1After these things I looked and saw a door opened in heaven; and the first voice that I heard, like a trumpet speaking with me, was one saying, “Come up here, and I will show you the things which must happen after this.”
2Immediately I was in the Spirit. Behold, there was a throne set in heaven, and one sitting on the throne 3that looked like a jasper stone and a sardius. There was a rainbow around the throne, like an emerald to look at. 4Around the throne were twenty-four thrones. On the thrones were twenty-four elders sitting, dressed in white garments, with crowns of gold on their heads. 5Out of the throne proceed lightnings, sounds, and thunders. There were seven lamps of fire burning before his throne, which are the seven Spirits of God. 6Before the throne was something like a sea of glass, similar to crystal. In the middle of the throne, and around the throne were four living creatures full of eyes before and behind. 7The first creature was like a lion, the second creature like a calf, the third creature had a face like a man, and the fourth was like a flying eagle. 8The four living creatures, each one of them having six wings, are full of eyes around and within. They have no rest day and night, saying, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come!”
9When the living creatures give glory, honor, and thanks to him who sits on the throne, to him who lives forever and ever, 10the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever, and throw their crowns before the throne, saying, 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!”
We are back again where we left off in chapter 4. We are watching worship. Real worship starts when we get our eyes off ourselves, and we put our eyes on God. We briefly reviewed the Hebrew word avodah. That is the Hebrew word meaning three things: worship, service, and labor. It is God’s word for ALL THREE. Many think that worship can only be expressed with hands up, singing praise to God, but God’s definition is much broader than that. We can do many different things to engage in worship. Everything around us and in our lives should be a “praise prompter.” My dad used to look at green plants and praise the Lord. He would say, “Just think about photosynthesis! Think about how God allows the plants to live and the earth to breathe. He put it all in balance.” He used to marvel at the presence of DNA in each of our cells. He would tell me, “Son, DNA is God’s fingerprint in the world”. When Dad declared these truths, he was engaging in worship. Admiring nature and proclaiming God’s evidence in it is worship.
Our recognition of the world around us should stimulate worship. I’ve heard it said that “Our theology should form our hymnology.” When we sing of God’s attributes, we are engaging in worship. Worship includes, but is not limited to, the following:
We can worship through music. Oh, sing to the Lord a new song! Sing to the Lord, all the earth.2 Sing to the Lord, bless His name; Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day. 3 Declare His glory among the nations, His wonders among all peoples. (Psalms 96:1-3, NKJV). We sing of God’s eternal nature. We sing of his truths.
We can worship through prayer. Let my prayer be set before You as incense,
The lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice. (Psalms 141:2, NKJV). When we speak to the Lord and listen for His voice, we are in worship.
We can worship through praise and thanksgiving. Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord, O my soul!2 While I live I will praise the Lord; I will sing praises to my God while I have my being. (Psalms 146:1-2, NKJV). Words of praise, adoration, and recognition of God’s presence in our lives are worship.
We can worship through the study of God’s Word. Scripture tells us: “The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; 8 The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; 9 The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. 10 More to be desired are they than gold, Yea, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. (Psalms 19:7-10, NKJV).
We can worship the Lord in our silence as we remember the great truths of God. 3 And these things they will do to you because they have not known the Father nor Me.4 But these things I have told you, that when the time comes, you may remember that I told you of them. (John 16:3-4a, NKJV).
We can worship God through giving. We must remember that God does not need our money, but He wants our hearts. Jesus said, “Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” (Matthew 6:21). Jesus expands on this topic of giving in Luke 6:38. 38 Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.” (NKJV).
We can worship God as we serve others. 13 For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Galatians 5:13-14, NKJV).
Reader, you and I have the opportunity to worship Him in all that we think, say, and do. Choose to let your life be one of worship. Why? Because He alone is worthy. He alone is to be praised.