Remember watching cartoons as a kid? Sometimes a cartoon character would “pass away” and you knew this was the case when you saw that character float upwards, land gently on a cloud and start playing a harp.
The stringed instrument, a harp, is mentioned three times in Revelation. In chapter 5:8 it says the 24 elders fell down before the Lamb, each one had a harp… and in Chapter 15:2 by a sea of glass mixed with fire, those who victorious over the beast (see Rev. 13) held harps given them by God. Revelation 14:2 says, And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of rushing water and like a loud peal of thunder. The sound I heard was like that of harpists playing their harps. And they sang a new song before the throne, before the four living creatures and the elders.
A loud noise of rushing water, thunder and harpists. Bless John the apostle, describing with pen on paper the dramatic sounds and scene of heaven. A group of redeemed heavenly singers singing a new song—this celestial chorus is described as pure, followers of the Lamb . . . verse 5 says “no lie was found in their mouths; they are blameless.”
Ephesians 4:1 says God chose us, in Christ, before the creation of the world, to be holy and blameless in his sight.
Holy and blameless.
How’s your week been? How holy and blameless are you feeling lately?
Those are big words, a lofty expectation when God chose us to be holy and blameless in his sight. Yet the singers in heaven are described as pure, blameless, honest through and through, followers of Jesus, the Lamb.
I don’t see myself as holy and blameless nor do I I see myself playing a harp and sitting on a cloud in the sky. But God planned this. God saw this before the creation of the world . . . saints, followers of the Lamb that was slain. God saw it all from before the beginning of time. He saw holy saints singing in heaven, blameless saints redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. He saw his beloved creation before Adam met Eve, with harps in hand, singing a new song before the throne. He saw His church, his followers made holy and blameless in Christ.
Lord, may your kingdom come and your will be done, may we live as you chose us, and predestined us to live—holy and blameless in your sight. May we follow the Lamb.
Harp or no harp—may we, with confidence, sing a new song, the song of the redeemed.
Donielle Winter
EFCC Member