Worship and Revelation 4-5 – Part 7 – Charles Morgridge on Revelation 4-5

19th c. American minister Charles Morgridge makes an apt comment about Revelation 4-5:

There is not in the Bible a clearer distinction between the only true God, and his only Son our Saviour, than is here expressed. GOD sat on the throne; the Son stood amidst the elders. GOD had in his right hand a book; the Son came and took the book out of his hand. GOD was worshiped as the Being who created all things; and who liveth forever and ever. The Son was honored as the Lamb that was slain, and redeemed us unto God by his blood. And as [in 1 Chronicles 29:20] the whole congregation of Israel bowed down their heads, and worshiped the LORD and the king, who was but a type of this Lamb; so, in verse 13, the whole universe is represented as ascribing Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, unto HIM that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb, forever and ever. (The True Believer’s Defence, p. 58, bold added)

A couple of other gems:

The word worship is now generally used to express the religious homage due to God. But this is not the only sense in which the word is used in the Bible. [The illustrates this with numerous cases.] (p. 52, bold added) … There is nothing but the mere sound of the English word worship, that favors the idea Jesus was worshiped as GOD. (p. 55)

Well, meaning rather than sound per se.

If honor is due to the Son because theFather hath commissioned and sent him, it must be received by the Son with higher reference to the glory of God the Father. (p. 56) …

For GOD made him both Lord and Christ; exalted him to be a Prince and Saviour; and ordained him Prophet, Priest, and King. Therefore all men honor the Son, even as they honor the Father, when they render to him that homage only which comports with his moral character and relations. Consequently it cannot be supreme worship; that being due to the FATHER, the fountain of all that love, and mercy, and grace in the Son, for which we are required to honor him. Yet we are required to worship the Son, as the Son… as the first begotten… the brightness of the FATHER’s glory, and the express image of his person – as the Christ of God, in whom dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead – as the Lamb that was slain for us – as the resurrection and the life – as the author and finisher of our faith – and our intercessor at the right hand of God. (p. 57)

More needs to be said about this claim that there are kinds of worship, with one kind being appropriate to God alone. But I will not try to say it here.