Harp and Bowls

Topic: Harp and Bowls

Text: Revelation 5:8-14

Rev Renny Khoo

10 Sept 2017

Rev 5:8-14

 8 And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. 9 And they sang a new song:"You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.

10 You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth."

11 Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. 12 In a loud voice they sang:"Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and praise!"

13 Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing:"To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honour and glory and power, for ever and ever!" 14 The four living creatures said, "Amen", and the elders fell down and worshipped.

Harp (Praise & Worship) and Bowls (Prayers)

This familiar and beautiful passage of Scripture (Revelation 5:8-14) gives us a glimpse of the worship that takes place in heaven that is also placed side by side with intercession, likens to a marriage between worship and prayer. The harp symbolizes praise and worship, and the bowls of incense symbolize the prayers of the saints. The prayers that come out from our hearts are not in vain because God collects and puts them in golden bowls of incense. In the great old days (Exodus 35), we started by having the Tabernacle of Moses which only the high priests were permitted to enter. In the days of King David, he brought in a new order of worship where the presence of God resides in the Ark of the Covenant above which he set a Tent (the Tabernacle of David) and when dancing, clapping, rejoicing and singing came into place. When Jesus came, he fulfilled the requirements of the Tabernacle of Moses once and for all, the Great Sacrifice replacing all animal offerings and sacrifices. We get a glimpse of this new order of worship when we read through the book of Psalms. There are prophecies that say God is going to restore the House of David in the last days. There is a reason why we begin all our worship services with praise & worship. Before we begin worship, we call one another to worship! When we gather for meals, we call one another to eat. Worship and corporate prayer are intricately related.

1.         God’s Presence is our focus [Presence vs. Petition]

When church prays, the real focus is on what is exactly in God’s heart. When we worship God, it tutors and aligns our heart to focus on Him. Worship ushers us into God’s presence. When God’s presence is our focus, God’s presence means there is change. It is through corporate prayer that we get to experience the manifest presence of God. He is omnipresent (everywhere). God is worthy to receive praise and worship. What are we driven by when we come for corporate prayer? Do we just come with a shopping or Christmas wish list and our petitions? Do we seek God’s face or God’s hand? When we come to honor and worship God, we want His presence, not just petitions. It is in God’s presence that He will show us our rightful petitions that are in His heart.

“God shows what He wants, we stand and ask, and God acts from heaven: this is true prayer, and this is what we must see fully expressed in our prayer meetings.” – Watchman Nee in “Gather in the Name”.

2.   God’s Presence means change is present. [Change in situations vs. change in atmosphere – transformation]

When we come and pray together, we want to seek God’s presence. God’s presence is our focus. When God’s presence is there, change is present. We want to see changes in our spouses, families, nation, etc. We all want changes but we all do not want to change. For great change to take place, the first change that should take place is within ourselves. We ought to be the change we want to see. Change is temporal or temporary. There is a difference between change and transformation. Chameleons change color temporarily (to protect themselves) while butterflies change from egg to larvae to caterpillar to pupae to butterfly permanently (experience transformation through a process called metamorphosis). When God is present, transformation is inevitable. Some places have negative vibes while others have good atmosphere or positive vibes. There is something about the atmosphere. When God is present, there is a change in the atmosphere and that atmosphere changes us as well. Transformation is a dimension shift when change is made permanent. We should not come with our own agenda and seek His endorsement. When we come with an agenda totally in line with His will, He will show us His thoughts. Romans 12:12. There is a call to come for corporate prayer. Some say, “I don’t know how to pray for Malaysia.” We don’t want to come in a very presumptuous manner. We don’t want to pray as if we’re twisting His fingers. We want to first seek His face and worship Him. In God’s presence, our hearts are tutored and our minds renewed. Come not only for 1 day or just for these 21 days. Teaching prayer is like teaching someone to swim. Just come and pray. That’s how we grow in prayer. God hears our heartbeat. Even language has limitations. There is a place for tears and silence in prayer. Tongue speaking can be a language of prayer. God is bigger than all of that. Let’s come every week and pray together. In 2 Chronicles 20:1-20, King Jehoshaphat of Judah sent praise and worship team instead of soldiers to war! Before the battle started, they sang and gave thanks to the Lord! Only the second tier was the army while the first tier was the praise team. The result was that the enemies fought and killed one another. It took Judah 3 days just to collect the spoils of war. The power of praise and worship, and seeking God’s face whenever we come together to pray!

God's presence is our focus. Presence Vs Petition 

David set a new order of worship when he set up a tabernacle where more people could come forth to worship and through his psalms, there were a lot of clappings.

God will restore the house of worship in the last days. Worship is not limited to songs, it includes our work, services, our doing and being. We always start with praise and worship. 

Calling of one another to Worship

Praise and Worship

This is the beginning of a service, our coming together.

Worship and corporate prayers 

Through corporate prayers, we get to the heart beats and presence of God. Although God is omnipresent, but we are the one who are not tuned in to Him. 

Seek God's face, His presence

Thy Kingdom and Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 

True prayer begins with the heart of God. Him pouring out His desires to us and reviewing to us what is in His heart and we asking Him for it to come to pass. 

God's presence means change is present.

We all want Changes but we all do not want to change. 

God's presence means change is present. 

Change in situations Vs Change in atmosphere 

Languages are very powerful. But there are times, languages are limited and unable to express ourselves before God.

2 Chronicles 20:1-20

Jehoshaphat Defeats Moab and Ammon 

1 After this, the Moabites and Ammonites with some of the Meunites came to make war on Jehoshaphat.

2 Some men came and told Jehoshaphat, "A vast army is coming against you from Edom, from the other side of the Sea. It is already in Hazezon Tamar" (that is, En Gedi). 3 Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to enquire of the LORD, and he proclaimed a fast for all Judah. 4 The people of Judah came together to seek help from the LORD; indeed, they came from every town in Judah to seek him.

5 Then Jehoshaphat stood up in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem at the temple of the LORD in the front of the new courtyard 6 and said:

"O LORD, God of our fathers, are you not the God who is in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. Power and might are in your hand, and no-one can withstand you. 7 O our God, did you not drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel and give it for ever to the descendants of Abraham your friend? 8 They have lived in it and have built in it a sanctuary for your Name, saying, 9 'If calamity comes upon us, whether the sword of judgment, or plague or famine, we will stand in your presence before this temple that bears your Name and will cry out to you in our distress, and you will hear us and save us.'

10 "But now here are men from Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir, whose territory you would not allow Israel to invade when they came from Egypt; so they turned away from them and did not destroy them. 11 See how they are repaying us by coming to drive us out of the possession you gave us as an inheritance. 12 O our God, will you not judge them? For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you."

13 All the men of Judah, with their wives and children and little ones, stood there before the LORD.

14 Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jahaziel son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite and descendant of Asaph, as he stood in the assembly.

15 He said: "Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the LORD says to you: 'Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God's. 16 Tomorrow march down against them. They will be climbing up by the Pass of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the gorge in the Desert of Jeruel. 17 You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you.' "

18 Jehoshaphat bowed with his face to the ground, and all the people of Judah and Jerusalem fell down in worship before the LORD. 19 Then some Levites from the Kohathites and Korahites stood up and praised the LORD, the God of Israel, with a very loud voice.

20 Early in the morning they left for the Desert of Tekoa. As they set out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, "Listen to me, Judah and people of Jerusalem! Have faith in the LORD your God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will be successful."


Questions:

1.         Share your questions/thoughts/experiences of God’s presence in your life.

2        Share your responses to the following statement made by Watchman Nee in “Gather in the Name: “True prayer begins at the heart of God, is made known to the hearts of men, is prayed back to God again, and God answers. This is more than a definition; it is, I believe, the principle of God’s working in the universe.”

3.       Share your resolve/action plan for growing in your confidence and participation in praying together with other brothers and sisters in Christ.

Prayer Meeting 4 July 2017

Prayer Meeting 4 July 2017

Revelation 8:4-5

Revelation 8:4-5 KJV

[4] And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand. [5] And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were …

Lord of the harvest Luke 10

Prayer Meeting 12 July 2017

Lord of the harvest 

Luke 10

1 After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. 2 He told them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. 3 Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. 4 Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road.

5 "When you enter a house, first say, 'Peace to this house.' 6 If a man of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; if not, it will return to you. 7 Stay in that house, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house.

8 "When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is set before you. 9 Heal the sick who are there and tell them, 'The kingdom of God is near you.' 10 But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say, 11 'Even the dust of your town that sticks to our feet we wipe off against you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God is near.' 12 I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town.

13 "Woe to you, Korazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. 14 But it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you. 15 And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to the skies? No, you will go down to the depths.

16 "He who listens to you listens to me; he who rejects you rejects me; but he who rejects me rejects him who sent me."

17 The seventy-two returned with joy and said, "Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name."

18 He replied, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. 20 However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven."

21 At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure.

22 "All things have been committed to me by my Father. No-one knows who the Son is except the Father, and no-one knows who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him."

23 Then he turned to his disciples and said privately, "Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. 24 For I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it."

Evon sharing the mission trip just concluded, how they have to unlearn and change their mindset and expectations 

Peace brought into this place. 

Prayer Meeting on 15 Nov 2016

Psalm 43:

1 Vindicate me, O God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation; rescue me from deceitful and wicked men.

2 You are God my stronghold. Why have you rejected me? Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy?

3 Send forth your light and your truth, let them guide me; let them bring me to your holy mountain, to the place where you dwell.

4 Then will I go to the altar of God, to God, my joy and my delight. I will praise you with the harp, O God, my God.

5 Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Saviour and my God.

Hebrews 4

15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathise with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are- yet was without sin. 16 Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.