Bible Band Lesson (April 18, 2013)

TOPIC: God Deserves Your Praise

LESSON SCRIPTURE: Revelation 4:1-11

DEVOTIONAL READING: Isaiah 6:1-8; Revelation 20:11-15; 21:1-8
 

CENTRAL VERSE: Revelation 4:11

INTRODUCTION: The focus of our lesson this week is that our God is worthy of all praise.  We are called to praise Him at all times, for He is.  We need to learn to praise Him while we are on earth, for in Heaven, praise is a big part of our calling.  The Bible portrays our God as wonderful, just, and powerful.  He is truly worthy of your praise.
 

THE INVITATION (Revelation 4:1)

Apostle John continued to record his vision.  What a glorious vision it must have been to be raptured into the presence of God Almighty and to have Him talk with him!  In the Old Testament, people just  did not go into the presence of God lightly.  They had a sense of His awe and majesty.  Here we see that same sense of wonder as John put his experience with the almighty into words for us.
 

THE GLORIOUS THRONE (Revelation 4:2)
John was overwhelmed with wonder and awe as he was transported into the very presence of God in Heaven.  The throne was the center of activity.  The One on the throne was brilliant, like the gemstones jasper and carnelian.  A rainbow circled His throne.

There were also twenty-four thrones around the One on the throne, with twenty-four elders on them.  They were clothed in  white and had golden crowns on their heads.  Thunder and lightning emanated from the throne, and the seven lampstands burned with flames in front of the throne, indicative of the seven spirits of God.  These revealed His nature, like a crystal clear shiny sea of glass spread out in front of the throne.

There were four living beings with  the likeness of a lion, an ox, a human, and an eagle.  Each creature had wings that covered his face.  Before the throne they praised the One on the throne, for He is Holy.  These beings worshiped Him day and night, recounting His holiness. They acknowledged His absolute worthiness with praise.  What John saw was a God who is pure and holy and worthy of all praise.

 

THE WORSHIP (Revelation 4:9-11)
What John saw here is astounding.  When the living beings praise God, the twenty-four elders joined in the chorus of praise.  They acknowledged God's eternality.  Our God does not die.  He always was, is, and ever will be.  The elders took of their crowns and laid them before the throne as they bowed down in absolute worship.

Those who worshiped at the throne recounted God's worthiness and holiness.  They said that God is worthy of all honor and power.  They acknowledged God as the Creator of all things in the universe; so He is greater than all creation.  God created all things for His own pleasure.
 

ESSENTIAL THOUGHT:

We were created by God to worship and praise him.

QUESTIONS:

1.  What is the meaning of the "seven Spritis of God" (verse5)?

2.  What are some the visual images John saw in this vision?

3.  Why do the elders "cast their crowns before the throne" (verse 10)?