Useful Bible Studies > Revelation Commentary > chapter 5

A new song

Revelation 5:9-10

In various places, the Bible mentions a ‘new song’. Some examples are Psalm 40:3, Psalm 98:1, Isaiah 42:10 and Revelation 14:3. New songs are the right reaction by God’s people when God has carried out a new act of kindness to them.

Here, God’s act of kindness was to show that Christ had the right to open the book in God’s hand. God handed over the book to Christ. The opening of that book will bring about the complete end of the devil’s power. The result will be the complete defeat of every evil force. So God will establish Christ’s rule over everyone and everything.

This new song is to praise Christ, who, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, is God. The song declared what God the Father had just shown. In other words, the song expresses complete agreement with God’s actions.

By Christ’s blood (that is, his death), Christ paid the price for people to have a right relationship with God. He did that for the benefit of people of every nation and language. He suffered death so that they could have a right relationship with God. He took the punishment for the evil deeds of people who confess their evil deeds to God. He gives new life to those people who invite him into their lives.

Christ’s death gives him the right to open the book. God has begun a great work in those people’s lives which he will certainly complete (Philippians 1:6). He began that work when Christ died for them. He will complete it when they rule with Christ in the New Jerusalem. God has not merely saved those people from the punishment for their evil deeds. He has appointed them to be his royal priests (1 Peter 2:9). In other words, they serve him now. On the new earth, in the New Jerusalem, they will always live with him.

Next part: An expression of praise that fills the whole world (Revelation 5:11-14)

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