Revelation 4:10-11: Hope in the Eternal Song

Rev 4:10b-11: "They cast their crowns before the throne, saying, 'Worthy are You, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for You created all things, and by Your will they existed and were created.'"

Whenever I read this passage, I imagine the sweet melodious symphony reverberating through the halls of the great heavenly throne room.  I think of the boom of unison voices, singing out in concert to the great King of all creation.  And I cannot but behold the sheer awesomeness of the sight.  Oh, to cast my eyes upon the crystal glass sea and to hear all the saints throughout the ages sing as one choral ensemble; I can think of no greater pleasure and joy through all eternity.  Although there are times in this life, that I feel the dense and drowning weight of malady and moroseness, I need only think of this great heavenly destination that John describes in his revelation to be reminded of the wonderful and majestically awesome presence of the Holy Lord God Almighty.  Amen.

Thinking about God

A. W. Tozer, in his landmark Knowledge of the Holy, writes: "What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us."  He adds, "Worship is pure or base as the worshiper entertains high or low thoughts of God.  For this reason the gravest question before the Church is always God Himself, and the most portentous fact about any man is not what he at a given time may say or do, but what he in his deep heart conceives God to be like."

Understanding God is one of the great concerns of humanity.  It stretches the very bounds of languages and thought for man to endeavor to comprehend God.  To be sure, the vastness of the topic pushes the discussion into the realm of metaphor; we can only describe what God is like, never come to full comprehension of who He actually is.

There is also a fundamental obstacle to humanity understanding God.  This obstacle is based on the limitations of man as they meet the unlimited infinitude of God.  The equation is uneven; finitude cannot ascend to know infinitude because all of the categories of finite thought are incapable to address that which lies outside of its own faculties.  The only way for finite man to know anything about the Infinite One is for Him to initiate that knowledge, to reveal Himself willingly.  

In this sense, the revelation of God is a self-revelatory, as in, it is God's revelation of His self.  And considering that God does not need to reveal Himself to Himself, this self-revelation is intentional, for the purpose of God revealing Himself to man.  This is what revelation is all about; and God has revealed Himself: in the nature of creation, in His Holy Word of Scripture, and, ultimately, in the incarnation of His Son Jesus.

Faith, as it were, is not at the onset concerned with the content of that revelation but more that the revelation has taken place at all.  That is to say that the need for introductory faith is only in as much as humanity believes that God exists in Himself and that in order for us to know anything about Him at all, He is the one who must reveal that message.  We rely on Him for any information about Him.  

So even in the exercise of our cognitive faculties in the pursuit of Him the human is, in fact, a revelation of God unto himself.  This recognition that the abilities of reason and of thought are, in themselves, a revelation of God unto mankind is but an introduction, a beginning in the reception of God's self-revelation to mankind, which culminates in the person of Jesus.  But praise be to God that He has revealed Himself at all!

God Who Is & Reveals Himself

Confident competence in matters of faith and God is something that could be thought of as elusive for humanity.  We are finite creatures, thoroughly limited in our faculties.  This reality relegates the discussion of God decidedly one-sided, in that only if God initiates the communication can humanity receive any sure information about the Infinite One.

Fortunately, God has revealed Himself to mankind in nature, in His written Word of the Scriptures, and, most fully, in the incarnation of Christ Jesus.  It is, then, not man's initiative to transcend to knowledge of God, but it is God's condescended to humanity that makes the communication possible at all.

There are profound implications in this, for if God did actually reveal Himself to humanity it is for purpose(s), and if God's revealing is for purpose, then to ignore that revelation is to ignore the Creator and Sustainer of all that is.  On the flip side, if we do accept that God has revealed Himself to mankind in manners and mediums that are accessible for humans, then this revelation warrants more than inquiry: it demands some adherence.

That is to say because God has revealed Himself, we are obligated by our very nature to cohere to that revelation, for to neglect would be tantamount to a vessel of clay looking up at its maker and, upon hearing the potter's intention and purpose for the clay, refuses to be molded and demands to be let go of the potter's grasp.

However, as we all know, clay cannot mold itself.  Clay requires the hands of the potter for its purpose and for achieving its intended design.  Similarly, for us to recognize that God has revealed Himself to mankind, we would be right and wise to heed to His revelation and to cohere to that revelation as it informs our lives.

God who Reveals Himself

There is a clear and present difference between that which is wicked and that which is holy.  In Scripture, this is often described as the difference between sin and defilement, wickedness and righteousness, or darkness and light.  But the most clear and challenging of these distinctions is the one between the world and heaven, or the difference between the natural and God.

However, although the distinction between the things of God and that which is not of God is a sharp one, Scripture is clear to indicate that, due to the effects of sin, the unregenerate sinner will be utterly unable to assess the difference (1 Cor. 2:14).  As a result, there is limited amount of contact between the believers and unbelievers when it comes to discussions of sin, holiness, and wickedness.

Because there exists this gulf between believers and unbelievers in these fundamental matters, a point of contact needs to be assessed and put forth.  But, to be sure, there is such a common point of discussion for believers and non-believers.  The point of contact, not surprisingly, is God Himself.  However, the surprising thing is that it is in humanity and in creation that the knowledge of God is to be known, if even in a foundational sense, in the fact that man has been made in the image of God.

The implications of this is that man and the creation around him is a revelation of God unto himself, meaning that no human is either not to be accountable to God and that no one is capable to escape from the presence of God in His creation (Rom. 1).  However, as evidenced by the passage in Romans, the revelation of creation and humanity is insufficient to save.  Thus, it pleased God in history to reveal Himself in more specific revelation.

This more specific revelation that is purposed for redemption and restoration from the effects of sin comes in two closely related forms: the Word and in Christ.  The natural, unbelieving man may not, in and of his fleshly self, be able to know God in the salvific sense.  But God has not left that man to his own finite devices and damned him without grace,  Instead, God has given humanity His perfect Word.  Additionally, His Word became incarnate in His son, Christ Jesus, which is the revelation needed for salvation and redemption.  Praise be to God who has revealed Himself so that we could know Him in relationship!

Psalm 19 and the Revelation of Creation

Psalm 19: 1-4a:

"The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims His handiwork.  Day to day it pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge.  There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard.  Their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the ends of the earth."

This passage of Scripture came up today in my Bible study and it seemed appropriate to bring it to light.  The essence of this passage is referred to by Paul in Rom. 1:19-20.  At the heart of it, and of our understanding of nature in general, is that God has revealed Himself in nature and nature continually reveals the character of God, declaring His glory and proclaiming His handiwork.

How we respond to this speaks of our devotion as well as the depth of our theology.  If, when we look at the majesty of creation, we are not drawn into awe and worship, then, we are not receiving the message that God has intended us to receive.

Instead, the appropriate response to the wonderful beauty of creation should be humility and reverence  before a mighty God.  In needs to be stated that the purpose of this has been neither doctrinal nor conviction.  Rather, God desires us to look for Him where He has left His imprint and the whole of creation is one of those sure places.  Let us then praise His name because of the revelation of creation!

Beginning to Know God Exists

A certain young man who was long overdue for a haircut decided to go to the local barber one day.  While sitting in the barber's chair the young man and the barber began conversing.  Near the end of the haircut, the conversation turned to the subject of God.  The barber, as nonchalantly as one with scissors can be, said, "I do not believe God exists."

The young man, being a believer, was taking aback at the barber's atheism and so he asked the barber, "Why do you say that?  What makes you believe that God doesn't exist?"  The barber paused mid-cut and, with gusto, replied, "Just look around, son. There is evil and sadness all over.  If God exists, then there shouldn't be any of that.  It seems so clear to me.  Maybe when you're a little older you'll understand."

The barber finished the cut and the young man paid him for his services, even leaving a nice tip.  While walking out the door, the young man turned back to the barber and said, "You know, I don't believe barber's exist.  I am sure of it that barber's just do not exist."  The barber, a little surprised, said, "How can you say that?  I just worked on you!"  The young man sharply replied, "But barbers can't exist because their are so many disheveled, messy, and long-haired people in the world, so barber's just can't exist."

The barber smirked, shooting back at the young man, "But barber's do exist!  That's just what happens when people do not come to me!" "Exactly!" harkened the young man, "That's exactly the point!  God does exist.  The pain and suffering and evil is just the evidence of a world that has not gone to Him for their trim!"  The young man turned and left, leaving the barber dumbfounded in his own disbelief.

How do we know God exists, really know that He is who He claims to be? This is a difficult but absolutely necessary question.  The consequences for neglecting it are dire and eternal.  For, if God is who He claims to be and Jesus is who He claims to be, then to know Him are of the utmost importance.  We are not left without testimony, though, in this discussion.  The Scriptures themselves attest to the knowledge of God.  And we should find comfort in their witness, for its truth is both self-attesting and authoritative.

At the onset of such a discussion, a brief note about knowledge must be made.  Knowledge refers to knowing someone or something.  True and definitive knowledge, though involving the intellect is a holistic endeavor, requiring all of the faculties of a person.  This is the necessary starting point for knowledge, particularly when discussing matter of spiritual and eternal significance.

While there are many verses to support the knowledge of God,  Paul's definition of spiritual knowledge in matter of receptive revelation in his first letter to the Corinthian church seems to cover the topic quite well (1 Cor. 2:6-16).  In this comprehensive statement Paul indicates that not only is the knowledge of God a spiritual ordeal, but more more importantly, it is revealed by the Holy Spirit. The relevance of such a truth is that although people, like the barber above, would prefer to use their physical sensory perceptions to know God, who is Spirit, the way to know God begins with the spirit of a person.

Additionally, unless we recognize that our knowledge of God is revealed and not earned, we will fail to know.  Because of this reality, we need to come to God in humility for Him to reveal Himself to us.  Paul, in his letter to the Romans, indicates that God has revealed Himself in creation, His eternal power and invisible qualities, and that the only appropriate response to such revelation is praise and thankfulness (Rom. 1:18-23).

In the end, the matter is a spiritual one.  Our knowledge of God is based on our spirit's malleability to be affected by the Holy Spirit revealing Himself in our hearts.  If we are hard of heart and deaf of ear, we will not receive that revelation, for to accept God's revelation one must first have faith that revelation is in fact possible.  But this knowledge is of a holistic and transformative nature, meaning that to know God forms the backbone of all knowledge.

Therefore, let us start the conversation of the existence of God where it needs to begin: in the spirit.  Starting there and working itself outward through every facet of our person, the knowledge of God will transform us.  But we must receive that revelation in order for it to take its affect within us.  But praise be to God that He has revealed Himself and that we can know Him!