The Radical Song of Heaven
By Michael BalL
““ And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, “Great and amazing are your deeds, O Lord God the Almighty! Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations! Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship you, for your righteous acts have been revealed.” “”
One of my favourite things about the book of Revelation is the glimpses and insights we get into the worship taking place in heaven. By my count, there are 8 songs of worship described throughout the book (ch. 4:8–11; 5:8–14; 7:9–12; 11:15–18; 14:2–3; 15:3–4; 16:5–7; 19:1–8). What I love about this song is that, while the song is set in a specific moment in future history, there’s an invitation to participate in it for us even now.
Without going into a full study on this book, it’s helpful to catch the context. Revelation 15 is something of a transitional chapter in the book. Revelation opens with Jesus speaking to His Church (ch. 1–3), then lifts us into the throne room where worship fills heaven (ch. 4–5). What follows is a sequence of judgments, seals, trumpets, and growing conflict on earth (ch. 6–11), alongside a vision of the battle between the Lamb and the powers of darkness (ch. 12–14). Chapter 15 sits just before the final outpouring of God’s judgement (ch. 16), and marks a holy pause. In the midst of it all, heaven sings.
For this series, we’re looking at this song through the lens of the holiness of God and how captivating and compelling it is. This song is described as "the song of Moses" and "the song of the Lamb". I love this because it reminds us of the real scale of God. He’s the one who brought deliverance for the Israelites from the Egyptians is the same as the one who brings our final, eternal deliverance. This isn’t a quiet, reflective moment of worship, but a loud cry, filled with awe and joy. This is a collection of people who had just seen a display of God’s power and justice up close.
In this scene, heaven is responding to the holiness of God. And we’re meant to respond too.
This song isn’t reserved for the end of the age. It’s a song we can sing now. As priests standing before the Lord, our worship joins with heaven’s. When we declare His ways as just and true, even when we don’t see the full picture, we are aligning with the reality of His holiness. Our worship becomes a witness, not just to God, but to the world around us.
In a culture full of compromise, singing of God’s holiness is a radical act.To say He is worthy, that His judgments are right, that all nationswillworship Him, is bold and prophetic. It’s one of the things I love most about what we do at MHOP. Even when things feel small, even when we feel insignificant, we can look to moments like Revelation 15 and remember that what we do is part of a much bigger storyline that God really is outworking on the earth, that it is a response to His holiness, and it really does have impact.
As we meditate on this song of praise, we are invited to respond to God’s holiness in worship, just as the saints in heaven do. Their song proclaims that God’s ways are just and true, and His holiness compels a response from all creation.
Reflection
Take a moment to reflect on these questions:
How does recognising God’s holiness as both just and true challenge the way I see His actions in my life and in the world?
How can I join in the heavenly song, not just with my words, but with my life, declaring that He alone is worthy of worship?
Let us allow this vision of worship in heaven to once again stir our heart to respond to God’s holiness with both awe and action.
Further reading: Exodus 15:1–2, Deuteronomy 32:3–4, Psalm 86:8–10, Psalm 98:1–2, Isaiah 6:3, Isaiah 66:23, Philippians 2:10–11, Revelation 5:9–1
