"And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation" (Revelation 5:9).

This is the final explicit reference in the Bible to the great truth of our blood-bought redemption in Christ. It is probably the most significant of all, for it will be sung in heaven at the throne of "the Lamb of God," whose atoning blood "taketh away the sin of the world" (John 1:29), and it will be sung by the "four and twenty elders." These elders almost certainly represent all the redeemed, for they have with them "the prayers of saints," and soon they are joined in their new song by "every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth" (Revelation 5:8,13).

We shall be there singing with them too, assuming we also are among those who have been redeemed ". . . with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, Who by Him do believe in God, that raised Him up from the dead, and gave Him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God" (I Peter 1:19-21).

Many supposedly Christian congregations in this "politically-correct" generation seldom (if ever) sing about the redeeming blood of Christ any more, fearing it might sound naïve or even offensive. Nevertheless we only "have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace" (Ephesians 1:7), and we shall be singing about it in heaven in the ages to come. So why not now! In fact, the great foundational truths of the gospel need to be proclaimed and sung more today than ever, especially on this date on which even non-Christians may be more aware of His sacrificial death than usual. HMM