Distressed?  God is On the Throne in Heaven

by Dave Brown

 

Rev 5:8-14: “And when He had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, having each one a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.  And they sang a new song, saying, ‘Worthy art Thou to take the book, and to break its seals; for Thou wast slain, and didst purchase for God with Thy blood {men} from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.  And Thou hast made them {to be} a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth.’  And I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders; and the number of them was myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands, 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 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.”  Amen.  

 

If you ever get discouraged at how things are going and feel that all is lost, remember that God is on the throne in heaven, and Jesus, your mediator, is at His right hand.  If you are right with God, nothing else matters.

 

Those of the first century to whom John was writing were under severe persecution.  They were expecting God to solve all their problems in a worldly way, but instead all they were facing was the loss of their possessions and perhaps even their lives.  John needed to convince them to seek first the Lord’s kingdom and His righteousness.  We live in a different era ... at a time when religious persecution is rare in most of the free world.  We live in a time of relative prosperity, where most hard-working, honest people have no problem in making a decent living.  God has blessed us richly, but often we want to take the credit for it.  Our success can be our worst enemy.  For, worldliness is all around us, and it is so easy for us to seek first the things of the world.  Perhaps it is easier to be spiritual in times of distress.