Every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth

Revelation 5 from the daily reading in the One Year Bible

I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a book written inside and on the back, sealed up with seven seals. ² And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the book and to break its seals?” ³ And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the book or to look into it. ⁴ Then I began to weep greatly because no one was found worthy to open the book or to look into it; ⁵ and one of the elders said to me, “Stop weeping; behold, the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so as to open the book and its seven seals.”

⁶ And I saw between the throne (with the four living creatures) and the elders a Lamb standing, as if slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God, sent out into all the earth. ⁷ And He came and took the book out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne. ⁸ When He had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. ⁹ And they sang a new song, saying,

“Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.

¹⁰ “You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth.”

¹¹ Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders; and the number of them was myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands, ¹² saying with a loud voice,

“Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing.”

¹³ And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying,

“To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever.”

¹⁴ And the four living creatures kept saying, “Amen.” And the elders fell down and worshiped.

During this holiday, Christmas season we often hear real stories of people coming against public displays which depict the true reason for and meaning of Christmas. Schools are no longer allowed to include traditional Christmas carols in their programs, because it may offend some. It amazes me how many people are offended by the birth of a child which happened 2000 years ago. They are so offended by His birth that they say it is offensive even to say merry Christmas, to call decorations Christmas decorations and gatherings Christmas parties. It also amazes me that anyone could be offended by Jesus life. He lived a life of love and compassion. Yet many are offended by the telling of the accounts of His life. His love and the miracles He performed. Then too, many people are offended by Jesus death. They are offended by the cross, the instrument of His death. They are not offended by the cruelty and horrific suffering; by the pain and anguish He endured.  What offends them is that he died for the sins of the world. They are offended by what Jesus says, that:  “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)    In truth it is sin which is offensive. Sin is offensive to God and He created us in His image and likeness. So it is sin that is offensive, but rather than acknowledge sin many are offended that sin is mentioned. It is as Jesus continues to say in John 3:17-21:  “God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, (there should be no offense because there is no condemnation) but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”     The offense that they feel or have for Jesus and the cross is that it exposes the darkness and the evil.

In today’s text, John recounts what he sees revealed in the heavenly realm. In Revelation 4:1 John heard:  “Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this.” So he is telling us what he saw, what must take place.”       The text says:  I saw between the throne (with the four living creatures) and the elders a Lamb standing, as if slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God, sent out into all the earth. And He came and took the book out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne. When He had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.  “You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth.”  Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders; and the number of them was myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing.” And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying, “To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever.”    There will, there must come a time when every created thing in heaven and on earth will not be offended by Jesus, but rather will acknowledge that He alone is worthy. Philippians 2:8-11 says: (Jesus) Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. 

For now there is a choice. Each person can choose whether to be offended by Jesus birth, His life and His death. They can choose to be offended by a baby in a manger, by shepherds and angels who worshipped Him. They can choose to be offended by His life and His love. They can choose to be offended by His death and the cross, by the way He demonstrated His love. Or, because the time will come, it must take place, that every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, we can choose now to celebrate the birth and the life of Jesus. We can embrace the cross, the demonstration of God’s love for the world. We, here on earth, can join our voices with the myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands in heaven and say:  “Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.  You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth. Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing. To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever.”       Amen.