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PART 6.2 - THE GREAT HALLELUJAH IN HEAVEN (REVELATION 19:1-10)
Reflections on the Worship of God: The book of Revelation not only opens our eyes to the progressive intensification of the Lamb of God's chastisement and judgment, but also involves us in the Spirit-filled worship services in heaven. The last book of the Bible is a school for worshiping God and His Lamb. Majestic worship liturgies respectively invite us to identify ourselves with the worshipers in heaven. Climactic peaks in the fulfilling of the divine plan of salvation invite us to surrender ourselves entirely to God and His Lamb!
At first we read of the worship of the Patriarch John, who, in the introduction to his book, attributes all glory and power to Jesus Christ, the Savior, who through His blood purchased us and made us kings and priests to His God and Father. In so doing, John reflects on the keynote and theme of all Christian worship (Revelation 1:4-6)
In their ongoing worship of the Almighty Lord, our God, the four watchmen of the throne confess in awe His all-penetrating and all-encompassing Holiness. They testified of His coming to our earth. In worshipping before the Creator of all worlds the 24 elders again and again cast themselves down before Him, relinquish their crowns and honor to Him, and confess that He alone, through His own will, created everything (Revelation 4:8-11).
Following the enthronement of Jesus Christ, the four watchmen and 24 elders fell down before the Lamb. The elders worshipped Jesus, because He, by His blood, had purchased people for God from the tribes of Israel and out of all nations. He appointed them to be kings and priests on the earth. Millions of angels entered into this worship and cried out: “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessings!” All creatures took part in this worship service to God, and proclaimed the Lamb of God's worthiness to receive praise and honor, glory and power forever and ever (Revelation 5:8-14)
The vast number of tormented and tortured martyrs, who appeared before the throne in white garments, cried out together with a great voice the summation of their experience: “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” All the angels of heaven were overwhelmed by the sanctified crowd of suffered saints, who represented fruit of the cross of Jesus. They worshipped God and His Lamb: “Amen! Blessings and glory and wisdom, thanksgiving and honor and power and might, be to our God forever and ever. Amen.” (Revelation 7:9-12)
When the last of the seven trumpet judgments sounded, there rang out a great voice in heaven: “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!” The twenty-four elders fell on their faces in worship and extolled the Almighty, who had exercised His omnipotence in the service of His creation. His wrath shattered the rage of the rebels. All of the dead were judged. Both His small and great servants, as well as all the saints, were given their reward. But those who had destroyed the earth would themselves be destroyed (Revelation 11:15-18).
After Satan had been cast out of heaven there sounded a great voice (from one of the elders), which confessed: “Now salvation and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come!” Why? Because access to the throne of God had become forever denied to the accuser of the saints, redeemed ones, who had been justified through the blood of Christ (Hebrews 10:14). Victory over Satan ensued from the blood of Christ and the testimony of those who had not loved their lives unto death. Great joy spread throughout heaven. The earth, however, had already gotten warning of the one who had been spreading confusion, who knew that he had little time left to him (Revelation 12:10-12).
Shortly before the pouring out of the seven bowls of wrath, those who had resisted and overcome the Antichrist, along with his image and the number of his name (666), began their exultation over the marvelous ways and works of God in the Old and New Covenant. They confessed in the Song of Moses and the Song of the Lamb that the God of Israel was alone the Holy King of the nations. The singers were certain that, following the righteous bowl judgments, a time would come in which all nations would worship the true and only God. In observing the downfall of the world, they had already seen an increased worship of God and His Lamb dawning (Revelation 15:2-4).
PRAYER: Our Father in heaven, we worship to You and Your mighty Christ because You established the world by Your wisdom, You saved the sinners by the blood of Jesus the beloved, You granted those who believe in Him the power of the Holy Spirit, You continue Your plan of salvation in Your patience, and You made those who were born again in their faith partners in Your victory over the Evil One, and his antichrist and his false prophet. Therefore, we rejoice greatly in the midst of hardships because Your spiritual kingdom comes and Your will is done. Amen.
QUESTIONS:
- What are the foundations of worship to the Unity of the Holy Trinity?
- What did the countless saved ones cry out before the throne of God?