Bird's-eye view
In Revelation 5:11-14, the camera, so to speak, pulls back to reveal the cosmic scope of the worship that has been ignited in Heaven. We began in chapter four with the worship of the Father on the throne. Then, in the beginning of chapter five, the focus shifted to the Lamb, the Lion of Judah, who alone was worthy to take the scroll. The living creatures and the twenty-four elders sang a new song to Him. Now, that new song is taken up by a choir so vast it cannot be numbered, and then it is echoed by every created thing in the universe. This is not quiet, sentimental adoration. This is a deafening, thunderous roar of praise directed at the Father and the Son. The scene culminates in the solemn "Amen" of the cherubim and the prostrate worship of the elders, sealing the entire event in covenantal reality. This passage is a definitive statement on the absolute deity of Jesus Christ; the worship He receives here is the worship due to God alone.
The progression is key. First the elders sang to God the Creator (Rev. 4:11). Then they, along with the cherubim, sang to the Lamb the Redeemer (Rev. 5:9-10). Now, the angelic host joins in, and finally, all of creation. This expanding circle of praise demonstrates the universal impact of the Lamb's victory on the cross. His death was not a small, provincial event. It was the hinge of cosmic history, and the entire cosmos is compelled to respond. The worship in Heaven is what drives history on earth, and what we see here is the engine room of God's purposes being fully engaged.
Outline
- 1. The Heavenly Throne Room (Rev. 4:1-5:14)
- a. The Unnumbered Angelic Choir (Rev. 5:11)
- b. The Sevenfold Doxology to the Lamb (Rev. 5:12)
- c. The Universal Chorus of Creation (Rev. 5:13)
- d. The Final Amen and Adoration (Rev. 5:14)
Context In Revelation
This passage is the climax of the throne room vision that began in chapter 4. The central crisis of chapter 5, who is worthy to open the scroll and execute God's plan for history?, has been resolved. The Lamb that was slain has taken the scroll, signifying His authority to reign and to judge. The worship that erupts in our text is the direct response to that triumphant act. It is the heavenly reality that undergirds everything that is about to be unleashed on the earth when the seals are opened in chapter 6.
From a preterist standpoint, which I hold, this scene depicts the inauguration of Christ's reign after His ascension. The scroll contains the covenant lawsuit against first-century Jerusalem, and the Lamb is now authorized to execute that judgment. So this worship is not some abstract praise for a far-off future event. It is the heavenly court recognizing that the Man has come around, and judgment is about to begin. The worship of the saints in heaven accomplishes God's judgments on earth, and this is ground zero for the events that will culminate in the destruction of the Temple in A.D. 70.
Verse by Verse Commentary
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,
John's attention is drawn outward from the central figures of the throne, the living creatures, and the elders. He now sees and hears the vast assembly of the angelic host. The language here is meant to convey a number that is essentially uncountable by human standards. A myriad is ten thousand. So we have ten thousands times ten thousands, which is one hundred million, plus thousands of thousands, which adds millions more. This is not a literal headcount, but rather biblical language for an immense, overwhelming multitude. Daniel saw a similar scene: "a thousand thousands served him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him" (Dan. 7:10). John is seeing the full military and administrative might of Heaven assembled to honor the Lamb. This is the army of the Lord of Hosts, and their voice is one.
12 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.”
Their praise is not a whisper; it is a "loud voice." Given their numbers, this sound would be like the sound of many waters, like thunder. And what is their message? It is a sevenfold declaration of what the Lamb is worthy to receive. This number seven, the number of covenant perfection, is significant. They are declaring His perfect and complete worthiness.
They declare Him worthy because He was "slain." His qualification for glory is His humiliation. His right to the throne is established at the cross. He conquered by dying. This is the central paradox of the gospel, and it is the central theme of heavenly worship. He is worthy to receive power (dunamis), the ability to act and accomplish His will. He is worthy to receive riches, all the wealth of the cosmos is His. He is worthy to receive wisdom, the perfect knowledge and skill to govern all things. He is worthy to receive strength (ischus), the inherent might to overcome all opposition. He is worthy to receive honor, the respect and high status due to Him. He is worthy to receive glory, the manifestation of His weighty importance. And He is worthy to receive blessing, which here means praise and adoration. All of these things belong to God, and the angels declare that they belong to the Lamb who was slain.
13 And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying, “To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be the blessing and the honor and the glory and the might forever and ever.”
The circle of worship expands yet again, this time to its absolute limit. John hears "every created thing." The fourfold description, in heaven, on earth, under the earth, and on the sea, is a Hebraic way of saying "the entire universe." This is an all-encompassing, exhaustive category. There are no exceptions. From the highest seraph to the lowest creature in the depths of the sea, all of creation joins the chorus. This is the fulfillment of what Paul wrote, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth (Phil. 2:10).
And notice to whom this universal praise is directed. It is offered "To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb." The Father and the Son are worshiped together, with the same words, in the same breath. The blessing, honor, glory, and might are ascribed to them jointly. This is one of the most powerful affirmations of Christ's deity in all of Scripture. If Jesus were a mere creature, no matter how exalted, this would be blasphemous idolatry. But He is not. He is God the Son, and the entire created order is summoned to praise Him alongside the Father, forever and ever.
14 And the four living creatures kept saying, “Amen.” And the elders fell down and worshiped.
The crescendo of universal praise is met with a solemn and powerful conclusion. The four living creatures, the guardians of God's throne, the leaders of celestial worship, respond with a single word: "Amen." This is not just a way of saying "we agree." Amen is a covenantal oath word. It means "let it be so," "it is firm," "it is true." It is the seal of an oath, affirming the truth and binding nature of what has just been declared. God Himself is called the "God of Amen" (Is. 65:16), and Jesus is "the Amen, the faithful and true witness" (Rev. 3:14). By saying Amen, the cherubim are putting the covenantal stamp on this entire scene of worship. This is the way things truly are.
In response, the twenty-four elders, representing the whole people of God from both old and new covenants, do the only thing left to do. They fall down and worship. Words have reached their limit. The only fitting response to such a revelation of glory is silent, prostrate adoration. They worship "him that liveth for ever and ever," a phrase used earlier for the Father, but here in this context, it is clear that the worship is directed to the Father and the Lamb together. The scene ends where all true theology must end: with the people of God on their faces before the throne.
Application
First, we must be clear about who we worship. The worship in this passage is Trinitarian and Christ-centered. We worship the Father through the Son, and we worship the Son as co-equal with the Father. Any worship that diminishes the absolute deity of Jesus Christ is not Christian worship. He is not a junior partner in the Godhead; He is worthy of the same honor, glory, and praise as the Father. Our worship services must reflect this reality. We are not there to feel good about ourselves, but to declare the worthiness of the Lamb who was slain.
Second, we should understand that our worship on earth is a participation in this heavenly reality. When we gather on the Lord's Day, we are, by faith, joining this unnumbered choir. We are linking our small voices with the thunderous praise of all the angels and saints. This is why worship is warfare. When we declare that Jesus is Lord, we are not just stating a personal preference. We are making a cosmic, political claim that challenges every other claimant to the throne. Our worship on earth is the engine of the church's victory in history. What happens in heaven drives what happens on earth.
Finally, the basis of all this worship is the cross. The Lamb is worthy because He was slain. The glory of God is most clearly seen in the substitutionary death of His Son. This is the gospel. He was slain to receive power, riches, wisdom, and strength. His death was not a defeat but the ultimate victory. Therefore, we should never move on from the cross. It is the center of our theology, the center of our worship, and the center of all history. To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be all blessing and honor and glory and might, forever and ever. Amen.