Rev. 5:11-14 Angels we have heard on High

 

Intro: For the Last several weeks here on Sunday mornings we have been in the Heavenlies – Ch’s 4&5 deal w/ the Heavenly seen

A)   Saw Last week that In the 2nd half of Ch. 5 what we find is a FANTASTIC -  worship service taking place

 

B)    Begins when Jesus takes the Scroll – One found worthy to open it

1)                 3 Eruptions of Praise follow / 3 Movements of Worship

 

A)    First by the 24 Elders – looked at last time v. 8-10 / the 2nd by the Angels v.11,12 & the Grand finale when all Creation Joins in !!!!!v.13

 

To worship is to quicken the conscience by the holiness of God, to feed the mind with the truth of God, to purge the imagination by the beauty of God, to open the heart to the love of God, to devote the will to the purpose of God.

   Archbishop William Temple (1881-1944)

 

B)    Today we are going to finish up Ch. 5 as we continue to look at this

       subject of Worship    Read v. 11-14

 

 

Now here we see that after the Elders begin to sing the song of Redemption that the Angels Join in !!!!

A)   Massive amount - and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands,

 

B)   An Ancient Theologian named Albertus Magnus – once tried to count how many Angels there were – 399 Million 999 thousand & 4

1) How He came up w/ that number  I have no idea

 

C)   But what we see here is this # that is Innumerable -  Lit. Myriads upon Myriads - Innumerable amount of Angels

Angels have been the Hot topic the last 5 yrs or so T.V. shows Angels / Movies main Characters are Angels / Outfield / End zone

A)   69% of Americans believe in Angels / 62% believe that they have felt their Presence

 

B)   34 Books in the Bible Mention Angels / that is just over ½

1)                 17 in the New & 17 in the Old

 

A)   The Word Angel is used 103 times in the O.T. & 165 times in the New

 

B)   Technically the name Angel means MESSENGER/ ( Angelos) in the Grk

 

C)   Angels  Purpose seems to be to Praise God in Heaven & at times Carry out His Will upon the earth

 

 

Billy Graham calls Angels God’s SECRET AGENTS – they carry out God’s will where ever & what ever He would call them to do

A)    They are sort of like the President – when he travels he never does so

       alone ( doesn’t take a Bus or a cab)   Has his Entourage set things up for

 

B)    So too when Jesus comes to the earth – when he was born – He is not Alone ( there are Angels surrounding Beth. Announcing His Birth)

1)                 When He was in the Wilderness being tempted by Satan / when the time of Temptation was completed – Angels came & ministered to Him

 

A)    At His Resurrection – Angels sitting in the tomb

 

 

For the most Part – Angels are Invisible though – Reason I think is found in what they say – when seen ( Don’t be afraid )

Reason they would say that is they must look so radical – that People are afraid of them ( Seems case in the Bible )

 

But every now & then they are Seen – They are the 1st Policemen – there in the Garden ( Keep man out after the Fall)

 

Then they are seen again in Gen. When they come to the Home of Abe for Dinner – ( Maybe had Angel food cake for Desert )

1)                 Then seen as BOUNCERS – Punishing Sodom & Gomorrah

 

A)    Acts 12 they are seen Springing – Peter out of Prison

 

The Prophet Daniel calls them WATCHERS – The Heavenly Surveillance teams

A)   Who are they Watching ? The Answer is US!!!

 

B)    They are Intrigued by us – Our salvation – the grace that God extends to us – Listen to what Peter says about this in 1 Pet. 1

 

10  Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you,

 

12  To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven; things which angels desire to look into.

 

C)    That word Desire is a Strong Grk word that means to Fasten their attention –

1)                 In other words they desire w/ great Interest to study the plan of God

 

A)    They must Scratch their heads in Bewilderment at how Stubborn man can be in Resisting the Grace of God – or turning away from the Lord

1)                 Probably – Mutter -  those human beings – if they only Knew Who it was that was trying to work in their lives

 

 

Story:  Jesus after He Ascended into Heaven – Met by Gabriel who said – Master they didn’t treat you well down there -  No Gab they didn’t

And then Gab. Responded & they don’t seem to Understand Your Love for them & Your Plan for them / No Gab. They don’t

 

So what are you going to do – Gab. Asked what is YOUR PLAN  to get through to them -   Jesus replied : You know those guys who were called my Disciples – I commissioned them & a Few others to tell the World about me & my Love & what I did for them –

 

Gab responded those Guys  DO YOU HAVE A PLAN B

 

Another reason why I believe the Angels are invisible is that people have the tendency to worship them – ( First reaction of many in scripture)

A)   But that is what we need to see here about this Innumerable  # of Angels What are they doing ?  Answer is they are WORSHIPPING THE LAMB

 

B)   Notice a Few things about their  Worship of the Lamb – in contrast w/ the 24 Elders -

 

1st  The Elders are Singing – but the Angels are SAYING -  they are not singing / they are saying – declaring

 

A)   Now this really bugged me the first time someone pointed this out to me / there is no where in the Bible where Angels are seen singing

1)                 Wait a Minute – Christmas -  Angels we have heard on High sweetly singing over the plains / Or Hark the Herald Angels SING

 

A)   Problem is those are Christmas Corals & not scripture –

1) Look closely at Luke 2:13  13  And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:

14 "Glory to God in the highest, peace on earth, & goodwill toward men!"

 

B)   Saying not Singing -  only place where Angels are said to be singing is in Job 38:7 the morning stars sang together, And all the sons of God shouted for joy?

 

C)   That passage is debatable as to who the Morning stars are – is it a ref. To Angels

 

So the Angels are saying declaring not singing – 2ND – THE ELDERS SING TO THE LAMB – where as the Angels Declare things about

A) Note – v. 9  And they sang a new song, saying: "You are worthy to take the scroll, & to open its seals; For You were slain, & have redeemed US to God by Your blood Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,

10  And have made US  kings and priests to our God; And WE shall reign on the earth."

 

B)  Elders sing in the First person – YOU HAVE REDEEMMED US

 

C)  Angels declare in the 3rd person - "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain To receive power and riches and wisdom, And strength and honor and glory and blessing!"

 

D) What is my point in all this ? – The 24 Elders represent the church have something to sing about – they have been redeemed

1)               The Angels on the other hand – their PEERS NOT redeemed – when they fell & were cast out of heaven – Christ didn’t come to save them

 

B)  No He left them to be reserved in Chains & Darkness until the final day of Judgement / where they will be thrown into lake of fire !!!!

 

 

APPLICATION FOR US : You are not an Angel so SING !!!! You & I have something to sing about SO SING !!!!

A)   We have been REDEEMED – WASHED – MADE CLEAN  forgiven & made new – SO SING

 

Old Turkish Proverb that says – As the Music is so are the People of that Country

 

B)    So I ask you – what are Your Songs like – Are You singing the Blues cause all You can see is the Problems in Your Life ?

1)                 Or Are you singing Praise to the Lord for WHO HE IS & all that He has done for You

 

A)    Are You singing about Your Heavenly CITIZENSHIP  because not focusing on the temporal but the eternal

 

B)    Tell my kids Grumbling & Complaining / moaning & Groaning is the Language of Hell – ( all they are going to be doing )

 

C)    Praise / thanksgiving Blessing & Gratitude is the Language of heaven – When we see the Lord

1)                 Which Music fills your House ?????

 

 

Lastly – Note what they are declaring & How

A)   v. 12 they are saying w/ a LOUD VOICE =  LARGE & MIGHTY

EXCEEDINGLY GREAT - Boisterous NOISY – very Expressive

 

B)   The Idea here is they can’t hold Back – the Greatness of the Lamb is so AWESOME – They are compelled to Shout !!!

 

C)   They Shout – WORTHY-  same as the Elders/ Now  Our English Words Worthy & Worship are derived from the same Root

1)                 Which means to ascribe Worth or Value to something or someone

 

A)   The Word WORSHIP – was first called – Worth species / then shortened to Worthship – finally Worship

1)                 We give worth to those things that we deem as Worthy /  Could be said of God we Worship Him for no other than the fact He is WORTH IT

 

Now Last week – we talked about a frequently used word in the O.T. for Worship = Shakha – means to Bow – Lay Prostrate

A)   But the Word that is most often used in the N.T. is the Word found in v. 14 -  Grk = Proscuneo = to TURN & TO KISS

 

B)   The O.T. word speaks of HUMILITY – but this N.T. word speaks of Intimacy & Great Love

1)                 Lord I love you so much that I want to just throw my arms around you & give you a big Kiss

 

A)   Now some people are uncomfortable w/ that Kind of Intimacy when talking about God – ( TOO CLOSE – TOO FAMILIAR )

1)                 Tozer said once that for many People the Best view of God is being at a Safe Distance & Looking the other way 

 

A)   Maybe you feel that way – You Prefer that Distance -  We are the Lord’s Servants -  He is the KING – yes that is true

1)                 But didn’t Jesus say to His Disciples & to us – I No Longer call you Servants But Friends – I tell you all things

 

A)   And when Jesus was teaching us How to Pray – He said – when Pray say DADDY –

1)                 The Lord Desires Intimacy : John 3:17 And this is Eternal Life …….

 

A)   Not Knowing about – But Knowing Experiencing – knowing in an Intimate way

1)                 Jesus says concerning Worship – KISS TOWARD ME

 

 

WORTHY IS THE LAMB WHO WAS SLAIN – TO RECEIVE

A)   Words to Receive = To accept & be Amazed – speaks of Astonishment

 

B)    I have friends that are  Musicians & Athletes who have traveled to other places & played before large Crowds

1)                 They were AMAZED AT How well they were Received (overwhelmed)

A)    With Jesus there is No Amazement – He is TOTALLY WORTHY TO receive that type of RESPONSE

 

Seven Attributes they Declare He is Worthy of – 4 are repeated in the next song : ( Lives marked by Living Worship) Lived out Life

A)   1st is Power -  His Authority to rule over all things ( His Dominion)

 

B) Centurion -  I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed.

9  "For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, 'Go,' and he goes; and to another, 'Come,' and he comes; and to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it."

 

B)   Do You see Jesus as the One who as the Power to Work in all situations in Your Love & the Authority to rule over all Things

1)                 Those Who TRULY SEE the Lord Ascribe to Him -  Power in their Lives

 

2nd – RICHES : value & Abundance / It is Declaring His Value & His Wealth in our Lives

A)   How do we do that – Giving Jesus the very Best of our Lives

 

B)   Best of our days -  EARLY MORNING

1)                 The First Fruits of Our Income

 

A)   Too often we don’t give the Lord the Best – we give the Lord the Leftovers - 

 

Farmer – two cows ( Told his wife – I am going to give one of these cows to the Lord / That is great Honey – which one / I don’t know / waited few months

One night – one of the cows took Ill – after spending all night died – BAD NEWS HONEY – THE LORD’S COW DIED !!!!!!

 

B)   Too often we are Like that we – We give God the Leftovers / give things to Him only after we have Horribly messed them up !!!!

Love the Scene in John 12 Mary anoints Jesus w/ a vase very costly perfume – Probably her DOWRY

A)   Reports – yrs wage – ( $35,000 today) -  She took that which was Valuable to her & did something Extravagant in giving to Jesus

 

B)   Then Act of Intimacy – wiped His feet w/ her Hair – Result – Fragrance that was on Jesus – Filled the House ( Still there after He Left )

1)                 And Because – She wiped His feet w/ her Hair that Fragrance that was on Him – was transferred to her

 

A)   Every where she went she – smelled like Jesus –

 

Now Catch this : So often we think I can’t give that to the Lord – there won’t be enough left for – Me

A)   So wrong – Our God is a Giver & we can’t out give God – And when we Worship the Lord in that way -  He blesses us

 

B)   We take on His Fragrance – It is in Our Home -  It is on Our Lives – We Begin to smell like our Lord !!!!!

 

3rd – Ascribe to Him is Wisdom -  ( Wisdom is Knowledge applied)

A)   Jesus in John 6 difficult teachings – crowd left – Jesus looked at Disciples & said will You leave me Also?

 

B)   Peter responded – Lord where would we go for in You are the Words of Eternal life

 

C)   When we recognize the Lord as the One who Alone is Wise – It is then that Passages like Prov. 3:5,6 become a reality in our Lives

 

5  Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; 6  In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.

 

 

What comes from the Lord because it is impossible for humans to manufacture it? Wisdom. What comes from humans because it is impossible for the Lord to experience it? Worry. And what is it that brings wisdom and dispels worry? Worship.  Charles R. Swindoll (1934- )

 

 

4th Strength – speaks of His Ability to work in all situations His Ability to accomplish what He Desires

 

A) Leper in Matt.8: 2 If you are Willing you can make me Clean

 

B)Blind Bartimeas -  RABBONI -  I wish to Receive my sight

 

D)   Do we come to the Lord w/ that type of Confidence -  Lord if Your are Willing – I know you have the Strength ( ABILITY)

 

 

5th  Honor -  Speaks of that which not only has Value but is Precious

A)   Example: My truck – did well in real-estate – it has Value – but not

      Precious -  ( Not that Attached )     FREE CAR WASH

 

B)   Mary took that which was of value to her & poured it over Jesus Because He was PRECIOUS TO HER !!!!

1)                 She sat at His feet for the same Reason -  He was Precious to Her - & when He was around nothing else mattered

 

A)   What Holds our Affections – That is what you will Honor – those are the commitments that you will Keep !!!!!!

 

 

Worship is giving to God the best he has given us.

   Oswald Chambers (1874-1917)

 

 

 

6th – Glory  - Speaks of Christ Brilliance Splendor & Grandeur / Majesty – ( Acknowledgement that anything good is from the Lord

 

Samuel F. B. Morse. Morse Code   In an interview, George Hervey inquired,  "Professor Morse, when you were making your experiments at the university, did you ever come to a standstill, not knowing what to do next?"  "Oh, yes, more than once."  "Then what did you do?"  "I've never discussed this with anyone, so the public knows nothing about it.  But now that you ask me, I'll tell you frankly - I prayed for more light." 

 

"And did God give you the wisdom and knowledge you needed?"  "Yes, He did," said Morse.  "That's why I never felt I deserved the honors that came to me from America and Europe because of the invention associated with my name.  I had made a valuable application of the use of electrical power, but it was all through God's help.  It wasn't because I was superior to other scientists.  When the Lord wanted to bestow this gift on mankind, He has to use someone. I'm just grateful He chose to reveal it to me."  In view of these facts, it's not surprising that the inventor's first message over the telegraph was:  "What God hath wrought!"

 

 

7th – Blessing - fine speaking, i.e. elegance of language; Giving  commendation adoration;

 

Eric Bridges writes:  "In a leper colony on  Tobago, an island in the Caribbean, short-term  missions volunteer Jack Hinton, is leading the  music for a worship service.  He asks the lepers  to request their favorite songs.  The time comes  for one last song, and a woman whose back had been  to the pulpit turns around.

   "`I saw the most hideous face I had ever seen,'  says Hinton, a North Carolina pastor.  `The  woman's nose and ears were entirely gone.  Her  lips had almost rotted away.  She lifted a  fingerless hand in the air and asked, "Can we sing `Count Your Many Blessings'?'"

   "Overcome with emotion, Hinton leaves the  service.  Another volunteer missionary follows him  out to console him.  `Jack,' he says, `I guess  you'll never be able to sing that song again, will  you?'

   "`Oh, yes, I will,' Hinton responds, `but I'll  never sing it the same way again.'"

 

The well-known minister Andrew Bonar brought home a brick from his travels in the area of ancient Babylon.  One Sunday he showed it to his congregation.  He said that every brick in the temple from which it was taken bore the name of the king who was reigning at the time the structure was built.  Making the application, Bonar said, "We must let everything we do bear the name of our King, the Lord Jesus Christ."

 

 

They ascribe to Him all Everything that He didn’t receive here on earth

A)   What about our Hearts –

1)                 Power – Authority

2)                 Riches – Value Wealth – Our Best

3)                 Wisdom – ( Submitted to Him)

4)                 Strength – Confidence in His ability

5)                 Honor – Seeing Him as Precious

6)                 Glory – Majesty – All praise

7)                 Blessing - 

 

B) Worship is not just about singing – it is an attitude of the heart

 

 Many Years ago, Taylor Smith, a clergyman from England, was invited to address the Moody Bible Conference in Chicago.  When he arrived, Smith had lost his voice and couldn't speak above a whisper. Convinced that he was there in God's will, he spoke at length in spite of his handicap.

 

 His voice carried no farther than the first few rows of the audience.  At the conclusion of the service, a man who had been sitting up in the balcony came to Smith and said, "I couldn't hear anything you said, but I watched your face and I want to be a Christian!" 

 

Ethel Wilcox made this comment:  "This story is only one of many that have testified to the heavenly radiance of this man whose face reflected the glory of the inner life, the character of Christ.  And the wonder of it is that the Spirit is desirous of doing the same for each one of us."