Worship in Revelation; Revelation 6-8

May the mumbling commence!

Revelation is a tough book to read.  How do we find meaning in all the symbolism and imagery?  Revelation was written in a time of great persecution.  So the letter (Yes, it is a letter.) is written in a code so that only those who know the code can understand it. 

Kind of like the old Christmas carol “The Twelve Days of Christmas”.  This carol was written in Britain when there was persecution of certain church denominations.  Each day of Christmas in the song has its code meaning.  For example, the partridge in a pear tree is Christ and the two turtle doves are the two Testaments of the Bible. 

So, what is behind the code language of Revelation?  It is hard and even impossible to know with any degree of certainty about the particulars.  It is easier to know generally what the letter is intended to do. 

Revelation is intended to encourage Christians in the time of intense persecution.  It is meant to give hope.  It is meant as a call to endurance – as a call to continued faith.  It is meant as a call to worship only God in the midst of trouble and strife and confusion. 

Many things call for our attention and worship.  Some of them are worthy of our attention, but none of them are worthy of our worship.  Does Revelation and worship belong in the same thought?  In the midst of the horrific images, there is worship in the center.  Between the seals and the trumpets there is worship (Rev. 6-8).  Read the worship below from Revelation chapter seven:

After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands.  And they cried out in a loud voice:

"Salvation belongs to our God,

who sits on the throne,

and to the Lamb." 

All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying:

"Amen!

Praise and glory

and wisdom and thanks

and honor and power

and strength be to our God

forever and ever.  

Amen!" 

Then one of the elders asked me, "These in white robes – who are they, and where did they come from?"  I answered, "Sir, you know."

And he said, "These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.  Therefore,

"they are before the throne of God

and serve him

day and night in his temple;

and he who sits on the throne

will spread his tent over them. 

Never again will they hunger;

never again will they thirst.

The sun will not beat upon them,

nor any scorching heat. 

For the Lamb at the center of the throne

will be their shepherd;

he will lead them to springs of living water.

And God will wipe away

            every tear from their eyes." 

When he opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. (Verses 9-17 & 8:1)

How can we miss the worship?  It stunned and awed all creation into silence – for half-an-hour! 

Enough mumbling for now… 

Peace Out