Most often, when I think about heaven, I imagine what I will see . . . wondering if my new optic nerves will be able to take it all in. That’s where I was, initially, as I read Revelation 5 this morning . . . imagining what it would be like to behold the throne of God . . . to see the Lion of the tribe of Judah . . . to gaze upon the Lamb who was slain . . . to observe legions of angelic beings. But then I was reminded, that it’s not just what I’ll see . . . but what I’ll hear. Not only will I be wide-eyed but my ears will be tingling too! Do you hear what I hear?

Revelation 5 sets the imagination a fire . . . it starts with a whimper and ends with a mighty crescendo of song and praise and glory . . .

The first thing you hear is a lone angel asking at the top of his voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll?” (5:2). The question echoes through heaven . . . no one steps forward . . . John weeps because no one was found worthy to open and read the scroll or even look at it. Enter the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, the One who has prevailed . . . He stands in the midst of the throne as a Lamb as though it had been slain — He comes and takes the scroll out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne. And that starts it . . . . like a rock dropped into the middle of a pond . . . but a big Rock . . . creating waves . . . great sound waves . . . emanating from the center out . . . rippling through all of heaven . . . do you hear it??

When the Lamb takes the scroll the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fall before Him and they start to sing a new song (5:8-10). A new song!!!! This song is fresh, unworn . . . it’s nature and subject are unprecedented, of a new kind . . . for it focuses on the connection between the One who was slain and redeemed us by His blood and the One who is worthy to take the scroll. This first, not-so-small ripple, sung by the living creatures and elders, declares the reality of a kingdom of priests who will reign on the earth — a kingdom of priests which were redeemed from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. And the wave grows!!!

Then the voices of many angels around the throne is heard (5:11-12) . . . joining the living creatures and the elders . . . the number of them is ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands (now this is a tabernacle choir!!!). And they don’t just whisper . . . they are not singing quietly . . . it says that these thousands upon thousands of angelic beings sing with a LOUD VOICE . . .

“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!”

What must that be like? Imagine the volume . . . imagine the multi-part harmony . . imagine these mighty, glorious creatures all focused on One object of worship — the Lamb who was slain!!! But that’s not the crescendo . . . the waves that were started by the Lamb in the midst continue to spread out and grow (5:13-14). Then, every . . . get that? . . . every . . . all . . . each and every one . . . . every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea and all that are in them, (did anyone or anything get missed? I don’t think so) . . . every creature joins the living creatures and the elders and the thousands upon thousands of angels and sing this new, fresh, energetic, song . . .

“To Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!”

Can you hear it? Can you imagine what it will sound like? . . . what it will be like to be part of it . . . to be part of that glorious, heaven-filling, sound wave? And it occurs to me, I can join “the wave” right now! I can sing, making melody in my heart, right here, right now . . . I can go to “heavenly choir practice” each Lord’s day and practice with the saints in preparation for the day when faith gives way to sight. I can hear it . . . even now . . .

“And the four living creatures said, ‘Amen!’ and the elders fell down and worshiped.” (5:14) . . . me too! How about you? . . . do you hear what I hear?