Responding in Worship

He’s not the first human to expect others to bow down to him. Kim Jong-un, Supreme Leader of North Korea, rules his country as a totalitarian. His leadership follows the same cult of personality as that of his father and grandfather. Mandatory pilgrimages are required of his citizens, who must bow before giant statues of a leader accused of some of the worst crimes against humanity.

As the angel finished sharing words from Jesus and showing John prophetic truths, the aged prisoner once again “fell down to worship before the feet of the angel.” This happened once before (19:10); this time, the angel is identified as “of those who keep the words of this book.”

Worship, a central theme in Revelation, should never be given to a created being—only to the Creator. While the beast demands worship upon penalty of death, John, when first seeing Jesus on the Lord’s day, “fell at His feet as dead” (Revelation 1:17). It is an astonishing contrast to see Christ’s response to John’s worship: “He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, ‘Do not be afraid’” (v. 17).

Unlike the three Hebrews, who were told to worship or be thrown into a fiery furnace and die, God desires that His created beings worship out of love. It is one thing to bow when a bayonet is jabbed at you; it’s quite another to fall in adoration before God.

John does not fall before the angel out of fear but because of what he “saw and heard.” Our proper worship of Jesus comes when we see and hear the prophecies of Revelation. We also will fall down in worship before the true God.

O Jesus, I fall in worship at Your feet, bowing out of genuine love and adoration from knowing the great price You paid for my salvation.

For Further Study: Exodus 20:1–3; Daniel 3:1–25; John 4:23, 24

Key Bible Texts

And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things. (Revelation 22:8 KJV)