Worship Warfare
About a month ago Pastor Daniel and I attended a one day Pastor’s Conference with Jake Maechler and he leaned over and said, “Hearing all these men in the room reminds me of men who are storming the gates in battle together!”
That is because worship is warfare!
In Revelation 19 John is allowed to eavesdrop in on the happenings of heaven and what he witnesses is a response of Babylon’s defeat. What is that response? We read the great multitude cries out, “Hallelujah!” This word is found only 4 times in the book and all are found right here in the 19th chapter! The word literally means, “Praise Yahweh!” The question then is, “how are they praising?”
They’re singing! Sometimes we can have this idea that singing is an unnecessary part of the worship service and I want to encourage you to think differently on this. Singing is an offense to the enemy of God. When we sing we are engaging in the war that is taking place in the cosmos! This is what we do when we gather and sing together in corporate worship.
John Piper puts it this way, "Corporate worship is the public savoring of the worth of God and the beauty of God and power of God and the wisdom of God. And therefore worship is an open declaration to all the powers of heaven and to all of Babylon that we will not prostitute our minds or our hearts or our bodies to the allurements of the world. Though we may live in Babylon, we will not be captive to Babylonian ways. And we will celebrate with all our might the awesome truth that we are free from that which will be destroyed.”
This is exact what what John sees on fully display! Look at that again, “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, for his judgments are true and just; for he has judged the great promptitude who corrupted the earth with her immorality, and has avenged on her the blood of his servants. Once more they cried out, ‘Hallelujah! The smoke from her goes up forever and ever. And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who was seated on the throne, saying, “Amen. Hallelujah!”
That is to say, “Let it be so! Praise Yahweh!” For God has avenged His people and His enemies will be thrown down and the smoke of them will go up forever! I this is warfare worship in Heaven.
Verse 5 tells us that a voice from the throne saying, “Praise our God, all you his servants, you who fear him, small and great. Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and and like the sound of might peals of thunder crying out, “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns.”
Commenting on Piper’s remark Sam Storms adds, “Worship is far more than singing. We don't merely sing songs. We sing to celebrate and proclaim the God of heaven and earth. We sing to enjoy him. We sing to savor all that he is for us in Jesus We sing and pray to connect with God himself. Worship is all about engaging with God, encountering God, extolling God, enjoying God.”
Do you see where all this worship is directed? It is directed at God, the subject and object of our worship. Do you find yourself in a season of affliction? Turn from your circumstances toward God and sing! He is worthy and nothing offends the enemy more than when we ignore his powerless attacks and sing to our omnipotent God who has already defeated him. Worship is warfare!
Singing with you,
-Pastor Ricky