Redemption
for All; Rev. 5:8-10
Revelation 5:9 NASB “And they sang a new song, saying,
“Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain,
and purchased for God with Your blood {men} from every tribe and tongue and
people and nation.” The phrase “new song” is found a number of times in the
Scripture. The word KAINOS [kainoj] means new as in recent, something that was unknown
previously. It is a counterpart to the Old testament word that is used here, chadash, meaning something new or fresh.
We find the phrase “new song” in several passages in the Old Testament: Psalm
33:3; 40:4; 96:1; 98:1; 144:9; 149:1: Isaiah 42:10. In each of these cases the
idea is of something new, not in the sense of something new for a new
generation but in the context it is something new because there has been a new
manifestation or new revelation of God’s person or character. There has been
some fresh work of God in the history of
Then we come to the content of the song. It is important to look at the
words that are written. There is a development of thought here that is based
upon an understanding of two important doctrines. If begins with the focus on
the Lamb: “You are worthy.” The word worthy is the Greek word AXIOS [a)cioj], which has the
idea of competent, someone who is qualified for a particular role, someone who
is appropriate for the task, deserving, entitled, suitable. In other words,
someone who meets certain qualifications. That had been evaluated and have
passed the evaluation exam; they are now qualified to engage in a particular.
So it begins by focus on the fact that the Lamb is worthy. Remember, there was
this search that took place back in verse 2 where the strong angel came forth
and said: “Who is worthy, who is qualified to open the scroll?” Throughout all
of creation there is this search and no one is qualified, and it is so scary
for the apostle John because he recognizes that this scroll is going to bring
about the final judgment of sin and evil, and he is so afraid that there might
not be someone who can resolve the problem of evil in the universe he begins to
weep. He is rebuked by one of the elders for weeping because the Lion of the
tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to
loose its seals. It is the Lion of the tribe of
That directs our attention to His humanity, that element of His
hypostatic union, the union of full undiminished deity with true humanity in
one person forever. It is because of what he did in His humanity in going to
the cross, and on the cross He was slain. This is the Greek word SPHAZO [sfazw] meaning to kill,
to slaughter, to slay, and it is usually used of a sacrifice or ritual slaying
of an animal. So it directs our attention to this imagery of the Lamb who was
sacrificed. We have seen passages like 1 Corinthians 5:7 talking about “the
Lord is our Passover,” taking the imagery all the way back into the Old Testament,
understanding that it is the Old Testament that gives meaning and content to
the New Testament ideas.
Then we come to the next phrase: “and purchased” or “have redeemed us.”
The slaying of Jesus wasn’t just a criminal action because they thought He was
a radical rebel against
In the New Testament there are a number of different words used for
redemption and each one of these words focuses on a slightly different aspect
of this act that takes place on the cross. Redemption isn’t simply that Christ
paid the penalty, there is more to it than that. Whenever the word was used
with someone like Paul or Peter it would bring up into their minds various
pictures in the Old Testament. It was the same with any Jew.
Understanding redemption begins with an understanding of sin. If we
don’t understand the depths of sin, if
we don’t understand the complexity of what happened when Adam disobeyed
God, then we can’t understand the complexities of what God does He saves us.
That is why when people have a low view of sin they have a somewhat diluted
view of what takes place at salvation. What happens at salvation is a
top-to-bottom, inside-out transformation that the apostle Paul describes as
becoming a new creature in Christ. It is so radical, so complex, so
extraordinary that to even think that it is reversible would be beyond
comprehension. Sin entered into the human race as the result of a decision that
Adam made in the garden of Eden.
The idea behind the fruit in the garden was the question of whether Adam
was going to trust God and obey God or whether he was going to try to interpret
the creation on his own, independently from divine authority and become his own
authority in place of God. That was the issue. It was an innocuous act to eat a
piece of fruit, yet this was the most evil sin ever committed in human history
because it not only affected Adam it affected and infected the entire human
race and it affected all of creation. It was not just a spiritual thing.
In Genesis
Genesis
Genesis
Genesis 3:17 NASB “Then to Adam He said, ‘Because you have
listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree about which I
commanded you, saying, “You shall not eat from it”; Cursed is the ground
because of you; In toil you will eat of it All the days of your life.’” So the
ground is now cursed. All of creation comes under judgment because of Adam’s
sin.
Then we come to Romans chapter eight where there is recognition of this.
Sin is extensive and damaging to everything in the universe. Spiritual death
relates to Adam but it has consequences throughout all of the universe. Romans
The word redemption is used numerous times in the New Testament not to
refer back to what happened at the cross but to refer forward to that which
occurs when Jesus Christ as the Lamb of God, as the future King of kings and
Lord of lords, comes to the earth. And that is when the earth is redeemed.
Redemption is not just a past event related to the cross but a future event
related to the King, the Lamb, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, coming to
destroy the enemies of God, taking control of planet earth, and bringing it
into the kingdom and beginning to roll back the curse eventually and completely
with the creation of the new heavens and the new earth. So redemption is not a
narrow concept related to the cross. The cross is the foundation but this term
brings in all of history from the fall in Genesis chapter three, through the
Old Testament to the cross where the price is paid, and to the ultimate sealing
and completion of the transaction when Jesus Christ returns at the second
coming.