The worship of heaven
What are these songs that are sung in the presence of the almighty God and of the Lamb?
In heaven, God dwells.
Surrounding His throne, day and night, worship is sung. What are these songs that are sung in the presence of the almighty God and of the Lamb?
The book of Revelation gives us a glimpse of these songs and for today’s letter I’ve pulled out each of the moments of worship that we see documented by John from his vision of heaven, when he was ‘rapt in the Spirit.’
Will you join me in hearing about the worship of heaven today? Let us read through, meditate on, pray over, rejoice in, declare it to be true, and think upon these things.
All praise be to God!
—
“Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God almighty, who was and is and is coming.” 4:8
“Thou deservest, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honour and power, for it was thou who didst create all things: by thy will they existed and they were created.” 4:11
“Thou deservest to take the scroll and open its seals, for thou wast slain and by shedding thy blood hast ransomed for God men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation; thou hast made them kings and priests for our God, and they shall reign on earth.” 5:9-10
“The slain Lamb deserves to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honour and glory and blessing.” 5:12
“Blessing and honour and glory and dominion for ever and ever, to him who is seated on the throne and to the Lamb! Amen!” 5:13
“O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long wilt thou refrain from charging and avenging our blood upon those who dwell on earth?” 6:10
“Saved by our God who is seated on the throne, and by the Lamb!” 7:10
“Even so! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honour and power and might be to our God for ever and ever: Amen!” 7:12
“The rule of the world has passed to our Lord and his Christ, and he shall reign for ever and ever.” 11:15
“We thank thee, Lord God almighty, who art and wast, that thou hast assumed thy great power and begun to reign; the nations were enraged, but thy wrath has come, the time has come for the dead to be judged, the time for rewarding thy servants the prophets and the saints who reverence they name, both low and high, the time for destroying the destroyers of the earth.” 11:17-18
“Now has it come, the salvation and power, the reign of our God and the authority of his Christ! - for the accuser of our brothers is thrown down, who accused them day and night before our God. But they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb by the word of their testimony; they had to die for it, but they did not cling to life. Rejoice for this, O heavens and ye that dwell in them! But woe to earth and sea! The devil has descended to you in fierce anger, knowing that his time is short.” 12:10-12
“Great and marvellous are thy deeds, Lord God almighty! Just and true thy ways, O King of nations! Who shall not fear, O Lord, and glorify thy name? For thou alone art holy. Yea, all nations shall come and worship before thee, for thy judgments are disclosed.” 15:3-4
“O holy One, who art and wast, just art thou in this thy sentence. They poured out the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink! As they deserve!” 16:5-6
“Even so, Lord God almighty: true and just thy sentences of doom!” 16:7
“All is over!” 16:17
“Hallelujah! salvation and glory and power are our God’s! True and just are his sentences of doom; he has doomed the great Harlot who destroyed earth with her vice, he has avenged on her the blood of his servants.” 19:1-2
“Hallelujah! And the smoke of her goes up for ever and ever!” 19:3
“So be it, hallelujah!” 19:4
“Extol our God, all ye his servants, ye who reverence him, low and high!” 19:5
“Hallelujah! now the Lord our God almighty reigns! Let us rejoice and triumph, let us give him the glory! For now comes the marriage of the Lamb; his bride has arrayed herself. Yea, she is allowed to put on fine linen, dazzling white.” 19:6-8
“Then I fell before the angel’s feet to worship him; but he said to me, ‘No, never that! I am but a servant like yourself and your brothers, who hold the testimony of Jesus. Worship God!’” 19:10
“And when I heard and saw it, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel who had shown me it all. But he said to me, ‘No, never that! I am but a servant like yourself and your brothers the prophets, who lay to heart the words of this book. Worship God!’” 22:8-9
“He who bears this testimony says, ‘Even so: I am coming very soon.’” 22:20
“Amen, Lord Jesus, come!” 22:20
In love,
Derek
—
*All scripture taken from the Moffat Translation