Worship to God Our Creator

by: William C. Brownson

It’s hard for us to realize how much Roman power and propaganda dominated the first-century world. The emperor Domitian, for example, claimed divine honors, taking the titles Lord and God, demanding to be worshiped.

It was in such a time of idolatry that the apostle John heard again the voice of the risen Jesus, this time calling him to “come up here.” At once John stood before an open door and saw through it the reality of heaven. At the center of his vision was a throne with one seated upon it. Flashes of lightning and rumblings of thunder came from the throne. Around it were four living creatures, representing humanity and all animals; there were also 24 elders, standing for the 12 tribes of Israel and the 12 apostles of the Lamb.

All the heavenly beings join in singing God’s praise, falling before him, casting their crowns before his throne. In heaven, God reigns alone, the center of everything. The special focus of this praise is God’s creative power. Listen: “Worthy are you, our Lord and God [God is the only one rightly bearing those titles], to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.”

John’s vision enables us to see beyond all human pretensions to the way things really are. Only God our Creator is worthy!