END OF TIME PROPHECIES 087

THE WORSHIP OF THE ANGELS      Revelation 5v11-12

"And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels roundabout 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 honour, and glory, and blessing."

This is predicted in Hebrews chapter 1, where the writer, referring to the future order of things says in verse 6  "When He bringeth in the first begotten into the world He saith  "and let all the angels of God worship Him,"   What John saw and heard here is a precursor to that; the entire body of angels join in the praise of heaven.   What they have accorded to God, they now accord to the Lamb.   The focus first of all is upon their vast number; it says "many angels" and then goes on to state a countless number of angels.   The significance of the many thousands stated is simply that they cannot be counted.   Ten thousand apparently was the highest number in the Hebrew language, but in case there is any doubt in anyone's mind, after having stated "ten thousand times ten thousand" he adds "and thousands of thousands."   What is recorded here is a body of angels who are innumerable.   This picture is referred to in Hebrews chapter 12 where the writer speaks of "an innumerable company of angels, the general assembly/"  (Hebrews 12v22-23).   The word there is "myriads" and the phrase  "the general assembly" is better rendered "a full gathering."   We have here by any standards an awesome picture, a full gathering of countless angels with one voice saying  "worthy is the Lamb."   They add their voices to the worship of the four living creatures and the twenty four elders already given.   Now the whole of heaven is in full accord and proclaim the worth of the Lamb to continue all the purposes of God.  

Daniel refers to such a scene in chapter 7v10  "thousand, thousands, ministered unto Him and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him."   John is concerned to properly identify the One to whom this worship is directed.   The cry goes out  "worthy is the Lamb that was slain."   This is the second time he has referred to the slain Lamb, and John is identifying this object of heaven's worship to be the Jesus of Calvary who died for the sins of the world.   He has no rival; He has no equal.   When puny man would hold Him on the same level as great prophets and teachers, they are evidently not in tune with heaven's voice.   When the proponents of mystic religions would place Him on the same level as angels, or gods of their own imaginations, we understand from this how wrong they are. There is no mystery to who He is. The Saviour of the world, now the Lord of all heaven, is Jesus.   He is greater than all men, He is greater than all ranks of angels no matter how high their position is.   He is the One and only object of heaven's worship.  

The four living creatures who stand before the God of all the earth, the twenty four elders, representatives of the entire redeemed church combining Jew and Gentile in the church age, the full assembly of countless angels ........ all combine with one word "WORTHY IS THE LAMB THAT WAS SLAIN."   The picture is not yet complete because God has decreed that not only will heaven praise Him but so will the entire living population of humanity, bow to His holy name, to the glory of God the Father.         Next we shall see the content of the worship of these angels. Isaac Watts caught the theme when he penned the words....


Join all the glorious names
of wisdom, love, and power,
that ever mortals knew,
that angels ever bore:
all are too mean to speak his worth,
too mean to set my Saviour forth.