SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR
7/9/2015 8:43 AM
My Worship Time Focus:
Characteristic of Praise
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Revelation 14:2-3
Message of the
verses: “2 And I heard a voice from
heaven, like the sound of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder, and
the voice which I heard was like the sound of harpists playing on their harps.
3 And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living
creatures and the elders; and no one could learn the song except the one
hundred and forty-four thousand who had been purchased from the earth.”
As we look at these two verses and then look back at some
other verses in the book of Revelation we will see that the praise which goes
to the Lamb and to God comes in stages and continues to grow larger and
larger. One may think that the 144,000
would not be ready to praise the Lord after all they went through, but it seems
that their desire is to praise the Lord for the protection that He has given
them throughout their ministry on the earth.
Verse two begins with John hearing a voice from heaven, a
loud voice, and this is not the first time that he has heard a loud voice from
heaven as it also was heard in Rev. 4:1; 10:4, 8; 11:12; 12:10, and will be
heard again in 14:13; 18:4; and 19:1. It
is described “like the sound of many waters and like the sound of loud
thunder.” In Ezekiel 43:2 we read “and
behold, the glory of the God of Israel was coming from the way of the east. And
His voice was like the sound of many waters; and the earth shone with His
glory.” In Revelation 1:15 the voice of
the Lord Jesus is described as “His voice was like the sound of many waters.” Revelation 19:6 says “Then I heard something like the voice
of a great multitude and like the sound of many waters and like the sound of
mighty peals of thunder, saying, "Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the
Almighty, reigns.”
Now let us go back to where the song begins which is in
Rev. 5:9-10 “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."” This song begins with the
four living beings and the twenty-four elders in these verses. Now in 5:11-12 we read “11 Then I looked, and
I heard the voice of many
angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders; and
the number of them was myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands, 12 saying with a loud voice, "Worthy is the
Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor
and glory and blessing."” 7/9/2015
9:02 AM 7/9/2015 6:38 PM
This was not just a voice, but also the text tells us
that it is a song as we read “heard was like the sound of harpists playing on
their harps.” I think that it is fair to
say that because of harps being used that we can contend that this is a joyous
praise to the Lord as seen in several OT passages which I will quote some of
them and list some of them too. “Meanwhile,
David and all the house of Israel were celebrating before the LORD with all
kinds of instruments made of fir wood, and with lyres, harps, tambourines,
castanets and cymbals (2 Samuel 6:5).” Give
thanks to the LORD with the lyre; Sing praises to Him with a harp of ten
strings (Pss. 33:2).” “Praise Him with
trumpet sound; Praise Him with harp and lyre (Pss. 150:3).” Others include 1 Chron. 13:8; 15:16, 28; 2
Chron. 5:12-13; Neh. 12:27; Pss. 71:22; 144:9.
John MacArthur writes “The new sung in heaven before the
throne and before the four living creatures and the elders is the song of
redemption (cf. Pss. 33:1-3; 40:3; 96:1-2; 98:1-2; 144:9-10; 149:1; Isa.
42:10). The angels will join the Old Testament
saints, the raptured church, and the redeemed Tribulation martyrs in praising
God for salvation. While angels do not
experience redemption, they do rejoice because of it (Luke 15:10). All heaven will overflow with praise because
God’s redemptive work culminating in the return of Christ is accomplished.”
We read that no one but the 144,000 know the song, but it
is not stated why so MacArthur again quotes Henry Morris who has a possible
explanation: “Although the words of the
song of the 144,000 are not recorded, it surely dwells in part at least on the
great truth that they had been ‘redeemed from the earth.’ Although in one sense all saved people have
been redeemed from the earth, these could know the meaning of such a theme in a
more profound way than others. They had
been saved after the rapture, at the time in history when man’s greatest
persecutions and God’s greatest judgments were on earth. It was at such a time that they, like Noah
(Genesis 6:8), had ‘found grace in the eyes of the Lord’ and had been separated
from ‘all that dwell upon the earth’ (Revelation 13:8). Not only had they been redeemed spiritually
but, precursively as it were, they had been redeemed from the very curse on the
earth (Genesis 3:17), being protected from pain an death by the guarding seal.”
These 144,000 will join with the heavenly chorus in
praising the Lord for the marvelous work of redemption. Let us look at least part of what they will
be singing which is found in Rev. 15:3-4 “3
And they *sang the song of Moses, the bond-servant of God, and the song
of the Lamb, saying, "Great and marvelous are Your works, O Lord God, the
Almighty; Righteous and true are Your ways, King of the nations! 4 "Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify
Your name? For You alone are holy; For ALL THE NATIONS WILL COME AND WORSHIP
BEFORE YOU, FOR YOUR RIGHTEOUS ACTS HAVE BEEN REVEALED."” Now when we think about what is going on here
we have to understand that redemption is the greatest gift that can be given
from a holy and also a just God. God is
the One who sent His only Son into the world to
provide the salvation that only He could provide, and so as we think of
it in that perspective we can take time to praise the Lord for His gracious and
merciful gift of salvation, for as the song tells us “Jesus paid it all and all
to Him we owe.”
As we go over some of these characteristics of the
144,000 starting with power and today looking at praise we can practice from
what we learn as we live out our Christian life here on earth. John MacArthur agrees with this statement as
he writes “A mark of triumphant Christian living in any era is constant praise
to God. The 144,000 no doubt praise God
throughout their time of trial and persecution.
Because their ordeal is over and they are victorious, they will burst
forth in praise to God for their deliverance.
Joy is the proper outflow of a heart that trusts in God’s sovereign
power (Phil. 3:1; 4:4; 1 Thess. 5:16; James 1:2; 1 Pet. 4:13).”
Spiritual meaning
for my life today: Praising the Lord
daily for the gift of salvation is something that needs to be incorporated in
my walk with the Lord.
My Steps of Faith for Today: Praise the Lord for the marvelous gift of
salvation.
Answer to yesterday’s Bible
question: “Master, we have toiled all
night and have taken nothing’” (Luke 5:5).
Today’s Bible
question: “Who said ‘Take this child
away, and nurse her for me, and I will give thee thy wages.”
Answer in our next SD.
7/9/2015 7:06 PM
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