#32

32. Revelation 4:11

Our Lord and God, You are worthy to receive glory and honor and power, because You have created all things, and because of Your will they exist and were created. —
Revelation 4:11

According to my friend Frank Fortunato, director of music for OM International, Revelation 4-5 is the favorite passage for many worship leaders. It’s arguably the Bible’s primary text on the subject of worship, a virtual open window into an actual worship service occurring in heaven. As you memorize Revelation 4:11, think of the verse as a summary of the whole scene around the throne; but take time to study the entire two-chapter passage. Here’s an outline to help.

1. When we worship, we’re approaching a glorious throne (Rev. 4:1-3). In the heart of heaven is a literal throne; and this throne is the ultimate power source for the universe. It’s described many times in the Bible (for example, Isa. 6 and Ezek. 1), and whenever we worship, we’re approaching this throne of grace and glory.
2. When we worship, we’re joining an eternal chorus (Rev. 4:4-11). Worship is constantly occurring around the throne. The twenty-four elders may be symbolic of the universal church, and the four living creatures may represent the angelic world. I don’t think our life in heaven is literally going to be one long church service; we’ll be involved in many things throughout eternity. But whenever we want, we’ll be able to walk up the broad boulevard in New Jerusalem, heading toward the city center; and as we approach the throne, we’ll hear the music and feel the ground vibrating under our feet. We’ll join a song in sweet accord and thus surround the throne.
3. When we worship, we’re praising a triune God (Rev. 5:1-10). Notice the Trinity in these chapters. In chapter 4 God the Father is emphasized. Revelation 5 is a description of God the Son. In both chapters we have a reference to the Holy Spirit (Rev. 4:5 and 5:6; compare with Rev. 1:4).
4. When we worship, we’re glorifying a worthy Lord (Rev. 5:11-14). He is worthy to receive glory, honor, and praise.

Worship is the gyroscope of the soul. A person without personal patterns of worship is like a ship or an airplane without any stabilization or direction. When we worship, we are aligning our minds to God’s truth, our imaginations to God’s glory, our emotions to God’s stability, and our souls to God’s songs. When we worship, we are approaching a glorious throne, joining an eternal chorus, praising a triune God, and glorifying a worthy Lord, saying: “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” (Rev. 4:11 NKJV).

In Revelation 4 and 5... all the host of heaven joins the angels, elders, a heavenly choir, and ten thousand times ten thousand in singing and playing songs to the Lord. —Vernon Whaley

* 100 Bible Verses Everyone Should Know by Heart.