And with this chapter the Revelation ends with the picture and promise of life for those who worship the one true God.
The brief vignette in verses 8-9 caught my attention. I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I had heard and seen them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who had been showing them to me. But he said to me, “Don’t do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with your fellow prophets and with all who keep the words of this scroll. Worship God!”
John, awed and overwhelmed by what he had just seen and heard, fell down in worship before his angelic guide. Without a hesitation and with forceful rebuke, the angel corrected John, Don’t do that!
Why? Because the angel is a fellow servant with you…
And then the angelic rebuke concludes with 2 words, Worship God!
What was likely an honest mistake is met with a stinging rebuke. I pondered that and realized John’s mistake was the heart of much, if not all, sin… Worshipping something other than God!
The angel understood this.
My heart heard the warning. “Beware not to ever worship anything other than the Lord for nothing in all creation, no matter how great, is worthy of worship. And only God Almighty is worthy of worship!”
“ ‘Holy, holy, holy
is the Lord God Almighty,’
who was, and is, and is to come.”
“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.”
“Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain,
to receive power and wealth and wisdom
and strength and honor and glory and praise!”
“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be praise and honor and glory and power,
for ever and ever!”
Amen.
(Rev 4 & 5)
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