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Introduction

Worship is one of the most important themes of the Book of Revelation. The question of who you worship divides the whole of humanity into two opposing groups. The choice is either to worship Jesus, the Lamb, or to worship the beast. If you worship the Lamb, you are worshipping the Father, and if you worship the beast, you are worshipping the dragon, Satan (13:3-4).

The worship of the Lamb contains some important declarations of the deity of Jesus. Both Jesus and the Father are worthy of worship (4:11, 5:12), and both the Lamb and the Father are sitting on the throne (22:3).

According to the Book of Revelation, if you worship the Lamb, you are one of the servants (or slaves) of God and receive his seal, which is the name of God. Your dwelling place is in heaven, and you are part of the bride, the heavenly city Jerusalem. You belong to the kingdom of God, which is a present reality, which will be completely fulfilled in the future, and your destiny is the new heaven and new earth.

If you worship the beast, then you receive the mark of the beast, which is the name of the beast. Your dwelling place is on earth, and you belong to the prostitute, the city of Babylon. Your destiny will be the lake of fire, the second death.

Fourteen worship songs

There are fourteen songs or words of worship recorded the Book of Revelation sung or spoken in praise of God the Father, who is sitting on the throne, the one who was and is and is to come; and praise of the Lamb, who gave his life as a sacrifice to redeem his people (4:8,11, 5:9-10,12,13, 7:10,12, 11:17-18, 15:3-4, 19:1-2,3,4,5,6-8). They all which come in the glorious scenes of heavenly victory. Fourteen is two lots of seven, which would imply perfect and complete praise. It is essential to look carefully at the content of these songs. They contain some wonderful and inspiring theology - declarations of who God is, and that the Lamb is equal to God the Father.

A. John’s vision of the heavenly throne room (4:1 - 5:14)

The first five songs are all contained in John’s vision of the heavenly throne room, where he is taken in the Spirit and sees ‘the one sitting on a throne’ (4:2). This serves as the setting for the seven seals (6:1 - 8:1).

1. Holy, holy, holy (4:8)

“Holy, holy, holy, the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come.”

The first song is sung by the four living creatures who are in the presence of God before his throne (4:6-7). This song is similar to the one Isaiah heard, when the seraphim sung of God’s holiness (Is 6:3). The three-fold repetition of the word ‘holy’ is often thought to suggest the Trinity.

In this song, God is described as the Almighty. He is the all-powerful creator God, who can do anything. He is also described as ‘the one who was and is and is to come’. This is an important description of God in the Book of Revelation (1:4). It is derived from the revelation of God to Moses at the burning bush (Ex 3:14). When Moses asked the name of the God of their ancestors, God replied “I AM WHO I AM”, telling Moses that he is the LORD ('Yahweh'), the God of the patriarchs, who has called him to bring his people out of Egypt.

The name 'Yahweh', translated as ‘LORD’ in capital letters in English translations, is based on the Hebrew verb 'hayah', meaning 'to be'. The Hebrew language was originally written without vowels, so this name of God was written as the four consonants 'YHWH', which are known as the 'Tetragrammaton', the Greek for 'four letters'. It contains the Hebrew words ‘hayah’ (he was), ‘hoveh’ (he is) and ‘yeeyah’ (he will be). Yahweh is the God who always is, past, present and future. In many translations there is a footnote, which states ‘or I AM WHAT I AM or I WILL BE WHAT I WILL BE’ or something similar.

He is the all-powerful creator, but also the 'I am', the personal God of the OT who drew close and rescued his people from slavery in Egypt. There is a paradox, in that God is both a God to be feared, but who also wants a close relationship with his people.

2. The creator worthy of worship (4:11)

“You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honour and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.”

There is now an inspiring description of the heavenly worship that John witnessed. The four living creatures sung the first song (4:8), and the twenty-four elders respond by singing the second song (4:11). The elders cast their crowns before the throne, acknowledging God’s sovereign rule as king, and recognising that their own position is subject to him.

In the second song, the twenty-four elders proclaim that God is worthy of praise because he created all things. They address God as 'Lord and God', which was the title claimed by Domitian, the Roman emperor. God the Father is the true Lord and God, not any human being. This is true because he is the creator of all things. Nothing else shows God’s amazing power, authority and worthiness to receive our worship than the fact that he created everything out of nothing (Heb 11:3). As creator he is all-powerful, and has authority over his creation as Lord of the universe, and therefore has the authority to hold all of mankind accountable to him. All things only exist because God intended them to exist. The truth of God being the creator should be an inspiration to worship and is a great builder of faith.

3. The Lamb worthy of worship (5:9-10)

The elders and living creatures sing a new song, addressed to the Lamb. In the OT, a new song was often a song of salvation or deliverance (eg. Ps 33:3, 40:3, 96:1, Is 42:10). The content of this song is very rich, teaching us powerful truths about God and work of Jesus. This song contains some wonderful truths for us to ponder on.

The elders answer the question asked earlier (5:2), saying, “You are worthy to take the scroll and open the seals”. The reason he is worthy is that he was slaughtered, dying a sacrificial death. They are praising the Lamb for the work of the cross, that salvation is now available to all. Jesus is worthy of worship because he is the redeemer.

The blood of Jesus was a ransom. His death was the price paid to set us free from the bondage of sin, just as slaves were freed on the payment of a ransom. The people who were ransomed are the saints, a frequent description of the believers in the NT.

Saints are people who are set apart for God, and declared holy to the Lord because they have received for themselves the work of the cross. They come from every tribe, language, people and nation. This phrase again appears seven times through the book (also 7:9, 10:11, 11:9, 13:7, 14:6, 17:15), perhaps to emphasise that salvation through Jesus is available to absolutely everyone in every place in the world. The concept here is that Jesus saves people out of every group of people of the world, from all different languages and nationalities, and from them makes a new people of God, who are united in Christ.

This new people of God are described as a kingdom and as priests. As noted before (1:6), these were titles for Israel (Ex 19:6), now applied to the Christians (see also 1 Pet 2:9). People enter the kingdom of God through repentance and faith, and can reign with Christ now, even if they may be martyred (20:6). They will reign with him when he returns to establish his kingdom in all its fullness. There is a great emphasis on the kingdom of God through all the NT. Jesus came and preached the coming of the kingdom (Mk 1:15). This kingdom was inaugurated during the incarnation of Jesus, and will be established in its fullness when Jesus returns a second time.

4. Seven-fold worship of the Lamb (5:12)

“Worthy is the Lamb that was slaughtered to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honour and glory and blessing”.

A multitude of angels reply with another song of praise. Again they declare that the Lamb is worthy because he was slaughtered. They too are answering the question of who was worthy to open the scroll posed earlier (5:2). They give seven-fold praise to the Lamb: power, wealth, wisdom, might, honour, glory and blessing, representing complete and perfect praise.

5. Worship of God and the Lamb (5:13)

“To the one seated on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honour and glory and might forever and ever!”

Finally they are joined in praise by every creature everywhere. They are singing praise to both God the Father - the one seated on the throne, and to the Lamb. Again the Lamb is recognised as being equal to the Father, and the same praise is given to both. The four living creatures agree with this worship by saying, 'Amen'. The elders also fell down and worshipped, as they too are agreeing with the worship of the Lamb and joining in themselves.

B. Worship by the great multitude (7:9:17)

There are two acts of worship in the vision of the great multitude, who have come out of the great tribulation, and will suffer no more (7:14-17). These are the believers who have already died, whether by martyrdom or a natural death, and who are now enjoying the benefits of living in glory.

6. Salvation from the Father and the Lamb (7:10)

“Salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the throne and to the Lamb”.

It is the salvation from God that enables the great multitude to say these words. Salvation is a gift of grace, which is received by faith. It cannot be earned by good deeds, as all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Rom 3:23).

God is again described as the one who is seated on the throne, as in the heavenly vision (4:2). Again the worship is directed to both God the Father and to the Lamb. This again repeats the important theme of this book declaring the deity of Jesus.

7. Seven-fold worship of the Father (7:12)

“Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honour and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen".

All the angels around the throne, together with the twenty-four elders and four living creatures join in the worship of God. Again, there is seven-fold perfect praise as before in the heavenly throne room (5:12).

C. The seventh trumpet (11:15-18)

The final scene in each set of seven scenes through the book describe the celebration of the saints following the final judgement. This one comes at the end of the set of seven trumpets, which represent God’s partial judgements within history.

8. Thanksgiving at the seventh trumpet (11:17-18)

“We give thanks, Lord God Almighty, who are and who were, for you have taken your great power and begun to reign. The nations raged, but your wrath has come and the time for judging the dead, for rewarding your servants, the prophets and saints and all who fear your name, both small and great, and for destroying those who destroy the earth”.

The seventh trumpet begins with a declaration from heaven that the kingdom of this world has become (in the past tense) the kingdom of our Lord and his Messiah (11:15).

The response to these words comes from the twenty-four elders and four living creatures who again fall on their faces and worship God Almighty in a scene similar to the heavenly throne room in chapter 4. This time God is addressed as 'who are and who were'. The 'is to come' is omitted because this is the future, and he has already come. Now he has taken his power and begun to reign, as already announced by the seventh angel.

The nations raged and God’s wrath has come (again past tense), and now the end has come. The time has come for both judgement and rewards. The dead will be judged, as described later (20:12). The saints will be rewarded, those whose names are in the Lamb’s book of life (21:27). This includes all the saints, however important or insignificant they were during their lives on earth. The destroyers will be destroyed, including the beasts, the dragon and Babylon. We should note that the destruction of these evil beings is announced before they have even been introduced in the book. These judgements, rewards and establishment of the kingdom all happen together. There is no hint here of any separation between these events by a thousand years.

D. The seventh sign (15:2-4)

This song comes in the final sign in the set of seven signs (12:1 - 15:4). In this section of the book the revelation is given that the one causing the persecution of the believers is the dragon, Satan, aided by his two beasts (ch 12 - 13).

9. The song of Moses and the Lamb (15:3-4)

“Great and amazing are your deeds, Lord God the Almighty! Just and true are your ways, King of the nations! Lord, who will not fear and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship you, for your judgements have been revealed.”

In this sign John saw the sea of glass. This is the same as he saw before the presence of God in the vision of the throne-room (4:6). Standing beside the sea of glass were those who conquered the beast. These are the saints, who have conquered the beast by maintaining their faithful witness to Jesus, and who have refused to worship the beast and receive its mark. They are now standing in the presence of God himself.

They sing the song of Moses and of the Lamb. This alludes to the song sung by Moses following the great victory over Egypt achieved by the crossing of the Red Sea, in which they praise God for the great deliverance he gave them over their enemies (Ex 15). Moses was the leader of the old covenant, and the Lamb is the leader of the new covenant, so this song brings both together.

In this song they praise God for his great deeds in defeating the dragon and the beasts. The judgement is past, they ‘have been revealed’ (past tense), so this is the victory song following the final judgement. Now all fear and glorify God, and come from all nations to worship Him.

E. Judgement on Babylon (17:1 - 19:10)

In this section of the book, John is invited to see the judgement of the prostitute, Babylon. Following the description of Babylon (ch 17), there are a series of seven voices from heaven. The first three declare the judgement and destruction of Babylon (18:2, 4, 21). The focus then changes to voices from heaven rejoicing and celebrating following the judgement of the prostitute Babylon. There are five acts of worship in this section.

10. The great multitude in heaven - first statement (19:1-2)

“Hallelujah” Salvation and glory and power to our God, for his judgements are true and just; he has judged the great whore who corrupted the earth with her fornication and he has avenged on her the blood of his servants.”

The fourth voice is from the great multitude in heaven, presumably the same great multitude of saints who had come out of the great tribulation (7:9-17). They proclaim the victory of the Lamb following the judgement of Babylon.

'Hallelujah' is a Hebrew word meaning 'Praise Yahweh', or 'Praise the Lord'. Heaven is rejoicing and celebrating God’s victory. They declare that God’s judgements are true and just, as the prostitute deserved her punishment for corrupting the earth with her fornication and for martyring the saints. In the midst of the judgements is the declaration of the justice of God, as during the seven bowls (16:5-7). The martyrs will be vindicated, and their blood avenged, answering the call of the martyrs under the altar (6:10). This would be an encouragement to the saints, and a call to trust in God, because vengeance belongs to him (Rom 12:19).

11. The great multitude in heaven - second statement (19:3)

“Hallelujah! The smoke goes up from her forever and ever.”

The great multitude continue by rejoicing that Babylon has been judged, and will continue to be judged. They declare that the smoke goes up from her forever and ever, as was stated in the two of the three dirges, by the kings of the earth (18:9), the ship-masters and seafarers (18:18).

12. The twenty-four elders and living creatures (19:4)

In the fifth voice from heaven, the twenty-four elders and four living creatures agree with the great multitude, saying ‘Amen, Hallelujah’. Again they are worshipping God. This is the seventh time the elders fall on their faces in worship before the throne (1:17, 4:10, 5:8,14, 7:11, 11:16, 19:4). This is the only time the four living creatures also fall down in worship.

13. Voice from the throne (19:5)

“Praise our God, all you his servants, and all who fear him small and great”.

The sixth voice is from the throne, probably from the Lamb, calling all the saints, and everybody everywhere to praise God, both small and great.

14. The voice of a great multitude (19:6-8)

“Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready; to her is has been granted to be clothed in fine linen, bright and pure.”

The seventh and final voice from heaven, and the last of the songs of worship, is again from the great multitude announcing the marriage of the Lamb. They are praising God for his victory because the prostitute Babylon is destroyed and the Lamb is triumphant. God’s sovereign rule of the universe has been demonstrated.

After the judgements, it is now time for the marriage of the Lamb with his bride (the saints). The relationship of God with his people is described as husband and wife throughout the scriptures (eg. Eph 5:23-33). This shows the intimate and exclusive relationship God wants with us, calling us to be faithful, by loving and worshipping him alone. In the OT, God was the husband of his people, but so often they showed their unfaithfulness to him by worshipping the gods of the nations (Ezek 16, Hosea).

There is an interesting parallel with the Jewish marriage ceremony. When a Jewish man chose his wife, they became betrothed in a binding contract. There was then a period of separation, during which the bride prepared herself for the arrival of her bridegroom, who could come at any time. He would then take her to his own house, where there would then be a marriage feast for several days, and she would become his wife.

At present the church is betrothed to Christ (2 Cor 11:2), and is waiting for the arrival of the bridegroom, who could come at any time. This passage announces that the time for the marriage supper of the Lamb has come. The waiting is over, the enemies have been destroyed, the time of the glorious future has now come.

The bride is clothed in fine linen, bright and pure. This shows simplicity and purity, especially when compared with the extravagant luxury of the prostitute (17:4). The fine linen is defined as the righteous deeds of the saints. Earlier the saints had washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb (7:14). The first righteous deed performed by the saints is to respond in faith to the Gospel, we are then called to live a life of righteousness, living in obedience to the Lord Jesus. In some way we take these righteous deeds with us into eternity and receive rewards for our faithful obedience to Jesus (1 Cor 3:14).

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