I certainly wasn’t expecting to do spiritual shovel work this morning.
When I read in Revelation 4:11 that God was worthy to receive glory and honor and power, I was intrigued in a way that hadn’t happened before.
Receive from whom?
As if He needed more.
He’s supreme and beyond measure in glory and honor and power, so how can He get more?
Can we give Him power?
I didn’t want to casually wander past this moment of wondering and so I started digging.
Translation after translation used the same three words of glory, honor and power, pointing to strong uniformity for the verse among the ancient Greek writings upon which our modern Bible is based.
I won’t get into the Greek textual analysis for “power” but I will share an insight that occurred to me regarding the word “receive.”
It’s something not discussed by commentators and not revealed in the many translations.
The Greek word translated in an almost passive sense as “receive” perhaps should actually be translated with a much stronger sense. Why? Because the word used by ancient writers actually has the connotation of “taken with authority” or “assertively possessed.”
When I read this, the light bulb came on in my mind and heart.
In the realm of the universe, in the realm of the Church and in the realm of my heart, there is one person who has the authority and qualifications to take with authority the place of glory (what He possesses), the place of honor (what He is given by others) and the place of authority/power (what He exerts).
That person is God.
He alone is qualified to take with authority the place of Jehovah.
Others have tried, most notably Satan. But they’ve all failed to qualify.
That’s why our Creator God alone is worthy to receive the glory and the honor and the power that comes to Him who sits on the throne.
Listen, we serve an awesome God.
Let’s do all we can today to praise His glory, reflect His honor and lean on His power as we imitate Christ.
As always, I love you
Martin
