Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. 12 In a loud voice they were saying:
“Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain,
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength
and honor and glory and praise!”
Last summer I had the privilege of attending Soul Survivor, a Christian festival where some 8-10 thousand young people and their youth leaders, gather to worship God.
It's a great experience, not just for the young people, but for me too, to see what this kind of worship looks like.
My church is hardly a mega-church. We would struggle some Sundays to muster a hundred.
But during my time at soul survivor, three of the talks centred around the description of the throne from these scenes found in revelation.
And there was one point in the sweaty, enthusiastic and all encompassing passionate worship, where I felt compelled to stop singing and just listen to eight thousand youngsters singing their hearts out to God with a passion we can only dream of seeing on a Sunday.
And it's not the occasion that makes the difference. It's the same God. I can be just as passionate amongst 80 people as I can 8,000.
Or even on my own.
But I can in no way replicate that sound.
The sound that is a foretaste of heaven.
And maybe because we have been talking about it, or maybe just in a kind of vision, when I close my eyes and listen, I start to picture this very scene from revelation.
I am kind of transported in my imagination to an aerial view of the throne,
And there it is in the centre of my vision, surrounded by angels.
Now when I am in the crowd of eight thousand, I can hardly see the other side of the crowd. If it were a hundred thousand I wouldn't stand a chance.
In this vision, I am way way above the throne and surrounding it, in a sea of brilliant white, are a hundred million angels.
That's right.
A hundred million.
For some reason the phrase ten thousand times ten thousand, just doesn't have the same impact on me.
I kind of think, ' yeah, yeah. A vast multitude. I get it'.
But I didn't.
A hundred million was more picturable.
Think what one angel did to those it appeared to.
People trembled with fear.
Frequently they had to be told ; Do not be afraid.
But here are a hundred million of them surrounding the throne.
Once when we were worshipping in my local church, we had the most amazing time of freely singing in the spirit.
Some times these things don't really take off. But this time it did.
And how.
And as we sang, I heard Angels harmonising.
I thought maybe I had imagined it.
But on talking to some friends, others had heard it to.
And it was heartachingly beautiful.
Tears flowed.
And now, in my vision, a sea of a hundred million angels, as far as the eye could see, in all directions, singing (which they were made for by him who made music) and not just humming along, but singing with a loud voice, worthy is the lamb.
I remember when Elisha told his servant, those who are with us are greater than those who are against us.
And he opened his eyes to see the angel armies.
Listen.
Today or any day, you do not need to be afraid.
God has this.
Remember this throne has always been the centre of this kind of worship.
The angels are always at his disposal.
Join in their song today.
A hundred million angels, flat on their faces in worship.
Greater are they that are with us than those against.
And the worthy object of their worship, the Lamb at the centre of the throne,
He is living inside you.
And if the army of angels that are for us are greater than all our foes, then so is the object of their worship greater than even them.
And he dwells in you, making you his temple.
No wonder we are told to work out our salvation with fear and trembling.
And greater is he that is in you,
Than he that is in the world.
You may not have realised.
You may not know it yet,
But victory is a done deal.
Bow with me,
Be lost in the worship of him who was slain for you.
Worthy,
Worthy,
Worthy is the Lamb,
To receive power, riches, wisdom, strength, honour, glory and blessing.
Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment