September 28, 2023

Revelation 5: 12 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!” (NIV)

The lORD introduces Himself to His people with titles reflecting His great majesty, and expects His people to respond to Him as such a glorious God.*

A well-meaning friend felt I would benefit from her criticism of my summer-camp crush. She thought he was stuck on himself, that he thought he was “all that” (or whatever was the 1973 equivalent). I surprised us both by saying that I didn’t care because I thought he was “all that,” too. I lost track of that young man until recently when he began to appear in my Facebook feeds. Turns out he and I both might have overestimated how special he was. Seems he was “just okay.”

This passage in Revelation reminds us that God’s worthiness is in no way connected to what my thoughts are on it. Everything that God demands of us is his due. It isn’t arrogant or egotistical of him to demand and receive power, wealth, wisdom, strength, honor, glory, and praise. He is worthy of it.

What makes him worthy? . . . Besides the fact that he is the Great I Am, you mean? In verse nine of Revelation chapter five, the angels sang a new song about why he is worthy: “Because you were slain and with your blood you purchased men for God . . .” Has there ever been anyone else whose blood has such power to save? Does this not make him worthy of anything he asks of us? Aren’t his expectations reasonable – in light of what he has done and because of who he is?

He can call humankind to worship him and not be arrogant at all.*