By most counts, the book of Revelation is a difficult book to read. Its imagery is frightening and violent depicting the end of the power of evil and the glorious and beautiful presence and power of God and that final victory. As modern readers we have difficulty identifying with the common Greco-Roman images that are in the visions, and it appears the John also wrestled with what he saw while trying to describe things that are to come and that he did not fully understand. There are many who have attempted to identify and interpret the signs and symbols of the visions. For our lesson today we are going to look at something different – the great hymns of Revelation. It is my hope that you will experience these hymns and turn your hearts to praises similar.
John was exiled on the island of Patmos, a mere 13 square miles. Although it was inhabited by a town, pagan temples and a stadium, it was the difficult home of many prisoners who were subjected to hard labor. He was there because of religious persecution and had suffered for the cause of Christ. (Revelation 1:9) John had been captured and isolated solely for defending the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which put him in direct conflict with the cult of the “divine” Roman emperor. He was a very old man and the relative isolation some forty miles off of the coast of Asia Minor (modern day Turkey) may have led some to believe that he had lost his mind in seeing such visions. After decades of being a follower of Jesus, he was not – he was given a prophetic vision to encourage and embolden the believers who were suffering under the terrible Roman rule of Domitian. In this revelation there were words of judgment and words of encouragement.
In a recent group Bible study, I focused on just the hymns of revelation—the songs that are sung throughout the revelation. This led to some wonderful revelations themselves! So, here is one definition of a hymn: “a lyric poem, reverently and devotionally conceived, which is designed to be sung and which expresses the worshipper's attitude toward God or God's purposes in human life. It should be simple and metrical in form, genuinely emotional, poetic and literary in style, spiritual in quality, and in its ideas so direct and so immediately apparent as to unify a congregation while singing it."[i] While many modern believers sing choruses, songs and hymns that are similar, we need to recognize that the lyrics we will be looking at have something a bit different to offer us today. These are songs of ultimate triumph and glory. We can compare and contrast the content of our songs with the songs of those singing in Revelation, then be encouraged and emboldened ourselves while we face difficulties and await the final coming of Jesus Christ.
The hymns appear throughout the whole of the text as what I would consider mile markers toward the final victory. They are sign posts that teach us now how to worship and consider two important questions.
What do they teach us about God?
What do the participants teach us about worshiping God?
There are several sections of hymns that I have identified in the book of Revelation. Many of them are sung only by creatures other than humans. We can see by the sections of scripture below how they are sewn into the fabric of the revelation from nearly the beginning to the end. What does that alone teach us about worship?
Instances of Hymns in Revelation
Chapter Those Who Are Singing
4:8 Living Beings
4:11 24 Elders
5:9-10, 12-14 Living Being and Elders
7:11-12 Angels, Four Living Creatures, and Elders
11:15-18 Loud Voices and 24 Elders
12:10-12 A Loud Voice
14:3 144,000 with the Lamb
15:2-4 Those Victorious Over the Beast
19:1-5 A Great Multitude, 24 Elders and a Voice
19:6-8 A Great Multitude
Let’s look at each one of these and answer our two initial questions with each passage. Reflect on each of the hymns and write down your responses. When we did this as a group, we read many of these aloud and it became a mighty chorus, helping us to experience it as perhaps John experienced it in his vision. If you are alone, read the hymn aloud and imagine it being sung beautifully.
4:8 Living Beings
Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying:
“‘Holy, holy, holy
is the Lord God Almighty,’
who was, and is, and is to come.”
What does this hymn teach us about God?
Who are the participants and how do they teach us to worship God?
4:11 24 Elders
“You are worthy, our Lord and God,
to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things,
and by your will they were created
and have their being.”
What does this hymn teach us about God?
Who are the participants and how do they teach us to worship God?
5:9-10, 12-14 Living Being and Elders
9 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.
10 You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God,
and they will reign on the earth.”
12 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!”
13 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!”
14 The four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped.
What do they teach us about God?
What do the participants teach us about worshiping God?
7:11-12 Angels, Four Living Creatures, Elders and Angels
11 All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 saying:
“Amen!
Praise and glory
and wisdom and thanks and honor
and power and strength
be to our God for ever and ever.
Amen!”
What do they teach us about God?
What do the participants teach us about worshiping God?
11:15-18 Loud Voices and 24 Elders
15 The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said:
“The kingdom of the world has become
the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah,
and he will reign for ever and ever.”
16 And the twenty-four elders, who were seated on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshiped God, 17 saying:
“We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty,
the One who is and who was,
because you have taken your great power
and have begun to reign.
18
The nations were angry,
and your wrath has come.
The time has come for judging the dead,
and for rewarding your servants the prophets
and your people who revere your name,
both great and small—
and for destroying those who destroy the earth.”
What do they teach us about God?
What do the participants teach us about worshiping God?
12:10-12 A Loud Voice
10 Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say:
“Now have come the salvation and
the power
and the kingdom of our God,
and the authority of his Messiah.
For the accuser of our brothers and sisters,
who accuses them before our God day and night,
has been hurled down.
11 They triumphed over him
by the blood of the Lamb
and by the word of their testimony;
they did not love their lives so
much
as to shrink from death.
12 Therefore rejoice, you heavens
and you who dwell in them!
But woe to the earth and the sea,
because the devil has gone down to you!
He is filled with fury,
because he knows that his time is short.”
What do they teach us about God?
What do the participants teach us about worshiping God?
14:3 144,000 with the Lamb
And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. No one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth.
What do you imagine the redeemed from the earth would sing?
Can you create a song that you would sing?
15:2-4 Those Victorious Over the Beast
They held harps given them by God 3 and sang the song of God’s servant Moses and of the Lamb:
“Great and marvelous are your
deeds,
Lord God Almighty.
Just and true are your ways,
King of the nations.
4 Who will not fear you, Lord,
and bring glory to your name?
For you alone are holy.
All nations will come
and worship before you,
for your righteous acts have been revealed.”
What do they teach us about God?
What do the participants teach us about worshiping God?
19:1-5 A Great Multitude, 24 Elders and a Voice
After this I heard what sounded like the roar of a great multitude in heaven shouting:
“Hallelujah!
Salvation and glory and power belong to our God,
2 for true and just are his judgments.
He has condemned the great prostitute
who corrupted the earth by her adulteries.
He has avenged on her the blood of his servants.”
3 And again they shouted:
“Hallelujah!
The smoke from her goes up for ever and ever.”
4 The twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God, who was seated on the throne. And they cried:
“Amen, Hallelujah!”
5 Then a voice came from the throne, saying:
“Praise our God,
all you his servants,
you who fear him,
both great and small!”
What do they teach us about God?
What do the participants teach us about worshiping God?
19:6-8 A Great Multitude
6 Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting:
“Hallelujah!
For our Lord God Almighty reigns.
7 Let us rejoice and be glad
and give him glory!
For the wedding of the Lamb has come,
and his bride has made herself ready.
8 Fine linen, bright and clean,
was given her to wear.”
(Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of God’s holy people.)
What do they teach us about God?
What do the participants teach us about worshiping God?
While this time of reflection is not an in-depth Bible study as such, it is
important for us to connect with what the Apostle John experienced as true,
unrestrained, uninhibited worship. May we take time to glorify God is such ways
as we await the triumphant return of our Savior Jesus Christ!
Amen
© M.R.Hyde 2024
Other Questions to Consider:
What things or forces seek our allegiance today?
What do these hymns have to say to us, who live among competing allegiances?
“Great and marvelous are your deeds.”
What is a “marvelous deed” you can praise God for today?
“Just and true are your ways.”
In what ways have you experienced this proclamation in your life?
How are God’s righteous acts revealed in the world today?
This month’s challenge: Read through the book of Revelation and understand the context of each hymn.
[i] Eskew; McElrath (1980). Sing with Understanding, An Introduction to Christian Hymnology. Broadman Press. ISBN 0-8054-6809-9.
