caught up, he has this scene in the throne room of God that is both majestic and frightening. There's an emphasis in all the elements that show up in chapter 4 on God as sitting on His throne and He is full of wrath. There is lightning and thunder coming from His throne. There are these seven lamps in front of the throne. They're the seven spirits of God. There are these four living beings in near proximity to Him with one on either side and in front and back. And then there's 24 elders seated on thrones that are around this whole scene. The description of these four living beings matches the seraphim in Isaiah 6, though much more of a description here, because now we find that these creatures are full of eyes all over the place. The 24 elders appear to be some separate class of angelic beings as well because they're later distinguished from both angels and from men. So these beings are there as well, these elders. And then they give a doxology, a glory to God that focuses in on His holiness, His omnipotence, His eternal state. Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and is and who is to come. The 24 elders then respond by falling down before God and casting their crowns before the throne, with their own praise then focused on God as creator. Worthy are you, O our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and because of your will they existed and were created. Revelation 5 continues the scene in this throne room. It's a different chapter, it's the same scene, except now the focus is going to start shifting. His attention now is going to be focused on Jesus Christ, who is worthy because He is the Redeemer. The last week's sermon focused on that, right? Jesus Christ is the Redeemer. He died in our place for our sins. And then he rose again on the third day proving everything he claimed about himself is true. And every promise he's made will come true. The sacrifice was accepted. Everything is in the scriptures. It's going to happen. Without that resurrection of Christ, which I emphasized in last week's sermon, we have no hope, correct? And we of all men would be most miserable because we believe the lie. But it isn't a lie. He rose from the dead and there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. So we can have confidence of assurance of eternal life with Him in heaven. Follow along as I read Revelation 5 and then we're going to come back and discuss the various sections within it. John records this, and I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a book written inside and on the back, sealed up with seven seals. And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, who is worthy to open the book and break its seals? And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the book or look into it. And I began to weep greatly because no one was found worthy to open the book or to look into it. And one of the elders said to me, stop weeping. Behold, the lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the root of David, has overcome so as to open the book and its seven seals. And I saw between the throne with the four living creatures and the elders a lamb standing, as if slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. And he came and he took it out of the right hand of him who sat on the throne. And when he had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, having each one a harp, a golden bolsa full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. and they sang a new song saying worthy art thou to take the book and to break its seals for thou was slain and did purchase for God with thy blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation and thou has made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God and they will reign upon the earth and I looked and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders and the number of them was myriads and myriads and thousands of thousands saying with a loud voice worthy is the land that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing and every created thing which is in the heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying, to him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb be blessing, and honor, and glory, and dominion forever and ever. And the four living creatures kept saying, Amen, and the elders fell down and worshiped." So Revelation 5 is continuing this description, and this is still a majestic scene. It begins with a focus on him who sat on the throne, and intentionally didn't call the fact that John saw, it'd actually be upon his right hand, don't think of him grasping, but his hand is open, it's an epi, and the scroll is laying in it. That's the right hand of God, and here's this book. It's actually a scroll. And he notices that this scroll, and a scroll is a long sheet. I think, let's go to the next slide. So I guess I took that one out. I had one with a scroll open. Most of you have seen that. So it's a long, it could be parchment, which animal skins of some sort, or papyrus, and it's in a long sheet, and you roll it from both ends, and you read in columns. And this one is sealed with seven seals, which this is a depiction of that. We'll talk about that in a second. One of the things he knows is it's written on the inside and on the back. So we can see the outside has writing, and the inside has writing. And that's somewhat unusual, because more commonly they would only have writing on the inside. So some portion of this must have been unfurled enough he could see inside, but there's also writing. So it is full. An example of this actually is in Jeremiah 36. Jeremiah had his prophecy written down. It was taken before the king, and the king didn't like it. So as the scroll was being unrolled he didn't like it, he had it cut off and he threw it in the fire. Well that didn't help him because Jeremiah just had it rewritten down. Got a copy of it. An example of a scroll written on both sides also occurs in Ezekiel 2.10 and from that Yahweh and it contained proclamations from God, as well as lamentations and mournings and woe. So John sees this scroll and it's sealed with seven seals. Now seals were used to authenticate a document, means it hasn't been tampered with. Usually made of wax and usually a stamp was impressed into that wax as the seal of who it actually belongs to. That was the purpose of signet rings, you press into wax, this is who it belongs to. At that time, a Roman will would often have seven seals to make it authentic. The seven seals would make this scroll very secure by keeping it closed in its constant secret until that seal is broken. Now in this case, each seal secures a section of the roll. Sometimes you see pictures and it's a big long roll and the seven seals are in a band along the long edge. That's not how this is being described. It's described either something like this, but it's on the edge, you can see there's seven of them, but as each seal is broken, a portion is now accessible to be read. Now, There have been a lot of ideas about what is in the scroll. What is the content? But just reading through the rest of the book, it's pretty easy to figure out. It's the prophecies that are being revealed and then being taken and fulfilled throughout the rest of the book of Revelation. It's actually pretty obvious. As each seal is broken, the next prophecy is revealed and then carried out. Now, not anybody could open the scroll, though. You had to have the proper credentials before you could open it and break into these seals. And if you violated that, you were liable to the person to whom the scroll belongs. In this case, who does it belong to? It's in the right hand of God. It belongs to Him. If someone's not worthy and they seek to break this, they're going to be punished by God. They're liable to Him. Now the next section is this whole quest. Well then who is worthy? This obviously is a very important scroll. But who can open it so we can know what the contents are? So it says a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, who is worthy to open the book and to break its seals? And then tragedy. No one in heaven or on earth or under the earth is able to open the book or look into it. Now some suggest a strong angle might be Gabriel, because Gabriel is the messenger of God in many other passages. And he's also told in Daniel chapter two, he's the one that tells Daniel to seal up the prophecies being given, so to try and make a connection there. Others suggest maybe Michael the archangel, because he's kind of a special involvement with the last days, Daniel 12, one through three deals with Michael. But this text here is pretty clear, isn't it? There's no name. And we have to assume that there's probably a reason for that. If God wanted it named, this angel named, he'd name it. He's not named, and that's the best way to leave it. It's an unnamed, strong angel, and the strength and the might of this angel, who is able to carry out God's will, is seen in the loud voice. Loud voice. He proclaims that question. Who is worthy to open the book and break his seal? The word worthy here has a root meaning of having weight to balance a scale. If you're trying to weigh something, old type scales that balance it, you put a weight here to see how much something weighs. That's the root of it, and so it came to mean somebody who has sufficient merit. Someone who is worthy to be able, if it was using a scale to purchase it, you brought enough money and the weight matches it. Merit, worthy. But the search here is, there is none. The whole realm of intelligent beings is searched. That which is in heaven, that which is on earth, that which is under the earth. So that encompasses everyone who's alive, everyone who has died, and all angelic beings. And there is no one. It's an exhaustive search. No one meets the qualifications. Is the scroll then just going to be left sealed? Well, John's reaction is very strong in verse 4, very emotional. The word weep here, kleia'o, is the same word that was used for professional mourners in Luke 8.32. And they could get pretty loud. It's also used to describe the weeping of the widow whose only son is on a briar and a funeral procession's being made when Jesus stopped the funeral and raised the son. I like that kind of funeral. But you can understand the anguish. She's a widow and this is her only son. She, the same word here. Same word is used in Peter's bitter weeping over his denial of Jesus. The weeping here is described as loud, but it's not wailing. There's a different word for wailing and that's not the word used here. And neither is it were the word for just shedding tears. That's the word that's used for Jesus at Lazarus's tomb. This probably be better to thought of as someone who's sobbing. They're so emotional about what is going on. If you've been to funerals, you've certainly seen people sobbing over some loved one who's died. And that's what's going on here. It's very emotional. He is distraught. How can the scroll be opened? How can it be known what's in it? How can the revelation of God be revealed, then, if no one can open the scroll? Well, his emotional distress was short-lived. One of the elders quickly corrected his false assumption. One of the elders said to me, stop weeping. It's actually in the command voice. Behold, the lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the root of David, has overcome, so as to open the book and its seven seals. The elder knew what John did not, that there actually is someone. Jesus actually did say the same thing to the widow at Nain when he stopped the funeral. He said, stop weeping. Now, if you were that widow, it's like, why would I stop weeping? I'm a widow and this is my only son. He's dead. Because Jesus knew what he was going to do. Stop weeping. Same thing was done to Jairus. His daughter was dead. And Jesus knows what he's going to do, so he tells Jairus, stop weeping. He knew he was going to raise her back to life. And so in this passage the elder knows that there is someone who meets the necessary qualifications is going to open the scrolls and break these seals. And so he calls John's attention to it and actually uses the demonstrative. Behold! That gets your attention, right? And we don't do that much anymore, do we? You walk up to someone. Behold! Right? Now if they did, they would get your attention, right? Try that on somebody sometime. Behold! I'm here! But that gets his attention. That's the point. So it's not just a throwaway word. It is calling attention. Announcement. The Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the root of Jesse. That's a messianic title. It goes all the way back to Jacob's prophecy about Judah as he's on his deathbed. Genesis 49, 9-10 deals specifically with this aspect of the prophecy concerning Judah and his descendants. Judah is a lion's whelp. From the prey, my son, you have gone up. He couches, he lies down as a lion, as a lion. Who dares rouse him up? And so the symbol for the tribe of Judah is a lion. And that lion metaphor then characterizes strength, and majesty, and courage, and wisdom. And the lion is a threat to all of its enemies and its prey. Lions being on the top of the food chain, it's often referred to as the king of the beasts. And that lends itself well to the second part of the prophecy, verse 10. The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet until Shiloh comes, and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples. Messianic, that's what's going to happen in the future. The Messiah is coming from the tribe of Judah, specifically the kingly line that began with David. David the root of Jesse fulfilling Isaiah 11, 1 and 10. He fulfills as well the Davidic covenant Covenant God made with David in 2 Samuel 7, 8-16. The Messiah here is also stated, the one who has overcome so as to open the book and its seven seals. Overcome here is a word we're somewhat familiar with. We get the word Nike from it. Victory. Yeah, that's why they named those shoes that, right? Wear these shoes and you'll have victory. Only if your legs run fast enough. But that's the idea. It's to conquer. And so John's sorrow quickly then turned to joy. There is somebody, the one who conquers, the one who has victory. He will be able to open the scroll and break the seals. And now John's attention is drawn to something else he sees in this scene on the throne room of God. Now he already described it once in chapter four and now he sees something else that is there and it says, I saw between the throne with the four living creatures and the elders a lamb standing as if slain, having seven horns, seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. Now, the four living creatures are near the throne. The elders are a little back from that and surrounding the throne. Now, depending on your translation, it might say between. The translation, I think New King James has it this way, it says in the midst of. That would be the proper translation of the Greek here. In Meso, it means to be in the middle of. What's being described here is Messiah is not before the throne. He's not in front of it. He's on it. That fulfills exactly the description in Revelation 321. He is on the throne with the Father. And he's described here as a lamb. Not just any lamb. This is a particular word, arneon. It's a diminutive form of the normal word for lamb. It will be used another 28 times in Revelation in referencing to Christ. It's a word for a meek lamb, a mild lamb, a young lamb. It's a word that's translated in Septuagint for the Passover lamb that was kept in the house for four days and became a pet. It's the word that shows up in Isaiah 53 7 in the Septuagint version of like a lamb that is led to slaughter, which also refers back to this Passover lamb. Now this lamb is standing and yet it has appearance as if slain. Well what is that referring to? Dead things don't stand. Well he's standing as if slain as he has the marks of his execution upon him. You've got to remember that after Jesus' resurrection When He appears before the disciples, He has the marks of the crucifixion and He actually shows them. Look at my hands. Look at my side. I have the marks. I am real. I'm flesh and blood. I'm standing in front of you. I'm not a spirit. So a lamb as if slain. Now there's a great contrast here that's going on. The lion of the tribe of Judah, but also the lamb. Both are present here. And yet, is that not the nature of Christ? Jesus is the one who came as the Lamb, meek, mild, to be sacrificed. And yet, He's also the Lion. Now, in the Old Testament, as you're looking at these messianic prophecies, the emphasis always ends up going on as He's a conqueror. That confused the disciples tremendously. And that's why even though Jesus kept telling them, this is what's gonna happen when I get to Jerusalem, they didn't understand it. And they didn't believe it when they were told that Jesus had risen from the dead. They didn't believe it until they actually physically saw him. Because the emphasis so much, Jesus as the conqueror, they couldn't get it through their minds, he's also the lamb. There's an ever-present danger that continues today in gospel presentations. Because so often it is proclaimed the lamb part of Christ. The sacrifice he made. Because the gospel is dependent upon it, right? Without that, we have to pay our own sins. His death, his burial, his resurrection. That becomes an emphasis. And there becomes an emphasis so much so that the part that he is the lion is left out. The lion is Lord, he is master, he is God in human flesh. And the promise is that he is returning not as a lamb, he is returning as the lion, the conqueror. We need to be careful here. If we fail to proclaim the truth about Jesus in his fullness, they have a different Jesus. If your Jesus is only a lamb and not a lion, if your Jesus is only Savior and not Lord, You have a different Jesus and you're not saved. I can't put it more bluntly than that. You have to have the correct Jesus. It has to be the one that's presented in scripture. The lamb is also unique here. And now we see the other aspect of the lamb that matches the lion part. It says he has seven horns and seven eyes. Again, seven you'll see often is the number of perfection. And so it's just used that way constantly in Hebrew scriptures. It symbolizes seven's perfection. But the horn symbolizes strength. So this is a perfect strength, perfect might. Horns pop up all over the place. In the prophecy of Balaam, Numbers 23-22, God is bringing Israel out of Egypt and is for him, God is for the Israelites, like the horns of the wild ox. It's using that analogy because this symbolizes strength. Same prophecy depicts Israel as a lion a couple verses later. Psalm 132.17 states, Yahweh will cause the horn of David to spring forth. I have prepared a lamp for mine anointed. His enemies I will clothe with shame, but upon himself his crown will shine. Again here referring to Messiah, but with a horn as strength. Zechariah 1, 18-21. You might recall, I remember when did I preach to Zechariah? A year ago or so. I said, you can't understand Revelation and understand Zechariah. Zechariah horns are used to symbolize the strength of nations that scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem. Horns are used that same way there. So this lamb does not remain meek and mild. The seven horns on him symbolize his perfect strength to overcome and accomplish all that he desires. Now the I's represent sight, intelligence, wisdom, Zechariah 4.10, we saw that when we studied that patch. The I's of Yahweh range to and fro throughout the earth. The seven I's specifically stated here, these are the seven spirits of God which we've seen several times in Revelation 1.4, 3.1, 4.5. The seven spirits of God describe the fullness of the Holy Spirit. That occurs in Isaiah 11, 2. He is the spirit of Yahweh. He is the spirit of wisdom, the spirit of understanding, the spirit of counsel, spirit of strength, the spirit of knowledge, spirit of fear of Yahweh. That's the fullness of the Holy Spirit. The Lamb sends out the seven spirits with authority through all the earth. That's in keeping with John 15, 26. Our understanding is the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son, and here we see the Son has sent out the Holy Spirit before the Father's throne. So describing Him and identifying this overcomer, John next describes the action of the Lamb. He came and took the book out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne. So the cause of John's fear, the cause of his sorrow is now removed. The one who is worthy now has taken the scroll. He is worthy to open it, break the seals in succession, and now it's in his possession. The Lamb has the scroll. What John next describes are the responses of those who are in God's throne room. So again, we're in God's throne room. He's simply describing what he's seeing. next week we begin to see what happens as he opens the scroll and each seal is being broken in succession but right now here's the immediate response the lamb has the scroll and when he had taken the book the scroll the four living creatures and the 24 elders fell down before the lamb each one holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense which are the prayers of the saints Now I'm just going to point something real quick here. Before they were falling down before what? The throne of God and Him who sat on the throne. Now we see that the Lamb is also on the throne, and He is also having these four living beings, these 24 elders, falling down and worshipping Him. Well, what does that make the Lamb? Who can be worshipped? Only God alone. And this is happening in front of Him who's sitting on the throne. The Lamb is God. Now, that gets confusing because we have a triune God. It's three persons and one being. So don't try to figure that one out. You can't. He's different than us. I don't have a clue. I just know it's one being exists in three distinct persons. And here he is being worshipped. The harp is a traditional musical instrument used in the worship of God. It occurs a lot throughout the Psalms. often with other instruments, but it's one of the instruments that's used in the worship of God. It's also, therefore, because of that, associated with joy and gladness, because of its usage in the Psalms. Also associated with prophecy, we find the prophets, 1 Samuel 10, 4, 1 Chronicles 25, 3, the prophets are coming, having harps, and they're singing about God using their harps. So it's associated with them as well. Now the golden bowls of incense are also part of worship. Golden bowls of incense were found in both the tabernacle and in the temple. And they will continue to be used in the house of the Lord in the future. The kingdom, Zechariah 14, 20 tells us that. So that's going to continue. And a particular incense would be burned in those bowls in the tabernacle and the temple in the morning and the evening perpetually. It was something ongoing. Now that is a priestly function. Psalm 141 verse 2, David expressed his own desire that his prayers would rise to God as incense. That pops up in some of the songs that we sing. That phrasing, it comes from the psalm. That's the analogy here, and so using that metaphor here, it states the incense here, as it's burning, the smoke rising, are the prayers of the saints. That supports, again, the priesthood of the believer. We have direct access to God through Christ. I don't have to go through somebody else. That's an important doctrine from us. Prior to that, you always had to have the special person, had the special relationship with God, and you had to go through them to access God. No, these are prayers of the saints, a direct access to God. Now, which saints are offering these prayers? Now, a lot of speculation on that, but the context actually is fairly simple. Remember, we are now in the section of the book dealing with the future. And these are prayers of the saints that are taking place in the future. So these are those that are going to be part of that seven years of tribulation, which begins according to Daniel 9 with a covenant made with the Antichrist and the nation of Israel as it exists at that point in time. That begins it. The wrath of God begins to be poured out as the seals are broken. So these are future prayers of the saints through that whole period of time. Now the worship then continues, so you have the 24 elders, you have these four living beings that have fallen and worshipping Him and giving glory to Him, but now there's going to break into song. look at verse 9, and they sang a new song saying worthy are you to take the book and break its seals for you were slain and purchased for God with your own, with your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation you have made them to be a kingdom and priesthood of God and they will reign upon the earth this is the first anthem of praise in the chapter it's a song that's new in its quality and its content and not in reference to time the they here singing That's the subject of the verb of the first part of this compound sentence which is the four living beings and the 24 elders. They're singing. The anthem declares why Messiah is worthy to take the book and break its seals. Specifically because of what He has done for humans. Notice it's not for themselves. It's what He has done for mankind. Christ made the blood of atonement necessary to purchase people for God. He's paid the price. And that matches Paul's statements in 1 Corinthians 6.20 and 7.23 that we were bought with a price. Peter says the precious blood of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ. We are purchased. Ever think about that? You've been bought. Does that mean that you can be autonomous? No. You have a choice, but it's not about being a slave or not being a slave. The question is whose slave are you? Romans 6 makes it clear you're either a slave of sin or a slave of righteousness. You were purchased with a price so you could be a slave of righteousness. That's this whole argument in Romans 6. This is who you are. You're purchased. The four groups of humanity categorized is comprehensive and yet not universal. There are some but not all from each category. There are some from every tribe, tribe referring to those who are closely related by blood or marriage. There are some from every tongue, but not all from every tongue. And that tongue refers to those who speak the same language. There are some who are people from, The people here, there's some from all people or peoples, but not every person, not every person within all peoples. Peoples is similar to tribe, but it's several generations farther back. what could be described, so you had the 12 sons of Israel, and so each son becomes a tribe, but the people of Israel go back a generation. That includes all of them. That'd be a way to understand that. Nation refers to those who are grouped together by common culture or political boundaries. So this is comprehensive, but not everybody is going to be part of this, but there are some from every kind of group. Now the purpose of the purchase is to make those so redeemed, quote, to be a kingdom and priest to our God, they will reign upon the earth. Now that's, again, a reference, because we're talking about what's going to happen in the future, this future kingdom of Christ. The promise of reigning with God upon the earth, we already saw that in the letter to Thyatira and the letter to Philadelphia. That was promised to those who would be overcomers. Same promise is given to all Christians in 1 Corinthians 6, 2 Timothy 2, 1 Peter 2, 9 states it this way. You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, so you may proclaim the excellencies of him who has called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. That is why you were purchased with his blood, so that you would do this very thing. That makes your kingdom priests a holy nation before him. But this is our purpose. This is what we're to do. Now it doesn't stop there though. That's just the first anthem. The first anthem, remember, starts because the lamb was found worthy and has taken the scroll. It's in his possession. So the 24 elders, the four living beings, they have done this first anthem. Well now another group joins in them. Look at verse 11. And then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, and the living creatures, and the elders, the number of them was myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and might, and honor, and glory, and blessing. So he sees now, as he's continually looking, suddenly there's all these loud voices and there's angels giving praise to God and an incredible amount of angels, an innumerable amount of angels. Myriad means 10,000. These are myriads of myriads. John can't number them. And just to emphasize the point, upon what number he can't figure out already, myriads and myriads, if you can get to that, well there's thousands and thousands on top of that too. That's what he's seeing. So now you can picture the four living beings are around the immediate throne, 24 elders around them, and then a sphere of all these angels around all of it. and shouting out this praise to God of His character, His worthiness. Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing. And if I had a really nice voice I'd sing it like it is and Handel's Messiah when he sings that section. It's powerful. This doxology is focused on the praise to the Lamb because of what he's done on behalf of men. He was slain in our place on behalf of us, so our sin problem is taken care of. He is worthy. He has the merit to receive the accolades that are given to him. And the repetition of the conjunction to each one gives each one an emphasis in this complex expression of praise. Well, what are these things? power, dunamis, the capacity and virtue of ability, riches, plutos, an abundance of possessions, wisdom, sophia, the capacity to understand and act accordingly, might, ischus, the factual capability, not just potential but the actual. Honor, to me, the worth of status or status ascribed to a person. Glory, doxa, divine mode of being or the divine splendor, real glory is that which reflects God. And then blessing, Eulgia, refers to praise for benefits received. Because of Jesus' death as a redemption prize for man's sin, he's worthy to receive all these things, and all of them shall be given to him, and all of them already are his possession. Jesus has already been given all authority, hasn't he? Matthew 28, 18, part of the Great Commission. It's because he has all authority we can be confident to go out and make disciples. He has authority, why? Because John 3.55 tells us, all things have been given into His hand. He is already the wisdom, the power of God, 1 Corinthians 1.24. It is the strength of His might that enables us to fight the spiritual battle. So if He didn't have that characteristic, we're toast. Okay? We fight it in His strength, not our own. His death has already crowned Him with glory and honor, Hebrews 2.9, and He is already over all and God-blessed forever, Romans 9.5. Well, it doesn't stop there either. The praise and worship John describes now increases again. Verses 13 and 14. How can you increase it beyond all these angels? You can't even count them. Well, it does. every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea and all things in them I heard saying to him who sits on the throne and to the lamb be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever the four living creatures kept saying amen the elders fell down and worshiped so 24 elders four living beings Angels around everything and now all of creation joins in. Everything. It's very comprehensive here. Now it's probably restricted to living creatures but I think you also have to remember that there are several passages that talk about inanimate objects praising God too. The heavens declare the glory of God. The firmament shows forth his handiwork. It goes on a little later in that psalm as their line has gone out through all the world. The stars sing. That's a more literal translation of that. Isaiah 55, 12, the mountains and hills will break forth into shouts of joy before you. The trees, the field will clap their hands. Kind of interesting what shouting mountains sound like. but they break out into praise, too. Philippians 2.10.11, though, point out something similar that's going to happen in the future. It's pointing to the same thing. At the name of Jesus, every knee shall bow, and those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. Now, notice well here that this theology is given to praise to the Lamb to him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb is to both of them. Again, that's in keeping with the nature of this triune God. Three persons in one being. Each is distinct, and yet they're one. I pointed out earlier, the Lamb is also on the throne, and here is receiving the same praise and glory as the one who sits on the throne. The blessing by all of creation is a truncated version of that given by the various angelic beings. Blessing, honor, glory, and then added here is dominion forever and ever. Dominion is referring to the power to rule, and that belongs to Jesus, 1 Peter 4, 11. And it's going to continue forever and ever. We're told that in the Old Testament, Exodus 15, 18. Psalms declare that, Psalm 45, 6. Peter declares that, 1 Peter 4, 11. The praise continues forever and ever. There's a response to the four living beings punctuates this praise. The word amen is a Hebrew word. And it is a very strong affirmation that what has been said, what has been declared is true. You're affirming along with it. That's why we'll say amen at the end of a prayer, is we are agreeing with what the other person has been praying. Or if there's something you agree with, you can say amen, because that's what it means. So the four living beings at this praise given to God, they agree. And they kept saying it, amen, amen, and amen. And the 24 elders respond, yet again, they fall down and they worship. Bowing down is worship. I'm humbling myself before my creator and the one who saved mankind. Now all creation can join in that, partly because we've known from Romans 8 that creation itself is longing for its redemption, which is something that is purchased by Christ as well at the cross. It was cursed, it's going to be released from that curse, and it's all tied into Christ as well. So they're going to sing as part of this this praise to God because He is worthy of it. Now that's the activity in God's throne room in heaven. That is the response to Jesus Christ being worthy to open the scroll and break the seals because of this atoning sacrifice for mankind. Our response needs to reflect those realities. Doxologies are often common elements in the worship of God, and it occurs in Christian churches. Churches have different doxologies, but there's going to be at least one of them every service for something. And it's proper. It's not enough, though, just to mouth words. Pagans can sing a doxology. They can mouth the words. It needs to be something that actually is arising from your own heart. Otherwise, it just degenerates into vain repetition. The praise, the glory that is given to God the Father as our Creator. The praise, the glory that is given to Jesus Christ as our Savior. The praise, the glory that is given to the Holy Spirit who regenerates us and sustains us in living in righteousness. Those praises, that glory given to them needs to come from our own hearts. A true expression of what we believe and for what we're grateful for. Now whether that is true or just lip service is demonstrated ultimately by how you live. And that can really be summarized in something simple. First Corinthians 10 31 tells us that whether then you eat or drink or all that you do, do for the glory of God. The point is pretty simple there. If the most mundane things you do in life, eat and drink, because if you don't you're gonna die, Right? So it's something we commonly do. If you're going to do something that mundane for the glory of Christ, what does that mean about everything else in your life? It also needs to be done for the glory of Christ. That's the way we're to live our lives. That demonstrates that giving a doxology is something from the heart, because I'm living it out as well. My God is worthy of everything. Everything. He is worthy of all power, he is worthy of all riches, he is worthy of all wisdom, all might, all honor, all glory, all blessing, all dominion, my life. father thank you for the the truth of this and that you even allow us this great privilege of giving praise to you. Father, that is how we do want to live. That's how we want to demonstrate, not just in lip service, but Father, with truth and reality, that you are the one that we worship. You're the one we want to glorify. Jesus Christ is worthy. In Jesus' name.