The Song of Moses and the Lamb
Revelation 15:3-4
Introduction.
The Scriptures are full of poetry and songs.
Certain versions will block off poems and songs so that it is obvious.
This shows Adam to be the first poet (Gen. 2:23).
Unfortunately it didn’t take long for men to pervert such a beautiful thing.
Lamech, Cain’s descendant, bragged about murdering a man (Gen. 4:23-24).
There’s a whole section of Scripture called Poetry: Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Solomon.
Many of the Prophets are written in a poetic style, particularly Lamentations.
These songs are often didactic (teaching), songs of praise or strong emotion.
The last song (not the last poem) is in Revelation: the Song of Moses and the Lamb.
This song was sung by seven angels (15:1).
It is sung right after a great slaughter (14:20).
A victory is proclaimed over the beast and his image (15:2).
And these angels sing this song of Moses and the Lamb (15:3a)
As great as Moses was, He was still just a servant of God.
The Lamb of God, Christ our Lord, is called a Servant, too (Acts 3 and 4).
What can we learn from this song?
We learn of His greatness, His power, His justice, His kingship (15:3).
He is worthy of glory, He is holy, He is to be worshiped (15:4).
Body.
He is Great and Powerful (15:3b).
“Great and marvelous are Your works, Lord God Almighty!”
This is an easy thing to say, but a remarkable thing nonetheless.
They are not singing merely of human feats, but of things far greater than we can even fathom.
He is far above even the imaginary false gods of the ancients.
Since He is powerful, we use the word omnipotent or all-powerful (Almighty), He can do whatever He wants.
We know throughout Scripture of His mighty works.
He made the worlds!
He put the Sun in the sky, even holding it still for two days!
He parted the Red Sea.
He made the barren conceive, even a virgin.
He healed many people, brought some back to life.
We don’t often realize just how great these things truly are until we study them.
He is Just and Righteous (15:3c).
He has to be just and righteous—He defines such.
This must be case, otherwise there could be no justice ever.
This means all that He does is righteous and true.
We may not always like what He does, but He has every right to do it.
Though He is constrained by His own words—He cannot lie.
Anyone with power (e.g. king) has a responsibility to execute justice.
The One with all power has the right and responsibility to administer final justice.
A variant reading says “King of the nations.”
While He does rule the saints, He also rules the nations! (Dan. 4).
He is to be Glorified (15:4a).
The next sentence is phrased as a question with an implied negative answer.
“No one, Lord. No one shall not fear and glorify You.”
We don’t glorify Him because He needs us to.
We fear and glorify Him because of who He is—He is worthy of praise and honor.
We honor those do great things with awards and praise.
Surely the Lord deserves far more than they do!
And the reason they give is because He alone is holy.
In our Leviticus lessons, we learn how we can be holy (or rather, how Christ makes us holy).
But the Bible uses “holy” in (at least) two senses: absolute holiness, ordinary holiness.
This is similar to saying that Noah was righteous (Gen. 6:9), yet there is none righteous (Rom. 3:10).
There is a holiness we must attain to, but there is only one who has absolute holiness, the Lord.
Recall, by those who approach Him, He must be regarded as holy (Lev. 10:3).
We must show Him the proper reverence and respect due Him.
This means approaching Him as He has instructed!
He is to be Worshiped (15:4b).
This word translated as worship means to bend the knee, to lie prostrate.
They are giving Him obeisance, honoring Him as no other.
We know how arrogant some nations can be, some national leaders.
But the truth is every knee shall bow and every tongue confess.
That means prince and pauper alike.
And in truth, do not all nations worship Him now?
Are there not Christians in every nation?
He is our Lord and King!
Some do this out of fear.
When you were a kid, did you ever seen a brother or sister, maybe a classmate, get punished for something?
That let you know, you better not do whatever they did, right?
The Lord’s judgment had come to pass.
It was clear who was responsible, and they honored the One who did this.
Or maybe they do this simply because they see His power and might and realize He truly is worthy.
Conclusion.
Do you recognize Him as worthy of honor and praise?
I pray you do.
You may not always feel He is just and true, but He is.
His level of justice may not be the same as yours, but His justice is perfect.
He sees the whole picture while you do not.
In order to truly regard Him as holy, we must do as He has asked.
We are to worship in the way He has told us.
We are to have our own sins washed away in the blood of that Lamb.
This is how we do it ….