The Color of the Kingdom (Rev 5:8)
• At the beginning of chap 4 John is taken up into heaven in the spirit.
o He then begins to describe what he sees, what heaven looks like.
• At first John weeps because no one was found worthy to open the scroll.
o The scroll contains the destiny of the world.
• Then in chap 5 Jesus is found to be the only one worthy to take the scroll from the Father and open it.
o One of the Elders says that the Lion of Judah can open it.
o But when John sees Jesus, He appears as a Lamb that has been slain.
Verse 8 The four living creatures and the 24 Elders fell down in worship.
• Whatever you fall down in worship with, becomes sacrifice.
Verse 9 It says that they sang a “new” song. This means it was a song that had never been song before.
• Why is this a new song? Jesus taking the scroll to open it represents a new era in God’s redemptive history.
What’s new about this era? The Lamb’s death on the cross has never happened before, nor will it happen again.
o Jesus’s death on the cross is what is new, and what is worthy of this worship.
• But there is more that is new here. Jesus purchased men for God.
o The word here should be “people” or “us”
• The imagery behind “ransomed” or “purchased” is that of slaves being freed.
• But what is equally important to see here is that it is all mankind that is set free.
o In the past only the Jewish nation Israel was included in God’s redemptive work.
• First it says every tribe. This would have been reminiscent of the 12 tribes of Israel.
o But now includes people of every tribe throughout the world.
• Then it says language. There are approximately 6909 living languages in the world.
o And all of them will be in heaven.
• Then it says people. This is redundant to drive home the point.
• Then it ends with nation. This world could also mean race or people
Verse 10 All of those people just mentioned are to be a kingdom.
o A kingdom united under one king, …King Jesus.
• But think about all those categories… they usually separate. No longer!
o And, that kingdom is the church on earth – now!!
• Because it says that they will be priests. We won’t need persist in heaven.
• This begins in Acts 2 and finds its fulfillment in Rev 7
Takeaway: 1. We must evangelize every people group.
2. We must learn and appreciate worshipping together.
3. We must learn to appreciate the richness diversity brings to the church.
4. We must fight for it
