If there is a climax in the Bible, it might be the moment Jesus Christ looks Father God in the eyes and takes the seven-sealed book out of His hand. (Re 5:6-7) This may be the moment when the glory of divine redemption in Christ, and the ultimate glory of Christ Himself, is finally put on full display in chronological time.
At this instant all of Heaven erupts in ecstatic praise to Jesus Christ, beginning with the four beasts and twenty-four elders (8-10), followed by one-hundred million plus angels joining in exuberant praise, as if Christ were God Himself (11-12), and finally every creature in the universe joins in (13) – we all explode in triumphant praise.
The four beasts, who to our knowledge have never worshipped anyone but Father God, lead us in unreservedly worshipping the Lamb. We are all so taken with Christ at this moment, so overwhelmed with His majesty and supreme excellency and worthiness, we can do nothing but praise Him.
So, why not worship Jesus Christ in this manner even now, before He takes the book? We might reason the eternal redemption plan is not quite complete; He has not actually overcome and taken the book yet; He does not have it in hand, not quite. But knowing by faith that He will do so, as God has revealed it to us, we can call those things which be not as though they were (Ro 4:17), and rejoice in Christ Jesus. (Php 3:3)
What is the alternative to glorifying Christ in this spectacular way? As we fail to honor the Son, we fail to honor the Father; honor them both in the same way or miss Him altogether. (Jn 5:23)
We can be sure, in that great day, no one in Heaven will be saying, “Look at me!” Father God will have already pre-empted this by inviting us all to approach Him and find out if we’re worthy. (Re 5:2) Perhaps some will dare to approach the holiness of God on their own merit, but all will be turned away: everyone else but Christ will fail. No surprise here.
And this is no small thing to casually overlook; the search is thorough and exhaustive; it may have taken millennia, we don’t know. What we do know is the Apostle John himself is so dismayed by the outcome he weeps uncontrollably, as if God’s eternal plan has failed, such that He will be unable to judge the world in righteousness by that one Person in Whom He invested everything in: Christ Jesus. (Ac 17:31) John should have known better, but he is evidently convinced of absolute, ultimate disaster, and he is undone, inconsolable.
Perhaps this is what makes the appearance of the victorious Lamb so satisfying: God did not cheat. There was no Plan B. If Jesus Christ is not absolutely, flawlessly perfect in every detail, every motive, every thought word and deed, for His entire eternal and earthly existence, there is no victory in the end … and Satan wins!
But Jesus Christ is PERFECT!!
“Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. (12) Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.” (13b)
Let us be moved to worship the Lamb, to the glory of God the Father, even now as we will then, with all intensity and abandon, casting down every high thing that exalts itself against knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ! (2Co 10:5)