Revelation 5:9-10 9And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, 10and you have made them to be a kingdom and priests for our God, and they will reign on the earth.”
The four living creatures and 24 elders sing a new song. The song is new yet old. This song is new because one has been found who is worthy to open it. It is old because God’s people have sung it from the beginning of time, though they have not always known about whom they were singing. Those who believe Jesus to be the Messiah know who the song has always been about. Since the fall of Adam and Eve, humans have been looking for answers to their dilemmas. John indicates clearly that the answer is in Jesus. The scroll could be interpreted in several ways. The typical way, based on the following chapters, is that it holds the secret to the end of the age and how the world will come to an end. Thus, people look to it for “signs of the times.” Another approach is to see the scroll as representing God’s eternal plan that has been fulfilled in Jesus. The scroll could be the destiny of humanity and all of creation. Jesus stands at the center of this, as the one by whom and for whom all things exist (Colossians 1:15-16).
The Lamb is the only one worthy to unfold God’s plan of redemption because he was slain for the salvation of all people. Those who believe and accept the offer of salvation will come from all over the world, as represented by the four descriptions: tribe, language, people, and nation. The gospel will go out around the entire world, offering people the opportunity to accept or reject Jesus. God’s promise to Abraham in Genesis that all people would be blessed through him will be fulfilled through Jesus.
Believers are given a new identity as a kingdom and as priests, recalling the language of 1:5–6. This description also draws on Exodus 19:5–6 and 2 Peter 2:9–10, passages that describe God’s people and their calling. The redeemed will be “in the world but not of the world.” Believers participate in God’s kingdom because they have accepted Jesus as their King and Lord. As priests, believers serve as intercessors and bridge builders with the fallen world. The phrase reign on the earth indicates the result of God’s designation of kingdom and priests. The reigning would not be of political power but spiritual victory. These verses accomplish several things: they show the worthiness of Jesus, they reinforce God’s plan of salvation, they indicate the mission of the church, and they bring encouragement that we are on the winning side and should not be discouraged when we face difficult times.