The Last Word
Revelation 4 – Worship in Heaven
August 30, 2020
At the end of chapter 3, Jesus invites us to open the door and allow him into our lives. At the beginning of chapter 4, he invites us into his world!
Revelation 4:2-6a NIV
At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. 3 And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and ruby. A rainbow that shone like an emerald encircled the throne. 4 Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads. 5 From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. In front of the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits[a] of God. 6 Also in front of the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal.
John sees the person who’s the center of the universe, and it’s not him ?
I wonder how much anger and pain, struggle and sin, worry and anxiety, insecurity and arguments come from the surprise that creation doesn’t orbit around us.
John shows us in this vision who’s really in charge.
The word “throne” appears in almost every chapter of Revelation
The reason the world cannot give us lasting peace is because the world and people aren’t really in charge.
Prayer gives us access to a place where God’s in complete control.
Prayer is surrender. Prayer is admitting we’re not in control.
When I was young, I never really knew if my parents were having trouble. I knew
my parents were in charge and all would be well. I cannot remember losing any sleep as a child because of worry. My parents oversaw our home, and all would be well. The only burden I had as a child was to obey my parents. That’s also the only burden I have today. His yoke is easy, and His burden is light!
Revelation 4:6b-8 NIV
In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. 7 The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. 8 Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying: “‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty,’ who was, and is, and is to come.”
We worship with the conviction that we are in the presence of God.
Failure to worship leaves us at the mercy of the world’s whims and fears. Without worship we live manipulated lives.
Worship steadies us, gives us purpose and direction.
V.8 – “Day and Night, they never stop …”
There’s not one second without worship. Every second of our lives is covered in His presence.
Worship is constantly streaming in heaven!
When we worship, we invite heaven into our present reality!
When we’re worshipping the one, true God, we can be truthful about the condition of our hearts.
Psalm 42:5-6 NIV
“Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and 6 my God. My soul is downcast within me; therefore, I will remember you …”
