May 21 | Revelation 5:11-14
DAILY READING
Revelation 5:11-14
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REFLECTION
Heavenly Cheering
by Mary Alice McGinnis
Can you envision a time when you are part of a large crowd? Maybe it was at a concert, sporting event, or conference. Picture that scene in your mind. How many people were there? Thousands, or maybe even tens of thousands? What did the voices of the crowd all joined together sound like? Were they shouting? Cheering? Singing? What was that energy like?
Transport yourself now into the vision John saw in today’s reading.
He is an eyewitness to the throne room of God exploding in exuberant praise.
John says: “Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand.” (Revelation 5:11)
How many angels do you picture in this scene? The word “ten thousand” in the original language can mean “myriads.” Myriads is defined in the Oxford dictionary as an extremely great number or even COUNTLESS.
Literally, John saw, myriads of myriads, innumerable, countess hosts of angels. Try to imagine what their combined voices must have sounded like.
What was all the commotion about? Why were all the countless heavenly hosts uniting their voices, cheering, praising, boisterously singing before the throne of God? What could possibly inspire such resounding worship by angels?
Verse 12 says,
"In a loud voice they were saying: 'Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!'"
Why did this cause the angels to burst into praise?
Going back a few verses to Revelation 5:9, it says:
"And they sang a new song, saying: 'You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.'”
The angels watched the unfolding of God’s Divine plan, the redemptive works of the Lamb who was slain - Jesus. They witnessed God’s own Son, who took on flesh, and spilt His blood to purchase us , to buy us back. Note how many times they exclaim, "HE IS WORTHY." He did this for those that were known for walking away from Him, betraying Him, spitting in His face, and even killing Him. It is an eternal wonder of wonders that He would do such amazing things for such human beings of every tribe, language, and nation.
What was the response to such WORTHY angelic praises? Every creature in heaven and on earth joined the angels in hymns of adoration! Will these antiphonal praises back and forth between and the angels of heaven and the redeemed of this world ever come to and end?
"Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying: 'To Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!'” (Revelation 5:13)
Have you considered that the heavens are roaring with praise because of the things God has done for you? What might cause the angels to robustly worship the redemptive work of God as they observe the pages of your life?
PRAYER PRACTICE
Prayer – Join with the angels today as you lift your heart in resounding, grateful praise to the One who Worthy - Jesus, the Lamb who was slain for us!
Is He Worthy? by Chris Tomlin
