Divine Sovereignty and the Theme of Worship in the Book of Revelation
Revelation was intended to be read by the church living in the shadow of the Second Coming bearing up under persecution for their belief in Jesus, in order to encourage them to be strong and endure until the end. The main theological point Revelation makes is that God is worthy of our worship. This theme of worship has to be taken in the context of the Imperial Cult which declared that Rome was worthy of worship and that the Emperor ought to be honored as a God. John boldly declares that it is not the Empire nor the Emperor who is the almighty savior of the world, but the ‘one who sits on the throne of heaven.”
The Declaration of the Alpha and Omega
Revelation 1:8 states: "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, who is and was and is to come—the Almighty. This declaration of divine identity is reflected across numerous translations, emphasizing God's eternal nature and supreme authority.
| Translation | Scriptural Rendering of Revelation 1:8 |
|---|---|
| New International Version | “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.” |
| New Living Translation | “I am the Alpha and the Omega—the beginning and the end,” says the Lord God. “I am the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come—the Almighty One.” |
| King James Bible | I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty. |
| GOD'S WORD® Translation | "I am the A and the Z," says the Lord God, the one who is, the one who was, and the one who is coming, the Almighty. |
| Weymouth New Testament | "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "He who is and was and evermore will be--the Ruler of all." |
The Centrality of Worship in Revelation
As Grant Osborne notes, “The primary theme is proper worship of God.” When reflecting on the contents of each chapter, it turns out that nearly every chapter of the book has some sort of a worship scene, song of praise, or doxology. The witnesses to the judgments described by the book respond in praise to God as the only thing in all of creation which is in fact worthy of worship. For example, in Revelation 4:8, the heavenly beings never stop saying: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come.”
The Character and Power of God
In Revelation, God is worthy to be worshiped because of the nature of his character. He is the one who is thrice-holy, and he is the only being in all of creation that has all power and strength. The reasons for God's supreme status include:
- The Creator: In fact, the reason for God’s worthiness is that he is the creator. Since God is the creator of all things, he is sovereign over them and can use them in whatever way he chooses.
- The Just Judge: God is also described as a just judge who will avenge the wrongs done to his people. This is a dominant theme in the book, but is also part of God’s worthiness to be worshiped.
- The Eternal Ruler: When the seventh trumpet sounds in Rev 11:15, the 24 elders fall on their faces and worship God because he is the Almighty God who has begun to reign.
Theological Perspectives and Interpretations
Despite the fact the book has a great deal to say about coming events, Revelation is not a roadmap of the future. It is, rather, an exhortation for today. Different views on Eschatology (the study of the end times) have been circulating since the church began. Some Christians interpret the book of Revelation entirely literally, which leads to an interesting (and incorrect) view of the end of the world. For example, in the times of Noah, who was taken? The sinner was taken. People who believe in a secret rapture often have an inverse view of what the scripture teaches, as Matthew 24:37-41 suggests it is not the righteous who will be taken, but the wicked.
Rather than fearing the strangeness of the book, we ought to worship the awesomeness of our God! I think that this perspective on Revelation as a book of worship will curb some of the more enthusiastic interpretations and bring the book back to the church as a worship text.