Threefold Holy

THREEFOLD HOLY (REVELATION 4)

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I was first reminded by a nice receptionist of restrictions in my apartment lobby in pandemic times: “Mr. Yap, you didn’t wear a mask.” The next few weeks’ behavior were erratic and embarrassing, usually with older people. An older lady, upon realizing she had no mask on upon exiting the lift to the ground floor, uttered in shock, “Uh, uh, uh!” On another occasion, the lift door opened to an elderly man who realized he was unmasked, so he shuffled his feet directly and retreated backwards dramatically to the corner of the lift.

My most interesting experience was when I found that I had dropped my mask somewhere while exercising without a mask near where I lived. I wondered what to do and walked to the supermarket to buy more time to think up a plan of how to enter the lobby without a mask. Halfway there, I said, “Wait a minute. It’s not going to work. They won’t let me in without a mask,” so I had to head home, but how am I going to walk inside without scaring residents? Then I figure out a plan. I successfully waited for the lift to reach ground level, entered my gate password to the lobby entrance after the residents had exited and kept my eye on the lift at the same time to make sure that it’s still on ground level!

How do sinful men meet with a holy God in worship?

Revelation chapter 4 is full of images taking center stage in subsequent verses– from door in verse 1, to throne (twice) in verse 2, precious stones in verse 3, 24 seats in verse 4, lamps of fire in verse 5, a sea of glass in verse 6. The focus to non-objects from verse 7 onwards is the four beasts individually in verse 7, the four beasts together in verses 8 to 9, the 24 elders in verse 10 and the Lord is the last verse. The two decrees and declarations in verses 8 and 11, not the objects or creatures, are the climax, with each verse referring to the “Lord” by name (vv 8, 11).

There’s a lot of study on worship –some boring, some borrowed, some baseless, some basic and some balanced, but hardly one befitting the breath-taking picture of Revelation 4. What is worship? What attitude should we have upon appearing before God? Why is worship not just a doctrine but a deed?

Come Now – Worship is Commanded

1 After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter. 2 And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne. 3 And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald. 4 And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold. 5 And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.

Bill Gates died and was asked by God. "Well Bill I'm going to let you decide on where you want to go" says God. Bill replied, "Thanks God. What's the difference between the two?"

"I'll show you," God replies. So Bill went to hell. It was a beautiful clean sandy beach with clear waters. There were thousands of beautiful women running around playing in the water laughing and frolicking about. The sun was shining and the temperature was perfect.

"This is great!" Bill told God. Bill then went to heaven. Heaven was a high place in the clouds, with angels drifting about playing harps and singing. It was nice, but not as enticing as hell. Bill thought for a moment and then said, "I think I prefer hell." 'Fine', replied God, 'as you wish."

So Bill Gates went to hell. Two weeks later God decided to check up on him. When God arrived, he found Bill shackled to a wall, screaming amongst the hot flames in the dark cave as he was burned and tortured by demons.

"How's everything going, Bill? " God asked. Bill responded, his voice full of anguish and disappointment, "This is awful this is not what I expected I can't believe this happened. What happened to the other place with all the beaches and the beautiful women playing in the water?"