5:9-14 WORTHY IS THE LAMB
The great enemy challenged, “Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?” “The Lamb that was slain” took the Book of Life with the eternal destiny of those He died to save sealed up inside. Only He had the right to open the book, “To proclaim liberty to the captives” (Luke 4:18). We do not fully understand all that this will mean, but somehow it involves the eternal happiness of the entire universe. “For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now… For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God…because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God” (Romans 8:19-22).
The opening of the seals is cause for celebration! “And they sang a new song, saying ‘You are worthy to take the scroll, and to open its seals; for You were slain and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and have made us kings and priests to our God; and we shall reign on the earth” (Revelation 5:9,10).
The angels and the creatures in heaven, as well as those humans who have already been translated or resurrected began to sing this “new song” as they welcomed Jesus back to heaven from his mission to earth where He thoroughly defeated Satan and ensured the deliverance of the universe “from the bondage of corruption.” But the rest of us will have to wait until the seals have all been opened, the trumpets have all been blown, the plagues have all been poured out, until we finally hear “the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:16,17).
Then we shall join our voices with “the voice of many angels round about the throne, and the living creatures and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands; saying with a loud voice, ‘Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing!” (Revelation 5:11,12). Then the whole universe will will be in complete harmony and unity of praise for our Creator and for our Redeemer. “And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard, saying: ‘Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be to Him that sits on the throne, and to the Lamb forever and ever” (Revelation 5:13).