Earthly Politics Versus the Almighty
by Terry Wane Benton
"Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever" (Revelation 4:9).
In John’s vision “up here” he sees the living creatures giving honor, glory, and thanks to God on the throne, and he knows that God is eternal, while the men on earth that fight against the church are not even in charge of their own lives. They die. They are temporary! Keep this viewpoint in front of your mind, and then notice the twenty-four leaders who served God on earth. Are they disappointed that they served God on earth? Look and see!
"The twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying" (Revelation 4:10).
These twenty-four elders are before the throne, and they have “crowns” of life, but it seems that even the crown of their reward for faithfulness is as nothing compared to their amazing view of seeing the glory of the One who sits on the throne. They “cast their crowns before the throne” which means that nothing is more important to them than the honor of seeing the glory of the One on the throne. They don’t feel worthy of their crowns. All honor belongs to God. John sees them cast their crowns down before the throne as they say:
"You are worthy, O Lord,
To receive glory and honor and power;
For You created all things,
And by Your will they exist and were created" (Revelation 4:11 NKJV).
They don’t feel worthy of their crowns. They feel that only God is truly worthy to receive glory, honor, and power. Our very existence is totally dependent on Him. Thus, if these twenty-four do not feel worthy of glory, honor, and power, then what of Nebuchadnezzar in the past or Nero in the present? Any crown they had is as nothing. Any “power” that they held is as nothing in comparison.
When you come up in this vision with John, you truly see that human powers on earth are nothing in comparison to the One on the throne. If we fear the powers of earthly forces, we need to see what John sees. We need to let the vision of John in the Spirit captivate our full attention. If we have “ears to hear” what the Spirit is speaking through John’s vision, we will fully believe that no political powers or rulers on earth deserve the power. Their very lives “exist” by the Creator’s will, and they have only the power God allows them to have. God is far greater! God is “worthy” of our full admiration and godly reverence! Don’t let the raging storms on the political scene distract you from seeing the One who walks on those waters! Come up here and get your focus back in the right place! Only He is truly worthy!
