Shabbat Shalom all,
It is a joy and privilege for us to come together each Shabbat as commanded, and embrace the truth of delighting ourselves in our Master and Elohim, worshipping Him is spirit and truth, as our Master tells us clearly when speaking to the Shomeroni woman He met at the well, in:
Yoḥanan/John 4:23-26 “But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father also does seek such to worship Him. 24 “Elohim is Spirit, and those who worship Him need to worship in spirit and truth.” 25 The woman said to Him, “I know that Messiah is coming, the One who is called Anointed. When that One comes, He shall announce to us all.” 26 יהושע said to her, “I who am speaking to you am He.””
Here before the eyes of this woman was the clear and wonderful revelation of the One who is to be worshipped, and tonight I want us to consider the function of our clear design, in a message called, ‘CREATED TO WORSHIP OUR MASTER AND ELOHIM!’ Tonight I would like us to look at 2 very powerful chapters that give us a wonderful glimpse into the continual praise that is to be offered up to יהוה our Elohim, please turn with me to Ḥazon/Revelation 4-5(read).
Many people, for some strange reason, don’t like to read Ḥazon/Revelation, which is totally crazy, as I want to tell you that this book is amazing, and is written as an encouragement to the set-apart ones of Elohim, while giving us a clear revelation of our Mighty Redeemer, Master and Elohim, יהושע Messiah, who is to be worshipped in spirit and truth! These two chapters of Ḥazon/Revelation 4-5 deal primarily with worship, and so I would like us to take a brief glimpse at what Yoḥanan was shown in the Spirit. True spiritual worship is one of the greatest needs in our lives as individuals and as an assembly together; and we find today that a lot of emphasis is placed on witnessing for Messiah and working for Messiah, which is of vital importance; but little emphasis is placed on worshipping Messiah. Now to “worship” means “to ascribe worth”. It means to use all that we have and are to praise Elohim for all that He is and does. We will worship Him forever and ever, and therefore it makes clear sense that I ought to do what I am made to do, and that is worship our Creator and Redeemer, right here, right now on a continual basis! Ḥazon/Revelation 4 and 5 helps us better understand ‘how’ and ‘why’ we worship Elohim, and give Him all the esteem He is due. Here Yoḥanan is given a glimpse, a taste if you will, of the purity of praise that takes place day and night before the throne of our Master, reminding us that our praise should never cease, as we offer up our bodies as a living sacrifice, day and night!
You will notice that these events take place after the messages were given to the 7 assemblies, as he says, “After this…”, After the clear messages of encouragement, rebuke and reproof were given, Yoḥanan is taken up into the heavens to see what is possibly the most amazing site anyone could ever see – the brilliance of this worship that shall happen before Elohim and the splendour of this imagery causes us to recognise the joy we are able to share in understanding the clear and great revelation of who it is that we are to worship in spirit and truth. Yoḥanan’s vision allowed him to give us a picture of the esteem of the presence of יהוה our Elohim, together with a picture of the amazing sound of praise that he heard. We can learn a great deal from these chapters as we are presented with two aspects of worship for our instruction and imitation. Let us look at these two aspects of the purity of worship that Yoḥanan saw in the heaven, before the One who sat on the throne: In Chapter 4 we are able to see the theme of a worship unto Elohim, our Creator; and this progresses in revelation as we go into chapter 5 and see the clear theme of the worship that is given unto Elohim, our Redeemer. The worship given to our Creator and Redeemer is what is being revealed before us here, and in this truly amazing description of this heavenly scene of praise we are able to grasp the reality of our need to be continually worshipping our Might Creator and Redeemer, יהושע Messiah!
WE WORSHIP THE CREATOR WHO SITS ON THE THRONE! (Chapter 4)
In these two chapters the Greek word translated as ‘throne’ is θρόνος thronos – Strong’s G2362 which means, ‘throne, seat’, and speaks of the position of royalty and kingly power, and is primarily used in referring to the seat of Authority of Elohim. This word is used 61 times in the Renewed Writings (N.T.), while in Ḥazon/Revelation it is used 46 times, and here in these two chapters it is used 19 times. This clearly shows us the emphasis or theme of these chapters, in revealing to us the One who is seated on the highest seat of Authority that is over all creation! The emphases on the throne declares to us that no matter what happens on earth, Elohim is on His throne and is in complete control! In this powerful book, Yoḥanan emphasises the esteem and sovereignty of the One who sits on the Throne, which was a great encouragement to those who were suffering and being persecuted for righteousness sake in Yoḥanan’s day, and these words are still alive and a great encouragement for us today! This book was written to encourage us in the Master. As we look at the throne, as a central key in chapter 4, it will help us to understand the wonderful arrangement of this section. Let us therefore look at 6 aspects of the throne:
1 – Who is on the Throne? – Almighty Elohim (verses 2-3)
The first voice Yoḥanan heard was like a trumpet, and this can also remind us of Yom Teruah, which will be the sound of the awakening blast of what is to come, and Yoḥanan is then taken forward in time to be shown what will take place after the trumpet blast! While there may not be sufficient words to describe the splendour and majesty of what Yoḥanan saw, he tells us very clearly that he saw a throne (1 throne) and One who sat of the throne!
There is no possible way for human words to fully describe what Elohim is like in His essence. Yoḥanan however uses some amazing words to describe Elohim’s completeness. He describes the One who sat on the throne as being like a jasper and ruby in appearance. ἴασπις iaspis – Strong’s G2393 is the Greek word translated as ‘jasper’, which is a clear translucent gem, which pictures for us something that is clear and free from disguise or falseness! This stone is described in Ḥazon/Rev 21:11 as being as clear as crystal! The appearance that Yoḥanan was seeing was clear and crystal!!! The Greek word translated as ‘ruby’ is σάρδιον sardion/sardius – Strong’s G4556 which is red or ruby colour. Amazingly, these two stones were the first and last of the twelve stones on the breastplate of the high priest as described in Shemoth/Exodus 28:17-21.
The first stone represented the tribe of Re’uḇĕn, the first born and in Hebrew is the word אֹדֶם oḏem – Strong’s H124 which comes from the word אָדֹם aḏom – Strong’s H119 which means, ‘to be red, ruddy’, from which we get the name אָדָם aḏam – Strong’s H120 which means, ‘man, mankind, human, person’. The last stone on the Breastplate of the High Priest which represented Binyamin, was a ‘jasper’ stone which in the Hebrew is the word יָֽשְׁפֶה yashepheh – Strong’s H3471.
Even the breastplate of the high priest represented Elohim Almighty, for He is the first and the last, the Aleph and Taw. What is interesting to take note of here is the change of order of these stones! On the Breastplate the first and last would be represented by the ruby and jasper, while here in Ḥazon, Yoḥanan describes the One who is seated on the throne as having the appearance of a jasper and ruby. Re’uḇĕn who was the first born and lost his first born status because he defiled his father’s bed, can also represent for us the first Aḏam who sinned, as represented by the ruby stone. By the redeeming work of Messiah, the last Aḏam, who became the life giving spirit, is now being described here by Yoḥanan as being a jasper first and then a ruby, which pictures for us the complete work of redemption having been done by the blood of Messiah. In other words, the One who Yoḥanan saw seated on the throne is our Master and Elohim, יהושע Messiah, the Aleph and the Taw! The Greek word translated as ‘appearance’ is ὅρασις horasis – Strong’s G3706 which means, ‘vision, sight, act of seeing, appearance or visible form’!!! Can you grasp what Yoḥanan saw? He saw the visible appearance of our Master and Elohim – and it was יהושע Messiah!
2 – AROUND THE THRONE – A RAINBOW (verse 3)
This rainbow was not an arc, as we have been accustomed to seeing, but was a full completed circle that encircled the throne; for herein we see the complete picture of the completed covenant יהוה made with all creation! The rainbow reminds us of Elohim’s covenant with Noah; His covenant was not just with Noah but with all creation.
Berěshith/Genesis 9:13 “I shall set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be for the sign of the covenant between Me and the earth.”
The sign He has set in the heavens is therefore a two-fold sign – it is a witness of His loving-commitment toward the righteous who are hidden from His wrath, while at the same time it is a witness and warning against the wicked – that His bow is armed ready and drawn with His the arrows of His coming Judgements upon the earth for the day of His wrath!
It is also a great sign for us who are ‘in’ Messiah, reminding us that no matter how big or strong the bow of the enemy may seem, and no matter how many arrows the enemy tries to shoot at us – the enemies bow and arrows cannot match that of our Supreme Master and King – יהוה of Hosts!
Judgement is about to fall, and yet the rainbow reminds us that we serve and worship a Elohim that is merciful and patient. Now usually a rainbow appears after a storm, but here we see a rainbow before the storm, to remind us of our Elohim who is lovingly committed to His Covenant with us, His redeemed!
3 – AROUND THE THRONE – ELDERS AND LIVING CREATURES (3-4, 6-7)
This powerful picture of the 24 elders who sat around the throne is a very comforting and intriguing vision, as it can represent for us the purity of appointed worship before the Creator and Redeemer. In many ways this number of 24 can represent for us the completeness of the Body of Messiah, as pictured by the 12 tribes of Yisra’ĕl as well as the 12 Apostles, In Dani’ěl we are able to read about his vision where the thrones were empty, or rather being set up (Dani’ěl/Daniel 7:9), and now here in Ḥazon we are told that Yoḥanan sees them filled, representing an authority that has now firmly been set up and established to rule and reign all of creation, under the Headship of the One who sits on the Throne!
I also see another powerful picture being represented here in this number of 24 elders that were seated around the throne.
We are able to get a glimpse of this by what Dawiḏ divided and appointed to service of the priesthood, for coming into the House of יהוה, as seen in Diḇre haYamim Aleph/1 Chronicles 24. In this chapter we are given the allotted appointments that were divided into 24 divisions of service, and when one looks at these 24 names we are able to glean some great revelation of the mighty work of our Creator and Redeemer, our Beloved King, יהושע Messiah.
I would briefly like to run through these names, and then you will understand why I can see a parallel between this passage and the picture of pure worship that Yoḥanan saw.
24 names of the division of the sons of Aharon in Diḇre haYamim Aleph/1 Chronicles 24:7-18:
1 – יְהוֹיָרִיב Yehoyariḇ – Strong’s H3080 which means, ‘יהוה contends, strives’
2 – יְדַעְיָה Yeḏayah – Strong’s H3048 which means, ‘יהוה has known’
3 – חָרִם Ḥarim – Strong’s H2766 which means, ‘dedicated’
4 – שְׂעֹרִים Se’orim – Strong’s H8188 which means, ‘barley’
5 – מַלְכִּיָּה Malkiyyah – Strong’s H4441 which means, ‘my king is יהוה’
6 – מִיָּמִן Miyyamin – Strong’s H4326 which means, ‘from the right hand’
7 – הַקּוֹץ Haqqots – Strong’s H6976 which means, ‘the thorn’
8 – אֲבִיָּה Aḇiyah – Strong’s H29 which means, ‘Yah is my father’
9 – יֵשׁוּעַ Yĕshua –Strong’s H3442 which means, ‘saved, deliverance’
10 – שְׁכַנְיָה Sheḵanyah – Strong’s H7935 which means, ‘dweller with Yah, Yah has taken up His dwelling’
11 – אֶלְיָשִׁיב Elyashiḇ – Strong’s H475 which means, ‘El restores’
12 – יָקִים Yaqim – Strong’s H3356 which means, ‘He will raise’
13 – חֻפָּה Ḥuppah – Strong’s H2647 which means, ‘canopy’
14 – יֶֽשֶׁבְאָב Yesheḇaḇ – Strong’s H3428 which means, ‘dwelling of the father’
15 – בִּלְגָּה Bilgah – Strong’s H1083 which means, ‘cheerfulness, with a smile’
16 – אִמֵּר Immĕr – Strong’s H564 which means, ‘he has said’
17 – חֵזִיר Ḥĕzir – Strong’s H2387 which means, ‘swine’
18 – הַפִּצֵּץ Happitstsĕts – Strong’s H6483 which means, ‘to break, that is broken or shattered’
19 – פְּתַחְיָה Pethaḥyah – Strong’s H6611 which means, ‘freed by Yah’
20 – יְחֶזְקֵאל Yeḥezqěl – Strong’s H3618 which means, ‘El strengthens’
21 – יָכִין Yaḵin – Strong’s H3199 which means, ‘He will establish’
22 – גָּמוּל Gamul – Strong’s H1577 which means, ‘weaned’
23 – דְּלָיָהוּ Delayahu – Strong’s H1806 which means, ‘Yah has drawn’
24 – מַעַזְיָה Maʽazyah – Strong’s H4590 which means, consolation of יהוה’
As we consider these names as representing the priesthood who is appointed to the office in their service for coming into the House of יהוה, and recognising that we enter into His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise, we are able to see the fullness of the purity of worship being given to the Creator and Redeemer who sits on the Throne! As we consider the order of these names and relate their meanings we are able to also identify the work of Messiah, which causes us to realise the due praise that we are to bring unto Him, as a royal and set-apart priesthood, that has been given access, by His Blood, to come to the throne of favour!!!
The 24 names could render for us the following:
It is יהוה who contends, strives or fights for us, for יהוה has known, and has dedicated the barley, by which we can declare that ‘my King is יהוה’, who from the Right Hand took the thorn, for Yah is our Father who saves and delivers those who dwell, and remain in Him. Elohim restores and He will raise a canopy, a dwelling of the Father, with great cheerfulness. He has said that the swine shall be broken and shattered; and those who are freed by יהוה, Elohim strengthens, for He will establish the weaned ones that יהוה has drawn unto Himself, for this is the consolation and comfort of יהוה for His appointed priesthood!
While being dead in our trespasses, we were made alive in Messiah, and it is by favour that we have been delivered and have been raised up and made to sit together in the heavenlies in Messiah, unto whom we give all praise and esteem, forever and ever! (Eph’siyim/Ephesians 2)
These 24 elders around the throne also gives us 3 significant pictures that represent us as Elohim’s chosen and elect priesthood:
a) They were seated – this speaks of an entering into His rest and being content and completely satisfied in Him – and we continue to enter Elohim’s rest as symbolised by our guarding of the Sabbath, each and every week, as we work out His completed work in us and are able to diligently walk as joyful overcomers that are victorious in Messiah, having been seated with Him in heavenly places!
b) They were dressed in white robes – we know that Scripture is very clear on the white robes representing righteousness, which is our continued obedience to the guarding of His commands – for we have become the righteousness of Elohim in Messiah, and we are therefore required to keep our garments clean as we worship Him in Spirit and Truth!
c) They wore crowns – this speaks of ruling and reigning – we are kings and priests who shall rule and reign with Messiah, for which we are now ambassadors who are to be proclaiming the coming reign, and living according to that reign in our individual lives, as a pure fragrance of sweet continual offering of our bodies as a living sacrifice. For the faithful, there remains the reward of receiving this crown (fullness) of righteousness in the Master, when our deliverance is made complete at His return!
Timotiyos Bet/2 Timothy 4:8 “For the rest, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Master, the righteous Judge, shall give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all those loving His appearing.”
Around the throne were also 4 living creatures, who were in the centre closer to Elohim and they resemble both the keruḇim that Yeḥezqěl saw as well as the seraphim of Yeshayahu/Isaiah 6. Interestingly the number of the earth or creation is understood as being 4, and so these special creatures may, in one sense, symbolise Elohim’s creation and be related to His covenant with Noaḥ. The faces parallel the covenant statement we read just now in Berěshith/Genesis 9:13; with Noaḥ paralleled with the face of a man; the birds with the face of an eagle, the livestock with the face of an ox and the wild animals with the face of a lion. These creatures were full of eyes, signifying the wisdom of Elohim; and they proclaim His set-apartness. They are also heavenly reminders that Elohim has a covenant with His creation and that He rules His creation from His throne. The image of the rainbow as discussed enhances this imagery and thought. We can be sure to know that no matter what happens or what terrible judgements will fall on the earth, Elohim is and will be faithful to keep His Word, aměn!
Other studies of the four faces have been described as the fourfold picture of יהושע Messiah given in the Besorah accounts. Mattithyahu/Matthew is seen as the royal message of the King as illustrated by a lion. Marqos/Mark emphasises the strength and servant aspect of the Master’s ministry, illustrated by the ox. Luqas/Luke presents Messiah as the compassionate Son of man (the face of a man), and Yoḥanan/John magnifies the deity of Messiah, the Son of Elohim and is illustrated as an eagle that sours above all, seeing all.
Another study has also further described these faces as symbolically representing the character of יהושע Messiah:
a) Full of eyes – speaks of His wisdom and knowledge, b) Lion – speaks of His royalty and headship, c) Ox – speaks of His strength and service, d) Man – speaks of His intelligence, e) Eagle – His speed and swiftness – in His service.
4 – OUT OF THE THRONE – STORM SIGNALS (verse 5)
These flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder are indications that a storm is coming and is an awesome reminder of Elohim’s power. We see later in Ḥazon/Revelation that these signals are repeated during judgement and always proceed from the throne of Elohim. Today many often only look at the rainbow and don’t like to think of Elohim as a Elohim of judgement; as they neglect to see the rainbow and the storm signals coming from His throne. Yes Elohim is most certainly an Elohim of favour, but as Romiyim/Romans 5:21 says, His favour reigns through righteousness. Righteousness and Justice are the foundation of His throne, and it is in righteousness and justice that He rules and reigns! Those who disregard the need to walk in righteousness and neglect His Torah and do not worship in spirit and truth will certainly be on the wrong side of the fierce storm that shall arise from His throne!
5 – BEFORE THE THRONE – LAMPS AND A SEA (verses 5-6)
The seven lamps are the seven spirits or sevenfold spirit, which conveys to us completeness and is the Set-Apart Spirit of Elohim. The pure sea of crystal symbolises Elohim’s Set-Apartness. The crystal firmament described in Yeḥezqěl’s vision in
6 – PRAISE TO THE THRONE!
Ḥazon/Revelation is filled with hymns of praise and in essence is the emphasis of the Book, when you consider that Yoḥanan wrote this book to encourage people who were going through suffering and persecution, and here in these two chapters we see an amazing display and example for us of praise. In Chapter 4 Elohim the creator is praised and in Chapter 5 Elohim the Redeemer. Acknowledging the Creator is the first step toward trusting the Redeemer. Romiyim/Romans tells us that sinful man tends to worship created things instead of the Creator and that is idolatry. We need to worship the Creator, Aměn! As we worship the Creator in spirit and truth we are equipped to be bold in our declaration of who our Redeemer is!
This worship of our Creator and Redeemer is critical for us, His treasured possession and royal, set-apart priesthood, and here in verse 11 we are given a wonderful revelation into who the Creator is! The song of the 24 elders proclaim, “You are worthy O יהוה, to receive esteem and respect and power, for You have created all…”
The Greek has the term κύριος Kurios –Strong’s G2962 which means, ‘Master’, which the Scriptures has translated as יהוה, as the clear reference is being made here to Diḇre haYamim Aleph/1 Chronicles 29:11 where Dawiḏ is proclaiming praise unto יהוה:
“Yours, O יהוה, is the greatness, the power and the comeliness, the pre-eminence and the excellency, because of all that is in the heavens and in the earth. Yours is the reign, O יהוה, and You are exalted as head above all.”
The Greek text continued to discard the Name of יהוה, as they followed the Rabbinic influence of not speaking the Name, and in their translations they used Kurios as a substitute where יהוה would have been clearly used, based on the evidence of the clear references made to the Tanak (O.T.). The Aramaic however does give us an ever better translation here and expands on this brilliant revelation of Messiah! In the Aramaic the phrase is rendered in Aramaic-English new Testament as ‘our Master (Y’shua) and Elohim’, which is transliterated from the Aramaic as מרן ואלהן – ‘maron va’elahin’ – ‘our Master and our Elohim’.
Why this is important for us to take note of here is that we are able to see a clear reminder of the confession of T’oma after the resurrection of our Master when He saw יהושע Messiah:
Yoḥanan/John 20:27-28 “Then He said to T’oma, “Bring your finger here, and see My hands. And bring your hand and put it into My side – and do not be unbelieving, but believing.” 28 And T’oma answered and said to Him, “My Master and my Elohim!”
In the Greek text the two words ‘Kurios (Master) and Theos (Elohim) is used, and in the Aramaic-English New Testament T’oma’s declaration is written as ואלהי מרי – ‘mari va’elahi’ – “My Master and My Elohim”. From these texts we are able to further confirm that the One Yoḥanan saw on the throne and the One who the elders worship is our Master and our Elohim – this is יהושע Messiah! With the worship being given to יהוה by the four living creatures who proclaim His set-apartness day and night, and with the elders who bow and praise our Master and Elohim, who is clearly identified as יהושע Messiah, we have here a wonderful revelation in Ḥazon/Revelation that יהוה and יהושע are One – our One True Master and Elohim, who sits on the Throne!!!
Further proof of this worship being given to יהושע as Master and Elohim is in the type of worship that the elders bring. In verse 10 we are told that the 24 elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and bow before Him who lives forever!
The Greek word translated as ‘bow’ is προσκυνέω ‘proskuneō’ – G4352 means ‘to kneel down before as an act of reverence’ and comes from two words – πρός ‘pros’ – H4314 ‘to, at, toward, unto’ and κυνέω ‘kuneō’ which means ‘to kiss’ and so ‘proskuneō’ literally means, to kiss toward someone, to throw a kiss in token of respect or homage. The idea or picture one gets is to kiss the hand as the word ‘kuneō’ is a probable derivative of κύων ‘kuōn’ which means ‘dog’, meaning ‘to kiss, like a dog licking his master’s hand’. This really struck me as we see the attempt that the enemy has done at gaining the worship of the masses – think about how so many are enslaved into having to bow before the ‘pope’s’ or any catholic priest’s extended hand and kiss (lick) the hand of their assumed ‘master’! Or how about the millions that ‘kiss’ the toe of the statue of ‘St. Peter’ which is in fact the pagan image of a pagan mighty one called Jupiter! We are to worship only One – and that is יהוה – not any man, woman, image or any other false mighty one! We are not to ‘kiss the hand’, so to speak, of another in subjection to enslavement – but we are to humble ourselves and show respect and reverence toward יהושע our Master – we are to worship Him Alone!
The appointment of Yosĕph as ruler in Mitsrayim is a picture of Messiah, whose hand we kiss!
Berěshith/Exodus 41:40 “Be over my house, you yourself, and at your mouth all my people shall kiss – only in the throne I am greater than you.”
The word translated as ‘kiss’ is נָשַׁק nashaq – Strong’s H5401 and means, ‘to kiss, do homage, show respect and affection for, acknowledge’ and this word can have the understanding of ‘fastening together, be in array (dressed accordingly)’.
To ‘kiss’ here clearly speaks of that which we submit under and show respect to, as being the proper authority under which we walk and obey. In Hoshěa/Hosea 13 there is a clear rebuke for those who engage in idolatrous worship
Hoshěa/Hosea 13:2 “And now they sin more and more, and make for themselves moulded images from their silver, idols according to their skill, all of them the work of craftsmen. They say of them, “Let the men who slaughter kiss the calves!”
The rebuke here in Hoshěa for the men who slaughter must kiss the calves is a very clear message to a rebellious and backsliding people – as the message is clear to those who will not trust in יהוה, but will rather walk in their own reasoning, must go ahead and kiss their calves – see if that will help you!!!
We are not to ‘kiss the calves’ and be fastened together to abominable images or practices of false worship, but we are to rather ‘kiss the Son’ and pay homage and proper respect to our Redeemer and King, as we are dressed in His Torah, and find our refuge in Him.
Tehillim/Psalm 2:12 “Kiss the Son, lest He be enraged, and you perish in the way, for soon His wrath is to be kindled. Blessed are all those taking refuge in Him.”
The wrath of the Son is the wrath of the Father, and our refuge is in Elohim – who is ONE!
Tehillim/Psalm 118:8-9 “It is better to take refuge in יהוה than to trust in man. 9 It is better to take refuge in יהוה than to trust in princes.”
WE WORSHIP THE REDEEMER (Chapter 5)
The focus of worshipping the Creator shifts to worshipping the Redeemer and here in Chapter 5 we see a seven sealed scroll that could not be read until opened by the One who is worthy. יהושע Messiah alone is worthy and able to open the scroll because He has triumphed over sin and death, aměn! Yoḥanan wept because there was no one who could open the seals and this meant that Elohim’s redemption plan for mankind could not be completed; and then an elder came and told him not to weep; and he was told to look up and see the One who is worthy. Through יהושע Messiah’s earthly life, death and resurrection we are now able to enter into true worship that is described here in this book – and that is to worship at the throne of Elohim, being made a kingdom of priests in His Blood. Yoḥanan look up to see the Lion of the Tribe of Yehuḏah and when he looks he sees the Lamb who was slain. What was being revealed here in this vision was the clear knowledge of who the Redeemer is – The Redeemer is the Creator – The one who sits on the throne is the Lamb.
Three tiles are given to יהושע Messiah here: 1)The Lion of the tribe of Yehuḏah – which speaks of His Authority and Royalty. 2) The root of Dawiḏ – which means He brought David and his line into existence. As far as humanity is concerned יהושע had his roots in Dawiḏ, but as far as His deity is concerned, יהושע is the root of Dawiḏ. How יהושע could both be Dawiḏ’s Master and son was a problem that יהושע presented to the Pharisees and they could not answer Him. 3) the Lamb – as I mentioned, Yoḥanan turns to see the Lion and he sees the Lamb! Interestingly יהושע is described as a Lamb at least 28 times in Ḥazon/Revelation. The choirs sing “Worthy is the Lamb”, and the assembly (That is the two Houses of Yisra’ĕl and Yehuḏah together as one) is the Bride of the Lamb. This Lamb has 7 horns symbolising perfect strength and power, and the perfect sacrifice that brings redemption! The Lamb is a picture of His first coming to us as Saviour and Redeemer in humble submission, who alone was worthy to stand up and pay the redemption price for our sin; and the Lion is a picture of His second coming as Judge and King in His mighty power.
As we consider what Yoḥanan saw and wrote for us, we are able to understand our need to be praising our Mighty Creator and Redeemer, for that is what we were created for!
There are over 20 different songs in the Book of Ḥazon/Revelation, and this is a book that is filled with more about worship than any other book in the Renewed Writings (N.T.)! We are to worship Him in spirit and in truth, for He is worthy to be worshipped in song and service – let us learn from what Yoḥanan saw in heaven – and be ever praising our Master and Elohim here and now!
We are made to worship – if your worship has been slack – determine today to make it better – choose each day to worship Him as you walk with Him and witness for Him. I encourage you all to stay in the Word daily and worship Him with your all, with your whole life forever. From Berěshith/Genesis to Ḥazon/Revelation we see our Creator and Redeemer as The Lamb, The Lion and our Master and Elohim, Aměn!
CREATED TO WORSHIP OUR MASTER AND ELOHIM!
Let us function as we, the created should – for now is the time for true worshippers to worship Him in Spirit and Truth!
יהוה bless you and guard you; יהוה make His face shine upon you and show you favour; יהוה lift up His face to you and give you Shalom!