They Sung a New Song

It's a blessing to be here today. Thankfully that the Lord has called us, and every one of us is here on purpose. You couldn't have been anywhere else today. When you got up this morning, you thought you could. You just figured you'd go wherever you wanted to today. And you were right. The Lord brought you here. That's why you're here.

And you know, it's a blessing to know that the Lord guides and directs our steps. That we're not just randomly wandering around out here like an ant crawling around the ground as we look at them. I mean, when you stir up a bed of ants, which I used to like to do as a child for some strange reason, but I used to like to do that and watch them run all around. But you know, the path that every one of those ants takes is no less ordained by God than you getting in your car this morning and driving right down here to this place.

Now, some people say, well, that's crazy. What do you think of stuff like that? Well, how else would it happen? Dear brethren, I mean, either the Lord made the world and put it here, and it operates according to the good pleasure of his will, as the scripture says it does, or it's just randomly going along and nobody knows what's gonna happen. You can throw the Bible out, if that be true. Because if, I mean, couldn't any of this take place, could it, if it was all random?

I mean, the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ as a payment for sin was most definitely predestined, was it not? By the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, men by wicked hands crucified the Lord. That didn't take him by surprise. Anymore than Adam's sin in the garden took him by surprise.

What a glorious God He is. Let others serve gods that try to get them to do stuff and hope they'll do stuff. We serve a God who does according to His will in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth, and there's none that can stay His hand or say unto Him what's due thus hour. Now some people get mad about that, and some people scoff at it. And some people fall on their faces and worship him, who is the true and living God.

And what a glorious blessing it is to be given the gift to do that, because you would never do that. By nature, you will never bow your knee unto God. Now, you might bow before a God that you have designed in your own mind. I mean, the Baal worshipers, they had a God. I mean, the Muslims, they got one. Everybody's got a God of some kind. It might be yourself, you know? But there's only one true and living God. You know, there's a million ways to perish. There's only one way. that a man will avoid destruction. And that's to be found in Jesus Christ. What a glorious thing. And we read in the pages of this book that he's a savior of sinners. We read in the pages of this book that he calls sinners to himself.

He doesn't call the righteous. He doesn't need them. Now righteous men think that he needs them. Righteous men think that he needs their acts of faith. and they go about to talk about how much faith they've got and all the great things they're doing and what all you could do if you just had some faith. Don't you wish you had some faith? Well see, our faith is not in us. It's not what we do, it's not what we think. Our faith is Jesus Christ. He is our faith. And we live in Him. We stand in Him. What a glorious thing. And so we read about Him here in the book of the Revelation as we're going through it, step by step, moment by moment, as we're enabled.

And I believe that this fifth As I look at this book and have studied it over the years and have puzzled over it and still about as puzzled as ever, except I have a more clear understanding about what the book's about. I don't know everything about the book. And I can't explain to everybody to their satisfaction what each little jot and tittle of it or his old brother Thomas used to say, I don't know every hair on the horse's tail and what it means. But I do know what this book is about because the title of the book, the very first chapter verse in the book tells us exactly what the book's about. And if you move past that and you don't get that, then you're never gonna know what this book's about. It'll be mysteries and, you know, things that people come along and tell you all these fantastic ideas about what this means and that means and this nation and that nation and all of that stuff.

But this book is the revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave unto him to show unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass. This is the revelation of Christ, who he is, what he's done, what he shall do. And if you had to look at a book, at a chapter in this book that I believe is the pivotal chapter in the book, that is the heart of what John's vision begins and centers around is found right here in the fifth chapter.

This is it. And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals. Now we know who that is that's sitting on the throne, do we not? It's the absolute God. It's the God who holds all things in his hand. That book is his purpose.

And it can't be opened by anybody. It's sealed with seven seals. And when John saw that, And the strong angel proclaimed with a loud voice, who's worthy to open it? Who do we believe that strong angel is? Is it some creature? No, that strong angel's the same one that holds the book in his hand. He's the messenger, you see. God who at sundry times in divers manner spake in times past unto the fathers by the prophets hath in these last days spoken unto us by his son.

There's not another revelation going to be given to me than that which has already been given in Jesus Christ. He is the fullness of the Godhead bodily. He is the manifestation of God in the earth. And he not only is the God of heaven and earth, he is the one who declares that he is the God of heaven and earth. He doesn't need men to do it. He's already done it. Only by His grace can men see it, but all you gotta do is look around you. I mean, the heavens declare the glory of God. Look at the world that is made.

I was thinking this week about, I like boiled peanuts. And I was looking at the peanuts before I boil them and opening the peanut and thinking about how did this, peanut come to be. I mean, think about something as simple as a peanut. And here's a hard shell that's got these kernels inside of it. And it starts off as nothing, as far as you can see or I can see. But it's in that seed.

See, every peanut on Earth comes from the seed of a peanut. Who made the peanut? Now I know the, you know, the scientists and all of that tell us that, well, you know, over time, this little cell here got with that one and this one became a peanut and that became a tobacco plant. and all that kind of foolishness. But if you look at the intricacies of just a peanut, if a man only had a peanut to look at and contemplate, he would have to come to the conclusion that this didn't just happen, that this is by design. Because you see, that peanut, when it goes in the ground and it germinates and it grows up into a green plant, And then it gets a flower on it.

And then out of that grums a little thing called a pin. And it goes down into the ground. And guess what? It becomes a peanut. Now, if you looked at peanut plant, once it germinates, you can pull that peanut plant up. There's not a thing in the world on that peanut vine. It's just got roots on it. But if you let it stay there a while after that, those pins have gone down.

See, when I was growing up, I didn't know peanuts were peanuts. I thought they were penders. I mean, that's what my grandpa used to, I never heard him say the word peanut. He said penders. And I never knew any different. And when I got older, you know, it was an amazement to me, what in the world is a pender?

Well, where that come from is the fact that that vine puts down those pins. And those pins become peanuts. Now you tell me how on earth that that goes in the ground and then this shell develops and that peanut is inside that shell, and it grows attached to that inside of that shell, but then once the peanut is mature, you can't tell that it was ever part of that shell, because it becomes something totally different than what it looked to be.

Isn't that a picture of the grace of God? I mean, the Lord said to Nicodemus, Nicodemus, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. We must be born again, just like that peanut. It's gotta become something it wasn't. See, the Lord alone can cause that to happen. Peanut couldn't make it happen. What a glorious God He is. And so the strong angel.

How do we get off on peanuts? But anyway, who is worthy to open the book and to loose the seals thereof? And no man in heaven or on earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book. Now I know we've gone over this over and over again. I just love it. I mean, I could read this same chapter. I could read this chapter every day and just rejoice in it. I know what it is, but every time I look at it, it's a glorious thing. No man in heaven or on earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book. There was nobody available to open the book. Now, the world doesn't care. The Lord didn't give this vision to the world. He gave it to John, the disciple whom he loved. And he gave it to John to show to us. And John, he wept.

He lamented over the fact that he did not have the ability to open this book. He knew that this book, I mean, the Spirit of God impressed upon him the importance of this book and the opening of this book. But he knew he didn't have the power to open the book. And as he viewed heaven and all of this vision that he saw, nobody, he didn't see anybody that could open the book. And he says, I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and read the book, neither to look thereon.

And one of the elders saith unto me, weep not. Behold, the lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, hath, behold, opened the book to loose the seven seals thereof. Who opened the book? It was a man. See, the Lord, he could've just unfolded the book if he'd wanted to, but he didn't do that.

See, he chose a man. See, Christ is the elect of God. He's that one chosen from the beginning. And he's the same one that was seated on the throne, that was holding the book. Now if you can explain that, go ahead, I can't. But I can bow down and worship. Because I know him, he who came as a man, is the same one that's seated on the throne. And he came and he dwelt among men. And in coming and dwelling among men, he opened the book, dear brethren. He manifested the purpose of God in the redemption of sinners. That's why he came. That's why God created the world.

Now I've told you this many times, so many times you probably don't want to hear it again. But when I was a little child, and I was going to Sunday school, and they told me that the reason God created the world was because he was lonesome. And he needed somebody, you know, to have fellowship with, and so he said, you know what I'll do? I'll create me a man, and I'll have fellowship with him. And lo and behold, man messed up, and then the Lord was in a mess, sure enough. Then he had to come up with another plan. And what's he gonna do now? I'm telling you, that's a lie.

Because you see, God doesn't need anything. He does all things according to the good pleasure of his will. If you want to know what a free will is, look at God. He's the only one who has a free will. Now you have a will. And you can choose, but you can choose only what you can choose. So you can't choose to be seven foot tall. You can't choose that. Now you can choose what socks you put on this morning. You can't choose to follow the Lord. See, the Lord must choose you. The glorious thing is that he does choose unworthy sinners. And the only way they ever know if they're chosen or not is because they fall on their faces and believe.

See, when the Philippian jailer went and fell on his face before Paul and Silas, or Paul and, yeah, Paul and Silas, when they were in, he was in jail, and Paul and Silas were in jail, and the earthquake came, and he was so frightened that they had gone away, he was ready to kill himself, because he knew they would torture him. for letting these prisoners loose, because he just knew if this earthquake came and broke all these chains and everything, they'd all be gone.

There wouldn't be any of them sticking around. But Paul said, oh, don't do yourself any harm. We're all still here. And he came in with a light. And he fell on his face, and he said, what must I do to be saved? And they said, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved. See, every sinner, when the Spirit of God moves upon the heart of a sinner, that's what he's gonna cry out, oh God, save me, or I perish. When Peter was seeking to step outside the boat and walk toward the Lord, he realized pretty quick he couldn't walk on water, did he? And he began to sink. And he said, save, Lord, or I perish.

And the Lord reached out his hand. You see, there's never been a sinner sinking under the dead of his sin, crying out to the Lord for mercy, that the Lord has not heard his cry and said, come unto me, all you that labor and are heavy laden. And he's reached out his hand and he's gathered the men and he's drawn them with cords of love that they never knew anything about, that they couldn't bring to pass, but he did. Weep not.

Behold, the lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, hath prevailed. Open the book. He prevailed, dear brother. Every time I read that, I think of the passage over there in Isaiah 63. In fact, let's just turn over there and read that. Isaiah 63. Well, if I can find it.

Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Basra? This that is glorious in his apparel, traveling in the greatness of his strength. I that speak in righteousness, Mighty to save. Now who do you think that is? That's the Lord Jesus Christ. He's appeared in the vision of Isaiah. And he said, who is this?

Who is this that cometh from Eden with dyed garments from Basra? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save, traveling in the greatness of his strength, Wherefore, he asked, Isaiah asked, wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the wine fat, or the wine press, as we might say? How did your garments become so red? And he said, I have trodden the wine press alone.

And of the people. There was none with me. Is that not what John said? Who can open the book? Who can loose the seals thereof? Who can do that? This is him. And of the people there was none with me for I will tread them in mine anger and trample them in my fury and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments and I will stain all my raiment. for the day of vengeance is in mine heart and the year of my redeeming is come. Now dear brethren, this one who comes as a meek and lowly savior to pour out his life's blood is the same one who is the judge of the living and the dead. He's the one who holds life and death in his hands. He's the one who kills and makes alive. And he destroys his enemies at the same time that he lifts up those who are his own, those who are in need.

Because you see, the world's not in need. Men don't need the Lord. I mean, men need UFC fights on the White House lawn. Men need all kinds of stuff. And I'm not saying if you like the UFC, something's wrong with you. I'm just saying that's not what we're looking for.

It wouldn't matter to me if they never had, well, I wouldn't care about a UFC fight anyway, but it wouldn't matter to me if they never had another one. I love football, but it wouldn't bother me a bit if they did away with football. But what would bother me is if somehow it was possible that there was no safety. be the most terrible thing that could ever happen? Would be if one never came forth to open the book and to loose the seven seals thereof. What if that happened, dear brethren?

Now we know these are what ifs that men say, and it's good for us to think about it because it's not something that just happened by blind fate, but it has occurred according to the good pleasure of Almighty God. For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, the year of my redeeming has come. You see, the Lord, when he went to the cross, he went to the cross with vengeance in his heart to destroy his enemies, but to destroy the enemies of his people. For there is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus. Because Jesus Christ has taken the condemnation away.

He satisfied the law that breathed out threatenings and slaughters against his people. And he said it's enough. And as one of the old Puritans said, he said he took the arrow of God's justice and he buried it in his own heart. And he broke it off so that his people could not be harmed by it.

Yeah, brethren, the mercy of God exceeds our comprehension. And he loves his people with an everlasting love, and he calls sinners to himself. No man knows that he's one of those. until he calls on the name of the Lord. For the day of vengeance is in mine heart. But then he said, and the year of my redeemed is come. See, at the same time, he said, the year of my redeemed has come. There is a time of redemption. And that occurred on Calvary's cross. When he said it is finished, he performed the work and he did it completely and there's nothing left to be added to it and you can't get it. He must give it to you. You can't earn it. You can't deserve it.

See, men who are not sent, men who don't think themselves to be sinners, they think they can do something to please God. And every one of us do. There's never been a man born in the flesh that doesn't, from time to time, think he's gonna do something that's gonna please God. Before you leave today, you'll probably have some thought towards that. But dear brethren, there's not a thing in the world that you could ever do in your flesh that would please God.

Our righteousnesses, the scripture says, not just our sin, but our righteousnesses are as filthy rags in His sight. We have no hope except in Him. Well, what a hope it is because you see, he said the year of my redeemed has come. We read in the book of Hebrews that he obtained eternal redemption. Now, when you obtain something, what does that mean? It means you got it. It becomes yours. And he said, I have obtained it. I've bought it with my own blood. It belongs to me.

And I will claim my purchased possession The year of my redeemed is come, and I looked, and there was none to help. And I wondered that there was none to uphold. And therefore mine own arm brought salvation unto me, and my fury it upheld me. Now, you know, you hear people talk about my salvation. And I understand how people can speak of that, but let's be sure that we know this, that our salvation, if we say we have salvation, it belongs to the Lord. See, salvation's of the Lord. Jonah learned that, did he not?

In the belly of the fish. He said, man, I'm done for. I got seaweed wrapped around my head. And in a few hours, I'm gonna be dead because the digestive juices of this fish is gonna dissolve me. I'm not gonna survive this. And he said, I cried there from the belly of hell, I cried out. Salvation's of the Lord. That's what he said. And the fish vomited him out on dry land. Yeah, brethren, when a man comes to the end of himself and all he can do is call on the name of the Lord, the Savior of sinners, then whatever fish he is in will vomit him out because the year of his redeemed has come.

And I beheld And lo, in the midst of the throne, where was he? He was in the midst of the throne. Who was? The Lion of the tribe of Judah. John said, I looked and I saw a throne. He said, and one who was in the midst of the throne is the one who opened the book. and of the four beasts. And in the midst of the elders stood a lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, all authority and powers given to him, which are the seven spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.

I don't attempt to explain that. Seven spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. I think I know what it means, but I'm smart enough to know that I can be ignorant of some things. I don't have enough sense to tell you everything. There's probably some people that can tell you exactly what that is. I can't. I can tell you this, though, that the one that is the lion of the tribe of Judah has prevailed to open the book, and he has all power. and the Holy Spirit of God is His Holy Spirit, which He has sent into the earth. I do know that, I can tell you that. Now how all that other is, I don't know.

The seven horns, I believe, just speaking about the power, that's when it's the kingdoms, the kingdoms of the earth belong to Him, belong to Him. And what we read in the second chapter, the Lord said, yet have I set my King upon my holy hill of Zion, And he said, ask of me and I'll give thee the heathen for thine inheritance. The world belongs to him. Believers and unbelievers alike, it belongs to him. He can do with it what he wills. What can men say about it? Nothing. You can't bring a railing accusation against God, can you? Well, you think you can.

I remember one time, Wesley Forbes was telling me, he's a preacher from down in the Virgin Islands, and he said that he had a radio program when he was in the islands, and a man heard it, and he became incensed at what he was preaching. And the man looked him up and found him, and he looked him up, so he kinda says, I'm gonna curse God. right in front of you. And Wesley said, well, go ahead. And he let off some stuff, you know, and all this things that men thinks cursing God. And he said, well, when are you gonna curse God? He said, you'd have to be greater than God in order to curse him.

And all you are is a creation. And he even gave you the voice. that allowed you to speak those words of blasphemy and condemnation unto yourself. See, that's all the world can do is condemn itself. The Lord didn't come into the world to condemn the world. The world was condemned already.

And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne. How can you take the book, take anything out of the hand of the Almighty God? You gotta be the Almighty God, do you not? Only way it can happen. But John said, he's a man. There is a man, a lion of the tribe of Judah. He was born. just like you and I are born in the flesh. That same one took that book out of the hand of him who's eternal because he's eternal, because he has the power that no man can stand against.

And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and the four and 20 elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps and golden vials full of odors, which are the prayers of the saints. They had harps. Now, you know, without getting off into a bunch of stuff with that, I don't think that I think in John's vision, as he relates it to us, he's speaking about that they had hearts, but I believe the hearts, and I'll show you something here in a minute, I don't think, you know, when men think about, well, what's it gonna be like when we die, and they say go up to heaven, and we're gonna go up to heaven, And when you get in there, they're gonna issue you a harp, and you're gonna stand up there with a harp. And you don't even know how to play a harp, but you've got one. And you're gonna stand there, and you're gonna strum on this harp. Well, John saw what he describes as that they had harps.

Now I believe what it's talking about is that they praised God. Now I believe that when you read in the New Testament about the way that men praise God is with your lips. The fruit of our lips giving thanks unto God. That's how we praise him. I mean the Lord gave us a mouth to praise him. And that's how God's people are gonna praise him through the ages. Even as that's how God's people praise him now. And so when he's speaking about the harps, I don't think he's wanting you to understand that you're gonna be sitting up in the place of glory with a harp in your hand. But you are gonna praise God.

And golden vials full of odors, which are the prayers of the saints. Now is there gonna be somebody standing up there with jars full of odors? No, what's it speaking about? It's talking about the fact that the prayers of God's people go up to him as a sweet saver. He listens. He can be touched with the feeling of our infirmities because they are the groanings of God's people which cannot be uttered The Spirit of God working in the people of God with groans that cannot be uttered.

We cannot even say them. These are the prayers of the saints. Is that not who the four beasts, or the four and 20 elders are? I believe the four beasts, they're the angelic creatures. They're those creatures we don't know anything about. I mean, other than what's described here. And sometimes they're described As men, sometimes they're described as beasts and things that we can't even, can you imagine? I mean, if you took literally what John saw here, and if that's exactly how those creatures are, how could a man even begin to see and know what that is? But we don't have to know that.

Because you see, the four and 20 elders represent all of the house of God that's gathered around the throne of God, as he comes on to say over here, that thou hast made us unto our God, kings and priests. See, there's nobody that's among the saints of God who's less than the other. We're all elders in the house of God. We're all priests and kings, rulers, heirs and joint heirs with Jesus Christ. And they sung a new song, say, a new song. You know, the psalmist often says, singing to the Lord a new song.

Now, if you took that literally, it would mean you couldn't have a hymn book. You'd have to, every time he was gonna sing, you'd have to write a new song. That's not what he means. See, old songs can be new. And old song, the old song, this new song that they sing here, it's an old song. It's a song God ordained before he ever created a man that Jesus Christ would get glory. And every word that would ever be spoken under the glory of Jesus Christ is ordained by him for men to speak. What a wonderful thing. They sung a new song. And here's the song.

Thou art worthy to take the book, to open the seals thereof, for thou was slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood, out of every kindred, tongue, people, and nation, and hast made us unto our God, kings and priests, and we shall reign on the earth.

Did the Lord make us to live on a cloud? You know, you get these pictures people paint of, you know, people supposedly in heaven and they're strumming on a thing, they're sitting on the cloud, and this one's on that cloud over there. God made his people to dwell in earth. And the scripture says, Peter says, John says, that there's going to be a new heaven and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness.

And this is a picture not of some ethereal existence that we have floating around, but as those who are the redeemed people of God, raised from the dead and forever with the Lord. Now, do I know all the details about that? No. But dear brethren, I do believe that we are kings and priests and we shall reign on earth. We're reigning now.

You see, the Lord made man to reign in the earth, did he not? He told Adam that he would have dominion over the earth. In fact, that's what I believe when the scripture speaks about being made in God's image, that's how man is made in God's image, is to reign on the earth. Now, you know, some people are taking that and going way off into left field and talking about, you know, each person's gonna have a planet and all this kind of stuff. I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about that God made his people to inhabit the earth. And they shall. They shall. As kings and priests, we're gonna reign in an earth where there is no sin.

What a glorious thing, I can't even imagine it. You know, every time I think about that, I get to thinking about this, that, and other, and then I realize what I'm doing in my mind is interjecting sin into the place. See, it's a holy place. We don't know what that is, do we? Only thing holy that we know is Jesus Christ. He's holy. And he said that when we see him, We shall be like him. I can't explain that. But it's glorious to think that he's made us unto our God, kings and priests.

I said I was gonna read something to you and I will. Romans 14. And I looked, this is 14, Romans 4, Revelation 14. And I looked, this is beginning in verse one. And I looked, and lo, a lamb stood on the mount Sinai, and with him 144,000, having his father's name written in their foreheads.

And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder, and I heard the voice of harpers harping. with their harps and they sung as it were a new song for the throne and before the four beasts and the elders and no man could learn that song but the 144,000 which were redeemed from the earth.

Oh, what a glorious savior he is. And then there's another passage over here in the eighth chapter, I believe it is. And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of an hour, and I saw the seven angels which stood before God, and to them were given seven trumpets. And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer, and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which is before the throne. What a glorious thing. We're gonna praise God forever.

And I believe that's the desire of those whom the Lord called. And we don't start off, you know, the idea that a believer in Jesus Christ starts off knowing everything he needs to know about Christ from the start. When a man's called, what did the Philippians, what did he know? When Paul said, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved. Some people almost make it out like you've got to read John Calvin in order to know what it is to believe.

The Spirit of God teaches men what they need to know, because the Spirit of God teaches men what they are. And when the Spirit of God teaches a man what he is, then he begins to call on the one who made him, because he can't do anything else. He knows he's done. Such is the work of the Spirit.

Thanks be unto God for such a Savior as we have in Christ. Call sinners unto himself. And he says, come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I'll give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly of heart. He is a Savior who saves sinners.

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They Sung a New Song

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