The Emphasis and Intensity of God (3)

 Three’s (3) Denote God’s emphasis and Intensity. Three scoops of ice cream are better than one or two scoops! If you want to impress upon someone, give them three scoops. That will be about as much as most people can handle. Emphasize three scoops of someone’s favorite flavor and that will wake up their taste buds … now that is intense! God uses three’s (3) to say what he means and to mean what he says.

Three-fold Reference to Harps:

1. … “And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the lamb, having everyone of them harps, and golden vials full of incense, which are the prayers of saints.” (Rev. 5:8). (Emphasis added).
2. … ”And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps:” (Rev. 14:2). (Emphasis added).
3. … “And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on a sea of glass, having the harps of God.” (Rev. 15:2). (Emphasis added).

Commentary: The harp has been historically associated with anything resembling or being described as heavenly music. It is a very unique stringed instrument. Whether or not the reference is to actual harps, or some type of metaphor for all types of heavenly instruments, it doesn’t matter. These harps, or instruments, are played only in heaven. They require someone to play them, they don’t play themselves. They play a role in worship. It is inferred that they please God, along with the prayers of saints that are offered to God along with the music created by the harpers with their harps.  Interestingly, as a side note, the Bible speaks of harps, trumpets, horns as devices which product sounds, for various purposes. Harps are not used by the opening band, at a concert, but are reserved for the main act. The four beasts have harps, and presumably have the ability to play them. The heavenly organization of twenty-four elders, each of them has a harp. The Tribulation Saints are given harps. The diversity of who has harps, indicates the importance that harps play in the worship of God and of his pleasure. The music of harps is so important to God that it is on par with the prayers he receives from the saints.