Divine worship
And I heard every creature in heaven, on earth, in the world below, and in the sea-all living beings in the universe-and they were singing:
‘To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb, be praise and honour, glory and might,
for ever and ever.’
The four living creatures answered, ‘Amen!’
And the elders fell down and worshipped.
(verses 13, 14)
Read Revelation 5: 6-14
The vision of worship in heaven that St John gives us contains the greatest chorus of praise that the world can ever hear. It comes in three great waves. First it comes from the four living creatures, sometimes thought to be the four evangelists, and the twenty-four elders, who are representatives of all the redeemed. They sing a song of praise to the Lamb, because he is the one who was killed. By his death he bought for God people from every tribe, language, nation and race, and he has made them all a kingdom of priests to serve God, the creator and ruler of the entire universe. Second, there is the praise of thousands and millions of angels, together with all the inhabitants of heaven, lifting their voices in a great symphony of praise. This is joined by the third wave, consisting of every created being in every part of the universe, to its deepest depth and its widest circle and its farthest comer, singing their praises.
It is like a tremendous chorus, in which orchestra and choir, part after part, is brought in, until the chorus swells out into a grand, unparalleled fortissimo. And all of this is to show that the praise and glory of Jesus, as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, is central to all worship, in heaven and on earth.
What a privilege it is that, already here on earth, we can join in the worship of heaven as we take part in the communion of saints and in the liturgy of holy communion.
Holy Spirit of God, divine fire, open my eyes to see the glory of Jesus, and open my heart so that I can participate in the worship of his holy name. Amen.
by Kevin Schmidt, in ‘God’s Peace for each Day’ (LCA, Openbook, 2005)
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