Revelation 5:13 (ESV) … And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!”
Once more in Chapter 5, John’s perspective pulls back to an extreme “fisheye lens” view. This time, however, he does not claim to see, but only to hear every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing. Just try to imagine such singing. This, of course, means all intelligent life in the universe. In the strictest sense, this cannot happen until the final consummation (Phil. 2:10–11). However, in many places John’s visions record events yet future, so we should not be troubled by this anticipation of the Son’s universal worship. Note also the extreme chronological sweep of the throne room worship scene developed in chapters 4 and 5:
• The worship of the Almighty by the living creatures and the elders has been going on since their creation eons ago.
• The worship of the Lamb by the heavenly court and all the angels has occurred—at least in this manner—since he was slain.
• The worship of both the Almighty and the Lamb by all the universe’s creatures has yet to become a reality.
The “Song from the Universe” is a two-line stanza. The first line includes both him who sits on the throne (chapter 4) and the Lamb (chapter 5). They are equally to be worshipped for ever and ever. The second line includes four ascriptions of this everlasting worship. The first three, praise and honor and glory, are repeated from the angels’ song. The final term is an alternative word for power (Greek kratos), implying “ruling power.” John used it in his initial doxology offered in Revelation 1:6.[1]
[1] Easley, K. H. (1998). Revelation (Vol. 12, pp. 96–97). Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
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