Sunday, February 2, 2020

Worship of the Four Beasts and Twenty-four Elders Revelation 5:14


John the apostle saw the “Lamb” of God take the “scroll” which was in God's right hand, and when he did, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odors, which are the prayers of saints, and they sung a new song, saying, You are worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for you were slain, and have redeemed us to God by your blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;And have made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.” John added, “And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing. And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto him that sits upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.”, and in chapter five and verse fourteen of Revelation John shared how the “the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshiped” where we read:

And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down
and worshiped him that lives for ever and ever.

The verse reads, And the four beasts said, Amen.John began with the words, “and the four beasts” which means “the four living beings” “said” which means “uttered, proclaimed and declared”, “Amen” or “so be it and let it be so” . John saw how after all of creation worshiped the Lord, the “four living beings” declared “so be it and let it be so”

The verse goes on to say, “And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshiped him that lives for ever and ever.” John added the words, “and the four and twenty elders” which means “the twenty-four presbyters, judges or rulers” “fell down” which refers to “descended from an erect to a prostrate position” “and worshiped him” which literally means “to kiss the hand” or “kneeling to do homage and make obeisance whether in order to express respect or to make supplication” “that lives” which means “who is alive, active, blessed, full of vigor, powerful and efficacious”; “for ever” or “toward the unbroken age, perpetuity of time and eternity” “and ever” which means “and to the unbroken age, perpetuity of time and eternity”. After the “four beasts” said, “Amen”, the “twenty-four elders” prostrated themselves and “gave praise and honor” to the eternal God .

When we meditate upon John's words in this verse, we notice how the “four living beings” and the “twenty-four elders” worshiped the Lord, then were joined by the hosts of heaven and then all of creation. Afterward, the “four living beings” declared, “So be it”, and the “twenty-four elders” “prostrated” themselves again to give adoration to God. God Almighty desires to have a relationship with people even though they have “sinned” against Him and are worthy of death, and He sent His Son Jesus to pay sin's penalty so they might join in the worshiping celebration and live with Him eternally. Let all who read these words hear the call of the “four beasts”, “Amen” and “bow down” to worship Jesus who is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.

Next time we begin a new chapter and see how John “saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms" in all major bookstore sites,
http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.








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