And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to Him that sat on the throne, Who liveth for ever and ever. Revelation 4:9
As John records the great vision he had of the throne in Heaven, he lists the three themes of the creatures that were around the throne: glory, honour, and thanks. It seems like an unusual choice of words. And yet, these three themes will be the same ones that you and I will be occupied with in eternity as we praise the Lord Jesus Christ. The theme of glory reminds us of His greatness. The theme of honour reminds us of His holiness. The theme of thanks reminds us of His grace.
Many times in Scripture we are reminded that the Lord Jesus is the creator of all things. The Psalms speak often of His great glory and power. We consider His title as King of kings and Lord of lords, of the declaration that God has highly exalted Him, and given to Him a Name that is above every name (Philippians 2:9). His unending and infinite power and dominion will rightfully hold our attention forever.
The man who sent the Lord Jesus to be crucified was made to declare that he could find no fault in Him. Nor can anyone else who has studied the accounts of His life in the Gospels. The centurion who witnessed the crucifixion verified His righteousness. On more than one occasion, God in Heaven proclaimed His satisfaction with His Son. The resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is the ultimate vindication of His holy character. Only One free of all sin and holy in all His ways could qualify to be our Saviour. The honour of the Lord Jesus is surely a worthy theme for our eternal occupation.
Ephesians 2:8 reminds us that it is by grace that we are saved. As undeserving sinners, we must rely on the grace of God for our salvation. Noah was saved from the flood, not because of merit, but because he laid hold of the grace of God. From our first parents until now, only the grace of God has stood between us and divine wrath. But at Calvary, divine wrath was unleashed, not on wrath-deserving sinners, but on the holy and spotless Son of God. Grace provided a way by which the holiness of God could be vindicated, as the judgment we deserved was meted out in full measure. Grace now invites undeserving sinners to rest beneath the finished work of the cross. And so the grace of God is precious to every believer. Forever we will be appreciating the unfolding of the riches of His grace.
The greatness of the Lord Jesus fills us with awe. The holiness of the Lord Jesus fills us with worship. The grace of the Lord Jesus fills us with thanks. -Jim MacIntosh