When John was caught up into heaven, he saw the throne of God, the symbol of God's sovereign power and dominion. And he saw at God's right hand the book of his eternal purposes and decrees. Neither man nor angel dared to even look upon the book. No mere creature could open its seals, reveal its contents, and fulfils the things written therein. But then this glorious Lamb came forward! And that Lamb is Christ our Savior. He had in his body the marks of his slaughter as the sinner's Substitute. He took the book and opened its seals. In this act we see a portion of our Lord's work as our Mediator. He reveals, fulfils, and interprets the mind and purpose of God. He translates God's will to us and gives us the meaning of it. The Lord Jesus Christ, who was sacrificed for us, the Divine Mediator, is the object of adoration and praise in heaven. Read with me in verse eight – "And when he had taken the book, the four beast and the four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having everyone of them harps, and golden vials full of odors, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and 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 hast made us unto our God kings and priests; And we shall reign on the earth."
This is The Song Of The Redeemed. The angels of God will join the chorus (vv. 11-12). But they cannot sing of redeeming blood and regenerating grace. Indeed, the whole creation shall praise our Redeemer (v. 13). But only God's elect, sinners saved by grace, can sing The Song Of The Redeemed.
What a day that will be! Redeemed sinners, sinners from every rank, race, and realm of the world will be gathered into one family, gathered and united to one Head Eph. 3:14-15). All of Christ's sheep, scattered over all the earth, shall be gathered into one fold under one Shepherd (John 10:16). When we have fully attained that which we now hope for, we shall encircle the throne, day without night, forever dwelling in the glorious presence of him who loved us and gave himself for us!
In that day the remembrance of what we once were, our realization of the happiness and glory to which we are raised, and a sense of the infinite love, mercy, and grace bestowed upon us by our dear Savior, will excite in us a perpetual, joyful acknowledgement of his greatness and glory. Once we were lost, and could contribute nothing to our recovery. We were doomed; but he ransomed us. We were dead; but he gave us life. We were lost; but he sought us, found us, laid us upon his strong shoulders, and brought us home. Therefore we will ascribe all the glory to our dear Savior, the Lamb who was slain that we might live.
This song, and the joyful praise demonstrated in it, will only be consummated in heaven. But it begins on the earth. Even now, in this state of warfare with the world, the flesh, and the devil, God's elect sing these lines. We do not sing nearly so well as the saints in heaven, but the subject of our joy and the object of our praise is the same. This life is the time of our rehearsal. We are learning our song and learning how to sing it here. And when we join that glorified chain we will be perfectly at home, singing then as we do now the praises of Christ alone.
Before we look at the song itself, I want to call your attention to the worshippers in heaven. Surely, these heavenly worshippers might serve as examples and models to those of us who must be content for now to worship upon this ball of clay. These "four beasts," or living creatures, represent God's servants, the prophets, apostles, and preachers who speak to men for God and lead them in worship. The twenty-four elders represent the whole church of God, all the hosts of God's elect.
1. They are all Full of Life.They are all living creatures, made alive by the power and grace of God. If you would truly worship God, you must first be given life by God. The dead cannot praise God. Some of you have come to the house of God to sing, read, pray, and hear the sermon. You may even partake of the ordinances. But you have no life. With you it is all ritual and ceremony, as meaningless as the superstitious burning of candles by the papists. Will you not seek life? Ask God, the Giver of life, to give you life in Christ, so that you may worship him.
And to you who are truly born of God there is also a word of admonition. Do you not find yourself often under the deadening influence of this world? Before you come to the house of God, seek from his Spirit enlivening grace, so that you may truly worship God in the Spirit. To you it is written, "Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee" (Isa. 60:1). The saints in heaven are full of life. There is no dead worshiper there, no cold, dull, lifeless heart that is not awakened by the praise of the Lamb. They are all full of life! God grant that we may be like them.
2. They are all Of One Mind and One Heart.In heaven there is perfect unity among the saints. They are concerned with nothing but the glory of the Lamb. I cannot tell you how thankful I am for the unity of worshipers in this place. In most churches, even where the gospel is preached, there is strife and division. And where there is envy and strife, there is no worship. The Spirit of God does not dwell in such a house. Where the Prince of peace reigns, there is peace. If we would worship God, let us ever endeavor "to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all." (Eph. 4:3-6).
3. As these heavenly worshippers are full of life, of one mind and one heart, they are all Full of Holy Reverence.
As soon as the Lamb took the book, they all reverently fell down before him and worshipped him that liveth forever and ever. They are overcome with awe and wonder in the majestic presence of God and the Lamb. I am certain that if we were filled with this holy reverence for God carelessly. We would not come in late, as though this were an insignificant thing. And while here, our conversation would not be taken up with trivial things. This is the house of God! This Book is the Word of God! We have come here to worship the living God! Where is the reverence due him?
4. These heavenly worshippers, full of holy reverence, are all Full of Praise To The Lamb.
They had "everyone of them harps." They did not pass one harp around and take turns playing it. Each one had his own harp. Not one of them had forgotten his harp and left it at home. They all came to praise the Lamb. Where is your harp? Do you have no harp with which to praise your God? Nothing drives away the gloomy spirit of depression like the harp of praise.
5. One more thing about these heavenly worshippers – They are all Full of Prayer Toward God.
Everyone of them have "golden vials full of odors, which are the prayers of the saints." We do not believe in praying to the saints and angels. That is idolatry. But the angels of God and the glorified saints, I do not doubt, pray for us. Like a great cloud of witnesses they surround us. Though we cannot see them, I am certain they can see us. And though they are no longer troubled, they know our troubles. Let us then, as we come to the house of God, bring with us the sweet incense of prayer. How God delights in the prayers of his people!
Taking these heavenly worshippers as our example, let us ever come into the house of God to worship our dear Savior as they worship him above:
Then instead of going to the house of worship, we will come to this house and worship!
Enough about the worshippers. I want us now to focus our hearts' attention upon the One worshipped, as we go over The Song Of The Redeemed as it is recorded in verses 9-10.
Proposition:In heaven the saints of God sing the praises of God alone, as he is revealed and known in the Lord Jesus Christ.
As you read the lines of this heavenly song, you will notice immediately that it is very much unlike the silly, sentimental verses commonly sung in churches today. There is nothing in this song to flatter the flesh. There is not one word about man's will, man's works, or man's worth. It is all about Christ and what he has done. It is a doctrinally accurate song. It speaks of redemption accomplished and applied by Christ alone. It speaks only of Christ, his blood, and his grace. Far too often we preach one way and sing another. That should never be true. We cannot praise our God except according to truth. Our songs of worship are not intended to make men feel good. They are intended to lead men and women in the worship of God. This song was born of experience. These saints have been redeemed. They feel the cleansing power of Christ's blood. They have experienced his transforming grace. They know the worth of their Redeemer. They sing about the One they love and about his matchless deeds of love. And this is a song of hope and expectation. Though these saints are already in heaven, they are yet anticipating the resurrection of their bodies, the renewing of God's creation and their eternal reign with Christ upon the earth. I can almost hear the heavenly choir. Their song is full of truth, setting forth the praise of Christ And it is truth sweetly experienced in their souls. And their beaming faces reflect hearts full of joyful praise, hope, and expectation. Spirit of God, teach us to sing this way!
Divisions:As we look at this song, I call your attention to five things in it:
I. First, this song proclaims The Worthiness of Our Redeemer. The first line of the song is, "Thou art worthy to take the book and to open the seals thereof."
Even the saints in heaven cannot proclaim the measure of our Savior's worth. He is the infinite God. But we delight ourselves in the acknowledgement that the Lord Jesus Christ is worthy of every honor bestowed upon him.
A. Christ Is Worthy Of His Father's Delight.We know that he is himself God. And being God, he is entirely the object of his Father's love and delight. But he is as equally worthy of his Father's pleasure as a man. This man, the Lord Jesus Christ is the delight of his Father's heart. Jesus Christ is the only man in the history of the world of whom God the Father said, "This is my beloved Son in whom I am well-pleased." (Matt. 17:15).
1. God the Father is pleased, satisfied, and delighted with his Son personally – This God-man is perfect. And God is pleased with perfection.
2. And God the Father is well-pleased with Christ representatively. All that Christ is, and all that he has done, is doing, or shall do is for us. He is in all things our Representative before God. And we are accepted, complete, and perfect in him, representatively (Eph. 1:6; Col. 2:10). God is well pleased with his people, because he is well pleased with his Son.
B. Christ Is Worthy To Be A Mediator Between God And Man.
This is particularly what is stated in the song. "Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof." Being God and man in one glorious Person, Christ is a suitable mediator and Daysman to stand between God and man. Christ has bridged the gap between God and man. He is Jacob's ladder, reaching from heaven to earth, and reaching from earth to heaven again. He places one hand on man and the other hand on God, and represents both.
1. As a Mediator, Christ takes the book of God's decrees and reveals it to men.
2. As a Mediator, Christ fulfils all that is written in the book, ruling the world by the contents of it.
3. As a Mediator, Christ has reconciled the Holy God and His Fallen People.
C. And Christ Jesus Is Worthy of All The Praise We Can Heap Upon Him.
You need never fear exaggeration in extolling the Son of God. You cannot praise him, honor him, and magnify him enough. He is a great God and a great Savior!
II. Secondly, this song speaks of Our Redemption By Christ.
"Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof; for thou was slain, and hast redeemed us to God." This is our reason for ascribing such honor to Christ. Having become our Surety, having agreed to save us, he carried his suretyship to the extreme point of death. "Thou wast slain." We were under the sentence of death, by reason of sin. And Christ has bowed his head to the sentence. He has vindicated the law of God, being slain as our Substitute. Our Savior is never more glorious than in his death. His propitiation is the culminating point of his glory. The utmost depth of his shame, dying as our sin-bearer, is also the highest point of his glory.
A. Our Being Redeemed To God Implies That We Belonged To Him Originally.
We were always his. Christ said, "Thine they were, and thou gavest them me." (John 17:6). We were God's by election and predestination even before we were his by creation. We have always belonged to him. You cannot redeem a thing that does not belong to you. That which was originally God's property came under mortgage to the law through sin. Though God still held claim to his elect as his property, we were under this embargo, the law had a lien against us. Our Lord Jesus Christ came into this world and found his own property with this lien upon it. He said, "What is the price? What will it take to redeem them out from under the curse of the law?" The price demanded was his own heart's blood! He paid the price willingly, and redeemed us! And now we sing, "Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God."
B. Our Being Redeemed To God Also Implies The Misery We Were In By Nature.
Like debtors, we were imprisoned. And we had no ability to pay our debt. Like slaves, we had sold ourselves into bondage. And we could not break the chains that held us.
1. We were shut up as prisoners under the law until faith came (Gal. 3:22-23).
The law and justice of God had demands upon us that we could not satisfy. It demanded perfect righteousness and complete satisfaction. We were helpless and hopeless and without excuse, until we were given faith to plead the righteousness and satisfaction of our Surety. We were like Peter, sleeping in our prison, unaware of our danger (Acts 12:6-10). Though Christ had opened the gate, we still slept as bondmen.
The first work of God's grace is to awaken us to a sense of guilt and danger. Then it is that we begin to feel the horrors of condemnation and the strength of our bonds. With a terrible sense of guilt, we tremble before God. But then grace leads us to the Savior, reveals his glorious work, and makes him known as the Friend of sinners, and causes us to trust him. In that moment, when faith comes, the steel bars are broken, the iron chains are torn asunder, the prison doors stand opened before our eyes, and free-pardon is proclaimed in our hearts. It is then that the prisoner understands that his great debt is forgiven. Then we give praise to our great Deliverer, and depart in peace singing, "There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus…Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin…Lord, thou hast been favorable. Thou hast brought back the captivity of Jacob. Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people, thou hast covered all their sins. Thou hast taken away all thy wrath. Thou hast turned thyself from the fierceness of thine anger." (Rom. 8:1; 4:8; Ps. 85:1-2).
2. We also held in bondage to Satan, the prince of darkness.
By a usurped dominion, through the righteous permission of God, Satan held us as slaves in the lusts of our flesh until the Lord Jesus made us free. (John 8:34-36). We have learned by painful experience that the way of the transgressor is hard (Pro. 13:15). Lewdness leads to ruin. Sin will give you nothing but a tormenting conscience, wasted health, and a ruined character. And often that, "sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death" (James 1:15). Sin is a deceiver! It promises happiness, and gives misery. It promises fortune, and brings poverty. It promises fulness, and produces emptiness. It promises life, and brings forth death.
Sometimes the slavery of sin is so galling that it causes men to attempt to escape. But their efforts are vain. They reform their lives. But their self-righteous morality only makes their bonds stronger. At best, they only exchange one form of sin for another. They give up their sensuality, only to take up self-righteousness. They give up profligacy, only to take up pride. That is the situation of all men by nature. We were all helpless slaves, under the tyranny of Satan, serving sin, walking after the lusts of our own hearts, until God intervened (Eph. 2:1-5).
The strong man armed will maintain his dominion, until one stronger than he steps in and says, "Loose him, and let him go! Deliver him from going down into the pit, for I have found a ransom!" (John 11:44; Job 33:24). Then shall the prey be taken from the mighty, and the lawful prisoner shall be delivered (Isa. 49:24). And the once enslaved sinner, like the man out of whom a legion of demons was cast, is found sitting at the feet of Jesus peaceful and in his right mind (Mark 5:15).
C. Not Only Has The Lord Jesus Christ Redeemed Us From The Guilt And Bondage of Sin, He Has "Redeemed Us To God."
In Christ, by his redeeming blood and grace, we, who were lawfully driven away and separated from God, have been restored to his fellowship. As obedient, dependent, devoted sons, we are accepted with God and assured of his love (I John 3:1). This is what it means to be redeemed.
And this redemption, from beginning to end, is the work of our dear Savior alone. "Thou art worthy, for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God!"
III. Now, the third thing spoken of in this song is The Price of Our Redemption, "Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood."
This makes our redemption by Christ an unspeakably precious thing. Redemption is not merely an act of mercy. It is an act of mercy in complete harmony with justice. It is not an act of power only, but an act of power and of price. It is not an act of grace alone, but an act of grace and amazing incomprehensible, costly love. Read the words again – "Thou hast redeemed us by thy blood!"
I repent myself deliberately. The sentence of the law against us was death. God said to Adam, "in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die? (Gen. 2:17). Either the sinner must die, or God will be found a liar. "The soul that sinneth, it shall die!" (Ezek. 18:20). When Christ came, the second Adam, to restore God's elect and redeem us from our fall by satisfying God's holy law, he had to die! The expression, "by thy blood," is used figuratively to remind us how he died.
A. Our Dear Savior Died A Bloody Death To Redeem Us.When he was in Gethsemane, his agony, whatever it was, caused him to sweat great drops of blood, falling to the ground (Luke 22:44). His blood flowed out of his body when he gave his back to the smiters. As they scourged him, beating him mercilessly with their cruel, barbaric whip, his precious blood gushed from his lacerated back. As the soldiers mockingly shoved that crown of thorns into his holy brow, the blood streamed from his head. Then they stretched him out upon the cross, driving those huge spikes through his hands and his feet, and the blood poured from his wounds. While our dear Immanuel hung upon the cross, his body was full of wounds and covered with blood. And after he had died, one of the soldiers shoved a spear in his side, from which water and blood gushed out.
This was the price of our redemption – The blood of Christ, the precious blood of his heart, poured out unto death.
B. Without The Shedding of His Precious Blood There Could Be No Remission of Sin.
No one else's blood could redeem us. Not all the bloody sacrifices appointed by the law could take away sin. Not even the blood of a mere man, even were he entirely perfect, could remove one sin. But the precious blood of Christ has put away all our sins forever and redeemed us to God (I Pet. 3:18-21).
1. Only the blood of a sinless man could atone for the guilt of a sinful man.
2. Only the blood of a man who is God could satisfy and make an atonement for many men.
3. Only the blood of the God-man could make an infinite propitiation for sin which would be of perpetual efficacy.
Only by the sacrifice of his own dear Son could God be both just and the Justifier of every sinner who believes on Christ (Rom. 3:24-26).
C. Such Wondrous Love And Amazing Grace As This Captivates The Hearts Of Those Who Know It.
Not only was our God willing to save, but also to die, even to die for his enemies! Who could ever imagine such costly love for such worthless sinners? Yet, this is the love of our God (John 3:16; Rom. 5:8; I John 3:16; 4:9-10).
It is the knowledge of this love that motivates, rules, constrains, and regulates the hearts of God's people (II Cor. 4:14). Where this love rules, no other law is needed. Where this love is unknown, no other law can rule.
IV. In the fourth place, I want you to see that this song speaks of The Extent of Christ's Redeeming Work. "Thou hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation."
When the saints in heaven sing of the redemption, which Christ accomplished by his death, they do not sing of the redemption of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation. Not at all! The theory of universal redemption is as foreign to the Scriptures as it is preposterous. The saints in heaven (and I am sure they know better the truth of God than the blasphemers on earth) sing of a particular, personal redemption, limited not in power, merit, or efficacy, but limited in scope, intent, and design. "Thou hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation." A redemption that redeemed everybody really redeemed nobody, and it cannot do any good for anybody. If Christ redeemed Judas, if he redeemed the multitudes, which are in hell, what good is his redemption? What praise could such a redemption bring him? I say, Universal redemption is worthless redemption! What I need is a redemption that snatches me out of the hands of the law and the jaws of hell, and lifts me right up to heaven and sits me down at the throne of God, leaving nothing for me to do to complete it or make it effectual.
Let no one deceive you. Christ Jesus redeemed those who are actually redeemed, and no one else. The objects of his love are those who experience the power of his redemption. Those who were purchased by his blood are the ones who are delivered from the curse of the law and the power of darkness, and brought into heaven. Mortal man is not more just than God. The Judge of all the earth will do right. If Jesus Christ paid for any man's sins, that man shall not be required to pay! If Christ died for me, I cannot die! We worship a Redeemer who redeems, and preach a redemption that cannot fail.
Perhaps you ask, "Why must you so strongly denounce the theory of universal redemption?" I could spend much time answering that question. But I will give just three reasons why I denounce this heresy of universal redemption:
V. Fifthly, and I will be brief here, this song displays The Efficacy of Our Savior's Blood.
All of those for whom the Lamb was slain, all of those for whom his blood was shed, all of those who were redeemed by Christ shall be found at last in heaven. The worthiness of Christ to praise, honor, and glory is precisely this – His blood is effectual. "Thou art worthy for thou wast slain, (and having been slain) hast redeemed us – to God – by thy blood – out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; – And hast made us unto our God kings and priests; and we shall reign on the earth." The precious blood of Christ, shed in redemption, effectually accomplishes these five things for every sinner for whom that blood was shed.
A. The Blood of Christ has Reconciled us To Our God.
B. The Blood of Christ has Put A Distinction between Us and Those Who Perish.
C. The Blood of Christ makes us Kings, delivering us from the Dominion of Sin.
D. The Blood of Christ makes us Priests, giving us access to God.
E. The Blood of Christ has Secured our Eternal Immortality and Dominion with Him.
Can you enter into the spirit of this song? Have you experienced this redemption? Are you reconciled to God by the blood of Christ? Are you made to reign as a king over the passions of your flesh by the Spirit of God? Do you draw near to God in sweet communion as a priest? Is Christ your Mediator, Redeemer, and Savior; or is he not? If he is, then sing his praise. If he is not, come to him now. God make you to come.
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