The Theme Of True Biblical Worship Is Redemption

As we open to Revelation 5, we are going to be reminded how much you and I are really in debt this morning.

I’m not talking about the trillions of dollars of our national debt; nor the trillions more dollars of credit card, auto loans, student loans, municipal bonds, and mortgage debt.

I am referring to the debt, all people owe to God, for their sins. God’s Word teaches us that:

All Sin is a Debt Against God

In Biblical terms: every time anyone sins it is an offense against God; all humans are obligated as His creations to obey Him—and we don’t.

So we all go through life racking up an ever larger, un-payable debt of sin (Gal. 3:10; James 2:10; Matt. 18:23–27).

Here in Revelation 5, each of us who are born-again believers: are seeing ourselves in the future; and what is it we are doing, when God lets us see ourselves?

Singing praises to our Redeemer, the only One who could and did pay the debt of our sins!

Biblical Worship always focuses upon the Redeemer, always praises His redemption, and always comes from the Redeemed.

Redemption is the Theme of Our Worship in Heaven

There are few times that God’s Word allows us to actually see what we will be doing in Heaven; and each of those views always involve us worshiping the True and Living God and His Son our Redeemer.

Notice what we are focused upon in Heaven—a Redeemer who died in our place!

As we begin chapter 5, we are coming to the fourth element of true Biblical worship taught by God, in these two chapters. Do you remember the other three? Let me just sketch again, the first three, to reinforce our memories.

The Elements of the True Biblical Worship Portrayed in Heaven

First we have already seen that: God Portrays Holiness as the Setting for Worshipping Him, before we hear the words or see the actions of the worshipping saints (Rev. 4:1-7).

Element # 1: Holiness is Always the Atmosphere of True Biblical Worship

That teaches us that the setting for worship is important, and that God wants our worship to start by a reverent focusing upon Him as the Awesome and Almighty One upon the Throne.

Secondly, God presents to us that our worship of Him as His saints around His Throne is offered in a responsive manner (Rev. 4:8-10).

Element # 2: True Biblical Worship is Always in Response to God’s Holiness

Our worship around His Throne in Heaven is not individually prompted, but it is Divinely prompted.

Notice that the first glimpse of our worship takes places after, and at the prompting of, those burning/living creatures. It is the seraphim and cherubim that first take the stage to lead our worship.

Above all the other sights of color and sparkling crystal: they loudly declare God’s Holiness.

Over all the other sounds of rumbling, voices, and thundering: is their cry that pierces through Heaven that God Almighty is Holy, Holy, Holy.

It is at that instant that everyone and everything responds in worship.

At that moment nothing else matters, nothing else takes place: all of Heaven stops to bow, every conversation ceases, every activity halts, every thought focuses upon the One who sits upon the Throne.