Revelation 4-5 "Proclaim our Master now and always

READ: Revelation 4 - 5.

Verses chosen for meditation: Rev 5: 9 -13.

⁹ They sang a new song, saying, “You are worthy to take the book and to open its seals: for you were killed, and bought us for God with your blood out of every tribe, language, people, and nation, ¹⁰ and made us kings and priests to our God, and we will reign on the earth.”

¹¹ I saw, and I heard something like a voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders. The number of them was ten thousands of ten thousands, and thousands of thousands; ¹² saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who has been killed to receive the power, wealth, wisdom, strength, honor, glory, and blessing!”

¹³ I heard every created thing which is in heaven, on the earth, under the earth, on the sea, and everything in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb be the blessing, the honor, the glory, and the dominion, forever and ever! Amen!”

 

REFLECT

Recently, I came across an interesting article about this hymn, “Ye Servant of God, Your Master Proclaim”. This hymn is a timely reminder to me, in light of Revelation 5. Written by Charles Wesley, it is also one of my favourite hymns that I used to sing at traditional worship services.

According to the article from Seminari Theoloji Malaysia (STM), this hymn uses a poetic device called "anadiplosis" to convey its message. “Anadiplosis”, also known as concatenation, is a literary device in which the last word of one clause or sentence is repeated at the beginning of the next. Charles Wesley skilfully employs anadiplosis in this hymn to express "God's boundless love".

·      1st Stanza: The hymn begins by praising God's name and proclaiming His dominion over all nations, ending with the phrase “He rules” (see Revelation 5:10).

·     2nd Stanza: It continues with “God ruleth”, building on the previous stanza’s ending "He rules over all." This stanza closes with “Ascribing salvation to Jesus our King” (see Revelation 5:12).

·    3rd Stanza: The phrase “Salvation to God” opens this stanza and concludes with “worship the Lamb” (see Revelation 7:10).

·     4th Stanza: Starting with “Then let us adore..." (noting that "adore" means worship in English), it culminates in “thanks never ceasing and infinite love” (see Revelation 5:14).

 

RELATE

Our worship in heaven as God’s people will be an unending praise of God's salvation, with thanksgiving and praise forever expressing His boundless love. Through Jesus Christ, we enter the Kingdom that He has established to worship Him. This kingdom is God's sovereign realm, which brings innumerable blessings upon believers. Our heavenly worship will resemble the scene described in Revelation 5:8-13. John’s description is a widening circle of praises to the Lord. It begins with “four living creatures and the twenty-four elders” (v.8). They are joined by angels numbering “ten thousand times ten thousand” (v.11). But that’s not all. Every creature in heaven, on earth, and in the sea will one day proclaim, “Blessing and honor and glory and power be to Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, forever and ever!” (v.13).

Jesus is described as both the Lion and the Lamb in verses 5-6. Ascribed as the conquering king, Jesus Christ ushered in a glorious new day for all humanity when the King “humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:8–11, NLT). Therefore, whether individually or corporately, we shall reign with Jesus and proclaim His dominion now and always!

At the same time, the Lamb is presented in a way both sympathetic and powerful. Notice how God’s majesty and reputation are not diminished or compromised at all by introducing Jesus into the world through such seemingly small and insignificant settings. Yet He is living (stood a Lamb, v.6), but still had the marks of previous sacrifice upon Him (as though it had been slain). However, the emphasis here is not on His crucifixion (“a defeated death”, to many) but on His victorious resurrection. No longer meek and timid, the heroic Lamb of God has come to serve as a Servant King to humanity. More than that, He overcomes sin and death through obedience (2 Cor 5:21). Therefore, neither smallness or insignificance can threaten His true greatness and supremacy. So, we are to express our gratitude and ascribe worship (“worthship”) to His Name right from today! We proclaim His glory for what the Lamb has accomplished in obedience.

God has never intended for us to worship Him only in our future life. During our time on earth, we should continually give Jesus His right and sing praise to God (cf. Psalm 145:11-13 and Psalm 148:13). We attribute all glory to Him, acknowledging that everything we have, is a gift from Him. We are to acknowledge His work, and His worthiness at all times. Redeemed by His blood and being His followers, we have every reason to proclaim the power of the Gospel in any season of our lives, now and always.

Question to ponder:  What will you do to re-orient your life towards a greater trust in and worship of God?

 

REST

Dear Lord, teach me to worship You with overflowing joy from my heart day by day. Amen.

“Ye Servants of God, Your Master Proclaim”:
https://youtu.be/X2_iP4vyWAo?si=4wb5H_c0Ps8Oi24e

 

Vincent  

(p/s: Thank you all readers. Hope that you have been blessed for the past 2 years. May all glory be given to our Lord!).