Thursday, August 16, 2012

Why is God Worshipped?

Once the four “living creatures” begin their cry (which has been happening and continues to happen as “they never stop” “day and night”), the scene becomes one of worship. The twenty-four elders that we mentioned earlier get off their own thrones and bow down or perhaps even prostrate themselves before God’s throne. They lay their crowns, presumably given to them by God as a reward, before God (Revelation 4:8-11).

This offering of the crowns back to God reminds us that everything God gives us still belongs to Him. Just as Hannah asked for a son, and then gave Samuel back into God’s service (1 Samuel 1), we acknowledge that however God may bless us or reward us from time to time, all things are still His and are still to be used for His glory. The twenty-four elders in this scene demonstrate that spirit of offering perfectly.

This passage also tells us why they are so eager to worship God. First, it is because He is “holy, holy, holy.” He is special, like no other in His righteousness. As the only shining example of someone who always does right, He is indeed worthy of honor.

Second, He “was and is and is to come.” God is eternal. He had no beginning. He simply always “was,” if we can even use that time-related term. He will have no end. As the one who created time, beginnings and endings don’t apply to Him. As such, He is the only one who can create life and make a beginning for someone else. As verse 11 says, He is worthy to be worshipped because He created all things. 

“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.”

How good it is to know that our creator will never cease to be so that He will never let us down and that He is “holy, holy, holy” so that He will always do what is right for us. He is truly a God in whom we can place all of our trust.






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