Revelation 5: 12-13 (KJV) And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts 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. And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.
Earlier this year, I had the honor to hear a live production of several selections from Handel’s Messiah. My favorite selection is from this portion of Scripture. The Messiah follows Christ from prophecy to His birth to that glorious day when He is seated on His throne with believers of all ages praising Him. The audience stood when the choir sang “Worthy is the Lamb”, the words of which are from this passage of Scripture in Revelation. “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain and hath redeemed us to God – to God by his blood.” As they sang, I began to imagine singing it with them. Not just here in an earthly choir, but at the throne of Jesus Christ with my loved ones who have gone before me.
Can you imagine it for just a moment? There is a rainbow around the throne as a reminder that Christ has kept every promise throughout the ages. On the throne, He sits who is more beautiful that any jewel or gemstone known to man. And around Him, there is not just a throng of grateful believers. I am there too. I am one of those praising Him because He is worthy to receive all my praise. I am the one singing “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain” to my Savior. He is so worthy!
The greatest exhibition of the love of Christ was His death on the cross for the sins of the world. Isaiah prophesied Christ’s horrible death. Here are some passages from Isaiah 53. “He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief… he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities… and with his stripes we are healed… and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth.”
The afflictions Jesus suffered on the cross are unimaginable. Doctors have tried to tell us what His physical pain must have been, and preachers have tried to explain the pain of God the Son being separated from God the Father. And yet, I believe it must have been much worse than we could ever express with words. But Christ was willing to go to the cross because He loved us. He loved us while we were yet sinners (Rom. 5:8). He loved us even when He knew who we were. He even loved those who He knew would reject Him. There is truly no greater love than this. That God Almighty, Creator of the universe, perfect in every sense of the word, would shed his blood for me, die in a horrible, painful, shameful manner, so that I could be with Him in heaven. He truly is worthy of any praise and glory and honor and blessing that I can give Him.