Week 49, Day 2

​Week 49, Day 2
December 6, 2022
Revelation 4
 
“Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say: “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.”” (Revelation 4:9–11)
 
When we read the book of Revelation we need to keep in mind that it is a book about worship. I can remember hearing and old preacher story about an elderly gentleman who memorized the book of Revelation. When asked, “Why on earth would you memorize Revelation? Of all the books to memorize, why that?” He said, “When I get to heaven, I don’t want to have to keep an eye on the sheet music.”
 
Here in chapter 4, we get a glimpse into the heavens. The picture is one of all of creation and the people of God worshiping God and celebrating him. “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power…”
 
In apocalyptic literature, we need to read the animals, colors and numbers as symbolic, not literal. The vision of these things reveals a truth about God, the heavens or our world. In this case, it is four creatures, one with a face like a man, another a lion, another an ox and the last, an eagle. These four animals represent all of creation. The 24 elders, is the old and new covenant people, who represent all of God’s people – who are now worshiping, “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God almighty.”
 
The book is about worship. Will we worship God with all that we are? Revelation will pull back the curtain on the problems in the world. The problems of sin, Satan, evil and death. There are pressures to conform, or die. Revelation inspires us to never shrink back in our worship, but fully devote our lives to the risen Lamb, Jesus Christ.
 
Will you memorize Revelation? Maybe not, but we can sing today, Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord God almighty, and warm up our voices for heaven.