WORTHY TO BE PRAISED

REVELATION 5:8-10 NKJ 
8 Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. 9 And they sang a new song, saying: 
"You are worthy to take the scroll, 
And to open its seals; 
For You were slain, 
And have redeemed us to God by Your blood 
Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, 
10 And have made us kings and priests to our God; 
And we shall reign on the earth." 

There is a whole lot of praise going on in heaven. John's vision of heaven is just a snapshot of what is taking place.  But one thing is for certain praise and worship are happening.   

In this passage, the elders are singing a new song to Jesus, the Lamb of God.  The song is a short version of what Jesus did for mankind.   

He was slain, killed.  And has redeemed us to God by His blood.  Redeemed means to buy back.  Jesus bought us out of the grip of sin and spiritual death by His death.  His blood was the price paid. This is why we have songs and a reverence for the blood of Jesus.  It is that blood that bought us and cleansed us. So we will always have a great appreciation for the blood.  And because of His blood and His death, He is worthy to be praised.   

Redeemed out of every tribe, tongue, people, and nation.  Jesus paid the price for all men to be saved.  We tend to lose sight of the fact that God so loved the world.  And the world is bigger than America.   

And has made us kings and priests to our God.  Notice He made us. We did not make ourselves.  And because we are not self-made kings and priests, we are not classified among ourselves by rank or privilege.  Jesus made us all royalty and has given us the right to approach God's throne without a sense of shame and guilt or inferiority.   

And we shall reign on the earth.  This can have a couple of applications.  The first is that we reign now with Him down here.  We exercise the authority He has given us to fulfill His plans.  The second is that we will actually rule with Him on the earth in the ages to come, in eternity.  I do not know all that entails, but I like knowing I am on the ruling side, not the being ruled side.  And because Jesus, the Lamb of God, has done all this for us, He is worthy to be praised.   

APPLICATION: 

We are the redeemed ones now.  We have been made kings and priests to God now.  We can worship and give glory to God now.  We will not have to wait for heaven.  So, remember, He is much, much more than the "Man Upstairs." He is the Lamb of God who was killed for us and brought us back to God by His blood.  He is worthy to be praised.   

PRAYER: 

For the prayer today take verses 9-10, 12, and 13 and praise God and the Lord Jesus with those inspired words.