SO MUCH MORE THAN THE MAN UPSTAIRS
Revelation 4:8-11 NKJV
8 The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night, saying:
"Holy, holy, holy,
Lord God Almighty,
Who was and is and is to come!"
9 Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying:
11 "You are worthy, O Lord,
To receive glory and honor and power;
For You created all things,
And by Your will they exist and were created."
I must admit that I cringe inside when someone refers to God as the Man upstairs. To me, it comes off as disrespectful. If you read this fourth chapter of Revelation, you cannot help but come away with a sense of the awesomeness of our God. A sense that He is so much more than the man upstairs. God's appearance and the atmosphere of the throne room with lightnings, thunderings, and voices. The rainbow around the throne and the sea of glass like crystal with the elders and the lamps of fire. This is anything but common or ordinary.
Our verses for today are about the four living creatures who looked like a lion, a calf, an eagle, and one had a face like a man. And these living creatures have six wings and eyes all around. And day and night they are crying out, 'holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty.' He is holy, and He is the Lord God Almighty. He is the One who was and is and is to come. That's a powerful thought. The throne room is not a casual environment. I believe we will see this throne room one day, and it will most likely be accompanied by a massive amount of reverence and respect on our part.
The winged creatures are giving glory and honor and thanks to God—the One who lives forever and ever. And the twenty-four elders fall down, casting their crowns before the throne. I am not sure who these elders are, but if I could venture a guess, the apostles of the Lord are part of that group. Maybe Paul. Maybe Moses and Elijah. This is conjecture on my part, and if I am totally wrong it's okay. These are the things that are mysterious but not essential to living a Christian life.
The elders are worshipping and declaring that the Lord is worthy to receive glory, honor, and power. And the next words convey another reason God is not to be treated lightly. He created all things. And by His will all things existed and were created. Our ability to grasp God with our minds is limited. But just reading these things aloud does something for me on the inside. God is much, much more than the man upstairs. He is the Lord God Almighty.
PRAYER
Father, You are God and always will be. You have created all things, and by Your will, they exist. I reverently give You glory, honor, power, and thanks