Caught up beyond ourselves into His glory,
Beholding the unveiling of our God,
Entered in beyond the veil,
From the earthlies into the heavenlies,
There to live and move and have our being,
Made alive to God alone,
Quickened to stand before His presence,
Arisen to new life above in Him.

(Poem By David E. L. Johnson)

"Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive honour, and power; for you created all things, and because of Your will they existed and were created." Revelation 4:11

While there may be many ways and forms of worship, the thing that true worshipers of the King have in common, is being caught up into a dimension of GLORY where we move past the things of the natural and gazed into the glories of His GRACE. It is where we no longer see Grace as some kind of undeserved, or unmerited favour as religion calls it, but rather that our Father has chosen us and blessed us from the beginning, and therefore has made us worthy and deserving of His favour. It is from this revelation that our hearts cry, "Worthy, Worthy, Worthy, is the Lamb."

In about 1990 I gave a message about Eagle and Turkey Christians. We know that eagles were designed with the ability to soar up to the high places. It is from this place that they can gaze directly into the sun. They can do this because they have two sets of eyelids. They close the outer set, and then as they gaze at the sun, they are being changed from one condition to another. They are being renewed.

The Turkey is an earth-bound creature that spends its time gazing at the earth and is able to fly very little. Most domesticated turkeys are too heavy to fly or run fast, while the wild turkey can run and fly for short distances at speeds up to 90 km/h or 55 mph. The way that eagles and turkeys live, can be compared to many of God’s children.

Turkey Christians tend to live in fear and bondage to sin [I’m a sinner saved by grace and I will always be a sinner], the devil, demons, and generational curses, and more. Because of this they have never been able to rise up to their high calling of God in Christ.

The Eagle Christians, even though their feet may be touching the earth, are spiritually soaring in the heavenlies, gazing into the face of The Son. As 1 Corinthians 3:18 says, “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.”

Blaise Pascal (1623-62) the French mathematician and philosopher had an understanding of Christ that few have. He said, “Jesus Christ is the CENTER of everything, and the OBJECT of everything; and he who does not know Him, knows nothing of the order of the world, and nothing of himself.” Jesus Christ must always be the center of all of our worship!

In Prayer we make our requests, in Thanksgiving we thank for all of His blessings to us. In Praise we say or sing about the virtues and actions of our Lord. In worship we are occupied with HIM, not just for all He has done, but for Who He Is.

Many of us have sung the chorus, “We bring a sacrifice of praise,” based upon Hebrews 13:15 which reads, “Through HIM then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name.” The source of this sacrifice, this offering, of praise and thanksgiving, is the indwelling Christ, who causes the sacrifice to be an acceptable sweet smelling aroma.

Some years ago I wrote, “Revelatory worship may be defined as worship which comes from, and is based upon, the revelation of Jesus Christ. It is prophetic in nature as it is birthed by the Holy Spirit, not the human spirit or soul. In Hebrews 2:12 speaking of Christ, we read these words, “I will declare Your name to My brethren; in the midst of the congregation I will sing praise to you.” (A quotation from Psalm 22:22)

Revelation 5:9 begins, “And they sang a New Song.” It was fresh, and new in form and quality. In fact, it is not past tense, but is an ongoing song, as Jonathan Mitchell translates it, “and they repeatedly sing”. This verse continues with them repeatedly saying, "Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood {men} from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.” Is this the limited purchase of a few, or the glorious redemption of ALL mankind? The wording makes it clear, that from His death there came an all inclusive salvation.

Someone has suggested that if only one sinner turned to the Lord, it would have been worth all that Jesus went through. While they failed to understand God’s plan and purposes, there was one sinner dealt with at the cross. His name was Adam, the First Man, and when he died IN Christ, God included ALL of Adam’s descendants IN Christ, to arise from the grave IN Jesus Christ, God’s Last Adam, the Second Man. As Titus 2:11 says, “The grace of God has appeared bringing salvation to ALL men.” Who is this GRACE of God but our Lord Jesus Christ?

Verse Ten continues, "You have made them a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth." 1 Peter 2:9 tells us, “But you are a chosen race, a Royal Priesthood.” As does Revelation 1:6, “He has made us a kingdom, priests to His God and Father-- to Him {be} the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.” This is amazing! From fallen in Adam, to reigning in Christ, and ministering worship to our Father God. What a great Salvation!!

The Twelfth Verse is a description of the worship of a multitude, “saying with a loud voice, "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing." And if that isn’t enough, there is more in Verse Thirteen as the list of worshipers continues to grow. “And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying, "To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, {be} blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever." And the four living creatures kept saying, "Amen." And the elders fell down and worshiped.”

This scene is so very rich because it is more than the Elders and the heavenly beings, worshiping, and adoring Christ God’s Lamb. He is being worshiped by all creation. Indeed our Father has ordained a day when ALL creation will worship, will willingly worship. Since He has said it, then it must be so! Yes, even now it is so for Christ Jesus sits at the right hand of the Father, as Acts 2:33-36 proclaims, Christ is now reigning, not someday might be. Let us worship Him who NOW IS our risen, ascended and glorious Lord!

In Revelation 4:10, we find it is the twenty-four humans (elders) who bow down, not the heavenly creatures to declare His worth and therefore to worship. “The twenty-four elders will fall down before Him who sits on the throne, and will worship Him who lives forever and ever, and will cast their crowns before the throne, saying,”

"Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created." It is amazing that He created all, and by His will they continue to exist! Truly our Father has a plan and purpose of which we only see in part. As the 1769 KJV says, “We see through a glass darkly.”

The following is based upon Ephesians 2:6.

We’ve found a new place in the heavenlies,
In Jesus Christ, in Jesus Christ.
We’ve found a new place in the heavenlies,
In Jesus Christ.
A place of peace, a place of rest,
A place of joy and blessedness,
We’ve found a new place in the heavenlies,
Hidden with Christ in God.
We’ve gained a new place in the heavenlies,
In Jesus Christ, In Jesus Christ,
We’ve gained a new place in the heavenlies,
As we worship our Father God!

We have been caught up beyond ourselves into His glory, to behold the unveiling of our God. Let us WORSHIP!

Other Writings in This Series: