“Rejoicing in heaven in Revelation 4-5

June 2022 – Grace & Truth Magazine

QUESTION: How is the joy in heaven and the joy in the presence of the angels over a sinner’s coming to Christ in Luke 15:7,10 different from the rejoicing in heaven in Revelation 4–5?

ANSWER: While both of these passages bring the subject of joy in heaven before us, their settings are quite different in many ways. In Luke 15 we are introduced to three separate parables that show us that each member of the Godhead has His own distinct role in the salvation of sinners. The parables are commonly called:

1. The Parable Of The Lost Sheep (vv.1-7)
2. The Parable Of The Lost Coin (vv.8-10)
3. The Parable Of The Lost Son (vv.11-32)

Angels are very interested in God’s work on earth. Throughout the Old Testament and even the New we find them interested in and often, as God’s messengers, taking part in things here. At present God is working to save individuals, whom He adds as “living stones” (1 Pet. 2:5 NKJV) to the Church for which His Son gave His life at Calvary. God’s angels rejoice when they see men and women, boys and girls, repenting and, by trusting Christ as Savior and Lord, being delivered from the power of God’s enemy: the Devil (consider Heb. 2:14-15). This is happening every day as angels, who are great watchers of what is happening here, see people being saved and the Church being built.

Revelation 4 begins the record of “the things which must take place after this.” It is the third section of the outline of this book, as given in Revelation 1:19. Chapter 1 gives us “the things which you [John] have seen.” Revelation 2–3 describe “the things which are.” The content of those two chapters were actual letters to seven then-existing assemblies. The letters are practical in many ways to our own lives as well as being prophetic history of the Church from its beginning at Pentecost in Acts 2 to its rapture from the earth to heaven described in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17. Incidentally, Revelation is written largely in symbolic language, most of the symbols being drawn from the previous books of the Bible while the rest are explained on the spot.

The first thing that meets the eye in Revelation 4 is the throne of God with the One sitting on it. The four living creatures symbolize God’s power in creation and providence. The 24 crowned elders in priestly robes surrounding the throne represent the saints who have been caught up to heaven in the rapture. We will have received our rewards, symbolized by the crowns which we cast before the throne, and will join in worship, proclaiming first God’s glory as Creator and Sustainer of the universe. Here we find the elders casting their crowns before the throne, saying – not singing – this worthiness. The angels are not mentioned in this chapter at all.

In Revelation 5 the Lamb steps into prominence before us. He alone is worthy to take the scroll, the title deed to the earth, and to loose its seals, releasing divine judgments onto the earth. The living creatures and the elders prostrate themselves, bowing with great humility in worship before the Lamb. Each elder has a harp and golden bowls of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. Together, the elders sing a new song, a song that has not been heard in heaven before. The song is addressed to the Lamb and is about the redemption He has procured, or brought about, at the cost of His life for all the redeemed – from every tribe, language, people and nation. Through this redemption His saints have been made kings and priests to God and are those who will reign with Him on earth. In this song, and in all the rejoicing in heaven at this time in the Revelation, the Lamb is being exalted for what He has accomplished. This is a very different song than the one in Luke celebrating sinners being saved.

In Revelation 5:11 we hear of a vast number of angels around the throne, the living creatures and the elders joining in the exaltation of the Lamb. But verse 12 tells us what these angels are saying with a loud voice. Ultimately every creature must join in praise to God and to the Lamb. Philippians 2:9-11 sets this before us too. Here in Revelation 5:13 we find that these vast hosts are saying, “Blessing and honor and glory and power be to Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, forever and ever!” Notwithstanding the words of many Christmas carols and other beautiful songs, we never find angels singing in the Bible.

Matthew 26:30 and Mark 14:26 tell us that the Lord Jesus sang a hymn with His disciples, after celebrating the Passover and then instituting the Lord’s Supper in anticipation of His soon dying. Singing in Scripture is for those who have been redeemed. Israel sang in Exodus 15 after they had been delivered from slavery in Egypt. Christians are exhorted to sing with the spirit and with the understanding in 1 Corinthians 14:15. Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16 encourage us Christians to be singing and making melody, and singing with grace in our hearts to the Lord.

God’s angels are termed “elect angels” in 1 Timothy 5:21. They did not follow Lucifer (Isa. 14:12), the highest created being, in his rebellion by which he became Satan, the Adversary. The angels of God have never sinned, so they have neither needed nor experienced redemption. Their praise and worship is majestic and glorious, but we are able to do something they cannot do: sing hymns of worship and thanksgiving and love to Him who has loved us and given His life to save us.

Answered by Eugene P. Vedder, Jr.