Chapter Fifteen/"Who Is Worthy to Open the Scroll?" - Songs of Praise

How do those others before Jehovah's throne read: "And when he took the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, having such one a harp and golden bowls that were full of incense, and the incense means the prayers of the holy ones." (Revelation 5:8) Like the four cherubic living creatures before God's throne, the 24 elders bow to Jesus in acknowledgment of his authority. But these elders are along in having harps and bowls of incense. And they alone now sing a new song, (Revelation 5:9) Thus they resemble the 144,000 of the holy "Israel of God," who also carry harps and sing a new song. (Galatians 6:16; Colossians 1:12; Revelation 7:3-8; 14:1-4) Further, the 24 elders are shown to fulfill a heavenly priestly function, pictured by that of the [priests in ancient Israel who burned incense to Jehovah in the tabernacle-a function that ended on earth when God took the Mosaic Law out of the way, nailing it to Jesus' torture stake. (Colossians 2:14) What conclusion do we draw from all of this? That here the anointed overcomers are seen in their ultimate assignment as 'priests of God and of the Christ, ruling as kings with him for the thousand years.' - REVELATION 20:6. 

Next time: Chapter Fifteen/"Who Is Worthy to Open the Scroll?"  - Songs of Praise

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