Revelation 5 Verses 9-10 Dignity and Diversity November 10, 2024
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· 7 viewsGod loves diversity, and so should we.
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Revelation 5 Verses 9-10 Dignity and Diversity November 10, 2024 Lesson 7 Sacred Life Series Class Presentation Notes AAAAAA
Background Scriptures:
Acts 10:34–36 (NASB95)
Gentiles Hear Good News
34 Opening his mouth, Peter said:
“I most certainly understand now that God is not one to show partiality,
35 but in every nation the man who fears Him and does what is right is welcome to Him.
36 “The word which He sent to the sons of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ (He is Lord of all)—
Matthew 6:9–13 (NASB95)
9 “Pray, then, in this way:
‘Our Father who is in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
10 ‘Your kingdom come.
Your will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.
11 ‘Give us this day our daily bread.
12 ‘And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 ‘And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. [For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.]’
Main Idea:
• God loves diversity, and so should we.
Study Aim:
• To learn that Scripture affirms the dignity and diversity of human life.
Create Interest:
• The same heavenly company that provided an interpretation of God’s worthiness as creator in Rev 4 now interprets for the reader the reason the Lamb is worthy to take the scroll and break its seals. He is worthy because he purchased people for God’s kingdom by means of his self-sacrifice
Lesson In Historical Context:
• The 24 elders represent all believers, and they fall down in worship before the Lamb. The message of their song is “Thou art worthy!” Why is the Lord worthy of power, honor, glory, and blessing?
o He was sinless among sinners.
o He paid the price for the sin of mankind.
o He suffered whipping, scourging, a crown of thorns, nails in his flesh, and the shame of the Cross.
o He returned love for hatred, forgiveness for injustice. He is worthy!
o He overcame death and the grave.
o He is the Creator, the Son of God who will defeat and destroy Satan and his followers.
o He is worthy of our love, our worship, faithfulness, service, and praise. Let’s give it to Him now. If you don’t, you will someday.
Philippians 2:9–11.… Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
• Christians embroiled in persecution, temptation, and complacency need the kind of direct encouragement and rebuke Jesus gives in 2:1–3:22.
o Still, when you are up to your armpits in alligators, it’s easy to forget that the heavenly perspective on the swamp is different from yours.
o In chapter 4, God begins to give us just such a heavenly view on earthly events.
o Whether these chapters describe events of the unspecified future or the eternal now, they are given to us to affect the way we deal with our circumstances today.
o As you read 4:1–5:14, let God transport you to His throne room.
Chapters 4 and 5 are essentially an introduction to the action in chapters 6 through 20.
• For Thought and Discussion: Thrones, especially God’s throne, are mentioned forty-five times in Revelation.
o Why do you think they appear so often?
o What do they have to do with the book’s message?
Bible Study:
Revelation 5:9–10 (NASB95)
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.”
• Vs. 9: In a new song the 4 creatures and 24 elders ascribed worthiness to the Lamb to take the scroll and break the seals, stating that the Lamb had been slain and had purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. Those He purchased with His blood were made a kingdom and priests to serve our God (cf. 1:6), and to reign on the earth. “Purchased” is from the verb agorazō, “to redeem.”
• “Purchase for God” (5:9). This is the doctrine of redemption, which is deliverance of the sinner. Read the following verses to see what the sinner is redeemed from and redeemed unto: 1 Peter 1:18.
o Romans 3:24–25 (NASB95)
24 being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus;
25 whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed;
o 1 Corinthians 6:20 (NASB95)
20 For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.
o Galatians 3:13–14 (NASB95)
13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us—for it is written, “CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO HANGS ON A TREE”—
14 in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
o Galatians 4:5 (NASB95)
5 so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.
o Titus 2:14 (NASB95)
14 who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.
• Why was the Lion of Judah qualified to open the book?
o Mark 10:45 (NASB95)
45“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”
• When the Lamb came and took the scroll (see Dan. 7:13–14), the weeping ended and the praising began.
o Daniel 7:13–14 (NASB95)
13“I kept looking in the night visions,
And behold, with the clouds of heaven
One like a Son of Man was coming,
And He came up to the Ancient of Days
And was presented before Him.
14“And to Him was given dominion,
Glory and a kingdom,
That all the peoples, nations and men of every language
Might serve Him.
His dominion is an everlasting dominion
Which will not pass away;
And His kingdom is one
Which will not be destroyed.
• God’s people and the representatives of God’s creation joined their voices in a new song of praise. Note that praise and prayer were united, for incense is a picture of prayer rising to the throne of God (Ps. 141:2; Luke 1:10). We shall meet the “incense prayers” of the saints again (Rev. 6:9–11; 8:1–6).
• What kind of song did they sing? To begin with, it was a worship hymn, for they said, “Thou art worthy!” To worship means “to ascribe worth,” and Jesus alone is worthy.
o Think of this scene as another visit to the theatre. You are sitting in the dark when the drum begins. A slow, steady rhythm. It’s telling you something. It’s going somewhere. It builds up, louder and louder. Then the voices join in. Wild, excited singing, rich and vivid. That too builds up, louder and louder. Then, as the stage lights come on, the musicians join in as well: the rich brass, the shimmering strings, the sharp, clear oboe and the flute fluttering like a bird to and fro over the top of it all. The music is designed to set the scene, to open the play, to make you realize that this is drama like you’ve never seen it before.
o And the actors? Now for the shock. John, in describing this scene, has hinted that we are the actors. We are listening to the music so that we can now come on stage, ready or not, and play our part.
• This song was also a Gospel song! “Thou was slain, and hast redeemed us [some texts read them] by Thy blood.” The word translated slain means “violently slain” (Rev. 5:6). Heaven sings about the Cross and the blood! I read about a denomination that revised its official hymnal and removed all songs about the blood of Christ. That hymnal could never be used in heaven, because there they glorify the Lamb slain for the sins of the world.
• In Genesis 22, a ram was substituted for Isaac, a picture of Christ giving His life for the individual (see Gal. 2:20).
o At Passover, the lamb was slain for each family (Ex. 12:3). Isaiah states that Jesus died for the nation of Israel (Isa. 53:8; see also John 11:49–52).
o John affirms that the Lamb died for the whole world! (John 1:29) The more you meditate on the power and scope of Christ’s work on the cross, the more humbled and worshipful you become.
• This song was also a missionary song. Sinners were redeemed “out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation” (Rev. 5:9). Note:
o Kindred refers to a common ancestor and tongue to a common language.
o People means a common race, and nation a common rule or government.
o God loves a whole world (John 3:16) and His desire is that the message of redemption be taken to a whole world (Matt. 28:18–20).
• This heavenly hymn was also a devotional hymn, for it announced our unique position in Christ as “a kingdom of priests.”
o Like Melchizedek of old, believers are kings and priests (Gen. 14:17ff; Heb. 7; 1 Peter 2:5–10).
o The veil of the temple was torn when Jesus died, and the way is opened to God (Heb. 10:19–25).
o We “reign in life” as we yield to Christ and allow His Spirit to work in us (Rom. 5:17).
• Finally, this song was a prophetic hymn: “We shall reign on the earth” (Rev. 5:10).
o When Jesus Christ returns to earth, He will establish His righteous kingdom for 1,000 years; and we shall reign with Him (Rev. 20:1–6).
o The prayers of the saints, “Thy kingdom come!” will then be fulfilled. Creation shall then be set free from bondage to sin (Isa. 11:1–10; Rom. 8:17–23), and Christ shall reign in justice and power.
• What a marvelous hymn! How rich would be our worship if only we would blend all these truths in honoring Him!
• The idea that we are purchased by the blood of Christ from the slavery of sin bulks large in the New Testament.
o This is redemption, the central theme of the Bible.
o We are bought to (for) God; therefore we belong to Him.
o It is not stated from whom we are purchased; the emphasis is on by whom and to whom.
• This redemption extends to all mankind, to those out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation—“representatives of every nationality, without distinction of race or geographical or political distribution.”
• Vs. 10: By His gracious redemption Christ has made us unto our God kings and priests. This combination of the royal and priestly functions of the believer is found several times in the New Testament. It has already occurred at 1:6 and will be found again at 20:6. Peter uses the expression “a royal priest hood” (1 Pet. 2:9). What an exalted privilege!
o 1 Peter 2:9–10 (NASB95)
9But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION,
A PEOPLE FOR God’s OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the
excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
10for you once were NOT A PEOPLE, but now you are THE PEOPLE OF GOD; you had NOT RECEIVED MERCY, but now you have RECEIVED MERCY.
• Priests is another word having to do with worship. Revelation 5:10 shows that all believers are priests. This is not only a future role but a present one
o Revelation 1:6 (NASB95)
“and He has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father—to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.”
• Priests represent God to people and people to God. Being priests is both a privilege and a responsibility.
• The privilege is that we can come boldly to the throne of grace through our great High Priest (Heb. 4:16).
o Hebrews 4:16 (NASB95)
16 Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
• But priests also offer sacrifices. Christians as priests are to offer themselves as living sacrifices to God (Rom. 12:1).
o Romans 12:1–2 (NASB95)
1 Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.
2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
• “They will reign upon the earth” (5:10). Relate this to the millennium (thousand-year reign) of 20:6.
Thoughts to Soak on😊
• Perhaps you heard about the Christian who was against foreign missions but somehow happened to attend a missionary rally. When they passed the offering plate, he told the usher, “I don’t believe in missions!” “Then take something out,” said the usher. “It’s for the heathen.”
Note to wrap up our study:
• In his capacity as the perfect Lamb, Jesus Christ did everything that was necessary to remove the obstacles to God’s plan. There on the cross he defeated Satan; he paid for the sins of his people and he removed the penalty of eternal death.
• That cross down through the centuries has been an object of ridicule, scorn and shame. Today, the blood of Christ is dismissed as a repugnant thing. To be saved by blood! Such a thing is, as far as many are concerned, utterly disgusting and revolting. How unsophisticated and barbaric!
• This attitude has brought enormous pressure upon the people of God to be ashamed of that cross, to put it into the background in order to accommodate the intellectual sophistication of the age. That pressure has always been there for the people of God.
• In John’s vision, however, the tides of time have broken on the shore of eternity and the people of God have in fruition what that cross was all about. Now they enjoy its fruits. Overwhelmed by it all, they break out into song—the song of the satisfied!
• They look upon God the Father who planned, they look upon God the Son who executed, they look upon God the Spirit who applied, and the testimony of their united hearts is ‘He has done all things well’.
• God’s purpose for the universe, then, is realized through Christ’s conquering, atoning death. What is that purpose? It’s right here in the swelling anthem of this massive choir. God’s purpose is to bring everything to this point of convergence: all creation joining together in acknowledgement that Jesus Christ is Lord of all.
• There is nothing grander than God’s plan of redemption. It is so grand and glorious that it will be the object of praise and worship in eternity. And eternity itself will not be sufficient to offer the praise that is due to the Christ who purchased it.
Questions to ponder and discuss😊
• In what ways does Revelation 5:9-10 reveal the character of God, particularly in relation to His plan for humanity’s salvation?
• What actions can we take as a group to reflect the unity and shared purpose described in Revelation 5:9-10 within our community?
• How might understanding our identity as a 'kingdom' influence the way we serve others and spread the message of the Gospel?
• What did Christ do for us?
• What evidence do we have from this passage that God makes no distinction between races or ethnic groups?
• Why should we value people of all races equally and treat everyone with equal respect?
• Who in your sphere of influence needs to know about Christ?
• How can we serve God as His priests?
• How can you worship God in your private times of prayer this week?
Applications:
• The blood of the slain Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, is the perfect measure of the bigness and awfulness of sin and sins. Were it not for Christ’s death, there would be no hope of deliverance from the curse of sin.
o How should this truth help you to guard your thoughts, words and deeds during each day?
o How should this hope, and confidence make you very grateful to God?
o How can you show this by how you live?
Summary of Passage
• John sees in God’s right hand a book sealed with seven seals. He weeps greatly because no one is worthy to open the book. But an elder tells him to stop weeping, because the Lion of the tribe of Judah is able to open the book. Then a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, comes and takes the book out of God’s hand. The four living creatures and twenty-four elders worship before the Lamb, singing a new song of redemption. Myriads of beings sing praises to the slain Lamb, and every created thing praises God and the Lamb.
o What is most important to you from this text?
As you go your way😊
• Christians worship the crucified, risen Lord Jesus.
• Worship of Him opens our eyes and hearts to God’s redemptive plan for all people…on this planet who will accept His invitation.
• Worship should include private and group worship.
• To all my readers as we travel on our journey towards Heaven, I have embarked on a new and more interactive presentation method in sense. We have and will continue to dig into the Scriptures for insight and application. In addition you will notice that questions are interspersed within the work for your introspection or group interaction as may be the case.
• I value your comments as you feel led to help me be the best teacher God can direct me to be.
• This lesson’s focus underlying the chosen Scripture was and is on human dignity and diversity, thinking about all who will be with us in Heaven requires some processing now that transcends all we might know or think we know😊. My hope is the questions will improve our interaction and learning as we study.
