Recap Revelation chapter 4
John is called by God’s spirit and was brought to heaven. He was shown the things that had happened; he saw God sitting on the throne. It was very bright and beautiful. Human languages are too limited to express and describe God’s throne that is shown to John.
Revelation chapter 5: 1-14
People can worship something with all their hearts, but that thing may not be the one true God. We may not fall into worshipping other Gods; however, we can fail to another sin. We may fall into a sin where we can worship him everything well; however, we cannot worship him spiritually.
God is disgusted by people who honor God with their lips, but their hearts are far from God. We may praise God with all our hearts, but does our hearts truly mean what we sing. Songs are like prayers to God. For instance, when we sing but only for its sake and our heart is too cold that it cant be moved. This is something very dangerous. God says that you are all hypocrites. When we really like something, and we are really moved by it, we can’t help but be amazed by it and speak about how great that something really is. Deep down in your heart, you will respect that something. We see something so beautiful, and we express our praises and joy; it’s not for that something. It’s to state that happiness is in our hearts. For instance, a couple that keeps exchanging their praises to one another is not so that their respective partner will be happy, but it is to state the happiness that we feel inside our hearts. If you open your phone or are sleepy, you don’t understand it, and we don’t respect it. The bible says God is much more glorifying than what we genuinely love.
God is angry with the people of Israel and Yehuda because they praise God with their lips, but their hearts are very far from God. Let us prepare our hearts truly so that we will not be that type of person God is disgusted with.
Let us prepare our hearts and worship him truly, at least for Sunday. Because God’s spirit comes to us, when we go back to our daily life, our life will glorify God because our heart has been shaped and molded by God. Not only God is big and almighty, creator of all humans and creatures. But he is also our redeemer. He makes worshipping in truth and spirit possible. He makes us worthy and able to worship him in spirit and truth.
Revelation Chapter 6
Phase 6 Still talks about the throne but in much detail. It talks about what will happen, but it is closed. God’s eternal plan has a big significance. It’s like in the movie where the king seals a message, and only a specific authority can open this. However, there are seven seals. Verse 2 says it speaks in a loud voice challenging the world who dares to open the seal to that message. However, no one dares; no one is worthy. There is no guaranteed victory if this message is not open. Those who can open the message can see God’s actual plan and fulfill God’s plan. This is a critical point; John was sad as no one could open the scripture.
However, a voice came from the elders to John, Telling him there is no need to weep. The truth is the lion from the Yehuda Origin has won and opened the seal. What does the lion from Yehuda origin refer to? It comes from Hebrews.
This is a comfort to John’s ear. How is the lion able to win? He is the descendant of David; he is strong and worthy and has opened the seal. John thinks he’s going to see a lion soon. But it turns out it’s a son of the sheep. It is a victory through death and was stated twice in the scripture. The elders all praise the son of God and say he is worthy of opening the seal because he has been slaughtered and, through his blood, has bought people for the lord.
The main reason he can open the seal is that he has authority; he has been slaughtered. He is righteous and holy; he’s used as a perfect offering for us.
If this lion is a sinful person, then he’s not worthy of opening the seal. But the main point of the scripture is that this person is faithful until his death. Through his death, he has brought us to God. What is done by Jesus is for everyone around the world. It is not universalism but universal in scope. Only people who believe in him will be God’s elect, and therefore death is no longer scary to them.
We are made holy and brought into the kingdom, and we will rule together with God. Those who believe in Christ are turned into high priests with full access to God through the blood of the son of God. The meaning of Christ’s death for us is that the impact of the death of Christ will destroy Satan’s work. Sin and evil will be destroyed when God comes the second time. Like victims of the Ukraine war that faces the death of a loved one that is innocent. One day, their country is liberated. They will be joyful. This is how followers of Christ should be.
God gave us a new commandment, that is, to love one another. This is an old commandment; why did he say this is a new commandment? It’s because God has shown how much he loved us by dying for us. God wants you to love your neighbor as God has loved you.
In verse 17, John heard that the praises were at their highest. All creatures in heaven and earth and on the sea are singing to him. Not even a creature living that doesn’t praise his name up high. It’s very beautiful that human words are too limited to describe it.
Let us grow; so many things in us that are not perfect. God doesn’t require perfection in our technique. God wants us to praise him in spirit and truth. Let us prepare and give our best in our service because it is there; we will lift his name, strengthen our life, and be happy in him. If we are serious about worshipping God, our worship will be living worship.
