Rev.4:8 – And they do not rest day or night, saying:
“Holy, holy, holy,
Lord God Almighty,
Who was and is and is to come!”
When John was caught up into heaven he was immediately brought to the throne of God where the mysteries of creation are on full display. John sees these powerful creatures, the seraphim, who are apparently there in the immediate presence of God. In this unspeakable atmosphere worship is the only recourse. The worship never grows old or stale because the Lord Himself is present and in His presence is fulness of joy. It appears that the seraphim are the leaders of this worship, every time they start all of creation begins to respond. In today’s short verse we catch a sense of what this worship is all about. From the perspective of the seraphim, all they can see is the greatness and glory of God. This one simple verse carries the substance of their song. Here is how Barclay describes it.
“1) It praises him for his holiness. Again and again, we have seen that the basic idea of holiness is difference. That is supremely true of God. He is different from human beings. That is precisely the reason why we are moved to adoration of God. If he were simply a glorified human person, we could not praise. As the poet had it: ‘How could I praise, if such as I could understand?’ The very mystery of God moves us to awed admiration in his presence and to amazed love that that greatness should stoop so low for us and for our salvation.
(2) It praises his omnipotence. God is the Almighty. The people to whom Revelation was written are under the threat of the Roman Empire, a power which no individual or nation had ever successfully withstood. Think what it must have meant to be sure that behind them stood the Almighty. The very giving of that name to God affirms the certainty of the safety of Christians – a safety which did not mean release from trouble but which made people secure in life and in death.
(3) It praises his everlastingness. Empires might come and empires might go; God lasts forever. Here is the triumphant affirmation that God endures unchanging amid the enmity and the rebellion of human beings.”
The first part of this song – holy, holy, holy – displays the amazement at the mystery of God. These creatures have been worshipping for eons and they are still struck with awe at the mystery of God right before them. Next the cherubim declare His almighty power. They were possibly eyewitnesses of the formation of the universe and all that contains. His infinite power is indescribable and their song cries out, “Lord God Almighty”. The last Part of the song declares His infinite nature. This is impossible for a created being to understand, all the seraphim can do and all we can do is fall on our face and worship. Join in today in this eternal song, after all it’s just getting started.