Magnifying God’s Majesty
Part III
Revelation 4:4,9-11
Purpose: To show that praise of God is man’s greatest duty and joy.
Aim: I want the listener to have a higher opinion of God and worship Him more deeply.
INTRODUCTION: Our text today gives us a picture of what worship in heaven looks like. Claiming to worship and real worship are not necessarily the same thing. It’s like the story of an old man on his deathbed. He was dictating his will to a lawyer and said, “An to each of my employees who have been with me for ten years or more I bequeath the sum of ten thousand dollars.” “Wonderful! What generosity!” said the lawyer. “No, not really,” said the sick man. “You see, none of my employees have been with for more than two years, but it will look good in the papers, won’t it?”
Sometimes our worship might look good, but not mean anything to God. So far we have seen four things in the throne room of God:
REVIEW:
1:1-20 I. John’s Vision of the Past “the things which you have seen”
2:1-5:14 II. Christ’s Vision of the Present “the things which are”
2:1-3:22 A. The testimony of the church on earth
4:1-5:14 B. The throne of God in heaven
4:1-11 1. God’s unchallenged authority
Vs.1-3,5a a. The sovereign One “One sitting on the throne”
Vs.5b b. The Holy Spirit “seven lamps of fire”
Vs.6a c. The sea of glass “a sea of glass like crystal”
Vs.6b-8 d. Four special creatures “Holy, Holy, Holy”
LESSON:
Today we see one final group before God’s throne.
➽ Vs.4,9-11 e. Saved sinners “twenty-four elders”
There are different opinions about who the 24 elders are or represent. In one of Daniels visions he sees 24 thrones before God’s throne but they are empty. Daniel 7:9 “I kept looking Until thrones were set up, And the Ancient of Days took His seat; His vesture was like white snow And the hair of His head like pure wool. His throne was ablaze with flames, Its wheels were a burning fire. (NAU) I think they were empty because the church wasn’t there when Daniel was given his vision.
Paul tells us that the church was grafted into God’s OT promises to the Jews. Romans 11:17 … some of the branches were broken off,[unbelieving Jews] and you,[the Gentiles] being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and became partaker with them of the rich root of the olive tree, (NAU)
The church is made up of believing Jews and believing Gentiles. It makes sense that the number would be 24 because there were 12 tribes of Israel and 12 Apostles.
Peter tells us that the followers of Jesus Christ (the church) are now serving as God’s priests. In two verses Peter use the word YOU to refer to the church six times. 1 Peter 2:9-10 9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10 for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. (NAU) In Greek the YOU is emphatic. In others words, “you, not just Israel” are God’s priests.
I believe that the 24 elders refers to the church because in Revelation Chapters 2 & 3 we find three promises given to the church:
#1 We will wear crowns (Rev.2:10)
#2 We will wear white robes just like the OT priests did (Rev. 3:5)
#3 We will sit on thrones (Rev.3:21)
Notice what Paul says: 2 Timothy 4:8 in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing. (NAU)
So the 24 elders represent saved sinners.
What is in store for saved sinners?
➽Vs.4a (1) Saved sinners are in God’s presence “Around the throne”
After the seven letters to the seven churches, the church is never mentioned again in Revelation. I think that this is because the church (all believers) will be taken to heaven before the awful judgment of God falls on this earth that begins in Chapter six.
Noah pictures this truth. God used Noah to warn the world that judgment was coming, but God brought Noah and his family safely into the ark before judgment came.
Isn’t it amazing that God would go through so much trouble, just so we could be safe in heaven with Him?
➽Vs.4b (2) Saved sinners will judge the world “elders sitting”
This is what the Bible teaches in 1 Corinthians 6:2-3 2 Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? If the world is judged by you, …3 Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more matters of this life? (NAU)
➽Vs.9-11 (3) Saved sinners will worship God
Listen again to the passage that Peter wrote that I quoted a moment ago: 1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light (NAU)
➽Vs.9 (a) Worship is only for God “to Him who sits on the throne…who lives forever”
Psalm 83:18 That they may know that You alone, whose name is the Lord, Are the Most High over all the earth. (NAU)
Psalm 86:10 For You are great and do wondrous deeds; You alone are God. (NAU)
Psalm 148:13 Let them praise the name of the Lord, For His name alone is exalted; His glory is above earth and heaven. (NAU)
Our worship is NOT acceptable to God if we continue to worship something or someone else. God does not share worship with anything else.
➽Vs.10a (b) Worship requires humility “fall down”
What did Abraham do when he saw God? Genesis 17:3 Abram fell on his face, and God talked with him, (NAU)
What did Moses do when he saw God? Deuteronomy 9:18 “I fell down before the Lord, as at the first, forty days and nights; …. (NAU)
What did Joshua do when he saw God? Joshua 5:14 He said, “No; rather I indeed come now as captain of the host of the Lord.” And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and bowed down, and said to him, “What has my lord to say to his servant?” (NAU)
Worship that does not humble you and fill you with a sense of awe is not worship.
What did Job do when he saw God? Job 1:20 Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head, and he fell to the ground and worshiped. (NAU)
What did Ezekiel do when he saw God? Ezekiel 1:28 As the appearance of the rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the surrounding radiance. Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. And when I saw it, I fell on my face …. (NAU)
Ezekiel 3:23 So I got up and went out to the plain; and behold, the glory of the Lord was standing there, like the glory which I saw by the river Chebar, and I fell on my face. (NAU)
Ezekiel 44:4 Then He brought me by way of the north gate to the front of the house; and I looked, and behold, the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord, and I fell on my face. (NAU)
What did the wise men do when they saw God? Matthew 2:11 After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him. … (NAU)
What did Peter, James, and John do when they saw God? Matthew 17:5-6 5 While he was still speaking, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and behold, a voice out of the cloud said, “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased; listen to Him!” 6 When the disciples heard this, they fell face down to the ground and were terrified. (NAU)
➽Vs.10b (c) Worship requires giving “cast their crowns before the throne”
What do you treasure more than anything else? Matthew 6:19-21 19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 “But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; 21 for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (NAU)
“They owe all their graces and all their glories to him, and acknowledge that his crown is infinitely more glorious than theirs, and that it is their glory to be glorifying God.” [Henry, M. (1996, c1991). Matthew Henry’s commentary on the whole Bible : Complete and unabridged in one volume (Re 4:8). Peabody: Hendrickson.]
What are you giving up in order to worship God? Worship that does not cost us something is not worship. The Bible talks about the “sacrifice of praise” (Hebrews 13:15). We should worship the Lord when we find it hard to worship. We can show more love to Christ when we have to give up something in order to worship Him. Instead of letting difficulties discourage you from worshipping God, embrace difficulties as an opportunity to express more love to God than you could when it is easy to worship.
What will you do when worshiping Christ as the only one worthy of worship brings persecution?
➽Vs.11a (d) Worship exalts God’s worthiness “worthy are You”
Praise is much more than thinking good thoughts about God. Real praise will also be public. Romans 10:9-10 9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; 10 for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. (NAU)
God deserves and receives glory, honor, and power. Worship exalts God’s glory. GLORY refers to having a good opinion of someone, here it refers to having a good opinion of God. God is good whether you think He is or not. God is good even when He isn’t doing things the way you want Him to. There is coming a day when, at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:10-11 NAU)
God also deserves and receives honor. Worship exalts God’s honor. HONOR talks about God’s value. It is possible to know that God deserves honor, and yet not treat God as valuable. Romans 1:21 For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. (NAU)
God also deserves and receives power. Worship exalts God’s power. POWER refers to miraculous power. God can do anything. Jeremiah 32:17 ‘Ah Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm! Nothing is too difficult for You, (NAU)
That leads us to:
➽Vs.11b (e) Worship exalts God’s position “You created”
God is our Creator and that gives Him the right to do as He wishes with His creation.
Proverbs 16:4 The Lord has made everything for its own purpose… (NAU)
Romans 9:20-21 20 …who are you, O man, who answers back to God? The thing molded will not say to the molder, “Why did you make me like this,” will it? 21 Or does not the potter have a right over the clay, to make from the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for common use? (NAU)
➽Vs.11c (f) Worship exalts God’s purpose “because of Your will”
Life is not about you or me. Life is all about God. God promises that He will cause … all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28 NAU)
Are you seeking to follow God’s purposes for your life, or are you struggling to get God to fulfill your purposes? What direction is your life pointed?
Colossians 1:16 For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. (NAU)
CONCLUSION: Are you willing to let God humble your heart so that you can worship and praise Him? We should be worshiping God when we’re sick, tired, poor, or dying because His worthiness does not depend on circumstances.
“Take a [Christian], and put him into any condition and he knows how to rejoice in the Lord.” Walter Cradock [Henry, M. (1996, c1991). Matthew Henry’s commentary on the whole Bible : Complete and unabridged in one volume (Re 4:8). Peabody: Hendrickson.]
