Characteristics of Throne-Room Worship
And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their head’s crowns of gold. (Revelation 4:4 KJV)
Throne-room worship occurs in God’s presence and is centered on Him sitting on the throne. This kind of worship is revealed in Revelation chapter 4. There are several characteristics of throne-room worship from Revelation 4, but this devotional will examine three: the sphere, activities, and focus.
The sphere of throne-room worship is the True Tabernacle, heaven itself, where God dwells amongst the angels. Therefore throne-room worship is worship in God’s presence and before His throne. And the mandatory requirement for worshipping before the throne is entering God’s presence. I have fully described this characteristic in a prior Deshen Daily devotional, “What is Throne-Room Worship ” and “What is Worship in Spirit and in Truth?“.
Revelation 4 reveals the activities of angels worshipping God on His throne in heaven. We see the angels completely expressive in their actions and words. Before God’s throne, angels fall, bow down, speak words of adoration to God, and are just in awe of the One sitting on the throne. Again, I have described this characteristic in an earlier Deshen Daily devotional titled “Holistic Worship: Touching God’s Heart with Our Whole Being.”
The sphere and activities of throne-room worship are centered on the One sitting on the throne. Heaven’s setting is arranged so that everything centers on God’s throne. In Revelation 4:4, we see the 24 elders seated around the throne, while in verse 6, we see the four living creatures around the throne. Furthermore, the words spoken in worship are exclusively about God and God alone. The angels were absorbed entirely in God’s person and glory. They did not utter words about themselves, or what humans on earth need, or the headaches Satan and his demons are causing in the world.
True worship, throne-room worship, is under threat from multiple fronts. We can quickly understand the problems from the three characteristics mentioned above—sphere, activities, and focus. The sphere of worship is ruined when our worship is nothing but empty emotional or physical expressions; such worship ends here on earth and does not enter the throne room. Furthermore, worship that is devoid of emotional or bodily expressions is stifled! As I discussed in the prior devotional, What is Throne-Room Worship?, God wants us to pour our emotions and affections to Him in worship, not to eradicate or suppress them!
Furthermore, when our worship is infiltrated by our needs, problems, concerns, or desires, it is no longer God-centered. We will never know the true depths of worship as long as it is about us, even in disguise. I would encourage you to pay attention to the words of the songs you sing or say in worship, and you might be surprised how often we try to displace God from His throne and attempt to put our needs at the center! If we forget ourselves in worship, we will find ourselves in the throne room! Yes, worship is a powerful weapon of warfare, but the victorious power in worship is in its pure state.
So, throne-room worship takes place before the throne, is holistic, and is centered around God.
What are the three characteristics of throne-room worship noted above? Can you think of any other features based on Revelation 4 above?
Give yourself to throne-room worship and prayer. Learn what it is and grow in it.
Can you worship the Father right now before the throne, with your whole being, and focus on Him alone?
Recommended
- What is Throne-Room Worship?
- Coming into God’s Presence
- Two Lessons from Messianic Jewish Worship
- What is a Devotional?
- View All Deshen Daily Devotionals
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