Tag: Travis Peterson

Psalm 97:10

 

O you who love the Lord, hate evil!

He preserves the lives of his saints;

he delivers them from the hand of the wicked.

 

            It’s funny how, in one verse, we can find things that we love and things that we often ignore. WE love the last two lines of the above verse. We love God providing for and taking care of us. But we are not overly fond of the command to hate evil. That’s so radical. That’s so, well, intolerant.

 

            God commands his followers to actually hate evil. That does not mean that we play with evil. That does not mean that we enjoy just a little evil every now and again. That does not mean that we look at evil and say that we wouldn’t’ do it that way, but to each his own. No, we are actually supposed to have a hard-core heart reaction to evil. We are to hate it.

 

            How does this happen? Does God want us to become angry-faced and cranky all the time? Does he want us to become hunters of all that is imperfect so that we can walk around with a permanent scowl? I know people who seem to have that scowl permanently etched on their faces, who are always looking at seemingly everything, shaking their heads, and saying, “Isn’t that terrible.” (In fact, some of those folks like to read my blog regularly to see if they can catch me saying something that they can use against me—bless their hearts.)

 

            No, God is not telling us to go look for evil so that we can hate it. But God is telling us that, when we see or experience evil, we are to hate it. The way to do this is not to practice on evil. Instead, the way to do this is to more deeply love our God. You see, when we love God, we will learn to react against that which opposes and dishonors him. Just as my wife reacts with deep emotion when somebody is cruel or harsh toward me, the Christian who loves his God will have natural and strong emotion against that which dishonors the Lord. We hate evil by loving God more and more. As we love God more and more, we will naturally stand against what is ungodly.

Revelation 4:11

 

“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.”

 

            As the elders bow before the throne of God, they break into song just as the living creatures did before them. They declare that God is worthy to receive all good things. God is worthy of glory and honor and power. Why is God worthy of these things? He made all things. He decided, before time began, what he would make. He created all things by his will, by his power, and for his glory. He made all. He owns all. All things that exist owe to God their full allegiance.

 

            Stop and take a moment to remember that you own nothing. Not even your own soul is your own. You were created by God. Your body belongs to God. Your money, your possessions, your emotions, your talents, your time, they all belong to God. He is worthy of all you are and all you have. Give him the praise he deserves.

 

            Christians, once we gain an understanding of the God who is on the throne, we bow to that God and worship him. He is over all creatures. He is holy. He is Almighty. He is eternal. He is over all authorities. He is the Creator who is worthy of worship. Sing his praise. Offer him all that you have and all that you are.

 

            If you do not know this God, you need to. He is glorious. He is majestic. He is holy. He is beautiful. Worshipping him will give you a joy that is beyond anything you can imagine. He made you. He has the right to do anything he wants with you. He offers you mercy and forgiveness for your sins. He only requires that you trust in Jesus, turning away from your sins, and he will make you into his child.

Revelation 4:8b

 

and day and night they never cease to say,

“Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty,

who was and is and is to come!”

 

        The creatures around God’s throne are not static. No, they are in motion. They are active. Finally, John tells us what they are up to.

 

        Those four creatures in the center, around God’s throne, they have a job to do. Day and night, on and on, forever and ever, these four creatures never stop declaring the glory and majesty of God. Clearly, this is what they were created to do.

 

        When these creatures talk about God, they declare him to be “holy, holy, holy.” God’s holiness tells us that he is perfect, flawless, pure. It also tells us that he is set apart from us, different than us. We are imperfect. We are sinful. We are flawed. God is none of these things. He is as much greater than us as the sky is higher than the earth. This is the God we worship. And when they say that God is holy three times, they are exalting his holiness to the highest possible degree. It is as if they are writing down, “God is holy,” and then underlining it, highlighting it, and following it up with exclamation points.

 

        These creatures call God the Lord God Almighty. His power is limitless. They call him the one who was, who is, and who is to come. God is eternal. He has no beginning. He has no ending. He always is. We worship this eternal God.

Revelation 4:5a

 

From the throne came flashes of lightning, and rumblings and peals of thunder,

 

            When God delivered the Ten Commandments to Moses on mount Sinai, the people of Israel were totally terrified. The mountain smoked and shook. Thunder, lightning, and rumblings reminded the onlookers that the God of the Bible is not a God to trifle with. He is dangerous. He is deadly. His holiness will destroy the sinful.

 

            Here, as john looks at the throne, he lets us know that god has not changed. Whether in the Old Testament or the New, God is still holy. His holiness is still deadly and terrifying. He is still not a God to trifle with. He is still a God we approach with the utmost of reverence.

 

            There is, of course, room in our worship for joyful celebration. Such is present all through Scripture. But, and this is important, the closer we get to the actual glory of God, the more we tremble. There must be reverence and not casualness in our worship. We dare not be flippant about coming before our God. He is far too powerful and far too holy for that.

Revelation 4:3

 

And he who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian, and around the throne was a rainbow that had the appearance of an emerald.

 

            When John tells us about the one who sits on the throne, about the Lord himself, he uses very vague imagery. John does nothing to help us try to get a physical picture of God. Nobody can describe the infinite beauty of our Lord. It would dishonor God for John to try. So John does the best he can with likenesses.

 

            John calls to mind three precious stones to depict God and his throne, jasper, Carnelian, and emerald. Countless commentaries have come up with countless explanations of what these stones symbolize. Sadly, they are often quite different. These stones all come in a variety of colors. They are all used in the breast piece of the high priest from the old Testament. They are all found in the walls of the new Jerusalem in chapter 21. The rainbow, we learn from Genesis, is the symbol of God’s promise of mercy for his children even when he judges.

 

            What are we supposed to see as we think of what John says here in verse 3? God is beautiful and valuable. That is all we can say for sure. His worth is infinite. His loveliness is magnificent. The colors, the hues, the glory, they are simply too much for human words.

 

            When we worship our God, we should remember that we are in the presence of the most beautiful being in existence. There is no end to the wonder and worth of our God. To glimpse him is to glimpse the most breathtaking colors, the most stunning sight, the most aw-inspiring picture.

Revelation 4:1-2 

 

1 After this I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven! And the first voice, which I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet, said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” 2 At once I was in the Spirit, and behold, a throne stood in heaven, with one seated on the throne.

 

                One might think that, after hearing and seeing the risen Lord Jesus and taking dictation from him, there would be nothing more spectacular that could occur. However, to think this is to underestimate the Lord we serve. Our God is infinite in his wonder and majesty. There will never be an end to the joys and glories that those who know him will experience. And John was by no means at the end of his glorious experience.

 

                After John finishes writing the seven letters to the seven churches, he hears a resounding voice. Back in chapter one, John heard the voice of Jesus which reminded him of a trumpet. That voice was loud, clear, and commanding. Now, here in chapter 4, the voice of Jesus rings out again.

 

                This time, Jesus calls John to “Come up here.” He promises that, when John follows him, he will learn what must soon take place. But the future is not at hand in this chapter.

 

                John looks to the sky, and he sees a door standing open in heaven. John tells us that he was “in the Spirit,” a phrase which seems to accompany the transitions between the major visions of this book. John was filled with God’s Holy Spirit and made ready to receive the revelation of God.

 

                Then John is caught up through that door and taken into heaven. Did he go physically or was he just having a vision? There is just no way for us to know. Whether in his body or out, John is transported out of the sphere of this world and into the very throne room of God.

 

                Now, take careful note of what John first describes. When John enters heaven, there is something that demands his attention, his focus. There is something that catches his eye and, for a moment, completely consumes his imagination. John sees the throne of God.

 

                Remember, of course, that this is a vision. We cannot begin to imagine what it really looked like. God does not need a chair. He is spirit. He does not get tired and need a seat for a rest. But, whatever it is that John’s Spirit-filled eyes take in, it is clearly the place where God reigns.

 

                Right here is the first key to worship. See the Lord God on his throne. God is enthroned. God is in charge, in command, the ruler of all. Worship centers on God. Worship centers on his authority and majesty. If we miss this fact, we miss worship.

Psalm 32:8-10

 

8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;

I will counsel you with my eye upon you.

9 Be not like a horse or a mule, without understanding,

which must be curbed with bit and bridle,

or it will not stay near you.

10 Many are the sorrows of the wicked,

but steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the Lord.

 

            Psalm 32 is a beautiful song of forgiveness. David, the psalmist, knows that he is guilty of great sin. He was miserable in his spirit until he finally turned to the Lord, confessed his sin, and sought forgiveness. God graciously forgave David.

 

            After David was forgiven, he turned his attention to others. Because David knew the grief and sorrow that accompanies being out of fellowship with God, he makes it a goal of his to help others find God’s grace. David calls to the lost not to be stubborn like mules, but to obey the commands of the lord and find his mercy.

 

            Christians, we are much like David. We are guilty of sin before a holy God. We deserve wrath, but God has granted us peace and mercy in Christ. We have joy in Christ and fellowship with the Most High.

 

            How then could we not also be like David in our desire for others to share this joy? We share the gospel with the nations so that many other voices can join in the chorus singing of the forgiveness granted by our Savior. They are lost without Jesus. They will have great joy if they will trust in Christ and be forgiven. God will be honored by the praises of the redeemed. So let’s make it our point to take the gospel to those who need it. 

Psalm 77:6, 11-13

 

6 I said, “Let me remember my song in the night;

let me meditate in my heart.”

Then my spirit made a diligent search:

 

11 I will remember the deeds of the Lord;

yes, I will remember your wonders of old.

12 I will ponder all your work,

and meditate on your mighty deeds.

13 Your way, O God, is holy.

What god is great like our God?

 

            Psalm 77 begins with a sorrowful minor chord. The psalmist is in distress. We do not know why. All we know is that his heart is breaking. When he thinks about his situation, and when he thinks about the Lord, he hurts. The darkness of his present circumstances makes him doubt even the goodness of God.

 

            What will he do? The psalmist sets his mind to remember. In verse 6, he says that he will remember his song. The psalmist is about to take his memory outside the cloud of his darkness. He is about to turn his mind to a place when it was not clouded by grief but was instead filled with the joyful song of the redeemed.

 

            What does the psalmist think of to bring joy into his mind? He remembers the great deeds of the Lord. He looks back into his memory to again find the joy of the great things that he has seen God do. He remembers the power and mighty acts of the Lord from years gone by. He remembers the perfection and holiness of God. These will bring him hope in the middle of a dark time.

 

            What do you do when you suffer hardship/ What do you do when your mind is clouded with sorrow? How about taking a line from the psalmist? Look back into the past faithfulness of God. What have you seen God do that used to give you joy, that used to make you sing? What events from Scripture remind you most of God’s power, God’s faithfulness, God’s grace, or God’s mercy? Set you mind on the glories of God that are not sullied by the cloud of your despair. Remember your song. Remember your Lord. Find joy in the faithfulness and holiness of God.

Colossians 2:2b-3

 

to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

 

            Here is a major prayer of Paul’s for the church.  He wants the people to be rich, very rich.  This sounds nice.  We want to be rich.  But, as you know if you know the Scriptures at all, riches in this world mean nothing.  Paul wants the people of god to have riches that will last forever and which are worth far more than silver or gold.  Paul wants the people to have a clear, soul-encouraging, life-altering grasp of the gospel.

 

            It’s funny when you look at the books that say what things need to be central to any church.  Sometimes you will see that it is programs and activities.  Sometimes you will see authors recommend this type of ministry or that.  But the Scripture is clear, where the true church is, you find the people of God fully committed to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

 

            Paul prays that the people will have  “full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery.”  This is not a prayer for a slight, child’s grasp of the gospel.  No, Paul wants the people to go much deeper.  God wants his people to have the riches of fully understanding, fully grasping, fully knowing the good news of Jesus.  God wants us to know the Scripture well.  He wants us to grasp the gospel in depth.  He wants us to not be satisfied until we stand face-to-face with Christ.

2 Samuel 7:18

 

Then King David went in and sat before the Lord and said, “Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far?”

 

            Why me? We ask this question in our lives more often than we care to admit. Why is this bad thing happening to me? Why can’t I have the easy life that that guy has? Why am I saddled with this debt, this health problem, this difficulty?

 

            The Bible has some “Why me” questions in it too. Above, we see one of them, a good one. David has just received the promise of God that one of his descendants will rule forever. David has been promised, even if he does not understand it fully, that the Messiah will come from his household. Regardless of how much David understands, we know he grasps that God has made him a major promise, that David’s kingdom will not fall like Saul’s.

 

            So King David asks, “Why me?” He does not, however, ask this question in the way that we often do. David sees the good that God has promised him, and he is amazed. David knows his own heart. David knows his own weakness, his own smallness. He knows that he does not deserve the kindness that God has already shown him. So David asks, “Who am I,” which is just another way of saying, “Why me.”

 

            Add to the mix, please, that David was a hero in so many ways. He fought the giant for the sake of the honor of God’s name. He refused to reach out his hand and destroy King Saul because Saul was the Lord’s anointed. David had danced with all his might in praise of the Lord and joy as he brought the ark of the covenant into Jerusalem. In our minds, if we are not careful, we will think that David had indeed earned his reward. David knew better than us. David knew that he had earned nothing from God. This is why David asks, “Who am I?”

 

            What about you? Are you asking “Why me?” Do you feel that you have received worse than you deserve? Do you feel unfairly treated. Perhaps you have been, but not by God. I have no doubt that you have been wronged by other people around you. I have too. But never has God treated me wrongly. Never has God given me something that is worse than I deserve.

 

            In reality, I should be asking God “Why me” in the same voice of David. Why has God chosen to let me know about Jesus when so many millions, even billions, have never heard his name? Why has God allowed me to be able to read, to write, and to think straight when so many can do none of these things? Why has God allowed me to serve him in his church when I know what a sinner I am deep down inside? Why has God allowed me to have enough food for today when so many people who are so  much better than I am are scavenging for every morsel? Indeed, “Why me?”

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