My desire is that we close this study as we began it ... looking at our Lord Jesus Christ. John, in the spirit, appears to be so limited by language as he described to his readers the scene before him. What impresses you most? Two things stand out to me most vividly.
1. I am stunned by the splendor of the scene. My mind has a hard time grasping the sweep, the majesty and the colors as John works to describe it. This is glory - indescribable glory! Do you remember when Jesus was praying in John 17 right before His walk to the cross? He says, "And now Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with You before the world began." As you read Revelation 4 & 5, you had a glimpse into the world where Jesus had been before He subjected Himself to flesh. I think He was ready to go "home"! Paul tells us in Philippians 2: 6 - 7:
"Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in himan likeness."
If you know that someone has given up something very valuable for you, the thought drifts through the mind that you must be incredibly valuable to that someone! It is in the reading of passages like Revelation 1 and 4 and 5 that we begin to grasp just how much Jesus gave up for us. How could it be? We know ourselves ... but that is our Jesus, our Lord. And that is how much He desires us to be with Him. I want to shout to the heavens Paul's words from Romans 11:33 "Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!"
2. Secondly, I am impressed with the scenes of worship in these chapters. Once again we see that worship is truly all about God. I love the worship song "The Heart of Worship" and am particularly moved every time I hear or sing the line "I'm sorry Lord for the things I've made it." I so passionately agree with that line. I am sorry for the way we have turned worship into forms and styles and traditions and things that are comfortable and things that I like, etc. And it is to be all about God. The worship in heaven that we can glimpse in Revelation 4 & 5 is a splendid illustration of the "heart of worship" - and it is "All About God"!
As we close this study ... remember that as Jesus speaks to the Church ... He speaks to you and I. My prayer for you is that you (and I!) have "an ear to hear what the Spirit says to the churches." Do you have an ear to hear such things? What did Jesus say directly to you as you walked through these 7 messages? Act on it my friends! Do the repenting when necessary. What needs to be "overcome" in your own life? We can be "overcomers" through the Spirit of the living God.
Let's join with the four living creatures in heaven and never stop saying ...
Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is and is to come.
(There will be a summer study through this blog ... the next post will give timing and subject matter.)
Gail,
ReplyDeleteI know your leap into the blogosphere this semester has been challenging... and I want to tell you how much I appreciate all the time, thought and prayer you have poured into making it a tool for encouragement. Many times, bogged down in the ankle-biting details of some project, I have popped over here seeking a breath of fresh "nooma" and to recalibrate my focus. And every time I found a word -- or several -- "aptly spoken." Solomon speaks of a joyful heart as being "good medicine," and this spring, your blog has definitely been a dose of good medicine for me!
I was afraid this summer might be a "long dry spell" and I'm so glad to know this avenue of study will continue. I can't wait to see what we will be studying, and what God will do through you to bless us and others who follow along!
Thank you again ~ from the bottom of my heart!
Hallelujah--Gail thank you so much for these lessons and the upcoming one. Summer is more difficult when there is no class!!
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