Worthy of Worship
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· 14 viewsChrist makes possible proper worship of God who is worthy of all worship.
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The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier or the Tomb of the Unknowns is a monument dedicated to U.S. service members who have died without being identified. It is located in Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia, United States of America, and it is a place of great honor and respect. It is a very small way to show appreciation for all of the men and women that have given their lives for our country.
Those that guard the tomb, or sentinels as they are called, are soldiers of the United States Army. It is considered one of the highest honors to serve as a Sentinel at the Tomb of the Unknowns. Fewer than 20 percent of all volunteers are accepted for training and of those only a fraction pass training to become full-fledged Tomb Guards. Few people are worthy of the honor of serving as a sentinel.
But people, all people posses something that is very important. And this thing is so important that no one on this earth is worthy of receiving it. It is our worship. No one is worthy of our worship except God Himself. God is worthy of all worship. He deserves our worship- our perfect worship. He is worthy not only to be worshiped but to be worshiped rightly.
Sadly, most people on earth do not worship God. And those who do give God worship, do it imperfectly.
One of the main themes of the Book of Revelation is the proper worship of God. Revelation is an unveiling of how God will bring everything to a place of perfect worship.
Also key to understanding the book of Revelation is to understand why John wrote the book all those years ago. The apostle John wrote the book around 95 A.D.. While exiled on the island of Patmos John received a revelation of Jesus Christ. He received a revealing or an unveiling of what things were to take place and this unveiling was centered on the person of Christ. And John wrote down this revelation and sent it to seven churches in the Roman province of Asia. It is important to realize that the book of Revelation was addressed to seven local NT churches- to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea.
Why did John do that? What was his purpose in sending this revelation to these churches?
First of all these churches were experiencing persecution for their faith.
Jesus sends this message to the church in Smyrna:
Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.
Rev 2.
Secondly, these churches have gone backwards spiritually. They were failing at the task of worshiping God rightly.
Multiple times Jesus says this to these churches:
Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.
They had abandoned their first love
Some held to false teaching
They tolerated sin
They were living as if spiritually dead
Perhaps a good summary of these churches in the description of the church in Laodicea
I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
Rev 3.
So John is writing to a group of persecuted churches who are declining spiritually- they are not worshiping God they way He deserves. John is writing to them to encourage them and challenge them by making known the Revelation of Jesus Christ in the end times. In the revelation of the last times John makes known that God will win the victory, that He will bring justice to the world, and that the believer has an eternal glory awaiting- so be faithful and worship God rightly.
One of the passages in Revelation that puts on display what proper worship looks like in and 5.
The first question we need to ask, is what does proper worship look like? What is the goal for worship?
What kind of worship is God worthy of?
And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne.
Rev 4.2
Who is the one that sits on the throne? God the Father. The almighty God Himself.
Now John is going to do his very best to describe what this vision looked like. He is as descriptive as possible, but mere human words cannot do justice to this kind of heavenly scene.
Imagine finding a group of people that have lived their entire life underground- they have never seen the sun. Now imagine trying to explain to them the most beautiful sunset you have ever seen. You would try your best, but words are just unable to capture the glory of the perfect sunset.
This is the difficulty John is having only multiplied by infinity. So as you listen to this awesome description by John just realize when we get to heaven it will be like seeing the sunset for the first time.
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.
Revelation 4.3-
Skip down to vs. 8 and notice the quality of worship on display here.
8 And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. 9 And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever, 10 The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, 11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.
This is the kind of worship that God deserves. This is the kind of worship that God will one day bring everything into perfect conformity to this kind of worship.
answers the question:
How will God do that?
How will God bring everything to a place of perfect worship?
Answer: Through the person of Jesus Christ.
There is no one else. No one else is able or worthy to bring about God’s plan for perfect worship. Christ alone is worthy!
What about Christ makes Him worthy to bring about perfect worship?
I believe we find three reasons that makes Christ worthy to bring about perfect worship.
Christ is worthy to bring about perfect worship:
I. Because of His humanity
I. Because of His humanity
A. John’s reason for weeping
A. John’s reason for weeping
1 And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals.
1 And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals. 2 And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof? 3 And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon. 4 And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon.
Rev 5.1-
Book = scroll
This scroll was sealed with 7 seals.
Don’t think this when you picture this scroll.
Think about it like this.
Notice the problem that follows:
2 And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof? 3 And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon.
No one is worthy to break the seals and read the contents of the scroll.
Now back in the day when they used to use scrolls and seals, you could not break a seal and read the contents of a scroll unless you had the authority to do so. So maybe a scroll was delivered and the soldier who received it had the ability/authority/he was worthy to break the first seal of the scroll. He could then unroll the scroll and read the contents until he got to the second seal. Maybe the second seal was above his pay grade. He no longer has the authority to continue reading, he has to go and find someone else who has the ability/ or who is worthy to break the next seal and so on and so on.
The other important piece of information about this scroll is that breaking the seals and reading the scroll actually carried out the orders on the scroll. It wasn’t just reading words, it was putting orders into motion.
Illustration: A sergeant reading orders to his squad. He isn’t just reading words, he is putting into action the words on the scroll. By his authority he is putting something into effect.
In this heavenly scene no man is found worthy to either break the seals of this scroll, and by inference, no man is able to put into action the things written on the scroll.
Upon realizing this problem John begins to weep.
4 And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon.
Rev 5.
Now why was John weeping?
Was it because of the moral inability of all created beings? No man was found worthy. I think this reason is too superficial to to be plausible.
Was it
What it because this revelation was going to be withheld from his knowledge? Again I think John’s tears are deeper than that.
Revelation 1–7: An Exegetical Commentary Exegesis and Exposition
The most plausible reason for his sobbing is his fear that the events contained in the revelatory scroll would remain unfulfilled, thus thwarting the purposes of God
Think about what John had just witnessed. Think about the vision of the one who sits on the throne. The one who receives perfect worship from those in heaven. God now sits on that throne and holds a scroll. This scroll contains the purposes of God and no one is able to enact the scroll, no one is able or worthy to put God’s orders into action. Again, I believe one of the purposes in the book of Revelation is to show how God will bring everything to a place of perfect worship. If no one can read the scroll, then the One who sits on the throne will never receive the worship He desires- and for this John weeps.
B. John’s reason for ceasing
B. John’s reason for ceasing
5 And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.
John is told by an angel, weep not. This is a command- so the idea is stop weeping! But it is also a command in the present tense so one could also say the angle meant, never weep again! What is about to happen is not an occasion for crying but for joy and gladness and song.
Behold! Look! Pay attention!
The Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.
The lion of the tribe of Juda is a reference to where the tribe of Judah is so described. Jesus is THE lion, he is the noblest son of that tribe. This title appropriately pictures kingly might and boldness.
Christ is also called the Root of David or the offspring of David. This title comes from
1 And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse,
And a Branch shall grow out of his roots:
10 And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse,
Which shall stand for an ensign of the people;
To it shall the Gentiles seek:
And his rest shall be glorious.
This Messianic passage is rightly applied here to Jesus as he prepares to read the scroll of God.
What I want you to notice is that part of what makes the Lord worthy to open the scroll is his connection to humanity. It is God as a man, of the tribe of Judah. It is Jesus as flesh being born into the lineage of David- this is in part what makes Him worthy to open the scroll.
Last week we looked at and discovered God’s reasons for Christmas. Jesus became flesh and blood to die. And through his death his destroyed the power of the devil and delivered us from lifelong slavery. This is why God created Christmas. Here in we discover another reason for Christ. Yes Christ became human to die for us. But ultimately, the reason that Christ became human was to do the will of the Father. And you will not find a better example of this than right here. Jesus, because of his humanity, is able to read the scroll and put into action the will of the Father. Jesus made possible the perfect worship of God. What better reason for Christmas could there be?
Christ is worthy to bring about perfect worship:
II. Because of His death
II. Because of His death
A. The Lamb that was slain
A. The Lamb that was slain
6 And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. 7 And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne. 8 And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.
Rev 5.6
The only one worthy to take the scroll and read it, now steps before the throne of God the Father and takes the scroll from the Father’s right hand. And immediately after all those standing near the throne of the Almighty fall down before him and they begin to sing one of the most amazing songs of worship that you will ever hear.
9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; 10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.
11 And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; 12 Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.
Can you imagine what that worship service will be like?! I have been to several men for Christ rallies and it is awesome when you get 500 - 600 men all singing together with praise to God. It sends chills up my spine. Just imagine the sound of myriads upon myriads and thousands upon thousands glorified voices signing praise to the Lamb.
The second reason that makes Jesus worthy to open the scroll and enact the will of the Father is His death.
Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood
Redeemed- to secure the rights to someone by paying a price
It is the same word used in
William Arndt et al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 14.
20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.
Christ is worthy because He has bought us with the price of His blood.
This thought is repeated in v. 12
12 Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.
Christ is about to pour out the wrath of God upon the earth. He is the only one worthy to do that because He died and payed His blood to save the sins of all mankind. He is about to pour out judgement because those on the earth have rejected Him and His blood. So He, and He alone is worthy to open the seals.
The bigger picture here is, not only did Christ shed His blood to redeem us to God, He also shed His blood so that He would be worthy to glorify the Father by advancing His will to bring all of creation to a place of perfect worship. Ultimately Christ’s death was to bring the Father worship.
B. The worship that was given
B. The worship that was given
Worship is exactly what happens next:
13 And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever. 14 And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever.
Christ was the only one worthy to bring about the perfect worship of the Father. And that is exactly what He one day will do. He is worthy because of His humanity and He is worthy because of his death.
Think about that message to the seven struggling churches who were failing in their purpose of worshiping God rightly. This is the purpose of God, this is why Christ became human, and why Christ shed his blood. He did it to save you yes, but ultimately He did it to worship the Father. Don’t wait until that day. Fulfill the purpose of your salvation now. Live in proper worship to God!
How about us believers? This message is just as much for us as it is for them! Where are you in your worship of God? Is this the kind of worship that you really want to give God? This is why Christmas happened, this is why Christ shed His blood- so that you could worship the Father! Don’t wait until that day. Fulfill the purpose of your salvation now. Live in proper worship to God!
Christ is worthy to bring about perfect worship:
III. Because of His justice
III. Because of His justice
A. The seals are broken
A. The seals are broken
Judgement #1
1 And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see. 2 And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.
1 And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see.
Conquest- Jews in Nazi prison camps, utterly conquered. The counterfeit Christian forces of the future will attain worldwide domination
Robert L. Thomas, : An Exegetical Commentary (Chicago: Moody Publishers, 1992), 424.
Judgement #2
3 And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see. 4 And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword.
War- I have lived all my lifetime in a county at peace. There was the war in Iraq, but unless you were a part of the war, unless you went over there, it never really felt like we had any absence of peace. I can’t imagine living in Europe during WWII. Constant war, constant unrest.
Judgement #3
5 And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. 6 And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.
Famine-
A measure of wheat = the amount of food necessary to sustain one person one day. Food will be so scarce in the Tribulation that it will cost an entire day’s wage to sustain one person. What do families do? Sure the Father can eat, but what about the rest.
Three measures of barley-
Revelation 1–7: An Exegetical Commentary Exegesis and Exposition
The minimum daily food requirement of barley was three measures because it was cheaper than the better food, wheat. These two foods were basic for the whole population. By buying the cheaper commodity a laborer could obtain three measures and have enough for himself and his family, but each person received less nutritional value
The idea is that slowly the family would starve.
The idea is that slowly the family would starve.
Judgement #4
7 And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see. 8 And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.
Death-
Power was given him to kill 1/4 part of the earth.
There are estimated 7.4 billion people on the earth.
I don’t think we realize what it means that 1/4 of those people will die.
Let’s say 7 billion after the rapture and the initial turmoil.
The population of Milwaukee county is around 100,000 people. That means that during just the first part of the tribulation so much death will occur that you would have to drop an atom bomb on Milwaukee county every day for 17,500 days in a row to equal that number.
B. God’s wrath is outpoured
B. God’s wrath is outpoured
This is the wrath of God poured out on the peoples of the earth during the seven year tribulation, and the only one worthy to enact God’s purpose is the Lamb. He is God’s instrument of justice. He is the means by which God’s ultimate plans are fulfilled.
You see God will one day bring everything into a place of proper worship. That means for those that reject God, who refuse to worship Him, for those who reject the blood of the Lamb that was slain for them, God one day must bring about justice.
Now God loves the world and He sent His Son to die for everyone. But only those who believe on the Lamb and His shed blood will be spared from the wrath of God.
This is a powerful message to the churches that John was writing to.
Now, I don’t believe that they needed to worry about facing God’s wrath for their sins. That was covered through the blood of Christ. Nor, do I believe that the church will have to face one day the Tribulation judgement. I believe that Christ will rapture the church before the Tribulation. However, it is a sober reminder of how God views sin, of how he views improper worship.
This reminds me of I Peter
16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. 17 And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear: 18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
I Pet 1.
Be holy- proper worship. Because if you fail to give God the worship He deserves, then you will face God’s judgement.
2 take aways:
1. God does not take sin lightly. So worship God they way He deserves.
2. We need to tell others who are currently rejecting God and refusing to worship Him about the coming judgement. They need to hear about the Lamb that was slain for them this Christmas season. They need to understand the ultimate purpose for Christmas- the worship of God.