Heavenly Worship # 2

Heavenly Worship # 2

He is the same Jesus now in the midst of the throne, and it is this astonishing combination of strength and gentleness which makes Him such a wondrous Saviour. In Him, we have union of all the truest qualities of love that our hearts so hunger for: tenderness, affectionateness, patience, sympathy. Then, when we have laid ourselves down to rest in all this blessed warmth of love, we look up and see that we are in the bosom of Omnipotence! Mere gentleness may be very weak - but while He is a lamb - He is also a lion!

There is a story of a cruel man who came one day with a little dog in hand, which he thrust into the cage of a great lion to see the mighty beast tear the defenseless creature to pieces; but, strange to say, the lion did not harm the terrified dog - but took him under his protection and became his friend. He was as gentle as a lamb to him, and all his lion strength was used for the sheltering and protecting of his frail charge. This very rustic illustration will help us to understand the representation of Christ which we have in this picture.

"Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the center of the throne. He had seven horns and seven eyes." Here we have three other thoughts about Christ. Not only did He appear as a lamb - but as a lamb that had been slain. There were wound marks on Him, telling that once He had been dead.

One suggestion of the emblem of the lamb, is sacrifice. Lambs were offered as sacrifices in the ancient worship. Jesus was the Lamb of God who took away sin by bearing it Himself! So even in heaven, Jesus shows that once He suffered and died. Thus even in glory, the fact of salvation  by His sacrificial death, is set forth to the eyes of all. Thus we are always to be reminded of the cost of our redemption.

A second suggestion about Christ, is in the representation of the "seven horns." The horn in the Bible is the symbol of strength, and seven is the symbol of completeness. Jesus appears there as the omnipotent One, having all power!

The third symbol in the picture is the "seven eyes," which are explained in the same verse to mean the Holy Spirit. An eye sees, and seven eyes represent the perfection of vision, seeing everywhere. The eyes of Christ are in all parts of the earth, and on all events. This thought of the omniscience of Christ is dreadful to the sinner - but to the Christian at peace with God - it has great comfort! Christ is watching over us and is ready to fly to our help and rescue at any moment. His eye is fearsome only to the wicked; to those who are His friends and are saved by Him, it gives no terror to think of the unsleeping divine eye ever looking down upon them in love!

Then came a vision of prayers, "Golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints." (Revelation 5:8.) There is something very beautiful in this glimpse of how the prayers of the saints on earth, appear in heaven. They are not lost in the air - but reach heaven, and are put into bowls to be kept secure. The bowls are golden, intimating the preciousness of the prayers that are put into them. The prayers which are put into the golden bowls - are gathered and preserved!

Sometimes it is a great while before they are answered, yet they are not lost or forgotten - but are safely stored in the golden bowls. These prayers are as incense, and that shows how them seem to God. Incense was used in the temple worship, and divine instruction was given as to its compounding. When the incense was burned, it emitted a sweet fragrance. The heart-prayers of earth - are the true incense.

One writer suggests that the three ingredients in the incense of prayer are: petition, confession, thanksgiving. Then divine fire falls upon it, and it ascends to God and is acceptable to Him. It is a very sweet thought that true prayer is as incense unto God. He loves to hear us pray!

There is more than prayer in heaven - there is song. The song of heaven will be of Christ, and it will celebrate the victory which He won at His death. We shall join in the song because we owe to Christ every joy, every blessing and hope of our souls.

The angels too, will join in the chorus, and all the universe will unite their voices in the ascription of praise and worship that goes up to God and the Lamb!

"Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. In a loud voice they sang: "Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!" Then I heard every creature in heaven, and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing: "To Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb - be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!" (Revelation 5:11-13).

~J. R. Miller~

(The End)