The Lion and the Lamb - Revelation 5:8

The Lion and the Lamb

Revelation 5:8

Kenute P. Curry

Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints (5:8).

When he had taken the scroll – The appearance of the Lamb as He moves to take the scroll causes praise to break out from everywhere in the universe. Three more majestic doxologies are added here to the two in chapter four.

 There are four things out of place in the universe:

1. The church, which should be in heaven.

2. Israel, which should be living in peace occupying all the land promised to her.

3. Satan, who belongs in the lake of fire.

4. Christ, who should be seated on His throne reigning.

All of these anomalies will be set right when Christ takes the scroll from His Father’s hand.

A harp – The grammatical structure of the Greek text indicates that it was only the elders, not the living creatures, who held these two items. Harps were frequently associated in the Old Testament with worship; being also closely linked with prophecy (1 Samuel 10:5; 2 Kings 3:15; 1 Chronicles 25:1-6). The harps held by the elders symbolize all of prophecy, which culminates in the momentous events about to take place.

Golden bowls full of incense – These were wide-mouthed bowls which were used in the tabernacle and temple, and were connected with the altar. They represent the priestly work of intercession for the people (Psalm 141:2; Luke 1:9-10). The incense in these bowls represents the prayers of believers through the ages that God’s prophesied promised redemption of the earth would come to pass.

 Scripture quotations are from the New King James Version of the Bible, © 1979, 1980, 1982, 1990, Thomas Nelson, Inc., Publishers.

©2015 Kenute P. Curry. All rights reserved.