Howdy,

Last Sunday morning our pastor said, “Put this — if you have a bucket list or as I call mine ‘If I were to die today … list’ — on it, at the top of your list, ‘To understand Revelation chapters 4 and 5 before I die.’”

Now, to hear “to understand Revelation—” might lose some of us right there. To understand the Book of Revelation? Now, that’s a chore, for those on this side’s shore.

But, but, but (it’s exciting!), let’s cover a few things, take a stab at a start, and see what this is about. I’ll offer a few of the preacher’s thoughts and some (big chunks) Biblical text. (Actually, it’s even two preachers’ thoughts, because we’ve had one pastor submerge into chapter 4 and the other follow up with five over the last couple weeks.)

Revelation 4 takes us to “The Throne in Heaven.” How’s that for a starting place? The pastors, they say, we go to the throne room of heaven for a worship service. A WORSHIP SERVICE. And, it is good to remember The Reason, the Worthiness, revealed and exhibited in these chapters when neck-deep in the blood of judgment that commences in the next chapter, six, and through to the end of the Book.

The end of the Book, the end of the Story, the End, an End of a Beginning. Everlasting and for-always. Eternity. With Eternal Reign: and Worthy Worship.

The reason for the great judgment.

So, what’s in there, chapters 4 & 5?

“Heaven … ‘Come up here, and I will show you [John] what must take place after this.’ … And day and night they never cease to say,

‘Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!’

And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who is seated on the throne and worship Him who livers forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying,

‘Worthy are You, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for You created all things, and by your will they existed and were created’”

(selections from Revelation chapter 4).

And, there’s so much more:

“‘Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?’ And no one in heaven or earth or under the earth was … found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. And one of the elders said to me [John again], ‘Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah … has conquered, so that He can open the scroll …’”

And when John turned to look for that Conquering Lion who could tear into that scroll, a scroll of direly-needed redemption, he “saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain … [Lion and the Lamb] And He [the Lamb, who had been slain, as Sacrifice and Savior] went and took the school from the right hand of Him who was seated on the throne. And … the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb … And they sang a new song, saying,

‘Worthy are You to take the scroll and to open its seals, for You were slain, and by your blood You ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and You have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.’

Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice,

‘Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!’

And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying,

‘To Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!’

And the four living creatures said,

‘Amen!’

and the elders fell down and worshipped”

(selections from Revelation chapter 5).

A WORSHIP SERVICE.

To understand all this to a level of belief and trust and hope I imagine taking up the fourth and fifth chapters in their entirety and doing some reading and studying yourself would be worthwhile, yet there’s a definite theme that, as my pastor said, “He is worthy of everything I have and all that I am.” My hope is that this has been a help, an encouragement and reminder of Who the Great God is — was and is and is come …

Rather than bucket list theology, I’m inclined to think it a more appropriate word choice to say bucket list worship.

Worship of, and to, One who is worthy.

God the Father, who is Creator God, and Sustainer of the Universe, God the Son, who, Behold!, is the Lamb who was slain. Lord God Almighty. Worthy.

Worthy to be worshipped.

Holy. Holy. Holy.

Worthy. Worthy. Worthy.

Receiving power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!

 

—Billy

Reading. Writing. Living.