Heaven's Worship

Read Revelation 4-8:6
 
Revelation 4:4-5 Twenty-four thrones surrounded him, and twenty-four elders sat on them. They were all clothed in white and had gold crowns on their heads. 5 From the throne came flashes of lightning and the rumble of thunder. And in front of the throne were seven torches with burning flames. This is the sevenfold Spirit of God.
 
WHEN you are in the midst of a severe thunder storm and bolts of lightning flash from the clouds to earth, do you consider God’s holiness and power? This is a consistent image throughout Scripture. One is God’s appearance to the Hebrews in Exodus 19:16 On the morning of the third day, thunder roared and lightning flashed, and a dense cloud came down on the mountain. There was a long, loud blast from a ram's horn, and all the people trembled. And read in Psalms 77:18 Your thunder roared from the whirlwind; the lightning lit up the world! The earth trembled and shook. Seven times, too, God declares his power and purity to Job with such words as Job 36:32-33 He fills his hands with lightning bolts and hurls each at its target. 33 The thunder announces his presence; the storm announces his indignant anger.   
    The Bible also tells us that when the Jews, the psalmist and Job came face-to-face with God’s holiness, they could only respond in humble, contrite worship.
    Worship is heaven’s response to God. Worship is the purpose of the twenty-four elders. Crowned and dressed in perfection, these elders are heavenly creatures created to worship God. We may consider their number illustrates the full gospel message to the nations. First was Israel’s 12 tribes and then the 12 apostles – the Old Covenant and the New.
    Also, the number seven points to the Holy Spirit. The seven lamps that are the seven spirits is another name for the Holy Spirit. This, too, is a common reference throughout Scripture. The 66 books of the Bible written over some 20 centuries form one book defining God and his purposes. When God declares his majesty to such prophets as Isaiah, Ezekiel and Zechariah, he uses the images of lightning, light, lampstands, fire and heavenly beings worshiping him. He does so here to John. And now we also know God’s holy power.
    How do you respond to God’s holiness? When you see and hear of storms do you consider our Lord is the Creator of those storms? Do you understand his authority to build up and break down? Are you aware your life is in his hands? Have you considered his gracious blessing to reveal himself to you?
   Do you remember, too, he calms the storms? Mark 4:41b “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!” Indeed, we worship our Holy God.