விரிவுரை தற்போது ஆங்கிலத்தில் மட்டுமே கிடைக்கிறது. தமிழ் மொழிபெயர்ப்பு நடைபெறுகிறது.
Revelation 4 — Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty
A door opened in heaven; come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter. John sees a throne, and One sat on it like a jasper and sardine stone. Twenty-four elders around it, in white, with crowns. Lightnings, thunderings, voices. Seven lamps — the seven Spirits of God. A sea of glass. Four living creatures — lion, calf, man, eagle, full of eyes. Day and night they rest not, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty. The elders cast their crowns, saying Thou art worthy.
“Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.”
— Revelation 4:11
- v.1-3 The throne and the One upon it
- v.4-7 Elders, lamps, sea, living creatures
- v.8-11 The eternal worship
Holy, holy, holy. The threefold acclamation is the heart of heaven's worship — God's separateness is His most-praised attribute. Holiness is not one quality among many; it is the defining one.
Rest not day and night. The worship is unceasing. Earth's singing is intermittent; heaven's is permanent. The eternal soundtrack of the universe is praise.
Thou art worthy. The elders crown Him with glory by casting their own crowns. Earthly honors look small here; the only honor that stands is His.
For thy pleasure they are. The purpose of creation is God's pleasure. Every existing thing exists for Him. Atheist denials change none of it; theist dilutions miss the point.
Verse 11 reorders your assumptions about life's purpose. You exist for His pleasure. Not for your own happiness primarily; not for your usefulness to others; for Him. Begin the day with that and many of life's anxieties recede. The Worthy One is on the throne, and the universe — including you — exists for Him.
Revelation 4 sets the throne in heaven before the Lamb appears in chapter 5. The Father is enthroned first; the Son will be introduced as the Lamb among the throne in the next chapter. The two chapters together are heaven's government — Father and Son receiving the worship of the universe.
A throne was set in heaven. The first sight John sees in heaven is government — not entertainment, not landscape, but a throne. The universe is governed.
One sat on the throne. Not vacant. The throne has an occupant; events on earth occur under His gaze. Whatever Revelation describes after this, it occurs under this throne.