O ye heights of heav’n, adore Him;
Angel hosts, His praises sing.
Pow’rs, dominions, bow before Him
And extol our God and King.
Let no tongue on earth be silent,
Ev’ry voice in concert ring
Evermore and evermore.
(LSB 384 st. 4)
Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice,
“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain,
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might
and honor and glory and blessing!”
(Revelation 5:11-12)
We love to see precious new life. If there’s a newborn animal at a petting zoo, there’s a good chance this cuddly, furry ball of cuteness is attracting quite a crowd around its pen. We can probably remember a time waiting in line, or even had to nudge—oh so gently—to get our adoring peek at the baby lambs, chicks, or rabbits. Yet as we await the birth of the newborn Lamb who will take away our sin and the sins of the world, we remember that Jesus’s humble birth, albeit foretold, did not cause many people to come oohing and awing. His horrific death on the cross attracted crowds, but even then not mourners but mockers and scoffers.
What a change from earth to heaven as we read these Bible verses. Jesus is now surrounded by a completely countless number of angels worshiping His power and glory because He has defeated death! He is the Lamb of God who was slain! The angels continuously marvel and worship Jesus because he gives us the chance at a precious new life. We treasure our own precious new life because in Christ we are certain of our forgiveness. We too await to see and gather around Jesus in all His glory, honor, and might, worshiping Him for the eternal life He has won for us by His suffering, death, resurrection, and ascension. We eagerly await to gather around to adore and praise the new life born in Bethlehem for He is the very same to whom in eternity we sing: Worthy is the Lamb who was slain whose blood set us free to be people of God!
Let us Pray: Almighty God, You sent Your Son as a lamb to be led to the slaughter. Help us treasure Your Son’s earthly life and His defeat of sin as the most precious gift of new life given to us. For this life, we give You thanks that we may worship Him in eternity with all the company of heaven; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
(Joseph McCalley, Sem IV)