SONGS WE SING: ‘HOLY FOREVER’
Revelation 4:1-11
#HolyForever
SING ‘HOLY FOREVER’
VIDEO: TIM HAWKINS ON ‘HAND RAISING CHURCH’ [2:39]
INTRODUCTION
This morning we are continuing a sermon series called: “The Songs We Sing” and that previous video had little to do with the sermon other than the topic is worship and we have been digging into worship for a few weeks.
FOCUS ON “WORSHIP”
Worship is an important attitude of the heart and a total disposition of our soul focusing on God. As we focus on different songs we sing from now until Easter, understand that the songs are the surface focus, but the real focus is the direction of our hearts and minds when we sing. Worship is our focus!
Worship of God Almighty is our focus.
Worship claiming the blood of Christ is our focus.
Worship in the Spirit and in Truth is our focus.
Part of worshipping God is singing. It is not the only part, but is a significant part. Part of worshipping God is our posture of our body (or what we do or don’t do with out hands!) and also the posture of our minds. Part of worship is the words that we intentionally say or sing to God. Part of worship is our focus. So, in these weeks, as we think through some of the songs we sing in services, we are thinking through worship.
TRANSITION
The song that we are focusing on today is the one we sang earlier: Holy Forever.
SONG LYRICS: ‘HOLY FOREVER’ (optional)
Verse 1
A thousand generations falling down in worship; To sing the song of ages to the Lamb
And all who've gone before us; And all who will believe; Will sing the song of ages to the Lamb
Pre-Chorus
(Jesus) Your name is the highest; Your name is the greatest; Your name stands above them all
All thrones and dominions; All powers and positions; Your name stands above them all
Chorus 1
And the angels cry Holy; All creation cries Holy; You are lifted high Holy; Holy forever
Verse 2
If you've been forgiven and if you've been redeemed; Sing the song forever to the Lamb
If you walk in freedom and if you bear His name; Sing the song forever to the Lamb
We'll sing the song forever and amen
Chorus 2
Hear Your people sing Holy; To the King of Kings Holy; You will always be Holy; Holy forever
CONTENT air1.com/music/blog/behind-the-music/faith-behind-the-song-holy-forever-chris-tomlin-5220 [adapted]
The song “Holy Forever” came out in March of 2023 and was written by Chris Tomlin (GOAT) and some other folks. The song focuses our words on the transcendence of God. In an interview with The Christian Post, Chris Tomlin said:
"There are songs of deliverance, which when it comes to worship, those are the songs of rescue like 'Lord, I need You, rescue me, I need your grace,' Tomlin described. 'We need those songs. Then there are those other songs of transcendence. There's nothing about me in the deal; it’s just taking our eyes off ourselves and just [switch focus] onto the glory of God.”
An encounter with God’s transcendence reveals just how unworthy we are of God’s love and mercy. Yet He gives to us over and over again. The song also connects us to Heaven and the song that is sung in Heaven to God described in Revelation 4. Chris Tomlin talked about how transcendence connects us to eternity when it comes to worship:
"I just tried to capture a piece of Heaven in this song that never ends, this eternal song. What's amazing is that there is an eternal song and we know the lyrics. It’s 'Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty.' That's what the Bible says throughout, and in Revelation, it says, 'Day and night, they never stopped saying it.”
TRANSITION
As we think through this song, we are going to first look at a central belief that we hold about God… that He is Holy. Then we will look at the passage that inspired the song which is the vision of the Apostle John in Revelation chapter 4.
CENTRAL BELIEF ABOUT GOD: HOLINESS
The worship song “Holy Forever” uses the word “holy” a lot.
What does the word “holy” mean? Why use it? What does the word mean in relation to God? What does that word have to do with us? All of these are worthy questions.
We are introduced to the word “holy” in Genesis 2:3, but it is Exodus 3:5 when YHWH God introduces Himself to Moses by way of a burning bush that we start to get a sense of the word. Exodus 3 makes it clear that the bush was burning with the presence of God and so the whole area was made “holy.” God is communicating to a man named Moses in a unique way and said:
READ EXODUS 3:5 (ESV)
“Then He said, “Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.”
The transcendent presence of God was breaking into Creation on a mountain top creating a holy space for God to speak with Moses. Holiness is about God’s otherness. Holiness is about God’s separateness from us and all of creation. Holiness is about God’s complete righteousness. Holiness is sometimes hard to understand because we don’t share this trait with God at all. Yes, those of us who are believers in Jesus are made holy because of Him, but by ourselves… nope… none of us is holy.
In the passage we are going to look at today in a few minutes, Revelation 4, the angels in Heaven sing “holy, holy, holy” to God. Not one or two, but “holy” repeated three times for emphasis. Repeated three times for strength. That specific phase appears twice in the Bible: in Isaiah 6 in the Old Testament and Revelation 4 in the New Testament. Both times, the phrase is spoken or sung by heavenly creatures, and both times it occurs in the vision of a man who was transported to the throne of God.
God’s holiness is one aspect of His being that separates Him from all other beings. God’s holiness means: absolute perfection, transcendent goodness, and wonderous power all rolled into one with a side of unparalleled eternal uniqueness.
Holiness is one aspect of God that sometimes we struggle with. RC Sproul says:
ILLUSTRATION… goodreads.com/work/quotes/2101042-the-holiness-of-god
RC Sproul (1939-2017) says in his book “The Holiness of God”: “We tend to have mixed feelings about the holy. There is a sense in which we are at the same time attracted to it and repulsed by it. Something draws us toward it, while at the same time we want to run away from it. We can’t seem to decide which way we want it. Part of us yearns for the holy, while part of us despises it. We can’t live with it, and we can’t live without it.”
Whether the holiness of God attracts you to Him or makes you wary of Him… He is holy nevertheless. The holiness of God is one of His defining qualities in the same way His love is one of His defining qualities.
TRANSITION
The holiness of God is the focus of Chris Tomlin’s worship song. It is also the focus of the Bible passage we are going to dig into which was the inspiration for Chris Tomlin and others to write the song.
What does Revelation 4 say?
In this chapter of Revelation, we see a vision the Apostle John has of a door opening peeking inside the dwelling place of God… specifically the throne room of God. The door opens and throughout the Book of Revelation we get a progression of more and more pictures of what God has planned. There is a progression with each series of visions in this very strange book of the Bible. Doors open. Scrolls and seals open. Temple opens. Heaven opens. Sky opens. Books open. All throughout Revelation we have progressive openings looking into what God has planned.
READ REVELATION 4:1-11 (ESV)
“After this I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven! And the first voice, which I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet, said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” 2 At once I was in the Spirit, and behold, a throne stood in heaven, with One seated on the throne. 3 And He who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian, and around the throne was a rainbow that had the appearance of an emerald. 4 Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and seated on the thrones were twenty-four elders, clothed in white garments, with golden crowns on their heads. 5 From the throne came flashes of lightning, and rumblings and peals of thunder, and before the throne were burning seven torches of fire, which are the seven spirits of God, 6 and before the throne there was as it were a sea of glass, like crystal. And around the throne, on each side of the throne, are four living creatures, full of eyes in front and behind: 7 the first living creature like a lion, the second living creature like an ox, the third living creature with the face of a man, and the fourth living creature like an eagle in flight. 8 And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say, “Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!” 9 And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who is seated on the throne, Who lives forever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders fall down before Him Who is seated on the throne and worship Him Who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying, 11 “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.”
Every single part of this chapter is meant for us to take note of the four living creatures singing out: “Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!” They state His absolute holiness. They state His eternal nature. Every part of this chapter explains why these beings do that. Every symbol of this chapter is meant for us to take a step back and marvel at God because He is the highest, greatest, and stands above all others. It is what “Holy Forever” leads us to do:
SONG LYRICS: ‘HOLY FOREVER’
“Jesus, Your name is the highest; Your name is the greatest; Your name stands above them all
All thrones and dominions; All powers and positions; Your name stands above them all.”
How does Revelation 4 proclaim the holy, holy, holiness of God?
How does Revelation 4 proclaim the holy, holy, holiness of Jesus?
How does Revelation 4 proclaim the holy, holy, holiness of the Holy Spirit?
John says the Holy Spirit is showing him this vision. In verses 2-3, we are introduced to the heavenly setting of the vision which is the Throne of God. Why does God have a throne? He is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords and the Eternal God without equal! The throne symbolizes the authority and power of His holiness which only He has. The description of His powerful brilliance, with colors like jasper and carnelian, reflects His ultimate purity and righteousness. I personally love that the rainbow that surrounds Him is a rainbow of all greens being described as an emerald. That’s just cool.
In verse 4 and in verse 10, we have elders dressed in white with golden crowns bowing down… no falling down… before God! Anything that these elders have falls before God in reverence and worship. Not just bow, kneel, or curtsy… fall! The holiness of God demands humility and reverence and respect from us. In the vision, the elders and all the spiritual beings of Heaven give worship with all that they have.
In verses 6-8, the Four Living Creatures make a re-appearance. I say re-appearance because when the Prophet Ezekiel (Ezekiel 1, 10) got a glimpse of Heaven in the Old Testament, he saw the same creatures. These spirit beings represent of all God has created surrounding His throne. They are in service to God. These beings are spiritual forces declaring God’s character as all the heavenly beings do. It is these beings’ whole job to give glory and honor and thank God for what He has done (verse 9) and give credit to Him on the Throne (Jesus & the Father).
In verse 6, we also see that before the throne is a sea of glass. The sea before God's throne is described as like "crystal," which speaks of His holiness in regards to purity, separation, and His ultimate transcendence. I know I’ve used that word “transcendence” and by “transcendence” I mean “God is something else!” Even the placement of the sea… like the throne… speak of His holy separateness from everything else that exists.
In verses 9-11 as the vision continues, we have a whole scene of continual worship. There are key words and phrases in these verses that let us know the elders and the creatures and all the spiritual beings are worshipping God:
“give glory and honor and thanks”
“fall down before Him”
:worship Him”
“cast their crowns before the throne”
“Worthy are You”
“receive glory and honor and power”
“You created all things”
“by Your will they existed and were created.”
The focus of these Four Living Creatures and the twenty-four elders and anyone else hanging out in the throne room of the Holy Holy Holy Almighty God is to worship Him.
They give: honor, credit, and allegiance.
They offer: thanks, themselves, and all that they have.
They show: by their actions, their words, and their intentions that God is holy.
Based on out look at Revelation 4, we can see why the worship song “Holy Forever” says:
SONG LYRICS: ‘HOLY FOREVER’
“Falling down in worship; To sing the song of ages”
“Your name is the highest” “Your name is the greatest” “Your name stands above them all”
“All thrones and dominions; All powers and positions; Your name stands above them all”
“And the angels cry Holy” “All creation cries Holy”
TRANSITION
What do we do with Revelation 4? How does this apply to us? How should you and I react to the holiness of God?
APPLICATION
The truth of God’s holiness should produce in us two application points for us in worship.
The first application point is that you and I accept the holiness of God highlighting it I how we act. We acknowledge it. We treat worship time as sacred, special, and set apart because the One we are focusing on is sacred, special, and set apart. When you and I worship God, we absolutely need to treat God like He is holy! Moses and the Israelites trembled (Exodus 3, 19). Isaiah and Peter recognized how small they were and how sinful they were (Isaiah 6, Luke 5). Ezekiel, Daniel, and John all fell on their faces (Ezekiel 1, Daniel 10, Revelation 1).
When you and I worship whether we are by ourselves or we gather together in a church service, we need to make sure on the inside and the outside that we treat God holy. What does that practically look like?
Listen attentively to the Word and focus
Pay attention to scripture readings and the sermon
Minimize disruptions like arriving late, excessive talking during the service, or using phones
Go to the bathroom before the service so you can focus
Find a posture that you feel honors God
Engage in genuine prayer to God trying to keep focus
Sing with reverence and joy whatever the song
Participate in communion with confession and purpose
Give generously when you come to church making it a habit to tithe
Serve in the church with thanksgiving
Come expecting to be transformed by the Holy Spirit
Encourage at least one other person while here
Be a witness to the gospel
All of these are just suggestions on how to acknowledge God’s holiness on the inside and the outside when we worship. What does that practically look like for you? Which of those things do we do well and which of those things could we improve upon to respond to God’s holiness?
The second application point is that you and I accept the holiness of God responding in thankfulness. In the New Testament, the phrase “thanks be to God” is used in double digits. One way we can respond to God’s holiness is an overwhelming attitude of thankfulness.
I see this in the song lyrics of “Holy Forever:”
SONG LYRICS: ‘HOLY FOREVER’
“If you've been forgiven and if you've been redeemed; Sing the song forever to the Lamb
If you walk in freedom and if you bear His name; Sing the song forever to the Lamb
We'll sing the song forever and amen”
Singing in thankfulness to God Who forgives us is appropriate.
Singing in thankfulness to Jesus Who redeems us is important.
Singing in thankfulness to the Holy Spirit Who enables us to walk in freedom is needed.
Being thankful that we bear the Name of Jesus is part of worship.
The Scriptures describe this:
READ PSALM 30:11-12 (ESV)
“You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, 12 that my glory may sing Your praise and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to You forever!”
READ 1 CORINTHIANS 15:57 (ESV)
“But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
READ 2 CORINTHIANS 9:15 (ESV)
“Thanks be to God for His inexpressible gift!”
READ REVELATION 7:12 (ESV)
“Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.”
All of these verses point to a thankfulness for Who God is. What does that practically look like for you? How is your thankfulness level to God and how do you express it? How do you respond to God’s holiness?
CONCLUSION… goodreads.com/author/quotes/1250965.R_C_Sproul
As we close, one more quote by RC Sproul (1939-2017) from his book “The Holiness of God”: “When we understand the character of God, when we grasp something of His holiness, then we begin to understand the radical character of our sin and hopelessness. Helpless sinners can survive only by grace. Our strength is futile in itself; we are spiritually impotent without the assistance of a merciful God. We may dislike giving our attention to God's wrath and justice, but until we incline ourselves to these aspects of God's nature, we will never appreciate what has been wrought for us by grace.”
PRAYER
INVITATION
In the song “Holy Forever,” the verses say to sing to “the Lamb.” If you did not know, the lamb is a symbol for Jesus Christ. In John 1, when seeing Jesus, John the Baptist cried out, "Behold the Lamb of God, Who takes away the sin of the world." The image of the Lamb comes from the Old Testament and fulfilled in the New Testament that Jesus is our sacrifice to pay for our sins. Have you accepted that the Lamb has died for you?
