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3. Worshiping the One That Sits on the Throne (Revelation 4:8-11)
Worship by the Twenty-Four Elders
REVELATION 4:11
11 “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, the Holy One, to receive the glory, the honor, and the power, for you created all things, and because of your desire they existed, and were created!”
The preceding praise of the four throne guardians was a testimony and praise of the judging holiness of God Almighty. The living creatures did not speak of God's glory, righteousness and love. They bore witness of what was before their eyes by saying, Holy, holy, holy, is Lord God Almighty!
Yet the twenty-four elders praised the fullness of light of the glory of the Holy One revealed to them. They had the privilege to see the hidden loftiness, magnificence and beauty of God and they praised the real holiness veiled to those who are far-off. They faced the radiance of his glory.
The unlimited fullness of the wonderful characteristic features of God is expressed by his 347 names and titles in the Bible and describes his glory. The twenty-four elders worshiped by saying, "You are worthy to receive the whole glory!" Therewith they confessed that they themselves and all other creatures were unworthy to be blessed with the godly nature. The creator of everything has solely the right to claim glory, honor and power.
It may be noticed that the twenty-four elders addressed God Almighty personally. They belong to him and are entitled to use the familiar form of address. They called him "our God". He made an eternal covenant with them and committed himself to them. He already called himself very early "God of Abraham, God of Isaac and God of Jacob" (Exodus 3:6+13+15). They called him not only "God" as the term God (Elohim) is a general term for spirits and Godheads, but they were the first to call him "Yahweh", as he had revealed himself with this name as God of the covenant (Exodus 3:14). They knew who their God was, namely the ever Faithful, the never changing God Almighty. They were as royal priests in a covenant with him. They were not strangers (Exodus 19:5-6). They were privileged to speak to him directly. He listened to them (Psalm 50:15) and protected them (Psalm 23).
The confession of the twenty-four elders in heaven was to strengthen the faith of the afflicted churches in Minor Asia and to keep them from falling away from God. The Roman Emperor Domitian demanded devotion and submission of all Roman and non-Roman citizens in the regions occupied by him through the same worship wording. They had to confess before his statue, "Caesar Domitianus, You are worthy, our Lord and God!" All people everywhere were to cast their garlands of honor before the empty throne seat of Caesar so as to indicate that solely he deserves honor, trust, obedience, and submission.
This order of Caesar had been a great trial for Christians. They could not give all honor, love and obedience to a mortal ruler and call him "Lord and God". Such a creed, "You are worthy to be our Lord and God!" they considered to be a blasphemy, a temptation to hypocrisy and dangerous trap which could mean spying, persecution and death. The prayer of the twenty-four elders in heaven was to strengthen the persecuted church on earth in their spirit, to assure them that they are children of God and to focus them on him who sits on the throne and solely was and is worthy to be addressed by this wording.
The twenty-four elders gave also reasons why the Lord, their God, is solely entitled to receive all glory, honor, worship and devotion. They worshiped, "You have created all things!" No one is able to conjure up anything from nothing. Every researcher and inventor knows that he can only find or advance what already has been existed. No man is creator but the Lord alone. His diversity of ideas, the harmony in the balanced economy of nature, the reproduction of a cell in a plant, the wonder of man's eyes, the mystery of our souls or the keenness and alertness of a human mind lead us into worship. Up to now no man has been able to create live or to abolish death. We all live on the grace and goodness of our God Creator.
The elders in the throne room advanced in giving reasons of the worship of their Lord saying, he was planning, creating and upholding all things "for his will". The genesis of the cosmos did not happen by chance. There was no big bang by mistake throwing millions of stars into existence. On the contrary, the Lord said, "Let there be light"; and there was light (Genesis 1:3). This creating command was preceded by a long process of planning and preparation. The spirit of God moved above the depth until the matter was mature to become light. The Lord created deliberately plants, animals and men one after the other. He formed man in his own image. By his will we received our existence and essence. We do not live by chance (Genesis 1:27).
The last argument of the elders for their worship in heaven was the most simple, "They themselves have been created!" The creation had not been just an idea and not only a mature plan, no, but the Lord has been almighty so as to realize his plan. He has power to do what he wishes. He himself is the power, the life and the light. Out of him proceed all forces, all creatures and lights in our world. Whatever exists, light, matter, plants, fishes, birds, land animals, man, angels, heaven, his throne, all things came into existence out of his love, his will and his power.
Therefore all glory, honor and power are due to him. None of the creatures has been able to do what he did. What about our acknowledgement of his wisdom, power and glory? How do we honor our creator nowadays? Why does our worship of God do no not go without saying?
The patriarch Bengel repeated the prayer of the twenty-four elders in his prayer notes in the Gnomon as his own prayer. He did not change the language nor did he add or omit anything of its wording. His great reverence, his obedient heart and his listening to the voice of the Holy Spirit indicate that he belongs to the category of elders in heaven.
PRAYER: You are worthy, O Lord, To receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, And by Your will they exist and were created.
QUESTION:
- What is the content of the worship of the twenty four elders?