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3 They sing a new song before the throne, and before the four living creatures and the elders. No one could learn the song except the one hundred forty-four thousand, those who had been redeemed out of the earth.
before the throne
John, to the seven assemblies that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace, from God, who is and who was and who is to come; and from the seven Spirits who are before his throne; (Revelation 1:4)
Out of the throne proceed lightnings, sounds, and thunders. There were seven lamps of fire burning before his throne, which are the seven Spirits of God. Before the throne was something like a sea of glass, similar to crystal. In the midst of the throne, and around the throne were four living creatures full of eyes before and behind. (Revelation 4:5-6)
the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne, and worship him who lives forever and ever, and throw their crowns before the throne, saying, "Worthy are you, our Lord and God, the Holy One, to receive the glory, the honor, and the power, for you created all things, and because of your desire they existed, and were created!" (Revelation 4:10-11)
All the angels were standing around the throne, the elders, and the four living creatures; and they fell on their faces before his throne, and worshiped God, (Revelation 7:11)
One of the elders answered, saying to me, "These who are arrayed in white robes, who are they, and from where did they come?" I told him, "My lord, you know." He said to me, "These are those who came out of the great tribulation. They washed their robes, and made them white in the Lamb's blood. Therefore they are before the throne of God, they serve him day and night in his temple. He who sits on the throne will spread his tent over them. (Revelation 7:13-15)
Another angel came and stood over the altar, having a golden censer. Much incense was given to him, that he should add it to the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar which was before the throne. (Revelation 8:3)
I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and they opened books. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged out of the things which were written in the books, according to their works. (Revelation 20:12)
before the four living creatures and the elders
Keep in mind that these locations being listed, before the throne, before the creatures and elders, set the atmosphere for what is transpiring here. A New Song is being sung, one that no one else can learn, not because it is impossible to memorize, but rather because it is unique to the experience of people who have been transcended beyond the narrow, dark opinions about what God is like, that are promoted by those who view Him as being like the beast and the dragon.
But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God. (John 3:21 NRSV)
In other words, they face the origin of light directly so the truth about its Source becomes unavoidably clear to everyone by its reflection in their lives.
To explore more about what these creatures and elders represent, review what we studied in chapter 4 where they are first introduced.
No one could learn the song except the one hundred forty-four thousand
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies. To him who overcomes, to him I will give of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written, which no one knows but he who receives it. (Revelation 2:17)
The question here is, why can no one else learn this song? What is it about this song that makes it impossible to learn except those who make up the 144,000?
One reason is that it is not referring to music composed of tones and lyrics like we think of music. This is about a unique, deeply intimate, internal emotional and spiritual experience in lives that reflect God's glory, particularly in the midst of wicked and perverse contexts.
So then, my beloved, even as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God who works in you both to will and to work, for his good pleasure. Do all things without murmurings and disputes, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you are seen as lights in the world, holding up the word of life.... (Philippians 2:12-16)
Those who continue to resist allowing God full access to cure their hearts of selfishness and dark notions about God, who cling to staying in control of their lives, cannot have this New Song experience. They fail to enter into the rest of believing that God's heart is worthy of their trust. Their hearts are locked and do not reflect the beauty praised in this Song, for it only experienced by those who have embraced their New Name, their true identity implanted in them by Jesus.
Let us fear therefore, lest perhaps anyone of you should seem to have come short of a promise of entering into his rest. For indeed we have had good news preached to us, even as they also did, but the word they heard didn't profit them, because it wasn't mixed with faith by those who heard. For we who have believed do enter into that rest.... (Hebrews 4:1-3)
The New Song is learned through daily, intentional resting and soaking and absorbing the love of the Father directly through exposure to His presence in the secret place. I like to refer to this as marinating, for that conveys how the flavor and essence of something can come to completely saturate my entire experience. By marinating in the presence of pure love, choosing to believe it is not only true but meant personally for me, and that the Lover is worthy of all my trust and affection and the Source is completely reliable, my life can be transformed through the renewing of my mind and heart until like Jesus who first fully reflected that same love, when people see me and feel the influence of my spirit saturated with God's Spirit, they only see and experience the love of the Father for them reflected through me.
You who live in the shelter of the Most High, who abide in the shadow of the Almighty, will say to the LORD, "My refuge and my fortress; my God, in whom I trust." (Psalms 91:1-2 NRSV)
This New Song is tightly linked to the truth about our identity as found in Jesus Christ, the new and everlasting Father of the human race, who alone has received full authority to define who we are and what it looks like to act like ourselves. This New Song is experienced and expressed as a result of opening the heart to the same glory of the Father that was mirrored by the Son of Man. He is the one who brings to us the authentic truth about God's heart, and He lived it out in the midst of His own perverse and crooked generation. This is the example He has given for us to follow.
In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness hasn't overcome it. (John 1:4-5)
While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become children of light..... (John 12:36)
But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord, the Spirit. (2 Corinthians 3:18)
The theme being described here is developed throughout this book. It is the refining of a group of people who are matured into the likeness of the Son of God until their reflection of God's character comes to completely reflect the same as witnessed in the life of Christ. Yet they do so, not by striving to keep God's rules or trusting in external merits from somewhere to supplement their own merits to earn God's favor. No, these ones reflect the truth about God in their lives because they take seriously the words and example of Jesus who shows us how to live as human reflectors of God as we were created to do – through saturation of our mind, heart and imagination with the glory of God so much that we are transformed into the same image as was reflected by His Son. This will become even more clear in our study in the next chapter.
Yes, take silver and gold, and make crowns, and set them on the head of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest; and speak to him, saying, 'Thus says Yahweh of Armies, "Behold, the man whose name is the Branch: and he shall grow up out of his place; and he shall build the temple of Yahweh; even he shall build the temple of Yahweh; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule on his throne; and he shall be a priest on his throne; and the counsel of peace shall be between them both. (Zechariah 6:11-13)
So then you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God, being built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the chief cornerstone; in whom the whole building, fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are built together for a habitation of God in the Spirit. (Ephesians 2:19-22)
...no longer be children, tossed back and forth and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in craftiness, after the wiles of error; but speaking truth in love, we may grow up in all things into him, who is the head, Christ; from whom all the body, being fitted and knit together through that which every joint supplies, according to the working in measure of each individual part, makes the body increase to the building up of itself in love. (Ephesians 4:14-16)
Putting away therefore all wickedness, all deceit, hypocrisies, envies, and all evil speaking, as newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the Word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious: coming to him, a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God, precious. You also, as living stones, are built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 2:1-5)
You therefore, beloved, knowing these things beforehand, beware, lest being carried away with the error of the wicked, you fall from your own steadfastness. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and forever. Amen. 1 John (2 Peter 3:17-18)
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, that you may proclaim the excellence of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light: (1 Peter 2:9)
This last verse zeroes in on the very essence of what this New Song is all about. It is the testimony of people in both words and how they relate to others, of the power of God's love to so transform sinners into passionate lovers of God that their witness cannot be controverted, for it is obvious they have been with Jesus.
Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and had perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marveled. They recognized that they had been with Jesus. (Acts 4:13)
What must be developed in order for final events to be brought to a close at the second coming of Christ, is a faithful witness of God's character through human exhibition on earth, a witness so clear that all the wiles of the enemy become exposed in the light of the true glory of God, reflected in the lives of those remaining loyal and faithful to the Lamb who is their hero, idol and trusted Savior.
This is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their works were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the light, and doesn't come to the light, lest his works would be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his works may be revealed, that they have been done in God." (John 3:19-21)
(An excellent resource for exploring this secret place experience is a book titled The Path of Prayer.)
What we are studying here is the beginning of a linear description extending to the end of chapter 16 where we discover a pinnacle of intensity as God's reflected glory is released through this group of people. This activity finally cracks the very foundation of the entire empire of evil. From there on we watch the spectacular collapse of Satan's whole system as the complicated matrix of his kingdom crumbles to the earth from the sheer weight of its own internal corruption. But keep in mind that the only weapons relied on by these Lamb-followers are intercessions and praises to God through the songs of their own lives reflective of the same glory as seen in the testimony of the Lamb.
Now the Lord is the Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord, the Spirit. (2 Corinthians 3:17-18)
It is the power inherent in this glory and released through the prayers and praises of the special ops forces of the Lamb – their revelations of the truth about what God is really like, His disposition, His character of love, the truth that there is no darkness in Him whatsoever – it is this power alone that will effectively disarm all the powers of darkness, evil, deception and wickedness. Force has no place in God's kingdom of love, but a revelation of the truth of God's goodness, kindness, graciousness and willing humility re-presented in the lives of those fully united and synchronized with His passionate heart of love and forgiveness, is more than a match to defeat all the slander, lies and accusations brought against Him by the accuser of the brethren, all the demons of hell or any other agent of evil.
those who had been redeemed out of the earth
They sing a new song: "You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slaughtered and by your blood you ransomed for God saints from every tribe and language and people and nation; (Revelation 5:9 NRSV)
Here the New Song is directly linked with the redemption of all who are willing to be transformed by the revelation of truth from God's heart as most explicitly revealed in the evidence of the blood of the slaughtered Lamb of God. This blood must be unlinked from any notion of appeasing an offended deity who is bent on punishing offenders unless payment sufficiently valuable purchases his willingness to forgive. That is pure paganism and blasphemy against our loving Father in whom is no shadow or hint of darkness. This redemption/ransom was not paid to God but was paid by God, and that is a huge paradigm shift for many. Yet those who learn this New Song appreciate this, so their lives glow with gratitude, joy, thanksgiving and praise as they intercede with prayers for the salvation of their enemies. This is true power, and this disposition can be found in its pure form in the testimony of the Lamb-followers who reflect how the Lamb related to His enemies while they unleashed all hell against Him after He came to live on this world the first time.
But now I come to you, and I say these things in the world, that they may have my joy made full in themselves. I have given them your word. The world hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I pray not that you would take them from the world, but that you would keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in your truth. Your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, even so I have sent them into the world. For their sakes I sanctify myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth. (John 17:13-19)
For I will proclaim the name of Yahweh. Ascribe greatness to our God! The Rock, his work is perfect, for all his ways are justice: a God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and right is he. They have dealt corruptly with him, they are not his children, it is their blemish. They are a perverse and crooked generation. Do you thus requite Yahweh, foolish people and unwise? Isn't he your father who has bought you? He has made you, and established you. (Deuteronomy 32:3-6)
The New Song runs like a hidden river all throughout history, though very often blurred in the witness of those chosen by God to reveal Him to the world. This New Song amplifies the truth about God's character of love, His name absorbed internally rather than superficially. Notice this does not mention anything about God being offended by our foolishness, but how we are foolish in how we respond to God despite His goodness, faithfulness, greatness and having been purchased by Him.
But Jesus summoned them, and said, "You know that the rulers of the nations lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you, but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. Whoever desires to be first among you shall be your bondservant, even as the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." (Matthew 20:25-28)
This ransom payment comes from God, not something paid to God. God so loved that He gave His beloved Son to save us. Anything less than this perspective is a terrible insult to His reputation.
But now apart from the law, a righteousness of God has been revealed, being testified by the law and the prophets; even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ to all and on all those who believe. For there is no distinction, for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God; being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus; whom God set forth to be an atoning sacrifice, through faith in his blood, for a demonstration of his righteousness through the passing over of prior sins, in God's forbearance; to demonstrate his righteousness at this present time; that he might himself be just, and the justifier of him who has faith in Jesus. (Romans 3:21-26)
Therefore don't be anxious, saying, 'What will we eat?', 'What will we drink?' or, 'With what will we be clothed?' For the Gentiles seek after all these things, for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first God's Kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things will be given to you as well. (Matthew 6:31-33)
Making God's salvation and the truth about His character of love preeminent in our priorities is the essence of this New Song. Choosing to saturate our imagination with praise and gratitude for God's goodness and faithfulness is the most powerful antidote to worry, fear and anxiety. It arouses trust and peace in us by re-framing our perspective, making problems opportunities for God to display His glory in our lives rather than rehearsing doubts that only increase our unbelief.
He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Most gladly therefore I will rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest on me. Therefore I take pleasure in weaknesses, in injuries, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then am I strong. (2 Corinthians 12:9-10)
In nothing be anxious, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. (Philippians 4:6)
Or don't you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you, which you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. Therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)
The real truth about this ransom paid by God is the incentive for the redeemed to glorify their Father both in body and in spirit. We need to be aware of what it means to glorify God, for this is what the New Song is about. It is combining petitions and praises that transforms our perspective of how completely God loves and cares for us. This is how we follow the Lamb wherever He goes.
For this cause, we also, since the day we heard this, don't cease praying and making requests for you, that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, that you may walk worthily of the Lord, to please him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all power, according to the might of his glory, for all endurance and perseverance with joy; giving thanks to the Father, who made us fit to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light; who delivered us out of the power of darkness, and translated us into the Kingdom of the Son of his love; in whom we have our redemption, the forgiveness of our sins; who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. (Colossians 1:9-15)
looking for the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ; who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify for himself a people for his own possession, zealous for good works. (Titus 2:13-14)
Since then the children have shared in flesh and blood, he also himself in like manner partook of the same, that through death he might bring to nothing him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and might deliver all of them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. (Hebrews 2:14-15)
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ, his Son, cleanses us from all sin. (1 John 1:7)
Sin at its core is distrust of God's motives towards us, believing God is a mixture of light and dark, using love and fear to manipulate us. When the true gospel conveyed through the evidence of the blood of Jesus Christ who reveals the true heart of the Father that sent Him to reveal this, becomes clear in our hearts, that truth sets us free to love with His love, trust God with the faith of Jesus and this is how we are cleansed from all distrust – sin. This is how we are reconciled to God – coming to agree with and embrace God's passionate love for us. This is the true meaning of atonement – not appeasement but being brought into oneness with our Father, at-one-ment by believing His reflection as witnessed by His Son. This is the true meaning and purpose for the blood of the Lamb.
My little children, I write these things to you so that you may not sin. If anyone sins, we have a Counselor with the Father, Jesus Christ, the righteous. And he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the whole world. (1 John 2:1-2)
