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The book of Revelation is filled with hymns of praise and worship to the Lord God, and has inspired countless other hymns through the centuries. The late Bruce Metzger describes the hymn of our text as “a lyrical outburst celebrating the greatness of God” [Breaking the Code: Understanding the Book of Revelation, 81-82]. I like the term “outburst,” because it describes something that cannot be contained; something within that must come forth. In this case, it is intense consciousness of the greatness of God that must be expressed vocally. That’s really a good way to describe, at least some aspect of, worship. It is the outburst of the soul weighed down and filled up with the greatness of God.
I don’t think any of us imagine that everything called “worship” can be described like that! Often, what is called worship is not worship. It may be passing the time in a religious service; or it may be varied forms of entertainment; or it may be so much religious noise; or it may be in the category of a religious pep rally. But it’s not worship. Worship, if true worship, is consumed with the living God: His ways, His works, His attributes, His character, His judgments, and His Person.
Do not think that this kind of worship is one-dimensional. We’re contemplating and extolling the living God! That cannot fit into one particular liturgy or one hymnal or one style of music or one denomination or one approach to worship. The glory of God that fills the heavens offers the worshiper an infinite thesaurus for worship.
That’s why we must never take our worship cues from the world, as happens so often in our day. That makes as much sense as seeking the counsel of Castro and Chavez to learn about democracy! We do not learn to worship our God rightly by listening to the latest worship polls, entertainment experts, and church growth gurus. Though worship is immense, the nature of true worship is narrow. Jesus declared, “God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:24). Because God is God and not man, because of His nature we cannot approach Him anyway that we desire. He must be worshiped in ways that He has prescribed to be worship. The best way to discover the ways to worship is through the Bible. Particularly, the book of Revelation, directs the church’s gaze to heaven to learn how to worship on earth. Heavenly worship serves as the model for our ongoing worship. How does John instruct us regarding worship?
I know that is unusual; maybe even startling. But that’s what we see as we read our text. In the midst of judgment narratives we find worship. Even in the themes of worship we discover the heavenly worshipers extolling God’s judgments. In that sense, worship and judgment are in concert together. They are not odd companions if God is the one being worshiped and the one exercising judgment.
John will repeat the phrase, “great and marvelous,” in the worship hymn. But first, he uses the adjectives to describe “another sign in heaven.” It is “another sign” since we’ve already seen a couple of other signs in chapter 12. One, referring to the woman clothed with the sun—pictures the church; the other, the great red dragon with seven heads and ten horns—pictures the devil as the church’s adversary. Here the sign is distinguished as “great and marvelous,” or something large, massive, even transcendent as well as awe-inspiring, wondrous, and amazing. John introduces us to another series of judgments, but this series, unlike the others, is called “the last.” Though the seals and trumpets aimed for the end, the bowls of wrath are described as the culmination of God’s judgments. “Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous, seven angels who had seven plagues, which are the last, because in them the wrath of God is finished.”
The Gospel of John uses the same term “sign,” at least seventeen times. The signs that Christ performed, such as changing the water into wine at Cana of Galilee, were pointers that helped the onlookers to see beyond the sign to the ultimate reality in Christ. Signs are not an end in themselves. Signs “lead us to something out of and beyond itself; that, so to speak, it is a kind of finger-post of God” [R.C. Trench, Synonyms of the New Testament, 342-343]. John actually uses the word also in the context of the second beast or false prophet who performed great signs that served to point people to worshiping the beast (13:13-14). But here, the clear focus is that the sign of the seven angels with seven plagues preparing for pouring out God’s wrath, serve as a sign to point us to the Lord God. For believers, it points us to worship God for His justice and faithfulness to vindicate His great name among His people. For those unbelieving, the sign serves as a warning that God is a God of judgment; His warning is an act of His great mercy to point all to the crucified Christ—the only refuge from judgment.
Much of John’s language in Revelation has been shaped by Old Testament passages. Chief among them has to be the story of the Exodus with God’s people in bondage, the Lord delivering His suffering people through plagues of judgment on Egypt that took them across the Red Sea to freedom. John intends to make the connection with that first Exodus as an antecedent for the ultimate Exodus at the cross. As God’s wrath fell upon Egypt for their animosity toward the Lord God and His people, His wrath will fall globally upon the world that is antagonistic toward Christ and the redeemed.
Chapters 15 and 16 fit together in John’s schematic. He introduces judgment then moves to worship then goes into the unfolding scene of judgment originating in heaven before falling on the earth. The sign “in heaven” reminds us that he is speaking of divine origin not mere chance or misfortune. God directs the exercise of divine judgment against the world.
As we’ve already noted by way of pattern in Revelation, there’s continuing prophetic layering as the Apostle gives us new snapshots in the massive tapestry of the world between the first and second advents of Christ. His concern is not to give us a chart or a chronological timeline; rather, John wants us to consider from various angles and multiplied experiences of the people of God, that the sovereign Lord is moving every detail of human history toward the grand culmination of the eternal reign of His Son. In that reign, the redeemed will find eternal rest and worship while the unbelieving will face eternal wrath.
God’s wrath unfolds at various stages throughout humanity until the final assize when His judgments are complete. That’s what John aims for in the prophetic language of the seven bowls. This great sign pictures “seven angels who had seven plagues, which are the last, because in them the wrath of God is finished.” We’ve already noted how the end of the seven seals (6:12-17; 8:1) and seven trumpets (11:15-19) bring us to the culmination of judgment shown by the great harvest in 14:14-20. The bowls of wrath do the same with language borrowed from Exodus 7-15. He intends to help us grasp the finality of judgment by what the Lord did to Egypt plague by plague until the last plague. The plagues in Egypt, then, are the type of which the last plagues are the antitype. Greg Beale explains that since the disciples viewed the “last days” as that period from Christ’s ascension to His return, therefore, “the bowl plagues would extend throughout the course of the latter-day period, from Christ’s first to second coming” [NIGTC: Revelation, 786-787]. He concludes, “The full portrait of God’s wrath will be finished when all the bowl visions have been painted on the heavenly canvas” [788]. Then “the wrath of God is finished,” brought to the grand conclusion planned before the foundation of the world (etelesthe in the Greek from teleos—the end).
John has no qualms about discussing worship while explaining judgment. There’s no contradiction when (1) we grasp the singular holiness and righteousness of our God, and (2) recognize the sinfulness of humanity and (3) the necessity of eternal justice. God is worshiped, not only for the greatness of His person but also for His righteous judgments.
The background of verse 2 is found in Exodus 14. By God’s great mercy, the Red Sea separated God’s people from the object of His wrath—the Egyptians. They stood on the seashore and “saw the great power which the Lord had used against the Egyptians,” and they feared the Lord and believed Him (Ex. 14:31). Worship then took place through The Song of Moses, as they sang to the Lord of His greatness and strength in judging the Egyptians and delivering them by His strong hand.
But John’s picture is much greater. “And I saw something like a sea of glass mixed with fire, and those who had been victorious over the beast and [over] his image and [over] the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, holding harps of God.” The scene moves from Sinai to heaven, from the Red Sea to “a sea of glass mixed with fire,” with the glass symbolizing God’s transcendent purity and the fire symbolizing divine judgment. Who are these people standing on the sea and worshiping, which is pictured by holding “harps of God” (or “harps for playing to God” as Beale points out, 791)? It is those who had been victorious over the beast. The repetition in the Greek of the preposition ek, translated as “over,” in this case, stresses the effectiveness of Christ’s conquering work. How were they victorious over the beast? He’s already told us. “And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death” (12:11). Here are the redeemed—the saints, who had endured much at the hand of the beast to whom it was given “to overcome them” (13:7). But here is the great message that underlies John’s description: the beast cannot overcome those eternally secured through the death of Christ. The events on earth often obscure the reality in heaven. The beast—that figure representing the governing world in opposition to God—temporally appears to defeat the saints. Yet the reality is that through the blood of Christ the saints have “been victorious over the beast and over his image and over the number of his name.” No aspect of the beast’s evil strokes is left (thus the repeated detail of overcoming him). The victory through Christ is complete!
These heavenly worshipers are introduced in a judgment narrative because there is no contradiction in God’s worthiness to be worshiped and His exercise of judgment. His judgments are always just, a theme echoed in the worship hymn.
The continued use of Exodus language helps us to grasp in tangible fashion the heavenly scene of worship. Can you imagine what it must have been like as the Israelites stood on the seashore after crossing on dry land and then watching Pharaoh’s army drown? They stood in awe of the power and might of the Lord. They had feared Pharaoh’s reach would snatch them back into bondage. But God had promised to deliver them—and He did! Now, standing on the shore of the Red Sea, they worshiped.
But a greater scene is found in heaven. Those facing the persecution of the world, even facing death by the hand of the enemies of the gospel, now stand by “a sea of glass mixed with fire.” They stand “victorious over the beast.” But we do not hear them speaking of how great they did or how creative they were while under persecution. They only had praise for their God who had delivered them. Derek Thomas is right. “This is always the way of biblical worship: to begin with God and to end with God. Worship is impoverished and becomes so much idolatry whenever God is not at the center” [www.fpcjackson.org/resources/sermons—see Revelation 15 “Victory Song of the Saints,” p. 2]. In continuing the comparison, another writer added, “As Israel once stood on the banks of the Red Sea and celebrated God’s liberating act of the exodus, the church will stand on the shore of the heavenly sea and sing the song of Moses and the Lamb” [Eugene Boring, Interpretation: Revelation, 173].
Notice that “they,” plural, referring to the saints of God in heaven, “sang the song of Moses, the bond-servant of God, and the song of the Lamb.” Did they sing two different songs, one by or about Moses and the other by or about the Lamb? Quite often in the Greek language, the word most often translated as “and” (kai) is used, as grammarians call it, epexegetically. That is, what precedes the “and,” is explained by what follows. We can translate it like this, “And they sang the song of Moses the servant of God, that is (or ‘even’ or ‘by that I mean’) the song of the Lamb.” “It is not two distinct songs but only one,” writes Beale; “the saints praise the Lamb’s victory as the typological fulfillment of that to which the Red Sea victory pointed” [792]. The victory of the Red Sea is the antecedent to the greater victory won by Christ at the cross and culminated in heaven.
The general theme of the song that follows in verses 3-4 is found in “the song of Moses” that followed the victory at the Red Sea (Exodus 15:1-18). It’s a deliverance song featuring praise for the Lord’s might and details of the works of God in accomplishing the deliverance through judgment. However, the language of John’s song in Revelation seems to be borrowed more from Moses’ song in Deuteronomy 32. There we find similar phrases: “Ascribe greatness to our God” (32:3) “For all His ways are just; a God of faithfulness and without injustice, righteous and upright is He” (32:4). And also we find language borrowed from Jeremiah 10:7, “Who would not fear You, O King of the nations?” The Psalmist’s language is borrowed as well. “All nations whom You have made shall come and worship before You, O Lord, and they shall glorify Your name. For You are great and do wondrous deeds; You alone are God” (86:9-10). “For He has done wonderful things, His right hand and His holy arm have gained the victory for Him. The Lord has made known His salvation; He has revealed His righteousness in the sight of the nations” (98:1-2). “The Lord is righteous in all His ways and kind in all His deeds” (145:17).
Though the song is brief, it is laden with rich themes to help us consider how we are to worship the Lord our God. The language extols the Lord: “great and marvelous are Your works.” John uses the word “great” quite frequently in Revelation. Here he gives it additional significance since he considers the grandeur of God’s works. They are not small or insignificant or unimportant. They are great…majestic…grand…large. “Marvelous” translates a term meaning amazing, awe-filled, wondrous, and awesome: it is that which causes us to pause and gaze in wonder. I draw attention to the words “great and marvelous,” as well as “righteous and true,” that offer some of the vocabulary of our worship. The use of adjectives and superlatives that help express our marveling at His character, attributes, and works is healthy. As long as it does not detract from the reverence due to His name by lowering God to the street, but expresses something of honor and worthiness to Him, then it is appropriate in our worship.
For example, several years ago, the late Rich Mullins used the word “awesome” in a hymn that he wrote. Several centuries earlier, Isaac Watts used the word “awful” that conveyed the same thing in 18th century language. “Our God is an awesome God, He reigns from heaven above, with wisdom pow’r and love, our God is an awesome God” (1997). Compare with, “How sweet and awful is the place, with Christ within the doors” (1707). If someone in our day wrote, “Our God is an awful God,” unless we understood the original meaning of the word, then we might get the wrong idea! Mullins used current language, “awesome,” to heighten our understanding of God’s sovereign reign in the same way that Watts did in his day. However, if he had written, “Our God is an awesome Dude,” then that would have taken an appropriate adjective and lowered it to the street by the noun, thus denigrating God of the honor due to His name. So, let us use language to the fullest but let us give care to make sure that our language appropriately conveys honor to the Lord.
What do we focus on when worshiping the Lord? The one thing that is noticeably absent from the song in verses 3-4 is that there’s no mention of those who were victorious over the beast! They did not sing about themselves but about the Lord our God. The weakness in much of today’s Christian music is its sentimental self-attention rather than majestic focus upon the Lord. We must judge music primarily in this regard: does it honor the Lord? Our good friend, Ken Puls, has written a series of helpful questions by which we can evaluate the doctrinal soundness of the songs and hymns that we sing:
Does it invite us into the presence of God?
Does it focus our attention on God—His attributes, and works?
Does it call upon God to meet with us in worship?
Does it declare and proclaim His Word to us?
Does it help us confess our sin?
Does it help us to rejoice in Christ and the forgiveness of sin?
Does it teach us by expounding the truth of God’s Word?
Does it commission us to go out and live in obedience?
Does it voice our prayers and petitions to God?
Does it remind us of the promises of His Word?
Does it express our praise and adoration to God?
Does it express our thanksgiving to God?
Does it voice our submission to God in obedience to His Word?
[“Music and the Church: Finding Our Voice in Worship,” Founders Journal, issue 67, Winter 2007, p. 5]
Multiple themes are identified in this song. First, we worship by extolling God’s actions: “Great and marvelous are Your works…righteous and true are Your ways.” Both works and ways imply divine activity. “Your works” can be His work of creation or redemption or protection or preservation or supplying our needs or sustaining the world. In this context, I think we can assume that the overcoming saints were thinking of the work of redemption through Jesus Christ. That had already filled their praises with the theme, and will yet fill their praises later in Revelation (5:9-10, 12, 13; 7:10; 12:10-12; 14:3; 19:5-7). Do you offer praise to the Lord for His works that not only affect you personally, but also affect all of human history?
The latter, in this context, (“ways”) probably is a consideration of God’s providential governing of the affairs of humanity and the execution of His judgments. In this, we think of those details of how God accomplishes His eternal purposes and maintains eternal justice. Do you praise the Lord for His wise rule, for the details that He works out in your life—even when you don’t fully understand what God is accomplishing?
Second, we worship by extolling God’s sovereignty: “O Lord God, the Almighty…King of the nations!” The first title is commonly used of the Lord throughout the Bible. It identifies His sovereign rule as Creator and divine Governor. “Almighty” is a compound word that expresses His authority, might, strength, and power over all—God’s omnipotence. It emphasizes His sovereign rule by the exercise of His power to do so. “King of the nations” shows that His sovereign rule is not limited to the Church but extends to all peoples in all geographical regions throughout all history. Do you express your profound gratitude and awe of our God’s sovereign might?
Third, we worship by extolling God’s character: “righteous and true…for You alone are holy.” Righteousness and holiness share some kinship (dikaiai and hosios); often used together in ancient literature, though a distinction exists. Righteousness is primarily a legal term. God’s ways are not unpredictable as though He has no moral framework or no laws governing even His actions. Rather, He acts in righteousness; His divine government displays justice in every way. He is always consistent with His holy character. The word for “holy” means “perfect purity” [Leon Morris, TNTC: Revelation, 189], and conveys the idea that God is consciously pure in all that He does [Friedrich Hauck, “ΌΣΙΟΣ,”TDNT, ed. Kittel & Friedrich, vol. 5, 490]. In this case, John further expresses by the singular holiness of God, “He and He alone is worthy to be praised and perfectly blameless, maintaining righteousness and truth without abridgment or disruption, and bringing salvation by His acts” [Hauck, 492]. That He is “true” assures us that He never changes; He is immutable; He is faithful as the only holy One. Do you glory in the Lord for His holiness, righteousness, and faithfulness?
Fourth, we worship by extolling His worthiness: “Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify Your name? …For all the nations will come and worship before You. As Creator and Ruler, God alone is worthy to be praised by “all the nations.” The universal scope of His reign, and the displays of His grace and mercy, serves as motivation for all men to worship Him. Granted, because of the foolishness of men’s hearts, all do not worship Him—not yet, anyway. But we are assured throughout Revelation and the rest of Scripture that even the most recalcitrant rebels will one day acknowledge His sovereignty and bow before Him as Lord—even when facing His eternal judgment. Do you praise the Lord for the universality of His worship? Do you praise Him that one day all the nations will bow before Him as Lord?
Fifth, we worship by extolling His judgments: “your righteous acts have been revealed.” The phrase, “righteous acts,” particularly refers to God’s judicial actions. They are two-fold. His righteousness is revealed in judging all of those who are marked by the beast—that is, all that do not know Him through Christ and thus rightly worship Him. We are to praise the Lord for judging unbelievers. Yes, we pray for His mercy toward them but we praise Him that He is just in judging them. Second, His righteous judgment has been revealed at the cross where Jesus bore the full-weight of His eternal justice through His bloody death. We worship the Lord for the Lamb of God who was slain, and who purchased for God with His blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation (5:9). Does the cross motivate you to worship?
If those already in heaven worship with these kinds of themes, then shouldn’t we do the same? Think upon the Lord; fill your mind with the rich doctrinal themes of Scripture; mull them over and then, like the heavenly choristers, offer your “lyrical outburst celebrating the greatness of God” [Metzger, 81-82].
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