In verses 8 through 10 we see the worship and praise of the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders to the Lamb. The four living creatures and the twenty-four elders have harps and golden bowls full of incense. In verse 8, the word which refers to bowls, not to incense. The bowls are “the prayers of the saints” brought to God by the angelic elders (cf. 8:3-4), whereas the incense is Christ added to the saints’ prayers. That these worshippers are holding the bowls means that they, as priests, are ministering to God by bringing the saints’ prayers to Him. This reveals that before the Christians become priests in the millennial kingdom, the twenty-four elders are priests today. Eventually, we shall replace them. This is proved by 4:10 where we are told that the twenty-four elders “shall cast their crowns before the throne,” indicating that they will resign from their posts. When the redeemed saints have been perfected and glorified to be the proper priest-kings, the temporary priests, the elderly angels, will resign. At the time of the millennium, the overcoming saints will be the perfected, completed, and proper priests and kings to God. When that time comes, the temporary priests and ruling ones will resign. But here in chapter five they are still priests offering the saints’ prayers with Christ as the incense to God.
In verses 9 and 10 we see the elders singing a new song of praise to the Lamb. Verse 9 says, “And they sing a new song, saying: You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, for You were slain and did purchase to God by Your blood men out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation.” The song here is new because the Lamb whom it praises has been recently slain. This new song praises the worthiness of the Lamb. As we have seen, in the whole universe no one is worthy to open the mystery of God’s economy but Christ, the overcoming Lion and redeeming Lamb. As the overcoming Lion He has defeated Satan for God, and as the redeeming Lamb He has put away sin for us. He is the only One qualified to unveil the mystery of God’s economy and to carry it out.
Speaking of those who have been purchased to God by the Lamb’s blood, the twenty-four elders sing in verse 10, “And made them to our God a kingdom and priests, and they shall reign on the earth.” The word them in this verse proves that the praising elders are not of the church but of the angels. Kingdom is for kingship to exercise God’s authority, and priests are for the priesthood to accomplish the divine ministry.
In verses 11 through 14 we see the universal praise to God and to the Lamb by the angels under the leadership of the twenty-four elders (vv. 11-12) and by all the creatures under the leadership of the four living creatures (vv. 13-14). The many angels, represented by the twenty-four elders, render to the Lamb the angelic praise. Every creature, represented by the four living creatures, follows them to give the Lamb the universal praise of all creatures other than the angels.
God’s economy with His redemption is for the accomplishment of His eternal dwelling place, the New Jerusalem. God’s anointed One, Christ, is the Lion, the Lamb, and the stone. He has destroyed the enemy, has redeemed us, and has become the stone. In Matthew 21:42 the Lord said to the Pharisees who were opposing Him, “Have you never read in the Scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, this has become the cornerstone; this was from the Lord, and it is marvelous in our eyes?” Here the Lord indicated that His redemption was for Him to be the cornerstone. We find the same thought in Acts 4:11 and 12. Acts 4:12 says that “neither is there another name under heaven given among men in which we must be saved.” That this name is the name of Christ, the cornerstone, is revealed in the previous verse which says that “the stone which was despised” by the builders” has “become the cornerstone.” Thus, the name of the cornerstone is the name by which we are saved. What are we saved for—for going to heaven? No, we are saved to become a stone for God’s building. The concept in Revelation is that of Christ’s being the Lion to defeat and destroy the enemy, the Lamb to redeem us, and the stone to build God’s eternal dwelling place. In what way does Christ build up God’s dwelling place? By the way of the seven Spirits as the seven burning, enlightening, searching, judging, and infusing eyes. By means of the seven Spirits He transforms us into precious stones to be built up into the New Jerusalem.