“To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever.” (Revelation 5:8-14, NASB)

Our worship always belongs to God and His Son, Jesus Christ. This is true worship. If we are worshiping anything else, it is not worship. In heaven, John saw in a vision of worship where every created thing was worshiping the One who sat on the throne and to His Lamb. It says,

“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.”

This is what true worship looks like. This is what every worship ought to emulate. This is the essence of worship. There is only one person who gets to sit on the throne, and that is God the Father, and there is only one Lamb of God, who is Jesus the Son of God, through whom we receive redemption. And forever and ever we will attribute to them blessings, honor, glory, and dominion. Today’s passage gives us the who and why of our worship, and even how we should do it. Who or what does your church worship on Sunday? Is it the one who sits on the throne and to the Lamb or something else? Who or what do you bestow your blessing, honor, glory, and dominion? Too many churches today worship things other than the one who sits on the throne and the Lamb. Instead, they worship the celebrity pastor, money, power, knowledge, wealth, health, prosperity, tradition, liturgy, or worshipers themselves. Who is the audience of your church worship? God or the people who come to worship?

In today’s passage, the twenty-four elders were given “harps” and “golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints,” and they sang a new song giving worship to God. To them, the focus was on God and His Lamb. The word “worship” means “worth-ship,” indicating that we are giving “worth” to whoever or whatever we are worshiping. The angels also join them in worship, saying, “Worthy art Thou… Worthy is the Lamb that was slain.” The Lamb of God is truly worthy in that he has obediently sacrificed himself so that God’s plan of salvation could be made complete, providing a way to the Father. Just as Jesus was being crucified on the cross, the veil of the temple in Jerusalem was torn from top to bottom. Tearing the veil implies that the way to the Holy place of God is now open, and being torn from top to bottom implies that God Himself has opened the way. By this, the Lamb was given the highest place in the heavens, that is, at the right hand of God, forever serving as both the priest and the perfect sacrifice, forever and ever.

Not only this, but it also says that Christ has made every believer a “kingdom and priests to our God, and they will reign upon the earth.” This means every believer’s job is to serve as priests forever offering praise and worship to Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb forever and ever. Our worship belongs to God and to His Son and no one else. Our worship will always and forever be to Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb who was slain!

• What do you think the word “worship” meant to the worshipers in today’s passage?
• How does your church’s worship compare to the worship in today’s passage?