Revelation 4:10-11

New International Version

The twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say:

“You are worthy, our Lord and God,
    to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things,
    and by your will they were created
    and have their being.

For Meditation 

Pure worship, magnificence, and beauty of the throne of God, and the humility of the worshippers – the picture you see in heaven when the Lord opened it to Apostle John on the Island of Patmos! (Rev. 4:1-11). Read and visualize this worship service before the throne of God, and you will realize what true worship is and should be. Nothing would obscure your knowledge concerning the sovereignty of God and how worthy He is of your worship. He is Creator, Giver, and Sustainer of all life. You, His redeemed, cannot occupy His seat anymore.

Dressed in pure white robes and seated on their thrones with crowns of gold on their heads (4:4), the elders got off their seats, fell down before Him, and with the four living creatures, worshipped Him who lives forever (9). How difficult it is for us to prostrate and worship our glorious God, yet these twenty-four elders, arrayed more beautifully than us, just prostrated without hesitation. They had positions and authority. God had decorated them with brilliance in their golden crowns, and yet, they removed and cast them before the sovereign King.

Considering themselves, they were nothing before the Lord. They acknowledged God as He who raised them to their positions, so they presented everything to Him in worship.

The shame for us is how difficult it gets to kneel in the worship of God but bend our knees so quickly before earthly kings and Presidents. This sneak peek into heaven shows us how to relinquish the throne of our lives to the King of kings and Lord of lords. It instructs us to get off the seat and give Jesus His rightful place in our lives.

David did that when he let himself go before the ark of God with joy to the distaste of his wife (2 Sam. 6:16). No wonder God called him a man after His own heart (13:14). Like the twenty-four elders, position, power, and beauty did not stop David from worshipping God acceptably. Their motivation is in the hymn they sang:

“You are worthy, our Lord and God,
    to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things,
    and by your will they were created
    and have their being.” (4:11).

They affirm that God is worthy of worship because He is the Creator and Sustainer of all things.

Second, they acknowledged God as the willing source of all things created (11b). Things did not just pop into being or happen just anyhow. God created everything according to His perfect will and divine plan. Beauty, precision, and order showcase His creation and knowing this should enable you to worship Him appropriately.

The elders did. How about you? Will you get off the seat of your life for God?