Worship in Revelation

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Worship in Revelation

• Vern Sheridan Poythress

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The Lamb
The Adoration of the Lamb, by Jan van Eyck, 1432
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Worship from Theophany
Seeing God in majesty
Praise
Awe
Imitation
48
117
2 Cor. 318
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A. Worship as Theme in Rev.
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Conflict as Worship

• Spiritual war pervades Rev.

• Worship of God or Satan.

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Pervasiveness of Worship

• Scenes of worship 117 4-5 79-12 83-5
  106-7 111 1115-19 1210-12 152-8 155-7
  1820 191-10 204-6 2011-15 221-5 228
  2220-21.
• Spiritual war.
• Seeing God.
• Receiving instruction and exhortation.

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B. God Who Is Worshiped
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Creator (411)

• 411, for you created.
• Absolute mastery over all detail.
• Guarantees control over history and over its
  consummation.

Creation
Consummation
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Gods Glory Now

• In redemption, 52-6
• In creation, 411
• Light
• Cloud
• Thunder
• Trees (life)
• Houses

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Song from Rev. 411
Thou art worthy, Thou art worthy,Thou are
worthy, O Lord. Thou are worthy to receive
glory,glory, and honor, and power. For Thou hast
created--hast all things created,For Thou hast
created all things. And for Thy pleasure they are
createdThou art worthy, O Lord.
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Redeemer (51-14)

• Wondrous results (59-10).
• Wondrous praise (511-14).

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Victory over Death

• 118 28-11.
• Christ is victor so are we.

Practical!
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Song from Rev. 59-14
Thou art worthy, Thou art worthy,Thou art
worthy, O Lamb. Thou art worthy To receive
gloryAnd power at the Fathers right hand. For
Thou hast redeemed us,Hast ransomed and cleansed
us,By thy blood setting us free In white robes
arrayed us, Kings and priests made us, And we are
reigning in Thee.
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Righteous Judge (2011-15)

• Note worldly longing for peace and justice.
• Reflects dimly the desire and will of God.

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Judgment in Rev.

• The cycles are cycles of judgment.
• Set in motion by God (cf. 61 82).
• As exhibitions of who God is in righteousness and
  zeal.
• Worship is appropriate as a response to all of
  Revelation.

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Song from Rev. 196-7
Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty
reigns. (2X) Let us rejoice and be glad and give
the glory unto him. Hallelujah! For the Lord our
God the Almighty reigns.
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Gods Holiness (48)

• Exalted
• Ethically pure
• With infinite intensity

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Holy, Holy, Holy!
Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty! Early in
the morning our song shall rise to thee. Holy,
holy, holy! Merciful and mighty! God in three
Persons, blessed Trinity! Holy, holy, holy! All
the saints adore thee, Casting down their golden
crowns around the glassy sea Cherubim and
seraphim falling down before thee, Who wert, and
art, and evermore shall be.
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Gods Beauty (43)

• God is magnificent (43)
• Beauty in creation dimly reflects the Original
  (47).
• We are to be beautiful in action (198 Matt.
  514).
• Final goal is beauty/glory (2111, 18-27).
• Indifference to beauty denies creation and
  dishonors the Creator.

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Gods Beauty in Jewels
angelic court
heaven and earth
God
Rev. 43 splendor
Rev. 2119-21
Ezek. 116
you
church
temple
Rev. 2119-21
Exod. 2815-21
Isa. 6110 623
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For the Beauty of the Earth
For the beauty of the earth, For the glory of the
skies, For the love which from our birth, Over
and around us lies, Lord of all, to thee we
raise This our hymn of grateful praise. For the
beauty of each hour Of the day and of the
night, hill and vale, and tree and flowr, Sun
and moon and stars of light,
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Responding to Creation

• Modern secularism has desiccated the sense of
  Gods presence.
• Awareness of God in creation and providence
  produces breadth to worship.
• O Lord, how manifold are thy works. In wisdom
  hast Thou made them all. The earth is full of
  Thy riches. I will sing unto the Lord as long as
  I live, I will praise my God, while I have my
  being (Ps. 10424, 33).

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C. Human Response in Worship
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Aspects of Worship

• Know who God is (224)
• Praise, singing (191-8)
• Sense of polution and its remedy (147 117(?)
  Isa. 65-7)
• Submission, bowing down (117 410)
• Obedience (13)
• Awe (48)
• Imitating God (reflecting the glory of God, as in
  2 Cor. 318)

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Worship as Anticipation of Eschatological Goal

• Worship now mirrors and longs for final worship
  and communion.

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Gods Plan for History
all things
spread of glory
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D. Christocentric Worship
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Christ as Worshiper

• Christ is the mediator of worship.
• In 41, he brings us to heaven.
• He is the final human worshiper.
• He restores the world through thanksgiving.
• See Alexander Schmemann, For the Life of the
  World, 60-61.