Bagay Ka sa Langit

Awestruck Moment ni Juan

                Ano pa kayang makikita natin sa Heaven?  Anu-anong activities pa kaya ang pwede nating gawin?  Hindi pa natin malalaman lahat yun until we get there, pero isang activity ang siguradong gagawin natin doon - we will worship.  Iyon ang pinakamahalagang bagay na gagawin natin doon.  Hindi iyon gaya ng worship natin dito sa Earth.  Isa iyong ibang uri ng worship.  It is worship on a totally different level.  Iyon ay lampas pa sa kasalukuyan nating pang-unawa at kapasidad.  Kaysa i-try kong i-describe ito, why don't we just go there? 

                Let's take a mental field trip to paradise.  Mula sa mga lente ng Scripture, tignan natin ang Heavenly worship from right where you sit. 

The Throne

Re. 4:1-3 After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, "Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this." At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian. A rainbow, resembling an emerald, encircled the throne."

                Si Apostle John ay nasa Espiritu at nagbigay sa kanya ng vision ang Diyos tungkol sa Heaven.  Iyon ay vision na hindi pa kailanman nakita ng mga mata ng tao.  Hindi mga pearly gates o streets of gold ang agad na nakakuha ng attention ni John.  Hindi nya na-encounter ang mga anghel o si San Pedro sa gate na may hawak ng reservation list.  Ang unang nag capture ng paningin nya ay ang isang trono (v.2).  At hindi lang trono kundi nakita nya rin na merong nakaupo roon. 

                Makikita natin sa History na kapag ang Earthly monarch or dictator ay namatay o kaya ay napatalsik ng kudeta, kailangan agad na makahanap ng kapalit nya na uupo sa trono.  Dahil ang throne ay sumisimbolo sa stability ng nation or ng kingdom.  Kapag walang nakaupo sa trono, ito ay nagpapakita ng insecurity, uncertainty and even anarchy. 

                Ang throne na nakita ni John ang nagpaliit sa lahat ng nakita nya sa paligid.  Nakita nyang ito ay established throne, unmovable.  Sabi nya " the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian. A rainbow, resembling an emerald, encircled the throne.."  Hindi man natin lubusang maintindihan ang verbal portrait ng celestial throne na ito, isang bagay ang pwede nating ma-appreciate dito.  At iyon ay ang katotohanan na may nakaupo sa throne of Heaven.  God Himself is seated in this chair.  Sa kanyang trono, Sya ang supervisor. He's in charge.  It means that everything is under control and that all is well.  At dahil Sya ang in control, ibig sabihin nito, kapag ang mundo mo ay gumuguho, hindi mo kailangang gumuho din.  Kung ang Diyos ay hindi nagpapanic, hindi mo rin kailangang magpanic.  Kung sya ang in control, walang pangyayari, problema, tao o pakiramdam na pwedeng magnakaw ng joy and peace mo.  Still remember the verse, John 16:33 ?  Don't worry.  He's steering this universe, the planet and your life with ease.  So leave the driving to Him. 

The Four Living Creatures

Re. 4:4-8 Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads. From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. Before the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits [Or the sevenfold Spirit]of God. Also before the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal. In the centre, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and behind. The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under his wings. Day and night they never stop saying: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come."