June 5, 2000

EXPLORE THE BIBLE:
Revelation gives reasons for praise and worship
___ Revelation 4:1–5:14
___By Leroy Kemp
___University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, Belton
___Soren Kierkegaard, 19th century Danish philosopher, was critical of the way churches of his day worshipped. He compared the church to the theater. The worship leaders were the performers, and the people the audience. God was in the wings prompting the leaders. Kierkegaard thought in true worship God should be the audience and the people on stage with the leaders in the wings prompting them in their adoration of God. When we gather to worship, we should see ourselves as coming before God. We bring offerings of praise to him. He receives our worship.
___There are different understandings about where these passages before us fit into a prophetic scheme. But one thing is certain, these texts are conducive to worship. They provide magnificent images of the Father God and the beloved Son, who are the focus of the worship experience.
___ Great is our God (4:1-3). John, the apostle, is invited through an open door into heaven with the promise of a revelation concerning the future. He finds himself before the magnificent throne of God. God's glorious majesty is depicted in the brilliance of precious jewels and the splendor of the rainbow. For me, the indescribable beauty of the Northern Lights comes to mind, but any description is found wanting. God is more than our senses can take in.
___Three things about God stand out. He is sovereign. He reigns over heaven and earth. He is holy (v. 8), perfect in attributes and character. He is the creator of all things (v.11). Everything that exists that is not God was made by him. An appropriate response to his presence would be for us to join the living creatures in the text by extolling him in glorious worship.
___ The lamb is worthy (5:1-10). The God of John's vision is holding a seven-sealed scroll that contains the destiny of the creation, "what must take place after this" (4:1). At first, it seems no one can break the seals and open the scroll. John is reduced to tears. But wait! The victorious lion of the tribe of Judah (Genesis 49: 8-10), the root of David (Isaiah 11: 1-10) is pronounced able to open the seals and disclose the message of the scroll. This is none other than the promised Messiah of Israel, the Lord Jesus Christ.
___When John looked, he saw not a lion, but a lamb; indeed, a lamb that had been slain was standing on the throne of God. Two streams of messianic prophecy are present in the Old Testament. One anticipates the royalty of the anointed one; the other sees the messiah as a servant, a suffering servant. So we have the lion and the lamb, a king who is a servant and even more, a servant who sacrifices himself to redeem sinners.
___ So let us worship. George Barna of the Barna Research Group concludes that fewer than a third of those who attend worship services sense they have interacted with God.
___Our Scripture lesson this week presents us with a wonderful opportunity for worship.
___There are five exclamations of praise in these two chapters (4:8,11; 5:9-10,12,13). Let us join the creatures, the elders, the angels and all the saints in joyful praise to the Sovereign God, our creator, and the worthy lamb, our redeemer.

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