him flesh and blood. And to Loverless, they're dead. The angels are going to marvel at the wisdom of God. Oh, you know, I wish I was a glorified saint in heaven. I'll look a lot better, feel a lot better, and be a lot better. Perfect. But the wisdom of God, evidence to be angels, to see a great thought.
Go back in the chapter, please. Look at verse, look at verse nine again. Look what they say at the end of the verse. Thou art plain and hast redeemedest that God by thy blood and note, out of every kindred, and tongue, language, people, nations. Man, what a mixed multitude coming out of all the world. And the age that was such that God would do such a work of grace, power, redemption. Well, maybe you and I be just as surprised that we're there too.
So realize this is what he's done. Oh, what God has done through Christ. Beloved, may God help us to appreciate him more and more. For the angels will be looking at him. And if they see the vastness of God's grace and glory that it's redeemed from, notice you read in verse twelve. They say with a loud voice, If you please note, I don't know whether I should emphasize it, but it doesn't say they sing. They say. It's an old hymn we used to sing. When I shall sing redemption story, they will fold their wings, for angels never felt the joy that our salvation brings.
They can't sing our song. They've never seen the holy angel. They've never seen. They've never been the object that needed to be object of divine redemption. And as far as the word of God says, God has not provided any redemption for fallen angels, just for fallen man. One well thinks of the words of another, how thou can't think so well of me and be that God now art, his darkness to my intellect, but his sunshine to my heart. And they can't sing our song. But with a loud voice, know what they proclaim. Worthy is the land that was slain.
Ah, they offer the worthiness of the land. And notice seven things. They claim the Lamb is worthy to receive. To receive what? Power, riches, wisdom, strength, honor, glory, and blessing. Yes. All these seven things. Symbolize that the Lamb is worthy to receive all things. Worthy indeed of complete honor. Complete honor. Oh, beloved, they join with us to say what? Worthy is the Lamb. Worthy is the Lamb. Worthy is the Lamb. And what a stronger joy it will be. And what a loud celebration the angels would give on the same ground he was slain.
Do you ever stop to wonder? What did the angels think when they saw the Son of God nailed to a tree? I guarantee Michael the Archangel and Gabriel and a lot of the others didn't like around the necks of all those names. Taking their God. They could do nothing. But look on. But in that coming day they'll have some comprehension. To recognize why he's worthy. To have all things under his governing power. And in that day it will be complete.
Now note the re-echo in verse thirteen. Or you find the whole creation re-echo reverberating to the song of heaven. Every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth. And such as are in the sea that are in there. And may I point out that I don't know what you're saying. Do you ever read in some of the songs about the tree singing? Sure. I want to tell you then, you know, someone once said, all creation is in a minor note right now. Minor. And a minor key, if you study music, it's not a major key. There's harmony in a major key. But minor keys have different sounding notes that seem to be off key.
Well, everything in the world today in its sound is in a minor key. Why? Because of sin. And I verily believe when the Lord raised on the earth, the trees are going to sing. All creation is going to get forth. It's echoing to the praises of the land that was slain. I believe in the millennial kingdom. The Lord will indeed restore the Edenic beauty of this earth. And the creatures under the sea. Did you ever notice something? Well, let me ask you, why did that great fish that Jonah was in do what God said without a question?
You know, the creatures, when God tells the creatures to do something, they do it right away. Man doesn't. He has to get beat up for a little while before he will. But all the creatures that you find in the Word of God, that God used to love Jesus. said Peter to go and get a fish. They don't have a coin in his mouth. And again and again one can recognize creation, creation, the occupants of creation, the vegetation, and all, well, just the Lord Jesus, when they wanted him to stop the children from singing his praises as if they don't, the stones will cry out.
And boy, in that millennial day, the stones will be crying out for joy. And the trees, and all creation, the grass, the creatures under the earth. And oh, the joy of real life. They'll know it. Why, the animal creation will know it. Oh, the reverberation of the universe and of the earth and under the earth and under the sea. giving glory to that one. Note that I heard them saying, Blessing, honor, and glory and power be unto him that sit upon the throne and under the land forever and ever. And may I suggest, if this is not just millennial results, I believe this will go on throughout all eternity.
Singing the praises of blessing and honor and power to God on the throne and to the land. How long? Forever and ever. My. Well, I'm glad I won't be in Charlotte, but I know it'll be a lot better down here when he comes. And the joy of seeing, the songs of praise will reverberate. And the reaction at last, in verse fourteen, the poor living creature says, Amen. So be it. And the four and twenty others bow down, worship him that liveth for ever and ever. Note your last paragraph on your lesson sheet. Heaven here anticipates that the whole regime creation will be in perfect wreck and accord in the worship of God and the land.
And in view of all this revelation of his glory and honor, the saints and the elders, they fall down in silent worship. I hate to stop. I just like the Lord to come right now and take us to glory. But, oh, what will it be? Shall we give him thanks and praise for the truth of it? Oh, beloved and blessed Father, beloved and blessed Lord, how we long to be where we would be, how we long to be what we should be. And in that coming day, we shall be the recipients of all thy great eternal blessing.
Oh, what a day. We say with our heart sincerely, Lord Jesus, come. We think of the dear old hymn and we quote it, Keep us, Lord, O keep us cleaving to thyself, still believing till the hour of our receiving those promised joys with thee. For then we shall be where we would be, then we shall be what we should be, that which is not now nor could be, soon should be our own. Lord, may the fragrance of this heavenly scene, By the Holy Spirit's power, be blessed to our hearts,