God Alone is Worthy

HBI - God alone is the only one in control and therefore worthy of our worship, the only one worthy to judge the world, and to whom we need to cry out in worship.

In 1944, during WWII, Corrie Ten Boom and her sister, Betsie, endured ten months of unimaginable suffering while imprisoned by the Nazis for their resistance work in aiding and hiding Jews. Betsie would never leave prison alive. She died in the infamous German concentration camp, Ravensbruck, in December 1944. After Corrie’s release on New Years’ Eve, due to what she would later discover was a clerical error (a week later women her age were sent to the gas chambers), she devoted her life to sharing the love of Jesus around the world.

Corrie and Betsie Ten Boom endured hunger, nakedness, being mocked and humiliated, beatings, illness and denial of proper medical care, backbreaking labor, solitary confinement, being packed with 80 women in a boxcar for three days, sleeping on the cold, wet ground and later in lice and flea infested beds, roll call pre-dawn for hours at a time, interrogations, and witnessing the torture of other prisoners. And in the background, the incinerator at Ravensbruck reminded them that at any time they could be selected for execution.

Despite numerous searches by the guards, Corrie and Betsie were able to keep hidden the small Bible that had been slipped to them during the early days of their confinement. God’s Word in written form was their lifeline, and with it they held nightly worship services for the women in their barracks. In the darkest place, God’s light shone bright to bring hope and encouragement to desperate hearts. In her book, The Hiding Place, Corrie shares two passages of Scripture that were very meaningful to them during this time.When Corrie and Betsie arrived in Ravensbruck and were assigned to their barracks, they discovered that the beds were teeming with fleas. In the midst of the cruel treatment, depravation, and now fleas, Betsie urged that they thank God for all their circumstances. Even the fleas? Yes, Betsie urged, even the fleas.

Often I have heard people say, ‘How good God is! We prayed that it would not rain for our church picnic, and look at the lovely weather!’

“Yes, God is good when He sends good weather. But God was also good when He allowed my sister, Betsie, to starve to death before my eyes in a German concentration camp. I remember one occasion when I was very discouraged there. Everything around us was dark, and there was darkness in my heart. I remember telling Betsie that I thought God had forgotten us.

‘No, Corrie,’ said Betsie, ‘He has not forgotten us. Remember His Word: “For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His steadfast love toward those who fear Him.’”

The word throne is used about 14 times in this chapter. It is a reminder that No matter what happens here on earth God is still in control, On His throne. One of the things we struggle with is worshiping God in spite of the madness that is going on around us.

Do we remember that in spite of the evil of the world, we serve a holy, holy, holy God? Are we reminded that God is in charge even when it seems like the earth is running itself into madness? Does what goes on in the world lead us to come to the Lord in worship of who He is and what He has done?

1-4 - Our God Alone

As I was going through this it made me think of one of my favorite worship songs. It is called Our God alone by the brilliance.

who formed the mountains? And filled the oceans? Our God alone Who took the dust and breathed Life in us? Our God alone. We will worship, We will worship Our God alone

Our God alone is worthy of Praise, Our God alone is the one who is in control and sits on the throne. After the reminder to the 7 churches, and the rest of us we are dealt a vision that reminds us always of God’s place in our lives and in the world. We start our with what probably would have been a shock for John.

Revelation 4:1–2 CSB

1 After this I looked, and there in heaven was an open door. The first voice that 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 Immediately I was in the Spirit, and there was a throne in heaven and someone was seated on it.

We need to remember the central focus of this vision, this chapter is the throne of Jesus. A remarkable vision was granted to John This was after Jesus told John of the seven churches and the messages to them. It starts with the symbolism of a door opened into the vaults of heaven. Dont read to much into this, this is not something that is in reference to the rapture, that is not the point. . What we read here sets the stage for what we read in Chapter 5. Also these are things now that are going to take place some time in the future.

He says that He was in the spirit.

This is not some spiritual state like what we see when you watch Kenneth Copeland on TV. Rather it was a mystical experience that transcended himself, it was a vision in other words.

Revelation 4:3 CSB

3 The one seated there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian stone. A rainbow that had the appearance of an emerald surrounded the throne.

John is careful not to depict the one sitting on the throne in any way. This is a common thing we see in the Bible. Other then the earthly Jesus, we do not see a physical description anywhere. Whenever wee see the depiction anywhere of the one sitting on the throne, the description is like the one here.

The Book of Revelation

“the finite language of this earthly sphere is incompetent to define and depict the infinite realities that [John] saw before him. Yet it was the only language at his command; hence his use of earthly similitudes, but always with the understanding that the heavenly reality far surpasses the earthly symbol”

There is not so much significance in the minerals used to describe the appearance of the one seated on the throne. Just that He is beautiful and beyond any words we could use to describe Him.

What they do is portray the supernatural splendor and brilliance of the Lord God. Jesus is seated on His throne clothed in brilliant, resplendent light. Unapproachable. Remember this is the God we worship. Clothed in brilliant light. And He says come to me all who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest.

Verse 4 adds to the majesty of God, describing the ones surrounding the throne of God. Rev 4:4

Revelation 4:4 CSB

4 Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and on the thrones sat twenty-four elders dressed in white clothes, with golden crowns on their heads.

again we see significance in the number as well as what it represents. Without getting to deep into it, so as not to hopelessly confuse you guys.

The number 24 is associated with the priesthood and the worship of God.

It is to represent an exalted angelic order who serve and adore God as a heavenly counterpart to the 24 priestly and 24 levitical orders. read through 1 Chronicles 24 and 25 to see where this comes from. We have the earthly priests that are to serve and worship and lead people in worship of God and their heavenly counterparts that worship God and lead us in the worship of God.

The first point we make is that God is on His throne, He is in charge and we are led to worship Him. We come here and get distracted by the world around us as we worship but we need to remember that our God is on the throne, and still in control. Clothed in unapproachable light yet He invites us to come kneel before Him.

5-8 - The throne and the worshipers

we continue on with the theme of our God alone being worthy of worship. We get a glimpse of the throne and those around the throne worshiping the messiah.

Revelation 4:5–6 CSB

5 Flashes of lightning and rumblings and peals of thunder came from the throne. Seven fiery torches were burning before the throne, which are the seven spirits of God. 6 Something like a sea of glass, similar to crystal, was also before the throne. Four living creatures covered with eyes in front and in back were around the throne on each side.

Thunder and lightening have been seen throughout the OT is signifying the power, majesty and presence of God. Just go back to Exodus 19:16 when Moses was up on the mountain in the presence of God.

Again we get a glimpse into the awesome power and majesty of the Lord God.

the 7 spirits of God go back to 1:4 which we see are special emissaries of God. The helpers that are sent to guide and protect the people of God. A reminder that He is with us.

It seems that all we have done, all of who we are is laid bare before God. Like a sea of glass reflecting back at us, nothing we have done can be hidden from God. All is laid bare.

next we have the 4 creatures. They are creatures that are echoed throughout the scriptures. They are said to be the Cherubim and seruphim. Isa 6:2-3

Isaiah 6:2–3 CSB

2 Seraphim were standing above him; they each had six wings: with two they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. 3 And one called to another: Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Armies; his glory fills the whole earth.

The Book of Revelation A. Worship of God as Creator (4:1–11)

the living creatures as an exalted order of angelic beings who, as the immediate guardians of the throne, lead the heavenly hosts in worship and adoration of God

together they embody the greatness and power of God. There is meaning in how they are depicted, but it is more what there role is that is important.

Revelation 4:8 CSB

8 Each of the four living creatures had six wings; they were covered with eyes around and inside. Day and night they never stop, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God, the Almighty, who was, who is, and who is to come.

look at how the told us to worship God. God is not just holy, but holy, holy, holy.

in scripture a repetition is to add emphasis. repeated three times, watch out, pay attention, our God is holy, holy, holy.

we must remember the God that we serve is a infinitely holy God. We dont deserve to be in His presence. And we are called to worship Him, to be in His presence. We learn from the great angelic order that we are to come before God and worship Him in fear and trembling.

9-11 - Worship God Alone

we will worship God alone, the heavenly beings lead us in worship of our God alone. Like the angels and heavenly beings we are to worship Our God alone as well. for He is Holy.

Revelation 4:9 CSB

9 Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor, and thanks to the one seated on the throne, the one who lives forever and ever,

the 4 cherubim and seraphim, are the living creatures, the ones continually praising and worshiping God.

they worship the one seated on the throne. I like the idea of worship that is presented here. Giving glory, honor and thanks to the one who is seated on the throne, the eternal one.

Revelation 4:10–11 CSB

10 the twenty-four elders fall down before the one seated on the throne and worship the one who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne and say, 11 Our Lord and God, you are worthy to receive glory and honor and power, because you have created all things, and by your will they exist and were created.

I want to focus on the word worship here. Because the Lord God is seated on the throne, because He is holy, because he is eternal and is coming back again we are called to worship.

What is worship?

the reason why I wanted to go through what worship is, is the picture we have in this vision of the heavenly hosts leading in worshiping the Lord on His throne. We call what we do here in church worship.

the music we sing, we call worship, but it also refers to the scripture we read, the sermon we hear. The picture we have of worship here sometimes does not reflect How we worship God.

The picture we have here is to bow down in reverence of God. it gives new meaning to what we do here. To treat God with the reverence he is due. When we even struggle to lift up our hands in praise as we sing. I know I struggle with That.

Are we worshiping God with the reverence He is due?

So What

I go back to the story of the ten booms and how they were able to praise God for the fleas. In the midst of a Nazi death camp they where able to find he joy of the Lord and raise and worship Him. But in order to do that we are reminded here of a few things.

God is on His Throne

We must remember the God whom we serve, whom we are called to worship is still on His throne. and because of that one day every knee will bow and every tongue confess that He is Lord over all.

It is a matter of trust and faith. when the world is going further to evil and hate, Our God is still in control.

God is Holy Holy Holy

Remember we do not serve just and God but a holy holy holy God. It is not something to take flippantly, but he is the center of all that we do, the center of what we are going to learn here.

does this lead us to the lord in worship

If the heavens are declaring the glory of God, why shouldn’t God’s heavenly people join the chorus? Creation bears constant witness to the power, wisdom, and glory of God

But man has served the creation rather then the creator. Has what we learned going to lead us in worship to God for what He has done?