“Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.” (Rev. 4:11)
What qualifies someone as being “worthy?” Generally speaking, a person is considered “worthy” – meaning they deserve honor and recognition – because of the merit of some work they have done.
But among all those who may be considered worthy from a human perspective, as the prophet Jeremiah declares, “There is none like you, O LORD; you are great, and your name is great in might,” (Jer. 10:6). There is no question, no doubt in all of heaven and earth, that the ultimate and infinitely worthy one is Almighty God.
As our text notes, “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created,” (Rev. 4:11). Edward Leigh adds, “You [alone] deserve to be glorified and honored by the acknowledgment of your eternal power, for you have created all things out of nothing.”[i] This is a level and degree of worthiness that none other than God attains.
Existing eternally and possessing all power, He is above all things and before all things. It follows, therefore, that all beings in heaven – saints and angels and all manner of heavenly creatures – continually encircle His throne and extol Him as worthy.
God’s only begotten Son is also counted worthy. As Revelation 5:12 declares, “Worthy is the Lamb…” Why? Because the Lamb is God, the Savior, Jesus Christ, who by his work and merit in procuring redemption saves his people from sin and death.
Further, every Scripture where the term “worthy” is used to refer to Christ signifies one who is worthy by praise of his righteous justice. Christ is not only Creator and Redeemer (John 1), he is also the Judge and Ruler of the world (Rev. 19:11). There is no question that Christ is Lord of all because the Father decreed it, “Wherefore God hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name,” (Phil. 2:9). Every dimension and declaration of Christ demonstrates His worthiness.
Finally, Scripture refers to blood-bought believers as “worthy” as a result of what Christ accomplished on their behalf. Christians are reckoned and accepted as worthy because the worthiness of Christ is imputed to them at the moment of salvation. As Luke 21:36 explains, “that you may be counted worthy to escape all those things that shall come to pass.” In other words, the only way we escape the wrath of God and the eternal torment of hell is by trusting in Christ as Lord and Savior and being accepted by him on the merit of the righteousness of Christ (2 Cor. 5:21, Rev. 3:4).
May we thankfully acknowledge the distinguishing grace of God to our souls and rejoice in the hope of the glory of God, that hope that shall never make us ashamed. And may we be found daily worshipping and praising our Redeemer in admiration of His worthiness, excellency, and glorious perfection.
Contemplations:
- Lord, as all things were made by you to do your will and bring glory to your name, so aid me in the same. By you alone all things were created and are preserved; therefore all glory belongs to you.
- You alone, Lord, are to be worshipped as the great Creator of all things. And you must have the glory in everything, because you are the Maker of everything. The whole scope of Psalms 147 and 148 show this, that you must be praised because you are Creator of all things.
- I read in Augustine’s writings, “Let any make a world and he shall be a God.” In that same vein, the church makes the very first article of the Creed to believe in God the Father Almighty, “maker of heaven and earth.”
- Lord, let us worship you with the elders who continually praise you before your throne in heaven, and let us all say, “Thou art worthy O Lord to receive honor, glory and power, for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.”
Further References for Rev. 4:11:
Rev. 5:12; Genesis 1:1; Psalm 33:9; Eph. 3:9
[i] Edward Leigh quoted by Thomas Wilson, A Complete Christian Dictionary (London: E. Cotes and are to be sold by Thomas Williams, 1661), 743.
