In verse 5 we read about the one who has conquered. The elders told John to behold the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David. But instead of a Lion, John sees a Lamb. Where is the powerful, mighty King?
Maybe the disciples had similar questions when Jesus was on this earth. If Jesus was the Messiah, when would he start his reign? But instead of conquering earthly kingdoms, Jesus acted as a sacrificial lamb.
But the Lamb in this picture isn’t weak. A couple commentaries point out that the seven horns are a symbol of strength. This Lamb is worthy of our praise. He is God. The four living creatures and the elders bow down before him.
Verse 8 mentions two things that the elders are holding. Each is holding a harp. This reminds me of praising God through song.
The other thing they are holding are golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. That’s an interesting image. Imagine that our prayers our like incense. They are like offering up something good to God. It is another way for us to worship Him.
I can’t imagine the sight that John saw. God the Father seated on the throne, the Lamb who was slain, and the elders bowing before the Lamb. But somehow, in it all, God accepts the worship of little specks of dust like us. He treats our prayers like golden bowls full of incense.
So let’s remember today to pray and remember who we are praying to. It’s so easy for me to lose sight of how awesome God is when I pray. I know many times prayer for me can be just something I have to do before I eat a meal.
But if we are giving our prayers up to God as incense, then I hope that we are doing it with an attitude of worship. We can be filled with awe at the conquering ruler, but at the same time we know that the Lamb was slain for us. He loved us enough to die for us and will hear our prayers. We can approach Him with confidence and awe.