We've spent the last 25 years engaged in one of the silliest conflicts the church has known - the "worship wars" - fighting about whether God likes to be praised with piano and organ, or drums and guitars, with traditional hymns or new songs. It pretty much goes without saying that if we are fighting about the form of worship we are not engaging in the kind of worship displayed in Revelation 4 and 5, the kind modeled when John was given a vision of heavenly worship.
In chapter 4, John is transported to heaven in a vision, and he is allowed to see how things take place before God's glorious throne. He sees what we will see and experiences what we will experience one day when we are in the presence of God.
First, John saw a throne in heaven, one Isaiah told us was high and exalted. Everyone and everything was focused toward
it. We can only imagine the beauty and
the glory of the heavenly throne room, though John tries to give us what
information he can. But, in spite of all
the beauty in the place, his focus was not on the throne or its beauty, but on
the One seated on the throne. God is
seated on the throne. He is not running
for office or fighting to protect that throne.
He is seated, at rest. His rule
over the world is settled, his sovereignty is secure. He has no rival for his kingdom, for no one
can challenge his power and authority.
John notice that there were other
thrones in heaven, lesser thrones but awesome nonetheless, and these 24 thrones
encircled the great throne. On these
were seated twenty-four elders, who represent the redeemed of the ages, perhaps
the twelve tribes of Israel
and the twelve apostles. In the world,
they faced hardships and persecution, but in heaven they are seated in places
of honor and authority. They are clothed
in white robes, sinless and righteous, having all their sins washed away, and
they wear gold crowns on their heads, signifying that they have received all
the rewards of their labor. They served
faithfully on earth, many gave their very lives for the cause of Christ, and
now they rule in heaven under the authority of the Great One on the great
throne.
John saw that lightning flashed
from the throne, and peals of thunder rumbled through heaven. Even those who are welcome in heaven cannot escape
the fact that this is an awesome God, a God who inspires awe among his people
and terror in his enemies. Before the
throne were seven burning torches, but this was no normal fire. They were spiritual creatures, perhaps the
Cherubim of the Old Testament, beings of light and glory. Surrounding the throne is a sea of glass,
shining like crystal.
Around the throne, on each of its
sides, he saw four living creatures with eyes in front and behind. One looked like a lion, another like an ox,
the third looked human and the fourth like an eagle in flight. What do they signify? No one really knows, but perhaps they speak
of God’s authority and power. In Isaiah
6, they are called Seraphim. Two of
their wings cover their eyes, two cover their feet and with two they fly. These are creatures more amazing that you
could ever imagine, but they humble themselves in the presence of the
Almighty. Day and night these creatures
continue to speak words.
Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;the whole earth is full of his glory!”Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!
They never cease to speak these words of praise. Day and night, month
after month, year after year they give honor and glory to the God of Heaven. They are the heavenly ministers of
worship.
Their ceaseless worship moves
the 24 Elders, those who have experience God's redemption, the heroes of the faith, to join in the praise. They know that they unworthy sinners made holy by
the grace of God. So they get off their
thrones, their places of honor, and they fall down before the one seated on the
Great White Throne. They remove their
crowns and cast them on the floor before the throne. They know that the only reason they rule in
heaven is because of the mercy and power of the Lord of Hosts.
They express their worship in
powerful words, focusing on God’s character and glory.
“Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.”
We are not worthy, you are worthy. We should not receive glory, you should
receive glory. All of heaven gives glory
to the Father, the greatest of the great, seated on the throne, high and
exalted, glorious and powerful – the awesome King of kings. It is my belief that one day each of us will
mimic the actions of the 24 Elders.
Whatever crowns, whatever rewards we receive will be laid at the feet of
the Father in heaven, in recognition of our total dependence on Him and His grace
for all things, especially our successes here on earth.
The Scroll and the Lamb
When chapter 5 opens, John sees something he has not seen before, a scroll in the hand of God, sealed with seven seals, containing the judgments of God on the sin of
humanity. It is time, in the vision John
was about to see, for the judgments of God to be poured out on earth. A powerful angel inquired in a voice that all
in heaven could hear, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its
seals?”
Everyone
looked around, hoping one would step forward who was worthy to pour out God’s
judgment on earth, but no one came forward.
No one was worthy to take the scroll.
John broke down in tears because there was no one in all of heaven
worthy to pronounce and pour out God’s righteous judgment. But one of the elders looked at him and told
him not to weep. There was one who was
worthy.
“Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.”
That is
when John saw him for the first time.
Between the throne and the four living creatures, among the 24 Elders,
there he was. A Lamb – the Lamb of God,
looking as if he had been slain. All of
these glorious, heavenly creatures, awesome and powerful; yet the only one
worthy to open the scroll of God was a crucified lamb, the Lamb of God slain
from the foundation of the earth. In
that room were mighty angels, living creatures, Cherubim and Seraphim, and the
greatest servants of God that history could offer, but none of them were worthy
to take the scroll. The only one worthy
was a Lamb, the one who humbled himself and died for the sins of the
world. He stood before the throne and took
the scroll. He was the one, the one
worthy to carry out the eternal plan of God.
As he had carried out God’s plan of redemption, now He would carry out
the plan of judgment.
The Elders,
along with the four living creatures, fell down before the Lamb. They presented him bowls, filled with
the prayers of believers. And then,
heaven broke out in song. It is
interesting to note that it was only when the Crucified and Risen Lamb stepped
forward that the song of heaven began. The
truest music is the music of the Cross. The
Elders, the redeemed, those whose place in heaven was purchased by the blood of
that crucified Lamb; they sang this new song,
“Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God
from every tribe and language and people and nation,
and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God,
and they shall reign on the earth.”
As the
angels had worshiped the character of God, the elders worshiped the work of
redemption that had purchased their place in heaven.
Suddenly, all of
heaven joined the worship. All the
heavenly hosts surrounding the throne, and the living creatures and the elders
and myriads of angels, thousands upon thousands of angels began this chant of
praise to the Lamb. The words thundered
throughout heaven.
“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!”All of creation joined the refrain. Praise swelled not only from heaven, but also from every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea. All of creation joined to praise the Lamb who was slain, saying
“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!”This is how the world should be; every creature looking at the Creator giving praise; every redeemed heart thinking about the Lamb who brought redemption through his blood. This is how life was meant to be. Not the rat race of activity, materialism and immorality that we live in. This is how all of creation was meant to live, and so the four living creatures said, “Amen.” So be it. It is as it should be.
And the Elders, the redeemed fell down before the one seated on the throne and the Lamb who now held the scroll of God, and they worshiped him. Forever and forever their praise will swell. One day, each of us, redeemed by the blood of Christ, will join that choir and sing,
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty. The whole earth is full of His glory.” “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!”“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!”“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty. The whole earth is full of His glory.” “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!”“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!”Let us each, today, join in the heavenly chorus of praise.
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