The only one worthy of our praise and worship

Revelation 5:11-14

11 Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels surrounding the throne and the living creatures and the elders; they numbered myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, 12 singing with full voice,

“Worthy is the Lamb that was slaughtered
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might
and honor and glory and blessing!”

13 Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea and all that is in them, singing,

“To the one seated on the throne and to the Lamb
be blessing and honor and glory and might
forever and ever!”

14 And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” And the elders fell down and worshiped.

Suddenly the scroll does not matter, instead the focus on the Lamb as the voices of heaven declare that Jesus is worthy. The emphasis is not that Jesus is worthy to open the scroll and therefore reveal the future, that has faded into the background, no, something far more important is in view: worshipping Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God who was killed and was raised to life again.

For the first readers and hearers of this book, they are reminded that there is one in heaven who is the center of all power, wealth, wisdom, honour, glory. Despite the emperor’s claim to be worthy of all those things, the evidence from heaven is that the emperor does not have the authority and position they believe they have. The emperor is a human being and therefore is mortal – the reign of the Lamb is forever and ever. The emperor for all the claims made on their behalf is limited, the Lamb and the One who sits on the throne, their glory and honour and might are unlimited and without end.

Today emperors do not claim power in our lives, but there are other forces and authorities, who seek to manage our lives, who demand that we give them honour and blessing and glory. But they are all limited as well, for all those powers are human and limited and mortal. Among the powers claiming authority is the power of the self, for we want to be the emperor with all authority not only in our lives but over sall that surrounds our lives. Contemporary humanity faces a profound question, can we fall down in worship before the Lamb (Jesus) and the One who sits on the throne (God the Father), to give them all power in our lives, declaring that they are wiser than we are? Or are we going to try ourselves to remain on the throne of our lives?

PRAYER:

O Lord, to you who are seated on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever! Amen.