April 24, 2016 - Heavenly Worship

TONY & MICHELLE PAWLAK

MEMORY VERSE
 Day and night they never stop saying:

“‘Holy, holy, holy

is the Lord God Almighty,’ who was, and is, and is to come.”

Have you ever wondered what Heaven will be like?  What

will it be like to worship in Heaven?  I'll bet the mention of heaven brings images of clouds, winged angels with harps, and maybe streets of gold lined with mansions.  However, this is not the picture that God gave the Apostle John.  You see, later in his life,

John was exiled to an island named Patmos.  It was there that John was given a vision from God of Heaven. It was this vision that we now know as the book of Revelation.  Among other things, he saw a glorious image of worship in Heaven that we rarely talk about!  Perhaps we talk about, or rather sing about, it more than we think.  The Christian singer, Kari Jobe, came out with a song that many of us are familiar with called Revelation Song.  It is called this because most of it, mainly the first two verses, are taken from Revelation 4 and 5.  So lets take a brief look at Heaven using this song.

Revelation 5:6a

Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders.

Revelation 5:9

And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll

    and to open its seals, because you were slain,
    and with your blood you purchased for God
    persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.

Revelation 4:2-5a

At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. 3 And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and ruby. A rainbow that shone like an emerald encircled the throne. 4 Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads. 5 From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder.

Revelation 4:11 

11 “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 5:12-13

12 In a loud voice they were saying: “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!” 13 Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying: “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!”

Revelation 4:8

8 Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying:

“‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty,’

who was, and is, and is to come.”

Revelation 4:11

11 “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.”

I hope you enjoyed this different view of Heaven and Heavenly Worship.  Picture these things the next time you hear or sing Revelation Song.  It may help you to better understand what you are singing and actually take you to a deeper place in your worship. Also, there are many more references to Heavenly worship in the Bible and other pictures of Heaven such as in Daniel or Ezekiel.  It is a fun and rewarding study and I encourage you to do it with your family.