Reimagining Power and Worship A reflection based on The Revelation chapter four on the Daily Bible refresh with Dr.

Brad Miller.

Hello good people.

Welcome to Daily Bible Refresh with Dr.

Brad Miller.

So glad that you joined me here today in our quest that we have to get the audible word of God into 2 million years, a million people by 2028.

We do so by daily reading from the Revised Common Lectionary.

That's the three year cycle of reading from the Bible.

We read the New Testament version only.

We're in year C, part of a three year cycle, the Easter tide season.

We make the reading of the Bible understandable.

We read the New Testament, the Message version relatable.

We give you some points to ponder an applicable give you an action step.

We do all of that in under 10 minutes or so with a prayer.

It's all brought to you by voiceofgoddaily.com that is the home of the ABC 1, 2, 3 Bible Study Method.

Let's get into our reading for for today.

From the Revelation chapter 4 Reading from the message A door into heaven.

Then I looked and oh, a door opened into heaven.

The trumpet voice, the first voice of my vision called out ascend and enter.

I'll show you what happens next.

I was caught up at once in deep worship and oh a throne set in heaven.

With one seated on the throne so fast and Jim Hughes of amber and flame with a nimbus of emerald.

24 thrones circled the throne with 24 elders seated white robed, gold crowned.

Lightning flash and thunder crash pulsed from the throne.

Seven fire blazing torches fronted the throne.

These were the sevenfold spirit of God before the throne.

It was like a clear crystal sea.

Prowling around the throne were four animals, all eyes, eyes to look ahead, eyes to look behind.

The first animal like a lion, the second like an ox, the third with a human face, the fourth like an eagle in flight.

The four animals were winged, each with six wings.

They were all eyes seen around them within and they chanted night and day never taking a break.

Holy holy, Holy and God our Master Sovereign strong the was the is the coming.

Every time the animals gave glory and honor and thanks to the one seated on the throne, the age after age living one.

The 24 elders would fall prostrate before the one seated on the throne.

They worshiped the age after age living one.

They threw their crowns at the foot of the throne chanting worthy of oh Master, yes our God.

Take the glory, the honor, the power.

You created it all.

It was created because you wanted it.

That ends the reading.

A powerful reading full of great and very, very interesting imagery about John's radical vision of the divine power that challenged the imperial authority of his day.

And it really speaks to our contemporary world as well.

Let's get into some points to ponder in this very interesting passage of Scripture.

The first point has to do with an alternative vision of power.

John's throne room vision deliberately subverts the Roman imperial imagery of the day.

While emperors demanded worship through force, the divine throne room shows power expressed through mutual relationship and shared authority.

The 24 elders freely casting down their crowns presents a radical model of power with rather than power over.

This challenges us to examine and resist modern forms of imperial power.

That's corporate dominance, militarism, white supremacy, or political mismanagement.

The second thing has to do the second point has to do with an ecological vision.

The image is deeply ecological.

Talks about animals and germ and gems and lightning and the sea.

This is merely decorative, but suggests that creation itself participates in divine praise.

In our time of things like climate crisis, this reminds us that environmental justice is sacred work.

The clear crystal sea before the throne stands in stark contrast to a world that we have which is often polluted and our waterways corrupted.

A third thing has to do with inclusive worship.

We have diverse creatures here.

You picked up on that.

You have the lion and the ox and the human and the eagle.

This suggests that God's divinity is honored through diversity, not uniformity.

This challenges religious nationalism and cultural supremacy.

True worship embraces multiple voices, perspectives and ways of being, just as nature itself reflects divine creativity through biodiversity.

Let's talk about an action step for the day.

Identify some way that you and your community or institution can exercise power over rather than or rather than power with.

This might be in decision making processes, resource distribution, or leadership structures.

Draft a concrete proposal for how to make power more collaborative and mutual.

Additionally, connect with a local environmental justice organization to support their work in protecting and restoring creation.

We'll come back with a closing prayer here in just a minute.

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Let's pray.

Oh God, you are a source of life and love and we live in a world where power is too often exercised through domination rather than collaboration.

Help us imagine and create alternative ways of being community together.

When empire demands our allegiance, remind us of your throne room where crowns are freely laid down.

When we're tempted to enforce uniformity, show us the beauty of diversity in your creation.

In times of environmental destruction, help us hear creation's praise and join in protecting it.

Guide us in building communities where power is shared, diversity is celebrated, and creation is honored.

In hope and determination we pray.

Amen.

And it's with hope and determination that I am determined to be back again with you here tomorrow.

Here in Daily Bible Refresh, we have a vision, a mission to get the audible word of God.

It's 2 million years, a million people by 2028, and I just hope that you'll join me in that.

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Until tomorrow, friends.

My name is Dr.

Brad Miller.

Remember that God's loyal love doesn't run out.

His merciful love hasn't dried up.

It's created new every morning.