Continued/ from 106
The adoration
"And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces and worshipped God saying Amen: blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honour and power and might be unto our God forever and ever, Amen." Revelation 7v12
The jubilation of the great multitude from earth prompts the entire population of heaven to burst into praise. Those of us, still bound by time and sense, cannot enter into this yet, but it appears that such is the effect of the awesome majesty of the throne that it compels people to praise every time a fresh number of people appear before God, or a fresh event occurs. It becomes a cause for spontaneous adoration. There is evidence that even the inanimate world responds to the divine presence in certain situations. Jesus said to the Pharisees in Luke 19v40 when they tried to restrain the praise of the multitude, He said "If these should hold their peace even the very stones would cry out." When Isaiah the prophet saw the vision of the throne of God, it is recorded "the posts of the door moved at the voice of Him that cried." In Exodus 19v18 when the divine presence descended on Mount Sinai it is recorded that the whole mountain was quaking. In Matthew 27v51, when Jesus died on the cross it says "the earth did quake and the rocks were rent, and the graves were opened."
If such is the effect on the inanimate world, there is an even more profound effect in the angelic world and the world of redeemed and glorified human beings in heaven. The reaction is imperative; there is a compulsion to respond. We read here that the angels, and the twenty four elders, and the four living creatures fall on their face before the throne. The sight of such a throng of glorified humanity caused them to thrill in the presence of God.
Worship is the constant theme of heaven from both the angel and the human populations. Throughout the book this is an inescapable feature; chapter 1v5; chapter 4v8-11, chapter 5v8-14, chapter 7v9-17, chapter 11v16-18, chapter 12v10-12, chapter 15v2-4, chapter 19v1-10, chapter 22v1-6. This will be the occupation of all for all eternity. A universe in harmony with God, seeking nothing other than God, for there exists nothing better, and praising Him at every fresh revelation, in a situation of eternal wellbeing, all in tune with their Maker. They shout their approval "Amen....... and Amen." Approval now, and approval forever; this situation will never end. The angels give a sevenfold accolade, almost the same as chapter 5v12. The only change is that the "riches" of chapter 5 is changed to "thanksgiving" in chapter 7. This makes sense when we view it in the light of Ephesians chapter 1 where it says God's people are God's inheritance "the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints". It is incredible to think that our redemption and our presence in heaven will add anything to a God who has everything, nevertheless it is a glorious fact that God views us as adding riches to his existence in the form of eternal thanksgiving.
In their adoration the angels bring honour to God: in Job 38v7 they worship God for creation "all the sons of God shouted for joy." In Luke 15v10 Jesus said "there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth." They worship God for the conversion of even one soul. Here in Revelation chapter 7, they worship Him for the consummation of all things; what must it have been for them to witness unnumbered hosts of people in heaven who were now glorified. They utter the glorious words "forever and ever." This is a phrase that runs through the entire bible and we do well to familiarize ourselves with the reality of the never ending ages of eternity during which we shall experience something beyond our imagination. However, we should never forget that the last time this phrase appears is in Revelation 20v11 where we are told that the devil and the beast and the false prophet shall be "tormented night and day for ever and ever." one of the saddest phrases at the beginning of that verse is this "the devil that deceived them" and many of our fellow human beings, having followed Him in life, will follow him there.
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