Useful Bible Studies > Revelation Commentary > chapter 4
The Book of Revelation contains a series of songs and passages that praise God.
In the first passage (verse 8), 4 angels (special servants of God) praise God because of his perfect character. In this second passage, the 24 rulers in heaven praise God. They praise him because of his perfect work to create all that exists. They declare that, for that reason, he deserves glory (greatness), honour and power.
Many human kings and rulers have received their greatness, honour and power in a wrong way. For example, they may have taken it by force from someone who had a better right to rule their country. That is also how the devil behaves. He tries to take the honour, power and glory that belongs to God.
Of course, God does not behave in that wrong way. He deserves the rule of all things because, since the beginning, they have always belonged to him. He created all things; they only exist because of his work. Without him, none of them could exist.
Rulers may gain honour, power and glory, and people may give these things to them. However, in the end, all honour, power and glory belong to God. He only demands what is already due to him as his perfect right.
The 24 rulers in heaven give glory, honour and power to God by their actions, and not just their words. They wear gold crowns (royal hats), which shows glory; but they offer their crowns back to God. They sit on thrones (royal seats), which shows honour; but they leave those thrones to give honour to God. They are elders (rulers), which shows power; but they lower themselves humbly to the ground in front of God.
Next part: The scroll with 7 seals (Revelation 5:1)
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© 2016, Keith Simons.