Revelation 15:3-4; The Song of Moses and Song of the Lamb

Revelation 15:3-4 And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints. Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest. 

The song accompanying the harps has the ring of poetry about it. It is a song of victory like that of Moses after crossing the Red Sea. Two songs are combined: “the song of Moses the servant of God” and the Song of the Lamb.”

The song of Moses is the triumph over evil by God’s judgments. It is a song celebrating the overthrow of Pharaoh and his host at the Red Sea (Exodus 15).

This Mosaic song must not be confused with the prophetic one in Deuteronomy 32., which, magnificent as it is, celebrated an earthly redemption only. The grace and glory in the song that was sung on the eastern bank of the Red Sea were associated with power over Israel’s foes in Egypt, by God’s judgments.

The Song of the Lamb, however, is of a different nature. This song, led by the Lamb as the Captain of our salvation, implies exaltation of the rejected-Messiah, the suffering One. Sung by the faithful slain remnant amidst unfaithful and apostate Israel, this song celebrates God and the Lamb by victorious sufferers in heaven.

Coming to the subject of this double song, we find God magnified in several ways. First, His works are praised. The phrase “great and marvellous is repeated in Revelation 15, verses 1 and 3, implying the vindication of the justice of God, so that He may be glorified at the grand end of God’s dealings. In the combined divine title “Lord God Almighty,” we have a vast reservoir of strength – consoling to the saint but foreboding to the enemy of God.

The ways of God are extolled as being “just and true”. In the chastisement of His enemies, God will act in harmony with His own character. This equitable judgment will be meted out by the King of saints [edited].

[Herbert Lockyer, Revelation – Drama of the Ages, Whitaker House, 2012, 237]

Indeed, our Lord Jesus is our Lord, vindicating His saints.

“For thou only art holy.” The singers on the glassy sea celebrate the holiness of God. They fear and glorify God as the only One entitled to be called “holy”. The beast set himself as God, but the victorious choir chooses holiness in the face of a world one over to sin. Now they are where all true holiness reigns.

“For all nations shall come and worship thee.” God’s judgments will strike fear into His foes. Anticipating the universal domination of the Lord, the saints celebrate the worldwide recognition of His supremacy. Here, we see the fulfilment of such prophecies as Psalm 148, Isaiah 2:2-4; 56:6-7 and Zechariah 14:16-17.

Psalm 148:1-14 Praise ye the LORD. Praise ye the LORD from the heavens: praise him in the heights. Praise ye him, all his angels: praise ye him, all his hosts. Praise ye him, sun and moon: praise him, all ye stars of light. Praise him, ye heavens of heavens, and ye waters that beabove the heavens. Let them praise the name of the LORD: for he commanded, and they were created. He hath also stablished them for ever and ever: he hath made a decree which shall not pass. Praise the LORD from the earth, ye dragons, and all deeps: Fire, and hail; snow, and vapour; stormy wind fulfilling his word: Mountains, and all hills; fruitful trees, and all cedars: Beasts, and all cattle; creeping things, and flying fowl: Kings of the earth, and all people; princes, and all judges of the earth: Both young men, and maidens; old men, and children: Let them praise the name of the LORD: for his name alone is excellent; his glory isabove the earth and heaven. He also exalteth the horn of his people, the praise of all his saints; evenof the children of Israel, a people near unto him. Praise ye the LORD. 

Isaiah 2:2-4 And it shall come to pass in the last days, thatthe mountain of the LORD’S house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. 

Isaiah 56:6-7 Also the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the LORD, to serve him, and to love the name of the LORD, to be his servants, every one that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant; Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall beaccepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people. 

Zechariah 14:16-17 And it shall come to pass, thatevery one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles. And it shall be, thatwhoso will not come up of allthe families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain. 

[Herbert Lockyer, Revelation – Drama of the Ages, Whitaker House, 2012, 237]