When He had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. Rev. 5:8
Then I looked, and behold, the Lamb was standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His name and the name of His Father written on their foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven, like the sound of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder, and the voice which I heard was like the sound of harpists playing on their harps. Rev. 14:1-2
And I saw something like a sea of glass mixed with fire, and those who had been victorious over the beast and his image and the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, holding harps of God. Rev. 15:2
As Bible students are aware, the Revelation was “signified” (ASV) unto John by the use of figurative language and one must be constantly aware of this in their reading and study. Before reaching a firm conclusion about what a text is teaching, we must look closely at the context. Taking figurative terms and making them literal continues to be one of the biggest reasons why so many erroneous conclusions have been reached in regard to what is being taught in Jesus’ message to John.
For example, in an attempt to justify the use of musical instruments in worship to God, it is argued by some that since musical instruments (i.e., harps) are found in heaven it must be appropriate to use them now. But before we conclude that harps have the approval of heaven, let’s make sure they are in heaven in the first place. Let’s look at the contexts in which they are mentioned.
Rev. 5:8 In vs. 1 we read of a book with seven seals, and then a lion in vs. 5. In vs. 6 a throne and a lamb with seven horns and eyes are spoken of. Then, in vs. 7, we have harps and bowls of incense. What is it in the context that would lead anyone to conclude that any of these are literal?
Rev. 14:1-2 In these verses John sees (1) a Lamb standing (2) on Mount Zion along with (3) 144,000 people who have (4) the name of the Lamb and His Father written on their foreheads. All of these are but symbols: Lamb (purity), Mount Zion (heavenly rule), 144,000 (all the redeemed), engraved foreheads (God’s ownership). Why should the harps be literal when everything else is figurative? They are simply symbols of musical praise.
Rev. 15:2 mentions, along with the harps, a sea of glass and those standing upon it. There is as much reason to literalize the sea of glass as there is to make the harps literal.
Chapters 4-5 contain much information about God’s “throne”. We understand (hopefully) that this is not a reference to a large, ornate piece of furniture upon which God sits, but a symbol of God’s rule.
In Rev. 7:9 John sees a “great multitude…clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands.” Do we expect there to be literal white robes and palm branches in heaven, or are these terms symbolic for purity (white robes) and victory (palm branches)?
And, finally, there is that street of pure gold, Rev. 21:21. I trust we all understand that this is not a reference to a literal roadway paved with the most precious of all metals, but to the beauty and grandeur of God’s abode.
We will all become better students of this great book when we recognize figurative language for what it is and reach conclusions about what each figure symbolizes by careful examination of the contexts in which they are found. Inconsistently assigning literal meanings to obviously figurative language will inevitably lead us, at best, into misunderstanding passages intended for our blessing, Rev. 1:3. At the worst, such poor handling of scripture may result in the belief and practice of things which do not have the approval of heaven. And such is the case with instruments of music. There are no harps in heaven and there should be none in our worship to God today.
David Smitherman
