Thursday: For You Created All Things!
Daily Lesson for Thursday 8th of May 2025
On a handful of occasions, prophets have been brought close enough to God in vision that they were permitted to see God’s throne. Ezekiel saw it above the firmament (Ezekiel 1:26); Isaiah visited the temple in heaven to see it (Isaiah 6:1); and in one of the most explicit descriptions provided to us, John was escorted there in vision in Revelation 4:1-11 and 5. The Old Testament types in the sanctuary service indicated that there was only one path by which humanity could enter God’s presence: the blood of Christ. (See Leviticus 16:2,14, for example.)
Read Isaiah 6:1-5 and Revelation 4:7-11. What elements of these two visions are similar? Pay attention to the order of events: What subject is presented first? What comes next? What truth about God is being stressed in these visions?
Image © Bible Adventure Collection at Goodsalt.com
In each of these throne room visions, the first thing that happens is that heavenly beings underscore the holiness of God. In Isaiah’s vision, the scene is impressive: the temple is filled with smoke, and the “posts of the door” were shaken as seraphim proclaim the holiness of God. In John’s vision, cherubim make the same announcement, “Holy, holy, holy.” (See Ezekiel 10:14-15 to find the living creatures described as cherubim.) Each prophet was shown a dazzling scene of God’s glory.
Then we are shown the prophet’s reaction to the scene. Isaiah cries out that he is a man of unclean lips (Isaiah 6:5), and John weeps because he is faced with the tragic truth that no one worthy can be found (Revelation 5:4). When we are directly presented with the worthiness of God, we then finally begin to comprehend the human situation: we are utterly unworthy, and we need Christ as our Redeemer.
Satan has hurled many accusations against God, arguing that He is arbitrary, selfish, and severe, but even a brief moment in God’s throne room exposes Satan’s lies. It is in seeing Christ for who He truly is, “ ‘the Lamb who was slain’ ” (Revelation 5:12, NKJV), that enables us to see the Father as He truly is. How comforting to know that by seeing Jesus, we see what the Father is like (John 14:9). And the greatest revelation of what the Father is like is seen in Jesus dying on the cross for us.
The cross, then, should show us two things: first, just how much God loves us that He would sacrifice Himself for us; second, it should show us just how sinful and fallen we are that only through the cross could we be saved.
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The Bible captures awesome and splendid heavenly worship particularly in Revelation chapters 4 and 5. It is essential to grasp the worship setting in heaven (Revelation 4:1-11). We see the following elements:
1. One seated on the throne, radiating glory like jasper and sardius.
2. A rainbow, like an emerald, surrounds the throne.
3. Twenty-four elders sitting around the throne in white robes with golden crowns
4. Seven blazing lamps burning before the throne
5. A sea of glass as clear as crystal stretch from the throne
6. Four living creatures with of full eyes saying, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty, the one who always was, who is, and who is still to come.”
7. The Lamb as if slain (Revelation 5)
Without going into the symbolisms of the elements of worship, I would like to draw some practical and spiritual lessons from this awesome and splendid worship in heaven.
1.All of our worship should be centred on God and Jesus Christ our Saviour. Nothing should come in between in our worship. The heavenly worship is completed centred on Him who created all things and the One who saved us from eternal death.
2. Worship is not an entertainment but to honour and glorify God for who He is and what He has done.
3. Our worship should be an act of complete reverence and awe. The twenty-four elders casting down their crowns worship the One seated on the throne with about absolute dedication. Worship should never be casual or simply a matter of routine, but a serious spiritual commitment.
4. We should cultivate an attitude of continuous praise. The heavenly beings, without ceasing are saying, “Holy, holy, holy…”. Praise should not only be confined to during church service but an outcome of our daily lives.
5. Praise should be an act which bring unity and harmony among God’s people. All heavenly beings (angel, elders and creation join in one voice to praise and worship. In one unity, the community of believers should be near God in spirit and in truth during our earthly worship and praise.
In essence, worship is not about us, but God’s holiness, worthiness and redemptive love. The more we grasp the heaven worship, the more our earthly worship and lives makes meaningful sense.
“Oh come, let us worship and bow down; Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker. For He is our God, And we are the people of His pasture, And the sheep [a]of His hand. Today, if you will hear His voice” (Psalms 95:6-7, NKJV)
Amen, amen!
I think most of us would like to experience an epiphany where we experienced just a little bit of the power and glory of God, but it would probably be for all the wrong reasons. Such events as recorded in the Bible typically end up with the recipient expressing their unworthiness. One that was not mentioned in today's discussion is Paul's encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus. Paul, in his headstrong way, thought he was on God's business, going to persecute the early Christians, until there was a blinding flash that knocked him off his donkey. The encounter was enough to change his direction, and ultimately the direction of Christianity. His response:
... is an indication of what a supernatural encounter can do. This was not an "I have been chosen ..." moment, but a willingness to learn a new direction, even from people he had previously considered inferior.
Whenever we get involved in discussions about manifestations of the supernatural, I like to remind myself that for many of my acquaintances, the closest view they are going to get of the supernatural God is the way their friend, who calls himself Christian, acts towards them. In that sense, I see myself like Isaiah, unworthy, a man of unclean lips, and in need of the presence of the Holy Spirit in my life.
I may never have an epiphany but i need that sense of sharing the presence of God by my love towards others. That is all the supernatural I ask for.
What an artful and expressive way of saying, we need a Saviour who can save us from ourselves. Thank God for sending His Son as a ransom for our wretched sins, so awful that only the Holy one could redeem us and make us whole again. thank You, Jesus, for all you have done, are doing and will do.
Let's not be discouraged because of the proximity with the Divine. As we get closer, our sense of unworthiness may shock us. That's why the more of Jesus we see the more humble one must be. Let us rejoice in the fact that we can achieve inner peace through Chrit's love.
Isaiah sees a throne and also "Cherubim" with "Six wings each." John sees also a throne but "Four Creatures" with "six wings each," plus 24 elders too. Isaiah feels "Worthless," but John does not feel worthless. Apparently, what both Isaiah and John see are "Metaphors and Symbols" of what God's "Heavenly Temple and Throne," are about. It is like "The Bread and Grape Juice," of Jesus' "Body and Blood." They are only "Symbols and Metaphors," of Jesus' "Real Body and Real Blood." "Cherubim with sixh wings," and "Four Living Creatures with also six wings and 24 elders," are also just "Metaphors and Symbols" of God's "Real Temple and Real Throne," which to me, are "Metaphores and Symbols" of "The Universe," that includes "All Galaxies and this earth too, where God exists and dwells."
Let's not be too quick to explain supernatural beings and/or events as "symbols and metaphors."
It is possible for there to be real live cherubim guarding the gate of Eden as well cherubim as metaphors. You mention one example: We eat and drink real unleavened bread and grape juice while these are also symbols of Christ's body and blood (life).
Every instance needs to be interpreted in context, and all-inclusive statements like yours will likely get many things wrong.
The bible indicates that there are real angels (messengers of God), and some of them have specific jobs. There is also a real heavenly temple of which the earthly one is in some way a copy. I don't think that means that the heavenly temple is a structure like the earthly one, but there are real parallels. It's what the Bible teaches, and it's not wise for us to explain biblical teachings away by saying they are all symbolic. (Pretty soon heaven is symbolic, and then God becomes symbolic, and we are left with nothing.)