now we're talking about Heavenly worship and that's a fitting subject isn't it for today because we are launching into the uh Christmas season and we are being reminded of the glories of our Lord and we will be worshipping him with familiar hymns and carols over the next few weeks and this uh suits that emphasis wonderfully to be in the fourth chapter of the Book of Revelation I keep trying to force myself to move at a faster clip but I can't uh seem to let go of the realities of this wonderful section of Revelation just to give you the big picture chapters 1 to three dealt with the church dealt with a vision that John had of Christ ministering to the church and then letters to churches in chapters 2 and three when you come to chapter four The Scene change is dramatic you go from the church on Earth or the church age to heaven and the Throne of God and the subject is what's going to take place in the future meaning when the church age is over in the future and the Lord begins to move to take back what is rightfully his take back the world and his creation bring judgment and the kingdom so the Book of Revelation is pretty easy to follow the outline chapters 1 to 3 describe the church age and the Ministry of Christ to his church and chapters four and five take us to heaven and the throne room of God and here we see God beginning to move toward what is going to occupy chapter 6 through 19 and that is Judgment judgment the vision that John has in chapter 4 and five is really a vision of God beginning to crank up up the wheels of his wrath it is an incredible look at Worship in heaven and the worship of God obviously for his creation as we see in chapter 4 for his redemption in chapter five but in particular this worship is because God is about to unleash his judgment the hosts of Heaven both angels and glorified Saints worship God for his coming judgment that's not something normally brought up in an expression of worship in fact it would be a very rare occasion for I suppose the average Evangelical congregation to even imagine that God is to be worshiped for his judgment for his wrath for his Fury for his Vengeance on those those who reject him but that is exactly what the Book of Revelation is all about it's judgment from chapter 6 to 19 and the Prelude to that is the Throne of God getting ready for judgment in chapters 4 and five just let me go through chapter 4 and set it in your mind in case you weren't with us just 11 short verses let me read them to you after these things I looked this is his second vision and behold a door standing open in heaven the first voice which I had heard like the sound of a trumpet speaking with me said come up here and I will show you what must take place after these things after the things related to the church after the church age and we talked about the fact at the end of the church age we are raptured taken to glory and then the judgments on Earth will begin and what does John see well immediately he was in the spirit and behold a throne was standing in heaven heaven and one sitting on the throne and he who was sitting was like a jasper stone and a sardius in appearance and there was a rainbow around the throne like an emerald in appearance the emerald is no no doubt emblematic of the mercy that is God's to dispense even though it's a scene of judgment The Jasper and the sardius are reminiscent of the tribes of Israel and so we see God on his throne remembering his Covenant with Israel remembering Mercy even as he begins to judge around the throne were 24 Thrones and upon the Thrones I saw 24 Elders sitting clothed in white garments and golden crowns on their heads these 24 as we pointed out in the last couple of weeks represent the church the church in glory now clothed in white garments that describes the church in the Book of Revelation and as we know the crowns also describe the Believers crowns are never given to Angels they are given to Believers number of passages in the New Testament so we see the church in heaven around the Throne of God out from the throne come flashes of lightning and sounds and peels of thunder and this is very much like Mount Si this is an indication of judgment there were seven lamps of fire like torches burning Before the Throne which are the seven spirits of God or the Sevenfold Spirit as mentioned in Isaiah 11 Before the Throne there was something like a sea of glass like Crystal and in the center and around the throne four living creatures full of eyes in front and behind now you remember we pointed out these are angels and namely when you compare this with Ezekiel these are cherubim angels that have special roles to play in God's economy these four living Angelic beings are full of eyes in front and behind that is they don't miss anything they have comprehensive knowledge and awareness they have the strength of a lion they they have the force the life force and the usefulness and service of a calf or an ox they have face like a man which means they are rational and they are like a flying eagle which means they have speed these Angelic beings each one of them has six wings as in Isaiah 6 with two they covered their feet two they covered their face in the presence of God and with two they hovered waiting to be dispatched to Divine service they are full of eyes around and within for the second time it reminds us of the fact that they have an amazing comprehension of the realities that they are responsible for in in serving God but the thing they do all the time comes up in verse 8 day and night they do not cease to say and this is their occupation at all times and this is Angelic worship it is Angelic worship now let's stop there for a moment and remind ourselves that the first time the Lord Jesus Christ came to Earth he came he came as a baby he came as a human being lived a human life and he came to not only live a righteous life but to die on the cross as a substitution for those who are the elect of God he came to save Sinners that's why his name was Jesus call him Jesus he'll save his people from their sins he came to save Sinners to live to die to rise again for salvation and on that is the powerful message the only hope and the only transforming message for Sinners that we call the good news the gospel Jesus came to provide salvation to Sinners when he arrived according to Luke 2 the Angels were there to announce and declare and worship Him Glory to God in the highest and on Earth peace toward men with whom God is pleased as we heard in that first Latin Anthem so the Angels were offering their praise and worship at the first coming of Christ there were also some saints who were praising God at the first coming you would recognize them from the accounts of the birth of Christ there was there was Anna there was Simeon there was Mary and their testimonies as to The Wonder of the arrival of Christ is the testimony of saints so you have saints and Angels hailing ing the arrival of the Son of God the first time he comes the next time he comes is exactly where we are in Revelation 4 in anticipation of that the Angels again are worshiping and they're not worshiping alone because in verse 10 of the fourth chapter it says the 24 Elders also fall down before him who sits on the throne and will worship Him who lives forever and ever so you have Ang angc and Saint worship the first time he comes you have the same thing the second time the first worship was angels in heaven Saints on Earth this next time will be both Saints and angels in heaven now here's the thing I want you to understand about this they are worshiping in this chapter and the next one chapter 5 they are worshiping God for his judgment for his judgment there worshiping for the outpouring of his wrath they're worshiping him for vengeance even Mary in her hym of praise to her Lord acknowledged that the Lord was coming to destroy the proud and to Dethrone World rulers you can't understand the purpose of Christ in the world unless you understand that he came the first first time as a sacrifice for sin he comes the second time as a judge and the factors of that judgment are Unleashed starting in chapter 6 all the way till chapter 19 when it presents the return of Christ himself but let's look particularly at verses 8 to 11 and I want to read these because here is the worship that is brought to God on his throne in heaven four living creatures they begin the worship in verse 8 holy holy holy is the Lord God the almighty who was and who is and who is to come and when the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne to him who lives forever and ever the 24 Elders will fall down before him who sits on the throne and will worship Him who lives forever and ever and will cast their crowns before the Throne saying worthy are you our Lord and our God to receive glory and honor and power for you created all things and because of your will they existed and were created now we titled this series Heavenly worship and there is the substance of that Heavenly worship focusing on God on the throne and focusing in particular at this picture on God about to un un leash judgment once you hit chapter 6 it's horror after horror after horror all the way to chapter 19 until Christ returns this is worshiping God for his Vengeance may seem like a strange reality but I'll show you how essential it is one other note to make is that the angels are very much involved in this Vengeance this wrath if you look at chapter 6 it all starts in verse one the lamb being Christ breaks one of the Seven Seals that seal the title deed to the creation and one of the four living creatures the cherubim says with a loud voice like thunder come that unleashes Seven Seals of judgment and it's in inaugurated by that declaration by an Angel after the Seven Seals are opened you have seven trumpet judgments that follow look at chapter 8 now you come to the second string of judgments that flow out of the seals and you will notice again down in verse 6 the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound them the first sounded in verse 7 the second Angel sounded in vers vers 8 and so it goes through all seven so the Angels then are the ones who are the agents announcing each of these judgments from God in chapter 15 again the final series of judgments are described as bowls like a wide open bowl that sloshes judgment on the earth and this is also the work of angels to call these judgments into reality chapter 15 verse1 seven angels who had seven plagues these are the seven bows come down to verse chapter 15: 7 one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God who lives forever and ever and the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power no no one was able to enter the temple until the seven plagues of the Seven Angels were finished and then when the bowls are poured out the first Angel the second Angel the third Angel the fourth the fifth the sixth the seventh all these judgments literally are carried out to some extent By Angels this is consistent with what we know in Matthew 13 and Matthew 24 about angels participating in judgment so the the angels are worshiping God for the Judgment of which they will be a part it'll be part of their Angelic service they are they are praising God and worshiping God now listen for final judgment the reality of final judgment all the sentient beings of Heaven are celebrating judgment and I emphasize that because I don't know that that's very often said I don't know that you have thought about the fact that God is to be worshiped for his judgment but he is one of the elements of course of God's character and consistent with his nature is his judgment and he is to be praised for his judgment Christ is to be praised for his judgment the holy spirit is to be praised for the role he plays in judgment it is the glory of God in final judgment now this is not abnormal if you know your Bible because if you go back into the Psalms you can almost open to any point in the Psalms and look at the Psalms that are on a given page and you will find in those psalms what are called imprecatory prayers or imprecatory praise that is a term that means to pronounce judgment to pronounce judgment it's all through the Psalms it's everywhere there are hundreds of references to that and remember this the Psalms are prayer and praise and part of the prayers of the ancient Saints was to pray that God would bring judgment on the ungodly listen for example to Psalm 69 just one out of many speaking about evildoers in Psalm 69 and: 22 David prays this prayer may their table before them become a snare and when they are in peace may it become a trap May their eyes grow dim so that they cannot see and make their loins Shake continually pour out your indignation on them and may your Burning Anger overtake them may their Camp be deser May none dwell in their tents for they have persecuted him whom you yourself have smitten and they tell of the pain of Those whom you have wounded add iniquity to their iniquity and may they not come into your righteousness may they be blotted out of the book of life may they not be recorded with the righteous that's pretty Direct that's that's an amazing prayer but that is exactly what the inspired psalmist prayed he prayed for judgment to come on the ungodly starting even in their life in this world and then the judgment to follow Psalm 109 another illustration literally there are dozens if not hundreds of them we could look at but Psalm 109 will give you the sense again talking about the the wicked Psalm 109:8 let his days be few let another take his office or his position let his children be fatherless his wife a widow which is a way of saying let him die let his children wander about and beg let them seek sustenance far from their ruined homes let the Creditor seize all that he has let strangers plunder the product of his labor let there be none to extend loving kindness to him nor any to be gracious to his fatherless children let his posterity be cut off literally killed in the following generation let their name be blotted out let the iniquity of his fathers be remembered before the Lord and do not let the sin of his mother be blotted out this is pretty serious prayer I wonder if you've ever prayed like that against the wicked there are other verses let me just give you a few Psalm 5:10 make them bear their guilt oh God let them fall by their own counsels because of the abundance of their transgressions cast them out for they have rebelled against you Psalm 35 let them be put to shame and dishonor who seek after my life let them be turned back and disappointed who devise evil against me let them be like chaff before the wind with the angel of the Lord driving them away let their way be dark and slippery with the angel of the Lord pursuing them for without cause they hid their net for me and without cause they dug a pit for my life let Destruction come upon them when he does not know it and let the net that he hid and snare him let him fall into it to his destruction Psalm 40 let those be put to shame and disappointed altogether who seek to snatch away my life let those be turned back and brought to dishonor who desire My hurt let those be appalled because of their shame who say to me aha aha mocking and maybe one other psalm 56 their crime for their crime will they escape in Wrath cast down the peoples oh God and in Psalm 137 just a couple of verses that are pretty stunning verses 8 and N of Psalm 137 oh daughter of Babylon now the psalmist is talking of Babylon and calling on God to reciprocate to Babylon the terrible atrocities they Meed out against Israel when they destroyed the land and the City of Jerusalem it's like payback time oh daughter of Babylon you devastated one how blessed will be the one who repays you with the recompense with which you have repaid us how blessed will be the one who seizes and dashes your little ones against The Rock what this is the Vengeance of God Babylon had done that in the atrocities of their conquering and the psalmist is simply saying may you get what you have given others may you pay God is a god of Vengeance this does not call for personal Vengeance if anybody offends us we're to pray for them right we're to forgive them Romans 12 vengeance is mine I will repay that's my business but our responsibility is to praise the Lord for that Vengeance and to make sure we warn the people of its reality in Matthew 23 when our Lord addressed the leaders of Israel he gave them curses woe after woe after woe after woe cursing them and cursing them and cursing them and cursing them for their unbelief in 1 Corinthians 16:22 we read that if anyone does not love the Lord Jesus Christ let him be damned in Galatians 1: 18 and9 if anyone preaches another gospel let him be an nathema in Revelation 6 right where you are look at verse 10 Saints are offering up prayers in this section and their prayer is in verse 10 of Revelation 6 they cried out with a loud voice saying how long oh Lord holy and true will you refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth that these are the prayers of the ones who are martyred during the tribulation their praying for divine Vengeance to requite those who took their lives in the 18th chapter of Revelation verse four I heard another voice from Heaven saying come out of her my people so that you will not participate in her sins and receive of her plagues for her sins it's talking about essentially the the whole earth during the tribul ation her sins have piled up as high as heaven and God has remembered her iniquities and then comes the cry pay her back even as she has paid and give back to her double according to her deeds in the cup which she has mixed mixed twice as much for her to the degree that she glorified herself and lived sensuously to the same degree give her torment and mourning verse 8 adds for this reason one day her plagues will come pestilence and mourning and famine and shall be burned up with fire for the Lord God who judges her is [Music] strong again praise to God for his judgment only when we when we understand judgment only on and when we understand being cursed having damnation pronounced on you can we understand Galatians chapter 3 Galatians chapter 3 speaks of Our Lord listen to verse 10 curs it is everyone who does not abide by all things written in the book of the law to perform them anybody who breaks God's law is cursed no one is justified by the law before God that's evident because the righteous man shall live by faith then verse 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law having become a curse for us if you don't understand what it is that Humanity faces because everyone who's ever broken the law of God is cursed if you don't understand that then you don't understand the full under ging reality of the sacrifice of Christ you say a curse is a terrible thing it's a terrible thing it's the worst thing possible to be cursed by God everyone who's ever broken his law is cursed by God curses all through the scripture are promised and given to those who reject him and if it's horrible to think about that then think what the cross is where where Christ became a curse for us he bore all the Judgment of all those who were cursed and who believe in him now there's theological warrant for this for God's judgment for him to be praised I'll just give you four things to think about four features first of all his judgment is based on his word his judgment is based on his word scripture is true and scripture promises again and again and again he will judge he will judge you see it don't you in Genesis in the judgment on Adam and Eve when they sin you see it in Genesis in the flood when God drowns the entire population of the world except for eight Souls all throughout his word he pronounces the promise of judgment Deuteronomy 28 God lays it out before the children of Israel going into the promised land if you obey me you'll be blessed if you don't you'll be cursed the Old Testament is largely the history of the few who were blessed and the many who were cursed God must judge because he pledged to do that his word demands it so do his covenants his covenants demand it in Deuteronomy he says I have not not forgotten my Covenant I have compassion on you but my Covenant of protection for you also incorporates my judgment on those who would destroy and harm you God protects his people as a part of his Covenant by punishing and destroying their enemies and thirdly his nature he is righteous he is is just he is holy and righteous and holy and just perfection such as he possesses demands that sin be dealt with and then finally his power his judgment is based on his word or his promise on his covenants and their fulfillment on his nature and on his power that is to say he possesses the power to judge sin completely totally finally and forever the Lord keeps the unrighteous under punishment to the day of judgment second Peter 2 the Lord knows how to meet out judgment and no one can stand against it I I want to add that all throughout the Old Testament and all throughout the Psalms in the same Psalms that you read these threats and curses and pronunciations of Vengeance and judgment you inevitably have sections of those psalms that contain Mercy reminding us that the Throne of God is a throne of Mercy but when that Mercy is rejected one is left with nothing but Divine judgment so with that in mind let's come to to the throne and see what is being said verse 8 poor living creatures start the worship for God as he begins the work of Vengeance and wrath and what is it that they'd say holy holy holy is the Lord God the Almighty who was and who is and who is to come they start the worship it's a quartet for cherubim four Angelic beings but it swells in verse 10 because the 24 Elders also fall down before him who sits on the throne and will worship Him who lives forever and ever so it swells to 28 voices down in chapter five as the worship continues in verse 8 it's four living creatures cherubim 24 Elders each one with a harp golden bowls full of incense so now you have 28 and the harp when you come to chapter 5: 11 the worshippers are enlarged the voice of many angels around the throne is gathered with the living creatures and the elders and the number is 10,000 time 10,000 and thousands of thousands that's that's a way of saying incalculable angels and they're all saying Worthy is the Lamb and then it swells one more time in verse 13 every created thing in heaven on Earth under the Earth on the sea everything is praising God so there are five hymns of Praise starting in chapter 4:8 going to the end of chapter 5 the chapter four praise is focused on the Redemption of creation chapter 5 is focused on the Redemption of man the Redemption of creation a positive thing requires the destruction of the ungodly the Redemption of man requires the destruction of the ungodly you you you're going to have a redeemed Earth and a redeemed humanity and therefore the ungodly have to be dealt with There's No One Like Our God and he is to be worshiped for his Fury his wrath let's look at the three things that are contained in that statement of worship in verse 8 God's holiness like in Isaiah 6 holy holy holy three times a trinitarian reference the only attribute repeated three times the summation of all that God is meaning completely separate from sin separate from evil in any form and every form he is free from Untouched by any mixture or presence of evil error or wrong Exodus 1511 says he's Majestic in Holiness Psalm 47 says he sits on his holy Throne Psalm 27 says Holiness is the beauty of the Lord it is his shining glory and Majesty Psalm 111 says holy and awesome is his name and Holiness incorporates his Fury over sin 1st Samuel 6:20 who can stand before this holy God Psalm 89:7 God is greatly to be feared in job 13:11 says shall not his Excellency make you afraid make you afraid even Isaiah was struck with his own sinfulness and the fear was overwhelming that he pronounced a cursed on himself and said he was a man of unclean lips so worship recognizes God's holiness all his judgment is predicated on his Holiness and if he is absolutely holy he must judge all sin so the angels recogniz that and they also recognize that he is powerful that he has the power to do it notice that he is called by the Angelic worshippers the almighty the almighty Hebrew word has to do with conquering prevailing strength in a superlative sense he is most powerful he is El Shai no one can stand against his power in Genesis 17:1 he said I am God all Mighty job 9:19 if it is a matter of power behold he is the strong one Daniel 4:35 he does according to his will in the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of Earth job 9:4 he is mighty in strength you can see his strength in creation you can see it in Miracles you can see it in Providence you can see it in Salvation but it also must be seen in judgment God has the power to do what his Holiness demands he is not at all restrained he has all power to do what perfect Holiness demands God controls everything ass summation of that is 1 Chronicles 2911 yours O Lord is the greatness and the power and the glory and the Victory and the Majesty indeed everything that is in the heaven and the Earth yours is the Dominion O Lord and you exalt yourself as head over all you rule over all and in you in your hand is power and might therefore we thank you and praise your glorious name aren't you grateful that he has power not only to create not only to redeem but power to completely destroy sin he has the power to to judge in such a way that literally puts an end to sin Prophet naam spoke of God's supreme power in judgment he said this who can stand before his indignation who can endure the burning of his anger you might be offended by that but on the other hand if you think about it you ought to be thankful for that otherwise you have no guarantee that sin will ever be destroyed who knows the power of your anger said the psalmist Psalm 90 who knows the power of your Fury there's a third characteristic not only Holiness and power but eternality they say who was and who is and who is to come as we saw a couple of times in chapter one from Everlasting to Everlasting you are God God Psalm 90:2 from Everlasting to Everlasting you are God there are some beings who had a beginning and um will have an end animals there are some who had a beginning but will not have an end angels and people but there was only one who had no beginning and no end that is God 1 Timothy 1 identifies as the Eternal King why is that important because it means that forever and forever and forever he will sustain his will that's a comfort to Believers that he will get us to heaven and keep us there forever it's terrifying to non-believers because he will send them to hell and he by his eternal life will guarantee their Eternal destruction God is eternal so is hell as long as God Lives the Damned are [Music] punished in chapter 14 of Revelation it says when God's Wrath and anger comes the smoke verse 11 of their torment those who are under this judgment goes up forever and ever they have no rest day and night we worship God for his Holiness for his power and for his eternality holy wrath powerful judgment Eternal punishment that leaves no other possibility but that God will do what is right and sustain it forever as the Angelic being contemplate this reality of God there's not much to add to this except to just listen to what verse 9 says and when the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne to him who lives forever and ever they're thanking him for his eternal being his eternal Holiness his eternal power his eternal sovereignty that's the worship of the Angels but in verse 10 the 24 Elders join they fall down before him who sits on the throne and will worship Him who lives for forever and ever the continual reference to him living forever and ever so important to the reality of Eternal blessing and eternal punishment and the 24 Elders cast their crowns Before the Throne this is another indication that this represents Believers because only Believers are promised crowns so the Saints who have been given their reward look at their reward and have only one response and that is to put it at the feet of the one who is Holy powerful and everlasting no thought for their own Glory no concern for themselves perfect holy reverence profound Supernatural gratitude focuses all the Adoration all the praise on God and all they have to give is their crowns and they immediately throw their crowns before his [Music] throne then they join the oratorio of worshippers verse 11 they say worthy are you our Lord and our God to receive glory and honor and power for you created all things and because of your will they existed and were created why the focus on cre creation as a final recognition that everything belongs to God he's not stepping out of bounds by doing what he's doing in judgment it's his creation it's his creation worshiping God for judgment seems like such a rare reality but in the doing of that you are worshiping God for his Holiness and his power and his eternality and you are worshiping God for the glory of Salvation that will be Everlasting and when you look into the picture of Heaven toward the end of the book of Revelation you find that in the final new Heaven and new earth no sin no evil it's gone forever so what should be our reaction to this well when Ezekiel Saw God In His glory he fell on his face in fear Isaiah bowed down in fear John in that first Vision back in chapter 1 fell over like a dead man Paul was speechless but that's that's not our permanent posture what is our Perman posture worship not fear worship you can fall before him contrite and broken sensing your sin and your unworthiness but soon you have to rise up and talk about his worthiness and that's what we'll do forever and ever with the Holy Angels now that's just the first hymn of praise four more in the next chapter father again it's um it's wonderful to hear from Heaven we're so thankful that we aren't struggling to find reality in this world we know the one who is the creator the consum mat her we know you the one true and living God Father Son and Holy Spirit and we would do on Earth what is done in heaven worship you for your Holiness a Holiness that guarantees that righteousness and truth will prevail we would worship you for your power your power a guarantee that sin and evil and wicked winess in every form will be overpowered and destroyed forever and we worship you in your eternality being assured therefore that what you do is forever our Heaven is forever your promises to us are for a forever life of joy and peace and unimaginable satisfaction but thinking about that we're reminded as well that hell is forever and like the Apostle John who contemplating this later in the Book of Revelation said it was sweet in my mouth but bitter in my stomach it is sweet to think of you oh God in all power and all Holiness and purity as the Eternal one sovereignly controlling everything it is wonderful for us to look at the day of judgment in which you vindicate your your name in which all blasphemy all rejection is forever done away and you will be glorified forever and ever we have to we have to understand the sweetness of that but at the same time John felt the sweetness but the bitterness of realizing that the same reality that is sweet to the believer is a horribly bitter reality to the believer who understands the sinfulness of sin and the eternality of Hell Lord may we be like John rejoicing on the one hand for you to be glorified and for your enemies to be forever vanished but at the same time May our hearts reach out in compassion and love toward those who are outside of your blessing and may it be the passion of Our Lives to bring them the gospel that saves you've called us to do that that's why we're here we're not Sitting Waiting for wrath but knowing the terror of the lord we persuade men of the glory of the Gospel use us to that end we pray amen