September 6 Who is God?

Revelation 4:7-11 The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. 8 Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under his wings. Day and night they never stop saying: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come.” 9 Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne, and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say: 11 “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.”
 
AS we are prone to see heaven from our earthly point of view, we are also apt to describe God in “worldly” terms. For example, we might call him the “guy in the sky” or “one up there”. We may  call him “Father”, which is correct. But even this can be a challenge for many who are not blessed with good fathers. Even if we call him “friend”, we might think of our earthly friends who can sometimes be untrustworthy and even hurtful.
    Here again is another crucial “must” for reading the Bible. The entire Bible is God defining his character to you. As you understand his story of creation, law, judgment, grace, forgiveness, atonement and salvation, you come to understand who God is. You see his power and his holiness. You understand “love”, “friend” and “Father” from heaven’s view as God reveals himself to you. One place to clearly see God in one picture is right here in this scripture.
    The four living creatures defined as the seraphim are described as possessing the highest expression of God’s character. The lion-faced seraphim represents God’s majesty and power. The ox is faithfulness; the man is intelligence; and fourth, the eagle is sovereignty.
    Our Lord is further defined as the seraphim sing, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come.” The  three-part expression of “Holy, holy, holy,” is the Hebrews language of completeness. None other can compare. There is no stain or imperfection in God. “Lord God Almighty” tells us he is the ultimate divine warrior. He will conquer all that opposes him. He is the authority of all things, ruling Father and King. He has reigned from the past to the present and will reign into the eternal future.
    This passage concludes with the twenty-four elders mentioned in verse 4 responding to the seraphims’ holy liturgy. They fall down prostrate before the Lord God Almighty, the Bible’s common display of those who submit to and adore God’s holy character.
    This is worship. When you attend worship services, do you give God all glory, honor and thanks? Such is heaven’s way. Adoring worship is the only response to the Holy God, who has created you to be with him forever.
 
Prayer: I adore you, Lord God, Father, Savior, Spirit. You are my all in all. Amen.