We conclude this series on the government of God as we look at the grand choruses in Revelation 4 and 5 to discover what had been finally revealed that caused them to break into songs of praise and adoration for Jesus, the Lamb that was slain and is now able to open the scroll and reveal the other side of suffering. May your hearts be moved as ours were as we once again come to see Him more clearly, love Him more dearly and follow Him more nearly.
SHOW NOTES
The songs in Revelation are describing part of the history of the cosmos.
Revelation 4:9-5:10 New Living Translation
9 Whenever the living beings give glory and honor and thanks to the one sitting on the throne (the one who lives forever and ever), 10 the twenty-four elders fall down and worship the one sitting on the throne (the one who lives forever and ever). And they lay their crowns before the throne and say,
11 “You are worthy, O Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power.
(THERE MUST HAVE BEEN A TIME WHEN GOD WAS NOT VIEWED AS WORTHY.)
For you created all things, and they exist because you created what you pleased.”
(THERE MUST HAVE BEEN A TIME WHEN THE CREATORSHIP OF GOD WAS QUESTIONED.)
5 Then I saw a scroll in the right hand of the one who was sitting on the throne. There was writing on the inside and the outside of the scroll, and it was sealed with seven seals. 2 And I saw a strong angel, who shouted with a loud voice: “Who is worthy to break the seals on this scroll and open it?” 3 But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll and read it.
(GOD IS PRESENT ON THE THRONE (verse 1) AND EVEN HE CANNOT STOP THE SUFFERING.)
4 Then I began to weep bitterly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll and read it.
(JOHN IS TRAUMATIZED BY THIS SITUATION WHERE NO ONE CAN END THE SUFFERING OF THE UNIVERSE AND ESPECIALLY ON THIS PLANET. THIS IS THE QUESTION ASKED IN THE FIFTH SEAL AND IS THE QUESTION THAT WE ALL ASK AND SEARCH FOR AN ANSWER.)
5 But one of the twenty-four elders said to me, “Stop weeping! Look, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the heir to David’s throne, has won the victory. He is worthy to open the scroll and its seven seals.”
(THE COSMOS HAD FOUND NO ONE ELSE WORTHY TO OPEN THE SCROLL AND END SUFFERING.)
6 Then I saw a Lamb that looked as if it had been slaughtered, but it was now standing between the throne and the four living beings and among the twenty-four elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which represent the sevenfold Spirit[c] of God that is sent out into every part of the earth. 7 He stepped forward and took the scroll from the right hand of the one sitting on the throne. 8 And when he took the scroll, the four living beings and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp, and they held gold bowls filled with incense, which are the prayers of God’s people. 9 And they sang a new song with these words:
“You are worthy to take the scroll and break its seals and open it.
(THERE MUST HAVE BEEN A TIME WHEN THE LAMB WAS NOT CONSIDERED WORTHY TO OPEN THE SCROLL)
For you were slaughtered, and your blood has ransomed people for God
(RANSOMED FROM THEIR WICKED THOUGHTS AND EVIL ACTIONS)
from every tribe and language and people and nation. 10 And you have caused them to become a Kingdom of priests for our God.
(THEY DID NOT CONSIDER THEMSELVES PRIESTS OF GOD AT SOME POINT IN TIME)
And they will reign on the earth.”
(THE WERE NOT REIGNING ON THE EARTH IN THE PAST.)
11 Then I looked again, and I heard the voices of thousands and millions of angels around the throne and of the living beings and the elders. 12 And they sang in a mighty chorus:
“Worthy is the Lamb who was slaughtered— to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing.” (7 ACCOLADES.)
13 And then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea. They sang:
“Blessing and honor and glory and power (4 ACCOLADES) belong to the one sitting on the throne and to the Lamb forever and ever.”
14 And the four living beings said, “Amen!” And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped the Lamb.
These songs all indicate a time when God’s worth, position, and authority were in question. The moral leadership or control of the cosmos was unstable and in jeopardy. The slaughter of the Lamb has restored order in the universe and the throne of God is intact. This means that the government of God is based on the admiration of the created beings in the universe. He does not rule by physical force but by the moral attraction and moral persuasion of love.
Conclusion:
God possess the physical power to reign over all with absolute control but his wisdom, knowledge and benevolence guide him to use methods that produce admiration (voluntary submission) to what is good and right. There is no law or power that can coerce human beings to a change of heart from evil to good. What God did and does for sinners through Christ brings this government into one heart at a time. Daniel Martinovich
God is powerful enough to be a benevolent dictator but power never inspires true love. It only facilitates domination and causes resentment. We have been romanced by God because he desires to give us his heart and serve us. He wants friends not slaves. Like a parent watching for the first smile from an infant God watches for the first response of unselfish love from us.